⚽️🇮🇹 The Serie A title race couldn't be any closer!
In this week’s Italian soccer digest, we're looking at the neck-and-neck scudetto race, we're checking our Milan's Coppa Italia big derby win, and much more!
🔥 Milan secures place in Coppa Italia final with huge derby win
On Wednesday evening, Milan defeated rivals Inter to secure passage to the Coppa Italia final.
👉 The 3-0 win at San Siro came after the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal ended in a 1-1 deadlock.
💫 Luka Jovic was the star of the show last night, with a brace that was complemented by a third goal from Tijjani Reijnders.
5️⃣ This was the fifth edition of the Derby della Madonnina this season - and Milan is unbeaten in all five of those games, including January’s epic Supercoppa Italiana final.
🛑 The Rossoneri’s victory has prevented Inter from winning the treble. The Nerazzurri is currently top of the league and will host Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals next Wednesday.
⏭️ Milan will face either Bologna or Empoli in the final at the Stadio Olimpico on May 14th. The second leg of their semifinal takes place today (3pm ET, CBS Sports), with Bologna holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg.
🍿 Inter or Napoli: who will triumph this season?
With five games left to play, it’s a dead heat at the summit of Serie A, with Inter and Napoli tied on 71 points.
👀 Defending champions Inter have a better goal differential than Napoli, but this will not be a tiebreaker in deciding the league. If both teams are still tied on points after 38 games, there will be a single-match playoff to decide the champion.
👉 As we explained a few weeks ago, this playoff is known as a spareggio scudetto.
😲 There will also be a playoff between 17th and 18th place - known as a spareggio salvezza - if those teams are tied on points, too.
😎 So yes, the scudetto could, in theory, be decided by a penalty shootout!
👉 A spareggio scudetto has only ever happened once before, in 1964, when Bologna beat Inter to claim its seventh (and most recent) title.
👕 Napoli pulled even with Inter last weekend after Simone Inzaghi’s side were defeated at Bologna. They celebrated the news in Naples… by hanging a Bologna shirt in the streets!
👉 Inter hosts Roma on Sunday (9am ET, CBS Sports). The Giallorossi is seventeen games unbeaten in the league for the first time since 2016. Inter won their last league meeting, however, back in October.
👉 Napoli, meanwhile, hosts Torino later on Sunday (2.45pm ET, CBS Sports). Scott McTominay will be hoping his rich vein of form continues, after scoring his 9th goal of the season against Monza on Saturday.
😮 Torino could end up playing a crucial role in the title race: they also play Inter on May 11th.
✝️ Serie A clubs pay tribute to Pope Francis
Following the announcement of the death of Pope Francis on Monday, tributes have poured in from across Serie A’s teams, players, and legends.
👉 Out of respect, Monday’s slate of Serie A matches was postponed until Wednesday, while the three games that were due to be played this Saturday will now be played on Sunday, to accommodate Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome.
❤️ Serie B games were also called off, with promotion-chasing Palermo donating 600 meals that had been prepared for their match to a charity the Pope visited when he was in the city.
🙏 Tributes have come from across Serie A, with Inter describing Pope Francis as a "man of faith, humility and dialogue who was able to speak to everyone's heart.” Roma noted that “his faith, humility, courage, and dedication have touched the hearts of millions of people.”
🗣️ “He showed us the way with great courage and shook our souls,” said legendary goalkeeper Gigi Buffon. “I will carry his example in my heart forever.”
⚽️ Pope Francis was a passionate soccer fan who regularly spoke of his love for his local Argentine side, San Lorenzo. Our friends at Destination Calcio have written about his passion for the beautiful game.
🇺🇸 Gianluca Busio scores as Venezia seeks survival
Venezia (18th) and Empoli (19th) both remain in the relegation zone after facing each other in a thrilling 2-2 draw last weekend, in which American midfielder Gianluca Busio scored a vital goal.
Per CBS, Busio’s goal, his second of the season, brings him level with Michael Bradley for the fourth-most career Serie A goals by an American (three).
😥 With five games left to play, Venezia and Empoli both sit on 25 points, a single point behind Lecce in 17th spot. Monza remains at the bottom with 15 points.
👉 Busio’s side will host Milan on Sunday (6.30am ET, CBS Sports), while Empoli also faces a tough test with a trip to Fiorentina a few hours later (9am ET, CBS Sports).
