Coppa Italia

10 Things In Italy: Brescia Champs, Champions League Race & Derby D'Italia

10 Things In Italy: Brescia Champs, Champions League Race & Derby D'Italia

The last week in Italian soccer saw Torino win, Milan struggle, and Brescia earned promotion into Serie A.

May 2, 2019 by Adam Digby
10 Things In Italy: Brescia Champs, Champions League Race & Derby D'Italia

Once again, 10 Things is here to help you catch up with what’s been going on in the world of Italian football over the last seven days.

1. Torino Win… AGAIN!

One of the most underappreciated campaigns in recent memory belongs to this season’s Torino. Things seem to have clicked in the best possible way for Walter Mazzarri’s men, who head into the next round of games just three points behind the top four and dreaming of securing the first-ever Champions League berth in club history.

They have done so built on a rock-solid defense that has conceded fewer goals (29) than all but two sides in Serie A, beating teams through a combination of organization, effort, and gritty determination.

It was exactly those qualities that helped them to a 2-0 victory over AC Milan last weekend, much to the delight of their coach who believes his squad no longer fear high-profile opponents. 

“This was a game that made us realize that we have grown so much,” Mazzarri told Sky Italia last weekend. “Today we deservedly won against a very strong team, and we used to feel a little inferior to those sides but now we know we can play on a par with all the big boys.”

That theory will be put to the test when Torino take on city rivals Juventus on Friday evening!

2. AC Milan Retreat

That victory might have been excellent news for Torino, but not so for an AC Milan side who have now won just one of their last seven league games. Having been eliminated from the Coppa Italia during that same stretch, boss Gennaro Gattuso has clearly seen enough and told news agency ANSA that too many of his players are “complaining and looking for excuses.”



As a result, the former Italy international has called his players into a five-day retreat, forcing them to live at the Milanello training complex until Monday’s match against Bologna. It is believed that the decision was sparked when Tiemoue Bakayoko was more than an hour late for training on Wednesday, an incident that was seen as the last straw for an irate Gattuso.

3. Did Milan Lose A Trophy?

While things may be going badly for Milan on the field, a great story emerged this week about an incident during the club’s halcyon days of the mid-1990s. Speaking at a recent event, former Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani reminisced about the glorious years he spent at San Siro and in particular the night after the Rossoneri beat Barcelona 4-0 in Athens in the Champions League final.

“Capello and I stayed up late, drinking bottles of wine, and we forgot about the cup in Athens,” he explained. “We were in the elevators and we spotted it in a garbage bag, a maid must have put it in there. We brought it back to the room, I put it in my bed, and I slept beside it. I told my wife the next morning that it was the most beautiful sleep I have ever had!”

I’m sure she was delighted!



4. Atalanta March On

Coinciding with Milan’s demise, Atalanta have hit peak form at precisely the right moment, going undefeated in their last 11 games in all competitions. That has seen them secure a place in the Coppa Italia final and move into fourth place in Serie A, putting them closer to earning a berth in next season’s Champions League.

They take on Lazio this weekend in a dress rehearsal of that cup final, but while midfielder Marten de Roon suggested that a win over the Biancocelesti “would be decisive” for Atalanta, his coach was quick to downplay that notion.

“No, I don’t believe that,” Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Italia earlier this week. “Because then we still must win the following games. It’s clear now though that if we win all our remaining matches the other teams can’t catch us. They are very balanced games, but we remain confident as we are playing with a desire and a belief that we can do something special.”

They certainly are capable of doing just that, and they have been a joy to watch along the way as FloFC’s Chloe Beresford explained in this recent column.

5. Fans Put On A Show For Derby d’Italia 

It might have been a meaningless game on paper, but clashes between Juventus and Inter will always have a special significance for supporters on both sides. Saturday’s edition of the Derby d’Italia was no different, a charged atmosphere at San Siro making the 1-1 draw a typically fiery affair. 



Inter’s Ultra groups certainly played their part, fans covering the Curva Nord with a huge choreography poking fun at the Bianconeri being eliminated from the Champions League by Ajax. Pretty funny until you remember they haven’t gotten out of the group stage since 2012 and blew their chances of progress this season by losing to PSV Eindhoven when a draw would’ve put them in the last 16...

