⚽️🇮🇹 Moise Kean's Goal of the Season Contender
In this week’s Italian soccer digest, we're also looking at Bologna's historic Coppa Italia win, we hear from American star Gianluca Busio, and much more!
🍿 Champions League draw sets up potential Milan derby
Next week sees the first-ever Champions League knockout phase play-offs, where Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus will compete for a spot in the Round of 16.
👉 Eight knockout fixtures will be played over two legs, with Juve hosting Dutch side PSV Eindhoven next Tuesday. The following night, Atalanta heads to Belgium to take on Club Brugge, while Milan will take on Feyenoord in the Netherlands (all matches on CBS Sports).
😲 If the Rossoneri progress, they will face either Premier League side Arsenal or Inter, who have already qualified for the last 16.
🙏 A Champions League meeting between the two sides would give us the fourth and fifth editions of the Derby della Madonnina this season, across three competitions!
🤯 And if the chips fall the right way in the Coppa Italia, we may also get a sixth Milan derby in a fourth competition! (Read more on that below.)
🐺 Roma is in action in the Europa League knockout phase play-offs next Thursday against Portuguese side Porto (3pm ET, CBS Sports).
🙌 If the Giallorossi progress, they may face Roman neighbors Lazio in the Round of 16! So, we might get Milan and Rome European knockout derbies this season!
👏 With so much Serie A success on the continental stage, Italy currently sits second in the UEFA rankings. If that holds, Serie A will get five Champions League spots next season.
👏 Moise Kean’s sensational season just keeps on getting better
Fiorentina’s 2-1 win over Genoa on Sunday saw Moise Kean score his 13th league goal of the season… and it was quite something!
🗣️ “We’ve been trying this move for a few days. Mandragora made a great cross,” said Kean, who was quick to credit his teammates for his success this season.
👏 Kean has already matched his best-ever season tally for league goals after just 22 games, a prolific start that puts him on par with Viola royalty Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino.
👕 Kean and his Fiorentina teammates were looking particularly sharp on Sunday as the club debuted its new fourth kit, a collaboration with luxury Florentine fashion brand LuisaViaRoma.
🗽 The LuisaViaRoma store in New York City held a jersey launch party on Sunday, where guests watched Fiorentina’s win over Genoa!
🎤 When he doesn’t have a ball at his feet, you might find Kean with a microphone in his hand: he released an album back in December.
🏆 Bologna and Milan progress to Coppa Italia semifinals
Bologna made history on Tuesday evening after booking its first Coppa Italia semifinal berth in 26 years with a 1-0 win at Atalanta.
🗣️ "We played for history, and we succeeded," said Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano. "This is a beautiful moment. It always pushes you to give your best."
⏭️ Standing in the way of Bologna’s place in the final is either Juventus or Empoli, who will play their quarterfinal match on February 26th (3pm ET, CBS Sports).
👏 Milan is also through to the semifinal stage following their 3-1 win at Roma. Tammy Abraham scored a brace before new loan signing João Félix put the cherry on the cake.
👉 Christian Pulisic’s side will play either Inter or Lazio, who will contest their Coppa Italia quarterfinal on February 25th (3pm ET, CBS Sports).
🤩 And yes, as noted earlier in the newsletter, that could mean we get a historic six editions of the Milan derby this season!
🍻 Social Post of the Week: Bologna fans offer players refreshments after historic win
Bologna fans were so delighted with their progression in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday evening that they gave the players refreshing parting gifts following their victory!
🇺🇸 Gianluca Busio: ‘The league fits well for a lot of American players’
More USMNT first-team players feature in Serie A than any other league, so it’s little surprising that Venezia midfielder Gianluca Busio believes the Italian top flight is well suited to Americans.
🗣️ In an interview on Serie A’s YouTube channel, the 22-year-old North Carolina native speaks of his love for living in Venice, the impact of his first Serie A goal, and the reasons why so many elite American players now call Italy home.
💬 Calcio Conversations
The most recent round of Serie A games provided some fine examples of what Italian soccer fans might call the legge dell’ex - or the ‘law of the ex.’
🤷♂️ What does it mean? This expression is often used when a player scores against their former club, something that often feels so inevitable for supporters of the victim team that it feels like a ‘law’!
🧐 Does it happen a lot? It really does! In the most recent game week, we saw Leonardo Spinazzola of Napoli and Empoli’s Mattia De Sciglio both refuse to celebrate goals against former clubs Roma and Juventus, while Albert Gudmundsson scored the winner for Fiorentina against Genoa, the team he represented last season.
🇺🇸 Serie A teams make huge investments in January transfer window
There was no shortage of big moves in Italy over the winter window, with Serie A teams spending a cumulative $227m.
👉 Sérgio Conceição made several changes to his Milan squad, with Kyle Walker, João Félix, and Riccardo Sottil arriving on loan deals.
The Rossoneri also signed Mexico forward Santiago Gimenez from Feyenoord, in a move that saw a significant increase in merchandise sales across the US and Mexico.
Juventus bolstered their defense with the loan signing of Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle Utd.
Midfielder Nicolò Fagioli made a loan move from Juve to Fiorentina, while Nicolò Zaniolo has also joined the Viola on loan.
🏟️ Como reveals incredible stadium redevelopment plans
Sitting on the edge of Lake Como, the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is already a wonderful sight to behold. The Lariani has now revealed plans to upgrade its home, in collaboration with the Municipality of Como and leading stadium architectural firm Populous.
👉 The proposal lays out a two-phase construction process, which should see Como playing in its redeveloped home for the 2028-29 season.
🗣️ “This stadium is not just for football, but a gift for the entire community,” said Como Mayor Alessandro Rapinese. “I look forward to the various phases and to being able to enjoy Como 1907 play inside the new G. Sinigaglia.”
Up next for Como 👉 On Friday, Cesc Fàbregas’ side host Juventus (2.45pm ET, CBS Sports). A win would put the newly promoted side in 13th place, seven points above the drop.
🐺 Ranieri’s Roma Revolution
Roma earned a valuable point against league leaders Napoli on Saturday, courtesy of a last-gasp equalizer from Angeliño. The Giallorossi is now unbeaten in its last seven league games.
👏 Roma’s turnaround under beloved manager Claudio Ranieri has been impressive. After his arrival in November, Roma has reversed its worst start to a season in 46 years and climbed into the top half of the table.
💪 Our friends at ftbl note that Rome native Ranieri, who is in his third stint as Roma manager, is credited with tactical flexibility, rotation, and strong management skills.
📺 This weekend on CBS Sports, Paramount+, FOX Deportes, and SiriusXM
Friday, February 7th
Como v Juventus (2.45pm ET)
Saturday, February 8th
Verona v Atalanta (9am ET)
Empoli v Milan (12pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Torino v Genoa (2.45pm ET)
Sunday, February 9th
Venezia v Roma (6.30am ET)
Cagliari v Parma (9am ET)
Lazio v Monza (9am ET, also on FOX Deportes)
Lecce v Bologna (12pm ET)
Napoli v Udinese (2.45pm ET, also on SiriusXM FC)
Monday, February 10th
Inter v Fiorentina (2.45pm ET, also on FOX Deportes)
🇨🇦 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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