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Calcio FC Weekly
Napoli Take Early Lead in Serie A Race
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Welcome to Issue 5 of Calcio FC Weekly!
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And just like that, Serie A has its first solo leader of the season as Napoli open a gap at the top of the table, while AC Milan's mini-revival continues and Igor Tudor fumes at referees. Oh, and there's more misery for Sampdoria.
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Don't forget you can get in touch with us on our socials and at newsletter@destinationcalcio.com
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Here's a taste of what's on the menu today:
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- Napoli steal a march in the Scudetto race
- Max Allegri's AC Milan sequel is off to a thrilling start
- Heaven knows Sampdoria are miserable now
- Meet calcio's youngest president
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Napoli Land First Punch of the Season
Serie A champions Napoli maintained their perfect record with a 3-2 win over Pisa, opening up a two-point gap over Juventus at the top of the table, with AC Milan and Roma a point further behind.
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Inter Milan are already six points off the pace, a significant gap even if the season is still in its infancy. If this was a mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia, Napoli have pulled away from the peloton on the first climb of the day.
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And the most pleasing aspect of it all for Antonio Conte is that his team have barely been out of their saddle.
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They looked professional on the opening day against Sassuolo, needed an injury-time goal to beat Cagliari at home and shone for 45 minutes at Fiorentina.
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There have been glimpses of quality but they are yet to hit their stride. On Monday they took the lead when Billy Gilmour (pictured below) scored his first club goal on his 150th professional appearance, only for the visitors to equalise through Mbala Nzola’s penalty.
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Leonardo Spinazzola restored the advantage almost immediately before Lorenzo Lucca came off the bench to open his account for his new club with a smart finish.
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No sooner did Napoli appear to be in cruise control than Pisa pulled one back through Lorran, setting up a tense finale.
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"It's never simple to start a season with four consecutive victories, so we're pleased to have done it,” he said.
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“We'll need to be patient. This will be the most challenging year yet as our rivals have already had seasons like this and are more established.
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“We are taking risks as we continue to build the team."
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“Wearing the Scudetto on our chest brings added expectations,” he said.
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Napoli have hitherto met those expectations but sterner challenges await, starting with a trip to San Siro to face Milan on Sunday night.
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Defence Is the Best Form of Attack
Whisper it, but the Massimiliano Allegri sequel at AC Milan may turn out to be quite the blockbuster.
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The 3-0 win at Udinese on Saturday night was their third in a row after a calamitous opening-day defeat by Cremonese at the San Siro.
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Christian Pulisic (pictured below) was the star of the show, scoring twice and setting a new record for the most goals by a US men's national team player in Europe's top five leagues. Pulisic has 59 across the Bundesliga, Premier League and Serie A, two clear of Clint Dempsey.
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If Pulisic was a difference-maker in the attacking third of the pitch, Milan's early success this season has been firmly built on a solid back four.
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After conceding twice to Cremonese, they have kept three consecutive clean sheets, a major step in the right direction for a team that leaked 49 and 43 league goals over the past two campaigns.
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Milan have allowed a mere 0.25 xG per game over four Serie A matches, while opponents have managed 26 shots across 360 minutes of football. In both these key metrics, the Rossoneri rank as the best team out of the 96 clubs in Europe's top five leagues.
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In Allegri's first spell in charge of Milan they conceded 24, 33 and 39 goals and they are building on similar foundations.
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"They concede very few goals, have great balance, and don't give up many shots. This is the most important thing," Fabio Capello told La Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday.
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"Allegri has been and will continue to be fundamental. He has solidified the team. Now, all that's missing is a top striker."
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The early signs are positive for Milan but huge tests await in the shape of Napoli at the weekend, closely followed by a trip to Turin to face Juventus.
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Will Sampdoria’s Misery Ever End?
You'll Never Walk Alone may ring around Marassi ahead of Genoa's home matches, but if a song sums up Sampdoria's plight it's The Smiths' Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
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The Blucerchiati's season went from bad to worse when they lost 1-0 at Monza on Saturday - they remain rooted to the bottom of Serie B, still without a point after four matches.
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Massimo Donati had been resolutely optimistic this term, but there was nothing to salvage from the trip to Lombardy as his side yet again proved to be its own worst enemy.
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In the space of 60 seconds in the first half, Antonin Barak missed a penalty and Luigi Cherubini was sent off, a perfect snapshot of Sampdoria's dismal state. Monza were reduced to 10 men themselves when Patrick Ciurria was sent off early in the second half, only for Agustin Alvarez to net the winner four minutes later.
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Never in their history had Sampdoria (pictured below) started a Serie B season with four straight losses and Donati already looks a man resigned to his destiny.
