⚽️🇮🇹 Juventus' new teenage superstar-in-waiting!
👋 Ciao a tutti!
Welcome to Calcio Weekly, your comprehensive weekly digest of Italian soccer.
This week, we’re turning the spotlight onto Juventus’ new teenage sensation, we’re finding out which team Rita Ora is repping, and we’re learning which powerhouse defender used to work on a pig farm…
In the meantime, we wish you a very Happy New Year and look forward to sharing soccer stories in 2024 and beyond 🎉
🌟 Teenager Kenan Yildiz scores on dream Juventus debut
On his first full start for Juventus, 18-year-old forward Kenan Yildiz gave Bianconeri fans an early Christmas gift in the form of a sensational go-ahead goal in his side’s 2-1 win at Frosinone.
👏 Yildiz broke through to Massimiliano Allegri’s first-team squad this season, with six off-the-bench appearances before earning his start last weekend. The precocious forward - who can play as a second striker or winger - has also featured for Juventus Next Gen in the third-tier, Serie C.
🇹🇷 The 18-year-old was born in Germany and represents Turkey on the international stage. He scored his first international goal against the nation of his birth in a friendly in November.
🗣️ Speaking with Tuttosport, Yildiz’s agent Hector Peris Ros suggested he is a talent who will stay in Turin for the long term: “He came here to score goals like this, but above all to triumph, to win titles and the Champions League, I imagine him here in 10 years. If Juventus want a number 10, Yildiz is the number 10, this is his role, he is a boy who makes you fall in love.”
🎥 Just before Yildiz’s spectacular full debut, Juventus released a documentary about his progress and that of fellow young talent Dean Huijsen…
The Best is Yet to Come | Kenan Yildiz & Dean Huijsen | Juventus Creator Lab
🇺🇸 Weah and McKennie set up Juve winner!
Juventus’ win over Frosinone wasn’t only notable for Yildiz’s grand arrival on the Serie A stage: Dušan Vlahović’s game-winning goal was set up by USMNT stars Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie.
😮 McKennie has now made 15 consecutive starts for Juve and has registered two assists this season. Shortly before providing the game-winning assist at Frosinone, the American nearly scored a spectacular scissor-kick winner.
👍 It was another positive outing for Weah, who was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old could potentially earn his first start since October for Juve in their huge game this coming weekend.
🍝 McKennie, meanwhile, has made headlines in Italy after appearing on the 19F podcast, where he admitted to breaking an unwritten Italian food rule by adding chicken to his pasta and pesto…
➡️ Up next for Weah, McKennie and Juve: The Bianconeri host Roma on Saturday (2.45pm ET on Paramount+), in a game that could send them into the new year just one point behind leaders Inter. Juve has won two of its last three home meetings with Roma, but lost the most recent clash at the Stadio Olimpico in March.
🎶 Rita Ora celebrates Genoa’s 130th anniversary
Genoa appears to have gained a new fan in the form of global superstar Rita Ora.
👕 The musician posted an image on her Instagram story modeling Genoa’s new 130-year anniversary jersey, which they will wear when they host Inter on Friday (2.45pm ET on Paramount+).
💛 Genoa, who has collaborated with Ora as part of their "Dark Golden Side of City" campaign, first revealed the special-edition gold jersey (which will act as their third-choice strip) in the city’s Palazzi dei Rolli noble palaces in September.
🏷️ The limited-edition kit is on sale at Genoa’s official website, so get one while supplies last!
🇺🇸 Lautaro sends message to fans after 89-game playing streak ends
After Inter’s shock exit to Bologna in the Coppa Italia, Lautaro Martinez was diagnosed with a strain to the adductors of his left thigh, which will keep him out of action for Friday’s trip to Genoa.
⛑️ The Argentine striker wrote to fans on Instagram to express his disappointment at the cup exit, and the end of a consecutive playing streak that has reached 89 games.
I'm very sorry about how the game went on Wednesday night, the Coppa Italia is a competition we care about so much, seeing that we won the last two editions. We would have liked to continue on the path, the team gave everything to make it happen.
After 89 appearances in a row, unfortunately I am forced to stop. I am sorry that I can’t help my teammates as I am forced rest to recover for a few days, and come back as soon as possible.
😮 Lautaro is the leading scorer in Serie A with 15 goals and last missed a match through injury in October 2022.
