[FM14] I Gondolieri - A New Club in Italy

2014 - 15 September Review

AS Venezia played Cittadella, Lanciano, Crotone, Varese and Pro Vercelli.

CITTADELLA 2-3 AS VENEZIA

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Seitaridis, Neill, Bacchetti, Biraghi, Bottone, Kafes, Anelka, Seijas, De Silvestro, Iaquinta
Line Up: Cittadella: (4-4-2) Casadei, Colombo, Mengoni, Pellizzer, Pugliese, Surraco, Paolucci, Busellato, Gorobsov, Pérez, Donnarumma

2,519 people witnessed a great game between Cittadella and Venezia at the Pier Cesare Tombolato. Iaquinta gave Venezia the lead. Late on in the second half, Cittadell equalised with a goal from Busellato. Madej then quickly gave ASV the lead again. Donnarumma then equalised, but Madej, who came off the bench, scored to give I Gondolieri the three points.

Vincenzo Iaquinta (27)
Massimiliano Busellato (76)
Lukasz Madej (78)
Alfredo Donnarumma (82)
Lukasz Madej (88)
Madej

AS VENEZIA 1-1 LANCIANO

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Seitaridis, Neill, Bacchetti, Biraghi, Bottone, Barrilá, Anelka, Adorján, Seijas, Iaquinta
Line Up: Lanciano: (4-2-3-1) Terracciano, Aquilanti, Troest, Scrosta, Mammarella, Paghera, Mezavilla, De Giorgio, Pennacchio, Ganz, Babacar

The next game was against Lanciano, where a crowd of 9,963 witnessed a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo. Babacar gave Lanciano an early lead, but Iaquinta scored late on to bring it level. Seitaridis injured himself and is out of action for four weeks.

Khouma Babacar (14)
Vincenzo Iaquinta (82)
De Giorgio

AS VENEZIA 3-1 CROTONE

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Terlizzi, Biraghi, Bottone, Kafes, De Silvestro, Valenta, Seijas, Anelka
Line Up: Crotone: (4-3-1-2) Caio Secco, Madonna, Ligi, Abruzzese, Mazzotta, Diakitè, Crimi, Minotti, Ninis, Maniero, Ishak

A crowd of 9,994 witnessed ASV run out 3-1 winners at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo. Anelka gave I Gondolieri an early lead, which Valenta soon built on, and then added in the twenty-ninth minute. Ishak then got on back for Crotone.

Nicolas Anelka (10)
Jiri Valenta (14)
Jiri Valenta (29)
Mikael Ishak (76)
Valenta

VARESE 1-1 AS VENEZIA

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Neill, Terlizzi, Goian, Biraghi, Bottone, Seijas, Anelka, Valenta, Barrilá, Iaquinta
Line Up: Varese: (3-5-2) Bressan, Camporese, Rea, Grillo, Flamozzi, Zecchin, Corti, Barberis, Cristiano, Momenté, Eusepi

The next game was ASV visit the Franco Ossola, where 3,131 witnessed a draw. Barberis put Varese in front just before half time, with a magnificent free kick. Baros then equalised in the fifty-second minute for I Gondolieri, to score his first goal for the club

Andrea Barberis (45)
Milan Baros (52)
Terlizzi

AS VENEZIA 1-0 PRO VERCELLI

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Terlizzi, Bottone, Kafes, De Silvestro, Valenta, Barrilá, Anelka
Line Up: Pro Vercelli: (4-2-3-1) Russo, Bencivenga, Milesi, Regno, Scaglia, Rosso, Ardizzone, Erpen, Ragatzu, Scavone, Kuqi

The next game was against Pro Vercelli, where a crowd of 9,984 watched the one nil win. Anelka got injured early on and is out for three to four weeks. Kafes then scored a header to give ASV the lead.

Pantelis Kafes (39)
Biraghi

OVERVIEW

LEAGUE TABLE

AS Venezia sit 6th, on 14 points. They have a goals for of 11, and a goals against of 8. They have won 4, lost 1 and drawn 2.

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NEXT MONTH: OCTOBER

I Gondolieri will play four games next month, playing Latina away, Trapani at home, Modena away and Avellino at home.

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MANAGER'S DIARY: ENTRY #3

I love this job. It is a dream come true, everything I imagined it to be. The fans love me, which is all I really wanted. It is nice to be getting the results, but if the fans don’t love you, it makes it half as enjoyable. Everything is fitting together, like a giant puzzle. The squad I have is fantastic and wants to play for me; they believe every word I say. I guess it probably helps being one of the best players Italy has had, and I have a huge reputation, and a lot of the younger players look up to me, which makes them listen. The team seems to respond to my team talks as well, in the right way, which is why we are doing so well. The motivation that I leave is astounding; I just don’t know where it has come from.

The season is going very well. Considering it is our first campaign, you wouldn’t expect us to be sixth in the league. The game against Cittadella was a great game. We dominated from start to finish, but we let them score. When I brought Madej on, I didn’t think he would do anything, going by his last few performances. But, boy, I was wrong. The first goal of his was a beauty. The first effort was really unlucky, a curling shot from the edge of the area that hit the bar. The rebound fell straight back to him, and he walloped it in.

The next game was disappointing. After the performance against Cittadella, I thought we would win this by a landslide. But I was wrong. In fact, we went one nil down really early on. It was a battle from there. Luckily, Iaquinta was there to rescue us, but without his striking prowess, I don’t think we would have got the point we didn’t deserve.

