photo credit: Kieran Lynam
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is reportedly off the transfer list and will be a member of Milan’s club for the remainder of the year. Many football critics had claimed that Huntelaar was on the move due to his lack of valuable minutes on the pitch for Milan this season, but the club officials have squashed those rumors claiming that the Dutchman is right where he will stay for the remainder of the year.
One of my fears came true this past weekend. AS Roma leap frogged Milan into second place after the rossoneri were held to a barren draw by the unfancied Bologna on Sunday afternoon. This was another bad outing for Leonardo and it increases the number of matches he has lost in the league to two . His side’s momentum that carried them through the better part of last year, seems to have disappeared into thin air.
Inter was the winners of the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina 1-0. Before the season began many critics thought that these two clubs would meet in the semi-final, but with Fiorentina’s poor form recently in league play nobody thought that the two clubs would be so far apart on the group table at this point in the season. Inter currently has an 18 point lead over the regular top four club and the defending champs look to win all three major trophies this season (although the champions League will be a tough draw against Chelsea).
Ronaldinho is known for his brilliant football skills, his successful international career, and his long list of individual club honors and awards that he has collected over the years. His ability to break defenses dribbling, passing, and firing in goals from outside of the box are some of the traits he is most well known for. Another trait that the Brazilian is known for is his love to…well….party.
AC Milan have announced that they have signed a €60 million sponsorship deal with Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, head of airline company Fly Emirates.
Il Corriere Dello Sport reports that the deal is for five years and worth €15m per year. The sponsorship deal also contains bonuses related to success in the Champions League.
The size of the sponsorship deal already has some in the Italian media wondering if Al Maktoum will use this as a way of increasing his investment further by buying a stake in the club. Last summer Il Sole 24 Ore claimed he was ready to buy 40 per cent of Milan’s shares from Silvio Berlusconi’s holding company Fininvest.
Fiorentina-Roma
Fiorentina was one of the hottest clubs over the first quarter of the season, but over the last few months they have been one of the biggest disappointments in Serie A and have dropped back all the way to eleventh place going into this weekend. Roma has been the exact opposite recently winning nearly every match they have played in over the last few months and erasing a poor start to the season. Fiorentina still is alive in hopes of all three critical trophies, but the squad needs to prove that they have what it takes to turn it around in the league this weekend.
photo credit: viZZZual.com
1) Ferreria Lucio- Inter
The entire back-line of inter is worthy of honors, but Lucio is one of the vital members to the squad and was recently the hero of the 2009 Confederations Cup with the game winner against the United States for Brazil. Lucio is one of those legends that makes a team that much better with physical defense. And Inter’s Brazilians on defense are what set them apart from any other Serie A unit.
2) Giorgio Chiellini- Juventus
When the season started back in August, Roma were not even considered as potential title challengers. The string of losses that the club experienced in the first 3 months left them reeling in the wrong end of the table. Fast forward a couple of months later and the Romans are within 8 points of leaders and defending champions Inter.
Claudio Ranieri seems to be feeding his squad with some sort of magic pill because the form they are displaying has got me really worried – considering the fact that i am a great admirer of both Milan teams. Their captain Francesco Totti is enjoying the form of his life and with 10 goals to his name, you can be sure that the former Italy international has one eye on the title.
photo credit: Erik Charlton
It is just about the last thing you want to hear about a recent star transfer. In fact it is just about the last thing you want to hear if you are a red hot club as well.
Newly acquired forward and national team Cup champ, Luca Toni, is set to miss up to nine matches due to a strained calf muscle that the doctors are projecting will keep him off of the pitch for a minimum of six weeks of action.
1) Ronaldinho- AC Milan
He’s back. The Brazilian footballer of the year was treated by some critics like he was around the age of Wilford Brimley despite still being in his twenties. Ronaldinho has proven everyone wrong and has proven to first year coach, Leonardo, that he can carry a club on his back and be that guy that is the team leader. Ronaldinho is in the lead with 8 assists and he certainly is not done yet. Milan is a top four squad for good and it is the play of Ronaldinho that is keeping them on top.