💪 Lecce’s Federico Baschirotto shows his strength
Over the last two seasons with Lecce, center back Federico Baschirotto has become something of a cult hero - and a man who has truly earned his place at the top of the game. Clearly, he’s also a commanding voice in the locker room…
😮 Just two years ago, the 27-year-old was playing in Serie C. Last season he was promoted with Lecce for his first top flight season. Not only did he steward the back line well enough to keep his side up, but he also scored three headed goals.
💪 Baschirotto is renowned for his muscular physique and is considered by some to be the strongest player in soccer. "I dedicate a lot of hours to my physique, I think it is the engine that allows us to work longer in football,” he told Spanish publication Marca in February.
🐷 Before playing professional soccer, Baschirotto developed his strength by loading and unloading pigs at his father’s farm. And now, he’s bringing home the bacon for Lecce (sorry).
🏢 Roma take to the rooftops
What could be better than a game of pick-up on a beautiful rooftop pitch in The Eternal City? How about one where some of Roma’s biggest star players, including Romelu Lukaku and Stephan El Shaarawy, come and join in for some festive fun?
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🇮🇹 Pablo Marí explores Monza
In the latest edition of Champions of Made in Italy, Spanish defender Pablo Marí explores the beautiful city of Monza.
Located around nine miles north of Milan, Monza’s highlights include the stunning Reggia di Monza Royal Palace, and the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza, home of the Italian Grand Prix.
Marí, who joined Monza in August 2022 (initially on loan), explores these sites and discusses the ways the city has made him feel part of the community.
PABLO MARÍ explores the hidden beauty of MONZA | Champions of #MadeInItaly
🇮🇹 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. Click here to see the first episode, where Radu Matei Drăgușin takes a tour of his adopted home Genoa.
🫨 ICYMI: Marko Arnautovic’s outrageous assist
Barely a game week goes by without a truly incredible assist somewhere in Serie A. In game week 16, Victor Osimhen dazzled us with his keep-up skills, while the best goal setup in game week 17 came from the back heel of Marko Arnautovic, for the second strike in Inter’s 2-0 win over Lecce…
🏴 Ferguson becomes a record breaker in Bologna
Bologna continues to ride high on the Serie A table, and can potentially jump up to third place with a win at Udinese on Sunday (9am ET on Paramount+). A key contributor to their success in 2023-24 is Scottish midfielder Lewis Ferguson.
⚽️ With his 86th-minute winning goal against Atalanta in game week 17, team captain Ferguson has become the highest-scoring Scot in Serie A history, with 11 top flight goals.
😲 The record has been standing since 1961-62, when striker Denis Law scored 10 times for Torino across 27 games.
❓Did you know? Bologna is majority owned by Canadian businessman Joey Saputo, who also owns Major League Soccer team CF Montreal.
💬 Calcio Conversations
Around this time of year, Italian soccer fans will often talk about the campione d’inverno.
🤷♂️ What does it mean? It literally means “winter champions’ and is the unofficial title given to the team that finishes top of Serie A at the halfway stage, or after the 19th round of the season.
🏆 Typically, it’s a good gauge of who will end up clinching the Scudetto at the end of the season…. but not always.
🤓 According to Sky Italia, the winter champions have ended up winning the league 60 times out of 89. Napoli were the 60th last season, but in the previous season, Inter was the campione d’inverno before eventually losing out to rivals AC Milan.
🧎 Social Post of the Week: Tomori’s goal celebration doesn’t go to plan
Fikayo Tomori scored the opener in AC Milan’s 2-2 draw at Salernitana last Friday and celebrated with a knee slide. Well, at least he attempted to celebrate with a knee slide…
Don’t worry Fikayo, it happens more often than you’d think.
📺 This weekend on CBS Sports and Paramount+
Friday December 29th
Fiorentina v Torino (12.30pm ET)
Napoli v Monza (12.30pm ET)
Genoa v Inter (2.45pm ET)
Lazio v Frosinone (2.45pm ET)
Saturday December 30th
Atalanta v Lecce (6.30am ET)
Cagliari v Empoli (9am ET)
Udinese v Bologna (9am ET)
Hellas Verona v Salernitana (12pm ET)
AC Milan v Sassuolo (12pm ET)
Juventus v Roma (2.45pm ET)
🇨🇦 Reading this in Canada? Watch ALL Serie A games LIVE on Fubo - and try it for free! 🇨🇦
Grazie e arrivederci!
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Calcio Weekly and we wish you a very Happy New year!
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Ciao ciao!