Here’s a look at how the Scudetto is shaping up as Serie A descends into 2011.

It’s A Red Letter Year In Milan

At times this season, it seems as if Ibra actually can control the ball with his mind.

After a five-year run, it is almost certain that Inter’s run as champion is over and who but the other tenant in the Giuseppe Meazza would you expect to step in to assume the mantle of power?  AC Milan are once again on top, thanks to the imagination of their chairman, Silvio Berlusconi.  His creative economics brought in Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng, while moving Klass-Jan Huntelaar on to Schalke to balance the books.  That’s impressive wheeling and dealing, even if the Italian Prime Minister will have to pony up to keep Ibra beyond this season.

Certainly, the towering Swede has carried the load for the Rossoneri in the autumn half of the season, with nine strikes.  Robinho and fellow Brazilian Alexandre Pato have each added a half-dozen but the latter has been injured for much of the season and the former took his time settling in after arriving from Man City.

The other Brazilian on the Milan front line, Ronaldhino, has once again worn out his welcome, preferring to develop his musical skills in the city’s nightclubs, rather than follow the required training regimen.  Masimiliano Allegro has used him solely as a late sub in the past few weeks, perhaps preparing the club for life without the mercurial talent.

That is how it will be, with a deal almost sealed to return him to boyhood club Gremio in Porto Alegre.  The only sticking point is Milan’s €8 million price tag, Berlusconi’s down payment on a permanent deal for Ibrahimovic.  Should Gremio find that beyond their budget, there is also interest from Flamengo and Palmeiras, although the hydra-like management team at Venky’s has apparently decided they don’t want to spend £130,000 per week for a player of any talent.  Or maybe they just balked at his request for an all night limo service to Manchester and back, seven days per week.

With one baggage laden player on his way out, another is on his way in to replace him.  Former Sampdoria striker and restored Italian International, Antonio Cassano has signed with Milan.  To make the temperament for temper symmetry complete, Cassano spent his extended holiday in Genoa snacking between meals, and like ‘Dinho, is now battling the bulge.

The Rossoneri aren’t quite done with the moving and shaking, however, as they have indicated serious interested in two Benfica stars, David Luiz and Fabio Coentrao.  With an unhappy 0-1 loss to Roma to stew over during the break, Berlusconi is intent that his club has everything it needs to maintain its advantage in the table.  After all, there is not just Ronaldhino to replace.  Don’t forget how effective Pippo Inzaghi was before he suffered his season-ending knee injury.

Blasts From The Past

Hot on the heels of Milan are two clubs who haven’t had a sniff of a Scudetto in quite some time.

Napoli hasn’t reached those giddy heights since the days of Maradona.  In 2006, they claimed a trophy but as the Southern Champions Serie C.  The climb since that point has been steady, under chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis.  The players are there for them to take the last step.  The attack triumvirate of Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi, a torrential blend of energy and technique, Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, speed and power, and Marek Hamsik, cool precision, have combined for 21 goals already and Fabio Cannavaro’s little brother, Paolo, has added a pair while doing yeoman work on the back line.

For their part, Lazio has tasted victory far more recently, in 2000, when Sven-Goran Ericksson guided the Alessandro Nesta/Pavel Nedved led Eagles to the title.  Since then, the usual affliction of poor management in the boardroom has afflicted the club.  However, the Rome side is back, captained by Tomasso Rocchi, a half-dozen goals from his stated target of a century and powered by Brazilian Hernanes, Argentine Mauro Zarate and Italian Sergio Floccari, Lazio were top of the table for a good part of the early campaign.  After falling off somewhat, they are clinging stubbornly to Milan’s coattails.  With just one strike himself, the captain seems content to exchange his personal glory for that of the club.

Laying in the Grass

Lurking just off the pace are three storied clubs, all with very capable managers who believe they should be at the top.

Juventus are within one victory of third place, thanks largely to the summer acquisition of Milos Krasic.  The Serbian winger has more than matched his advanced billing since arriving in Turin, not only providing stellar service for Fabio Quagliarella to knock in 9 goals and Vincenzo Iaquinta 5, but he has added 4 of his own.  The defense is very capable, with Giorgio Chiellini anchoring the line and Felipe Melo, recovered from his horrendous World Cup, supporting from mid-field.  Alberto Aquilani has found things more comfortable in Italy than in Liverpool and, rediscovering his touch, has become adept at pulling the attacking strings.  Luigi Del Neri has restored the confidence of several of his underperforming stars and has also rekindled the hopes of the supporters.  Should Lazio prove unable to maintain the pace, Juve have left the effects of scandal induced relegation behind and are ready to step into their rightful place as one of the top three sides in Serie A.

