Matteo Carnevale, Author at The Cult of Calcio

De Rossi, Roma’s Future Captain Who Soon Became Past

May 14, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Italian Football, Italy, Roma, Serie A

They called him Capitan Futuro ("Captain Future"), as Daniele De Rossi was meant to be Roma's new captain after Francesco Totti's retirement. But he ended up wearing the Giallorossi captain band for two years only, as the club’s board communicated today their decision not to renew the 35-year-old midfielder’s contract for the next season.

Throwback Thursday: Ibrahimovic’s Magic That Sank Roma

May 11, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Juventus, Roma, Serie A, Throwback Thursday

The 2005-2006 season was the last for Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Juventus. Ibra had moved to the Bianconeri one year earlier, and even if his second season in Turin was far less impressive than the debut one, he still found the way to show dazzling glimpses of his talent - like the magic trick that helped Juventus trample Roma 4-1.

Assi di Coppe: Ajax Knock Juve Out, Extend UCL Curse

April 17, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Ajax, Assi di Coppe, Champions League, Juventus

Juventus’ Champions League Curse continues. The Bianconeri ended their run in the elite European competition once again in the Quarter Finals, demolished by a magnificent Ajax. Coach Erik ten Hag’s squad raided the Allianz Stadium, snatched an epic 2-1 win, and progressed 3-2 on aggregate to show their face among the Top Four after 22 years.

Stronger Than a Stalker: Quagliarella’s Return from Hell

March 31, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Italian Football, Italy, Serie A

Fabio Quagliarella was in his athletic prime when in 2009 he signed a dream deal to play for his hometown club Napoli. But his honeymoon would last only one year, as the following summer he abruptly moved to Juventus. The reality behind his transfer would emerge only years later, when he could finally reveal that he had to leave Napoli due to a stalker.

Italy, Six Goals and Six Points on the Road to Euro 2020

March 27, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Euro 2020, Italian Football, Italy, The Azzurri

Grabbing six points in the two initial games of their Euro 2020 Qualifiers should be put in the right perspective: Group J is far from being a difficult one. Still, Italy’s 6-0 win over Liechtenstein last night, embellished by a double by Fabio Quagliarella and a new goal by young talent Moise Kean, was enough to warm the hearts of Italian supporters.

Barella, Kean Make Mancini Smile as Azzurri Beat Finland

March 24, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Euro 2020, Italian Football, Italy, The Azzurri

Roberto Mancini’s young Azzurri are off to a good start on their way to Euro 2020. Italy beat Finland 2-0 in Udine last night to pass their first test to win back access to the football aristocracy. Goals by Niccolo’ Barella and Moise Kean, whose combined age is 38, showed that the Italian coach’s work to rejuvenate the Belpaese football movement is starting to bear fruit.

Better Than Barcelona: The Remuntada of Pianura

February 3, 2019 Matteo Carnevale Carpi, Italian Football, Serie D

On March 8, 2017, Barcelona overturned a four-goal deficit in the second leg of a Champions League match. But only few people know that, years earlier, Napoli-based club Pianura had performed an even more incredible remuntada as they beat Carpi 8-2 in the retour match of a Serie D play-off Semi Final after losing 0-5 the first act.

River Overcome Boca in Historical Libertadores Final

December 10, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Boca Juniors, Copa Libertadores, River Plate, The Grass Is Greener

River Plate won the Final of the Two Worlds. The most awaited, tormented, and postponed match in recent football history ended in the hands of Los Millonarios as they topped Boca Juniors 3-1 at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid to capture the Copa Libertadores 2018. Marcelo Gallardo’s one-touch football prevailed over the Xeneize side after 120 minutes of intense futebol.

Losing Grip! The Top 5 Brawls in Italian Football

October 14, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Italian Football, Serie A, The Grass Is Greener

Sometimes people just lose it. All actors in the football circus – players, coaches, presidents – are human after all. Now and then, it happens that they just lose their grip. Words escalate, hands touch, and the fight is on. So put your boxing gloves on, and follow us in a journey across the Top 5 “losing grip” moments in the recent history of Italian football.

Unstoppable Juve! Napoli Surrender, Falling 6 Points Behind

September 30, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Juventus, Napoli, Serie A, Serie A 2018-2019

The Campionato has found a ruler already, and it is – surprise, surprise – once again Massimiliano Allegri and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus. The Zebras got rid of their most plausible contender, coming from behind to topple Napoli 3-1 in the match clou of Serie A Round 7 and widening their lead to 6 points. Juve thus increased their perfect records to 8 seasonal wins in a row.

Pellegrini Hero For a Day As Roma Outclass Lazio

September 29, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Lazio, Roma, Serie A, Serie A 2018-2019

Roma triumphed 3-1 in a vibrant Derby della Capitale today, with substitute Lorenzo Pellegrini suddenly finding himself on the pitch to replace injured Javier Pastore, and turning into hero for a day as he scored the first and participated in his side’s additional two goals by Aleksandar Kolarov and Federico Fazio. Ciro Immobile temporarily equalized for Lazio.

From Chiesa to Florenzi: Celebration Is A Family Thing

September 22, 2018 Matteo Carnevale Fiorentina, Serie A, Serie A 2018-2019

From Chiesa to Florenzi, celebrating a goal is often a family thing in Serie A. We don’t have to explain what his own Famiglia means to an Italian, right? Federico Chiesa is one of the most promising talents in the depressed Italian calcio panorama and, after today’s heart-warming hug to his little ball boy brother, he is even more among our favorites.

Author: Matteo Carnevale