Emphatic Milan Win Derby Della Madonnina

Goals from Alex, Carlos Bacca and Mbaye Niang give AC Milan the bragging rights tonight in the Derby della Madonnina.

It was a very lively start in the Milan derby with both sides really trying to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Inter debutant Eder had a great chance when a cross was flashed across the six yard box, but he couldn't hit the target with his header.

Juraj Kucka troubled the Inter back line with a surging run into the box. His driven cross tried to find Mbaye Niang, but Samir Handanovic got down low to intercept. Eder and Ivan Perisic were finding joy down the Milan right with a lovely flick releasing Perisic. The Croatian tried to find Jovetic but excellent positioning from Alex cleared the ball.

Ignazio Abate flashed a ball across the box, with Keisuke Honda in the box, but the Japanese international couldn't supply the finish and the ball was cleared for a corner. Moments later, Honda delivered a cracking cross to be met by the head of Alex and the big Brazilian nodded into the back of the net to break the deadlock.

At half time, both sides had plenty to reflect on. Inter were getting joy down the Milan left with Luca Antonelli often being left exposed while the Nerazurri did have chances to score in the opening half but were often fluffed wide. For the Rossoneri, they looked threatening on the counter attack and the next half would play into their hands as they would not have to commit bodies forward.

From the first whistle of the final half, young goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma got entangled with Eder and after shouts for a penalty were dismissed, Inter coach Roberto Mancini was sent to the stands. The referee performed admirably, as he respected the occasion and tried to let the game flow through playing advantage. He didn't brandish the first yellow card until the latter stages of the second half.

As the half progressed, Inter began to force the game more leading to more and more sloppy errors. Their hosts seemed comfortable as they hadn't created a meaningful chance in the 20 minutes however they got a golden chance from the spot minutes later. Mauro Icardi got a shot off from inside the box that forced a terrific save from Donnarumma in nets. On the rebound, the official behind the goal adjudged Alex to have fouled the Inter captain. From the spot, the 16 year old stood strong and watched Icardi thump the post with his shot.

The game was put further out of reach in the 73rd minute. Niang had the ball on the right flank and delivered a sumptuous ball into the 6 yard box which Carlos Bacca was happy to deflect past Handanovic in nets. Bacca had not really got into the game up until this point but popped up when required to provide the home side with a cushion.

The game was put out of Inter's sight with less than 15 minutes. Giacomo Bonaventura dispossessed Davide Santon to give Milan a three on two counter in the Inter half. The ball was shifted to Mbaye Niang, who dispatched the ball on the second attempt past Handanovic. Milan were more clinical than their rivals while Inter often squandered their opportunities.

AC Milan were simply terrific on the counter attack and thoroughly deserve their win. The game could have easily been a different story if Mauro Icardi had converted the penalty just before Milan's second goal. It's a massive three points for the Rossoneri as they continue their push for a top three finish. 

Juventus Maintain Winning Run at Samp Expense

Two of Italy's inform sides met in Genoa, but it was Juventus who came out on top to cut their gap to two points just behind Napoli at the top of Serie A

Juventus controlled the play early on with high pressing and got their reward when Paul Pogba used his chest to control before guiding into the back of the net. The Old Lady continued to threaten with Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner getting further forward from the wing back positions and in turn, pinning Sampdoria's full backs in their defensive third.

Paulo Dybala was lively and often created space in the Samp defence. Allegri had given the little Argentine a free role and he was looking threatening from the home side's point of view. Dybala whipped a brilliant free kick in from far out on the right which was crying out for a flick by a Juventus player, instead, it missed everyone and forced a stretching save from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Towards the end of the first half, Sampdoria had a good spell of possession. A free kick on the edge of the box was unable to beat the wall but Samps were beginning to string a few passes together and looked dangerous. Pressure off the ball made Juventus hurry and often concede possession. Nevertheless, it remained 1-0 to the away side at the break.

It took just over a minute into the second half for Juventus to score and it was Sami Khedira who poked the ball past the onrushing Sampdoria keeper. Paulo Dybala threaded a beautiful ball through to the German World Cup winner who supplied the finish. Juventus now looked comfortable and Sampdoria had a mountain to climb.

Juventus looked like adding to their score while Sampdoria struggled to pose any kind of a threat to the Juve defence at all. The home side had a glorious chance to get themselves back in the game when Antonio Cassano stood a love ball up to the back post, but Samp top scorer Eder couldn't hit the target. It really should have ruffled the back of the net.

Dybala had a strike bound for the bottom corner of the net expertly saved by the Sampdoria goal keeper which would have sealed the game. The home side gave the ball away cheaply in the midfield to Paul Pogba and they will be punished in the future.

Antonio Cassano halved the deficit in the 64th minute when he found the back of the net. This gave the home side momentum and confidence to grab the equaliser. Sampdoria continued to press, but Juve got possession of the ball and begun to take all of the momentum and pace out of the game.

Sampdoria were getting opportunities in the last 5 minutes of the game. Ervin Zukanovic just headed over from a free kick while Buffon plucked a dangerous cross out of the air shortly after. The comeback died when Niklas Moisander lunged in on Simone Zaza and was sent for an early shower in somewhat controversial circumstances. It looked a definite yellow, but the brandished straight red card left me perplexed as to what the logic of the referee was.

Juventus notched their ninth straight win in Serie A and now move to within two points of league leaders, Napoli. For Vincenzo Montella's Samps, they remain in 13th, eight points off relegation.

What will 2016 have in store for football?

We've got all of the 'New Year, new me' pleasantries, where we announce our plans to hit the gym more often or be a better person. Now that those are all out of the way, what will 2016 have in store for us football fanatics?

The headline act will be the European Championships in France commencing on the 10th June. It won't be the same as any other competition mostly down to the extra teams added. For me, this will be the second international tournament that I will have covered, having done the World Cup over a year and a half ago. Unfortunately I'll have to settle to watching it from the comfort of my living room, due to other commitments but it promises to be an intriguing competition. The world champions, Germany will undoubtedly be favourites, however they did suffer several set backs losing to both Poland and the Republic of Ireland in qualifying. France will back themselves on home turf, and rightly so, while Spain will also be up there and will look to bounce back after a poor World Cup. Although not at a match, I will be in Marseille for the end of the tournament so will be rooting for the French if Northern Ireland are shocked and dumped out in the early rounds. My opinions on the group stage are available here...

Probably not so special to 2016, but the Champions League is not failing to live up to expectations. Barcelona are bidding to be the first side to retain the trophy and are looking very strong. I am crying out for a Barcelona v Bayern final. Pep Guardiola will be after revenge for last years semi final, while the Bavarians are looking imperious in the league. If the sides do meet, neither leg will be as one sided as the match at the Camp Nou last season. For the English sides, Man City look the most likely to progress and could be flying the flag for the Premier League at the conclusion of the last 16 ties, while Juventus have their work cut out if they are to replicate their exploits of last season. A few dark horses have emerged and could possibly trouble the bigger sides in the later rounds. I tip Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid and possibly Benfica to do just that. Check out my prediction for the last 16 here.

