Who will Ciro Ferrara bring to the Old Lady?

With the silly season well underway, Juventus have been busy trying to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2009/2010 season. A few pieces of business have already been agreed, Fabio Cannavaro has signed from Real Madrid, long term target Diego was brought in from Werder Bremen for a €24 million. Olof Mellberg has joined Olympiakos for €2.5m and highly rated Azzurrini star Domenico Criscito made his loan move to Genoa permanent for around €5.5m, plus Pavel Nedved decided his time was up as he retired from our beautiful game.

It is rumoured Juve have roughly another €20-30 million left to rebuild this summer, a host of names are said to surplus to requirements, the most high profile being David Trezeguet, Jonathan Zebina and Christian Poulsen. If these players are sold this may add to the already bulging coffers, but where and who will Juventus spend this summer. I will give you a run down of the most likely arrivals in Turin.

Firstly, the areas I believe Juve must reinforce are the full back areas, particularly left back, and centre midfield, adding creativity and bite to the lacklustre centre they currently have. In addition a possible forward, as Del Piero is now moving towards the twilight of his career and Iaquinta does not have the required quality for a Juventus side looking to challenge on three fronts.

Gaetano D'Agostino

Gaetano D’Agostino - €12-15 million

What a year it would be if former AS Roma youth product managed to secure a transfer to the Turin giants. Starting his career as a wide player, he has remodelled himself as a playmaking defensive midfielder in the Andrea Pirlo mould. His performances have been fantastic for Udinese this season and he earned his first Italy call-up back in November then making his debut against Northern Ireland in June. He would be an excellent acquisition for the Bianconeri who looked to add a bit of verve to the centre. The transfer so far has been an on/saga all summer with Juve unwilling to meet Udinese’s price tag of €16 million. The player wants to join Juve, and Juve want the player, expect more negotiations before the summers out, but this one should go through sooner or later.

Mahamadou Diarra

Mahamadou Diarra - €15-18 million

The Malian midfield general has already been linked with Juventus this summer at the recommendation of former teammate Cannavaro. Out for pretty much the whole of last season with a knee injury, he is the added steel Juve need on the centre. He is very much a tough tackling midfield general and will look to stamp his authority on the Juventus midfield. He will also be available as Real Madrid have his namesake Lassana whilst tracking former Juve target Xabi Alonso, he will be deemed surplus. Possible stumbling blocks for me are the size of the fee and the similarities to Momo Sissoko.

Fabio Grosso

Fabio Grosso - €7 million

What can be said about Fabio Grosso, well we know he has his best games in the blue of Italy, the last ‘big’ club he was at, he flopped, the club in question Internazionale. After spending two years in France playing for Lyon it seems he wants a return to the peninsula, with Juve heading the queue. An integral part of the 2006 World Cup winning side, and still a huge part of Marcelo Lippi’s 2010 World Cup plans, he would be ideal as a short-term solution to the problem left back slot. Soon to be 32 years old, time is not on his side, but in his defence he will run tirelessly up and down his flank and the possibility of linking up with international teammates Chiellini, Cannavaro and Buffon could make Italy’s World Cup preparations very interesting indeed.

Andrea Dossena

Andrea Dossena - €5-10 million

In my opinion Andrea Dossena is not of the desired quality Juventus need to progress. He is prone to defensive lapses and his delivery on the overlap is erratic at best. The main part of his game is energy, he will give 100% every time he pulls on football shirt no matter who for. He has not broken into the Liverpool first team this season, and is behind Fabio Grosso in the Azzurri line up. Given that Liverpool would look to recoup the €7 million they paid Udinese, I think Dossena is a player Juve should avoid, too expensive and no better than what they already have.

Goran Pandev

Goran Pandev - €17-20 million

After a successful season with Lazio, the man from Macedonian is in demand, Bayern Munich are reported to be interested as well. He would provide versatility, as he is accustomed to playing as a striker, second-striker and winger. He could adequately fill the void left by Nedved. But do Juve desperately need another striker you may ask, I would say yes but not for the money Lazio are asking, if a reduced fee can be agreed then it would make sense to bring him in.

Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso - €15- 20 million

Juventus tried and failed to bring the Spaniard to the Olimpico last summer due to a difference in valuation with the Liverpool board. He then went on to have probably the best season of his career and certainly his most effective on Merseyside. He provides cover for the defence, with great anticipation coupled with an extraordinary reading of the game. He is blessed with supreme technique and eye for an incisive pass. He would compliment Sissoko/Marchisio well and should be considered a definite purchase. However, with interest from Real Madrid it may be hard to persuade him to choose Serie A over La Liga.

Lest we not forget the young players trying to break into the first team. Sebastian Giovinco, Paolo De Ceglie and Claudio Marchisio. All three have had fantastic summers in Sweden with the U21 squad. Giovinco particularly impressed and if given the chance will blossom is Bianconeri through and through. De Ceglie and especially Marchisio both broke into the first team last season, the latter more so. If Ferrara can blend these homegrown talents with some astute purchases then La Vecchia Signora may well push Inter all the way this coming season.

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With Pipo Inzaghi nearing retirement age (he’s 35) the San Siro outfit need someone who will be able to get the goals and play every game. Fabiano and Crouch both fit this bill and I’m confident both would be able to adapt to Serie A football. Crouch in particular has his detractors, but for me he is in fact an excellent footballer. The former Liverpool forward may not be as good in the air as you’d expect him to be (he stands at 6ft7 tall but still isn’t comfortable in the air) but he has more skill than people give him credit for. I remember Crouch scoring a very impressive scissor-kick/overhead goal against Bolton Wanderers and he isn’t afraid to have a shot.

Fabiano currently plays for La Liga side Seville as well as being a regular in the Brazil national side. He finished as top scorer in the Confederations Cup in South Africa with 5 goals and arguably has a better shot than Crouch. His record at international level of 22 goals in 31 games is among the best in Brazilian football history but Seville have placed a hefty price tag on his head (reports suggest around 30m euros, with AC willing to pay 18m).

It would seem that Milan’s interest in Arsenal star Emmanuel Adebayor has waned, perhaps because of his high-price tag and a lacklustre campaign last time around. They look to be after a big striker still and either Fabiano or Crouch would be a decent addition to the side.

In Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato the Rossoneri have quality playmakers who could provide excellent support for a big man in the middle. Both Crouch and Fabiano are ideally suited to this role. In his time at Liverpool Crouch led the line well and allowed space for players such as Steven Gerrard to cause damage, he could well do the same at Milan for Ronaldinho and co. Fabiano is no stranger to working with players with flair, he linked up with Manchester City striker Robinho on numerous occasions to deadly effect at the Confederations Cup.

At £10m (around 11.5m euros) Crouch is the cheaper option of the two and with Premier League giants Manchester United also reportedly interested in Fabiano Milan may opt for the Englishman. I feel Crouch could adapt well to Italian football as he is a very clever reader of the game (another thing he isn’t given credit for) and would be a success at the San Siro. Whether or not Milan sign either player, it seems clear they are searching for a powerful striker and I for one am interested in what Leonardo does over the summer. For too long now Milan have been overshadowed by their neighbours and if Leonardo is to join the legendary managers of the great side it seems a safe football bet that he will have to figure out a way to topple Inter Milan’s domination.

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As the Azzurri floundered and failed in South Africa, it was left to the Azzurrini to provide the Italian nation with something at cheer about or at the very least restore some national pride, which they managed to do, and even more so if it weren’t for the great German machine.

Heading to the European U21 Championships in Sweden, the Italy U21 side were the favourites, along with England and Spain U21’s. Boasting an unbeaten qualifying record and an impressive group of youngsters, more of whom have been tried and tested this season in Serie A, the omens looked positive for the Azzurrini, who have won this tournament a record five times.

Several of coach Pierluigi Casiraghi’s players have this season broken through in for their respective Serie A clubs, Marco Motta has made the right-back slot at AS Roma his own, Domenico Criscito and Salvatore Bocchetti are stalwarts of the Genoa defence, Claudio Marchisio has shown for Juventus he can dominate a midfield, while the front trio of Sebastian Giovinco, Robert Acquafresca and Mario Balotelli are a fearsome prospect for any defence in Europe.

