retired_jasminens

2013-14 Recap

Serie A

Fiorentina starting a nice collection of trophies as they grab their third straight scudetto. This time they finished only one point ahead of Arenzano.

Three players were tied for top scoring honours. Kevin Monnet-Paquet(Urbisaglia), Anderson Cueto(Arzanese) and Ronnie Schwartz(Rovereto) all finished with 18 goals. Didn't even think about this award, but I'll report on it. Serie A best player of the year honours went to Fiorentina's Rodrigo Palacio.

Corsico, Acilia and Firenze Ovest will be dropping down to Serie B.

Serie B

The three teams that dropped down the year before will return to Serie A. Catania won the Serie B crown, one point ahead of Lecce. Virtus Castelfranco will also be promoted.

Still no big name teams entering Serie C2.

Coppa Italia

Fiorentina beat Catania 3-1 in the final to add the Coppa to their league win.

In the season opener, Fiorentina also won the SuperCoppa with a 1-0 defeat of Akragas, giving them the domestic triple.

European Competition

Fiorentina were the loan Italian entry in the Champions League, starting from the 2nd qualifying phase. Qualifying wins over Stabaek and Werder Bremen put them into the group stage. The finished first in their group, going without a loss. In the first knockout round, they got by Ajax. But Liverpool ended their run in the quarter final in convincing fashion.

In UEFA Cup action, Arenzano had to start all the way back in the 1st qualifying round, where they got by Levadia in a blowout. Parma, Pomigliano, Akragas and Arenzano all made it through the 2nd qualifying round. Only Akragas and Arenzano were able to get by the first round and group stage, but both were dispatched in the first knockout round.

Due to the improved standings in Europe over the past couple season, Italy is back up to 7th in UEFA Coefficients.

National Team

Roberto Donadoni's run as Italian NT manager ended after second round exit in the 2014 World Cup. The WC squad had 16 players from outside of Italy.

retired_jasminens

Fiorentina's trophy case since 2007:

2009

Serie C2/B
Coppa Italia Serie C
Italian C2 Super Cup

2010

Serie C1/A
Italian C1 Super Cup
Coppa Italia Serie C

2012

Serie A
SuperCoppa Italiana

2013

Serie A
SuperCoppa Italiana

2014

Serie A
Coppa Italia

retired_jasminens

Getting kind of boring now, although it was close at the top.

Fiorentina won their fourth straight Serie A title. They finished tied on points with Arenzano, but Fiorentina took the title with a much bigger goal differential.

Giampaolo Pazzini of the champions lead the league with 19 goals. Rodrigo Palacio also of Fiorentina, won his second straight Best Player of the Year award.

Fiorentina won the domestic triple again, with wins in the Coppa Italia and SuperCoppa.

In Champions League play, Fiorentina made it to the first knockout round before losing to Valencia. Arenzano lost out in the group stage.

In the UEFA Cup, Pomigliano and Parma both made it to the semi-finals. Parma lost big to Sevilla, will Pomigliano were narrowly defeated by eventual champions Dortmund.

Italy are strolling through their Euro 2016 qualifying group, first place through 5 games. New coach Alessandro Costacurta is still counting on many players outside of Italy to make up the squad.

retired_ariana07

I think it will take a change of generations to bring Italy back on the football world map... the current top clubs simply aren't famous enough to bring out the real talents, and that will take a while to change.

retired_karansoni21

So is there no sign of the old guard of Seria A? Would be interesting if you posted the promoted teams from 'non league' each season with a few teams obviously going the other way from the bottom playable league.