The problem for the Bianconeri, however, is that there is a much more experienced club from the Eternal City nipping at their heels.  AS Roma‘s season hasn’t gone as smoothly as  2009-10, when they hounded Jose Mourinho’s Inter right until the end, for both the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, but, if they can get their act together, a solid run will put them back in the hunt.  Claudio Ranieri has battled the media, the supporters and, so it has seemed at times, his irascible captain Francesco Totti.  Every time the Giallorossi seemed to be gaining momentum after their staggering start out of the gate, Totti would fly off the handle and get his side in trouble or himself suspended.

Both men are Romans but Totti has spent his entire career in the capital.  Ranieri has had to be very diplomatic in handing more minutes to young, eager players and cajoling his captain into accepting a more limited role.  New arrivals Marco Borrielo (7) and Fabio Simplico (3) have taken on the goalscoring burden, Daniele De Rossi is a captain in waiting and Mirko Vucinic has been simply electric.  Perhaps most missed has been the injured Rodrigo Taddei, whose absence has significantly narrowed the Roma attack.  As his return is yet to be announced all the club can do, is simply get on with it.  As they look for another weapon in attack, it is rumoured that they are among those seeking the services of Man United striker, Roman-born Federico Macheda.†

Palermo‘s captain, Fabrizio Miccoli, missed a good portion of the season’s first half and returned to find himself limited to part-time duty.  It was nothing personal, as it can so often be under impulsive Chairman Maurizio Zamparini.  It’s just that the younger players Delio Rossi drafted in to replace the stocky striker have done too good a job.  Javier Pastore has become the go-to man in attack, notching seven strikes, finding an able partner in midfielder Josep Ilicic, also on 7 goals and famously signed after his native Slovenian club NK Maribor defeated the Sicilians in the home leg of their Europa League qualification round.  Miccoli has had to settle for sharing a place with Chilean Mauricio Pinilla.  The pair have combined for 8 tallies; their able support presenting opponents with too many attacking threats to defend against.

The Rosanero get back to work in 2011 against Sampdoria and Chievo, two very capable sides that will test their commitment to remaining in the European mix.

Packed Like Sardines

Fully half of the Serie A clubs are jammed into a group 4 points away from Europe, 4 points from the drop and with just four points separating all of them.  To say that the mid-table is crowded would be like  saying that Silvio Berlusconi likes women, pure understatement.

At the head of the group and most likely to separate from it the quickest are Internazionale.  Not only do they have two matches in hand on most of the field and the talent to be much higher in the table, Massimo Moratti has proved to be far more decisive in dealing with Rafa Benitez than Hicks and Gillett were at Liverpool.  The Spaniard is out and  last year’s Milan boss, Leonardo, is in.  The latter is much to the consternation of Milanese supporters both red and blue but the Inter Chairman is not interested in sentiment; winning is all that concerns him.  If the Brazilian can restore Inter’s dominance he will remain.  If not…

Level on points with the Nerrazzurri are Sampdoria† and Udinese.  The Blucerchiati struggled for a while after their Chairman, Riccardo Garrone, entered divorce proceedings with star winger Antonio Cassano.  Just before the break, however, the club seemed to come to terms with the inevitability of Cassano’s exit and produced some positive results.  They too, have a game in hand on the field and an opportunity, with their next match against Palermo, to begin the new year right.  Udinese started out the 2010-11 campaign buried at the bottom of the table.  They just couldn’t seem to comprehend what new manager Francesco Guidolin wanted from them.  Then, in November they suddenly settled into their new system, got it in gear and have not looked back.  The Little Zebras have quickly stampeded through half the league to sit tied for 7th at the break.  With Antonio Di Natale once again sure of his ability, Udinese will be a team to be reckoned with.

Two points below the aforementioned trio are another trifecta of clubs, who personify their place in the middle of this group.  At best, that is where they are likely to remain.  Chievo di Verona have been defensively stubborn all season and veterans Sergio Pellissier and Davide Moscardelli have combined for 10 goals.  The Flying Donkeys do have some kick but anything beyond their present altitude will require more depth than they can afford.  Genoa and Catania have even less to work with.  Led respectively by Luca Toni and Maxi Lopez, each with 3 goals, these two sides just don’t have enough punch to move up the table.