Looking at the Premier League, we are treated to another enthralling season. This year, we have seen Leicester City capitalise on the inconsistencies of the top 6. It will be interesting to see if The Foxes can keep up their title charge and finish in the top 4. While the Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez grab all of the headlines, all the team have been doing their bit. Defensively they have been very solid with Wes Morgan a rock, and Kasper Schmeichel producing wonderful performances. While Leicester look good, the rest of the 'big sides' have work to do if they are to come out victorious in May. Arsenal have the inform Mesut Ozil, but lack consistency, a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Southampton evidence of this. Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding under Jurgen Klopp while City are struggling to grab the bull by the horns. United don't look like they will mount a title challenge yet and Chelsea are recovering after sacking Jose Mourinho. The quality of football leaves somewhat to be desired but it sure is exciting.

Serie A is also shaping up nicely. Internazionale lead proceedings with 39 points while Fiorentina and Napoli follow in second and third respectively a point behind. Fourth sees holders Juventus on 36 points while Roma are a further 3 adrift. Sassuolo are performing beyond all expectations in sixth place despite the sales of Simone Zaza and Jasmin Kurtic in the summer transfer window. Juventus took only nine points from their first eight games but have recovered and are currently in the middle of an eight match win streak since their defeat against Sassuolo. The champions are back and will probably remain favourites to lift the Scudetto at the end of the season. I've watched quite a few Inter matches this season and have been very impressed with the style of football Mancini's men are playing. I wrote a piece on both Milan sides earlier in the season, but since then AC Milan have drifted down the table. They don't score many goals, but they're defensively solid, conceding only 11 goals in the league to date. Napoli are playing a very attractive brand of football but lack consistency and this was evident in their 2-1 victory over Torino.

I would have normally published an article on the Ballon D'Or at the start of December, however this got postponed due to various educational reasons. The finalists this year are again, quite predictable. Lionel Messi will undoubtedly be the favourite to win his fifth Ballon D'Or award. The Argentine forward contributed 43 league goals to his side's victorious La Liga season another 10 as he secured Barcelona's Champions League title. Barca team mate, Neymar joins Messi on the short list, but is most likely there to make up the numbers. Nevertheless the 23 year old Brazilian has had super 2015. Despite in Messi's shadow, Neymar scored 39 goals in 51 games and has frightened many defences with his dribbling and pace. Cristiano Ronaldo topped the La Liga goal scoring charts with 48 and did tie with Messi for Champions League goals, however the Argentine received the award for top marksman due to his superior number of assists. Ronaldo also surpassed the great Alfredo di Stefano and Raul to become Real Madrid's top goal scorer.

2016 is just a week old and we've already had the first managerial casualty. Zinedine Zidane took the poisoned chalice upon himself after Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, fired Rafa Benitez after a 2-2 draw away to Valencia. A Madridista through and through, Benitez left with dignity, releasing a very emotional statement thanking everyone for the opportunity to manage at his boyhood club. The former Liverpool and Chelsea manager will not have any trouble finding work in the short term due to his decorated CV at different clubs over Europe. At the start of his tenure at Santiago Bernabeu, I thought that he would do a decent job and would bring solidity to a Real Madrid defence that often let them down last season. Instead, he sold Asier Illaramendi and refused to bench some of the Galacticos in order not to upset higher powers at the club, which led to his downfall. Zidane takes the reigns, but don't be surprised if they change hands before the year is out.

Football never fails to throw up a few surprises and I certainly expect many to happen before the close of 2016. Let me know your thoughts on 2016 or any memories that you wont forget from 2015.

Insigne Wonder Goal Helps Napoli to Victory

A sensational strike from Lorenzo Insigne and a goal from captain Marek Hamsik cancelled out Fabio Quagliarella's penalty in a Serie A clash at the Stadio San Paolo.

Going well in Serie A, Napoli had the first good chance of the game, falling to Jose Callejon. Daniele Padelli got down well to stop the former Real Madrid player from breaking the deadlock. The home side were playing some fantastic one touch football in the opening stages and another long shot from Callejon had Padelli at full stretch.

Lorenzo Insigne opened the scoring as the game approached 15 minutes. One touch passing between Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon created space for Insigne, whose looping shot beat Padelli in nets. Napoli weren't letting their visitors have a moments rest, but the Turin side managed to force a fine save out of Pepe Reina when Fabio Quagliarella leaped highest after a cross from Cristian Molinaro.

Quagliarella's 11 game goal drought didn't last too long after that chance when he converted a dubious penalty awarded for a foul on Bruno Peres. It looked as if the ball was rolling harmlessly across the goal line while Faouzi Ghoulam lunged in. The tackle even looked like Peres had flopped over the defender's leg and fooled the referee. Credit must be given to Torino who risked everything by playing out from the back with Padelli dummying Insigne on the edge of his 6 yard box.

Torino's defence was poor for the majority of the opening half, and the match and they couldn't hold on until half time. Insigne found Marek Hamsik in between the centre backs and, despite the very narrow angle, found the back of the net via the legs of the Torino keeper. The dismay on the face of Torino coach, Giampiero Ventura, was a picture that summed up their half.

The second half started in a much slower tempo to the first with both sides not creating as many chances as the first half. 2-1 up, this didn't worry Napoli while Torino would have to throw more caution into the wind as the half progressed. Insigne had a great free kick that hit the cross bar and deflected over. It was a great strike and I don't think Padelli would have got to it had it been several inches lower.

Torino had their best chance of the half, when Maxi Lopez caught Kalidou Koulibaly napping at the back. The 31 year old Argentine surged into the box, but his squared ball was unable to find Afriyie Acquah. With 10 minutes left and still a goal down, Torino still looked unable to gain possession of the ball and therefore unable to throw men forward. Napoli were comfortable and it would be their own undoing if they were to throw their lead away. With exception to chances for substitutes Dries Mertens and Maxi Lopez, neither goal was significantly troubled in the closing moments of the game.

Bruno Peres continued his good form this match with him often beating his opposite number. The Brazilian has pace and trickery and I wouldn't be surprised if he moves to a club with a higher reputation in the future. Gonzalo Higuain had another good game in the sky blue of Napoli, and he will be key for Napoli if they are to win the Scudetto this season.

An excellent first half consisting of aesthetically pleasing football was succeeded by a second half of very patient and dull football. Napoli were content with the 2-1 victory while Torino didn't have the fire power to trouble their hosts.

Higuain Sends Napoli Top

A brace from Gonzalo Higuain proved enough to see off the challenge of Internzionale at Stadio San Paolo.

