Champions League Archives - The Cult of Calcio

Serie A Clinches Fifth Champions League Representative

April 19, 2024 Enrico Passarella AC Milan, Atalanta, Bologna, Bundesliga, Champions League, Europa League, European Conference League, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Juventus, La Liga, Lazio, Ligue 1, Napoli, Premier League, Roma, Serie A, Serie A 2023-2024 Leave a comment

As widely anticipated, Serie A will have five teams in the Champions League next season. Atalanta and Fiorentina advancing and a few English teams getting eliminated this week sealed the deal. The Italian championship is out of reach for the Premier League.

Serie A has been leading the UEFA ranking for most of the season and is on the doorstep of clinching a coveted top-two finish.

Serie A Almost Certain to Have an Extra UCL Participant

April 10, 2024 Enrico Passarella AC Milan, Atalanta, Champions League, Europa League, Fiorentina, Italian Football, Roma, Serie A, Serie A 2023-2024 Leave a comment

Serie A has been leading the UEFA ranking for most of the season and is on the doorstep of clinching a top-two finish that would guarantee a fifth team in the Champions League even though it no longer has any representative in the top continental competition.

Going from Champions League finalists to getting eliminated in the Round of 16 surely stings, but it’s more of a missed opportunity than a failure for Inter.

Inter Not Yet at the Level to Despair for Early UCL Exit

March 15, 2024 Enrico Passarella Atletico Madrid, Calciomercato, Champions League, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2023-2024, Transfer Market

Going from Champions League finalists to getting eliminated in the Round of 16 surely stings, but it’s more of a missed opportunity than a failure for Inter. Having dominated Serie A, they would have been able to concentrate their energies on repeating what they did in the past campaign.

Inter Player Ratings vs Atletico Madrid: Late Collapse Crashes Nerazzurri Out

March 14, 2024 Marko Vrakela Atletico Madrid, Champions League, Inter, International Football, Player Ratings, Serie A

Inter waved goodbye to the Champions League after a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Atletico Madrid. Simone Inzaghi's men were minutes away from progressing from this blockbuster last-16 tie but conceded late before a shutout nightmare.

Preview: Atletico Madrid vs Inter – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

March 13, 2024 Marko Vrakela Atletico Madrid, Champions League, Inter, International Football, Serie A

Runaway Serie A leaders Inter take a trip to the Metropolitano Stadium to meet Atletico Madrid in the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday. Only one goal separates the sides ahead of this crunch encounter, with Nerazzurri taking a narrow 1-0 lead to Madrid after Marko Arnautovic's first-leg winner.

Napoli Player Ratings vs Barcelona: Wasteful Partenopei Exit Champions League

March 12, 2024 Michel Sakr Barcelona, Champions League, International Football, Italian Football, Napoli, Player Ratings, Serie A

The Partenopei had several chances to equalize, but Robert Lewandowski finished a slick passing move to kill off the tie. So here are our player ratings for Napoli who have been eliminated from the competition and will subsequently miss out on the 2025 Club World Cup following their 1-3 defeat to Barcelona.

Preview: Barcelona vs Napoli – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

March 12, 2024 Marko Vrakela Barcelona, Champions League, International Football, Napoli, Serie A

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys sets the stage for a crunch Champions League last-16 meeting between Barcelona and Napoli. After a 1-1 first-leg draw in Italy, both sides have everything to play for on Tuesday evening.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis was questioned amid the investigation into financing fraud resulting from the acquisition of Victor Osimhen.

De Laurentiis Desperate for FIFA Club World Cup Berth

March 12, 2024 Enrico Passarella Barcelona, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, Italian Football, Juventus, Napoli, Serie A

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wants his team to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at all costs. He has set a €10M prize for the players if they make it. The Partenopei need a little nudge to overtake Juventus.

Maurizio Sarri has been insistently rumored to leave Lazio at the end of the season but has repelled such talks in the presser ahead of the Feyenoord match.

Lazio Player Ratings vs Bayern Munich: Biancocelesti Bow Out in Bavaria

March 6, 2024 Davide Kociu Bayern Munich, Champions League, European Cups, International Football, Lazio, Player Ratings

A giant season defining evening in the Champions League beckoned for Lazio tonight in Germany but it went up in smoke as the Biancocelesti bow out in Bavaria.

Napoli Player Ratings vs Barcelona: Osimhen Replies to Lewandowski

February 21, 2024 Michel Sakr Barcelona, Champions League, International Football, Italian Football, Napoli, Player Ratings, Serie A

The encounter came to life after the interval, with Robert Lewandowski drawing first blood. Nevertheless, Victor Osimhen marked his return to the Partenopei lineup with the all-important equalizer, leaving the tie up for grabs ahead of the second leg. So here are our player ratings for Napoli who registered a 1-1 draw against Barcelona.

Preview: Napoli vs Barcelona – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

February 21, 2024 Marko Vrakela Barcelona, Champions League, International Football, Napoli, Serie A

The reigning champions of Italy and Spain lock horns at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday as Napoli entertain Barcelona in the first leg of their mouth-watering Champions League last-16 tie. Given the Scudetto holders' troubled defending campaign in Serie A, European duties could be a welcome distraction amidst another managerial shift.

Inter will use the December matches to judge four players and decide whether they could count on them or if they should instead move on.

Inter Player Ratings vs Atletico Madrid: Arnautovic Soaks Up Limelight

February 21, 2024 Marko Vrakela Champions League, Inter, International Football, Player Ratings, Serie A

Inter gained a crucial first-leg advantage in their heavyweight Champions League last-16 tie against La Liga powerhouse Atletico Madrid. Marko Arnautovic's second-half strike settled an evenly-contested affair at Giuseppe Meazza, maintaining the Italians' perfect start to 2024.

Tag: Champions League