Author: Crazy

The Ligue 1 side’s president has confirmed that his club could make a summer swoop for the Uruguay international, who has seen little game time at San Siro this season

Olympique de Marseille have confirmed their interest in signing Inter defender Alvaro Pereira.

The Uruguay international only joined the Nerazzurri from Porto in the summer of 2012 but he has failed to establish himself as a regular starter at San Siro and has managed just five appearances in Serie A this season under new coach Walter Mazzarri.

Consequently, Marseille president Vincent Labrune is considering a move for Pereira, whose situation has also reportedly attracted the attention of Premier League side Tottenham.

“He is a player that we like and are interested in although perhaps more for the summer than for January,” he told RMC.

“We have little money available at the moment and cannot do so much on the market at this time, although we are working to solve this problem perhaps if someone leaves.”

Marseille, who currently sit sixth in Ligue 1, have already sent forward Jordan Ayew out on loan to struggling Sochaux.

The award of penalties and alleged bias on the part of match officials has again been the subject of much debate this season – but who is really suffering in terms of spot-kicks?

“How are we to interpret the refereeing decisions that are going against us? … They haven’t given us a penalty yet and I don’t think that’s normal.”

Those were the words of Diego Milito after Inter’s 1-0 loss to Serie A rivals Lazio on Monday evening. Such conspiracy theories are nothing new in Italy, of course, but, as the Calciopoli scandal of 2006 underlined, just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean the referees are not doing right by you.

However, do the stats offer any kind of support for Milito’s claim? Well, Inter are in the unusual position of having reached the halfway point of the 2013-14 season without having received a single penalty. They are not alone in that regard, though, as Parma, Atalanta and Chievo have also yet to earn a single spot-kick.

Of course, one could claim that the smaller sides never get anything off referees, anyway, but Sassuolo are in the relegation zone and yet they’ve benefited from four penalties already this term – which puts them joint-sixth in the overall spot-kick standings.

It may come as a surprise to Roma captain Francesco Totti but that’s one more than leaders Juventus. Interestingly, it is fourth-placed Fiorentina and ninth-placed Genoa who top this particular table, with six penalties apiece.

That means that the Viola and the Rossoblu, on average, are awarded a spot-kick every three games. However, that’s not the best average in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ Leagues.

No, that honour/advantage belongs to a Bundesliga side. Bayern Munich? No. It’s lowly Hoffenheim. The 12th-placed team in Germany’s top flight have won seven penalties in just 17 games, one more than Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, and two more than the reigning champions.

The statistics in Spain are also somewhat surprising. There is an assumption that officials always favour Real Madrid and Barcelona, but it is Atletico who have racked up the most penalties after 18 rounds of action, though Diego Simeone’s men have only scored five of their seven spot-kicks. In fairness, both Madrid and Barcelona have received five apiece, but then, so too have Rayo Vallecano and Levante.

In France, though, it is leaders Paris Saint-Germain who top the penalty standings, with seven in 19 outings. Nearest rivals Monaco have received just three.

By complete contrast, Arsenal, who top the Premier League, have earned just two penalties this season. North London rivals Tottenham have four, though, one ahead of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, who have been involved in plenty of simulation controversies of late.

However, spare a thought for Cardiff City, as they’re the only side in the English top flight yet to win a single spot-kick this season. Proof, surely, that money can’t buy you everything.

Goal runs through the best performers in the latest round of Italian top-flight action

Serie A was back with a bang over Sunday and Monday, with 2014 beginning in much the same way as 2013 ended. But there were a mix of old and new stars performing well in the top flight, making it a tough ask to select the latest Goal Team of the Week.

Gianluigi Buffon gets the nod in goal for his great display in Juventus’ 3-0 win over previously-unbeaten Roma and is protected by one of his own, with Giorgio Chiellinialso a standout at Juventus Stadium. Gonzalo Rodriguez was not only a star at the back for Fiorentina but also grabbed the winner in the Tuscan derby against Livorno, while Alessandro Lucarelli‘s defensive display and first-half goal were key components in Parma’s come-from-behind victory over Torino.

Marco Marchionni also got on the scoresheet in the Crociati‘s success, and Francesco Lodi drove Catania to a rare victory against Bologna. Arturo Vidal opened the scoring in Juve’s victory against Roma and Bryan Cristante marked his first Serie A strike with a goal and a fine display in Milan’s win over Atalanta.

The Rossoneri‘s 3-0 success came largely thanks to the finishing of Kaka in two vital moments of the game, while the same could be said for Luca Toni‘s brace for Verona at Udinese. And Dries Mertens was another to net twice, leading Napoli to a vital success over Sampdoria in their bid for a return to the Champions League next season.

The Argentine striker has suggested that the referees in Serie A have an agenda against the Giuseppe Meazza side

Diego Milito feels Inter are being treated unfairly by referees in the wake of the Nerazzurri‘s 1-0 Serie A loss to Lazio on Monday.

Head coach Walter Mazzarri previously voiced his frustration with the performance of officials in Monday’s encounter shortly after the final whistle and Milito has now moved to question the agenda of those in charge.

“How are we to interpret the refereeing decisions that are going against us? It’s really hard. We keep saying the same things,” Milito told Inter Channel.

“They haven’t given us a penalty yet and I don’t think that’s normal.

“There was that foul on Rolando, [Fredy] Guarin’s burst forward that might have changed the game – episodes like that are penalising us at the moment.”

Milito returned to match action against Lazio after a lengthy spell on the sidelines and he was pleased to be back.

“I couldn’t wait to get back on the pitch after so many months out – it felt great.”

The 34-year-old has made just four Serie A appearances so far this term due to physical problems, scoring twice in the process, having missed the second half of last season with an Achillees injury.

The Blues have held extensive talks with the Serie A giants in Milan and London over the Colombian, but the club’s sporting director Piero Ausilio insists he will stay

Fredy Guarin will stay at Inter despite interest from Chelsea, the Serie A giants have confirmed.

Last month Goal revealed the Blues had sent representatives to Italy for talks over Guarin, and that Inter directors Piero Ausilio and Marco Branca had also travelled to London for discussions.

Both the Colombian and his agent later confirmed negotiations had taken place, but Ausilio now insists Inter are happy to keep hold of their star man.

“Guarin is an Inter player and we are happy to keep him,” he told Sky Sport Italia before Monday night’s game away to Lazio.

“Denying the contacts with Chelsea would be denying the evidence. It is a source of pride to talk with them about one of our players, but everything stopped there.

“We are happy Guarin could stay with us for a long time. We don’t have the intention to sell him. He’s an important player.”