Not content with the debate sparked by our Top 10 Azzurri kits article earlier this year, we decided to put ourselves back in the firing line by compiling a list of the top...
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Tales from the Peninsula: Adventures in Serie B with Empoli
I’ve been to northern Italy enough times in the winter to know that it falls victim to gionata piovosa (daily rain) as much as England in February. The promise...
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The superstitious mind of Massimo Cellino
The Cambridge English dictionary defines ‘superstition’ as a “belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is connected with old ideas about magic, etc.” If...
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Stadio Artemio Franchi: Architecture as progressive as the Duomo di Firenze
Purple permeates the Tuscan city of Florence in tribute to the football team that represents it – ACF Fiorentina, aka La Viola. It is said that the club’s colour...
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Giuseppe Meazza and Luigi Ferraris: In celebration of original stadia
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was supposed to be held in Colombia. In late 1982, the prospective host withdrew from its commitment, citing ‘economic difficulties’ (read as asymmetric internal...
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Tales from the Peninsula: Generosity, beauty & silverware in Milan
When my girlfriend, Maria, and I saw a poster advertising a trip to watch Milan versus Juventus at the theatre of football I had no reservations instantly contacting the...
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The top 10 Azzurri kits of all time
What’s your favourite Italy jersey? The question sounds simple, but the answer, and the thought process involved in reaching a decision, is anything but. When I asked writers and...
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Tales from the Peninsula: Tickets, touts & transport strikes in Naples
It is 15.00pm on Sunday afternoon and tipping 34 degrees as I step out of the railway station, but more than the heat it’s the visual impact that overwhelms...
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Tales from the Peninsula: How Naples worships Diego Maradona
Every club has their hero, whether they are competing in non-league divisions or the Champions League, but Napoli’s relationship with their hero is different. In fact, to many Neapolitans,...
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Football Italia at 25: Celebrating Gazzetta’s greatest golaccios (part III)
This month celebrates a quarter century since an unknown twentysomething called James Richardson emerged as a staple in our lives via Channel 4’s groundbreaking coverage of Serie A. Following...
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