Juventus reacted with fury on Tuesday after Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho implied the club received favourable treatment from referees.

Mourinho made the comments at a press conference which saw him allude to the controversy which ensued following the Serie A leaders’ 3-3 draw with AS Roma – a match in which his men recovered to bag a point with the aid of a contested spot kick.

Mario Balotelli netted the penalty but Roma boss Luciano Spalletti was livid and accused Balotelli of diving.

Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri – like Mourinho a former Chelsea coach – saw fit to back Spalletti and that angered the Inter coach, who promptly insinuated that Juve received preferential treatment from referees.

“While Ranieri says he is behind Spalletti, I am on the side of coaches who have dropped points against Juve – and also on the side of those who are going to meet Juve in the coming weeks,” Mourino said ahead of Wednesday’s Italian Cup semi-final meeting with Sampdoria.

Juve Furious Amid Mourinho Claims Of Ref Favours … read more »

World champions they may be, but Italy is feeling a chill in its domestic game as the country’s glamour clubs suffer a potentially devastating slump.

Last week’s European action brought home a very uncomfortable truth that the Italians, considered the continental driving force in the 1990s, are no longer sitting at the head of the table.

In three clashes against English opposition, Italy’s three Champions League representatives failed to score a goal, suffered two defeats and only some profligate Manchester United finishing, coupled with heroic goalkeeping from Julio Cesar, allowed Inter Milan to buck the losing trend.

To make matters even worse, three of Italy’s four UEFA Cup sides went crashing out with AC Milan, Fiorentina and Sampdoria eliminated, leaving only northern side Udinese to progress to the last 16.

If Udinese fail to get past holders Zenit St Petersburg in the next round, Italy could well find itself without a single team in the quarter-finals of either European competition.

It’s a far cry from the glory days of the 1990s.

First, the Spanish and now the dominant English, thanks to the mega-rich Premier League, have streaked past.

Italian Clubs Tackle an Inconvenient Truth … read more »

AC Milan want to extend former England captain David Beckham’s loan period from Los Angeles Galaxy till the end of the season the Italian club’s vice-president Adriano Galliani said on Monday.

Beckham, 33, is meant to return to the American club on March 9 but AC Milan have been trying desperately to either buy him – which they failed with what was termed by the Americans as a ridiculous offer of 3million dollars – or extend his loan after impressing since he arrived.

“I hope I succeed in sorting it out that he stays till June 30,” Galliani told the club’s television station.

“After that he can go back to Los Angeles, before returning to us next January (Beckham will cost nothing come November 30).

“That is what we are trying to do. It is complicated as we always knew it would be, but we are still trying.”

Beckham is keen to stay with Milan as he believes the higher level of competition helps his chances of figuring regularly in England coach Fabio Capello’s plans and should England qualify making it to a fourth successive World Cup finals next year.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito is very happy after his team obtained another three points by beating Bologna. “Zarate unblocked himself and now I’m convinced that also the team will start again with the same rhythm of the start of the season,” explained the Biancocelesti president.

“We dominated, this team has great quality and I saw a nice flow in our game. A coherent environment has been created inside the dressing room.”

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti could be out of action for more than a month after scan confirmed that he damaged a muscle in his right thigh. during the 3-2 defeat at Calcio Catania yesterday.

Thigh problem
Totti was forced out after 31 minutes of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at Calcio Catania, which ended a run of eight victories in all competitions, leaving the pitch holding the back of his thigh after trying a back-heel pass to Júlio Baptista. On Monday the forward underwent a scan which confirmed a strain.

Absence
He will not train for ten days and may not be available when Roma resume their Serie A campaign on 11 January against AC Milan, adding to a previous absence this term due to a knee problem, a blow as Totti has managed five goals in ten league games this term. However, the 32-year-old should return in plenty of time for the UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against Arsenal FC on 24 February and 11 March.