The Cult of Calcio - Page 1162 of 1199 - Italian Football and Serie A News in English

On Her Majesty’s Service: The Rise and Fall of Massimo Maccarone

May 21, 2020 Luke Phelps England, On Her Majesty's Service, Premier League

A name that rings true with Middlesbrough fans, Massimo Maccarone was an eccentric addition to the long list of fine Boro strikers. From Fabrizio Ravanelli to Mark Viduka, to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Yakubu, and Maccarone - the Riverside has long been the home of some great forwards, but the latter proved many wrong with his performances.

Serie A To Restart In June, Playoffs In Case of New Suspension

May 20, 2020 The Cult of Calcio Staff AC Milan, Atalanta, Bologna, Brescia, Cagliari, Fiorentina, Genoa, Hellas Verona, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Italy, Juventus, Lazio, Lecce, Napoli, Parma, Roma, Sampdoria, Sassuolo, Serie A, Serie A 2019-2020, Spal, Torino, Udinese

The Serie A will restart in June, and so will the lower divisions Serie B and Serie C. The Federal Council of the Italian Football Federation approved to resume all the major football competitions in Italy. In case of another stop to the games, the Federation will consider resorting to a playoff round to determine the Serie A winner.

Temples of The Cult: The Artemio Franchi Stadium In Florence

May 17, 2020 Thomas Salvatori Fiorentina, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult

The Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence is more than a playing ground. Fiorentina's home turf is considered an architectural masterpiece of the ‘30s, a clear example of Italian Rationalism, a combination of aesthetic refinement and structural rigor. A stadium that lives up to the beauty of the city it belongs, despite not being the most suitable to watch a football game.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Carlo Cudicini Could Have Been a Star

May 13, 2020 Luke Phelps Chelsea, Italian Football, On Her Majesty's Service, Premier League

Carlo Cudicini lasted 22 years as a professional goalkeeper, with 13 of those being spent in England between Chelsea and Tottenham, making him one of the Premier League’s longest-serving Italian stars. But for all his talent, it seems he was always with the wrong club at the wrong time and somehow forged a reputation as a "back-up" player.

Temples of The Cult: The Ennio Tardini Stadium In Parma

May 10, 2020 Thomas Salvatori Italian Football, Parma, Serie A, Temples of The Cult One comment

Today's stadium tour takes us to North-Central Italy. We're going to talk about a playing ground whose history and expansion went hand in hand with that of the team it hosts. This is a story of late glory, unexpected falls, and a slow but deserved resurrection. We are heading to Parma and therefore to the Ennio Tardini Stadium.

The All-Time Top 11 Argentinian Players In Serie A

May 9, 2020 Avram Iclozan Argentina, Argentinian Football, Italian Football, Italy, Serie A, Top 11 2 comments

Players from Argentina have been a long-standing presence in Serie A since the league opened its frontiers to foreign players. With so many names to choose from and a couple of spots filled with no explanation needed (did anybody say Maradona?), we are sure our all-time Albiceleste selection in Italian sauce will spark some healthy debate.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Attilio Lombardo’s Stint at Crystal Palace

May 6, 2020 Luke Phelps England, Italian Football, On Her Majesty's Service, Premier League, Serie A

Attilio Lombardo was one of the most robust right-wingers of the '90s. He spent a year-and-a-half in England, playing for the newly-promoted Crystal Palace in 1997. His move shocked many, as Lombardo had only just reached the heights of Italian football with Juventus and he swapped that all to become Palace's star player of an otherwise forgetful season.

The Moral Dilemma of The Newcastle United Takeover

May 3, 2020 Abdullah Bashiti England, Newcastle United, Premier League 2 comments

Imagine being a supporter of a football club, and one day you find out that your club is about to become owned by one of the most criticized states in the world. What would you do? That is the moral dilemma that Newcastle United fans are currently facing as their club seems set to be purchased by controversial Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, beter known as La Favorita (Photo: www.thesportsdb.com)

Temples of The Cult: The Renzo Barbera or La Favorita in Palermo

May 2, 2020 Thomas Salvatori Italian Football, Palermo, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, World Cup 1990

Today's trip is to the marvelous city of Palermo, the capital of the island of Sicily, where we find a stadium which, depending on who you ask, can be called in one way or another. Its official name is Stadio Renzo Barbera but, by most people, it is still known as La Favorita. A stadium filled with history, which unfortunately also brings back to mind a tragic event.

Five Reasons Why The Serie A Season Should Be Completed

May 1, 2020 Kolade Daniel Serie A, Serie A 2019-2020 One comment

Since March 9, the 2019-20 Serie A has been suspended and there is no confirmation it will be able to restart yet. While other leagues have been canceled, the Serie A is still pressing ahead with plans to finish the current season. With lots of unfinished business still left, let's take a look at five reasons why the current season should be completed.

Shall the Serie A restart after the coronavirus lockdown? An act of respect towards the victims and those who are still facing the disease suggests it shouldn't...

The Reasons Why Serie A Should Not Restart After Lockdown

April 30, 2020 Diego Ottaviano Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2019-2020 One comment

Serie A, to restart or not to restart? It looks like a joke. Surely an incredible fiction, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemics numbers as of today, which speak of more than three million people in the world infected by the coronavirus. A simple act of respect towards them should be enough to answer with a loud “NO!” to the idea of restarting the league now.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Gianluca Festa’s Hard-Hitting Days

April 29, 2020 Luke Phelps England, Italian Football, On Her Majesty's Service, Premier League

The North East of England has never been a hot-spot for incoming European footballers, but Gianluca Festa broke the mold when he joined Middlesbrough in 1997. Festa was an iconic Premier League player, renowned for his hard-hitting, no-nonsense style of defending, and also for his goal-scoring touch. A player who Boro fans will associate with their "glory days."