Spotlight: Magical Mirko
Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 21 of the
Serie A season, including Roma hitman Mirko Vucinic.
The winners.
Mirko Vucinic (Roma)
Francesco Totti's red card against Livorno gave Mirko Vucinic his chance
against Siena and the Serbian certainly took advantage. The summer signing from
Lecce put his troublesome injury problems behind him to confidently lead the
line and net his first - and decisive - Roma goal.
Pippo Inzaghi (Milan)
Thrown on in the latter stages of the home game against Parma, Inzaghi netted
against his former club with a typical SuperPippo finish. It wasn't pretty, it
certainly wasn't oozing with class, but it got the job done. He'll still be
needed at the San Siro once Ronaldo finally signs.
Michele Paolucci (Ascoli)
The 20-year-old Juventus owned striker was Ascoli's hero at Messina. The
promising youngster popped up with a late brace to give the bottom of the table
club their first away win. He now has four in his last four games. One to watch.
The losers.
Gennaro Delvecchio (Sampdoria)
Any chance that Sampdoria had of denying Inter a 14th straight League win
evaporated with the seventh minute dismissal of Gennaro Delvecchio. He'd
already challenged Adriano with an over the top tackle before his idiotic
decision to head-butt Marco Materazzi. To then deny he made contact took his
stupidity on to the next level.
Fabio Simplicio (Palermo)
The Brazilian has certainly been worth every penny which Palermo handed over to
Parma in the summer, but the midfielder never got into the game against Lazio.
He was rightly replaced by Giovanni Tedesco in a tie which the home side lost
3-0.
Christian Abbiati (Torino)
The Torino No 1 is an odd 'keeper - brilliant one week, appalling the next. His
performance against Udinese won't go down in history as one of his best where
his walkabout session resulted in a goal. With Toro struggling to hit the
target at the other end, they need him at his highest level.
The goals.
Cristiano Lucarelli (Livorno)
Few thought Lucarelli would find the net after picking up the ball with his
back to goal in a packed Viola area. But the Italian turned Alessandro
Gamberini and slid past Tomas Ujfalusi to fire his low shot past a blameless
Sebastien Frey.
Martin Jorgensen (Fiorentina)
The Dane's winner against Livorno was the slickest and most stylish goal of the
day. An Adrian Mutu pass found Ujfalusi, whose first time ball saw Luca Toni
tee up for the onrushing Jorgensen to make sure of the points. Poetry in motion.
Douglas Maicon (Inter)
Inter ensured another victory thanks to a cool finish from Douglas Maicon. The
Brazilian found himself free in the area and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's cross saw the
defender coolly place it into the top corner with the outside of his right foot.
The numbers.
Straniero strike
Takayuki Morimoto, 18, scored his first goal for Catania against Atalanta. That
strike saw the Japanese youngster become the first foreigner to score in Serie
A for the Sicilians since 1983-84 when Pedrinho netted three goals.
Fortress Fiorentina
Fiorentina's impressive scoring record at home continued against Livorno. The
Viola have now netted in their last 33 games at the Franchi, scoring 77 goals
in that time.
Roaming charges
Mirko Vucinic scored his first for Roma and 30th Serie A goal in total against
Siena. The Serbian's strike means that the Giallorossi have now had 14
different scorers in the championship so far this term. No other team has had
so many different names on the score sheet.
===
Today's headlines: What the papers say...
Monday 29 January
Gazzetta dello Sport
Cannibal Inter - The record continues against Sampdoria: 14 straight wins
Inzaghi leads Milan towards the Champions League - Galliani in Madrid today
Messina lose again, but the players say no to Giordano's sacking
Corriere dello Sport
Sensational - Betting agencies already paying out for Inter winning the
Scudetto. The Nerazzurri win in Genoa and remain 11 points ahead of Roma
Official, Cavani to Palermo
Juve try one last assault for Grygera
Tuttosport
Juve wake up - They are winter champions but suffer too much and Deschamps is
not convincing
Toro, here is Caracciolo - After being booed by the Palermo supporters, the
bomber doesn't train and says he wants to leave
Inter, the head is the key - The Nerazzurri seal their 14th straight win
against Sampdoria, who play with 10 men after Del Vecchio is sent off for a
head-butt on Materazzi
===
Cavani set for Rosanero
Palermo are expected to complete the signing of highly-rated Uruguayan
striker Edison Cavani on Tuesday.
Oliveira deal for Real?
Reports in Spain are suggesting that Real Madrid have asked Milan to
include striker Ricardo Oliveira in the deal that will bring Ronaldo back to
Italy.
Mancio denies Blues talk
Inter Coach Roberto Mancini has denied stating that he would be happy to
join Chelsea at the end of the season.
Carletto eyes Azzurri job
Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that he dreams of one day sitting
on the Azzurri bench.
Car heading for Toro
Palermo striker Andrea Caracciolo has revealed that he would like
to sign for Torino in the January transfer window.
January move for Grygera?
Juventus look set to make one last attempt at securing the
immediate capture of Ajax defender Zdenek Grygera.
Oddo deal pleases all
Lazio chief Claudio Lotito believes that Massimo Oddo's move to
Milan suited all the parties involved.
SuperPippo welcomes Roni
Milan forward Filippo Inzaghi has insisted that he is pleased with
Ronaldo's arrival as he can only improve the Rossoneri.
Matrix: I'm the victim!
Inter defender Marco Materazzi has denied that he said anything to
provoke Gennaro Del Vecchio into head-butting him.
==Channel4.com===
Io Sono Interista
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