Catania-Palermo: Forget Milan, Here’s The Real Derby This Weekend

With most of the peninsula focused on the Milan derby this weekend with the frontrunners taking on their second place rivals for the Scudetto, it would be easy to forget about another derby taking place that is just as important for the parties involved. The Derby della Sicilia between Palermo and Catania is second to none in terms of rivalry and passion. While most of Serie A may focus on the more glamorous matchup between Milan and Inter, an entire island’s inhabitants will be fixated on who is crowned the ‘Kings of Sicily’.

Finding themselves at opposite ends of the island, it was only natural that the two cities would become fierce opponents in the Calcioworld. The very first meeting between the two sides came all the way back in the 1910′s when both clubs were listed under different monikers while playing in the Lipton Cup – a tournament that featured solely Southern Italian teams. After those initial occurrences, the two teams would not meet officially until 1935 in a Coppa Italia match that finished in Catania’s favor, 1-0. One year later, Palermo and Catania played each other for the first time in the official Italian league, albeit in SerieB. From there on out, the rivalry would become a permanent fixture in Italian football with 79 matches played between them.

Source: SerieAWeekly.com

Will Pastore stay with Palermo soccer team in 2011?

Clubs will start lining up for Palermo’s Javier Pastore in the spring time. Come summer, the financial offers will be too difficult for the Sicilian side to hold on to the Argentine playmaker who reminds many of Kaka.

Expect Pastore to end up with Kaka’s first European club, AC Milan. Pastore is the perfect replacement for Ronaldinho.

Source: Beach Report

Another impressive victory for Palermo soccer team

Palermo won very convincingly against Bologna at La Favorita. The Sicilian soccer team was not winning at home since last April 24.

The final score 4-1 does not leave any doubt on the supremacy of Delio Rossi’s team. Pastore scores at the 17th minute of the first half, Ilic and Pinilla follow him. Di Vaio tries to keep Bologna alive, but Bacinovic scores the fourth goal for Palermo.

Catania tied 1-1 against Napoli in Catania. Cavani scored for Napoli 6 minutes before the end of the match.

Palermo wins against Fiorentina in Florence

Palermo soccer team pulls another victory on Sunday. The Sicilian team played a tough and uncertain match in Florence and prevailed 2-1 against Fiorentina.

Goals from Josip Ilicic and Javier Pastore gained the Rosanero the victory despite Alberto Gilardino‘s second half effort. However, coach Delio Rossi did not seem completely satisfied with his players. After the match he pointed out how naive they in defense and how much work still needs to be done to catch up with the better teams.

Palermo beats FC Lausanne-Sport 1-0

Palermo struggled, but managed to beat FC Lausanne-Sport 1-0. Midfielder Giulio Migliaccio headed in Javier Pastore‘s cross just 11 minutes before the end of the match. Now Palermo is second in the Group F of the UEFA Europa League with 3 points as Sparta Praha, Lausanna is the trailing team in this group.

Palermo soccer team defeats Juventus in Turin 3-1

Palermo defeats Juventus in Turin with a convincing 3-1 win. Javier Pastore scored at the second minute of the first half. Josip Ilicic doubled the Rosanero’s advantage in the second half.

Cesare Bovo netted a third time for Palermo. Nothing could do Iaquinta at the 87th minute when he scored the only goal for Juventus.

Italy Coach Marcello Lippi overlooking Fabrizio Miccoli is unforgivable

So there were absolutely zero surprises in Marcello Lippi’s 29-man squad to gather in Rome this week. It’s not the final 23, but you can be 99.9 per cent certain that nobody from outside this list – Roma players apart – will be present when Italy take on Paraguay in their World Cup opener in six weeks time.

All of which means the widespread public calls for Sampdoria’s Antonio Cassano, which have barely stopped since the tactician took the reins back from Roberto Donadoni two years ago, have been completely ignored. So too have the more recent pleas for an inclusion for Fabrizio Miccoli of Palermo, who has struck upon the greatest run of his professional career over recent months as the unheralded Sicilians have moved to within two wins of a sensational Champions League appearance.

It is also believed that Inter striker Mario Balotelli will miss out on the final cut, although his exclusion from Lippi’s training party could be explained away by Inter’s participation in the Coppa Italia final tomorrow night, with a decision on Roma’s Francesco Totti being delayed for similar reasons. However, with a u-turn having not been made on other more experienced players, it is highly unlikely that ‘SuperMario’ will get a late call. As Goal.com’s Carlo Garganese argued yesterday, the head coach has decimated one of the best groups of forwards in international football by choosing to ignore much of the greatest talent at his disposal.

The case of Cassano has been debated long and hard for a lengthy period now, whilst there’s something new to talk about with Balotelli by the day. But, the story of Miccoli has become the more fascinating read.

Having suffered during his Juventus days due to his poor relationship with then-director general Luciano Moggi, the ‘Romario del Salento’ has been the centerpiece of the Palermo side since arriving in Sicily in 2007. But only this season has his real potential as a big game player shone through. With finishes in or around mid-table having become the norm in the six years since the Rosanero gained promotion, this campaign has seen the club excel thanks to the players’ united belief in each other’s abilities.

And nobody in that side has more natural ability than Miccoli. Here in Siena on Sunday, the diminutive striker proved his fantastic ability once again, striking a vital second to put Palermo out of sight in a show of great skill, poise, mentality and finishing ability. His 18th league goal of the season also sent him into joint first position in the club’s list of all time top-flight goalscorers.

But it’s not just his goals which have sent him rocketing into analysts’ minds when they talk of possible Azzurri wild cards. Despite his modest 5ft 5in frame, he has demonstrated the stature and self confidence of a man twice his size, with his performances getting better and better in the face of some monumental fixtures in recent months. Nobody is in the vein of form which Miccoli can boast right now… Nobody.

With Palermo having first moved up to fourth spot after a Miccoli-inspired 2-0 win at Juventus, they have since shown great mental toughness to remain in with a strong chance of top continental football with only two games to go, despite having faced Inter and Milan at home and made difficult trips to Cagliari and Genoa in that time. And much of that form can be attributed to the pint-sized attacker. Having bagged eight goals in his last six appearances, the former Benfica man has risen to the occasion at a time when many of his team-mates are dipping their toes in uncharted waters.

More at Goal.com

Lazio – Palermo 1-1

The Rosanero picked up their first point on the road despite being bombarded by a victory hungry Biancocelesti. After sharing the spoils with Roma during the Serie A midweek round, Palermo found their first points on the road following a suffered display with Lazio.

The home side were far more positive with their approach as they attacked with menace for the opening hour. The visitors took the lead against the run of play however when Edinson Cavani smashed a shot from range to catch Fernando Muslera off guard.

The Biancocelesti were rewarded for their perseverance five minutes from time, when Mauro Zarate tapped in from close range to level the scoring. Despite bombarding the opponents goal in the dying seconds, Lazio couldn’t find a second and were forced to settle for a solo point.

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I Want To Make History With Palermo – Walter Zenga

Palermo coach Walter Zenga has stressed his ambition to make history in Sicily.

The former Inter goalkeeper raised eyebrows earlier this term when he claimed his team would be aiming to win the Scudetto, and it is clear Zenga wants to rewrite the history books for all the right reasons.

“Do I want to be a part of Palermo’s history? Of course, the will is there because I want to do well,” the coach told the press.

“To declare seasonal objectives doesn’t mean you disappoint the fans, it shows enthusiasm, and it serves to motivate the group.

“Last year Palermo would have been in Europe had they won an extra game here and there.”

After an unconvincing start to their campaign, Palermo travel to Parma this weekend.

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