Week 16, Or: And the League Recedes in Inter’s Rear View Mirror

By: Martha | December 18th, 2006

Roma v Palermo Another round of settling in for Serie A, with Inter continuing to roll (thanks in part to a goal by the ever-modest Matrix, who described the strike as “a gem”) and poor Ascoli looking even more rooted to the bottom, if such a thing is possible. Inter have 42 points from 16 games and still haven’t lost, a record that sort of boggles the mind. Add to that their +20 goal difference (Only Roma’s, at +22, is more impressive.) and you’ve got a team that looks unlikely to falter — though it would be great for the league if they do, because a second half that consists entirely of them just lengthening their lead would be boring as hell.

This is a fantastic few days for those of us who care too much about Italian football, because each team (well, apart from Catania and Empoli — stupid rain) plays THREE GAMES IN JUST OVER A WEEK. It’s good not just because we can spend more time sitting on the couch, raging at Lindsey Dean and Ray Hudson, but also because there’s room for a lot of movement in the league, if just an upset or two can be pulled off. Of the top three, Inter actually face the toughest week, with matches against high-flying Lazio and the surprising ~~(and fourth place!) Catania~~ Atalanta, while Roma and Palermo should be able to solidify their positions against Torino and Cagliari and Ascoli and Siena, respectively. That said, of course, Palermo will probably have a week-long brainfart and Corini and I will spend the whole time crying tears of rage. (Not together, sadly. But there will be a psychic connection.)

Anyway, enough of my useless, doubtless totally wrong, prognosticating: Full results from the weekend are after the jump.

Ascoli-Torino 0-2: Do you think it would help I offered to, like, run around the block naked if Ascoli will win? I’m not sure they’d see that as motivation, actually.
Catania-Empoli P-P: There were some great shots on FSC of the referee walking around the pitch with a sort of tartan umbrella, dropping the ball in puddles to see if the game could be played. The umbrella gave the whole thing an oddly classy air.
Fiorentina-Milan 2-2
Inter-Messina 2-0: Just so you know, Materazzi considers his card “scandalous,” and Messina coach (and former Maradona striking partner) Bruno Giordano, who was red-carded for their scuffle, thinks Matrix was “playing the sheriff.” Me, I just wish the game had been presented in the US with the British announcers, because I’m 100% sure their encounter would have led to the use of my single favorite football term: “Handbags!”
Livorno-Lazio 1-1
Parma-Chievo 2-2
Reggina-Sampdoria 0-1
Roma-Palermo 4-0
Siena-Atalanta 1-1
Udinese-Cagliari 3-1: Sulley Ali Muntari was sent off just before the half, and Udine still coasted — you can sort of understand why Marco Giampaolo got the sack after this one. (More on that later.)