PALERMO

[D-Kin]

61' Ascoli hit the bar with a fizzing free-kick! Palermo, after leading twice in this amtch, are on the rack!

[D-Kin]

FT 3-2 to Ascoli.

[Forza_Roma]

Great result for Ascoli! Palermo stink!

Serie A Week 36 - 13/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Ascoli 3 - 2 Palermo
Simplicio 10 (P), Boudianski 25, 61 (A), Matusiak 30 (P), Paolucci 46 (A)
Stadio Del Duca

Palermo's European hopes took a beating as they lost 3-2 away to already relegated Ascoli.

Although the home side had nothing left to play for after last week's relegation, the Rosanero still needed points to secure their UEFA Cup status. When these sides met in Week 17, Ascoli were hammered 4-0, but now their injury list included Sasa Bjelanovic, Luigi Di Biagio, Michele Fini, Valentin Nastase, Riccardo Corallo and Andrea Foglio. Palermo were without Aimo Diana and Edison Cavani, so Radislaw Matusiak got his first start.

Ascoli lost Gigi Di Biagio almost immediately to a muscular problem and it was downhill from there on.

Mark Bresciano sprung the offside trap down the right flank and rolled a low cross towards Fabio Simplicio to side-foot home from six yards and give Palermo the lead 10 minutes in.

Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos rushed out to close down Matusiak and at the other end Ascoli finally threatened with Federico Agliardi parrying a Sasa Bjelanovic snapshot.

Palermo made the mistake of thinking their work was done and sat back, allowing Ascoli to equalise with a fierce Boudianski free kick that took a deflection off the defensive wall.

Polish hitman Matusiak scored his first ever Serie A goal. Eleftheropoulos did not hold a Simplicio strike and Matusiak pounced on the loose ball from a couple of yards.

Eleftheropoulos pushed away a Cristian Zaccardo strike set up by David Di Michele and Bresciano was halted by a debatable offside position.

Palermo didn't quite wake up after the half-time break and Ascoli equalised within 60 seconds of the restart. Agliardi only parried an Andrea Soncin screamer from 25 metres and Michele Paolucci was quickest to react.

Ascoli managed to take the lead 3-2 on 61 minutes, as another Boudianski free kick split the defensive wall and beat Agliardi low at the near post.

It could so easily have been a four-goal cushion, as an embarrassingly sluggish Palermo saw Massimo Bonanni's set-piece thump the bar.

The Rosanero went down to 10 men as Fabio Simplicio reacted angrily to a Zanetti foul and was dismissed. Agliardi turned a Paolucci counter round the post.

Ascoli: Eleftheropoulos; Minieri, Melara, Di Biagio (Bellusci 4), Pesce; Guberti (Giampa' 84), Boudianski, Bonanni; Perrulli (Zanetti 46); Soncin, Paolucci

Palermo: Agliardi; Zaccardo, Biava, Barzagli, Cassani (Pisano 59); Guana (Brienza 76), Corini, Simplicio; Bresciano, Di Michele; Matusiak (Caracciolo 51)

Ref: Mazzoleni

Sent off: Simplicio 78 (P)

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Serie A Week 37 - 20/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Palermo - SienaStadio BarberaSiena know they will need a good result when they travel to Palermo if they are to stay safe from relegation, while their hosts abysmal run of form has put huge pressure on every member of the Rosanero squad and the coaching staff.

The Sicilian club have only won twice since January and last week’s defeat to bottom-placed Ascoli saw them reach a new low. President Maurizio Zamparini was so furious with the performance that caretaker boss Renzo Gobbo was axed after just three games with Francesco Guidolin returning to the helm in time for this match, despite previously being sacked by the Rosanero after the Week 33 loss to Parma.

With just two games left to secure a spot in next season’s UEFA Cup and prove their mid-season collapse was not his doing, Guidolin will be desperate to lead Palermo to a morale boosting home win in his first match back on the Stadio Barbera bench.

He will have to do so without some key members of his team though. Amauri, Aimo Diana and Edison Cavani are all injured and highly unlikely to play any further part this season and Giuseppe Biava has picked up a suspension, as has influential midfielder Fabio Simplicio following his red card in the humiliating loss at Ascoli.

The likes of Radoslaw Matusiak, Franco Brienza and Mattia Cassani should be handed starting berths as their replacements as they look to show that they are worth hanging on to during this summer’s expected clear-out, as should young goalkeeper Federico Agliardi despite a nervous performance against the Bianconeri last week.

Fate seems to have been much kinder to Siena as they will only be without veteran Paolo Negro through injury and fellow aging squad members Valerio Bertotto and Ezio Brevi, whose absences Coach Mario Beretta has been well prepared for all season. Replacements Daniele Gastaldello and Paul Codrea are expected to slot straight into the starting line-up as they have done on a number of occasions this term, while Beretta looks set to field Massimo Maccarone as a lone striker with Tomas Locatelli in support ahead of Enrico Chiesa, Daniele Corvia and Mario Frick.

The Bianconeri cannot afford another defeat as they battle against the drop to Serie B, especially after last week’s surprise win over Empoli saw them leapfrog Chievo, Reggina and Cagliari out of the relegation zone. With both Palermo and final week opponents Lazio both fairly certain of their places at the end of the season Siena will be hoping to take advantage of any signs of complacency or fatigue in their opponents, just as they did against their Tuscan rivals at the weekend.

