Milan - Napoli (20h45 - 28/02)

[ACM2023]

When have we started playing at San Paolo ?

once a year, when we visit to play Napoli.

[Best-Pundit]

Italian teams have become a disgrace in the European competitions. Napoli lost and is out of Europa League. AC, Inter & Roma lost at home ...... This also indicates how great Jose Mourinho is

[Mathias]

Italian teams have become a disgrace in the European competitions. Napoli lost and is out of Europa League. AC, Inter & Roma lost at home ...... This also indicates how great Jose Mourinho is

I agree, what a disgrace. I could not believe how bad the italian teams are doing. This must be a black period for us.

[ACMILAN1983]

I want to be disappointed with Italian performances in Europe, but it was inevitable after calciopoli that Italian football would drop and need to rebuild, because the impact of the scandal was huge.

That said, I don't believe that Italian football is finished. Despite poor performances I think many people/players still hold Italian football in high regard, and many teams are in the process of rebuilding, including us.

Some changes do need to be made within the Italian game though. Tactically Italian sides always had the edge, but these days other nations have caught up (if not surpassed) the Italians. There are some interesting concepts coming through in Italy with teams like Napoli, Udinese and Palermo particularly bucking trends. Although we're not partcularly revolutionary, even some of Allegri's ideas are interesting in bringing the Italian game forward as well as Reja's Lazio, where the two teams lack flamboyance in tactics, but integrate modern concepts into stable structures.

Italy also needs to allow its youth to have a chance. For too long in the past decade or two, Italian clubs have allowed themselves to stagnate, relying on experience rather than refreshing squads. We were most guilty of this, but Juve and Inter are both also guilty too. By doing this younger players won't ever get a chance to shine or develop, causing the game to stagnate rather than evolve. Again though, there are signs this won't remain the case. We've brought through a number of young players in the past year or two, Juve is a mess but trying to rebuild and again, the likes of Udinese, Palermo and Napoli largely rely on young talents.

Italian teams also must improve stadiums or have privately owned stadiums. This is really hurting the financial gains teams can get and causing the gap with other nations to continuously increase.

[Gabriel426]

I think teams finances is a huge factor, youth development is another, but most importantly, I think it is the mentality of the game. When you look at the history of the game, offense will win out most of the time. After all, you do need to score at least one more goal than the other team to win.

[Gio-mania]

Team finances are a huge factor in what is holding Italian teams back. So is the investment in youth, and these things are probably related.

I wouldn't say foreign teams have caught up to Italian tactics, though. Italian tactics have historically been, simplistically speaking, rock solid defense and quality players for counter-attacks. There is so much more to it that this, but that is the idea. Italian football philosophy is to concede in a goal less then the opponent, while for others it is typically to score a goal more. Sounds like the same thing, but it is completely different. I remember when I was a little kid and my dad was teaching me about football, he would always tell me you have to concede a goal less than the opponent. Living abroad (I am Italian), however, I would always here that attack is the way to go.

Now, we have kept to the same philosophy since the 60's to this day. We have adapted it with time, of course, like to Total Football and the far more physical game of the last decade(s). Inter's (Mourinho's) victory in Europe goes to show the defensive approach is ever so valid, even today.

We might be lagging slightly in adapting our "catenaccio" to modern football, but in my opinion the really hindering factor has been the lack of quality young players. We had a golden generation in Nesta, Cannavaro, Totti, Zambrotta, Del Piero, Gattuso, Buffon, Pirlo etc. who with the right mindset won the World Cup. These players, once regarded as the best in the world in their respective positions, are now way past their prime. There are no replacements for them. This is due to poor youth facilities.

Why not replace them with foreigners? We have done that to an extent, at the club level. Look at Inter. I cannot call that an Italian team. But our poor finances don't allow us to attract the world's best players, or decent players for the mid-league clubs.

So finances and youth investment are the problem. Just my two cents.

[Kastriot]

All this comment only shows how strong the ltalian teams are really....with all the above mentioned problems Italy have managed to produce 2 champions in the last four years.

[Best-Pundit]

All this comment only shows how strong the ltalian teams are really....with all the above mentioned problems Italy have managed to produce 2 champions in the last four years.

Okay i give you that, but IF ACM don't win against Tottenham, all these achievements will just fade away just like that. AC Milan has to lead from the front when it comes to Europe.

[Jovola]

This year is destined to be bad for Italian teams in Euro cups.

Napoli is chasing scudetto or a next year CL spot so they never committed themselves to Europa league, they put Cavani on subs and for those worried about Italian football Rossi scored that winner for Vilareal,

Inter won last year everything possible and their poor performance was to be expected though I must say their clash was the most interesting one in this stage.

Roma disappointed though those Sahtar guys came into last 16 from first position in front of Arsenal, but no excuse for Roma.

Our problem are actually two problems combined, injuries and cup tied players. If one of these things were not bothering us we would have been able to fight both fronts with no problem, this way some pieces will have to fall into place so we make an impact in CL.

Also we need to know that this is only the first legs, why should we be so pessimistic, we have another game in England. We have class to kick their butties there.

[reza]

Overall (except the EPL) it's not that the leagues are doing well financially it is individual teams that are because of good TV deals and similar income. May be Bayern, Real and to some extent Barca and that's pretty much it.

If you put bottom 15 La Liga teams beside bottom 15 Serie A teams I don't think the difference is big at all. Even not bottom 15 take Valencia, arguably a 'third' team in Spain is very likely in even more trouble than Lazio, Roma, etc. Now that is actually changing because of foreign ownership in La Liga (Malaga for example) but the foreign ownership may not have an immediate effect, if at all.