At the back of the pack are a group of four, two on 20 points and the other pair on 19.  Of the quartet, Cagliari stand the best chance of improving their position.  They have a triple threat in attack with Alessandro Matri (8), Neni (4) and Daniele Conti all able to find the target.  With former Azzurri boss replacing Pierpaolo Bisoli their record has been a she loves me, she loves me not string of results:  W-L-W-L-W-L.  If Donadoni can turn some of the Ls into Ds, the Rossoblu’s season may truly flower. Fiorentina has even more potential than Cagliari, except for the fact that they have stuck with their manager, Sinisa Mihajlovic.  The Serbian has a very capable line-up with the attack led by Alberto Gilardino, Per Kroldrup on defense and a duet of exceptional goalkeepers in Sebastien Frey and Artur Boruc.  Yet, last year’s Champions League Cinderellas are this year’s Serie A pumpkin, in 15th.  Could it be that Mihajlovic is waving his magic wand far too often trying to find the perfect starting XI?  Bologna and Parma are both one-man clubs.  Marco Di Vaio has 9 goals for the former and Hernan Crespo 6 for the latter but both sides have little else in attack and concede far too often at the other end.  Their stars may keep them out of the relegation fight but there is not much else to hope for in either camp.

Help Wanted

Bari had an amazing return to the Serie A last season, finishing 10th, but if you think they or any of the other three in the relegation fight, Cesena, Brescia and Lecce, should be further up the table, you have only to look at their goal differentials.  The table just doesn’t lie.

Bari have an excellent keeper in Belgian Jean-Francois Gillet and a promising finisher in Paolo Vito Barreto.  Erjon Bogdani bulges the twine for Cesena and Ghanaian captain Stephen Appiah ably patrols the midfield.  Andrea Caracciolo is the threat for Brescia and Alessandro Diamante helps out.  Lecce have David Di Michele.  Unfortunately, the fan culture, combined with a struggling economy have meant empty seats at every stadium. It’s not a major concern in Rome, Milan and Turin, where major television deals compensate but small market clubs like these cannot afford anything beyond a token star or two in their line-ups.  Without no support beyond young players, either inexperienced or in over their head, on loan in the January window, don’t look for any of this group to do anything in the spring but continue the fight against relegation.

† Late note:  Leave it to the  timing of the football gods to release the information regarding Sampdoria’s swoop for Federico Macheda after I’ve posted!  This should give the Genoa side the added punch missing after Cassano’s departure, even if the youngster is more suited to play in the box than to the flanks.  If he and Giampaolo Pazzini can foster a partnership, both are sufficiently dangerous to attract defenders and create space for the other.  Macheda’s agent was talking up an option to buy being attached to any loan but with Samp, Sir Alex Ferguson may be able to set a prohibitive price and bring the young Roman back to Old Trafford for a spell.  Time will tell.

That’s all I remember from his first season; cameo displays in the last twenty minutes where he would make and be given a plethora of chances – he’d take a few of them as well. It was the ease in which he’d beat a player that was so breathtaking – at just 17 people were already starting to talk.

Five years later and Leo Messi is a regular in the Barcelona team and in contention for the Ballon D’Or again. Highlights have included three La Liga titles, two Champions League wins and a Copa del Rey, which completed the treble last season. These titles have come with some unreal performances along the way – especially one night at the Bernabeu.

I wrote about how Del Piero received one of the highest accolades in football – a standing ovation at the Bernabeu for his displays last season, but for a player from Barcelona to receive it is something else – only Ronaldinho had achieved such feat in recent years. The Bernabeu know their football and can accept when they’re in the presence of greatness.

I think Leo Messi is the most gifted footballer currently playing the game. His touch, low centre of gravity and zero back-lift combined with his excellent footballing brain and his confidence in placing his shots instead of hammering them make him one of the most deadly and prolific players in today’s game.

I’m a Manchester United fan and a massive fan of Cristiano Ronaldo – but there is something that Messi offers that draws me in even more so. I’ve always wondered which is better; a player that is unpredictable and therefore unstoppable, or a player like Messi who is slightly more predictable, but nevertheless, unstoppable.