In a group that contained hosts Sweden, Serbia and Belarus, a semi-final place was all but assured for the Azzurrini, however a nil-nil draw with Serbia in the opening game may have led to some furrowing of eyebrows among the Italian nation. But, the positive from an opening day performance were that this U21 side looked a very exciting prospect coupled with some truly excellent players.

In the following game against Sweden the Italian defence held firm against an extremely talented Swedish attack, containing Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonin. A ten man Italy triumphed two-one, with two goals from Balotelli and Acquafresca assuring the Azzurrini of victory. Then a brace from Acquafresca propelled Italy from one-nil down to Belarus, to victory and subsequent first place in the final Group standings. A semi-final with unfancied Germany awaited.

Earlier in the day England played Sweden, and produced game of the tournament. Sweden coming back from three-nil down, only to lose on a penalty shootout. Italy vs. Germany had a lot to live up to.
Maybe lacking in goals the second semi-final was an enthralling game. German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer pulled off a string of top class, if unconventional saves as Italy totally dominated from start to finish, with only a momentary lapse that eventually cost them the match. Andreas Beck’s forty-eighth minute strike meant Germany would play England in the final.

Undeservingly the Azzurrini were dumped out of the competition. However, the performances of many Azzurrini throughout the tournament were a joy to behold.

The first to spring to mind has to be Giovinco, he terrorised defences in each match and unlucky not to get on the score sheet at all. It is clear from his performances, the ‘Atomic Ant’ is best used as a trequartista, operating just behind a front two. His incisive passing, endless running and eye for the unexpected led to him picking holes in all the defensive lines put in front of him. His attacking partners, Balotelli and Acquafresca had differing tournaments. Balotelli showed his amazing potential and tremendous skill, but also his fiery temper and ungainly attitude. Acquafresca on the other hand had a relatively successful tournament, bagging three goals and a man of the match performance against Belarus.

The midfield of Marchisio, Paolo De Cegile and Luca Cigarini demonstrated the benefits of a well balance centre. Combining defensive solidity and organisation with drive and creativity. Luca Cigarini being the standout pupil. His passing range, vision and set pieces distinct highlights, described as an heir apparent to Andrea Pirlo and on this evidence he is surly the only viable candidate.

For me, most praise must go to the defence. Andrea Consigli, Bochetti, Criscito, Marco Andreoli and Marco Motta were the most solid unit of the championship. Andreoli and Bocchetti were imperious as a defensive pairing, both acting as this own version on the ‘Berlin Wall’ they laid the solid foundation for many an Italy attack. Criscito was showing the form that has been with him all season. But it was Marco Motta who stole the show throughout the Azzurrini journey. Bombing down the right flank like a man possessed, as if single handedly wanting to claim the title for Italy. As team captain, showed authority and leadership, while containing opponent’s advances with precision timing and composure. This boy man (as Sir Paul would say) given a few years is certain to be attracting the interest of Real Madrid, who seem intent on buying the worlds best.

As the Confederations Cup left Italy desperate for any glimmer of hope internationally, a full-scale fireworks display blazed in Scandinavia. A few of these players could and should have been present in South Africa, where many others will most definitely be close to Marcelo Lippi’s thoughts. The future is bright, the future is Azzurrini.

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Italy out of the Confederations Cup

As the final of the Confederations Cup approaches, the tournament for one team in particular has been an unmitigated disaster. Coming into the competition, as World Champions would surely mean an easy route to the semi-finals at least, however Italy capitulated in almighty fashion. A somewhat fortuitous victory over the USA followed by an embarrassing defeat to Egypt and a master class from Brazil, meant Italy were on the first plane back to Rome.

Going into the tournament Italy were expected to contest the trophy with Brazil and Spain, not necessarily the favourites but with more quality than the other sides, a semi-final berth was the minimum expectation.
Marcelo Lippi named his 23 man squad, ‘old’, ‘past-it’, ‘over the hill’, ‘geriatric’ and claims they ‘don’t have the legs’, were all terms used to by the media to describe the Azzurri hopefuls. Lippi was defiant and had complete faith in his band of World Cup winners.

Personally, I was more concerned with the quality of some, for example Andrea Dossena is not international quality and how he is in an Italy squad remains a mystery to me. Luca Toni has not been performing to the standards set in 2006. While Gattuso has missed most of the season through injury and Cameronesi has also spent large chunks of the campaign on the treatment table. Add this to a 32-year-old Zambrotta, 35-Year-old Cannavaro, 32-year-old Legrottaglie, a recipe for disaster was unquestionably in the making.