The action commenced 65 seconds from the kick off when Higuain belted in a goal from the edge of the box. While Inter may claim that Jose Callejon handled the ball, it would have been a very harsh decision if penalised. Jaison Murillo missed a good opportunity to clear the lines and would have prevented the goal being scored.

Inter were nervy and Napoli were creating good opportunities. Marek Hamsik dinked a ball into the box but Callejon couldn't supply a finish. This is the first time I've watched Napoli this season and the changes Maurizio Sarri has made are incredible. Napoli are more easy on the eye to watch with their fluid passing style of play and more importantly, they look like a cohesive team. Under Rafa Benitez they often conceded from winning positions and never looked settled.

Lorenzo Insigne and Hamsik were getting too much space in between the Inter midfield and defence. This allowed the Neapolitan defenders to slide balls through to the creative midfielders and when they turned and run at the Milanese defence, they looked vulnerable. Napoli were having all of the ball and when Inter did get possession, they looked lost and eventually conceded the ball back to their hosts. They looked like they missed Geoffrey Kondogbia in the middle of the pitch.

Inter had a glorious chance five minutes before the interval. It was the first occasion in which Adem Ljajic got on the ball and decided to run with it. He found himself on the right wing and hit a low ball into the box only for Ivan Perisic to scuff the shot wide. Inter don't create many opportunities or score goals so this one represented a golden chance for the Nerazzurri to level it up.

Things got harder for Internazionale when Yuto Nagatomo received his second yellow card. Nice play from Allan on the right allowed him to evade one challenge and give himself space and time to dink the ball over Nagatomo before being taken out. There was no doubt that it was a second yellow card and it gave Roberto Mancini some thinking to do over the break if his side are to remain at the top of the table this week.

In the second half, Napoli displayed all of the dominance they showed in the first half, but weren't as creative and free-flowing, largely down to Mancini's astute tactics. They limited Napoli by keeping Hamsik and Insigne quiet and the second half remained scoreless until the hour mark. Higuain netted his and Napoli's second when a hopeful long header from Raul Albiol caught Murillo and Miranda off guard. The former Madridista had enough speed and power to hold off the challenges before burying the ball past Samir Handanovic.

From out of nowhere, Adem Ljajic halved the deficit five minutes later. An error from Faouzi Ghoulam poked the ball into the path of the Serbian international before taking a touch and curling it into the bottom corner. The goal gave Inter the lift they needed but also meant that their hosts had to concentrate for the remaining 20 minutes. Marcelo Brozovic had a mazy run which opened up a shooting opportunity, but his shot did not hit the target.

Inter had possibly their best opportunity of the game when Ivan Perisic threaded a ball through to the goal scorer, Ljajic and with Jonathan Biabiany free at the front post, he tried to pull the ball back to the edge of the area only for it to be easily intercepted. This was a massive opportunity that would have certainly resulted in the net bulging it the 24 year old had made the correct decision. Despite the missed opportunity, Inter had silenced the San Paolo and dragged themselves kicking and screaming back into the match.

After a great chance from Ljajic, Higuain had a great opportunity to net his hat trick and put the game out of the sight of the Milanese side. He beat numerous straggling challenges in a mazy run and released a shot that was goal-bound only for a terrific save from Handanovic to foil the World Cup runner-up. At the other end, both substitute Stefan Jovetic and Miranda had excellent headers that almost equalised. Jovetic was denied by the post, while a full stretch Pepe Reina thwarted Miranda. The reaction on the face of the former Liverpool keeper was a picture of relief at the end of the game.

Napoli held on to go top of Serie A, while Inter can be pleased with a steely performance that almost snatched them a point. Napoli are an exciting team and Sarri will definitely have them competing for silverware at the end of the season.

Juve Cruise Past Palermo

Goals from Mario Mandzukic, Stefano Sturaro and Simone Zaza gave Juventus a comfortable victory in Sicily.

Palermo pressed high early on and looked to take the the game to their visitors. The high pressing caused some worry for Juve but they dealt with it well. The home side did have a chance inside the tenth minute when Vazquez broke on the counter, and found Oscar Hiljemark on the right edge of the box. The Swede fired over and didn't pose any threat to Gianluigi Buffon.

Stefan Sorrentino looked nervy in nets for Palermo, particularly in the opening 15 minutes of the match. He flapped at a few crosses that seemed relatively easy and this was something that Juve could exploit with the height of Mario Mandzukic in the box for the Turin side. Also, Juventus were getting joy through their wing backs, Juan Cuadrado and Patrice Evra who were being given space out wide, albeit for an offside flag or poor touch.

Leonardo Bonucci had a terrific chance after a Paul Pogba out swinging corner. The veteran defender was left unmarked but a poor connection with the ball and it sailed wide. Juve had another free header, this time from Palermo old boy, Paulo Dybala. The Argentine was unable to convert a golden opportunity.

At half time both sides had plenty to reflect on. Juventus had to take their opportunities that were given to them, while Palermo needed to pay more attention to Juve's win backs who were being keft one on one with their full backs. The home side also needed to capitalise on the break and be a bit more lethal.

The dead lock was broken 7 minutes after the restart when Paulo Dybala swung a tantalising ball into the box. Mario Mandzukic rose highest to nod past Sorrentino in nets. The goal had lifted the champions as they pressed Palermo and the Sicilians struggled to get any possession. 

The game continued in relatively the same vain. The first goal took the stuffing out of Palermo and they struggled to recover. Buffon was hardly troubled all night and despite being very well protected, I do think a slightly better team than Palermo could have tested and asked a few more questions of the defence.

The second goal killed the game with less than a minute to go. Paul Pogba rolled the ball into the feet of Stefano Sturaro who finished the shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Simone Zaza scored a third after a break from the half line. He played a one-two with Alvaro Morata before leaving the keeper no chance with his shot.

Juventus continue their resurgence as they move up to fifth position and just six points off the top of the table with two-thirds of the season to play. It has to be noted that the top three sides play tomorrow night, but the win for Juventus was needed, if not as emphatic as the scoreline suggests.

Are the Glory Days Returning to Milan?

After raiding the transfer market, both Milan sides seem to be assembling squads to rival the title holders, Juventus. It is one thing buying the talent, but will the former glory days be returning to Italy's second city?

Before touching on the players, the management of both squads need to be considered. Both Internazionale and Milan have capable managers, Inter appointing favourite Roberto Mancini and Milan looking towards former Fiorentina and Sampdoria man Sinisa Mihajlovic. Mancini loves his defenders to be comfortable on the ball and look to build from the back. Central defender is Juan Jesus is a prime example of this. Looking at Mihajlovic, he is certainly a lively and controversial figure. He has had run ins with Adem Ljajic, who is on loan at Inter Milan from Roma. During his stint as the Serbian national team coah he ordered people to sign a document indicating that they promise to sing the Serbian national anthem before each game. Mihajlovic may come across as a dictator, but he demands nothing but 100% commitment from his players and can be sure to get the best out of them.