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What makes this even worse is that it comes after they were handed an unexpected reprieve last season, surviving only at the second time of asking as they beat Salernitana in a relegation play-off after Brescia were demoted to the third tier following a points deduction.
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Andrea Pirlo was sacked after three games last term and Donati's reign could be over if his side lose against Bari on Saturday evening.
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Play-off hopefuls at the start of the campaign, the Galletti are having a torrid time themselves, with one point in four matches after losing 2-0 to Palermo on Friday.
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The Rosanero, meanwhile, remain top of the table with 10 points alongside Modena and Cesena, who won on the road against Mantova and Venezia respectively.
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Meet Calcio's Youngest President
Claudia Rizzo is the new president of Ternana, becoming the first woman to hold the role at the Serie C club in its 100-year history.
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Rizzo, who is 23, runs a small agricultural company in Sicily and is the daughter of healthcare magnate Gian Luigi Rizzo. She becomes Ternana's third new president in as many years.
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"I want to be a woman of action, not of words," she told reporters. "And I hope to be an example for many women in sports and in life in general."
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And if Rizzo understandably commanded most of the headlines, intrigue surrounds Massimo Ferrero’s role in the new regime.
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At least officially, the former Sampdoria president will not be on the board, but Ternana have said he will “have a key role to play for the development of the club.”
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As the owner of the Blucerchiati from 2014 to 2023, he was involved in it all. His run was a whirlwind of insults, public outbursts, and culminated in an arrest for fraudulent bankruptcy and corporate crimes.
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Cremona Dances to Vardy's Tune as he gets First Taste of Carnival Atmosphere
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Jamie Vardy was made to wait for his home debut in Serie A, but the party has already started in Cremona following his arrival. Dan Cancian was in the city to see how the former England international has already become a cult hero.
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Mr Bean is a Lazio Fan but Roma Have the Last Laugh
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The heatwave could not stop Roma and Lazio fans producing an incredible spectacle at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday as the Giallorossi won a first Derby della Capitale under Gian Piero Gasperini. Alasdair Mackenzie was in the Eternal City for one of the biggest fixtures in European football.
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Salvatore Schillaci: The Pride of Sicily Remembered
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One year since Salvatore Schillaci passed away, Palermo remembered its hero. David Ferrini explains what Schillaci still means to Sicily, 35 years on from those Notti Magiche, the magic nights of Italia 90.
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Don’t forget, Destination Calcio will be bringing you live Serie B action during every round of the 2025-26 season on DCTV
- Click HERE to find out the matches we will be showing across the next few weeks.
- Click HERE for the full 2025-26 calendar.
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Things you may have missed this week
- Scott McTominay was Serie A's highest-ranked player as he finished 18th in the Ballon d'Or voting, two places ahead of Lautaro Martinez. The days of calcio dominating the award are long gone.
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The San Siro may soon be a thing of the past, at least as we know it after Milan’s city council approved the sale of the stadium and the surrounding areas to the two Milanese clubs. The city council's resolution, a 159-page document that includes floor plans, will now be discussed in council committees. A vote is expected at the end of the month, likely between September 25 and 29. The big question is whether the majority will hold: Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala supports the sale, but the majority is split. If the council says no, San Siro will remain standing, and Milan and Inter will have to find another solution. On the other hand, if the council votes yes, a series of appeals from opponents are guaranteed. Protests are already expected in the coming days.
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- Inter Milan president and CEO Giuseppe Marotta has warned the city risks falling behind its European counterparts if San Siro is not demolished and rebuilt. "The city risks becoming marginal in the football landscape," he said. "It can no longer host a Champions League final, and it won’t be among the host cities for the 2032 Euros. San Siro must be respected, it has been the stage for incredible emotions and represents the history of both clubs. But we have to look forward. It is an outdated structure in constant need of maintenance. Wembley was torn down and rebuilt, and here, too, there is a strong need to do the same.”
- The setting of William Shakespeare plays, Verona is no stranger to despair, anger and sordid plots. The chief villains on Saturday night were referee Antonio Rapuano and VAR, at least as far as Igor Tudor was concerned. The Juventus manager, who had cut a remarkably composed figure so far this season, opened fire after the Bianconeri were held to a 1-1 draw at the Bentegodi. Tudor was particularly incensed with Rapuano’s decision to award the hosts a penalty after Joao Mario was deemed to have handled the ball in the box, and to not send off Gift Orban, who appeared to elbow Federico Gatti. "It's a disgrace,” thundered Tudor. “I don't want any excuses, but this is how games are decided in the end. Both of these decisions are 100% wrong."
- AIA, Italy's version of PGMOL, seemingly agreed with Tudor's verdict and has demoted Rapuano to Serie B as a result.