In their opening fixture against the USA, Italy started the match well, but as the first half wore on the USA edged more and more into proceedings, creating the best chances of the half. Even after going down to 10 men, USA took the lead through a Landon Donavan penalty. But it wasn’t until the introduction of Giuseppe Rossi that Italy looked dangerous in the final third. He grabbed two goals and all the headlines.

But it was against Egypt that the wheels well and truly came off, a hapless performance both defensively and creatively. Italy lacked ideas going forward and solidity at the back. They fully deserved to be beaten.
Then came Brazil in the final group game, a win was needed to guarantee qualification but 3 goals in eight minutes put an end to any hopes of winning the match. Although with the USA leading Egypt by thee goals all the Azzurri needed was one goal, but the impotent attack couldn’t even muster a decent opportunity. Italy were humiliated and on their way home.

After such a humbling tournament Lippi must realise that with the World Cup less than a year away, a serious and quick rebuilding program is needed. Young players need to be introduced; Rossi and Santon have to be given more responsibility. Some of the 2006 class need to be dropped for good, as it is quite clear they are not of the required quality any longer.

The tactics have to be rethought, the 4-3-3 does not work, it has been tried for a year and it has be a veritable disaster, the players don’t like it, aren’t suited to it and cannot make it work. It requires a lot of hard work from the midfielders and so called wingers, Pirlo, Montolivo, Rossi et al do not work as hard as the tifosi would like and age has caught up with Gattuso.

Each time Italy changed formation in the competition they were more competitive, relatively speaking of course. Why not use 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-1-2? These are two formations used on a more regular basis in the peninsula, the players are used to them and this would have a positive effect on the side as they would know what their job is on the park.

A couple of positives did come out of the tournament, one being Andrea Pirlo, his passing and vision seem to be back after a two year absence, coupled with his advanced position up the pitch, it is clear he is a vital player for the Azzurri. Second, Giuseppe Rossi, he has clearly demonstrated his quality and must now be one of the first names on the team sheet, young, hungry and with a predatory instinct, he can be the catalyst to a younger, brighter Azzurri, once that may have something to say in 2010 in South Africa.

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It would seem as if the Czech’s career may not be over though.  His agent, Mino Raiol, has stated he will try and convince the veteran schemer to continue and now rumours have circled linking him with a return to Lazio.

“I will do all I can to have him continue. He should not be ending yet. He is in the same shape as he was when he became Europe’s player of the year.” Raiol told Deniksport.cz earlier in June.

At first I dismissed this as agent talk and general rumour mongering.  However, the rumours have increased about a return to Serie A and it would seem perhaps we have not seen the last of the former Ballon d’Or winner.

Despite his position as one of the more senior members of the Old Lady last season Nedved still managed to play in 29 games (his season was ended in March with an injury) and scored a decent seven goals.

At the moment we’re still waiting to hear from the man himself, so I wouldn’t go betting on him stepping out onto a  pitch somewhere next season just yet.

I’m fairly confident he could still perform at the highest level personally.  I wouldn’t go as far as Raiol and say he is still at his best but his form is still pretty good and he was an important cog in the Juve machine last season.  At 36 there will always be questions over his fitness but Nedved was never a player who relied too heavily on pace.  His awareness and passing ability are perhaps his best attributes, as well as a vicious strike, and he was always worth an online football bet for anytime scorer in the big games.  Needless to say, I for one would love it if he gave us one more season.

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Kaka went to Real Madrid for £59million and Inter value Ibra as ’superior’ to the Brazilian superstar.  According to Inter administrator Ernesto Paolillo Ibrahimovic is worth more than Kaka, but slightly less than the £80million Real Madrid will pay Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

“The player knows that for the time being we have had no offers that are deemed suitable for his market value, which is superior to Kaka and slightly inferior to Cristiano Ronaldo in our estimation,” said Paolillo. “The situation is being evaluated constantly by Inter sporting director Marco Branca.

“Regardless of the rumours, we find ourselves faced with an impasse that could be unblocked at any time - just like it could also mean that Ibrahimovic’s desired transfer does not happen.”