There were a lot of purchases for either side in the summer transfer window, and most of them have been very good buys. Geoffrey Kondogbia was the big signing from Mancini with the Frenchman moving from AS Monaco for £21.7m. At only 22 years of age, he already one of the top midfield stars in Serie A, making 12 Serie A appearances until this stage. He controls a game and this was witnessed in the Champions League tie against Arsenal last season when he made a quality Arsenal midfield look sub-standard. Although he hasn't been firing on all cylinders recently, there is a bright future for the holding midfielder.

Stefan Jovetic is looking revitalised under Roberto Mancini. The man who brought him to Manchester City has freed him from Manuel Pellegrini where he made just 11 appearances in 2 years and was suffering from injuries and low confidence. Now back on more familiar turf, Mancini's acquisition has been inspired with the Montengrin netting 3 times in his first 2 games and delivering a string of very good performances. Jovetic also teams up with Croatian, Ivan Perisic. Out of the 13 games he has featured in, he has netted on 3 occasions. Perisic had a terrific season with Wolfsburg last year, culminating in a DFB Pokal victory. So far this season he has created 8 chances compared to last years' tally of 25. Perisic is a unique style of player. Normally utilised out wide, he doesn't display pace that would be commonly associated with a winger, however he can play make and be labelled as a wide playmaker. he is a useful player and will be applied cunningly by Roberto Mancini.

AC Milan raided the transfer market spending money on no less than 7 players. The pick of these include Carlos Bacca, Andrea Bertolacci and Luiz Adriano. Bacca was part of the Europa League winning side of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, being a key marksman on the way. Already this season he has netted 6 times in 11 league appearances and his forming a very fruitful partnership with Adriano. he has a 42.7% strike ratio and will be one of the leading scorers when Serie A concludes at the end of the season. Last season he had scored 20 times and had an exceptional shot accuracy with 71% of his shots hitting the target. Looking at his partner in crime, Luiz Adriano arrived from Shahktar Donetsk for a fee of around £5m. Not quite reaching the heights of his partner he has 2 goals in 10 appearances. For Shahktar, he recorded 77 league goals in 162 appearances for the Ukrainians. Some people may remember the dropped ball incident in the Champions League Group stage in 2012. Willian attempted to return a dropped ball to the Nordsjaelland keeper, but Adriano nicked the ball and slotted it into the back of the net. He wasn't too popular after this, but Milan are keen to overlook his unsporting play.

Current standings are positive for both sides but particularly the blue half. Inter have only lost one game to league leaders Fiorentina and sit in second position, Milan are further down a bit in 6th and seem to be struggling for consistency. 6 victories and 4 defeats is a start, but something that needs to be worked on if they are to creep into the Champions League spots. Neither side have European football this year, and has really hurt all in Italy's second city. It remains to be seen whether Internazionale can keep the charge up but if they can get to Christmas still in the mix, then they have a great opportunity of securing the Scuddetto for the first time since the treble winning season. Juventus have fallen down the pecking order, but be under no illusions that they will have a run of form and challenge for Champions League spots.

One very key player for the Rossoneri that I would like to mention is Giacomo Bonaventura. AC Milan completed the signing of the midfielder for a fee believed to be approximately €7m. Last season he found his feet in his new club, playing 33 out of the 38 games and scoring 7 goals. It's his creativity that is most impressive. Last season he created 43 chances and even though he assisted just 4 times, I would point the finger at Milan's poor finishers. This season he has created more than half (26) the chances he did last season in just over 11 game, it's quite incredible how well he has performed under Mihajlovic. I watched his performance on Sunday with keen interest and witnessed assists for Mexes' and Bacca's goals. If Milan are to do anything this year he needs to stay fit.

One thing I would like to touch on in regards to AC Milan is their consistency. Against Lazio the other week they were simply incredible. They scored 3 great goals, while giving the home side barely a sniff of the ball. It was that match that actually prompted me to write this article and gave me a really high opinion of their chances of creeping back to the big time. However, they were a shadow of that game in their match v Atalanta and were very lucky to leave with a point. If it wasn't for their 16 year old goal keeper then Atalanta certainly would have left the San Siro with maximum points. The Rossoneri can't continue to rely on a 16 year old goal keeper as, although he has been solid, he is still learning and mistakes are inevitable. Giacomo Bonaventura has also been influential this season creating 25 chances already this season. He seems to hold the key for AC Milan.

Inter are sitting with smiles on their faces in second place behind Fiorentina on goal difference. Roberto Mancini is building a side that is extremely capable of bringing Champions League football back to their club. I watched the derby match against Milan and Inter and even though they weren't impressive, they still got all three points in that match courtesy of a Fredy Guarin strike. Contrary to the Italian stereotype, Inter looked to attack and they often looked dangerous and posed questions for AC Milan to answer. With Juventus currently in mid table, there is no reason why Inter can't remain there over Christmas. If the form continues, Mancini could have a title winning side at his disposal.

The money spent suggest both sides are resurgent and keen to get back to Europe's premier competition. Truthfully, I've been disappointed in the demise both side over the last number of years, but large proportion of that sympathy could derive from my fondness of Italian football. In the Champions League, Italy has not really had the same threshold since Internazionale's victory in 2010 as Juventus looked the only side to go anywhere and even at that, they disappointed in every season bar the last.

Milan End Lazio's Perfect Home Record

Milan send a message out to the rest of Serie A as goals from Andrea Bertolacci, Philippe Mexes and Carlos Bacca see them Lazio's winning run at the Stadio Olimpico.

Knowing what was riding on the game, plenty of physical tackles were going in as the match started. Milan's Alessio Cerci looked lively as did Giacomo Bonaventura. The former Torino man was played off the shoulder of the defenders the whole night and often found space in behind. Lazio were struggling to get on the ball and when they did, poor decision making meant that the ball was regularly lost. 20 minutes in, Milan's 16 year old goal keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was yet to be tested.

Milan made their dominance pay off. Cerci picked up the ball on the right and an in-swinging cross/shot was poorly dealt with by Federico Marchetti who palmed the ball into the path of Andrea Bertolacci who put the ball in the back of the net. Mihajlovic's summer signing with his first goal for the club. Lazio looked lethargic, lost and their perfect home record this season was in jeopardy.

Alessio Cerci had an excellent chance to double their lead. From a free kick, Riccardo Montolivo picked out a superb pass to Cerci who had a foot on his man. The winger killed the ball with his first touch before trying to guide a shot into the far corner only for the upright to come to the rescue of Lazio. If there was ever a move that deserved a goal, this was it as the vision of Montolivo and technique of Cerci was incredible.

