La Madonna

The season has come to a close with Palermo qualifying for the Europa League qualification round.



With a transfer budget of 11M Cordella can maybe look at strengthening her squad. A right winger to replace Chong and possibly a stronger goalkeeper are top of the list. However, Cordella has decided to prioritise her backroom staff which is not as good as it could be.



May ended pretty poorly for the guys in pink. De Graca scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Sampdoria.

Atalanta's visit did not go as well as wanted. Schindler opened the score before Barrow eqalised, McTominay hit the bar deep in stoppage time, but Palermo did not do enough to prevent the draw.

A trip to Juventus began perfectly with Cannavo getting a goal in the 6th minute. But Brignoli gifted another goal by placing the ball at the feet of Kean. Kean doubled his tally in the second half before Petrelli added a third. Brignoli was fined for his performance and Cordella is pondering moving him on as she is concerned his blunders could cause further upsets.

Palermo were expected to brush aside Frosinone but Chibsah scored first for the visitors. Cannavo equalised right after the break but Cordella's men were just too complacent throughout.



Nobody would have thought Palermo capable of finishing in 7th place. The predicted relegation battle never happened. The upcoming season announces itself as though with the extra European games adding an extra challenge. There was always the feeling that Cordella's men were performing above their abilities, so her challenge is to prove this wasn't a one off. Juventus finished top above Roma. Perugia, Frosinone and Empoli were relegated. Spal and Parma have been promoted from Serie B with one of Verona, Salerenitana, Foggia, Lecce, Carpi or Brescia set to join them.



By mid season, Cordella's first choice team was much different to the one she had decided upon at the beginning of the season. She expects the spine to be much the same next season.

Gallo, Correnti and Da Graca won youth awards.

First, let's recap the deals and awards during preseason.

First off, Camilla Cordella was named manager of the year in Serie A by the media, but the manager's manager of the year went to Allegri prompting many to wonder whether Cordella's position as a female manager still isn't taken seriously by some.

The hype surrounding Camilla Cordella saw her approached by Galatasaray and Besiktas, but she turned down the opportunities for interviews to fulfil her promises.



The team was named the club of the year, which was a nice surprise for Cordella and her men.



Hot prospect Marchese became the youngest ever footballer to play in the Europa League.



Transfer Deals:

Ins:

Andreas Perreira, free kick specialist from newly relegated Empoli in a 6M euro deal.
Nikola Moro from Dinamo Zagreb also for 6M euro.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah from Manchester United for 1M euro.
Chong and Tuanzebe's loans were extended while Sergio Romero replaces McTominay on a season long loan.

When asked about the Manchester United connection in the media, Cordella replied two fold. She mentioned how she had a good discussion with Mourinho during the friendly the previous year and how the players that had come through on loans had helped the team progress. The second was that it was always helpful to bring in players who already know one another. Romero was offered to Palermo by Mourinho, a transfer was considered at first, but the finances were not available, so a loan was agreed.

Six players also joined on free contracts while two young prospects joined for small fees.

Outs:

Jajalo to Hannover for 2.2M, Lo Faso to Perugia for 1.6M, Iniguez to Velez for 1.9M, Accardi to Spal for 1M, the error prone Brignoli to Trabzonspor for 1M, Fiore to Malatyaspor for 675k, Mavididi to Hull for 600k and Gallo to Inter on a free transfer. 21 players have also left on season long loans.

Preseason Results:

Palermo 7-0 Salzburg
Palermo 1-2 Liverpool
Palermo 2-1 Rapid Vienna
Palermo 0-1 Monaco
Palermo 1-1 FC Porto
Palermo 4-0 CA Bizerte
Palermo 3-0 Panathinaikos

We will have another update at the end of August, will Camilla Cordella manage to defeat Feroe Island's B36 Torshavn to progress in the Europa League? Will she be able to replicate the form of last season?

Let's get to know Palermo, Camilla Cordella introduces her team for the upcoming season.