In the current transfer climate Inter’s valuation of Zlatan may seem a bit high, but when you consider he won the Capocannonieri last season with 25 goals it doesn’t seem that crazy.  He is also perhaps the best target man in the world at the moment and would be incredibly hard for Jose Mourinho to replace.

The clubs that are apparently vying for Ibrahimovic’s signature are La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and Premier League outfit Chelsea.  Of those three clubs I think Barcelona would be hesitant to splash out such a hight amount but for Chelsea and Real Madrid it could be a different story.

Chelsea are bankrolled by owner Roman Abramovic but even he may be wary of spending such a large sum on one player.  However, Real Madrid have reportedly secured loans of around the 800million euro mark to spend on new players and if they do target Ibra he could well be tempted by the Bernabeu side.

By placing such a large price on his head it would seem Inter are determined to keep him, though admittedly if an astronomical offer came along it would be hard for them to turn down. It would be sad to see the prolific striker leave Serie A but one player does not make a league or a team, especially not Internazionale.  If Ibra decides his future lies elsewhere, despite the Nerazzurri’s best efforts to keep him, I would wish him well at Real and I’m betting he would be a success in Spain.  If he does decide to leave it will be interesting to see what the ’special one’ does with over £70million, because it seems Inter won’t let their star man go for any less.

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This is one possible scenario but on the other hand there is the possibility that we’re about to experience a rejuvenation of Italian football.  For a long time AC Milan have needed a bit of a remodel, Carlo Ancelotti did an amazing job but in the last few years I’ve been less than impressed with the Rossoneri and in truth things needed shaping up.  Now they have lost Kaka but they have an extra £56million to spend and if that is invested in the squad and Leonardo makes the right choices we could have a new look AC Milan to challenge their city neighbours.

Jose Mourinho has pledged his future to Inter so the ‘special one’ will grace Serie A with his presence for another season.  I’m a big fan of Mourinho and he should be able to bring in some big names to the Giuseppe Meazza over the summer.  Their performance in the Champions League wasn’t the best but they were taken out by the eventual finalists and it wouldn’t surprise me if Jose took them quite far in the competition next season when he has had the summer to improve his side.

If the Nerazzurri do lose Ibrahimovic it will be a big blow but not the huge disaster it has been made out to be by some in the media.  Granted he is one of the world’s top strikers but Inter are no one man team, they’ve got talent right through the side and the money from Ibra’s sale would go on another top forward to replace him.

Roma disappointed this season, they’re definitely a side in need of improvement and after missing out on Champions League qualification you would expect a few comings and goings at the Stadio Olimpico. It has been reported they’re preparing a move for David Trezeguet from Juventus.  It could be a good move for both Roma and Trezeguet in truth, they could certainly do with a striker of his calibre and he needs to try and regain his form after a fairly indifferent season disrupted by injuries.  Marseille and Lyon are also thought to be interested and at 31-years-old he might consider a move back to Ligue One but you would think he would want to continue in Serie A.

It would seem though that Roma are indeed in the market for a striker as they’re also being linked with Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko.  Like Trezeguet the Russian is a big target man kind of striker and would also make a good foil for the more skilful of Roma’s players like Francesco Totti or Mirko Vucinic.

Kaka’s transfer may have made a few people think about hitting the panic button but in truth one player moving will not kill a whole league, especially not one as strong as the Serie A. It may suggest a slight decline but it is one the clubs themselves are very much in control of reversing if they bring in the right players and improve in the Champions League.  When Zinedine Zidane switched from Juve to Real Madrid the league only lost a great player, the same will happen now Kaka has opted for Real.

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The £56m departure of Brazilian playmaker and the darling of the Milan fans - Kaka - has grabbed all the headlines this summer. Many supporters are still trying to come to terms with the fact that they will never see their beloved midfielder in an AC Milan shirt ever again. The fear that he will come back to haunt his old club in a Real Madrid jersey will be a huge worry for the Italian side.

However, Kaka is not the only stalwart of the Milan side to depart the club this summer. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has left for Chelsea, threatening to take a number of his top stars - most notably Andrea Pirlo and Alexandre Pato - with him to West London.

