News Roundup Ahead of Meaningless Champions League Matches

By: Martha | December 12th, 2007

Pouting. •Poor Mauro Camoranesi is hurt again — this time it’s his right quad, and he’s out for four to six weeks. At least he timed this one to coincide with the winter break, so he won’t miss too many matches.

•If the Italian media are to be believed, only a physical (allegedly set for tomorrow) stands between CSKA Moscow’s Daniel Carvalho and a move to Inter. The Brazilian, ~~whose contract with CSKA ends in June~~ who will shortly be out of contract, wouldn’t arrive until summer, and then might end up being loaned out because of his non-EU status but, at 24, would be a nice first step in sort out what to do with the Inter midfield once the old guard have died off.

•Cristiano Doni has been suspended for three games for losing the plot after Atalanta’s loss to Juve Sunday night, and pounding “a violent fist” on the door of the referees’ locker room. Seriously. How old are these people?

•A Fiorentina side that included two debutants and just a few regulars drew dominated long stretch of the match, but drew 1-1 at Ascoli in yesterday’s lone Coppa Italia encounter. Of more interest than the match itself, probably, is that fact that Arturo Lupoli finally made his Viola debut, coming on as a second-half sub.

•According to the English FA, their meeting with Fabio Capello today was “extremely positive and without any problems.” Well, that’s good. Would they tell us if there had been problems, though? “Extremely positive, apart from when Mr. Capello punched Mr. Barwick for saying he thinks Ronaldo could have helped Real, even though he was fat”?

•Speaking of Ronaldo, he ain’t playin’ in Japan. I’m sure he’s thrilled to have made the trip, though — I hear the spa in the hotel where Milan are staying is really nice.

•Three Manchester United supporters have been stabbed in Rome in pre-match trouble; their injuries are said to be minor. Fantastic.

•Here’s some cheery news: Giorgio Cheillini is upset. Ha ha.

•The latest on the Frank Lampard-to-Juve thing is that newspapers on both sides of the English Channel claim it will be “done by Christmas,” and will include the midfielder accepting a pay cut, because he wants to hang out with Cladio Ranieri just that badly.