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Author: Steven Moore

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Atalanta Serie A

Ademola Lookman Discusses Atalanta Debut & Manager Gasperini

Ademola Lookman - Atalanta - Serie A
Ademola Lookman - Atalanta - Serie A

Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 18 to speak about his perfect debut for the club, the supporters, and manager Gian Piero Gasperini.

Serie A Debut 

August 13th, Matchday 1, away to Sampdoria. Lookman had come to Bergamo from Leipzig just a few days before. In the 63′, he replaced Luis Muriel.

“I was very happy to score that goal, just happy to make my debut, to get minutes in my first game, to be able to score and help the team win was the cherry on top…”

Atalanta Supporters

After that great start, the 23-year-old, born in England but with a Nigerian passport, had to wait a whole month to find the back of the net again. Soon though he became his club’s most prolific striker thus far in the campaign – and his celebration has become one of the most popular and recognizable in Serie A.

“Our fans are amazing for 90 minutes they don’t stop singing, cheering, despite results, we may be winning or losing but they are always behind us, as a squad and as a team we feel the love they have for us and we appreciate that…”

Gian Piero Gasperini

As a striker, the main task is to score goals, but if your team goes by the name of Atalanta, you first have to settle into their playing system. It took Lookman less time than any other new Bergamaschi signing in recent years.

“Definitely, Mr. Gasperini is a very intelligent and hard-working man, everybody knows he is a very tough man also, he wants and demands the most from all of us, on the training pitch and on the match day. In that way is very clear in his understanding of how he wants us to attack and defend…”

Full Interview With Ademola Lookman

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Juventus Serie A

Andrea Barzagli Discusses Juventus Form, Allegri & Return of Chiesa

Andrea Barzagli - Juventus - Serie A
Andrea Barzagli - Juventus - Serie A

Former Italian defender Andrea Barzagli sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 18 to speak about Juventus’ recent excellent form, Massimiliano Allegri, and the return of Federico Chiesa.

Juventus Form & Defensive Dominance

Eight consecutive wins since October. Juventus have powered into second place. They’re now genuine title contenders. Remarkably, they haven’t conceded in that run – but Barzagli, the former Bianconeri centre-back, says this watertight defence is a trademark of Max Allegri’s philosophy.

“Juve have a long tradition of great defenders and traditionally Serie A is won by the team with the best defence. The team’s very much built in Allegri’s image
and steeped in the club’s DNA. The aim is to win by being solid and through your star players… From the outside, you may not like watching a team just defend, but you have to be constantly on your toes and stay focused. That’s no mean feat…”

Change From Italian to Brazilian Identity In the Backline

Barzagli, together with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, were the defensive triumvirate nicknamed BBC that made Juventus invincible and impregnable for almost a decade. Today, the Bianconeri’s defensive wall has a Brazilian flair.

“They’ve switched to a back three with Bremer in the middle and Alex Sandro at centre-back, because I think he’s less suited to playing on the flank now. Danilo is a supremely intelligent player who can do both jobs. Those three Brazilians are highly reliable. That’s a key attribute common to Italian defenders but I must say they’re having an excellent season…”

The Return of Federico Chiesa

Allegri has made a habit of winning games by a minimal margin but with the long-awaited return from injury of creative forward Federico Chiesa, Barzagli thinks the team will get an offensive upgrade.

“Chiesa changes things because in the modern game the real match-winners are those who can beat their man. The ones who run at you and create things. There aren’t that many like that and Chiesa is one of them…”

Full Interview With Andrea Barzagli

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Milan Serie A

Alessandro Nesta Discusses the New Milan & Rafael Leao

Alessandro Nesta - Milan - Serie A
Alessandro Nesta - Milan - Serie A

Former Italian defender Alessandro Nesta sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 17 to speak about Milan’s change in strategy, the 2022-23 Scudetto, and Rafael Leao.

A Change in Strategy

After five trophies with Lazio, Nesta moved to Milan – and won nine more, including two Champions League titles. That was when the Rossoneri dominated Italian football – and the transfer market.

“The club policy has changed a lot in recent years. Once upon a time, they would spend 80-100 million on a player. Now they have to look for youth. It wasn’t easy for a club like Milan to make that sort of change… Everything is working because the tactical side is on the same page as what the club does in the market…”

2022-23 Scudetto 

While Milan were crowned Italian Champions in the 2021-22 Serie A season, they are currently trailing Napoli by five points after Matchday 16. However, Nesta does not see this being a problem for the Rossoneri.

