Claudio Ranieri: Anyone Else Feel Bad For This Guy

After reading a headline we all knew was coming - Ranieri sacked by Inter Milan - a range of thoughts registered in my mind.

Mother always said there'd be days like these...

Oh Ranieri, sacked again was my first thought. This scenario has happened time and again to the unlucky Italian. I know all coaches at top clubs get put under the ol' Bunsen burner, but it seems like Ranieri is constantly roasted at any club he arrives at and ultimately sacked or forced to resign.

He totally deserved it was my second thought. Based on his history of being the "nearly man," I figured this was bound to happen to Ranieri at Inter. He nearly led (X) to the pinnacle (X = Valencia, Chelsea, Juventus, Roma etc...) year after year after year. Will this man ever finish first? It was only a question of when for poor Claudio. It came sooner than I thought, but Ranieri fully deserved to be fired... Right?

Wrong. Ranieri was set up for failiure is my final thought. Even though he often falls victim to the axe and in the past had deserved it for being the guy that almost won it for the team, at Inter Milan, a post-golden age Nerazzurri, Ranieri and any other coach (see Rafa Benitez and Gian Piero Gasperini) did not stand a chance. People will claim Jose Mourinho's massive shadow of success has led to the club's meltdown, but as far as I'm concerned, President Massimo Moratti failed Inter, not Mourinho's mirage and most definitely not Claudio Ranieri. 

Inter President Massimo Moratti

Consistent missteps by the flamboyant club president have resulted in Inter's troubles. He has made a myriad trivial moves over the past two seasons, which have led to the downfall. He sold Samuel Eto'o to Russia, albeit for big money, when Eto'o was the club's main force upfront. Older players like Dejan Stankovic, Esteban Cambiasso, Christian Chivu, Lucio, etc... have not been sold, yet still relied upon as an integral part of the team. Younger players like Andrea Ranocchia and Coutinho have been heavily relied upon, only to perform below-par. Wesley Sneijder has been run-ragged trying to keep this team together, which has ultimately crushed his world class form of a few years back. And the list goes on.

Ironically, Moratti blames the coaches - ones that he chose to hire - for poor performances. Hey Massi: when this keeps happening, it might not be the coaches. 

Does anyone else feel bad for Ranieri? This time, it wasn't the Tinkerman's fault.


Photo Credits:
Ahram Online
guardian.co.uk

Ibrahimovic: I'm Sick Of You

At first, the hard man attitude of Zlatan Ibrahimovic was alluring. A tough guy backing up his tough talk through gritty performances usually is. His prolific scoring record and affinity to win titles - currently nine in a row - speaks volumes about his talents as a footballer, regardless of an inflated ego. However, I'm getting sick of his over-the-top arrogance. As Ibra has gotten old, so has his antics on and off the field. Lets review some history:

Incredible efforts at Ajax garnered the attention of many leading clubs around Europe. Hilarious interviews after matches endeared fans to the tall Swede's tough, yet playful style:

The cool-talking Ibrahimovic was a delight at this point of his career. Seeing a player sensibly spar with a prying journalist is always enthralling.

At Juventus, Ibra rose to stardom. His flicks, tricks and flashy goals drew the attention of the world audience. Moreover, he arrived in a top league and immediately made an impact, scoring 16 goals while leading the Old Lady yet another title. Check out the scope of his dope skills during one of Nike's Joga Bonito clips prior to World Cup 2006:

That had to be Dubble Bubble! Ibra's tenure at Juve was cut short due to the Calciopoli scandals, which lead to his move to Inter.

In the Serie A post-Juve fallout, Inter was evil. They were essentially the Yankees of Calcio, scooping up every serious star in the wake of the scandals, one being Ibra. His dominance continued at Inter, winning three titles and securing Capocannoniere honors - top scorer in Serie A - in his final year.

