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[FM14] I Gondolieri - A New Club in Italy

The follow up to mine and ASR's story, a new club takes centre stage in Italy
Started on 13 July 2014 by Tallery
Latest Reply on 10 July 2015 by Aaron
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One In, One Out

Midfielder Simone Bentivoglio has left AS Venezia

Today, AS Venezia has been busy in the transfer market, announcing two deals on Transfer Deadline Day.

The first deal was the sale of Simone Bentivoglio to Cesena. The Italian midfielder, who made no appearances for Venezia this season, still attracted a big-money move to the Serie A club.

The 28 year old, is becoming known as a journey man, having played for 6 different clubs since 2010. He has spent the last three seasons at Chievo, Venezia and now Cesena, and has no first team games under his belt.

But either way, he is happy to be joining Cesena, for a fee of £625k.

“Cesena are a great club and a step up in the level in football. I really hope I can impress, even though I haven’t played much football for the last few years. I believe that I can still make an impact, and I am in the height of my career, and obviously, so do the club. To be playing Serie A football again is fantastic, and I cannot wait to start playing.”

Venezia are thought to have wanted to sell the player, after not being registered for the league, and saw him a deadwood.

Bentivoglio started his career at Juventus, but made no first team appearances, but had loan moves to Mantova and Modena, at which he made 50 league appearances, before moving to Cheivo in 2008. He made 108 league appeances for the club, before in 2010, he career took a turn for the worst, and he moved to Bari on loan, before having a permanent move to Sampdoria, only to be loaned out again a season later, before he moved to AS Venezia.


Benvenuto Javi

I Gondolieri announced another deal for former Barcelona wonderkid Javi Espinosa. The 21 year old Spanish midfielder has joined from Villarreal.

He caught people’s eyes when he featured heavily for the Barcelona first team in 2012, after impressing in the La Masia. He made 27 first team appearances for the Catalan Giants, and 36 for the B Team.

He attracted interest from some of Spain’s biggest clubs, and moved to Villarreal this summer, but made no league appearances for the club, a possible reason behind the move to Venice.

“If I had stayed at Barça, I probably would have played more games. But everyone makes mistakes, and I am very happy to be starting a new page in my career with Venezia. I hope to stay here for a long time, as this club looks like it could go places, and I want to be a part of that. I joined to help the club progress and to play lots of first team football, which I was told I was going to get by the manager, unlike at Villarreal. I just want to have a long and successful career here with I Gondolieri.”

Manager Nesta was also very happy about the signing.

“Javi is a brilliant player with lots of potential. If he works hard, and plays lots of football, he can become one of the best midfielders in the world. Barcelona obviously recognised his talent, and were stupid to let him go, but I am very happy it has enabled us to sign him. He will hopefully play a big part in the club’s future and do well for the club, and help lead it to success. I have no idea why Villarreal did not play him, but it is their loss, a player of his quality. The price we got him for is also unbelievable, and they really mucked it up this time.”

Espinosa reportedly will be on £4,800 p/w and cost £2.5m, but it could rise to £3.4m, depending on appearances.

He started his career at Barcelona in 2007, and broke into the B team in 2010, scoring on his debut, when still a schoolboy and went on to make 36 appearances and scoring 2 goals, before making the step up to the first team, and played regularly with the likes of Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta. He signed for Villarreal this summer, but could not nail down a first team place for the El Submarino Amarillo.
great signing!
Very nice signings, should do well for you sooner or later :P
Love the graphic!
Nice graphic!
Javi Espinosa has been one of Barça B's best players these last few years, hopefullu
he does well for you! :)
Cant believe this is the first time I am reading through this story. But I love it.
An amazing amazing job, from the kits to the logo to the idea, everything.
Spectacular work man.. Hats off :D
I totally agree with AS4: this is an amazing story so far, unique idea, and greatly executed as well! Hopefully this can continue for a long time!
Tallery's avatar Group Tallery
10 yearsEdited

2014 - 15 January and February Review



AS Venezia played Siena in January, and Frosinone, Lanciano, Cittadella and Crotone in February.

