Winners & Losers 2008/2009: Italy

29 Jul, 2009 Jonathan F Europe, Italy, Latest

After a brief hiatus Just-Football’s six part Winners and Losers 2008/2009 series continues now with a look at the successful and the not so successful in Italy’s Serie A last season.

WINNERS

Inter Milan

When Jose Mourinho strutted through the front doors at Inter Milan he did so with the mandate to make the club successful not just domestically, as they had been for the previous three seasons, but also in Europe. And so from that point of view, with elimination to Manchester United in the first knockout round, it didn’t quite go to the plan for his Specialness. That said it would be unfair to take away from Mourinho’s and indeed Inter’s achievements domestically in 2008/2009 after the Nerazzurri won a fourth straight Scudetto almost with ease.

Inter’s successes in 08/09 were, in classic Mourinho fashion, based around a rock solid defence. They conceded just 32 league goals and only lost by more than one goal once throughout the whole league campaign. Brazilian duo Maicon and Julio Cesar were standout performers in that back line, but the emergence of young Italian full back Davide Santon was arguably one of the highlights of the season for Interisti supporters. The 18-year-old looks as if he could be a real star of the future.

The key man once again however was the mercurial talent that is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede may divide more opinion than Marmite but the stats don’t lie and with 25 league goals Ibracadabra was responsible for more than a third of all Inter’s goals. His summer move to Barcelona represents a blow to the club, though Eto’o is a worthy replacement. Mario Balotelli is also rapidly developing into the controversial superstar he seems destined to become.

There will, you feel, be a bit of a makeover at Inter Milan this summer, with several names touted to be heading for the exit door (Vieira/Crespo/Figo/Quaresma/Mancini) and Mourinho is known to be trying to sign Portuguese duo Deco and Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea. Time will tell if the assault on Europe next season proves a little less feeble.

Genoa

Genoa were a revelation in Serie A last season. Jose Mourinho called them the most attractive side in Italy, they earnt their highest league finish in 19 years and also did so with a style and panache that won them widespread admiration. Not bad for a club who were playing in Serie C just four years ago.

Manager Gian Piero Gasperini deserves much praise for the recent successes of the rossoblu. He is the man who led them back up into Serie A, and under his guidance they became a team to fear in 2008/2009. His courage in employing an offensive-minded 3-4-3 formation paid off handsomely and resulted in some magnificent football; the high intensity attacking play of Diego Milito, Thiago Motta et al regularly melted teams down into submission. Were it not for a late capitulation in the 3-3 draw against Fiorentina, Genoa would have made it into the top four and Champions League.

Nonetheless many highlights were to be had in a thrilling season for Genoa – home wins over Roma, AC Milan and Juventus for example. But none moreso than the league double over local rivals Sampdoria. Genoa had not previously beaten their neighbour and enemy for 7 years, but a 1-0 away win followed up by a 3-1 victory as home team will live long in the memory. Milito may have since moved on to Inter but his hat-trick in that famous 3-1 win will be remembered for years to come, not to mention his 24 league goals.

It will be hard for Gasperini to trump 08/09’s achievements next year particularly given the departure of key players. But whatever happens this was a season to cherish for Genoa fans.

Fiorentina

Fiorentina’s rise to 4th place and Champions League football for the second consecutive season at the expense of other so-called Serie A ‘giants’ proves further testament to the excellent work done by coach Cesare Prandelli during his time at La Viola. The team have continued to grow under Prandelli’s leadership, to the extent now where the prospect of playing in the Champions League should hold no fear for the club as it attempts to relive previous European glory nights from the Trapattoni days.

One of the biggest stars of the show for Fiorentina in 08/09 was most certainly Alberto Gilardino. Shunted out via the backdoor at Milan, Gila was a revelation in Florence, finding his feet quickly enough to bag 19 goals in 33 appearances. Throw in Adrian Mutu’s scoring feats and smart creativity and the two had enough firepow
er about them to make up for the rest of the team’s relative lack of goals.

Fiorentina boasted one of the best defences in Serie A in 08/09, but it could still use improvement heading into next season. Sebastien Frey as usual was a rock and Alessandro Gamberini impressed, but too often Fiorentina were undone by defensive frailties, particularly in the Champions League. The loss of Felipe Melo to Juventus is a further blow to the defensive side of Prandelli’s plans given Melo’s prowess as ball winner and back four shield.

Prandelli will also be hoping Mutu stays freer from injury next season. His hat-trick in the 3-3 against Genoa back in February effectively clinched la Viola’s Champions League place for 09/10 and the team looks far more threatening when the party-loving Romanian is around to brighten up attacking play. Once again he’ll be an important player for them.

LOSERS

AS Roma

Given the precarious financial situation at Roma right now, along with rumours of an impending enforced clearout, only time will tell whether 2008/2009 will go down as a blip in an otherwise relatively successful period for AS Roma or the beginning of a serious downward spiral.

Either way, it was not the best of seasons for Luciano Spalletti and his men. An awful defensive record, one of the worst in the entire league, put paid to any pre-season ambitions of challenging at the top of Serie A for Roma, and though the Giallorossi were prolific in front of goal Francesco Totti and co could not do enough to make up for those terrible numbers at the back.

Really the damage was done straight from the off after a poor opening to the campaign saw Roma lose 6 of their first 10 games. From there any chance of a title challenge was blown away and Roma’s season became more about trying to make the top 4 again, with Genoa and Fiorentina chief challengers. Roma lost away to both clubs, including a 4-1 hammering by Fiorentina in April that pretty much ended any remaining faint hopes, particularly coming just a fortnight after a painful 4-2 defeat against Lazio.

The Champions League also offered little respite. Despite topping their group ahead of Chelsea, Roma lost on penalties to Arsenal in the knockout stages. Spalletti would not lead his team to their own ground, the iconic Stadio Olimpico, for the final.

Going forward a lot of uncertainty hangs over the club. Totti has just signed a new contract, but the man is 32 and increasingly injury prone. Can Spalletti really continue to rely on his aged talisman next season?

Sampdoria

It was meant to be something of a breakthrough season for Sampdoria after a promising 6th place finish in 2007/2008. Instead however the Blucerchiati suffered and, worse, had to watch on green with envy as bitter rivals Genoa won all the plaudits, both derbies and a 5th place finish. Not one to remember for Samp then.

But in fact it could have been worse. Much worse. 13th is a mediocre finish at best, but were it not for messrs Antonio Cassano and winter mercato signing Giampaolo Pazzini Sampdoria might just be preparing for life in Serie B right now. The strike pairing hit it off well and bagged 23 goals between them for Samp in 08/09 – the rest of the whole squad put together only managed 25. In Europe too it went wrong for Walter Mazzarri’s men, eliminated from the UEFA Cup 3-0 on aggregate by Metalist Kharkiv of all teams.

Ultimately a good run of just 1 defeat in 11 league games between January and April saved Sampdoria’s bacon, with Pazzini’s arrival a huge factor in that periodic upturn. Mazzarri has now left the club and been replaced by Luigi Del Neri, who will try to oversee a brighter future in 09/10 for Samp.