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Juventus have conceded eight goals across four Serie A matches and their Champions League opener, allowing 63 shots on goal in the process. At the same stage of the season under Thiago Motta 12 months ago, they had conceded just once from 38 shots.
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- According to Opta, Lorenzo Pellegrini is the only player to have scored in each of the last 11 Serie A seasons after netting the winner in the Derby della Capitale on Sunday. The Roma midfielder has scored four times against Lazio, more than he has against any other rival.
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Jamie Vardy has already settled in nicely in Italy. As we reported here last week, the former Leicester City striker has taken residence in Salo on Lake Garda, roughly an hour away from Cremona. But he was in the city of violins on Sunday ahead of his new club’s fixture with Parma, walking through the old town with his kids all decked in Cremonese kits.
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Speaking of Cremonese, the newly-promoted side have hit the ground running in Serie A, picking up seven points in their first three matches before hosting Parma on Sunday. And confidence is clearly high, so much so that the teamsheet included the result before the game had even begun. Whoever predicted a 1-0 win for the home side was left disappointed.
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Watch the Calcio FC podcast on YouTube and listen on Spotify
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Kit of the week
This week's entry comes courtesy of Reggina, who have have produced an absolute stonker of an away kit featuring a white top with a maroon sash. Better still, while most clubs seem to be moving towards a round badge, the Amaranto have gone full retro with a big square crest reminiscent of their glory days in Serie A.
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You remember the era, Shunsuke Nakamura whizzing free-kicks in for fun, Massimo Taibi wearing tracksuit bottoms in goal and Francesco Cozza nonchalantly pulling the strings in midfield. A simpler time, arguably a better time.
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It definitely was for Reggina, who now languish in Serie D but, as this kit shows, still have the minerals to zag while everyone else zigs.
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A reminder that if you spot a classic shirt while you're at the game or out and about, get in touch on our socials or via email and let us know why we should feature it!
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What we are reading this week
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Lorenzo Pellegrini was the toast of the red and yellow half of Rome on Sunday with his derby winner. It was an unexpected development for a player the Giallorossi tried to offload in January and who has been disowned by the ultras over the years. And yet, as Nicky Bandini explains in this brilliant piece for The Guardian, there may just be a way back into the fans' good books.
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Coffee corner
This week's entry comes from Cremona, specifically the Bar Ai Portici. Located in the old town, the cafe faces the Torrazzo di Cremona, a medieval brick bell tower, which just happens to be the tallest brick tower in Europe. It stands at 112.54 meters (or 369.2 feet) and features a unique double-barrel construction with two nested towers and a spiral staircase. The Torrazzo is also known for its astronomical clock, added in 1582, which still displays the movements of the sun, moon and stars. That's a lot to digest over your coffee!
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Got a tip for the best espresso you've had in Pisa? Had a memorable cappuccino in Parma? Let us know on our socials or by email at newsletter@destinationcalcio.com!
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Where to watch calcio this weekend
Serie A (times BST/EST)
- Como vs Cremonese, 14:00/09:00, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Juventus vs Atalanta, 17:00/12:00, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Cagliari vs Inter Milan, 19:45/14:45 DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Sassuolo vs Udinese, 11:30/06:30 DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Pisa vs Fiorentina, 14:00/09:00, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Roma vs Verona, 14:00/09:00, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Lecce vs Bologna, 17:00/12:00, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- AC Milan vs Napoli, 19:45/14:45 TNT Sports 1 (UK), DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Parma vs Torino, 17:30/12:30, DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
- Genoa vs Lazio, 19:45/14:45 TNT Sports 1 (UK), DAZN (UK and US), Paramount + (US)
Serie B
- Venezia vs Spezia, 14:00/09:00, Destination Calcio
- Monza vs Padova, 16:15/11:15, Destination Calcio
- Empoli vs Carrarese, 18:30/13:30, Destination Calcio
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Random former Serie A/Serie B footballer of the week
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Pescara secured their first win since their return to Serie B, trouncing Empoli 4-0, therefore it seems fitting to dedicate this section to one of the Stadio Adriatico’s heroes. No, not Marco Verratti, but Federico Giampaolo (below). A talented No 10 with an eye for goal, Giampaolo scored 69 times in 272 appearances in all competitions across three stints with Pescara, coming close to winning promotion to Serie A. He also helped his team win promotion back to the second tier in 2003.
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That is all for this week folks. We hope you enjoyed this latest issue of Calcio FC Weekly, make sure you hit the subscribe button to have it landing in your inbox every Tuesday and don't forget to get in touch at newsletter@destinationcalcio.com or on our socials!
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