Ibra silences San Siro boo boys and lets them know to shut up

Towards the end of his tenure at Inter, tempers began to flare. Though goals like these brought fans to their feet, but Ibra's inability to make an impact in games of importance angered fans. On this unsteady ground, Zlatan's hard man from Malmo act made matters much worse. As seen in the picture above, there were several instances where Zlatan threw dissent right back in their faces. No love was lost when the striker flew the coop for Barcelona in exchange for Eto'o.

Barcelona probably could have done without the services of Ibrahimovic. Even after a strong start, it was evident the striker did not fit into Pep Guardiola's system. After the fact, we have learned (through Ibra's biography) about severe problems Ibra had in the locker room. He seemed like the bad kid in school who always acted up in class. To him, Guardiola was not in control, while no one questioned Messi or Xavi. To Barca, he was polluting a good ecosystem. For a person with this sort of ego, I am sure authoritarian problems hit hard. The result: a summer move back to Italy with city rivals AC Milan.

Fortifying his complete lack of care for Inter, Ibra traded over to city rivals AC Milan a year after departing the Nerazzurri. In Italy, this is a serious dis to fans. This move dovetailed into the Swede's current over-the-top arrogance. He was always kind of a jerk, but while in Rossoneri, he has never failed to anger me. His track record:

Constant red cards jeopardized Milan's title winning efforts towards the end of last year.

Fighting to the death with American man-machine Oguchi Onyewu.

An infamous kick on a teammate during training:



Another kick, this time on Antonio Cassano, after winning the Scudetto:


A well placed slap against a Napoli player last month put him in the doghouse.

A temper-tantrum post Champions League progression vs. Arsenal.

And most recently, a spat with a reporter resulted in Ibra asking her "What the F*ck are you looking at??" followed by a headband throw:


What is wrong with this guy? Have years of success made his ego boil over? Maybe it's because he looks like Zorro right now? I used to admire the hard man attitude, but as of late, it just seems excessive.

To conclude this rant, I offer you a hilarious video dissecting Ibrahimovic's attitude via the Barcelona tensions with Pep Guardiola:




Photo/Video Credits:
world-football-report.blogspot.com
blogs.reuters.com
Youtube

Inter Win With Last Kick of Match: Still Lose

This just made my morning:



I was unfortunate to have missed the Champions League action yesterday evening, but seeing Inter bow out of the competition in hilarious fashion made me feel better. How often do you see a team win with the last kick of the match yet still lose? Oh, Inter! When will you learn?

Video Credit:
Footytube

When Big Club Coaches Get Sacked For Doing Bad...

...they automatically draw speculation on which big club they will arrive at next? Sounds like a strange thesis, wouldn't you say? Interestingly enough, this seems to be the odd trend.

AVB's signature Chelsea look of disbelief

Over the past few days, Andre Villas-Boas (pictured above), freshly sacked by Chelsea, has went from the career low of being dismissed by his first big club, to somewhat of a revival in the news with all the speculation involving which big club he will land at next. The Portuguese tactician is already linked with Serie A money spenders Roma and Inter, and I would imagine as the season dwindles down, clubs like Barcelona, Madrid, et. al will be thrown into the mix. How does this make any sense? In football, it just does.

You could argue AVB was a good coach in a bad situation, similar to Carlo Ancelotti last year; or that his ideals simply did not match those of the team, causing the negative results. Still, it is peculiar when someone recently fired for not doing the job correctly is desired by other firms days later. Would this make sense in your field of work? Nevertheless, in football, it just does.

Lets look at some more of these conundrums and how they turned out:

Who Rafa Benitez When June 2010 Verdict FAIL

Rafa Benitez with his own signature look of failure

All throughout the 2009-10 season, Rafa Benitez had the weight of Liverpool on his shoulders. Ultimately, the Spaniard lead the team to an undesired finish and was dismissed. For some reason...I blame Alberto Aquilani? Anyway, seven days later, Inter scooped up the goatee sporting gaffer to replace Jose Mourinho, the man who won Inter a treble weeks prior. After running Liverpool off the rails and arriving in the shadow of Mourinho, the "destined for failure" motto floated about Milano.

