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| | Spotlight: Leon the professional |
Monday 5 November, 2007
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| Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 11 of the Serie A season |
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The winners…
Julio Cesar Leon (Genoa)
The Honduran hitman is really making a name for himself at Marassi. Having seen a long-range screamer saved by Palermo 'keeper Alberto Fontana, the 28-year-old curled a sumptuous free-kick into the top corner and completed his brace with an opportunist strike. A virtuoso performance from a man being linked with a January switch to one of the peninsula's giants.
Julio Cruz (Inter)
The Argentine ace urged Roberto Mancini to give him a start and took full advantage on the biggest possible stage. Having opened the scoring in the Derby d'Italia, Cruz has reiterated that he is so much more than just a super sub.
Matteo Sereni (Torino)
It's a make or break year for the ex-Lazio man and he presented his full portfolio to deny Milan at the San Siro. A fantastic reaction stop from Alberto Gilardino was the cream of the crop, but the former Ipswich man was solid from the off.
The losers…
Marco Ballotta (Lazio)
Argentine goalkeeping starlet Juan Pablo Carrizo can't arrive soon enough for Lazio. The ageing Ballotta cost the Aquile a point when he tried to prevent Emilson Cribari's defensive header going for a corner but merely pushed the ball back for Giampaolo Pazzini to score.
Alberto Gilardino (Milan)
It seemed that Gila was back on track after a brace against Sampdoria in midweek, but he was embarrassingly impotent in the Rossoneri's Torino stalemate. Diavolo boss Carlo Ancelotti was so frustrated by the ex-Parma hero's profligate performance that he publicly blamed him for the draw.
Luciano Spalletti (Roma)
A rare off-day for the talented tactician. Returning to the ground where he made his name, Spalletti was unable to stop complacency creeping in as his Giallorossi threw away a 2-0 lead at Empoli and wasted a golden chance to gain ground in the title race.
The goals…
Ludovic Giuly (Roma)
The pocket-sized Frenchman only deserves part of the credit, for this was trademark champagne football from the Giallorossi. A series of intricate passes involving four players was finished off by Giuly's low drive.
Julio Cesar Leon (Genoa)
He may not be as famous as Andrea Pirlo or Juninho Pernambucano, but this was a free kick they’d be proud of curled precisely into the very top where the goalkeeper simply could not reach.
Sergio Volpi (Sampdoria)
There was no stopping this strike. Paolo Sammarco’s dummy allowed Andrea Caracciolo’s headed assist to reach Volpi for a screamer of a volley that rocketed into the bottom near corner from the edge of the box.
The numbers…
Home sick Rossoneri
Milan's San Siro curse continues and the Diavolo have now scored five times as many goals on their travels as they have on home soil - 15 on the road compared to just three at the Meazza.
Five and out
Catania's five-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at home to Atalanta. The Elefanti's purple patch started with a win over Empoli back in Week 5.
All hail Cesare
Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli has a phenomenal record with the Viola. Under the gifted tactician, the Stadio Artemio Franchi outfit have lost just once in their last 29 Serie A encounters.
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| Words: Paul Watson |
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Past Spotlights
A unique review of each round of the 2007-08 Serie A campaign. More |
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