Diego Maradona returned to Naples last week and admits he was wrong to write off the Partenopei’s chances of toppling the leaders at the top of Serie ADiego Maradona was back in Naples last week, swapping his old stomping ground at the Stadio San Paolo for an audience instead at the Teatro di San Carlo opera house. Tickets were priced at a whopping €300, but of course they still sold out. On stage, Maradona acknowledged complaints about the cost, but explained: “they told me Pelé had a similar event, and set his tickets at €200. That guy always has to come second.”It was precisely this showmanship that caused the city to fall so head-over-heels for Maradona in the first place:...
Fiorentina’s manager has been savaged by his own fans for his Juventus links and ill-conceived words but beating his old club may prove a turning point for himThey remember the wins over Juventus, down in Florence. They remember them for the goals: for Gabriel Batistuta’s header beyond Angelo Peruzzi and the Giuseppe Rossi hat-trick that helped convert a 2-0 deficit into a glorious 4-2 victory in 2013. They remember them because they hate Juventus, those entitled ‘thieves’ and ‘hunchbacks’ from Turin. Most of all, though, they remember the wins over Juventus for the simple reason that they don’t come along very often.Heading into Sunday’s showdown at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Fiorentina had beaten the Bianconeri just once in their previous...
Real Madrid were set to extend their unbeaten run to 41 matches until a late own goal, against his old club, by Sergio Ramos sparked Sevilla’s comebackZinedine Zidane smiled that smile, the one that has served him so well. What had his team lacked, he was asked; what was it they had needed? “Five minutes,” he said gently. Not long, but long enough to change everything. No one had beaten Real Madrid in 40 matches, going back nine months, 30 teams and five competitions, but Sevilla beat them in five minutes. “We knew that this would happen one day,” Zidane said. He just didn’t expect it to happen like this; by 10.30pm on Sunday, he didn’t expect it to happen...
The 28-year-old captain sported another unusual armband and led his younger team-mates to a big win at Chievo after a week of off-field upheavalNot for the first time, Papu Gómez’s biceps stole the show. The Atalanta captain has made headlines all season with his unconventional armband designs. First there was the Mother’s Day tribute, then the Spiderman logo, the Holly & Benji cartoon and, most famously, a celebration of Pro Evolution Soccer’s original Master League XI. As Serie A returned to action on Sunday, he unveiled a new design, inspired by the movie Frozen.It was chosen to mark his daughter Constantina’s second birthday, with her face appearing alongside those of Anna, Elsa and Olaf. But he might unintentionally have also...
The Italian defender is the first winner of the award for his remarkable determination to reach Serie A after suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome at the age of 14. It is a truly inspiring storyThe Guardian Footballer of the Year is an award given to a player who has done something truly remarkable, whether by overcoming adversity, helping others or setting a sporting example by acting with exceptional honesty. Fabio Pisacane is our inaugural winner. “It’s an illness that strikes one person in a million,” says Fabio Pisacane, breaking eye contact for a moment to glance down at the floor. “But it’s serious stuff once you have it. Even with treatment, it will take its own course. You have to touch...