As it turns out, it was an epic fail. In spectacular fashion, Benitez was dismissed after Inter's Club World Cup win. Following the triumph, Benitez stated in the media reinforcements were needed in January...to a team that just won a treble and the Club World Cup. Puzzling comments and a dismal start to the season resulted in the sack for Rafa. Inter might have hoped for better in the situation, but really got what they deserved by hiring a recent failure.

Who Claudio Ranieri When Anytime Verdict FAIL

Claudio Ranieri's "not again" look of despair

The nervous looking Claudio Ranieri is the AVB scenario on repeat. His career is like a broken record that repeats 5 steps: 1) do well for a season 2) dismal results begin 3) pressure mounts because of dismal results 4) pressure boils over and equals firing 5) miraculously hired again. This has happened to Ranieri everywhere. Where is he now, you ask? At Inter. Doing what? Well, he skipped step 1), went straight to steps 2) and 3) and is nearing step 4). We'll probably be reading about his step 5) return to Chelsea in June.

Who Luciano Spalletti When Nov./Dec. 2009 Verdict WIN

Luciano Spalletti's "I have the balls to be bald in Russia" look

Just to prove the anomaly of hiring a freshly sacked manager is not as outrageous as it sounds, behold former AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti saw a few bad results at the beginning of the 2009-10 season and was forced out of the Capital. But, being the ever-so-awesome bald man that he is, was scooped up be Zenit St. Petersburg in a month and ultimately lead them to the title in his first year at the helm, something they had not won in 10 years. In this case, Zenit's gamble of hiring a coach who recently faltered paid off.

What do these instances mean? The football world is unpredictable. Keep your eyes on the Villas-Boas saga that will surely unfold over the next few months!


Photo Credits:
footballz.com
soccerisfutbol.com
topnews.in
britishblogs.co.uk

You Know Deadline Day Is Disappointing When...

Carlos Tevez doesn't repulse another suitor 

Seriously who would want this guy on their team?

Was anyone else disappointed to not hear about a failed Tevez deal? I was shocked. My dislike of Tevez is so strong, I take pleasure in hearing that a team is interested in him, then instantly repulsed by him moments later.

Sully Muntari matters
No picture needed, since he doesn't actually matter at all. The Inter and whatever English team he was on want-away really isn't that big of a signing. The fact that Inter fans could care less about one of their players going on loan to city rivals Milan is evidence alone. 

Louis Saha is a major signing

Saha in better days...

I like Tottenham, but what kind of move is this? The aging Frenchman is having a torrid year and is not really in good health. The only thing I can see him doing, to quote Soccernet's live commentary, is riding the pine and joining Ledley King in the physio's room. 

David Pizarro is actually in football news
I love Roma and am a huge fan of Pizarro, but never in a million years did I think he would be splashed across football's front pages this morning. He's old. He's always injured. He's hardly played this year. If anything, the news should start with "Why, Man City?" I hope he plays the way I know he can, but I really don't see why this was huge news. 

English teams don't splash Jan. 2011 cash on ridiculous players

Players in cars - universal transfer signifier

Last January was quite the spectacle in modern football. Moves were made at the penultimate moment, big cash was spent, and sh*t just happened and surprised the world. What happened this year England??? Only Gary Cahill. Borrrrrrrring.

Inter act like Inter
First they sell their anchor in the midfield Thiago Motta, effectively shocking the football world. Then they pull a Massimo Moratti loop-de-loop and scoop up Angelo Palombo and Fredy Guarin on loan! What is it with Inter and needing to make transfer for the sake of making transfers? 

You're an Arsenal fan

No description needed.


Anyone else have anything to add?