The Curva Nord also said goodbye to the legendary Paolo Maldini with the evergreen defender finally deciding to hang up his boots as he announced his retirement from the game. With the departure of Maldini was the decision by Milan to retire his number 3 jersey in a tribute to one of the most legendary footballers ever to play the game.

With new coach and former Milan player Leonardo at the helm, it certainly heralds a new era for the club. Left with an ageing side with top stars including Pirlo, Rino Gattuso, David Beckham, Andrei Shevchenko, Pippo Inzaghi all the wrong side of 30, the Brazilian coach will certainly need to freshen things up if he is to attack Jose Mourinho’s Inter side and reclaim the Scudetto.

The rebuilding job has started with Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko likely to appear in an AC Milan jersey next season as the club negotiate the terms over his transfer.

Holding onto top stars, such as the exciting young Brazilian prospect Pato, will be key and the club will be hoping the appointment of his compatriot Leonardo can help to sway “the duck” to stay.

Written by Danny Watson, a professional sports writer who blogs about football news.

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How long with Ibrahimovic stay in Milan?

Now regular listeners to the Italian Football FanCast and the Manchester United Football FanCast will be very aware of my liking for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, some of my colleagues would even call it a blind obsession. After weeks of mockery, I have decided to take it upon myself to explain why I think Zlatan is truly world class and up there with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. So be prepared for some statistics!

He is a player that has everything, his 6’3 and a half inch frame holds within it, a talent that many of us can only dream of. He possesses pace, movement, sublime finishing ability, the dexterity to try then ultimately pull off the unexpected and amaze his watching audience. All this is complemented by a footballing intelligence that can only be described as extraordinary.

This season in Serie A, Ibrahimovic has been at his most prolific scoring 25 goals in 35 games adding 7 assists, that’s 0.7 goals per game. He is the reigning Capocanonniere. Comparing this to Nicolas Anelka, the Premierships top scorer with 19 goals in 33 games, 0.54 goals per game. Granted the likes of Samuel Eto’o, and Lionel Messi boast better records, but it must be noted, La Liga is much more open tactically compared to Serie A, thus leading to more goal scoring opportunities.

His record for Sweden is also impressive, 21 goals in 56 games, in addition to his 6 goals in 7 games for the U21’s. With all due respect, Sweden aren’t exactly setting the world alight with their scintillating brand of football and thus adds weight to a very good scoring rate at international level.

It is not only his scoring record that is worth looking at, on the most part his performances have been excellent and in some cases breathtaking.  A mention has to go to the manner in which he scores his goals, most notably his near post back heel flick against Bologna, the free-kick he blasted in against Fiorentina and the sublime ‘edge of the box’ chip against Reggina. Plus the final day back heel, which showcased his strength, touch and ability to pull off the unexpected.

Ibra began his career at local team FBK Balkan, and on one occasion a 10 year old Ibrahimovic was a second half substitute, at which point FBK Balkan were losing 5-0, Zlatan went on to score 8 and his team won. Ibra-cadabra indeed. Transferred between Malmo, Ajax, Juventus and Inter for a combined total of €50 million, it was money well spent as far as I’m concerned.

On his Champions League debut in 2002 he scored 2 goals for Ajax against Lyon and in the same season scored what can only be described as a wondergoal against NAC Breda, later voted goal of the season by Eurosport. He dribbled past the whole defence took the ball round the keeper, put another 3 or 4 players on there backsides and slotted the ball home, beyond the shadow of a doubt the work of a marvel.

He then went on to play for Juventus and was an instant hit with the Bianconeri, with 16 goals in his first season. Although in his second and final season with Juve, his form dipped and eventually forced his way out of the club after the Calciopoli scandal, moving to the club he supported as a boy, FC Internazionale.

It is in Milan that Irbahimovic has blossomed and become and integral part to the Inter juggernaught. Last season he managed to bag 22 goals in 33 games including 5 goals in 7 starts in the Champions League. It must also be noted that Ibra had 24 shots of which 7 were on target in the Champions League, what that tells you is … if you give him a chance he will score.

He has often been criticised for his performances against the big clubs and especially those in the Champions League. Statements which bear fruit when you consider he has never scored in the knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition. This aside, I will put forward a case for his defence. This player is one that is arguably his teams only attacking threat, nullify Ibrahimovic and Inter become somewhat impotent in attack.