The Robur fans will be hoping the endless saga of Palermo’s behind-the-scenes unrest can give them both the advantage and another term of top-flight football.

Man on fire: Radoslaw Matusiak (Palermo) – The Polish striker has found a place in the Rosanero starting line-up hard to come by since his January arrival, but celebrated his first Serie A start with his first goal last week, giving fans hope that they have finally found a replacement for Amauri.

Last season: Palermo 1-3 Siena

Form guide: Palermo (D L W L L) Siena (W L L L W)
Palermo (probable): Agliardi; Cassani, Zaccardo, Barzagli, Pisano; Guana, Corini, Bresciano; Brienza, Di Michele; Matusiak
Siena (probable): Manninger; Gastaldello, Portanova, Rinaudo, Molinaro; Alberto, Codrea, Vergassola, Antonini; Locatelli; Maccarone
Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

I can't believe Palermo can still qualify for the UEFA Cup, I'm hoping for a Siena win here.

[D-Kin]

Palermo captain Eugenio Corini has urged his teammates to do their best against Siena. “Securing a UEFA Cup spot depends only on us.”

The Rosanero have failed to live up to their fans' expectations following the performances offered in the first part of the season and have won only twice since January, dropping to seventh in the table.

“We must play the match against Siena like a real team,” Corini told the Press.

“Qualifying for next year’s UEFA Cup depends only on us. It is definitely an important objective that we hope to reach in front of our fans,” added the former Chievo man.

“The main thing is that our future depends only on what we will be able to do.”

The match with Siena will be the first for Coach Francesco Guidolin since he was surprisingly recalled three matches after being sacked.

“It is not an easy tie and we want to remain concentrated, trying to finish the opportunities which can allow us to win the match,” said Corini, who also stated that no other player will speak to the Press this week.

“We have decided to do so only because we believe that words are useless now, we only want to focus on the match.

“I am speaking on behalf of the entire team, in any case we do not think that hiding is the right solution,” concluded the captain.

Palermo have prepared for the tie with Siena in a pre-match training camp in Rome, as decided by President Maurizio Zamparini after the weekend’s defeat to already relegated Ascoli.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Palermo don't deserve a Uefa spot. It would be nice to see Atalanta in it. But in fairness to Palermo, Amauri would be great in Uefa Cup next season.

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Palermo. Goal by Corini 25'

[Forza_Roma]

2-0 Palermo
45` Cariaccolo

[Forza_Roma]

HT 2-0 Palermo

[Forza_Roma]

FT 2-1
90` Maccarone

[Forza_Roma]

Palermo in Uefa!!! Siena needs to beat Lazio next week!

Serie A Week 37 - 20/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Palermo 2 - 1 Siena
Corini 26 (P), Caracciolo 45 (P), Maccarone 94 (S)
Stadio Barbera

Francesco Guidolin's return to the Palermo bench ended an eight-game winless streak at the Stadio Barbera and secured a place in the UEFA Cup, but Siena face a battle to the end to stay in Serie A.

It has been quite a month for Guidolin. The tactician was fired and then brought back three weeks later after Renzo Gobbo saw them slide down the standings. Having been contenders for the leadership, they now risked missing out on UEFA Cup football as well. Yet Siena also needed points, as they hovered just above the relegation zone. Amauri, Aimo Diana and Edison Cavani were injured with the suspended Giuseppe Biava and Fabio Simplicio.

Siena had their first shot on goal after 10 seconds with Luca Antonini and were pouring forward right from the start, but Galloppa fired just over the bar.

Palermo finally came out of their shell as Alex Manninger flew to fingertip a Franco Brienza effort round the post.

As so often happened this season, Siena paid the price for poor finishing, as the Rosanero took the lead with a glorious Eugenio Corini free kick that curled over the wall and dipped mercilessly into the far corner.

That goal woke Palermo up and they began to pour forward with Andrea Caracciolo going close and Manninger parrying a couple more dangerous Corini set-pieces.

Caracciolo scored his fourth goal of the season with an absolutely blistering right-foot strike from 25 metres that slammed into the top corner.

Alberto Fontana hoped to maintain his clean sheet with a late save on Paolo Negro's powerful effort, but there was a late scare.

Massimo Maccarone blasted a free kick into the far top corner with two minutes of stoppages to go, giving Siena a last push for a point.

Palermo: Fontana; Zaccardo, Dellafiore, Barzagli, Pisano; Tedesco, Corini, Guana (Ciaramitaro 57); Brienza (Giacomazzi 86), Bresciano (Capuano 66); Caracciolo

Siena: Manninger; Negro, Portanova, Rinaudo (Eremenko 77), Molinaro; Galloppa, Codrea (Alberto 55), Vergassola, Antonini; Locatelli (Frick 42); Maccarone

Ref: Dondarini

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Palermo have signed Atalanta midfielder Giulio Migliaccio.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Stefano Colantuono is the new head coach.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Palermo are set to move for Papa Waigo of Cesena, youngsters Alberto Cossentino and Francesco Velardi a