Photo Credits:
The Dirty Tackle
The Guardian
My Blog

Daily Buzz - August 18

News and rumor(s), brought to you by the World Wide Web:

Romelu Lukaku finally signs for Chelsea
The promising Belgian youngster finally sealed his dream move to Chelsea, signing for €25m. The forward will be available for the Blues on the weekend.

American Thomas DiBenedetto finally takes over AS Roma
Though he was technically in charge throughout much of the summer, the final papers have been signed, making Thomas DiBenedetto and his consortium majority owners of Roma. Now if he could introduce the signings of Osvaldo and Kjaer as act one, that would be something.

Welcome: enjoy your first defeat to Slovan wherever the hell - today!

Bocanegra joins Rangers
USA skipper Carlos Bocanegra has left French side St. Etienne and landed in Scotland with the Glasgow Rangers. He joins his American patriots Mo Edu and Ale Bedoya in the side.

Diego Forlan to Inter?
I resisted putting this hot-rumor up but I keep hearing little birdies whispering about it. Word is Forlan's agent is in Milan today for a meeting. Forlan to Inter, Sneijder to United?!

Daily Buzz - August 17

Hello all:

It has been tough for me to post with some regularity as of late because of work commitments...so get over it! One thing I have been able to do though, with all the swiftness in the world I might add, is check Twitter for world football updates...at least every 10 minutes! I've noticed this habit has become sort of an obsession. First step: admitting you have a problem.

I've also noticed Twitter is one of the most reliable news/transfer/gossip tools around. Most times, if a majority of people on your feed (for me, soccer folk) are saying Cesc is going to Barca on Monday...he is (he did). If they say Samir 'don't hate on me' Nasri is in line to join Manchester City today...he probably will. People you can follow on this silly little thing called Twitter are people who often confirm these deals have happened aka professionals in the field. So often times, their sources on transfers, news, etc. is legit.

So, being the oh so awesome blogger that I am, I plan on filtering these news bits and displaying them for you with (hopefully) strict regularity. And here begins the first edition of the Daily Buzz. Name - still debatable.

Tool.

Samir 'I'm a little baby' Nasri finally leaving
Word has it that Nasri is a Manchester City player. The fee is £25m and the ridiculously annoying Frenchman will be earning £200k/week (£10.4m/year) plus a £5m signing bonus. Cha-CHING. Let's sweep this infuriating ego under the rug (Man City ha ha!) and hope Arsenal handle this cash with care...and buy Eden Hazard

Ade or Ruiz?
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is said to have his sights on either a loan deal for the wandering Emmanual Adebayor or a straight up money-buy for Twente hitman Bryan Ruiz (who Redknapp watched score in Twente's CL match last night with Benfica).

Roma Roma Roma: Osvaldo and Kjaer
My beloved Roma continue their assault on the transfer market with the nearing purchases of Daniel Osvaldo from Espanyol and Simon Kjaer from Wolfsburg. It looks to be that Roma have indeed high-jacked Atletico Madrid's deal for Osvaldo, which was said to be all but done, and snuck in a €17m bid for the player. As far as Kjaer stands, his agent both has stated that no contact from Roma has been made, but various sources seem to think this means he is definitely signing with Roma. Don't ask me how or why, I'm just reporting (and crossing my fingers). Sabatini POWER!

Eto'o to...I don't even know how to spell this Russian team's name

Picture of Eto'o waving which new sites like to post because it's like 'goodbye' 

Will Eto'o just leave the Serie A already? The babyman Cameroonian was set to have a medical in Russia with Anzhi Makhachkala (googled it), but they decided to come to Milan and allow him to smell the cash on their bodies, presumably. I heard it's something like a €35m deal and Eto will make €400K/week. Suck it, Nasri!

That is all I feel like divulging on this initial Daily Buzz. Check out Twitter, amici.

