retired_xs2khizar

Monday 15th April 2004

Simone Tamburro did very well at centre-back, but he was well protected by the fact that we completely dominated and kept the ball for most of the game. We're really flying at the moment and morale around the club is very good indeed, not least from a delighted chairman.

With 4 league games remaining the table looks like THIS.

We have climbed up to 10th and it is looking increasingly like the relegation playoffs will not be threatening us this season, not that I ever believed it would even when we were right down at the bottom. Our remaining fixtures read Foggia(H), Varese(A), Montichiari(A) and Tivoli(H), and Marco Cirillo will miss the Foggia game after collecting his fourth booking of the season.


Saturday 17th April 2004

No sooner had they returned do they find themselves injured again; Daniel Fonseca spends another week out with a damaged neck, and Vladimiro Caramel will need 3 weeks to heal a fractured wrist.


Over in England, Fulham have already won the Nationwide Division One by surpassing 100 points in the process. UEFA Cup semi-finallists Tottenham look favourites for the second automatic promotion spot unless Millwall or Norwich can catch them in the final two fixtures.

Graham Taylor has been sacked by Aston Villa when 'Deadly' Doug Ellis finally decided to live up to his name. The dismissal comes due to overwhelming supporter pressure, as the fans turned on their former hero during Taylor's very disappointing second stint in charge. Villa finished 6th in the Premiership last season, but after a promising start this season they have slumped to midtable nothingness and were knocked out in the UEFA Cup 4th round.

Former Ragusa loanee Stephen Cooke is currently transfer listed and doing quite well on loan at Watford.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 18th April 2004

Today's visitors Foggia are standing proud atop the Serie C2/C table and are within touching distance of the title. As we attempt to do our best to prolong their suspense, Stuart Attewell returns from suspension and Alessandro Bonaffini takes Marco Cirillo's place in the centre of midfield.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Foggia

Ragusa lineup - Di Giovanni; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Italia, Sabellini; Manoni, Bonaffini, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Erbini, Baggio.

In an entertaining and evenly balanced first half, we come closest to taking the lead but Foggia keeper Efficie denies Erbini with a stop from point blank range. Early in the second half Erbini fails with a couple of difficult chances and Efficie parries another wickedly curling 25 yard blockbuster from Manoni.

In the 76th minute Franco Chiavarini intercepted a pass and lobbed a long ball over Foggia centre back Bonatti's head, looking for the run of Baggio in behind. In the clear, Baggio drew the keeper and shot low and hard in off the post to score the only goal of the game.

Final score: Ragusa 1 - 0 Foggia


18 year old defender Stuart Attewell picked up another man of the match award in a very exciting and free-flowing game. Not only did we beat the league leaders, but we also rise up to 8th place amidst a group of teams where only 4 points separates 7th Gela from 12th Tricase. The bad news is that Francesco Erbini has torn a groin muscle that will require 2 months to heal, obviously putting him out for the short remainder of this season.


Some big name clubs will be returning to the Serie A next season. Napoli's win sees them join runner up Udinese and champion Verona in sealing promotion from Serie B. Reggina, who released former Ragusa loanee Graziano Ursino from his contract recently, have all but mathematically secured the 4th promotion spot.

retired_xs2khizar

Tuesday 20th April 2004

The UEFA Cup Semi Final 2nd Legs were played tonight in Italy and Germany. Robbie Keane's 15th goal in 10 European matches this season was his last, as Parma won 3-1 over Tottenham in Italy to take the tie 5-4 on aggregate. Parma's Romanian striker Adrian Mutu helped himself to a hat-trick to secure his side's place in the final against fellow Italians Juventus, who won their semi by a similar aggregate score of 5-3. This ended Schalke 04's excellent run in the tournament, a run that claimed the scalps of Celtic, Newcastle and Barcelona. Juventus will return to Germany to meet Parma at the Wankdorf Stadium in the UEFA Cup Final on the 19th of May.


Wednesday 21st April 2004

There was heart-ache at Highbury in the Champions League Quarter Final 2nd Legs. After earning a 1-1 draw in Dortmund, goals from Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp put Arsenal 2-0 up at home and 3-1 ahead on aggregate, and they were looking comfortable to go through. Disaster then as Brazilian forward Ewerthon got one back in the 89th minute, and then former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hassebaink returned to haunt them by pouncing a minute later to put the German side through 3-3 on away goals.
Roma, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven booked the other semi final spots in less dramatic fashion.