Goalkeepers:
Sergio Romero, 33
Simone Cortinovis, 24
Fabrizio Alastra, 22

Defenders:
Axel Tuanzebe, 22
Roberto Pirrello, 24
Andrea Rispoli, 31
Antonio Mazzotta, 31
Przemyslaw Szyminski, 26
Timothy Fosu-Mensah, 22
Kingsley Schindler, 27
Alessandro Mazza, 21

Midfielders:
Gennaro Ruggiero, 20
Nikola Moro, 22
Andreas Pereira, 24
Ivaylo Chochev, 27
Luigi Mendola, 19
Simone Santoro, 20

Wingers:
Tahith Chong, 20
Agostino Rizzo, 21
Raimondo Lucera, 19
Mario Correnti, 19


Strikers:
Cosimo Marco Da Graca, 18
Stefano Okaka, 31
Cristian Bunino, 24

The results so far:

Europa League Qualifiers:

B36 Torshavn 0-9 Palermo
Moro (3), Rizzo, Cannavo, Pereira (2), Lucera, Tuanzebe

Palermo 7-0 B36 Torshavn
Rizzo (2), Chong (2), Pereira, Schindler, Tuanzebe

Grasshoppers 0-4 Palermo
Cannavo (3), Lucera

Palermo 5-1 Grasshoppers
Lucera, Correnti, Da Graca (2), Ruggiero
Galladé

Palermo 5-1 AAB Aalborg
Lucera (2), Pereira, Correnti, Pirrello
Millandt

AAB Aalborg 0-1 Palermo
Da Graca

Serie A:

Palermo 0-1 Inter Milan
Perisic

Atalanta 2-2 Palermo
Martinez, Ahmedov
Moro, Schindler

The group has been drawn for the Europa League, Palermo face:
RB Salzburg, who they beat 7-0 in a preseason friendly
Galatasaray
Dunajska Streda

5 more players were loaned out and Simone Cortinovis came in from AlbinoLeffe for 140k while Italian striker Okaka joined on a season long loan from Watford.



The league table after two games sees Lazio top on goal difference ahead of Juventus and Inter Milan. Palermo sit in 15th spot, while Sassuolo, Bologna and Sampdoria sit at the bottom on zero points.

Another change worthy of note was the hiring of Javier Perez as assistant manager in place of Del Rosso. Camilla Cordella strengthened her background staff elsewhere. The training facilities are also due to be upgraded, which will mean top training and youth facilities before the end of the year.

Can Camilla Cordella get the team performing in the Serie A and can she make a name for herself on the European stage, only time will tell. For now she is enjoying the late summer sun on the Sicilian coast ahead of a home game against Cagliari.

September is over and above everyone's wildest expectations, Palermo find themselves on top of Serie A. A run of 6 wins in the league has given the guys in pink some momentum. Camilla Cordella is getting all the applause for the team's fine form and now she is on the European stage she is beginning to get more attention from foreign media.

Before her trip to Istambul to play Galatasaray, she was interviewed for L'équipe:

How do you find life as a woman in football?

The woman side of things is not important to me, it's you, the media, and my peers, the male managers, who give it such important. My gender has nothing to do with my achievements or failures, that's a story everyone just likes perpetuate.

But you must admit that football is not a woman's world?

That may be so, but there's historical reasons for that. I don't see why women today cannot be more involved. The media has female reporters and pundits, the women's game is getting more attention, we've even seen female refs in the men's game, so it was only going to be a matter of time before women began looking into the coaching side of things. If it's OK for Phil Neville to manage the England women's team, why wouldn't a woman be able to manage a men's one. It has nothing to do with shaking things up, but merely the media and my peers changing their narrative. I don't want to be accepted or judged in the sport as a woman, but for my achievements and goals.

The results so far:

Europa League:

Palermo 2-1 RB Salzburg
Santoro, Wolf (og)
Minamino

Serie A:

Palermo 3-0 Cagliari
Chochev (2), Okaka

Juventus 0-3 Palermo
Da Graca (2), Rizzo

Palermo 4-1 Roma
Rispoli, Rizzo (2), Moro
Florenzi, Smalling

Genoa 0-1 Palermo
Da Graca

Palermo 4-2 Spal
Da Graca (2), Rizzo (2)
Tumminello (2)



Palermo find themselves top, one point ahead of Lazio and Inter Milan, Atalanta sit on the bottom with three points from seven games.

The teams seven wins on a trot is a new Palermo record.

