If You Know What’s Good For You, You’ll Shut Up and Pretend You Care About the Coppa
By: Martha | January 11th, 2007
I know we usually try to ignore all domestic cups just on principle, but since the Coppa Italia is all we have right now, it’s our duty to give it a little love — at least until Saturday, when real football finally resumes. So, we’re down to the last eight in the Coppa, and the first-leg matches are being played this week.
•In the first game, played Tuesday, Adriano Inter (AKA the only team that consistently uses first-choice players in Coppa matches) went to Empoli and won 2-0, so their presence in the semis is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
•Yesterday, Parma traveled to Rome to play what one assumed would be a boring, well-executed ass-kicking by the Roma second team. Instead, Roma sent out most of its first team and, while they won 2-1, they managed to give up an away goal to Parma’s freakishly successful, youth-based cup team, which has been rampaging through the UEFA Cup and the Coppa while the first team stinks up Serie A. So that return leg, to be played in a week, offers the potential for a least a little excitement.
•In the third game, also played yesterday, Sampdori held off Chievo 1-0 at home, despite finishing with only nine men.
•The final quarterfinal match will be played today, with relegation-threatened Serie B side Arezzo traveling to the San Siro to face a Milan team that is finally scoring goals and winning games. Based on recent non-league games at the ground, the game will be watched by 14 supporters, one photographer and six dogs, and Milan damn well better not lose. Their squad for the match is made up mostly of first team players, so they’re not taking any chances with this one — losing to a Serie B side might end their revival before it has a chance to get into gear. (Go Arezzo.)
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