Aston Villa appoint 51 year old former Feyenoord boss Bert van Marwijk as their new manager.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 25th April 2004

Both teams come into this game on good form, as we have won all of our last four matches and our hosts Varese have won three and drawn one of theirs. Marco Cirillo and Pietro Alderuccio both return to full fitness, but Daniel Fonseca is not quite there yet and will start on the bench.

Serie C2/C
Varese v Ragusa

Ragusa lineup - Di Giovanni; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Gallicchio, Baggio.

A free-kick from talented Yugoslavian midfielder Srdjan Novkovic gave Varese a 33rd minute lead, but when Chiavarini sprinted down the right flank just before half-time, Baggio was able to meet his hard cross with a downward header into the corner of the net to level things up.

Bonaffini replaced Cirillo at the break, and the second half proved to be very tense for both sides. Di Giovanni made several very important saves and was helped by some strong defending from man of the match Stuart Attewell in front of him. Fonseca replaced Gallicchio late on, and Novkovic went close with another free-kick but we held on for a good away point.

Final score: Varese 1 - 1 Ragusa


This was just the type of game that earlier in the season we would have lost 1-0. Varese can be a strong team at home and were able to get the first goal, but although they threatened in the second half we had the strength to hold them off and gain a draw.

We stay in 8th position, although Gela are 3 points ahead of us now and that 7th place that I wanted is looking unlikely. I suppose at least we can be thankful that we are comfortably safe from relegation battle now, which had not been the case for 90% of this season.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 2nd May 2004

Montichiari have struggled all season long. Going into the penultimate game they are occupying the automatic relegation spot, 2 points away from the relative safety of the relegation playoffs.

Our problems come only from missing players, as Baggio is suspended and injuries have ruled out Cinalli, Alderuccio, Italia, Caramel and Erbini. Simone Tamburro fills in at an unfamiliar position of centre back.

Serie C2/C
Montichiari v Ragusa

Ragusa lineup - Di Giovanni; Guastella, Tamburro(c), Attewell, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Gallicchio.

The early part of the game was very scrappy, as Montichiari were understandably desperate and really up for the game. Their anxious pressing was making it very difficult for us to pass the ball around and was ruining the spectacle, but somehow I don't think the tense home fans were interested in that. The best chance of the first half fell to the speedy Franco Chiavarini, but his shot was saved and Fonseca was unable to turn the rebound in from a tight angle.

In the 67th minute Claudio Gallicchio spurned a golden chance, when Fonseca broke away to the byline and crossed to find Gallicchio all alone at the far post, but the striker nodded wide when it seemed easier to score. I couldn't help thinking that Baggio or Erbini would have tucked that away (or my Gran, for that matter).

Montichiari made us pay for that miss straight away, because within 2 minutes Guastella was penalised for pushing in the area. The amusingly named Buttice stepped up and rammed the penalty into the roof of the net, much to the home fans' relief. Lupo replaced Gallicchio, Di Giovanni produced an excellent save to stop it being two, and Fonseca dragged a poor shot wide late on, but that's how it finished.

Final score: Montichiari 1 - 0 Ragusa


We stay in 8th place, but that is now the best we will be able to manage as Gela move 6 points clear above us. Foggia's win secures them the division title, and meanwhile last season's division winners Brindisi are finally confirmed as automatically relegated from the bottom of Serie C1/B, losing 23 of their 33 games this season.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 9th May 2004

The final day of a season of endurance eventually arrives. Our opponents for this last fixture are 16th placed Tivoli, who are only 2 points above Giugliano and Montichiari so a loss for them today could still see them automatically relegated if both of those teams win. A point here will be enough for them to avoid automatic relegation and face the relegation playoffs, which is now the best that they can hope for. We will not be looking to do them any favours however, because as a matter of principle I still want to ensure that we keep 8th position to equal last season's finishing place.

Stefano Guastella is unfit, so Bonaffini has to fill in at full back again and Tamburro is required to stay at centre back.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Tivoli

Ragusa lineup - Di Giovanni; Bonaffini, Tamburro(c), Attewell, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

Tivoli might be a team on the brink of relegation but they don't act like it, certainly not scrapping tooth and claw like Montichiari had. Perhaps their success last season leads them to think that they are too good to go down, but Daniel Fonseca scores his 13th league goal of the season just inside half an hour to remind them that this is not plain sailing.