The home side did get their first shot on target shortly before the break. Felipe Anderson cut in off the right, pegged the Milan defender before his shot ricocheted into the arms of Donnarumma. It was the first time, their talisman got on the ball, but his shot was easily dealt with by the keeper. As the first half concluded, the Milan display would have deluighted Mihajlovic while Stefano Pioli would have loads to think about and the Olimpico faithful made their thoughts heard.

Lazio needed a big improvement in the second half and a free kick into the box caused concern as Alex collided with his keeper and seemed to be out cold before he hit the floor. Philippe Mexes was his replacement and he had an immediate impact. Bonaventura's free kick into the box was met by the head of Mexes and he doubled the lead just 40 seconds since entering the game. Questions must be asked of Marchetti as well as the defensive line which failed to track the run of the goal scorer. 

Confidence was drained in the Lazio ranks while Milan were enjoying playing their football with a distinct swagger - Bonaventura's elastico that won a free kick was evidence of this. Pioli needed to change personnel if they were to get back in the game. Another chance came for Milan through Juraj Kucka as he got in behind the defence. With Carlos Bacca in the box, he failed to find the Colombian first time and when the cross was put in, it was cleared by Mauricio.

A cross was swung into the box and caused confusion for the Milan defenders. With Senad Lulic arriving, he controlled but was unable to lift the ball over the 6 ft 5 Milan keeper. Positive signs that Lazio can get more chances out of a defence that has only kept one clean sheet all season. Substitute, Ricardo Kishna thought that he had given Lazio a lifeline after he turned a ball into the net after a save from Donnarumma, however the assistant referee ruled the goal out for offside. It may have been disallowed but it did give the home side a much needed lift.

The lift was only temporary. Carlos Bacca rounded the keeper and scored after receiving the ball of Bonaventura who secured his second assist of the night. Milan never let Lazio get a foothold in the game and the margin does not flatter the away side one bit. With the victory secured, a clean sheet was next on the agenda, however Kishna dashed hopes of this on 85 minutes with a powerful shot that beat the Milan keeper at his near post.

Milan leave Rome with all three points as well as a good performance in an open game. They end their 6 year wait for a victory in the Stadio Olimpico and this victory sets them on there way to achieve a third placed finish that would see Champions League football return to the San Siro.

Nerazzurri and Old Lady Share the Spoils in Milan

A goalless draw was the outcome in the Giuseppe Meazza in an enthralling encounter that contained some high octane footballing action.

Juventus were the side trailing Internazionale by 9 points and it was the visitors that started with the more possession. The prize in this game was massive so there was no surprise to see the referee dishing out bookings inside the first ten minutes. Claudio Marchisio, Felipe Melo and Sami Khedira getting jotted down by the ref.

The chances were thin to report on in the first 20 minutes. Juan Cuadrado did have a shot from the right that disturbed the side netting while Stefan Jovetic's free kick didn’t have Gianluigi Buffon worried. Nevertheless it was a pulsating opening quarter with plenty of passion being displayed by both sides.

Internazionale had a hand ball appeal turned down after 25 minutes after excellent work from Marcelo Brozovic down the left but replays showed that the ref made the correct decision. Jovetic had an excellent chance to break the deadlock shortly after when Jeison Murillo slid the Montenegrin through but he was foiled by an excellent save from the 159 times capped Italian stopper.

Inter were most definitely on top as the half hour mark approached. Buffon once again saved Juve's blushes when he tipped a curling shot from Brozovic onto the bar after a short corner. Juventus were struggling and having to commit cynical fouls to slow the game down and to try and get a foothold in it.

Inter seemed to have surrendered their momentum when Felipe Melo looked to have brought Khedira down with a challenge from behind but the referee deemed the challenge to be fair and waved play on. Replays lead me to believe that the Brazilian was lucky not to pick up a second yellow.

Both defences were on form. Andrea Barzagli was on fire and frequently thwarted Inter in their steps. Likewise an excellent challenge from Murillo prevented Simone Zaza from getting a shot on target. The referee blew an electric first half to a close.

Right from the off, Juve pressurised Inter and Cuadrado nearly squeezed a shot through Samir Handanovic's legs. The Old Lady dominated the midfield in the first 10 minutes of the second half, much to the contrary at the tail end of the first half. A snap shot from Stefan Jovetic was sweetly struck from about 10 yards outside the area, but Buffon was equal to the shot despite the vigorous dip just in front of him.

With an hour gone, it was Roberto Mancini who decided to try and force things with the introduction of Fredy Guarin. The pace of the game was frantic from the off of the game, with both sides causing each other problems and neither looking as if they would succumb to tiredness. It looked as if it was going to take a mistake or a piece of magic to separate the sides.

Undoubtedly the chance of the game was squandered by Sami Khedira just before the 70th minute mark. Excellent control, composure and awareness from Alvaro Morata inside the box allowed the Spanish international time to find the former Madrid man. Unchallenged a goal looked inevitable but his shot hit the post and bounced clear of danger.

As the final 5 minutes approached, it looked as if both sides were going away with a point each. Ivan Perisic did have a late free kick that sailed over the bar, not troubling Buffon, while a late surge by Cuadrado to the by-line looked promising, until he failed to find Paulo Dybala or Paul Pogba free on the edge of the 6 yard box. It was excellent play by Cuadrado to beat his opponent on the right flank.

Neither side could be separated and a point each was definitely the correct result. Juventus needed the victory more than the Nerazzurri as they continue to falter in attempt to get their Serie A campaign up and running.

Guarin Strike Edges Out Rivals

The master beats the apprentice in a thrilling encounter in Milan. A sensational effort from Fredy Guarin gives Roberto Mancini the victory over his former assistant manager Sinisa Mihajlovic.

This game helped dispel all the common stereotypes with Italian football and the game started at a frantic pace with both sides looking to attack. The first sight on goal went the way of the Rossoneri with Carlos Bacca capitalising on a stray ball from Jeison Murillo. His pass to Luiz Fabiano was weighted perfectly but the shot was well saved by Samir Handanovic in the Inter net. Milan's front duo of Bacca and Fabiano were causing all sorts of problems for the Nerazzuri defence.

Once again, the movement of Luis Adriano wreaked havoc for Inter, but the Brazilian couldn't supply the finish. AC Milan looked sharp on the break, while Inter's defence looked shaky and coughed up several opportunities. In the dying embers of the opening half, Inter were gifted an excellent chance. Superb creativity from loanee Stefan Jovetic worked space and he was able to play Mauro Icardi through. Milan's full backs kept the Inter captain onside but his shot was scuffed and saved by Diego Lopez.

It was a superb half of football with both sides playing flowing, attacking football, aided by some excellent refereeing from Gianluca Rocchi - It was only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. Similar to the first half, the second period started frenetically. Jovetic was creating chances but couldn't get a shot away, while at the back, Inter were looking frail.

