Midweek News Roundup

By: Martha | January 16th, 2008

Say whut? •The first FIFA rankings of 2008 are out, and nothing has changed among the top three — it’s still Argentina, Brazil and Italy, in that order — let alone the top 18. (The US did, however, manage to drop down to 20, having been passed by Nigeria. I’m not laughing. Well, I am, but only a little.)

•Everyone in Italy and England are talking about this tax investigation into Fabio Capello, and his alleged offshore accounts. The English FA, apparently, are entirely unbothered, and remain quietly confident that everything is fine, because Capello told them it was. In Italy, meanwhile, everyone heard the word “Juventus,” and just rolled their eyes. (Coincidentally, the FA are soliciting questions for Capello to answer in the matchday program for his first England match — send ‘em in, kids!)

•Christian Riganò has officially joined Siena on loan through the end of the season, bringing an end to his nightmare experience at Levante. He’ll be presented to the media tomorrow afternoon and hustled into the team as soon as his papers come through; terms of the deal have not been shared.

•Ronaldo — the 22-year-old defender who plays for BWINLiga side Belenenses, not either of the other ones — looks set to join Lazio by the end of the week. He’s expected to cost the Roman club about £650,000 and, if the deal goes through, it’ll be something of a coup, as the Portuguese was being tracked by top-flight teams in France and England.

•There a completely fantastic article at Contro Campo today about Massimo Moratti plotting a Spectacular!Swoop for either Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Ronaldinho. We haven’t heard about these things before, you see, because “Officially, there are no traces. Unofficially, even.” So basically, we’re being told up front that the story has been entirely made up? Sweet! (Speaking of Inter and Ronalindho, the Nerazzurri-hating Tuttosport also thinks they want Ronaldinho, and that Nike will finance the bid. Mmmhmm.)

•A loan exchange between Real Madrid and Juve? For Tiago and Fernando Gago? What?!

•Hey, Livorno, if you wanted Christiano Lucarelli back, you should have actually, you know, talked to Shakhtar about it.

•For two days in a row now, there’s been mention in the Italian press of the words “Fiorentina” and “Miguel Veloso” in the same story. There’s no way this is actually possible, is there?

•As of writing, both Fiorentina and Udinese have moved into the quarters of the Coppa Italia; a full report on Coppa Festivities will go up tomorrow. (And, depending on whether or not his stream comes back, RomaChris is trying to liveblog Roma’s attempt not to strike out three times against Toro.)

•As Ursus mentioned in the comments, Atlanta president Ivan Ruggeri suffered an aneurysm this morning at the club’s training ground, and is in the hospital in serious condition. You might remember Ruggeri’s brave, tough response to the behavior of his team’s supporters during the Milan match that had to be suspended; he’s one of the few Serie A presidents who seems to have an almost unimpeachable reputation, and it’d be tragedy to lose him.