“Milan are playing catch-up. Napoli have won so many games that they’ve opened up a gap but there’s a long way to go and Napoli struggle when problems arise. When that happens the chasing pack can take advantage…”

Rafael Leao

Leao was the Player of the Season for the 2021-22 campaign, and Nesta believes Milan can thrive with him at the center of their project.

“To win games you need players who can beat their man. Leao does that for you. He’s improved a lot but he still needs to go up another notch…”

Full Interview With Alessandro Nesta

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Empoli Serie A

Fabiano Parisi Discusses His Career & Empoli Philosophy

Fabiano Parisi - Empoli - Serie A
Fabiano Parisi - Empoli - Serie A

Empoli defender Fabiano Parisi sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 17 to speak about his skillset, the club’s philosophy, and the difficulty of playing against the best clubs in the league.

Parisi’s Strengths & Qualities

Like an oboe, with its uniquely varied tone, left-back Parisi plays an integral role in Empoli’s orchestra. The 22-year-old is Serie A’s third-best dribbler and he tops his side in two more key stats: ball recovery, and duels won.

“My main quality has always been beating a man in a one-on-one and creating a numerical advantage, so I think that these stats are very pleasing… It’s my second season now after trying to adapt in my first one, while I’m now trying to establish myself. Having started out in Serie D, I’ve improved so much because starting at the bottom helps you both physically and mentally…”

Empoli’s Strategy & Goals

Paolo Zanetti’s men are Serie A’s second-youngest team this season. Inexperienced, maybe, but Parisi believes their rhythm and tempo will once again spare them from the relegation blues.

“Empoli’s philosophy has always been to have teams that keep possession and dominate the game, even in a very tough division. We started out this year full of desire to show what we’re about and we can achieve what we want if we want to and we’ll try to reach safety as soon as possible…”

Playing Against Top Opposition

So far, Empoli have been overpowered by all the big clubs – but Parisi believes his side can change this in the near future.

“To get points against the top teams, you always need to give 100% and be focused on all the fine details. These teams have so much quality and if you lose focus for even a moment, you get punished. We’ll try to improve in that area…”

Full Interview With Fabiano Parisi

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Juventus Serie A

Luca Toni Discusses Juventus’ Allegri & Vlahovic

Luca Toni - Juventus - Serie A
Luca Toni - Juventus - Serie A

Former attacker Luca Toni sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 17 to speak about Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri & Dusan Vlahovic.

Massimiliano Allegri & His Trust In Youth

Six wins on the spin before the World Cup break… plus a seventh on Serie A’s return, have seen Juventus soar into third place. Toni praises Massimiliano Allegri for giving youngsters the confidence and opportunity to get the Bianconeri back on track.

“Allegri has handed debuts to some promising youngsters because Juve have had a few injury problems. They’ve been missing four or five big names: Chiesa, Pogba, Di Maria on and off. He has managed to keep them in the Scudetto hunt despite all that…”

The Struggles of Dusan Vlahovic

Toni was one of the great Italian centre-forwards – playing for Juventus, Fiorentina and Hellas Verona among others. There’s no one better to analyze Dusan Vlahovic’s difficulties this season and explain how the Serbian hotshot could reignite his fire.

“Vlahovic wasn’t used to playing at a big club like Juve. The Juve shirt carries extra weight. When you score everyone talks about you and when you have a few bad games at a big club you come in for flak. He’s still young and he has plenty of room for improvement. He just needs to keep calm, keep playing and score goals… I think he can improve his link-up play a bit but he’s a beast in the box…”

Full Interview With Luca Toni

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Inter Monza Serie A

Andrea Ranocchia Discusses Inter Career & Serie A Newcomers Monza

Andrea Ranocchia - Inter - Serie A
Andrea Ranocchia - Inter - Serie A

Former defender Andrea Ranocchia sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 17 to speak about his tenure at Inter, the Nerazzurri’s 2022-23 campaign, and Serie A newcomers Monza.

Andrea Ranocchia’s Tenure at Inter

After 13 decorated seasons in Serie A, Andrea Ranocchia retired from football last September. A towering centre-back with a knack for scoring, he made more than 200 appearances for Inter, winning one Scudetto, two Coppa Italia and one Italian Supercup.

“I was at a huge club for many years, one of which I spent as captain. I’m very proud of that and I remember the emotions, the difficulties and the responsibility that comes with captaining a big club like Inter. It was a long time with some tough spells. When we managed, together with everyone who’s part of the team, to win the Scudetto, it felt like a release after so many years of chasing it. That was the highlight of my career…”

Inter’s 2022-23 Campaign

Ranocchia, who’s lived the Inter dream, and knows Simone Inzaghi’s side so well, knows the team need all their commitment and class in the second half of the campaign.