Their frailties continued as the Nerazzuri nearly played themselves into a sticky situation at the back. However Kondogbia managed to play the ball wide and after two passes, Fredy Guarin pulled the trigger and his shot left Lopez with no chance in the nets. The ball could have very nearly ended up in the Inter net but once they got out of trouble, Milan were at sixes and sevens at the back and their risk was rewarded. Icardi had an excellent chance to double Inter's lead but he got too low and his header soared over the bar.

Italy's bad boy, Mario Balotelli was introduced with half an hour to go to a chorus of jeers. His distribution was impressive, and he nearly equalised with less than 15 minutes to go when his shot cannoned off the upright. Balotelli impressed me, and he looked as if he had a new lease of life since leaving Anfield. In the last ten minutes Milan piled on the pressure and Internazionale barricaded their defence. Inter managed to hold on for a one goal victory and now sit top of Serie A with maximum points.

There are positives and negatives for both sides to work on. Inter will be pleased to have the bragging rights and also maintain their great start, however defensive worries will remain in Roberto Mancini's mind. For Mihajlovic, it obviously will be a disappointment to lose the derby, however his side fashioned some excellent chances and on another day could have been a different result. Inter are looking strong and will definitely be challenging come the end of the season.

European Round-Up

We're well over the half way point in all of the top European Leagues, so let's take a look at where everyone stands in their respective leagues:

Starting close to home, Chelsea are the dominant force in the Barclays Premier League having survived a minor blip around the New Year. The Blues hold a 5 point lead over holders, Manchester City to have suffered due to injuries in attack. They are very much on the tale of the London club, but I don't expect them to beat Mourinho's Chelsea to the title. Not many people would expect Southampton to be mentioned in the top 3, but Koeman has got a side who were tipped for a low finish at the start of the season due to the departure of many of their players.

At the foot of the table, it is hard to predict who will make the drop, with Hull, QPR and Leicester occupying the spots as it stands. 4 points seperates Everton in 12th which proves how tight it really is. At the start of the season, I predicted Palace, Villa and Sunderland to get relegated and it seems likely that at least one of these teams won't survive.

In Germany's Bundesliga, there isn't much competition for Bayern Munich who sit unbeaten and 11 points ahead of Wolfsburg in second. Bayern's domestic dominance seems likely to continue for a number of years, particularly as main rivals, Borussia Dortmund lie in the relegation zone level on points with 18th placed Freiburg. I hope Klopp is able to resurrect Dortmund While the competition is minimum at the top of the table, there is plenty of it at the bottom. Only 12 points seperates 18 and 4th position. There is plenty of time for Jurgen Klopp's men to hit a purple patch and finish in a respectable position. Similarly, sides to seem out of the danger zone could slip down the table, if the next couple of matches don't go to plan.

We through Austria/Switzerland to Italy. As predicted, Juventus and Roma are leading the pack with third place Napoli 6 points behind. It is certainly a gap that Napoli can catch, but they will need to begin their charge pretty soon, especially as Juventus and Roma don't look like slipping up anytime soon. Both Milan and Internazionale trundle through their stage of 'transition' and sit in 11th and 10th respectively. With Inter capturing the signature of Xherdan Shaqiri, Mancini aims to stamp his mark on a side that could be doing with an ounce of quality. More signings to this calibre and we could be seeing the Nerazurri return to the heights of the Champions League.

Let's turn our attention to Spain. Real Madrid lead the pack by a point with Barcelona and Atletico chasing behind. Real triumphed in the solitary Clasico so far with an excellent display of counter attacking football and with the current situation at the Nou Camp in dispute, it doesn't look like they will be able to topple Real Madrid. Despite losing their goalkeeper, left back and striker in the summer transfer window, Atletico are up there albeit 4 points behind the leaders and having played a game more. I still think Real Madrid will have enough strength to fend off the challenge of their competitors, but being able to compete for the Champions League as well, is a completely different scenario.

In France, PSG have been faltering and this can be put down to problems in a fractured dressing room. Marcelo Bielsa's Marseille came firing out of the blocks at the start of the season and Gignac was scoring for fun. However the form has declined and some may say it is down to Bielsa's rigorous training methods. Olympique Lyon now lead the charge and Alexandre Lacazette has made his price tag more expensive to possible suitors this month. After a slow start from Monaco, Leonardo Jardim has tidied up and now they are sitting in a respectable 5th. The loss of Falcao has clearly affected them, and a 5th place finish come May might not be enough for Jardim to keep his job.

Hot Prospects in the Serie A

With the World Cup nearly upon us, it gives Premier League managers the opportunity to hunt for some potential transfer targets. The Serie A has allowed some of the brightest young prospects to burst onto the scene this year. The league has a profusion of Italian talent, which could be useful for some clubs in the Premier League.

It is well documented that German giants, Borussia Dortmund have sealed Torino's Ciro Immobile as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Immobile had a spectacular Serie A campaign and topped the goal scoring charts this season with 23. His Torino narrowly missed out on qualification for the Europa League and if he was eligible to play in that match against Fiorentina, I would have bet Torino to secure a European spot for next season. He formed a formidable strike force with fellow Italian Alessio Cerci, netting 36 goals in the Serie A and Coppa Italia. Now that the season has concluded, Immobile turns his attention to Italy's World Cup campaign that begins on the 14th June against England. 

The 24 year old is regarded as a poacher and does share similarities in his play to that of Lewandowski. At the start of the season, it was unlikely whether Prandelli would select Immobile, but after his electric form in the league, his inclusion was vital. He has fierce competition for the starting spot against England, with fellow teammate Cerci in fine form along with other star studded talents. Prandelli may choose experience in Cassano or Balotelli, over Immobile, even though they're not in the same calibre of form as the Torino man. With the Immobile off to Dortmund, Klopp has bagged himself another bargain for an approximate fee of £15m. I feel that the English clubs have missed a trick here, and can certainly see him coming back to bite them on the back side in the Champions League.

Domenico Berardi is another talent that is one to look out for in the future. Berardi burst onto the scene scoring 4 goals in a 4-3 win over AC Milan in January, becoming the first player to score 4 goals against AC Milan in a single Serie A match. In addition to his Milan heroics, Berardi netted a first half hat-trick in a memorable victory over Fiorentina earlier this month. Berardi was certainly a factor in securing safety for a second season in Serie A as, he contributed 16 goals to the cause. Although not going to the World Cup, Berardi is player that will feature in years to come.