Serie A Season in Review

Hello my friends,

I recently got the opportunity to collaborate with an awesome football site and recap this year's Serie A season. Please check out my season review on the suavely designed site, The Elastico! Many thanks go out to editor(s) for allowing me this great opportunity.

Also follow my friends at The Elastico on Twitter!

Best wishes,
Sensible Soccer

Auguri Milan

It's official: AC Milan have won the Scudetto. With two games left to spare, a scoreless draw with Roma at Olimpico was enough for the Rossoneri to win the Serie A. This marks Milan's 18th title and first since 2004. How it happened:

Excellent transfer windows
I can't remember the last time I saw a team build up their ranks with such precision as Milan did over the summer and winter transfer windows. The unbelievable consideration for the club's needs, both in and out of the starting lineup, was proof of some smart football minds in the back office; VP Adriano Galliani in particular, and head coach Massimiliano Allegri. Saying this team has depth is pretty much an understatement.

Who they got
It started with the loan signing of Kevin-Prince Boateng in August 2010. The high energy midfielder became a staple of the team's up-tempo passing and moving. He immediately made an impact at the beginning of the season and ended up a priceless starter, eventually winning a permanent move which will be signed when this summer transfer window opens.

The next moves made by Galliani were sensational and pulled off a mere 2 days before the window closed. The signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho made Milan immediate Scudetto favorites and rightfully so.

Ibra had a topsy-turvy campaign in which he showed a petulant super-star attitude (not really new for him), acquiring a few red cards and consequent suspensions; but nonetheless the towering Swede notched 14 goals and was a constant threat in attack. He particularly gelled with fellow summer signings Boateng and Robinho. And remarkably, Ibrahimovic has been crowned a champion eight years in a row (3 with Juve, 3 with Inter, 1 with Barca, 1 with Milan). Everything he touches literally turns into silverware.

Now on to Robinho...some of you may recall my feelings on Robinho - I usually call him "the little baby Robinho" for crying his way out of top teams in world football. But as far as this season goes, Robinho was far from the crying toddler we once knew. The talented Brazilian got the job done. He was fantastic all year and acted as the true playmaker we know he can be. I would even venture to say he is the most valuable player in the side. No joke people!

Man love between Milan's top three signings

After seeing the stellar end to the summer in terms of signings, I didn't think Milan would go for fresh faces in January, but again, Galliani and Allegri had grander plans and some money to play with. They took advantage of Antonio Cassano's huge embarrassing fallout with Sampdoria President Riccardo Garrone and acquired him for a mere €5m Euro. Cassano's addition to the side meant added depth and relief for a Milan midfield that saw Andrea Pirlo in the treatment room more often than not throughout the season.

Mark Van Bommel was also a critical mid-season signing for the Rossoneri. He helped fill the hard-man, defensive minded midfield role left by the decline of Gennaro Gattuso and numerous injuries (and general decline) of Massimo Ambrosini. Van Bommel fit really well into Allegri's game plan and pulled many of the strings starting the attack.

The monetary assault Galliani surmised on the transfer markets, paired with Allegri's interpretation of the club's needs, clearly paid dividends. These precise buys gave Allegri the freedom and ability to best create his starting 11 in a way that would match up well with the opposing team all throughout the season. That must have been nice!

Consistency
The true pedigree of a champion is in its ability to consistently get results throughout the season, winning and not losing. Milan did this to the utmost. After week 9, the Rossoneri really didn't look back, losing only twice more until capturing the title on Saturday evening.

The Milan attack was wonderful. If passing and moving is a fabric of the game, then Milan are the sweater that was knitted from this fabric. They seriously passed around their opponents and ran hard. They were pretty much the Serie A's Barcelona. Robinho ran play in the Trequarista position year round, feeding his friends and often reeling towards the sidelines after netting. Ibra scored. As usual. And contributions from player's like Alexandre Pato, who was mainly an off the bench player, were priceless.

