by Pete Horn

The alarm clock blares loudly as I turn to see the time is 8:45 in the morning. It’s Saturday and I had a rough night the previous day from work and school assignments. You know what though? It’s derby day in Milan. I will still wake up early in the morning to watch the game even though it’s a weekend and I should be doing what most other university students would do, sleep late.

Most would say that it is just a game. But no, it is so much more. It is football brilliance personified. When it is derby day in Italy it does not matter which position you are on the table or how many points you have. On this day it is something special.

For the next 90 minutes you get to see the best two teams have to offer and then some. You get to see Pirlo deliver superb passes all around the pitch. You get to see Ibra slip past defenders for a shot at goal. And most importantly of all, you get to see the natural competitive spirit at its purest. No way would I miss this match. Sure you can record it or perhaps even watch the rebroadcast, but nothing beats seeing brilliance unfold live before your very eyes.

I have been an Italian football fan for as long as I can remember and have always preferred it over any other league. Why you ask? The answer is simple; you get everything you want; action, excitement, controversy and more.

As far as action goes you have some of the greatest players in the world playing in the league such as Kaka, Trezeguet, Crespo, Mancini, Nedved, Amauri and many more. Not to mention the World Cup Winning Italian players with the likes of Totti, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Maldini, Buffon, etc. Just these names alone bring huge action to the table with their incredible skills, talent and charisma. If you are not convinced watch the next Inter match and see Zlatan handle the football masterfully as if it were magnetically drawn to his feet.

You want excitement? Just watch Kaka speed down the pitch for an incredible finish to a lightning quick play or Totti make a superb shot from outside the box. Your breath is taken away as you see players make incredible dribbles and you get frustrated as you see Paolo Maldini or Pupi Zanetti stop them cold all the while making it look easy. Sorry Premiership fans, but as far as excitement goes the Serie A has taken the lead as of recent. On top of that, the skill factor is way higher in Italy than in the Premiership. Although the Serie A may seem slow compared to the high pace that is in England the truth of the matter is that only pace is what the Premiership has at the moment. At times I have asked myself whether I am watching a football match or a bunch of workhorses running around the pitch compared to the more composed and skillful Italian matches.

You ask for controversy? You’ve come to the right place. No league in the world is filled with as much controversy as the Serie A, notably after the recent scandal that saw teams such as Juve relegated and others being docked points. Not only does it add to the excitement but makes for great conversation with your friends. Every time the assistant raises his flag when he shouldn’t have or when the ref dismisses a handball that even a blind man could see you jump from your seat in emotion. Especially important are referee decisions favoring top club teams. One example given is the frequency in which top clubs get away with quite a many rash challenges. I remember seeing a match between Roma and Livorno and was shocked at how lenient the referee was being, particularly after a dangerous challenge from a Roma player. The referee not only kept the yellow in his pocket, but he did not even stop the game. Yet a few minutes later when a Livorno player gave a stern push towards a popular Roma player he was issued a yellow card instantly.

Although this season has been poor for Italian teams in Europe with Milan and Inter being knocked out of the Champions League and Fiorentina recently loosing the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup to Rangers, I still expect great things to come next season. The Italian league has gained a lot of popularity from players around the world especially with the big signing of Alexandre Pato and Ludovic Giuly to A.C. Milan and A.S. Roma, respectively, and I would not be surprised to see this trend growing.

For now though as the Serie A nears to a close, Inter appear certain to win the Scudetto for the second consecutive time. Although Roma have fought hard it does not look as though they can win it this time around. On the other hand though, Juve fresh back from Serie B, were not able to achieve the title as they hoped for, but have definitely made a real impact and sent a message to all the clubs in Italy that they are ready to challenge for the Scudetto next season. Plus, FIFA World Club Cup winners A.C. Milan look to rebound from a substantially poor season they have had seek to regain their dignity. The season may be coming to a close, but the rumors and predictions are already flying around as to who will be the champion next.

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