⚽️🇮🇹 Juve and Milan battle in the latest Derby d’America!
In this week’s Italian soccer digest, we're looking ahead to the big game with plenty of USMNT interest, we're previewing Napoli's huge clash with Atalanta, and much more!
🇺🇸 USMNT players could be key when Milan visits Juventus
Some of the biggest USMNT stars could face off on Saturday when Juventus hosts Milan in a fixture we like to call the Derby d’America! (12pm ET, CBS Sports and FOX Deportes)
🫡 Americans Weston McKennie and Tim Weah should be available for selection for Juventus, who remain Serie A’s only undefeated team this season.
👏 McKennie, who has been playing in a left-back role in recent matches, showed his impressive versatility by playing as a No.10 in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Atalanta.
💪 The 26-year-old Texan assisted Pierre Kalulu’s opener, marking his 10th Serie A assist over the past two seasons for the Bianconeri.
📖 The folks at Goal.com have written an extensive feature on McKennie’s ability to play multiple positions under Thiago Motta.
🇺🇸 Christian Pulisic and fellow American Yunus Musah both featured in Milan’s 2-1 win at Como on Tuesday.
📈 Like McKennie, Pulisic is climbing high in the assist rankings and is Milan’s joint-leading scorer this season with five league goals. The USMNT star was instrumental in Milan’s 1-1 draw with Cagliari last Saturday: his volleyed shot was converted by Alvaro Morata on the rebound.
🤕 Pulisic, however, is a doubt for the Derby d’America after being forced out with injury at halftime of the Como clash.
👉 Juve and Milan met two weeks ago in the EA SPORTS FC Supercup, where Sérgio Conceição’s debut as Rossoneri coach resulted in a 2-1 win. The last two league meetings between the sides have ended in a tie.
🍿 Atalanta hosts Napoli in key race for the scudetto
Straight after the Derby d’America, we are being treated to a top-of-the-table clash that could have huge repercussions in the title race!
🔝 First-place Napoli travels to third-place Atalanta (Saturday, 2.45pm ET, CBS Sports, SiriusXM FC, and FOX Deportes), seeking revenge for the 3-0 home defeat they suffered at the hands of La Dea in November.
👍 Napoli earned its fifth consecutive win on Sunday with a 2-0 home win over Verona - the same team that defeated Antonio Conte’s side on the opening match day of the season.
👀 Atalanta has tied its last three Serie A matches - most recently the aforementioned stalemate with Juventus - but is undefeated in the league since September.
➡️ It’s a huge month for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who will follow this meeting with the league leaders with two Champions League ties, including a trip to Barcelona.
👉 Atalanta has won its last two meetings with Napoli but sits four points behind Conte’s team.
🤷♂️ Napoli goes by the nickname Partenopei. Want to know why? Read on to our Calcio Conversations section…
👏 Simone Inzaghi and Paulo Dybala earn recognition for December performances
Before Inter’s 2-2 draw with Bologna on Wednesday, coach Simone Inzaghi was presented with the Philadelphia Coach Of The Month award for December. Paulo Dybala, meanwhile, will be presented with the EA SPORTS FC Player Of The Month for December before Roma’s match with Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday (2.45pm ET, CBS Sports).
😲 Inzaghi’s Inter won all four of its league games in December, with an aggregate score of 14-1.
6️⃣ That aggregate score was boosted by a rousing 6-0 win at Lazio. At the time, the Roman side was level on points with Inter and had an unbeaten 12-game streak at home.
🐺 Roma forward Paulo Dybala booked another award-winning month after scoring three goals and adding an assist in outstanding performances against Milan and Parma.
5️⃣ The Argentine has now won the Serie A Player of the Month five times - a new record for the league.
👏 Monza and Genoa earn huge home wins as bottom half of the table remains tight
There were some huge games at the bottom of the table in the most recent matchday, leaving just five points separating eleventh place from the relegation zone.
✊ Genoa booked its first home win of the season on Sunday by a 1-0 margin against Parma. It moved Italy’s oldest team up to eleventh place.
👏 Since taking over, coach Patrick Vieira has picked up 13 points in eight games, losing just once to league leaders Napoli. The French World Cup winner said the Parma victory was a “perfect game.”