One aspect of the Milan squad I'd like to highlight in terms of consistency is the club's defense. All year long, the Milan back-line remained stalwart. The team only gave up 23 goals throughout the season (to date), which is an incredible statistic. Who would have thought we would be saying this after club legend Paolo Maldini hung up his boots in 2009? Again, Galliani pulled off quite the feat in building a defense that would lead to their championship. The signing of Thiago Silva a few years ago was massive. He is Milan's rock. Props must also go to Daniele Bonera, Luca Antonini, Ignazio Abate, and Gianluca Zambrotta for holding it down. And we must not forget Christian Abbiati, who I consider the most underrated keeper in Italy. He is the best active Italian keeper at the moment - hands down - and had a very assured year between the pipes.

Key games
Another indicator of a true champion is how it manages big games. Milan did well. Very well. Their only two real rivals for the title this year were Inter and Napoli and they handled them with ease, going 4-0 against the pair. There were even tense "Scudetto matches," pitting Milan against 2nd place rivals who were in reaching distance, of which they beat Napoli handily a month ago, ending their Scudetto hope, and absolutely smashed Inter 3-0 in a pulsating second Derby della Madonnina, which pretty much ended anything positive from the Nerazzurri camp.

Massimiliano Allegri
At the tender age of 43, Allegri is a champion. His rise to the pinnacle began in the Serie C1 in 2007, taking him to Cagliari the following year, and finally Milan at the beginning of this past summer. Talk about leaps and bounds. His ascendance is an indicator of his smart footballing mind. He may not have the most experience, but he did a damn fine job steering the Rossoneri to the top. His tactical approach to games and knowledge of the capabilities of his squad were truly championship worthy. Well done sir.

Allegri barking out orders or yawning

In conclusion
Inter did not win this year. INTER DID NOT WIN THIS YEAR. In lieu of this information I would say it was a decent year in the Serie A.

Auguri Milan - Camponi D'Italia 2011. Oh and Sempre Forza Roma.

Inter: From Riches to Rags

By now, you know about Inter's monumental failure in the Champions League. The holders got smashed by Bundesliga side Schalke 7-3 on aggregate, losing both games in route to their huge embarrassing failure (that's right: I quoted Tommy Boy).

I, for one, am shocked. I picked Inter to win this tie since they were coming off the heels of a gritty performance against Munich and a hot streak that saw them climb to second in the Serie A. Then...it all fell apart. What happened? Inter Coach Leonardo blames fatigue...Good one! How about bad tactics? Bad defense? Bad form? Bad everything. Raul's left foot alone could have defeated Inter in this tie. Reasons behind the collapse:

Milito and Eto'o wonder what could have been - in horrible kits

Tactics
It was clear after the Derby della Madonnina that Leonardo was a bit naive. It was made even clearer after two legs with Schalke. Both Massimiliano Allegri and Schalke Coach Ralf Rangnick figured out the key to defeating Leonardo's Inter: asphyxiating the midfield and running with pace at a weak defense.

Inter's dominating midfield turned hard work into goals last season under Jose Mourinho, often working their way up the field and inevitably allowing Wesley Sneijder to pull the final strings. This year, Sneijder has been in a more advanced role. This has urged opposing teams to isolate Sneijder, effectively cutting off Inter's attack. Rather than controlling the ball in the midfield, the Dutchman has relied on his teammates to give him the ball farther up the field, which has not happened of late and created a mess of Inter's attacking fluidity.

Defense
As a result of losing the battle in the middle of the park, Inter has not controlled play with their usual dominance. With control going to the opposer, the treble winners have allowed teams to run at their weak defense.

Andrea Ranocchia is young, talented, but not quite there yet. Christian Chivu is horrible. He's slow, dirty, gets sent off far too much, and wears a dumb hat. Lucio is not on form at the moment, since he has been injured and missed time in recent weeks. Maicon, as we all know, is a far better going forward than he is defending. Javier Zanetti is wonderful, but caught between the role of a midfielder and defender. He often tries to aid the congested midfield and moreover command his wing, since the team has not had a midfielder present along the lines for quite some time.