The good news for Tivoli at half-time is that both Giugliano and Montichiari are 1-0 down in their matches. Tivoli should really be even further behind as Chiavarini and Fonseca had chances to make it two or three goals, but they made it too easy for Andrea Casta to save.

The second half progresses much like the first. In the final 10 minutes Vladimiro Caramel comes on as substitute for Manoni, and we run out comfortable 1-0 winners.

Final score: Ragusa 1 - 0 Tivoli


The final league table looks like THIS.

We won 7 of our last 10 fixtures to rescue a disappointing season and regain 8th place, which was the minimum I was looking for when we set off eight months ago. We also finished 11 points from either playoff zone in both directions.

Palmese and Acireale reach the Serie C2/C promotion playoffs for the 2nd year running.

retired_xs2khizar

Wednesday 12th May 2004

The Champions League will be an all-Italian affair again, just like last year, with Inter Milan involved again after they sneaked past Borussia Dortmund on away goals, 4-4 on aggregate. Roma had it easier against PSV Eindhoven, with Italian international striker Vincenzo Montella bagging all four goals in Rome to round off a 5-0 aggregate victory. The two Serie A sides will meet in Athens on May 26th.


Saturday 15th May 2004

Our scout Enrico Calabrese has left the club, joining as a scout for Pontedera in Serie C2/B with £2,000 heading our way in compensation.


The FA Cup final took place today. Almost 90,000 fans packed the brand new Wembley stadium for the return of the cup final to the capital, with London side West Ham United facing Liverpool. West Ham's new manager Gianluca Vialli was looking to repeat the FA Cup success that he enjoyed in his time at Chelsea.

West Ham slightly had the edge in a close game and the balance was tipped when Paolo Di Canio arrived as a substitute midway through the second half. His first touch was a glorious sweeping ball from left to right to locate Trevor Sinclair, and 21 year old England international striker Jermain Defoe controlled Sinclair's cross to nip in and stab the ball under Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

As the clock reached 90 minutes the sign went up showing that an extra three minutes would be added. Liverpool won a corner, taken by Vladimir Smicer, and half-time substitute Emile Heskey rose high above Repka to power home a header, sending the FA Cup final into extra time for the second time in two years.

Just five minutes into extra time, former Liverpool player Jason McAteer's long clearance down the right was chased by West Ham teammate Louis Saha. Kirkland came out of goal to clear but his kick deflected off Saha to the edge of the area, and as Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher battled with Jermain Defoe for the loose ball it was Defoe who was able to poke it into the open net for his second goal.

Liverpool were unable to repeat their comeback, and captain Michael Carrick lifted the trophy for West Ham's first FA Cup triumph since 1980.


At the same time over here in Italy, Juventus and AC Milan fought out the 2nd leg of the Italian Cup final in Milan. Juventus held on to their 2-0 1st leg lead to win the tie 3-2 on agg, retaining the trophy that they won last year and ensuring that Milan finished the season empty handed.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 16th May 2004

AC Milan may not be displaying any new silverware this summer, but the Serie A title that they won last season will still be staying in Milano. On the final day of the Serie A season, city rivals Inter Milan confirmed their place at the head of the table for their first Scudetto since 1989.


Back in England again, the Premiership also ran to the final day. A rejuvenated Newcastle United on 85 points were away to relegated Crystal Palace, and Manchester United were home to midtable West Bromwich Albion on 84 points. A hat-trick from goal machine Ruud van Nistelrooy gave the Red Devils hope with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford, but Craig Bellamy's volley on the stroke of half-time at Selhurst Park was enough to give Arsene Wenger's Newcastle a 1-0 win to retain their title.

Arsenal finished in third place behind Manchester United, giving the top three places an identical look to last season.


Wednesday 19th May 2004

The UEFA Cup final was played out in Germany between Parma and Juventus. Frabrizio Miccoli and David Trezeguet twice gave Juventus the lead in the second half, only for Adrian Mutu to equalise both and send the game into extra time. The assembled Parma fans went crazy when young Brazilian striker Adriano lobbed Buffon to put Parma in front in extra time, but man-of-the-match David Trezeguet popped up at the far post to equalise and they were facing a penalty shootout.

