So we are now midway through the Champion’s League and I thought this was a good time to check how the beloved teams from the peninsula are doing in Europe’s premier tournament!
Lets start with Fiorentina, this is now the Viola’s 2nd stint in Europe in a row, and its shows they no longer these naïve debutees .. in a tough group with 2 perennial 2nd rounders Liverpool and Lyon, it always looked tough .. so far so good though .. thanks mostly to Liverpool’s awful start to their season, they beat the Reds 2-0 in Florence and that’s a fair result we must say .. I think a lot will depend on how they do in the return match at Anfield in a few weeks but the way Liverpool played in the 2nd half against Lyon .. this Italian team was the least likely to qualify when the draw was made but could be the first team through!
Juventus had 5 out of 9 points a fair amount for half way unbeaten, not a bad start still with Bordeaux and Bayern all having good chances to qualify Juve will have to be on top form and can’t afford slip ups.
League leaders Inter are in trouble 3 draws from 3 games leaves them last in the group, ok fair enough the other three teams are on 4 points so doesn’t sound so bad, but the problem being they have only 1 game at home ahead, and they have tough away trips to Ukraine and the Nou Camp!
After their 3rd draw Mourinho has taken some flak from the press, and Ultras not sure why .. they did just beat Genoa 5-0 on the weekend .. how quickly things are forgotten
I still think if Inter start being a little bit more confident they most defiantly have the potential the players and the coach to leave their mark on Europe this year.
For Milan it’s the opposite! it’s a good thing that things are forgotten quickly and with 2 great results in a row, on the weekend against Roma and then a memorable victory at the Bernebaeu against the new Galacticos of Real Madrid, AC Milan are fan favorites again!
For me the most significant thing is that both these games had excellent winners scored by Pato! Pato is incredible what a player!! We always new it but with Milan not having any other strikers Inzaghi scored 2 goals to force a win in Milans opening CL game but since then has failed to find the net, New signing (from Real) has been well a non-event in the few games he’s started he has never impressed, so lots of pressure on Pato and lucky for the red and black team, the young Brazilan has risen to the challenge, and if he keeps playing like this I see Milan as the favourites of the 4 Italians to qualify!
So as a summary aee the Italian teams doing enough to make up for the awful showing last year? Not yet is the answer .. none have done brilliantly but they all four still have a chance of qualifying.. so think we have to sit and wait and see !
To be fair no one else has set the CL alight – Man utd, Sevilla and Lyon have 3 wins out of 3 but not very convincing are they? Spains 2 powerhouses have both lost home games, and Chelsea are my team to impress this year – I’ve always said that they would win 1 big trophy this year will be it the Champions League … not if the Seria A teams have anything to do with it