👉 Last-place Monza also picked up a very significant 2-1 win over high-flying Fiorentina. Daniel Maldini - son of Paolo and grandson of Cesare - bagged the winner.
🙌 It was Monza’s first win under coach Salvatore Bocchetti and ended a run of five straight losses. I Biancorossi, however, remain six points from safety.
😲 As previously noted, Cagliari claimed a valuable point away from Milan. They sit a point inside the relegation zone - but only six points behind Roma in the top half of the table!
⏭️ This weekend brings several notable clashes in the relegation race: Cagliari can leapfrog thirteenth-place Lecce with a win on Sunday (9am ET, CBS Sports), while Parma will be looking to keep their distance from the drop zone when they welcome nineteenth-place Venezia (9am ET, CBS Sports).
❤️ Watch the Derby d’America with Alessandro Del Piero in Houston!
The ‘We are Juventus – North America Fans Tour’ is coming to Houston this weekend, where the guest of honor will be six-time Serie A champion Alessandro Del Piero!
👉 On Saturday, Del Piero will be at the J|Village, a pop-up entertainment space built by Juventus and adidas, located at the British School of Houston. The J|Village will host a watch party for Milan v Juventus, starting at 11am CST.
⚽️ Additionally, on the same day, the Juventus Academy Houston will organize the second edition of the Juve Cup youth tournament. It will feature over 400 young players from the Juventus Academies in Houston: Rise, Paso, and Houstonians.
🎟️ The Houston festivities are invite-only - Juve fans can click here for attendance details.
💬 Calcio Conversations
We have been looking at some of the weird and wonderful nicknames of Italian soccer clubs recently, and this week is the turn of league leaders Napoli. Or should we say, the Partenopei…
🤷♂️ I don’t know…should we? Yes! This is one of the most common nicknames attributed to Napoli, translating to ‘The Parthenopeans’, a reference to the ancient Greek city of Parthenope that was built on the site of modern-day Naples, which was itself named after one of the sirens of Greek mythology.
💬 That’s hard; what else can we call them? You might also hear Napoli be referred to as the Azzurri. If that sounds familiar, it’s because they share that nickname (meaning ‘the blues’) with the Italian national team. Hopefully, that one is easier to remember!
🔁 Fiorentina and Napoli make moves in the January calciomercato
The January transfer window - known as the calciomercato in Italy - is open until midnight on February 3rd. Often, business is conducted nearer the end of the window, but several deals have already been confirmed…
🟣 Fiorentina has made some big moves, bringing in defender Nicolàs Valentini on a permanent deal from Argentine giants Boca Juniors, and midfielder Michael Folorunsho from Napoli on loan, with an option to buy.
👋 Danish midfielder Philip Billing has joined Napoli on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth until the end of the season. He joins a midfield with plenty of Premier League experience in the form of Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour.
🦅 Lazio has signed Ibrahimović… no, not that one! Nineteen-year-old midfielder Arijon Ibrahimović (no relation to Zlatan) has joined the Biancazzurri on loan from Bayern Munich, with an option to buy.
🆕 Como has also been busy, bringing in French midfielder Maxence Caqueret from Olympique Lyonnais, goalkeeper Jean Butez from Royal Antwerp, and winger Assane Diao from Betis. Diao scored on his home debut against Milan on Tuesday.
👉 Throughout the calciomercato, Sky Italia is keeping a running tally of all transfer business.
📺 This weekend on CBS Sports, Paramount+, FOX Deportes, and SiriusXM
Friday, January 17th
Roma v Genoa (2.45pm ET)
Saturday, January 18th
Bologna v Monza (9am ET)
Juventus v Milan (12pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Atalanta v Napoli (2.45pm ET, also on SiriusXM FC and FOX Deportes)
Sunday, January 19th
Fiorentina v Torino (6.30am ET)
Cagliari v Lecce (9am ET)
Parma v Venezia (9am ET)
Verona v Lazio (12pm ET)
Inter v Empoli (2.45pm ET, also on SiriusXM FC and FOX Deportes)
Monday, January 20th
Como v Udinese (2.45pm ET)
🇨🇦 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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