Serie A Weekend Review – Episode 19: Juventus, Milan, Inter Win While Totti Creates History

The first half of the current edition of Serie A has concluded with the round of fixtures played over the weekend and the league looks reminiscent of those days in the 90s when competitiveness was at its peak in the football played here in peninsula. Apparently, the league table does not suggest any clear favourites for the title just yet and the European slots too are there for many for the taking. Seven strongest teams in the country are currently occupying the top seven slots in the league table which certainly promises for an even more exciting time as the league sets to enter the second phase in no time.

Juventus continued with their winning ways after a disappointing result at home the previous week. Two second half goals from Stephen Lichtsteiner and substitute Emanuele Giaccherini sealed the deal for the Bianconeri and ensured they finish on the top of the table at the mid-point in the season. Though the thinnest one possible, a lead that secures the top position must do a world of good to Antonio Conteai??i??s confidence in his team.

Providing Juventus no breather at the top, Milan too reclaimed their usual self after a disappointing derby loss and handed Novara over a comprehensive 3-0 beating at their own den after an authoritative performance. Both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho found their names on the score sheet while the prodigious youngster Stephan El Shaarawy once again established that heai??i??s ready for the first team action in the 45 minutes of football he played.

Inter too continued their sublime form registering seventh consecutive league win beating Lazio 2-1 at home after being put behind through a Tomasso Rocchi goal. Equaliser from Milito was followed by a winner from Pazzini which now puts Inter fourth on the table absolutely ridiculing all the claims of them suffering to survive in the top-tier of Italian football.

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When Francesco Totti scores, the city of Rome hysterically erupts. When he scores in the very first minute of the game, there are no limits to their joy and when he scores two in first eight minutes of a game, things do not get crazier at Stadio Olimpico. The Roman Emperor led from the front in scripting arguably the best win of the season for his team and in the process went past Guunar Nordahlai??i??s record of 210 goals with a single club. In an authoritative 5-1 victory, Fabio Borini, Juan and Miralem Pjanic scored one goal each. Roma are now trailing city rivals Lazio by three points with a game in hand.

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Napoliai??i??s form in the league raised more concern after being held for a 1-1 draw against Siena. It took a late effort from Goran Pandev in the second half to earn the Azzuri a point of the game. The result leaves them seventh on the table trailing the sixth placed Roma by one point.

Goals from Pablo Armero and Antonio Di Natale helped Udinese beat Catania 2-1 and maintain their third spot on the table. They are now within touching distance to unsettle the top two and appear to be a very tough customer to push out of the Champions League spots.

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After a scintillating contest Palermo defeated Genoa 5-3 where in a highly dramatic fashion Lecce found a late equalizer to earn a point against Chievo in a tightly contested 2-2 draw. The games between Bologna ai??i?? Parma and Cagliari ai??i?? Fiorentina failed to trouble the scorers at all.

Match of the Weekend

Palermo 5-3 Genoa

It was goals galore in Sicily as the home side delivered their best performance of the season to overcome Genoa. As many as eight goals were scored in the game but the talking point would remain the standout performance by the home skipper Fabrizio Miccoli who scored one and stamped his name thrice on the assists chart.

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Star of the Weekend

Gianluca Pegolo (Siena) v Napoli

The Siena custodian kept frustrated his visitors with his instinctive saves which included a thoroughly world-class dive on the right to deny Edinson Cavani from the spot.

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Goal of the Weekend

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Milan) v Novara

The Big Swede has built a reputation of destroying the smaller teams in the league and truly stood by the label against Novara where he was immense throughout the game in the final third. Both the goals scored by Milanai??i??s ace forward, especially the second where his backheel was nothing short of a touch of a genius, deserve to be crowned as our goal of the week.

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Assist of the Weekend

Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) v Atalanta

This is what Pirlo has always been known for. An inch perfect long ball from the left end of the pitch that precisely met Lichtsteiner who perfectly positioned himself to meet the aerial ball from the maestro put the visitors in front and in command.

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Tiziano Crudelli Moment of the Weekend

Milanai??i??s number one fan is back to doing what he does the best.

Team of the Weekend

Gianluca Pegolo (Siena); Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Juan (Roma), Thiago Silva (Milan), Pablo Armero (Udinese); Mark van Bommel (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Giulio Migliaccio (Palermo); Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Milan), Fabrizio Miccoli (Palermo), Francesco Totti (Roma)

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Results At A Glance

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