“They had a difficult period but it’s a strong group. I know nearly all of them as footballers and as people. I hope and I think that come the end of the season they will win some silverware. I’m their number one fan and I hope they can get back to the top…”

Monza & Raffaele Palladino

Last summer, Monza signed Ranocchia to lead the Brianzoli in their first-ever Serie A adventure. Sadly, a calf bone fracture brought a premature end to his career. The newcomers are holding their own – and the 34-year-old gives credit to the club for their faith in young coach Raffaele Palladino.

“Raffaele and I played together at Genoa… I think he has a great future ahead of him. I certainly hope so because football needs clubs like Monza that invest in youth and facilities… I hope they can carve their name even deeper into Serie A history…”

Full Interview With Andrea Ranocchia

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Bologna Serie A

Marko Arnautovic Discusses Bologna Form & Jose Mourinho

Marko Arnautovic - Bologna - Serie A
Marko Arnautovic - Bologna - Serie A

Bologna attacker Marko Arnautovic sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 16 to speak about his form, adapting to life under Thiago Motta, and former manager Jose Mourinho.

Goalscoring Form

Arnautovic has been a one-man forward line since returning to Serie A in 2021. The Austrian International netted 14 goals for Bologna last season; this term, after 13 games, he’s struck 8 – the 33-year-old is on fire.

“As a forward, you always want to score a goal. But as a modern striker, I also want to give assists, in addition to scoring goals. I like both. If Osimhen is ahead of me as top scorer, or Vlahovic, or Immobile, that doesn’t matter to me. I do my best and give everything for Bologna, and then we’ll see at the end of the season where I stand…”

Thiago Motta

After some early struggles under new coach Thiago Motta, Bologna finally took off in October. Four key wins before the World Cup break lifted them clear of the relegation zone.

“At the start, when Thiago Motta came in, it was a little bit difficult because he wanted to introduce his new tactics. It’s a completely different philosophy to what Mihajlovic had. We had to get used to it, to how he wanted us to implement it. It was just a matter of time before things would work out for us…”

Jose Mourinho

Despite many memorable moments in Inter’s 2009-10 treble-winning campaign, what seems to stick with Arnautovic more is Jose Mourinho’s management style – an archetypal example of the carrot and the stick!

“I was very different. I was a lot younger back then at Inter. I didn’t think very much. I would do whatever came to mind. I was outspoken and that’s different now… When you look back, everything is funny. But when I look back and think, not everything was funny because Mourinho wanted to force a lot of discipline on me. I had always been hotheaded and I always did things my way… We are still in touch. When we see each other, we hug. I respect him a lot…”

Full Interview With Marko Arnautovic

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Fiorentina Serie A

Gaetano Castrovilli Discusses Fiorentina Ties & Upcoming Milestone

Gaetano Castrovilli - Fiorentina - Serie A
Gaetano Castrovilli - Fiorentina - Serie A

Fiorentina midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 16 to speak about 2022, his strong bond with the club, and an upcoming milestone.

Reflecting on 2022

Some years are so good that you never want them to end. Other years, well, you wish away the final days, wanting to start anew. Yet 2022 still brought blessings – personally and professionally for Castrovilli.

“2022 was a tough year for me, I went through a lot but this challenged me to be a better person… My wedding still moves me. It was a wonderful day, with the people I love the most. I’ll never forget that day. And last season, despite my injury, I was very happy that we qualified for the Conference League…”

Relationship With Fiorentina

The 25-year-old owes everything to Fiorentina. With them, he made his Serie A debut; for them, he scored his first goal; playing for them, he earned his international call-up. His new year’s resolution? To give back to La Viola.

“Fiorentina gave me my breakthrough. I love the Viola colours, they’re one of my favourites… I remember my first goal at San Siro, against Milan. My whole family are Milan fans. So I don’t really know if they cheered for me or if they were upset. When I was little I was a Milan fan, too. For 2023, I wish to get back on the pitch and score a goal as soon as possible…”

Milestone on the Horizon

Castrovilli has made 99 Serie A appearances for Fiorentina – he could make it three figures against Monza. Add a goal, and a win – it would be the perfect gift for Vincenzo Italiano, to help the team consolidate a top-half position.

