Thesefootballtimes
Why Claudio Marchisio is still the prince of Turin
Why Claudio Marchisio is still the prince of Turin
AFTER 73 MINUTES of an all-action display, the fans in the deafening Juventus Stadium stood on their feet to applaud their hero as he departed the pitch. Six months without any football action could not hinder the elegance of the excellent Claudio Marchisio, as his return to the pitch from a career-threatening knee injury went as […]
From Brady to Dybala: Juventus and the fabled number 10 shirt
From Brady to Dybala: Juventus and the fabled number 10 shirt
THE NUMBER 10 SHIRT IS SACRED IN FOOTBALL. It’s a number that carries much pressure and weight given its tradition and the players who have worn it in the past. That is no truer than at Juventus, a club with over a century of history. The legendary Italian side, winners of 33 Scudetti titles and […]
Your guide to the Champions League knockout stages
Your guide to the Champions League knockout stages
WITH THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE knockout stage fixtures confirmed, it’s going to be a long wait until February when the contest returns. And there were certainly some headlines made when the ties were drawn, with English teams facing a real mix of challenges in the next round. Now at the business end of the competition, read on […]
Why Miralem Pjanić represents the renaissance of a dying breed
Why Miralem Pjanić represents the renaissance of a dying breed
IN AN ERA littered with pure athletes and raw physical specimens, it is the game’s artists that separate themselves from the rest. They’re the ones who dictate matches; the ones who make their teams tick. And frankly, they’re the ones the fans pay to go watch. Most importantly, they play the game the way they […]
Gianluca Vialli: the Juventus diaries
Gianluca Vialli: the Juventus diaries
In part three of a four-part series looking at the career of the iconic Gianluca Vialli, Dan Davison recalls his glory-filled Juventus years, which created a legacy like few others in the golden Football Italia era. CRISTIANO RONALDO, DIEGO MARADONA, Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane, Neymar, Ronaldo, Gareth Bale. These are just some of the footballers […]
The rise of Gianluca Vialli to calcio royalty
The rise of Gianluca Vialli to calcio royalty
In part two of a four-part series looking at the career of the iconic Gianluca Vialli, Dan Davison recalls his memorable Sampdoria years, which later set him up for brilliance at Juventus. THE 1990/91 SEASON was the greatest in the history of Sampdoria. And the truth is, for the romanticism that Italian football has come […]
Gianluca Vialli: the rise and early Sampdoria diaries
Gianluca Vialli: the rise and early Sampdoria diaries
In part one of a four-part series looking at the career of the iconic Gianluca Vialli, Dan Davison recalls his rise and early Sampdoria years, which propelled him onto the football map. ANDREA PIRLO, PAOLO MALDINI, Dino Zoff, Franco Baresi and Francesco Totti[1]; the list of Italian players who have captured the imagination of football fans […]
Gianluca Vialli: the early Sampdoria diaries
Gianluca Vialli: the early Sampdoria diaries
In part one of a four-part series looking at the career of the iconic Gianluca Vialli, Dan Davison recalls his memorable Sampdoria years, which propelled him onto the football map. ANDREA PIRLO, PAOLO MALDINI, Dino Zoff, Franco Baresi and Francesco Totti[1]; the list of Italian players who have captured the imagination of football fans across the […]
Fabrizio Miccoli: the gifted but controversial Italian whose unique genius set Palermo alight
Fabrizio Miccoli: the gifted but controversial Italian whose…
THERE’S A SONG by Sud Sound System, a reggae group from the Italian region of Apulia, that begins like this: ‘If you never forget your roots, you’ll be able to respect those of every foreign country. If you never forget where you come from, you’ll be able to value your culture properly.’ Sud Sound System […]
Gianluca Vialli: the Sampdoria diaries
Gianluca Vialli: the Sampdoria diaries
In part one of a four-part series looking at the career of the iconic Gianluca Vialli, Dan Davison recalls his memorable Sampdoria years, which propelled him onto the football map. ANDREA PIRLO, PAOLO MALDINI, Franco Baresi, Dino Zoff, Franco Baresi and Francesco Totti[1]; the list of Italian players who have captured the imagination of football […]