Alessandro Frara missed Juve's fourth penalty, but, faced with the spot kick to win the cup, Adrian Mutu saw his penalty saved by Buffon. Moretti kept his nerve to score Juventus' penalty and even it up at 4-4 after five penalties each, but in sudden death Marco Zanchi missed after Parma had scored theirs and the UEFA Cup went back to Italy with Parma.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 23rd May 2004

In keeping with the exciting finishes to Europe's other major competitions, there was an incredible end to the Spanish Primera Liga, where, going into the final game, Barcelona sat top on 87 points with title holders Real Betis just behind on 86 points. Barcelona's fixture was away to relegated Racing Santander at the bottom of the table, and Betis were at home to 6th-placed Malaga.

Despite dominating the game and peppering the Malaga goal with shots, Betis are held 0-0 at the final whistle, and the travelling Barcelona fans in Santander are celebrating where the scoreline is the same. There's a twist in the tail though, as in the 90th minute Racing striker Rodolfo Bodipo emerges to fire in a shock winner to break Barcelona hearts. Almost the last kick of the league season causes Barcelona to lose 1-0, and Betis pip them to retain their title by a matter of goal difference. Last year's runner-up Real Madrid come in third.

Barcelona will get the opportunity for some sort of small revenge when they meet Real Betis at the start of next month for the Spanish Cup final.


In Italy, Serie B club Crotone have had receivers called in to deal with their financial difficulties.


Monday 24th May 2004

There are celebrations here when Eddy Baggio is the shock choice for Serie C2/C Player of the Year. He has been excellent since he joined us in January, but it still comes as a pleasant surprise to us and Eddy himself. It also means that both of our new strikers are decorated, as Francesco Erbini wins the Serie C2/C Top Goalscorer award for the second successive season, scoring 30 league goals as part of his 33 goals from 33 appearances in all competitions.


Wednesday 26th May 2004

In the Champions League final in Athens, newly crowned Serie A champions Inter Milan faced off with Roma. Despite Inter having the edge and Fabio Cannavaro playing particularly well, Serie A Young Player of the Year Antonio Cassano opened the scoring for Roma in the second half, only for Hernan Crespo to equalise ten minutes later. It was left to Vincenzo Montella to win it in the 80th minute, dribbling around Toldo to slide in his 15th goal of the tournament, making him the joint top goalscorer in European competition this season by matching Robbie Keane's UEFA Cup efforts.

For the first time in the club's history Roma are champions of Europe, and Inter are denied the chance to match rival AC Milan's prodigious double last season.


Saturday 29th May 2004

After the dust has settled on the Serie C2/C relegation playoffs, Olbia and Tivoli are the unlucky losers as Guigliano and Gladiator survive yet again.

In the Spanish Cup Final in the Santiago Bernabeu, ex-Betis striker Henrik Larsson grabbed a goal against his former club as Barcelona get their modicum of revenge for missing out on the league title, taking the cup 3-1.

Over in England, after Sir Alex Ferguson had finally adorned his slippers, picked up the newspaper's horse racing pages and gone through with his retirement, former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce has walked out of Birmingham City to take up the vacant position at Old Trafford.

retired_xs2khizar

Thursday 10th June 2004

While everyone else is glued to the television watching the Euro 2004 group stages get into full swing in Portugal, Salvatore Rinzillo and myself are running our 19 year old goalkeeper Giuseppe Lenea through some fitness tests on the training ground. Giuseppe broke his leg back in November but the doctors have finally given him full clearance to play again, and if we can get a full pre-season under him then he should hopefully be back in business for next season.

It has been really tough on Giuseppe because he's normally such a lively kid, but this sort of injury took its toll even on him and he can't have been having much fun sat around while Nicolas Cinalli and Antonio Di Giovanni took it in turns to lift us back up the table.


Saturday 12th June 2004

At the San Siro in Milan, Palmese complete a 4-0 aggregate win over Sassuolo in the Serie C2/C promotion playoff final, to relieve their disappointment from last season and make the step up to Serie C1.

Over in Portugal there is a flashback to a Euro 96 fixture, when England take on Holland in Euro 2004 Group D. In the first 10 minutes some bustling work from Aston Villa's Darius Vassell provides Michael Owen with a chance to lob Edwin van der Sar, and that proves to be enough to ensure that England take the win.