After that, we played Crotone. I picked this as probably the hardest game of the month. And we obliterated them. I was overjoyed. The fans, as it was being played at home, were jubilant. Possibly the best atmosphere I had ever felt in a football stadium. Better than the San Siro, when we are lining up against Inter. Better than the Champions League Final. It was just insane. When Nicolas Anelka gave us the lead, I celebrated. In fact, I probably looked like a complete idiot, but it summed up the emotions I felt at the time. Then, four minutes later, Jiri scored. At that point, I thought I was dreaming, but thankfully, I wasn’t. Jiri then got another, which put the game beyond doubt. The only disappointment was conceding, but I wasn’t one of those really annoying sloppy goals that we concede, it was pure class, which I can excuse, just once.

We then faced Varese. I knew this was going to be tough, one of the best teams in the division. They attacked. We defended. All week, we had been working on defensive scenarios. Corners, Free Kicks, Positioning. We held out, until half time. We gave away a stupid free kick at the edge of the area. And they scored. I was livid, and let them know at half time. But that was when Milan stepped up, and got his first goal for the club. He was over the moon, passion was high.

The final game of the month was won we should have won comfortably. Yes, we won, one nil, but it was harder than it should have been. Pro Vercelli were defending for all their worth. But, thirty-five year old Kafes came out on top. The Greek Euro winner got above the defence and put it into the back of the net. He was overjoyed. He scored his first goal for just under two years, quite an achievement.

Next month, all the games are winnable. We should win the comfortably, to be honest. None of them are in the top half of the table, which means we need to pick up all of the three points on offer, if we want promotion.

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Frederik Sørensen Signs

Today AS Venezia have announced the signing of Juventus centre back Frederik Sørensen. He will join the squad immediately.

Manager Nesta had this to say about the signing:

"I am delighted to announce he is a Venezia player. I am confident he will be a key player for the team, now and in the future. He lead the club to glory for many years. To get him from Juve on a free, such a great prospect, is brilliant, I hope he can win games for us."

The twenty-one year old Dane joined on a free transfer, after his Juventus contract expired. He started his career at Himmelev in Denmark, then joining Lyngby, and then Juventus. During the 2010-11 season, he made 17 league appearances, and then has loaned out to Bologna for two seasons, making 27 appearances and scoring two goals.

2014 - 15 October Review

AS Venezia played Latina, Modena, Trapani and Avellino this month.

LATINA 0-2 AS VENEZIA

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-4-2) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Terlizzi, Biraghi, Valenta, Barrilá, De Silvestro, Seijas, Iaquinta, Baros
Line Up: Latina: (4-3-3) Iannarilli, Figliomeni, Esposito, Brosco, Rossi, Matute, Bruno, Gerbo, Negro, Fábio Nunes, Paolucci

1,728 people witnessed AS Venezia run out 2-0 winners at the Domencio Francioni against Latina. De Silvestro scored a magnificent solo goal to give ASV the lead. Iaquinta then scored late on.

Elio De Silvestro (33)
Vincenzo Iaquinta (82)
De Silvestro

MODENA 1-1 AS VENEZIA

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-2-1-3) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Terlizzi, Sini, Bottone, Barillá, Valenta, Baros, Iaquinta, Anelka
Line Up: Modena: (4-3-3) Pinsoglio, Potenza, Zoboli, Marzorati, Carini, Hhetemaj, Dalla Bona, Martinelli, Mazzarani, Verdi, Granoche

The next game saw ASV face Modena at Alberto Braglia. 4,407 people celebrated when Mazzarani put Modena in front just after the break. Baros then equalised after little time. Lucas Neill was sent off late on for two yellow cards.

Andrea Mazzarani (52)
Milan Baros (59)
Lucas Neill (83)
Mazzarani

AS VENEZIA 1-1 TRAPANI

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-1-1-3-1) Kuszczak, Seitaridis, Bacchetti, Terlizzi, Biraghi, Bottone, Kafes, De Silvestro, Valenta, Seijas, Anelka
Line Up: Trapani: (4-4-2) Nordi, Lo Bue, Pagliarulo, Suagher, Priola, Iunco, Zampa, Miglietta, Rizzatom Rubino, Abate

The next game saw ASV face play at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo in front of a crowd of 9,989. It took until the closing moments for the game to kick off, with Iaquinta giving I Gondolieri the lead. But just before the full time whistle, Abate equalised, leaving Nesta furious.

Vincenzo Iaquinta (82)
Giovanni Abate (90)
Iaquinta

AS VENEZIA 1-1 AVELLINO

Line Up: AS Venezia: (4-4-2) Kuszczak, Neill, Piccolo, Goian, Biraghi, Bottone, Barillá, Anelka, Seijas, Iaquinta, Baros
Line Up: Avellino: (3-5-2) Giannakopoulos, Gozzi, Wagué, Coeff, Ladriére, Koné, Schiavon, Jádson, Favasuli, Comi, Soncin

The next game saw ASV pit themselves against Avellio at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo, where a crowd of just over 10,000 witnessed the late drama once again. Milan Baros gave Venezia the lead, but late on, despite Venezia controlling, Castaldo, a substitute for Avellio, scored.

Milan Baros (32)
Luigi Castaldo (84)
Castaldo

OVERVIEW

LEAGUE TABLE

AS Venezia sit 6th, again, with 20 points. They have won 5, drawn 5, and lost one. They have a goals for of 16, and a goals against of 11, making a goal difference of +5.

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NEXT MONTH: NOVEMBER

I Gondolieri will play five games in November, playing Bari and Catania at home and Brescia, Virtus Entella and Pescara away.

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