Category: Soccer

AC CHASE DOSSENA

AC Milan are interested at the possibility of bringing former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena to the San Siro in the summer. The former Liverpool defender has been playing for Napoli in the last couple of seasons. He has managed to overcome his terrible spell at the English club to impress the scouts in a sufficient manner. As a result, he has put himself in the shop window, with seven times Champions League winners AC Milan amongst the interested clubs. AC Milan have lost a number of key players during the summer after their contract expired.

Defender Zambrotta and Nesta have been one of the key names to depart the San Siro in the summer. As a result, AC Milan are looking to replace the players by bringing in replacements of the likes of Andrea Dossena. Even though Andrea Dossena’s agent revealed a few weeks back that his client has not received an offer from AC Milan of any sorts, it is learnt that the team that finished second in the Italian Serie A are close to securing his signature. The 30-year-old is thought to be willing to take a wage cut in order to join AC Milan.

Andrea Dossena is currently earning around € 5 million per year, but he could be well be looking at around € 3.5 million at the San Siro. Napoli will be signing Aly Cissokho as a replacement for Andrea Dossena if the former Liverpool defender indeed decides to join AC Milan. Meanwhile, AC Milan could lose yet another player in the summer after it was revealed that Mathieu Flamini’s contract talks have broken down and the former Arsenal midfielder could leave on a Bosman transfer. This would leave AC Milan looking at the possibility of signing another midfielder in order to cover the loss of players like Gattuso.

NAPOLI TAKE STEP FORWARDS

Italian club Napoli took a major step towards securing the third spot in the Italian Serie A after a convincing 2-0 win over Palermo in the midweek round of matches. Napoli are currently in a battle with the likes of Lazio, Udinese, Inter Milan, and – to a certain extent – Roma. They were taking on the relegation threatened Palermo in the midweek round of matches knowing that a win could take them into the third position. This is the final spot for getting the Champions League next season in Italy. Udinese managed to overcome Lazio a few days earlier with a 2-0 victory. Napoli achieved the same against Palermo to put them in the third spot.

Napoli had a wonderful Champions League campaign this season and almost eliminated the finalists Chelsea from the competition. However, the Champions League distraction has provided the opportunity for other clubs to enter into the race for the third position, but Napoli have finally overcome the demons of the Champions League exit by coming into form at just the right stage in the season. Only two matches remaining the Italian Serie A this season and Napoli are the favourites to qualify for the Champions League next season via the automatic spot.

Edison Cavani and Marek Hamsik once again proved to be the difference for Napoli, as they scored two goals to get three points against a team threatened against relegation. “We’re better now, we’ve got better concentration, we’ve rediscovered certain values. We can’t afford many mistakes now or we’ll compromise what we’ve built these last few weeks,” Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri said after the match. It is now in Napoli’s hands to finish in the third position. Walter Mazzarri has said that he does not want any slipups from his club at this stage of the season.

CAVANI MAY STAY

After the numerous rumours during the middle of the season about the future of Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, now his agent has confirmed that the striker may stay at the Italian club after all.

San Paolo were set to lose Edinson Cavani in this summer after a number of clubs including Manchester City and Chelsea have shown interest. It is thought that they would be bidding in the region of £ 30 million for the striker. More importantly, the striker will also want to play in the Champions League next season after having experienced the same with Napoli this season.

The striker failed to commit his future to Napoli in recent weeks, but his agent has now confirmed that Edinson Cavani is more likely to be a Napoli player next season because he loves the club and the city very much. Only recently, Edinson Cavani signed a contract extension with Napoli, which will keep him at the club until 2016. Due to the presence of such a long contract, it is highly unlikely that Cavani will be demanding a move in the summer. So far, the striker has scored a very impressive 29 goals this season in all competitions for Napoli.

“I do not want to answer to the question about whether Cavani will stay or go. Edinson answered that Saturday and he was very clear, but everyone can interpret what he said the way they want. For every player it is important to have the team’s future very clear, but financial matters are also important. Napoli have a serious project and any player would like to be part of it. Cavani has a contract and he wants to respect it,” Cavani’s agent Claudio Anellucci told Canale 34 regarding his future plans and his possible stay with Napoli next season.