SIENA 0-2 AS VENEZIA



Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-3-3) Kuszczak, Neill, Terlizzi, Sørensen, Alhassen, Bottone, Barillà, Valenta, Sinclair, Seijas, Anelka
Line Up: Siena: (5-4-1) Lamanna, Morero, Matheu, Brandão, Almici, Coppola, Rubin, Vergassola, D’Agostino, Russotto, Monachello


The first game of the month saw the return fixture of the first game of the campaign, AS Venezia vs Siena, at the Artemio – Montepaschi Arena, in front of 9,490 fans. Jake Sinclair was making his debut. The first goal came after eight minutes, when Kuszczak’s kick up field found Barillà, but Brandão cleared, but it fell straight to Bottone. Sinclair then received the ball, and played it straight to Barillà, who played a lovely through ball to Anelka, who put it straight in to the back of the net. Siena’s Vergassola was taken off after suffering an injury. The next goal came after a Seijas corner, after Sørensen was bought down by Monachello inside the box. Anelka scored the resulting penalty. Late on, another Siena player was taken off injured, this time it being D’Agostino.

Nicolas Anelka (8)
Nicolas Anelka (pen 37)
Anelka

Manager’s View
The win was great win. It was revenge. We played really well and to score against such a good defence that early on is very good. I am very happy for Anelka as he has had a bit of a tough time recently of scoring goals, but now his back on track, and is doing very well, is great. Why the referee didn’t book any of Siena’s players, though, is beyond me. They committed way more fouls than us and we get the bookings. Something is not quite right there.

AS VENEZIA 0-0 FROSINONE



Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-3-3) Kuszczak, Neill, Terlizzi, Sørensen, Alhassen, Bottone, Barillà, Espinosa, Sinclair, Seijas, Anelka
Line Up: Frosinone: (4-3-3) Zappino, Ristovski, Mendes, Diakité, Pasqualini, Gucher, Frara, Vetrih, Soddimo, Cesaretti, Coda


The game was a let-down in front of 9,970 fans at the Stadio Pieruigi Penzo. The first half had lots of stoppages in play, as fouls were coming in left, right and centre, with plenty of yellow cards too. The game was really even and even went as far as each team having an equal share of possession and number of shots on target.

Sørensen

Manager’s View
This was a very disappointing game. It shows the vast difference between the highs and lows of football. One week, you play really well, and everyone takes notice. The next week, you fail and you lose interest. It is a vicious circle. Yes, Frosinone are a decent side, and yes, they did deserve the draw. But for us, a team that is in contention for the league title, we need to be winning these games and the team in front of will capitalise on our mistakes. That is why it is so important to not drop points, like we did here today.

LANCIANO 1-2 AS VENEZIA



Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-4-2) Kuszczak, Seitaridis, Piccolo, Sørensen, Biraghi, Bottone, Barillà, Sinclair, Seijas, Anelka, Baros
Line Up: Lanciano: (4-2-3-1) Terracciano, Aquilanti, Troest, Amenta, Mammarella, Paghera, Mezavilla, De Giorgio, Baraye, Turchi, Babacar


A solid win for AS Venezia at the Guido Biondi in front of 2,347 fans, a key moment in the race for automatic promotion. Things started well for I Gondolieri, with Baros netting after six minutes. Anelka won the ball back and ran at the hole it left in the defence. He then pulled it back to Baros, who made no mistake with the finish. But it took till the second half for any more goals to hit the back of the net, with Davide Bottone scoring his first for the club. A Kuszczak goal kick went straight over the back line, and into the path of Bottone, who bore down in to the penalty area and beat the on rushing goalkeeper with a magnificent lob. Lanciano’s goal came straight from corner, with Troest finishing after he found himself in plenty of space late on. Lanciano then looked like they may get another goal, but the I Gondolieri stood firm to deny them.