I can't fault Leonardo on this one. The defense has been a mess because of lingering injuries to Lucio and the loss of Walter Samuel - who is set to return and take part in the year-end failure. This has led to a back four that changes on a weekly basis and has not bonded as a defensive unit. Plus Chivu is just horrible!

Milan
At the time I was reluctant to admit it (since I was set on believing Inter would go through to the UCL Semis), but the loss to Milan was devastating for the players. It was demoralizing and exhausting. The team fielded their best squad three days before the crucial clash with Schalke because they had to - because it was the Milan derby. The game was brutal and the aftermath shocking. After a blip of good form which was sparked by the hiring of Leonardo, Inter were brought right back down to earth by their bitter rivals.

Raul
Look at this guy! Ageless! Raul has spurred Schalke on, netting five goals in Champions League play and having a hand in countless others. Hell, I even saw him tracking back on defense when Schalke was winning the first leg 4-1. Raul is synonymous with class. I am officially routing for this underdog story of a player and team for the rest of the tournament.

Raul celebrating with the faithful

As a Roma fan, I was joyous after seeing Inter collapse. As a blogger, I was ecstatic since I knew I could write about it!

From treble winner to trophy-less - that's my prediction, anyhow.

Friday Must Sees

Hello mis amis,
This week I have viewed some things that you must see:

Incredible back-flip penalty


Lionel Messi's Facebook page: 
Nearly 7 million followers in a mere three days
http://www.facebook.com/LeoMessi

Barca fans wear creepy Mourinho masks to Shakhtar match
"It's like something out of an Aphex Twin video." Hilarious from Dirty Tackle

Brazilian prospect Neymar scores a great goal, gets sent off...
...for putting a mask of his own face on. Vanity?


Inter's Stankovic scores a stunning volley from 45 yards


Thierry Henry's Sky Special about life 
Aligned nicely by The Shin Guardian

Philippe Mexes confirms he will leave Roma after seven glorious years
And we mourn:
Mourning Rugantino
Mouring Rugantino Part II
Naturally, I bought a Mexes jersey at the beginning of the season.

The story of the floating village football team in Thailand

Champs League Q-Finals: High-Time For a Hero, No Time For Mistakes

It is nitty-gritty time in the UEFA Champions League. At this stage, minor gaffes and blunders could cost a team the chance to vie for the final. As we approach the crucial quarter-final matches of the tournament this week, I thought I would remind you of who's playing who, and lend my expert opinion on who will win:

Inter Milan vs. Schalke 04
Inter comes into the first leg of this match after being demolished by Milan in the Derby della Madonnina. Though morale might be low, the form of the holders is still on the rise. They have clawed their way back towards the top of the Serie A table, after a dismal start to the season, and will be ready as ever for a reaction against Schalke.

Schalke on the other hand, have been spotty all year round. They currently lie in 11th place and have recently fired their coach, which is strange for a UCL quarter-finalist. That said, they've been brilliant in Champions League play. Raul has been a real leader on the pitch and contributions from crafty Peruvian Jeffrey Farfan have created a beacon of hope for the struggling Bundesliga side.

Prediction: Inter will win this tie...their record against German opposition has been tremendous. But please note, I have been wrong about every prediction involving Schalke this season.

Real Madrid vs. Tottenham Hotspur
The Spurs run through Europe is subject to a major obstacle in Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid. Tottenham gaffer Harry Redknapp has guided his side through some difficult challenges thus far, but a quarter-final date with Madrid is the toughest yet.

Each team has a few notables missing: Karim Benzema for the Merengues (Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo are in the squad but doubtful) and Steven Pienaar for Tottenham (William Gallas is in the squad but doubtful). Welshman Gareth Bale most likely will feature and it appears that Gonzalo Higuain is back from a long injury layoff.