NAPOLI CHANCES BOOSTED

Italian club Napoli boosted their chances of qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League next season after a 2-0 win over relegation threatened Novara during the weekend. Along with this result, the fact that other teams chasing the Champions League positions dropped points.

This meant that Napoli are currently fighting against the likes of Lazio and Udinese with an advantage on their hands. Only a few matches remain in the Italian Serie A this season. Napoli were extremely good in the domestic league up until the 4-1 Champions League defeat at the hands of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a few months ago.

Since then, Napoli have been struggling to get results, which in turn has enabled the likes of Roma, Udinese, and Lazio to take advantage in the race for the third position. However, the club seem to have finally put behind their defeat at the hands of Chelsea by winning the match against Novara 2-0 after goals from Edinson Cavani and Paolo Cannavaro in the first half sent them to a comfortable victory.

It would be very difficult to fit into their form, as Novara are struggling against relegation in the 18th position. However, the draw by Udinese against Chievo meant that Napoli have now moved into the fifth position just behind Udinese.

Continue reading NAPOLI CHANCES BOOSTED

CAVANI CONFIDENT

Napoli striker Edinson Cavani has said that he is extremely bullish on the prospects of the club finishing in the third position in the Italian Serie A this season. Napoli have been concentrating on doing well in the Champions League this season after having qualified for the elite competition last term. Now, they have been eliminated from the competition after the epic 4-1 loss to Chelsea recently. As a result, Napoli have revealed that they will be switching their focus to the domestic league, with the main focus being to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Napoli are currently in the fourth position in the Italian Serie A table, with only one point separating them from the third placed team – Lazio. Influential striker Edinson Cavani has been the main attacking threat of the team along with players like Hamsik. He has already scored 18 goals in the league this season, which is only two behind the top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Even though many of the Napoli players are being linked with moves in the summer, Edinson Cavani has said that they are focusing only on the qualification for the Champions League. Napoli have so far taken 16 points from the last six matches they have played in the league.

“Our aim is to play in the Champions League next season and we have the potential to finish third. We hope to show in our remaining games the same determination we have displayed of late and take as many points as possible to achieve our aim. Our aim at the start of the year was to reach the final of the Coppa. We will now try to win it although it will be difficult against Juventus,” Cavani said. Napoli will also be playing in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus.

LAVEZZI REFUTES MARADONA COMPARISONS

Napoli player Ezequiel Lavezzi has said that he should not be compared with Argentine legend Diego Maradona after a few performances. Ezequiel Lavezzi once again impressed for Napoli in the match against Chelsea. Napoli were taking on English club Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League as the underdogs. Despite being the underdogs ahead of the match, Napoli managed to secure a 3-1 lead in the first leg itself. Due to the fact that Napoli are extremely dangerous on the counter-attack, they are expected to finish the job in the return leg against Chelsea at Stamford bridge.

One of the outstanding players for Napoli was Ezequiel Lavezzi. The Argentine scored two goals in a half to help Napoli lay one foot on the quarter-finals of the Champions league. This has led to dramatic comparisons of the Argentine with the legend of Argentina – Diego Maradona. There are many reasons for Ezequiel Lavezzi to be compared with Diego Maradona. The skills and the club he plays for are all very similar to the experiences of Diego Maradona. However, Ezequiel Lavezzi has himself said that any comparisons with the Argentine great is simply ridiculous.

“Don’t call me Diego – I am ‘El Pocho’. I was expecting a victory for the team. I was confident that we would do well. It was important to win, playing a beautiful game. Qualification is not finished. But we have a nice advantage. We can go there and look for a goal that might seal our qualification,” Ezequiel Lavezzi said after performing quite impressively the 3-1 win over Chelsea. Napoli will be facing the return leg in the second week of March at Stamford Bridge. Despite not performing well in the Italian Serie A, Napoli have truly turned on the style in the European competitions.