Pressure on him to perform has resulted in a player that can it be said, ‘tries too hard’ in the so-called ‘big’ games. Instead of just playing his natural game, he seems intent creating and scoring all on his own in an attempt to prove to all his doubters that he is indeed the best player in the world. Although Jose Mourinho already deems this to be the case.

Zlatan however, does have his shortfailings, he is a supremely confident young man, when asked what could stop him becoming the best player in the world he replied with only one word “injury” then asked to describe himself in three words … his retort, “I am brilliant”. 

A statement I agree with wholeheartedly.

In more recent times he has voiced his desire to move from the peninsula, stating, “I don’t know what else I can still do in Italy, other than keep going and build a collection. We’ll see. Now there are two internationals with Sweden and then we’ll wait and see what happens. The future? I don’t know. If something is going to happen, it will be after this match. We will see, I don’t know yet”.

In my view Zlatan would only go to a top club, and with no disrespect to any other teams in Spain that means Barcelona or Real Madrid. At both teams he would score more goals get more assists and ultimately become a Ballon d’Or winner. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a magician, a talisman and an enigma but even so he is undeniably one of the finest players on this small blue planet and if he does leave it would be a massive loss to Inter and Calcio as a whole.

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Goalkeeper:
Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)

The Nerazzurri & Brazil #1 has become the best keeper in Italy and the 2nd best keeper in the world behind Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas.

Defenders:
Maicon (Inter Milan)

Maicon Douglas Sisenando is arguably the best right back in the world and a huge piece of Inter’s defense & offense in their multiple Scudetto run.

Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina)
,
The center back known as “Super Gambero” by the Viola faithful was the rock of a Fiorentina side that had 4th best defense in the Serie A and led I Viola in Serie A appearances.

Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

The other center back in the Best XI is seen as the best center back in Italy. The 24-year old will be the future rock in the middle of the Azzurri defense and helped Juve to the 2nd best defense in the Serie A.

Domenico Criscito (Genoa)

The youngest member of the Best XI is well known in Italy as the one of the best young defensive talents. He is on loan from Juventus and helped Genoa surprise the Serie A with their 5th place finish and a place in the Europa League.

Defensive Midfielders:
Felipe Melo (Fiorentina)

The hard tackling, often fouling Brazilian midfielder gave Cesare Pirandelli’s men and edge & toughness that helped Fiorentina get a Champions League spot. Felipe Melo led Serie A in red cards & was in the Top 10 in yellow cards.

Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan)

The Argentine midfielder is arguably the most under appreciated midfielder in the Serie A. He is a fixture in Inter’s lineup, has a knack of scoring timely goals, and a massive contributor for The Nerazzurri.

Attacking Midfielders:
Kaká (AC Milan)

The new Real Madrid midfielder was AC Milan’s leading scorer and the face of The Rossoneri. Kaká’s influence on & off the pitch was essential to Milan returning to the Champions League.

Gaetano D’Agostino (Udinese)

The Udinese playmaker was 2nd leading goalscorer among midfielders and was the key to Udinese finishing with the 5th best attack in the Serie A and a surprise 7th place finish.

Forwards:
Marco Di Vaio (Bologna)

The well traveled 32-year old striker finished tied for 2nd in the Capocannoniere race with 24 goals and helped Bologna avoid relegation.

Diego Milito (Genoa)

The man known as El Principe tied Di Vaio for 2nd in the Capocannoniere race with 24 goals and was the face of Genoa’s amazing 5th place finish. The Argentine hitman will now take his goal scoring touch to Inter.

DT:
Gian Piero Gasperini (Genoa)

2 seasons ago Genoa was in the Serie B, since then Gasperini has led Genoa to a Top 5 finish and into a European competition. The former Juventus midfielder has received praise for Genoa’s attacking style of play as I Rossoblu was the clear positive surprise team in the 08-09 season.

Bench:
GK: Gigi Buffon (Juventus)
DEF: Paolo Maldini (AC Milan) & Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)
MID: Michele Fini (Cagliari) & Simone Vergassola (Siena)
ATT: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan) & Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina)

What do you think about our choice for the Serie A Best XI? Let us know.

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