The ‘Maradona’tag has been lambasted around too often. Pablo Aimar, Javier Savola and many others have accrued to this name but after much analysis it’s clear to see Messi comes closer than all of them. He’s even replicated Maradona’s two (in)famous goals. Beating the same amount of players and running roughly the same distance for his wonder goal and for the other, using his hand. Let’s be fair though, Messi is a great player in his own right.

If Maradona is the acid test at International level then Ronaldinho holds that mantle for his time at club level. Comparisons of his impact can be made to Ronaldinho having achieved the same at club level.

Nicknamed the “Messiah” he saved Barcelona a few times last season. The Champions League game against Shaktar the most memorable – 1-0 down with 15 minutes to play – enter Messi.

It has quickly become Messi’s team following the departure of Ronaldinho – and his levels of performance for his club team are not in question here – the ultra critical eye will look towards his tenure with the national team.

Last month in his hometown of Rosario, Messi was frustrated as Argentina lost to Brazil. He showed clear signs of disappointment due to the lack of quality from his team mates. It’s fair to say Argentina aren’t the best side in the world at the moment but would Maradona have acted in the same manner? Something which Messi has to learn when playing for his country is that he has to take on more responsibility.

Messi’s tendency to stay out wide could be considered a limitation. Cristiano Ronaldo for example often swaps flanks, goes down the middle and appears in the box. Messi does sometimes drift but he spends the majority of the game out on the right wing. This limitation may occur due to the nature of his Barcelona team, regardless it does restrict his impact on a game from time to time. It’s not a problem when Xavi and Iniesta are pulling the strings but the boy who moved to Spain at 11 to treat his growth hormone deficiency must adapt all over again because great players pull through no matter the circumstance.

Messi recently said he admired Rooney’s passion for the game.

“When he loses, it hurts and those are the sort of players you want to be playing with.

“I can understand the pressure on him, but to be honest, from what I have seen, Rooney is the sort of player who would thrive playing under pressure.”

That’s built in to Wayne Rooney it’s not something you learn, but something you have and the same could be said about Maradona. The question is, when it goes down to the wire can Messi put in that performance or score that goal that makes the difference on the International scene? Only then will he be considered truly one of the best – but time is on his side.

But you’d have to doubt Messi at your peril as he takes in a good goal scoring record to Argentina on Saturday where lowly Peru will undoubtedly struggle with a player that’s in a different league.

The two South American powerhouses will take their rivalry to Rosario, an industrial city around 150km from the capital Buenos Aires, to play in the Rosario Central venue “Gigante de Arroyito” (literal translation is “Giant from the little river”), a very intimidating stadium for the Brazilians – and one with a history in this confrontation as well.

Back in the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina hosted and eventually won, an almost all South American semifinal took place: Polland, Peru and the two giants played for a place in the final. The game between Brazil and Argentina took place in the mid-June- Argentine’s winter, with a high dose of intensity from the local players, really rough at times, and especially from the fans. One famous tale that is told about on that game is: the Brazilians’bus was not allowed to enter the stadium, leaving the players across the street from it, so they had to walk some meters surrounded with local passionate fans screaming “nice” things in their ears. Maradona hand-picked this place to face Brazil beacuse he knows the power of 40,000 + Argentinian fans rooting against Brazil.

Fast forwarding 30 years into time, we have two really technical teams that most likely will be playing for the title next year. However, while Dunga maintained a style of game that gave Brazilians hope and a Confederations’ Cup this summer, Maradona looks a bit lost on how to give room to some really skillful players, like Messi and Aguero, and – at the same time – cut the spaces from the opponent. My bet is on a draw. Mainly because the defensive system of the Argentinians is not working well, to a point where even the people there think Brazil’s defense is better. Bear in mind: last time Brazil won in Argentinian soil was in 1995. The last two games there finished with normal wins for the local side.

After some good results, Brazil is leading the way to South Africa with 27 points, they can clinch their place there with a draw in Rosario or a win at their next game with Chile in Salvador. Argentina, on the other hand, is 5 points behind, and with Ecuador and Uruguay in its neck to get to the top four that have guaranteed places, and after Brazil they have to face another tough match in Paraguay. On the first encounter for these World Cup Qualifying Round, they drew without goals in Brazil.

Trash talk, passionate crowds, great players on both sides. That’s pretty much the best anyone can hope for a fine soccer match. Saturday night’s gonna be a special one, certainly to be remembered for years to come. It doesn’t matter if it makes into the world record of all times: Argentina and Brazil have a a rivalry of its own and seeing both countries fighting for. “whatever” is always good. Watch out!