👀 Lecce will be hoping to create some distance from the dropzone when they travel to Atalanta on Friday (2.45pm ET, CBS Sports).
👏 While the entire bottom half of Serie A is technically not safe from relegation at this point, Como all but secured its survival last week with a resounding 3-0 win over Lecce. Coach Cesc Fàbregas wrote an emotional letter after the win.
🏟️ Venezia, meanwhile, could soon be playing in an incredible new home: this week, they unveiled plans for a beautiful 18,500-capacity stadium.
🙌 The new venue, designed by leading architects Populous, will be used for soccer, rugby, and events such as concerts.
🏈 Christian Pulisic and Ja'Marr Chase exchange jerseys
The worlds of calcio and American football combined when Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase met Milan forward Christian Pulisic for a jersey exchange.
🇮🇹 The meeting took place in Milan, where Chase has been on vacation.
🗽 Which NFL team does Pulisic support? As a native of Hershey, PA, one may expect him to pull for the Steelers or the Eagles. But, in fact, he likes the Jets.
👉 During a summer friendly at Yankee Stadium, Pulisic was caught on camera explaining the dimensions of the gridiron to his teammates.
🙌 Supporters’ Club of the Week: Napoli Club Philly
Napoli supporters’ clubs across the country will be paying keen attention to Antonio Conte’s title-chasing team over the next few weeks, including the Partenopei’s loyal fanbase in Philadelphia.
👋 Calcio Weekly caught up with Napoli Club Philly founder and president Phil Innamorato, who explained that the supporters’ group was founded in the City of Brotherly Love ahead of the 2017-18 season.
🙌 The fans meet up at Gran Caffè L’Aquila in Center City Philadelphia to cheer on Conte’s side. “A core group of around 10-15 fans regularly watch games with us, with big clashes bringing in more,” says Innamorato.
🗣️ “The best moment I’ve personally witnessed with the club has to be watching us officially clinch the scudetto in the 2022-23 season,” says Innamorato. “Prior to that, the 2017-18 win at Juventus was a fun time, especially since it was our supporters’ club’s first season in existence.”
📲 Visit the Napoli Club Philly Facebook page for more info. And if you want to feature your supporters’ club in Calcio Weekly, get in touch!
💬 Calcio Conversations
Riccardo Orsolini’s 94th-minute scissor-kick winner against Inter was undoubtedly the standout moment of gameweek 33 - particularly as it came all’ultimo respiro.
🤷♂️ What does that mean? This is the Italian term for a last-gasp goal, in the way we might say to score ‘at the buzzer’. It literally translates to scoring ‘with the last breath’, and the Bologna star’s goal was certainly one to take your breath away, too!
🧐 Does this happen a lot? Yes! According to Transfermarkt data, 47 goals have been scored after the 90th minute this season in Serie A. The team that likes scoring all’ultimo respiro the most is Lazio, with six stoppage-time goals, while Napoli, Juventus, Parma, and Hellas Verona all have four.
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🧤 David De Gea is flourishing in Florence
It’s been an impressive season for Fiorentina, who remain in top-four contention and have secured a place in the UEFA Conference League semifinals. One key ingredient to their success in this campaign has been their highly experienced shot stopper, David De Gea.
🎥 Speaking with Serie A’s YouTube channel, the Spaniard discusses his one-year sabbatical from the game before arriving in Florence, his mentorship of younger players, and much more.
📺 This weekend on CBS Sports, Paramount+, FOX Deportes, and SiriusXM
Friday, April 25th
Atalanta v Lecce (2.45pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Sunday, April 27th
Como v Genoa (6.30am ET)
Venezia v Milan (6.30am ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Fiorentina v Empoli (9am ET)
Inter v Roma (9am ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Juventus v Monza (12pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Lazio v Parma (2.45pm ET)
Napoli v Torino (2.45pm ET, also on SiriusXM)
Monday, April 28th
Udinese v Bologna (12.30pm ET)
Verona v Cagliari (2.45pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
🇨🇦 Watch ALL Serie A games live on Fubo and select games with Italian-language commentary on TLN 🇨🇦
🇺🇸 Watch select games with Spanish-language commentary on FOX Deportes and English-language commentary on SiriusXM 🇺🇸
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