Milan clinch first title since 2004
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri finished an excellent first season in charge of the Red and Blacks by guiding them back to the summit of Serie A in his first try. Proving to be an inspired appointment by Milan supremo Adriano Galliani, Allegri ably blended the mercurial additions of Robinho, Antonio Cassano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a jaded, elderly and under-performing Milan squad, to some effect. After a slow and ponderous start, Milan's defence clicked into gear and their attack found their rhythm to break clear of the league.
Crucial and timely goals from their front six became regular occurrences as Milan raced into a commanding lead. That they never showed any nerves or late season stumbles owes much to the confidence, assurance and harmony that Allegri has imbibed to his team.
Their record against the lesser lights was assured, their performances against the big seven comfortable, with only two home losses to Juventus and Roma, bringing any concern. A splendid and professional 4-0 aggregate double victory over rivals and main title threats Inter underlined a special season as Milan returned to the top in some style. Six points clear of Inter despite two late season draws, once the Scudetto had been secured, Milan finished with the best defence and one of the best attacks. 20 times, they kept their opponents at nil.
A loss to Palermo in the Coppa Italia and some tepid performances in the Champions' League reveal a lot of work that still needs to be done, but Milan are on the right course. This season was very much a blending of three generations and groups of players, a daunting task that Allegri managed with some aplomb.
He managed to squeeze another season out of veterans Massimo Ambrosini, Filippo Inzaghi, Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Gianluca Zambrotta, Marek Jankulovski, Massimo Oddo and Gennaro Gattusso, all the while putting in place their future replacements in Luca Antonini, Antonio Cassano, Urby Emmanuelson, Alexander Merkel, Kevin Prince Boateng, Robinho and Ignazio Abate. He also rejuvenated the stalled careers of Alexandre Pato, Mathieu Flamini, Christian Abbiati and Daniele Bonera. While the experienced heads in the first group will slowly drift into retirement, their successors in the next two cohorts, are ready, hungry and waiting.
For the rest, the season was, mostly, a memorable one. The emerging trio of Napoli, Udinese and Palermo all played well with the first two securing automatic Champions' League berths while Palermo finished 8th. Although Inter finished second, their season was one to forget as they were only able to retain the Coppa Italia, the easiest leg of their treble from 2010, where they defeated Palermo in the final. Manager Rafa Benitez was fired midway through the season before being replaced by former Milan legend Leonardo, who left, in turn at season's end. But for Samuel Eto'o, they may have well finished outside the top four altogether.
While Palermo have to rely on Javier Pastore to keep the crowds at the Stadio Renzo Barbera happy, with a thin squad light on quality (Antonio Nocerino, Armin Bacinovic, Salvatore Sirigilu, Fabrizio Miccoli and Ezequiel Munoz anyone ?) and an eccentric president in Maurizio Zamparini; Napoli and Udinese have young and exciting squads of challenging of glory in the years to come.
The Neopolitan team from Stadio San Paolo are stacked around the playmaking talents of Marek Hamsik and field a sparkling attack and mean defence, while boasting an average age that is to be envied. Udinese brought their experiences multi-cultural squad to bear with a strong fourth place finish. If both teams are to survive off season moves, their may be a power shift in the league as the seven sisters are shoved down the table.
Among the heavyweights, Lazio and Roma finished fifth and sixth respectively with the former in contention for a Champions' League berth for much of the season while Roma were struggling in the bottom six. Juventus had a season to forget in seventh and will look to clear much of the deadwood in their team. Fiorentina finished ninth, Parma 12th and Sampdoria, last season's resurgent sparkle from Genoa, ended the season in 18th spot and relegation as they were unable to recover from the loss of star attackers Antonio Cassano and Gianpaolo Pazzini.
Serie A has reinvented itself post-Caliopoli and has seen lots of smaller teams challenging for the top six spots and plenty of emerging and youth talent spread amongst the division. After one of the best season's ever, with as many as 7 teams fighting for the top 3 spots, the Italian league can only get better.
Top Ten Players:
Edinson Cavani - With 26 goals and 6 assists he is Napoli's best player and Serie A's most marketable young star. The Uruguayan forward is the complete package of skill, temperament, creativity and game-intelligence. A joy to watch and one of the main reason's Napoli is back in the Champions' League next season with a third place finish.
Javier Pastore - Very few people watch Palermo, who consistently punch above their weight in Serie A, this year finishing a commendable eighth. Javier Pastore however, is the main and often, the only reason, they get any attention or any results. Carries the club on his back with 11 goals and five helpers.
Alexis Sanchez - An excellent season to follow an inspiring World Cup, the Chilean star dovetailed excellently with club talisman Antonio Di Natale up front. Udinese finished fourth but Sanchez, after 12 goals and assists each, is on his way to Barcelona at season's end, being one of Europe's hottest young forwards.
