⚽️🇮🇹 Is this Christian Pulisic's best Serie A goal yet?
The newsletter for Serie A fans in North America
👋 Ciao a tutti!
Welcome to Calcio Weekly, your comprehensive weekly digest of Italian soccer. This week, we’re learning about:
👋 Napoli’s new coach
🤯 Christian Pulisic’s latest wonder goal
⭐️ Bologna’s breakout star Joshua Zirkzee
…and much more!
🔄 Napoli replaces coach Walter Mazzarri with Francesco Calzona
Defending Serie A champions Napoli have hired their third coach of the season, replacing Walter Mazzari with Slovakia National Team coach Francesco Calzona.
🤗 Calzona has a long-standing relationship with Napoli, having served as assistant coach to both Maurizio Sarri and Luciano Spalletti during their respective spells in charge.
🇸🇰 The 55-year-old will only be in the hot seat in Naples until the end of the season, and will continue his role with Slovakia as they prepare for this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament.
🇪🇺 Calzona had just 48 hours’ preparation and one training session before Napoli earned a 1-1 draw against reigning Spanish champions Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. Victor Osimhen provided the crucial equalizer.
🙏 Mazzarri was fired after just three months in charge, having replaced Rudi Garcia, who was relieved of his duties in November.
✍️ Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis thanked Mazzarri on X “for supporting the team at a complex moment.”
👉 Up next for Napoli: The Partenopei travel to Cagliari on Sunday (9am ET on Paramount+), seeking their first away win since November. Napoli earned a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in December.
🇺🇸 Super Sub Christian Pulisic scores and assists at Monza
USMNT star Christian Pulisic’s incredible debut Serie A season continued on Sunday evening, when he came off the bench at Monza to provide an assist before scoring a wonder goal of his own…
😮 Pulisic’s goal and assist helped bring the score level after Monza took a 2-0 lead, but the American’s efforts weren’t enough to prevent the home side pulling off an extremely impressive 4-2 victory.
👏 The 25-year-old has now provided eight goals and seven assists for the Rossoneri in all competitions this season.
😮💨 Why did Pulisic start on the bench? After the game, coach Stefano Pioli said the American had not trained the previous day, as he was tired. “Christian has never played so much in recent years, so he needed some rest,” he added.
👉 Up next for Pulisic and Milan: After a Europa League away day at Rennes tonight, Milan will face local rivals Atalanta on Sunday (2.45pm ET on Paramount+), knowing a win could see them move into second spot in Serie A, if Juventus are defeated by Frosinone.
❤️ Inter triumph, pay tribute to Italia ‘90 World Cup legend
Inter go into this weekend nine points clear of closest Scudetto rivals Juventus with a game in hand, thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Salernitana, coupled with Juve’s slip in their 2-2 draw at Verona.
⚽️ Lautaro Martínez scored his 20th goal of the season, marking the third consecutive campaign in which he has reached that tally for Inter.
🇨🇦 The Salernitana win also marked a debut appearance for Tajon Buchanan, who is the first Canadian to play in Serie A.
👏 Inter extended their winning run in all competitions to nine games with their 1-0 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Controversial musician Kanye West was in attendance at the San Siro, after Inter ultras featured on his No.1 album. Rivals Milan responded with an amusing clip mocking West’s masked attendance.
❤️ Before the Champions League match, Inter paid tribute to their German legend Andreas Brehme, who died of a sudden cardiac arrest earlier that morning, aged 63.
🏆 Not only did Brehme win the Scudetto with Inter in 1989, but he scored Germany’s winning goal at the Stadio Olimpico in the 1990 World Cup Final.
🫡 Such is Brehme’s impact on the beautiful game that Juventus’ Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer was named after him.
💫 Joshua Zirkzee helps Bologna’s fine form continue
Bologna is knocking on the door of Champions League qualification this season, thanks in part to their breakout star Joshua Zirkzee, who scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at Lazio in the most recent game week.
🇳🇱 Zirkzee slotted home his ninth Serie A goal of the season on Sunday, keeping Bologna level on points with fourth-place Atalanta.
🤩 Bologna coach Thiago Motta offered the Dutch forward the highest of praise, comparing Zirkzee with his legendary Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho.
🆙 Bologna host Verona on Friday (2.45pm ET on Paramount+). If they better Atalanta’s result on the road at Milan, they will move into the hallowed Champions League qualification spots.
👏 Social Post of the Week: Monza clap back at the haters
Monza were the underdog in their aforementioned 4-2 victory over Milan last Sunday — and they made a point of calling out all those who doubted their prowess on social media!
🫡 Become a Calcio Weekly Capitano
Share this newsletter with 10 friends and we’ll send you a genuine Serie A captain’s armband (as seen below, expertly modeled by the Coppa Italia trophy in our NYC offices)…
🇮🇹 Jaka Bijol explores Udine
Slovenian defender Jaka Bijol made the move to Serie A in the summer of 2022, and has flourished in the heart of the Udinese defense.
In the latest episode of our Champions of Made in Italy series, Bijol discusses the opportunities he has been afforded in the charming city of Udine.
🇮🇹 Serie A is partnering with the Italian government for the Champions of Made in Italy documentary series, which is bringing insight into the cities and cultures that surround every club in the league. More episodes below…
🚀 ICYMI: Dean Huijsen’s Goal of the Season contender
Any Roma fan will tell you they have something special on their hands when it comes to defender Dean Huijsen.
😮 The 18-year-old center-back scored his second goal for the Giallorossi in their 3-0 win at Frosinone in the most recent game week.
🎥 The Dutch teenager joined Roma in January, on loan from Juventus. Given his spectacular potential, it is little surprise that the Italian media is reporting Juve’s interest in bringing him back to Turin at the end of the season.
💬 Calcio Conversations
You’re reading Calcio Weekly, so you’ve definitely heard the word before, but why do Italians call football “calcio”?
🤷♂️ What does it mean? The word literally translates to “kick,” so you can put the pieces together from there. But its origin has also been traced back to the game of “calcio storico” in Renaissance Florence, which is a notoriously violent game that bears little resemblance to the modern sport!
🇲🇽 Guillermo Ochoa celebrates 20 years in the game
Mexico National Team captain and Salernitana goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is celebrating two decades between the sticks, having made his pro debut for Club América in February 2004.
🗳️ Ochoa was voted Salernitana’s Player of the Season last year, despite arriving in the winter transfer window. His heroics helped the Salerno side stave off relegation.
🧤 The 38-year-old has featured in five Mexico World Cup squads and his storied career includes five CONCACAF Gold Cup titles, and silverware in Mexico and Belgium.
📺 This weekend on CBS Sports and Paramount+
Friday February 23rd
Bologna v Verona (2.45pm ET)
Saturday February 24th
Sassuolo v Empoli (9am ET)
Salernitana v Monza (12pm ET)
Genoa v Udinese (2.45pm ET)
Sunday February 25th
Juventus v Frosinone (6.30am ET)
Cagliari v Napoli (9am ET)
Lecce v Inter (12pm ET)
Milan v Atalanta (2.45pm ET)
Monday February 26th
Roma v Torino (12.30pm ET)
Fiorentina v Lazio (2.45pm ET)
🇨🇦 Reading this in Canada? Watch ALL Serie A games LIVE on Fubo - and try it for free! 🇨🇦
Grazie e arrivederci!
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