Friday News Roundup: It’s Almost Time for Football!

By: Martha | January 12th, 2007

Maldini, take 2. •In case you missed it, Inter haven’t lost a Serie A game in a really, really long time. In fact, if they beat Torino tomorrow, it’ll be their 12th win on the trot and will set a league record for consecutive wins. In the first half, Inter took 48 of a possible 54 points. Yeah, they’re pretty good.

•Milan still haven’t give up on their efforts to sign Massimo Oddo away from Lazio. Though they’re desperate to solidify their defense and haven’t been stingy in the past, the transfer fee Lazio are demanding is still too rich for Milan’s blood. According to Adriano Galliani, there’s a 50/50 chance Oddo will join the club during the current transfer period and, if he doesn’t, they’ll buy some even better defenders over the summer. So there.

•Sheva loves life in London SO MUCH that he wants to end his career with Chelsea. Sure you do, Andriy. Sure you do.

•According to Claudio Orlandini, the press-seeking agent of Azzurri and Palermo defender (not to mention Fabio Cannavaro’s choice for Next Great Italian defender) Andrea Barzagli, his client will be moving to Juventus this summer, likely in some sort of cash-and-player swap. No one from Juve has bothered to comment on Orlandini’s statements, however, which suggests they know more than we do and are ignoring him because he’s full of crap.

•Not content to take just one headstrong, old midfielder from Serie A, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad are reportedly trying to sign Pavel Nedved, too. You know, the same Pavel Nedved who just pledged his deep and abiding love to Juventus? Yeah, that guy. Rumors suggest that Nedved would go to the Gulf on loan this month as a sort of place-holder until Figo arrives. Since the club would surely be offering a mint in exchange for his temporary services, Nedved’s devotion to the Old Lady will certainly be tested if this story holds true.

•In Coppa Italia news, Milan beat Arezzo 2-0 yesterday to take a solid lead into the second leg next week. And Carlo Ancelotti let out a massive sigh of relief when the final whistle blew, having survived yet another possible diaster.