The 19 year old has been linked with a transfer to England prior to the January transfer window, however the Italian may be more difficult to capture than people think. Serie A champions, Juventus completed a deal in September 2013 with Sassuolo that Berardi was to be co-owned by both clubs. The deal also saw Luca Marrone transfer in the opposite direction along with a fee of €4.3m. Any clubs looking at the Italian protege will certainly have to stump up much more cash, however The Old Lady may be more favourable towards a loan deal. Clinching their 3rd successive Serie A title, Juve have a wealth of talent in attack through Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente, Mirko Vucinic among others. It will be unlikely that Antonio Conte will place his faith for the coming season in a 19 year old rather than the experience of some of those mentioned.

Internazionale's Mateo Kovacic is an exciting young player who can thread a pass through the eye of a needle. Beginning his career at Dinamo Zagreb, Inter snapped the 20 year old up for a total sum of €15m in January 2013. He is highly rated by the coaching staff at Internazionale, which is emphasised through receiving the infamous number 10 jersey upon his arrival at the Guiseppe Meazza. Making 45 appearances for the first team at Inter, a glorious World Cup could see him cement himself in Walter Mazzari's first team plans for the coming season. Even at the tender age of 20, Kovacic has several honours attached to his name. These include a successful time at Zagreb where he lifted the domestic double, and being awarded Croatian Football Hope of the Year in 2011. The Croatian playmaker became the second youngest scorer in the Premier League as he scored a goal in the last group game against Lyon. 

Kovacic has the ability to control a game of football and will become the pinnacle of the Inter team in the future. Due to the large fee Inter paid for him, it will take a lot of money to prize him from the clutches of Mazzari. The Croatian international has had many respected admirers in the past, including Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus who scouted him when he was 13, and also attracted the attention of Arsenal Chief Scout, Steve Rowley, who was reported to have watched him perform several U17 matches while at Zagreb. Capped at senior level for Croatia 8 times, it is likely that Kovacic will be heading to Brazil in less than 2 weeks with his national team which re-ignite the interest from top European clubs.

While the spotlight is all on the Saints' youth academy, many teams are forgetting about the vast amounts of talent located in Italy. I am sure that these players would be available for less cash than some of the English players. While I may have only discussed 3 players, there certainly are lot more, including Mauro Icardi and Victor Ibarbo. All of these players are destined to achieve great things and, with the correct tutoring, I don't see why they cannot achieve it.

The Best League in the World?

The question of 'Which is the Best League in the World?' is often asked and even more frequently answered with the Barclays Premier League as it is the most competitive. In the light of Roy Keane's recent comments, I thought it would be beneficial to share my opinions.

La Liga

While the La Liga contains arguably 2 of the biggest teams in the world, I don't see this as the best league in the world. The league is constantly a 2 horse race as either Barcelona or Real Madrid have won it since the 2003-2004 season. The vast majority of the Spanish national side play their football in Spain for either Barcelona or Real Madrid. This has proved both teams, especially Barca to be a force in Europe in the past seasons, having won the Champions League 3 times since 2005. However, a new force in the shape of Atletico Madrid are going from strength to strength and will test rivals Madrid and Barca in the coming seasons.

Unfortunately for Madrid, they have been living in the Blaugrana's shadow for the last few years. Barca's European dominance has also helped the national side. Spain have dominated International football by winning 2 European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. For what the league lacks in competitive nature, it makes up for in sheer brilliance and skill from Barca and Real and is a must watch to see the best players in the world in action.

Serie A

The Italian League on the other hand, is an underrated league, in my opinion. Since the turn of the century, 5 different teams have won it while it is a constant scramble for 2nd and 3rd place. On the downside, the League has seen its rainy days. The 2006 match fixing scandal saw Juventus stripped of their title and booted out of Serie A to Serie C1 while Fiorentina and Lazio were demoted to Serie B. Other sanctions were also given to Milan and Reggina. A bad light portrayed of our Beautiful Game. 

The next season will prove profitable for rising stars Napoli as they invested their €60m wisely that they got from the sale of Edinson Cavani. AC Milan look strong as do Juventus but AC rivals Inter, is a different story. A disappointing 9th place finsh last season saw them finish behind arch rivals AC. A league which has been plagued with controversy in the past is competitive and will be sure to stay that way with the rise of new teams. Juventus appear to be in pole position to be crowned champions, while AS Roma surprised everyone with their explosive start to the season. On the other hand, Milan have had a disastrous season, which further emphasises the unpredictable nature of the Italian League.

Bundesliga

The Bundesliga now holds the European Champions in the shape of Bayern Munich for the 1st time in 12 years. The final was an all German affair between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern, but more interestingly, it was a final no one expected. Bayern ran 7 goals past Barcelona on aggregate in a vintage German performance while Dortmund's home leg against Madrid saw Robert Lewandowski net 4 goals. After these results, many said that this was the end of Spain's dominance in continental football and that 'Ze Germans' were heading for world domination... Where have we heard that before... 

The previous season witnessed records broken as Bayern walked away with the title after reclaiming it from rivals Dortmund. Bayern became the first team to do the 'treble' in Germany and this season will answer questions in terms of their seize of power over football. With exception to Bayern last season, teams were regularly beating each other such as relegation battlers Hoffenheim defeating Dortmund 4-1 away from home. The same trend has carried on into this season. 

Bayern have effectively won the league with 2 months to spare, and are favourites to win the Champions League again. Similar to La Liga, for what it lacks in competition, it makes up for in quality, particularly from Bayern and Dortmund. The best league in the world? Tough to say whether it beats the English league but its certainly up there with the quality and quantity of goals scored up to this date.

Is the Premier League all that it's hyped up to be?

Touted as the most competitive and exciting league in the world, this tag certainly lived up to expectations at the end of the 2011/2012 season, with City taking the title in the dying embers of the campaign. A magical moment whether a City fan, United fan or the neutral. We can never definitively say who will be relegated or clinch the title due to the unpredictability of the league. Although it was a two horse race for the majority of the previous season, this season, any team from Manchester to London can do it. 

I believe Chelsea will be win the league, now that their guardian angel, Jose Mourinho is at the helm. Mourinho has the know-how and experience to guide his team to an English title. However, what I find disappointing about the Premier League, is the failings in Europe over the past seasons. Although Chelsea won the Europa League, no British team got passed the last 16 stage of the Champions League and also that 3/4 English teams appear to be going out at the first hurdle. With the money involved in Chelsea and Manchester City, mixed with the superb form of Arsenal and Liverpool it will only be a matter of time until the British teams are back at the the top.

As for the comments made by Roy Keane, I agree with him that the Premier League is the best 'brand' however I disagree with his opinion that it's not the best league. If you are looking for quality football and a competitive season, then look no further than the Barclays Premier League.

In a close second, I think it's Serie A. I feel the 14 point gap at the top is down to the sheer quality of Juve, rather than the inability of the rest. However, it just lacks the quality in Europe - with the exception of stragglers, Milan. I can easily see the Serie A becoming more competitive if a club is bought over and money is pumped in like what has happened at City and PSG.

