Matteo Carnevale, Author at The Cult of Calcio

Totti’s “Gufata” Fulfills: Juve Pick Real in UCL Draw!

March 17, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Assi di Coppe, Barcelona, Champions League, Juventus, Real Madrid, Roma, Totti

“Gufare.” There is no better verb to express the sublime pleasure Italian football fans feel, when genuinely wishing the worst to their rivals. Former Roma legend Francesco Totti performed a top-class “gufata” yesterday during the Champions League quarterfinals draw, as he was caught by cameras wishing longtime rival Juventus to be paired with Real Madrid - which promptly happened a few seconds later.

Assi di Coppe: Roma Do Their Homework and Reach Quarters

March 13, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Assi di Coppe, Champions League, Roma, Serie A

A lone goal by Edin Dzeko put Roma past Shakthar Donetsk and booked them a ticket to the Champions League quarterfinals, a stage the Giallorossi have not seen in the last 10 years. The 2-2 aggregate score promoted Eusebio Di Francesco’s side on away goals. Roma did their homework and beat a weaker club on paper, but overcoming the Ukrainians was not a stroll in the part for the red-and-yellows.

Tension Wins in San Siro as Inter and Napoli Settle for Tie

March 11, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Inter Milan, Napoli, Serie A

The match clou of Serie A Round 28 at San Siro Stadium ended with no goals and no winners, as Inter and Napoli failed to hurt each other, and left the pitch with their sheets clean. Tonight’s celebration was all for Juventus, which overtook the Azzurri at the top of the league and now have the chance to increase their newly-gained lead to +4 points, should they win their catch-up match with Atalanta next Wednesday.

Hellas Climb Up Ladder After Winning Verona Derby

March 10, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Chievo Verona, Hellas Verona, Serie A

Life is a ladder, a famous Italian saying goes. Some climb it up, some climb it down. Tonight, it was the Hellas side of the city of Verona - whose emblem is incidentally a ladder – to push themselves up in the standing as they captured a 1-0 win over Chievo, in a frankly disappointing edition of the Derby della Scala where the only noteworthy event was a lone goal by center back Antonio Caracciolo.

Roma Raid Napoli with Dzeko Double. Will Serie A Fate Change?

March 5, 2018 Matteo Carnevale AC Milan, Roma, Serie A

The fate of Serie A 2017-18 may very well have changed on Saturday night, as Roma took a shocking 4-2 away win against capolista Napoli, in what was arguably the most exciting match seen this season. A Lorenzo Insigne in berserk mode was not enough for the Azzurri to catch their 11th win in a row, Maurizio Sarri’s squad crashing into “one of those nights” for Edin Dzeko, and frustrated by the saves of Alisson.

Cutrone-Calabria! Milan Topple Roma and Keep Running

February 26, 2018 Matteo Carnevale AC Milan, Roma, Serie A

The irony of spending 240 million Euro in the Summer market, only to realize that the best breakouts in your season are two players raised within your youth team. The essence of Milan’s rollercoaster season is all in the goals that Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria put into Roma’s net, to push the Rossoneri further in their chase to Europe. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side fell from the third to the fifth position of Serie A within one week.

Rifinitura: Roma-Milan Main Event, but Watch for Crotone-SPAL

February 24, 2018 Matteo Carnevale AC Milan, Atalanta, Benevento, Bologna, Cagliari, Chievo Verona, Crotone, Fiorentina, Genoa, Hellas Verona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Rifinitura, Roma, Sampdoria, Sassuolo, Serie A, Spal, Torino, Udinese

The main event of Serie A Round 26 takes place on Sunday night at the Stadio Olimpico, where Roma and Milan will stage a new act of a classic duel with much at stake. Inter may take advantage of that, as they play Benevento at home. The title battle between Napoli and Juventus continues, but the match not to be missed this week is Crotone-SPAL: Those who win, take a huge step towards their permanence in Serie A.

Milan Beat Sampdoria and Join Them in Sixth Spot

February 19, 2018 Matteo Carnevale AC Milan, Sampdoria, Serie A

The second round of this weekend’s city confrontation between Milano and Genova saw the Lombard side prevailing this time. Milan beat Sampdoria with a lone goal by Giacomo Bonaventura to reach them in the 6th spot of Serie A at 41 points. Gennaro Gattuso’s band caught their fifth win in the last six matches, whereas Marco Giampaolo’s Bluecerchiati were unexpectedly remissive, unable to pose any threat to the Rossoneri.

Genoa Tear Inter Apart In Honor of Dearest De André

February 18, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Lazio, Napoli, Serie A

How many lives does Goran Pandev have? At 34, the Macedonian continues to be one of the best spare strikers in Serie A, and last night he led his Genoa to a sounding 2-0 win over Inter, for the Port City to celebrate the birthday of one of their dearest children and fan – songwriter Fabrizio De André. The Nerazzurri showed no reaction after a tragicomic own goal by Andrea Ranocchia had put the Grifone ahead.

Rifinitura: Odds Favor Napoli as Juve Face Derby

February 17, 2018 Matteo Carnevale AC Milan, Atalanta, Benevento, Bologna, Cagliari, Chievo Verona, Crotone, Fiorentina, Genoa, Hellas Verona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Rifinitura, Roma, Sampdoria, Sassuolo, Serie A, Spal, Torino, Udinese

Odds look in favor of Napoli this weekend, with the Partenopei facing SPAL at home tomorrow, after “having relieved themselves" of the Europa League burden by losing 1-3 to RB Leipzig. On the other hand, the weekly Serie A task is much tougher for Juventus, as the Bianconeri must battle city rivals Torino in the Derby della Mole - and these Granata are a different animal than the one they trashed a few months ago.

Assi di Coppe: Juve Turn Light Off, Spurs Grab Draw

February 14, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Assi di Coppe, Champions League, Juventus

Juventus and Tottenham tied 2-2 in the first leg of a Champions League Round of 16 match, played at the Allianz Stadium. It could have been an easy one for the Bianconeri, who had already gained a double lead in less than ten minutes. On the contrary, Massimiliano Allegri will have to lead his troops in Wembley two weeks from now, against a British side that now has the advantage of having scored two goals away.

Imperial Napoli in Fuorigrotta Realm: 4-1 to Lazio!

February 11, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Lazio, Napoli, Serie A

If that was supposed to be a trial of fire for Napoli and their Scudetto ambitions, Maurizio Sarri and his boys passed it with honors. The Partenopei demolished Lazio 4-1 in their San Paolo Stadium in Fuorigrotta, displaying, on top of their usual tip top athletic condition, also a rock-solid team spirit – as evidenced by the Azzurri not losing a single chance to make their thoughts go to unfortunate teammate Faouzi Ghoulam.

Author: Matteo Carnevale