Antonio Di Natale - At the ripe old age of 33, still getting it done with an even better season than the last. 28 goal and seven assists made it a record breaking return for him. Humble and unassuming off the pitch, he remains Italy's best forward on it.
Samuel Eto'o - Having been around forver, it seems surreal that he is still as effective and prolific as he is. 21 goals and 11 assists later, he was the one bright spark in a difficult season for Inter. The makeweight in a lopsided deal, for Ibrahimovic, he remains Inter's main goal threat.
Alessandro Matri - Despite accumulating almost the entire national team's striking corps, Juventus still struggled for fluency, goals and points, ending in 7th. Ironic then, that their one Italian striker with precious little international pedigree ended up as their ace in the hole. Matri arrived on the scene with 20 goals this season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Milan took a gamble on the talented but suspect Swede, but it paid off in great fashion as he contributed to 25 goals (14 G, 11A) in a season that saw his run roughshed over the also-runs in the division. No one finishes better or scores from less likely situations. Ibrahimovic won his 7th league title in a row.
Andrea Cossu - Serie A's most underrated midfielder with 13 assists for a struggling lower table side in Cagliari, it's a pity that his talents will never get recognition on a bigger stage. Led the league with 13 assists and chipped in with 4 goals as well. Everything his side does, goes through him.
Ezequiel Lavezzi - Another of Napoli's Argentine wizards, the long haired marksman was a thorn in the side of defences up and down the peninsula. Part of an attacking trident at the southern giants with Marek Hamsik and Cavani, Lavezzi's displays were a joy to watch as he racked up 12 assists to go with his 6 goals.
Thiago Silva - For the second year in a row, the best defender in the league. Solid, commanding, imperious, despite being only 26. He is the natural successor to legendary defensive giants like Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. Milan kept 20 clean sheets and only allowed 24 goals in 38 games. Small wonder when you consider the 33 starts that Silva made.
Top Ten Moments:
Juventus 1 - 3 Palermo - September 2010 - Juve were very much far from the finished article and this game proved that it would be another long and miserable season for the Turin club. Palermo are and were on the up, Juventus were stuck in reverse.
Roma 3 - 2 Fiorentina - November 2010 - Fabio Simplicio got things going before Marco Boriello and then Alberto Gilardino brought the game to life. Simone Perrotta looked to have put the game out of reach before Gaetano Agostini scored right at the death to give the Viola some hope and Roma plenty of drama till the end. Serie A football was alive and well.
Milan 4 - 4 Udinese - January 2011 - Eight goals in a Italy ? You must be joking - nope, sometimes fact is stranger than fiction. When the heirs to the throne met the league's most explosive attack, something had to give. Both sides traded goals and leads till Ibrahimovic scored at the death to rescure a point for Milan. Alexandre Pato and Di Natale traded doubles.
Napoli 4 - 0 Sampdoria - January 2011 - The beginning of the end for Samp. their first game without both Gianpaolo Pazzini (gone to Inter) and Antonio Cassano (Milan) got their first taste of life after the duo. Samp would go on to win just two of their last 17 games to slide from top four contention into Serie B.
Inter 5 - 3 Roma - February 2011 - Goals, goals and more goals. The defending treble winners were determined to go down fighting and a composed team performance saw them finally end the challenge of Roma. Inter would go on to finish a distant second while Roma would drop down to sixth.
Palermo 0 - 7 Udinese - February 2011 - The biggest away win by a team all season. The black and white striped side destroyed their Sicilian opponents in a sparkling and commanding performance. Di Natale scored three, Sanchez bagged four and Palermo lost a player after 40 minutes with another after 60. The balance of power in upper midtable was shifting.
Milan 3 - 0 Inter - April 2011 - A fluent double over their rivals without conceding a goal made all the difference at the top of the table. Both wins cemented the rise of Milan at the expense of Inter. A Milanese changing of the guard.
Milan 4 - 1 Cagliari - May 2011 - A season and league high attendance of 80021 streamed into the San Siro to see their team return to the summit Italy. Their team duly obliged putting the Sardinian team to the sword. Champions.
Udinese 2 - 1 Lazio - May 2011 - After a season long, close reace, this was confirmation that Di Natale's goals, Sanchez's guile, Isla's craft and Asamoah's graft would see the Udine club in the Champions' League the over their Roman rivals from Latium.
Roma 3 - 1 Sampdoria - May 2011 - Goals from Francesco Totti, Mirko Vucinic and Marco Boriello ensured that Roma would make Europe next season while condemning Samp, who started the season in the Champions' League playoffs, to relegation.
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