Prediction: Real Madrid will take the tie...Tottenham has ridden luck for far too long in such a high-caliber competition.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Two English powerhouses square off in what should be an entertaining quarter-final. Chelsea continue to falter in Premier League play while Manchester United remain on course to lift the title. At this moment, I do not think Chelsea has the form to overcome a sturdy side in United. Perhaps Fernando Torres will choose this vital moment to bag his first goal for the Blues?

Prediction: Manchester United will run away with this one...Chelsea are under-performing in the EPL and will most likely carry their poor form with them to the tournament.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Barcelona
Prediction: No description necessary - Barcelona will dominate this tie and waltz into the semi-finals. Shakhtar got lucky with their draw against dreadful AS Roma, but that luck has run out. This one was over at the drawing.

Well, what do you think?

Can Italy Avoid Complete European Failure?

With all Italian teams out of the Europa League, hope rests on AC Milan, Inter Milan, and AS Roma to restore some sense of dignity for Italian sport by remaining in the Champions League. Can Italy avoid complete European failure this year? Possibly. In the long run? No.

Italian teams in Europe: all but down and out

Unfortunately, each remaining Italian squad in the Champions League goes into the vital second leg after losing at home. The likeliness of second leg turnarounds:

Inter Milan are most likely to overturn their 0-1 loss to Bayern Munich. They are on a rich run of form and were undone by Munich after spoiling many good chances to go ahead. Conversely, Munich are playing dreadfully in the Bundesliga. Of late, they were outclassed by the Steve Cherundolo lead Hannover 96 and ousted from the DFB-Pokal Cup, leading to assertions that Dutch Coach Louis van Gaal will be replaced this summer. 

AC Milan have a decent chance of overturning their 0-1 loss to Tottenham. The squad was highly boosted on the weekend after defeating rivals Juventus. Aside from that, it's hard to count out a side with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the starting 11. The Spurs are set to welcome back Gareth Bale from injury, who I am sure hopes to shread whatever right back stands in his way.

AS Roma are least likely to overturn their 2-3 loss to Shakhtar. The Giallorossi will have to win at the Donbass, a ground where Shakhtar is nearly undefeated in Europe. On top of that, a 2-goal win will be Roma's best chance to take the tie. It seems more likely that the Ukrainian powerhouse will waltz into the quarterfinals.

If you thought the present state of Italian representation in Europe was bad, the future does not look very good either. It was made official last week that the Serie A will lose it's 4th Champions League spot to the Bundesliga beginning in the 2012 - 2013 season. It was only a matter of time before this happened, given such poor performance in Europe.

A message to the Serie A: you've failed your fans. 

This is Christian Chivu

I once admired Christian Chivu. He was an absolute wall during a time of revival with AS Roma. He gave his all for the shirt and was a true professional. Now look at him:

Christian Chivu's daily tantrum

He's now known for shirt grabbing, player stamping, and punching people in the face. Sometimes the shirt you wear wears you. His actions exude the motto of Inter Milan.

That said, Inter takes on Fiorentina in an enticing Serie A encounter this afternoon.

Best wishes,
Sensible Soccer

Giampaolo Pazzini: Scoring Anywhere He Goes

Last Friday, Giampaolo Pazzini transferred to Inter Milan. "You can't say no to Inter", Pazzini said, and he's right. How could he?

Since Leonardo has taken over for Rafa Benitez, Inter has showed the championship pedigree we saw last season. With the addition of Pazzini, another championship could be in the making. As a Roma fan, I shuddered when I saw Pazzini shaking hands with Massimo Moratti.

If that wasn't enough for you, see how Pazzo did for Inter on Sunday:



A dream debut. Not to mention a header any striker would be proud of.

One last piece of Pazzini magic for you:

Sampdoria vs. Werder Bremen



A very smart signing by Inter. A very frightening sight for Scudetto contenders.