Match-fixing

Over the past few months, an old foe has returned to blemish our footballing game. We had thought that match-fixing was a thing of the past, but the events over the Christmas period meant that it has returned.

It used to play a major role in Italian football which saw Juventus stripped of their 04/05 and 05/06 titles and demoted to Serie B with a 30 point deduction in 2006. They were not the only team involved as sanctions were dished out to Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina. Milan remained in the Serie A for the following season but albeit at the expense of 15 points. Lazio suffered a seven penalty while Fiorentina were docked twelve points for the following season, both were relegated to Serie B.

In the middle of December, Cremona prosecutor Roberto Di Martino confirmed that former Italian, Rangers and Milan hatchet man Gennaro Gattuso has allegedly been involved a syndicate that fixed matches in Serie A at the end of the 2010/2011 season. The Italian was renowned for his fierce tackling and hard work which earned him the nickname of Ringhio (growl). He has recently pleaded his innocence by contemplating suicide if found guilty

Much closer to home, 6 footballers have been arrested on suggestion of match-fixing. As of the 16th December, the Daily Mail reported that Oldham Athletic player Cristian Montano had been sacked. He is one of the six players arrested and bailed by the National Crime Agency in an operation looking to stamp out match-fixing in football. 

The Sun newspaper did an investigation into ex-pompey and Nigerian international Sam Sodje. A video shows Sodje claiming to be able to fix Championship matches and also Montano explaining how 'he struggled to get a booking in a League One match against Wolves in October.' A separate video shows the Nigerian divulge details on how he punched Portsmouth's Lee Bernard down below in an attempt to get sent off in order to collect a £70,000 payout.

I'm glad to see that UEFA are creating measures to combat match-fixing through the introduction of their 11-point plan which is designed to engage match-fixing. As reported by BBC Sport, it will be distributed to all 54 European football associations. Further afield, the Malaysian FA imposed a lifetime ban on five players and three team officials. As well as the ban, they were slapped a RM20,000 fine which is equivalent to just over 3,700 British pounds.

Today, illegal betting syndicates are worth an estimated £320 billion - fuelled by ‘in-game’ betting and prove to make clients extremely rich. We thought we had seen the back of match-fixing after the severe penalties dealt out for the 2006 scandal but recent events have shown us that this is not the case. I say, leave it for the cricket.

Winter Round-Up 2013

Winter Round-Up

Here is a round-up of the Italian, German and Spanish Leagues to date.

La Liga

It is probably not too surprising that Barcelona are leading the way in Spain with 46 points, but I don't think too many people predicted Atletico to be in second place. Although having not found first gear this season, Barca have picked up on where they left off last season, albeit only ahead on goal difference. As for the Madrid sides, the tide could be turning. Real find themselves 5 points adrift of the top 2 and are positioned in 3rd place while Atleti are level on points with Barca. 

In El Clasico this year, Barcelona took the spoils with a 2-1 victory over Madrid at the Nou Camp. Neymar offered a scintillating performance in the first battle between him and the other debutant, Gareth Bale by scoring the opening goal. Alexis Sanchez doubled their lead after a deft chip over Lopez before Jese grabbed a late consolation goal to half the deficit.

In terms of my prediction, Real Madrid have the talent to win the title this year, but in order to it, they will need to gel together. Barcelona have defensive worries, after conceding 2 against Getafe at the weekend, but as always, their attacking threat bailed them out. They will look to improve in that department over January. As for the other side of Madrid, they possess a lethal striker in Diego Costa. Already with 23 goals this season, Costa will be hoping to bag a few more in order to challenge the big guns in the Champions League and try to pip Barcelona and Real to the title.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Barcelona	17	15	1	1	49	12	37	46
2	Atlético Madrid	17	15	1	1	46	11	35	46
3	Real Madrid	17	13	2	2	49	21	28	41
4	Athletic	17	10	3	4	26	21	5	33
5	Real Sociedad	17	8	5	4	33	23	10	29

Serie A

Last year's champions Juventus head into the Winter Break in pole position with leading the undefeated Roma by 5 points. Roma began the campaign in terrific fashion by winning their first 10 games and only conceding 1 goal in the process, but drawing too many games has cost them their top spot. 3rd place and lying a further 5 points behind is Napoli. Unlike Tottenham, Benitez and Napoli have spent wisely and are ready to pounce on any rare occasions when the top 2 drop points. As for the Milan teams, Inter find themselves poised in 5th position while the return of Kaka has done nothing to aid AC Milan's title prospects as they have had a torrid time and find themselves languishing in 13th - only 5 points of the relegation zone.

On Sunday, Inter beat AC in the Milan derby at a somewhat flat atmosphere in Northern Italy. Rodrigo Palacio neatly flicked the ball past Abbiati late on in order to send the Rossoneri home empty handed. The first week back treats us to a top of the table clash between Juventus and Roma, and a victory for Juve would give the an 8 point buffer zone. Juventus are the favourites to complete the job that they have started, but Roma could give them a bit of bother and make it tougher than they expected, however I do expect them to prevail.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Juventus	17	15	1	1	39	11	28	46
2	Roma	17	12	5	0	35	7	28	41
3	Napoli	17	11	3	3	36	20	16	36
4	Fiorentina	17	10	3	4	33	20	13	33
5	Inter Milan	17	8	7	2	37	21	16	31

Bundesliga

As expected, Bayern top the Bundesliga table by a mile, with Leverkusen in 2nd and Monchengladbach in 3rd. Bayern Munich and AS Roma are the only sides out of Europe's top leagues to be unbeaten up until now. Having only dropped 4 points from 16 games, and with a game in hand, Bayern are expected to dominate the league with having it wrapped up long before the conclusion of the season. Last year's Champions League and Bundesliga runner-up Borussia Dortmund, find themselves in 4 position, 12 points off the leader. 

Dortmund versus Bayern was played on 23 November with Munich running out 3-0 winners. The West German side held the Bavarians out until the 66th minute when Mario Gotze scored against his old team. Arjen Robben executed a majestic lob over Weidenfeller in the 85th minute before Thomas Muller completed the rout. In a league that appears to be wrapped up already, Dortmund, Leverkusen and Monchengladbach will be hoping to hold off the victory for Bayern as long as possible.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bayern Munich	16	14	2	0	42	8	34	44
2	Bayer	17	12	1	4	32	16	16	37
3	Mönchengladbach	17	10	3	4	35	19	16	33
4	Dortmund	17	10	2	5	38	20	18	32
5	Wolfsburg	17	9	3	5	28	19	9	30

My prediction:

La Liga 

1. Real Madrid

2. Barcelona

3. Atletico Madrid

Serie A

1. Juventus

2. Roma

3. Napoli

Bundesliga

1. Bayern Munich

2. Borussia Monchengladbach

3. Borussia Dortmund