6. David Seaman Is Insane

As Juventus supporters begin to look forward to next term, they do so knowing the club has already signed Aaron Ramsey. Picking him up on a “free transfer” after his current contract expires, the Welsh international should bring some much-needed attacking impetus to the Bianconeri midfield. 

However, the move has also brought with it some ridiculous comments from Arsenal legends, with David Seaman the latest to offer his opinion on the matter. “Arsenal will remember Aaron Ramsey with great fondness,” the retired goalkeeper told TalkSport this week. “He’s a great player and the most frustrating part about all this is he’s playing even better now, and he’s going to leave!

“It’s the same thing again, another great player is leaving our club to go to another club which is not really as big as Arsenal. For me, it’s so frustrating that they couldn’t do that deal.”

Not really as big? Really, David?

7. Bologna Thriving

At the opposite end of the table to Juve, things continue to fall into place for Bologna. When they sacked head coach Pippo Inzaghi on Jan. 28, the Rossoblu were rooted in the bottom three and in very real danger of being relegated. 

They had won just three times in their first 21 matches under the former Milan striker, but Siniša Mihajlović has completely changed their fortunes despite working with almost the exact same squad.



Bologna have won six and drawn one of their last eight outings to leap up to 14th place, now eight points clear of the drop zone. “The coach has made us aware of what we can do and the quality we have,” winger Riccardo Orsolini told reporters after scoring in last weekend’s win over Empoli. “I’m happy. I take it day by day, but we have found consistency.”

8. Brescia Back In A!

While it remains to be seen who joins Chievo in dropping down to Serie B, the identity of one side coming up was secured this week as Brescia made their place in the top flight a mathematical certainty.

It will be their first return to Serie A in nine years and the promotion comes on the back of a superb season in which 18-year-old midfield sensation Sandro Tonali played a starring role. With 25 goals so far from striker Alfredo Donnarumma, it is uncertain how they will look next term, but for now they will certainly enjoy a fine accomplishment. 



9. Nicolo Zaniolo Not Committed To Roma?

Perhaps given that he has been the one bright spot of an otherwise disappointing campaign, it will not please fans of AS Roma to hear talk of Nicolo Zaniolo leaving the club as soon as this summer. 

Arriving last year from Inter as part of the deal for Radja Nainggolan, the 19-year-old has been consistently better than the Belgian this term, weighing in with six goals and two assists so far.

His form may have dropped off recently, but his agent is also talking to the media about the player’s contract situation. “I can only confirm our willingness to sign on with Roma,” Zaniolo’s representative Claudio Vigorelli told the Il Romanista website. “I believe, however, it’s clear and understandable to everyone that there’s a need to restructure Nicolo’s contract.

“I don’t think I’m a visionary in saying that compared to 12 months ago, the lad’s outlook has changed profoundly. Needless to say that for some months now, I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls from many big clubs, expressing a willingness to buy him, but I won’t say who.”

10. Parma-Sampdoria Kit Mashup

In lighter news this week, Sampdoria and Parma have teamed up to release two fantastic mashup shirts to celebrate the historic bond between the supporters of both clubs, one which has outlasted many others.

They play at the Stadio Tardini this weekend and the limited edition shirts will be worn, Parma will wear a Samp but switched to their own white, blue, and yellow colors, while their opponents will move their traditional red, white, blue, and black scheme into the cross usually sported by Parma.



“A story made up of great challenges on the field and a long friendship in the stands,” explained a press release. “Parma and Sampdoria represent examples of integrity, loyalty, and sportsmanship with the hashtag #BluCrociati — an amalgamation of the clubs’ nicknames.

“For almost 30 years, while the two teams have been fighting to win, the two sets of fans have shown mutual respect, love, and passion for their jersey.”

The match-worn versions will be auctioned off and the proceeds donated to children’s hospitals in Parma and Genoa, while supporters can also buy them from either the club’s shop or website. 

Adam Digby is an Italian football writer for FourFourTwo, The Independent, and elsewhere. Author of "Juventus: A History In Black & White." Follow Adam on Twitter.