PLF said:
I don't knowdenirobob said:
. It's wierd. They don't have a really bad team either, in fact they have Pirlo now (Milan bought Xavi instead) so their record is surprising. I can't see them getting out of it.
john_shadow4 said:
nerf said:
Serie A 05/06 Week 30
Match Preview: Lecce vs Hellas Verona
Verona's last away trip is a long six hundred mile haul south to the Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce for a midtable clash. Although neither are in the chase for Europe or survival, there are still positions to play for - a win for Lecce could lift them to 8th, a win for Verona could see them finish as high as 9th.
This match marks the farewell game of Sandro Mazzola's career as he retires from Verona's midfield shortly before his 37th birthday. The Hellas captain, who two years ago won the "Mastino Del Bentegodi" (Verona's Player of the Season), will bring an end to six years of service to the club and a career spanning more than two decades.
Lecce have held the upper hand over Verona this season, knocking them out of the Coppa Italia at the first stage. They will be hoping to end a satisfactory season on a high with a win in front of their home fans, possibly sneaking into the top half of the table if results go their way.
Team News...
Lecce midfielder Cristian Ledesma is a doubt for this one and will probably not be risked, perhaps to the benefit of out-of-favour Sam Dalla Bona. Winger Papa Waigo should start against his former club.
The visitors' only injury worry is defender Dario Biasi, who was stretchered off against relegated Lazio last week and may require surgery in the summer. Marco Mancinelli may start in midfield, after the fringe player has shown surprisingly good form to fight his way into first-team contention, and there may also be opportunities for Andrea Cossu and Antimo Iunco to stake their claim for a place in the forward line alongside Palladino next season.
Aside from Mazzola, this could also be the final game for Verona for Benito Carbone, with rumours suggesting that the 34 year old's contract may not be renewed this summer.
Serie A Table
08 38pts Sampdoria
09 36pts Brescia
10 36pts Lecce
11 34pts Verona
12 31pts Palermo
Yep, aimed for survival and achieved it, so that's fine for now. Palladino has done well - scored six goals and will probably finish as the team's topscorer despite only joining halfway through the season. If we can find him a partner it would be nice, but the midfield is more in need of strengthening than the forward line at the moment, particularly now Mazzola is retiring.denirobob said:
nerf said:
nerf said:
Serie A 05/06 Week 30
Match Report: Lecce 2 - 1 Hellas Verona
Lecce achieved their goal of a top-half finish with a victory over Verona on the final day of the season, aided by defeats for both Sampdoria and Brescia.
Alex Pinardi, whose conversion to left wing has been one of the highlights of Lecce's campaign, opened the scoring on 31 minutes when he burst onto a loose ball and beat Pegolo with a low drive. It was Pinardi who then provided the cross for Senegalese winger Papa Waigo to glance home a second goal on the stroke of half-time, just reward for Lecce's domination of the first half in which Pinardi and Vucinic had missed chances to extend the lead.
The visitors improved in the second half with the arrival of six-goal striker Palladino in place of Cossu, but were unable to gain more than a consolation strike. Mancinelli's 82nd minute cross found Antimo Iunco darting across his marker at the near post to angle a header goalwards, but it was too late to rescue a point. Despite the defeat, 11th position marks Verona's highest league finish for six years, a satisfactory eleven points clear of relegated rivals Chievo.
Serie A 05/06 Final Standings
1. 76pts Juventus
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2. 65pts Roma
3. 63pts Milan
4. 56pts Inter
5. 50pts Bologna
6. 45pts Udinese
7. 42pts Atalanta
8. 39pts Lecce
9. 38pts Sampdoria
10. 36pts Brescia
11. 34pts Verona
12. 32pts Palermo
13. 29pts Fiorentina
14. 28pts Parma
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15. 23pts Chievo
16. 16pts Lazio
PLF said:Yeah well done Nerf
@DB, empty your pm box
nerf said:
Transfer Update
Verona Unveil Pereyra
Hellas Verona announced the signing of Guillermo Ariel Pereyra at a press conference today. The midfielder completed his switch from RCD Mallorca for €5.6 million, signing a three year deal with the Italian club.
"I'm looking forward to playing in Serie A", claimed the 26 year old, speaking through a translator. "I hope we can push on for European qualification this season and I'm very excited to play in Verona".
Pereyra spent two years in La Liga with Mallorca, who brought him over from Argentina after he had impressed at River Plate. The move to Italy follows Mallorca's poor 15th place finish last season, which prompted the Spanish club to sack head coach Hector Cuper and thus sparked rumours that Pereyra was unhappy with the treatment of his fellow countryman. Verona, meanwhile, needed a replacement in midfield for Sandro Mazzola and were willing to make Pereyra their top earner.
Further news...
Making room on the Hellas wage bill is the official departure of Benito Carbone, whose contract expired last week. The veteran's eighteen months in Verona saw promotion from Serie B, an appearance in the Serie B Cup final and survival in Serie A, but he was deemed surplus to requirements this summer as the club look to build on that success. Carbone has stated in the past that he hopes to finish his career at his hometown club of Reggina.
Striker Erjon Bogdani may also be leaving after he handed in an official transfer request. The big Albanian has a year left on his contract but wants out of Verona, unhappy that he has been relegated to the bench.
These events have left Verona shallow in depth in attack, paving the way for the call-up of 17 year old forward Nicola Morini to the senior squad. Local boy Morini set goalscoring records in the youth team and has been handed the number sixteen shirt in his quest to make his mark on the big time.
Stringer Bell said:
