“If you score 90 goals then it shouldn’t really worry you how many are conceded.” Zdenek Zeman Born in Prague in 1947, a former student-athlete in ice hockey, volleyball,...
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Alberto Aquilani: The little prince in the realm of regrets
Apart from talent, dedication and force of will, the life of every football player is defined by the moments he lives. In the era of media intrusiveness, no moment...
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Andreas Möller: The maverick’s two years in Turin
“It takes a special player to bring about a positional change for the great Roberto Baggio – but that’s exactly what happened at Juventus with the arrival of the...
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In praise of Toto Di Natale: The kind-hearted goal-scorer and hero of Udine
Loyalty. In today’s game, no one really knows what the word means. Is it loyalty to a club? Are you loyal to anything in the game anymore? Agents and...
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The five best teams never to win Serie A
“Roma and Napoli had a superb campaign,” observed Juve boss Max Allegri in a press conference at the end of the season, “and Juventus did even better.” You have...
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What next for Juventus? Integrating the new generation with the old guard
On a rainy night in Cardiff, the look on his face said it all. Having just conceded Casemiro’s deflected long-range effort, the cameras caught Gianluigi Buffon in a moment...
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Daniele De Rossi: The wall of Ostia
The ancient city of Ostia has been the physical and geographical guardian of Rome since the Lupetta she-wolf saved Romulus and Remus from their infanticidal fate along the banks...
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Andrea Conti: The consummate terzino fluidificante
Modern football and its many advances in tactical theory have gradually steered away from the norm. Managers are demanding more from every individual on the pitch; the penalty box...
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The art of the biscotto: Delving into the Italian mindset
It’s June 22, 2004 at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, Portugal. Having gone behind shortly before half-time, Italy are drawing 1-1 with Bulgaria in their final group...
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The dancing giant: The highs and lows of Italy’s richest expat, Graziano Pellè
“Why Asia? First of all, I went there because it was far, it gave me the impression of a place where there was still something to discover. I went...
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