AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus Tickets
From the category archives:
Uruguay
The Keeper
Viera and Castillo will battle it out for the honor of starting goalie. Either way Uruguay decides to go means that they lack a really solid keeper in the net and this is one of their most suspect units right now. Usually a solid defensive club, they will have to prove their worth this Cup because the club’s D didn’t play up to their potential in the WCQ.
Grade: C +
The Defense
photo credit: JannahHAIR
This Wednesday at 2:45 PM Eastern US time, AC Milan will head to Old Trafford and square off against Manchester United.
THE PAST
Manchester United is one of the most historically significant clubs in all of the world and since the Premier League was established in the early 1990’s the club has dominated the top tier with eleven championships in the last twenty years. Many of the greatest Premier League players proudly wore the red uniform and the team possesses the most famous coach in the league, Alex Ferguson. They also have won 11 FA Cups and 3 UEFA Champions League titles as well. Last season they finished the tournament in second place behind Barca.
photo credit: Vironevaeh
This Tuesday, Fiorentina will take on Bayern Munich in the second match of their UEFA Champions League battle at 2:45 PM Eastern US time.
THE PAST
Bayern Munich is without a doubt the best German squad in their league’s history and the club has won the title a record 21 times in their long existence. The club has also won their domestic Cup 14 times and the UEFA Champions League title 4 times as well. The last time the German side was honored with the UEFA title was in 2001 and most people consider the club’s Golden Years to be in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when the club was among the best in the world year after year.
THE PAST
Most people do not know this little fact, but Uruguay was the first ever champions of the World Cup and the nation was also the host of the first ever World Cup as well. The team did win the Cup under much different rules then the current ones (only 13 teams competed), but they also won the title once again in 1950 in Brazil. After that second victory the club did make it to the semi-finals twice, but they haven’t advanced that far in the tournament since 1970. In their last five attempts to make the Cup, Uruguay has only made the event twice and haven’t advanced past the second round since that 1970 Cup run.
Here in the states we pay tribute to the twelfth man as they say. Many of our football stadiums often reference this important factor in any competition. In Seattle, WA the Seahawks raise a flag with the number twelve on it right before kickoff to get the crowd rowdy. In college football the Texas A&M Aggies reference this idea on their stadium wall.
With technological advancements over the last twenty years it is hard to walk into an NFL stadium and not be overwhelmed with this feeling of the twelfth man. It’s all over stadium walls, banners, and giant TV screens. Being encouraged to cheer on the home team has gone completely digital with expensive visual effects on the stadium jumbo screen and celebrities hyping their favorite teams. Rooting for your club has taken on a whole new ideology.
Inter Milan’s former striker Adriano is in an enviable position. The Brazilian International who quit the Nerazzurri last year citing personal reasons, has drawn interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
Now playing for Flamengo in Brazil’s Paulista championship, Adriano in fine form and getting better.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Roma are all keen on landing his signature this is according to his agent Gilmar Rinaldi. “Adriano can return to Europe in a team that has Brazilian players. It could be Roma, Real Madrid or Barcelona” Rinaldi said. Adriano’s superb form for Flamengo has seen him score 24 goals so far.
photo credit: * HugoPan *
Roma-AC Milan
Two of the hottest clubs in the world squad-off this weekend and whoever wins this match will likely finish the season as our second best squad. Roma’s form has been ridiculously good recently and the club is only a few matches outside that first place finish. This weekend they get the honor of hosting a Milan squad that was dealt a blow last week when Pato went down with a month long injury. Roma is the hottest club in the league right now and it would be foolish not to pick them to win.
photo credit: francesco sgroi
There is still a lot of football left, but lets take a brief look at the best and worst club stats so far in the second tier of Italian football.
BEST OFFENSE
They say defense is what wins championships, but this season all three of the top clubs also lead the league in total offense. But third place Grosseto take the cake with 41 goals this season and they narrowly lead the top two squad by a single goal right now. It is still any club’s chance to take home the honor though.
BEST DEFENSE
photo credit: takomabibelot
1) Lecce
Last year’s last place squad on the top tier is the only relegated club that is making any noise on the second tier this season and the club is doing it in impressive fashion. they lead the league in wins and total points and if they keep it up then they will get a second chance next season in the big show.
2) Sassuolo
Last season’s 7th place squad is only a few points back from the first place club. They are probably the most consistent club in the league (winning 6 matches both home and away) and by the end of the year Sassuolo will likely be on the top tier for their first time in a long time.
