Enrico Passarella, Author at The Cult of Calcio

Lazio received a surprise from the sports judge, as Danilo Cataldi has been suspended for one game for protesting and swearing after the Napoli game.

Lazio Midfielder Banned for Blasphemy Out of the Blue

September 7, 2022 Enrico Passarella Europa League, Italian Football, Lazio, Serie A

Lazio received an unpleasant surprise from the sports judge, as Danilo Cataldi has been suspended for one game for protesting and swearing in the tunnel to the locker rooms after the Napoli loss, as the emissaries of the federal prosecutor reported. He will sit out Sunday's match against Verona.

Paul Pogba wanted to wait more time to have surgery on his injured knee, continuing with the protocol he has followed for the past five weeks.

Pogba Made Things Worse by Waiting on Knee Surgery

September 7, 2022 Enrico Passarella France, Italian Football, Juventus, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, World Cup 2022

Paul Pogba wanted to wait more time to have surgery on his injured knee, continuing with the protocol he has followed for the past five weeks. But Juventus convinced him to go under the knife this time, which happened immediately. He could potentially return before the World Cup, but it won’t be easy.

The transfer market is still open in Turkey, and Galatasaray and Besiktas are trying to sign Kaan Ayhan from Sassuolo before the window ends tomorrow.

Galatasaray and Besiktas Dueling for Sassuolo Defender

September 7, 2022 Enrico Passarella Calciomercato, Galatasaray, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, Transfer Market

The transfer market is still open in Turkey, and Galatasaray and Besiktas are trying to sign Kaan Ayhan from Sassuolo before the window ends tomorrow. The former seemed in the lead, but the latter raised their offer yesterday, overtaking the rivals. But they need to convince Sassuolo to sell.

Samir Handanovic didn’t find a new team in the summer after the conclusion of his contract with Inter. He’s considering retiring.

Inter Coach Mulling Benching Linchpins in Bayern Munich

September 7, 2022 Enrico Passarella Bayern Munich, Champions League, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Serie A, Transfer Market

Inter have had a poor start defensively, and the so-so showings of Samir Handanovic have contributed to it. While he hasn’t had glaring blunders, he hasn’t performed at the same level as the top goalkeepers in Serie A. The contrast with Mike Maignan was stark in the Derby.

Following the recent rumors, Bologna have indeed fired Sinisa Mihajlovic following their poor start. The Rossoblù have collected three points.

Bologna Officially Dismiss Mihajlovic After Slow Start

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Bologna, Italian Football, Serie A

Following the recent rumors, Bologna have indeed fired Sinisa Mihajlovic following their poor start. The Rossoblù have collected three points in the first five matches, losing against Lazio and Milan and drawing with Verona, Salernitana, and Spezia. The Serbian coach leaves the club after three and a half years.

Amid the Udinese debacle and injury concerns, Roma and José Mourinho are in a bind as it pertains to the defense.

Mourinho Not Considering Scheme Change to Help Defense

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Calciomercato, Italian Football, Roma, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, Transfer Market

Amid the Udinese debacle and injury concerns, Roma and José Mourinho are in a bind as it pertains to the defense. The Special One is clamoring to bring in a free agent, but the management isn’t on the same page. But there’s still a chance in case the remaining outcasts leave.

Juventus have already tested the waters with Giuntoli, but the Napoli executive has hardly budged, despite Bianconeri chief John Elkann’s personal efforts.

Napoli Exec Explains Navas and Cristiano Ronaldo Talks

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Calciomercato, Italian Football, Manchester United, Napoli, PSG, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, Transfer Market

Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli spilled the beans on their busy transfer window in a wide-ranging interview, confirming their attempt to sign Keylor Navas and dismissing the buzz about Cristiano Ronaldo and talked up Alex Meret, who's off to a good start and could agree to an extension soon.

Nikola Milenkovic subbed off early against Juventus and will have to sit out multiple matches because of a relatively minor thigh injury.

Fiorentina Defensive Pillar to Miss Time with Injury

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Fiorentina, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023

Nikola Milenkovic subbed off early against Juventus and will have to sit out multiple matches because of a thigh injury. He has been diagnosed with a low-grade adductor muscle strain, Fiorentina announced Monday. The Serb is a long shot to recover before the first international break.

No team is close to prying away Victor Osimhen at the moment, but PSG could emerge as a major menace to acquire last season’s capocannoniere.

Napoli Might Be Without Two Stars in Liverpool Clash

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Champions League, Italian Football, Liverpool, Napoli, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023

Napoli might not have two of their cornerstones in Wednesday’s meeting with Liverpool, as Victor Osimhen and Hirving Lozano were limited in practice to open the week. The Nigerian striker is dealing with muscle fatigue; instead the winger suffered a head trauma in the Lazio game.

After resting and rehabbing for five weeks, Paul Pogba tested out his injured knee on the pitch, but it didn’t go well, and he had surgery right away.

Pogba Risks Missing World Cup After Knee Surgery Call

September 6, 2022 Enrico Passarella Calciomercato, Italian Football, Juventus, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, World Cup 2022

After resting and rehabbing for five weeks, Paul Pogba tested out his injured knee on the pitch, but it didn’t go well, and he had surgery right away to remove a torn meniscus. He’s poised to miss 40-to-60 days, which puts in presence in the Qatar World Cup in jeopardy.

Milan are seeking cheaper ways to keep Vranckx but face some competition, as Napoli are keen on the young midfielder as well.

Transfer Market Broker Talks Up Milan Latest Addition

September 5, 2022 Enrico Passarella AC Milan, Calciomercato, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023, Transfer Market

After examining several options, Milan took a late flier on Aster Vranckx to shore up their midfield. He joined a €1.5M loan with a €12M option to buy. Like fellow newcomers Malick Thiaw and Yacine Adli and backups Ciprian Tatarusanu and Tiemoué Bakayoko, he wasn’t inserted in the Rossoneri’s Champions League list.

Simone Inzaghi will have to wait to get an extension from Inter, even though his contract runs out in 2024. The matter isn’t a priority for the club.

Inter Squad Harshly Reprimanded After Derby Debacle

September 5, 2022 Enrico Passarella AC Milan, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2022-2023

Inter have experienced a rough aftermath following the loss in the Milan Derby, the second in the season already after the faux-pas versus Lazio. Simone Inzaghi insisted on asking his players to be humbler, identifying it as the main issue so far. The coach was particularly disappointed with his linchpins.

Author: Enrico Passarella