Milan Baros (6)
Davide Bottone (72)
Magnus Troest (86)
Kuszczak

Manager’s View
These three points could be key to the season, and that is why I am so pleased that we have got them. If we had lost this, it would have thrown open the spot, but now, we have made it ours. We attacked well, and I am so happy for Davide, he scored a great goal today. I am very happy for Tomasz as well, he played really well and deserved the Man of the Match, and he kept us in the game at the end.

AS VENEZIA 1-0 CITTADELLA



Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-4-2) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Sørensen, Biraghi, Bottone, Espinosa, De Silvestro, Seijas, Sinclair, Anelka
Line Up: Cittadella: (4-4-2) Pierobon, Campello, Mengoni, Pellizzer, Marino, Sandrini, Busellato, Gorobsov, Sgrigna, Scapuzzi, Donnarumma


Just over 10,000 people watched ASV run out one nil winners at the Stadio Peirluigi Penzo. The first and only goal of the game came from centre back Felice Piccolo in the nineteenth minute. After De Silvestro was fouled, a Javi Espinosa free kick was whipped in to the box to the near post, where an on running Piccolo met the ball, beat the keeper and a heavy first touch put it in the back of the net. The first half created a few more chances, but the none proved goal-worthy. The second half had nothing to cheer about, and Cittadella’s Donnarumma went of injured.

Felice Piccolo (19)
Piccolo

Manager’s View
A win is a win. It was not the greatest, but we got the three points, which is crucial. Claudio Foscarini will not be happy with the goal his side conceded, let me tell you that now. If my goalkeeper did what his did, I would throw a hissy fit. It was not good, he was so indecisive. He came, but never got the chance to go back, the free kick tricked him. To be fair you have to give credit to Javi for that, as we didn’t work on it on the training ground at all.

CROTONE 0-1 VENEZIA



Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-4-2) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Sørensen, Biraghi, Bottone, Espinosa, Barillà, Sinclair, Seijas, Baros, Anelka
Line Up: Crotone: (4-3-1-2) Coppola, Madonna, Cremonesi, Abruzzese, Mazzotta, Crimi, Galardo, Saric, Diakité, Danilevicius, Maniero


ASV got another one nil win at the Ezio Scida in front of 3,330 people. Venezia controlled the possession and showed real intent to get it back if they lost it, but it wasn’t till the second half when they got the goal to give them the three points. A Neill throw in on the left wing found Jake Sinclair, who passed it to Bottone who immediately gave it to Barillà. Barillà turned and passed it out wide to the waiting Seijas who cleverly passed it to the overlapping Biraghi. He then played a lovely ball back to Seijas, who beat two defenders to the ball and crossed it in. The goalkeeper parried the cross, but it fell to Anelka, who finished it. A few more chances were created, but none could be buried.

Nicolas Anelka (66)
Neill

Manager’s View
Another good win, and a goal from a goalkeeper’s mistake. Even though it might suggest that we need a bit of luck to score goals, it shows that my players are alert to what is going on around them. Another three points is good, and it shows that we can pick up three points no matter what the game is like, whether it is scrappy or we are dominating, which is another hallmark of a good, title winning side.

OVERVIEW



LEAGUE TABLE



AS Venezia still sit second, 5 points off the top, but with a game in hand. They have won 19, drawn 6 and only lost 1 game so far this season. They have scored 44 goals, and only conceded 16, the divisions’ best.


NEXT MONTH: MARCH



I Gondolieri will play six games next month. Varese, Latina and Modena at home and Pro Vercelli, Trapani and Avellio away.
What a fantastic month. Can't quite believe you're second! xP
amazing month mate, really well done! keep this up and you'll be well on your way to the title!
Wow, great month! Still can't believe how you're not top lol. Good luck getting top next month though!
I love the graphics for this story mate! What a season so far as well, Serie A soon! :D
Pretty much identical layout to my new layout... and I didn't even copy I swear! HA!
great month tal, kicking arse in the league!

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