“I work day in and day out to reach my 100th game for Fiorentina. I hope to achieve this 100-game mark as soon as possible. On January 4th I’d love to be back at the Franchi, where I started off in Serie A, and where I have my best memories to make this happen…”

Full Interview With Gaetano Castrovilli

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Exclusives Fiorentina Serie A

Nikola Milenkovic Discusses Fiorentina Career, Jovic, Vlahovic, Milinkovic-Savic & More

Nikola Milenkovic - Fiorentina - Serie A - TLN Exclusive Interview
Nikola Milenkovic - Fiorentina - Serie A - TLN Exclusive Interview

Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic was exclusively interviewed by TLN TV to discuss his career at the club, his contract extension, current manager Vincenzo Italiano, Serbian teammates Luka Jovic, Dusan Vlahovic, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and much more.

Fiorentina Career

Milinkovic joined Fiorentina back in the Summer of 2017. Since then, he has become a pillar in La Viola’s backline.

“I imagined my arrival here would have been fine… I’m happy, I’m in my sixth season… I have grown in all aspects of football and as a man… This club helped me grow and I am always grateful for that…”

Contract Renewal 

Despite being linked to various clubs inside and outside Italy, Milenkovic decided to put pen to paper to sign a five-year contract extension with Fiorentina.

“One key thing was the ambitions of the club. The confirmation of the coach was also crucial for me… Then there is the city of Florence, the fans, and the club that has given me so much… Fiorentina is also growing with infrastructure as we can see Viola Park should be ready in a little while which is a big thing for a club to have a high-level training centre…”

Vincenzo Italiano

Italiano-Ball has been of the most used words among calcio fans and for good reason. The German-born Italian manager has been deemed one of the most promising in Serie A after his success with Spezia and Fiorentina.

“His ideas of playing modern soccer, proactive soccer, forward with a very high defensive line, pressing the opponent very high, with lots of ball possession, dominance of the game. His ambition is to win, his character and ability to improve players and get the best out of everyone – these things certainly struck me…”

Luka Jovic

Jovic signed for Fiorentina from Real Madrid on a free transfer in the Summer of 2022. While he took some time to get going, he seems to have finally found his place in Florence.

“We are all here to help him settle in as quickly as possible and he is showing good things. Lately, he has been scoring goals and that is crucial for a striker to gain confidence… I see him very very well – serene – and I am sure that in the future he will give us a big hand…”

Dusan Vlahovic & Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Juventus’ Vlahovic and Lazio’s Milinkovic-Savic are two of the most promising players in Serie A. Milenkovic has the privilege of not only playing against them but also playing with them on the Serbian national team.

“They are both great players with incredible qualities. Dusan is still very young, he has a lot to show even if he has done great things at only 22… He has great potential and he still has so much to show… Sergej is a very strong player that will make a difference on the field. He’s shown he can do great things, again and again, season after season, in Serie A. He is doing very well …”

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Napoli Serie A

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Discusses Napoli & Maradona Comparisons

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Napoli - Serie A
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Napoli - Serie A

Napoli attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sat down with Serie A ahead of Matchday 15 to speak about the comparisons with Diego Maradona, Manager Luciano Spalletti, and teammate Kim Min-Jae.

Kvaradona

From the alleys of Naples’s Spanish Quarter to the headlines of national newspapers, the Georgian has been dubbed Kvaradona, after the most beloved player in the club’s history.

“I don’t think anyone can be compared to Maradona. He’s one of the legends of the game. It’s very unlikely we’ll ever see another player like him. Obviously, it’s very nice to be likened to Maradona. It means a lot to me and it makes me feel even more responsible. Being compared to a player like that makes you feel proud and happy.”

Luciano Spalletti

Relentless and innovative, Kvaratskhelia has proved to be the perfect fit for coach Luciano Spalletti’s highly effective system.

“I want to stress what a wonderful person Spalletti is. From the day I arrived, he’s taken time to talk to me and explain things to me. I’ve learnt a lot from him and I can see that I’ve improved as a player. I’ve learnt a lot tactically and I want to keep learning and improving. He’s a great coach. He always urges me to do better and keep pushing myself, urging me to play with my teammates.”

Kim Min-Jae

As well as the league’s best attack, the Azzurri also boast the third-best defence built around the iron-wall performances of another instant revelation of this campaign: South Korean centre-back Kim Min-Jae.

“Kim is a wonderful person, a very positive person. It’s hard to be serious for very long around Kim. He likes to joke a lot. He’s also an amazing defender, one of the best in the world. If he’s behind you, you know you’re safe. You know he’ll stop the opposition and prevent them from scoring.”