Da Graca claimed the young player of the month award.

September also saw Cordella shake up her scouting team with three outgoings and three newcomers in the hopes of improving the quality of recruitments.

October sees Cordella's men travel to Sassuolo and AC Milan while Parma and Udinese travel to the Renzo Barbera. Away games to Galatasaray and Slovakia's Dunajska Streda are the month's European fixtures.

Cordella is having to play down her team's chances of a Serie A title, there is still a long way to go. Can she, however, maintain the team's tremendous form a little longer?

Wow! What an incredible season last year and once again it promises to be a fantastic season. Keep up the amazing work!

October was a little less convincing with the boys in pink slipping down the table slightly.

The results so far:

Serie A:

Sassuolo 1-1 Palermo
Scamacca, Masiello
Santoro

Palermo 2-0 Parma
Rizzo, Moro

AC Milan 2-1 Palermo
Kessié, Paulinho
Szyminski

Palermo 3-0 Udinese
Da Graca (3)

Fiorentina 2-1 Palermo
Borja, Fred
Correnti

Europa League:

Galatasaray 1-1 Palermo
Garry Rodrigues
Pereira

Dunajska Streda 1-4 Palermo
Sloboda
Rizzo, Chong (2), Da Graca



In terms of the league, Palermo sit in 4th spot with AC Milan leading. Genoa are now bottom on 6 points from 11 games.



In the Europa League, Palermo lead their group on goal difference over Galatarasay.

Da Graca once again claimed young player of the month.

Up next are Europa League games against Dunajska Streda and RB Salzburg and league games against Torino and Pescara away while Lazio visit the Renzo Barbera in what promises to be an enticing match.

Pwaoh, incredible season last term to get 7th! The squad is looking strong with plenty of ex-Man Utd players there! Andreas Pereira is a massive coup, he'll be the star of the show for years to come! You've had a strong start to the season, particularly in the Europa League, and you can certainly push for higher than 7th this time out!

November was a cold month in Sicily as a Northern wind spread across Europe. It was also a hard month on the pitch with only two wins from five.

The results:

Serie A:

Palermo 0-0 Dunajska Streda

Torino 1-0 Palermo
Baselli

Palermo 0-1 Lazio
Wallace

Pescara 0-2 Palermo
Okaka, Pirrello

Europa League:

RB Salzburg 0-2 Palermo
Rizzo, Moro



Lazio are top of the league after 15 games, two points ahead of AC Milan. Palermo now sit in 5th position. Parma are bottom on nine points.



Palermo sit top of their group in the Europa League and have qualified for the knock-out stages. A home game against Galatasaray remains.

With several key players out injured, will Palermo be able to make a run from their last two positive outings. December holds games at home to Galatasaray, Sampdoria and Salernitana, while the boys in pink travel to Napoli, Bologna and Inter Milan.

An incredible season so far, Palermo are well and truly back at the top table in Calcio

It's been a difficult couple of months with wins coming few and far between.

The results:

Serie A:

Palermo 1-1 Sampdoria
Veips (OG)
Mohamed

Napoli 1-1 Palermo
Brahimi
Correnti

Palermo 1-1 Salernitana
Rizzo
Mraz

Bologna 2-4 Palermo
Cerri, Nagy
Moro, Correnti, Chochev (2)

Inter 2-0 Palermo
Benzema, Fischer

Palermo 2-1 Atalanta
Da Graca, Ilicic (OG)
Vido

Cagliari 3-1 Palermo
Pavoletti, Fossati, Boschilia
Pereira, Szyminski

Palermo 0-3 Juventus
Ronaldo (2), Higuain

Roma 2-2 Palermo
Dzeko (2)
Chong, Da Graca

Europa League:

Palermo 1-1 Galatasaray
Lucera
Cornelius

Coppa Italia:

1st Round:
Palermo e1-0 Perugia
Rizzo

Quarter Final:
Palermo 3-2 Torino
Rizzo, Moro, Fosu-Mensah
McTominay (2)



After a series of bad results, Palermo have slipped down to 7th place. Lazio are 9 points clear of Juventus, but have played a game more. Parma are still rock bottom on 19 points.

We have drawn BATE Borisov in the First Knockout Round of the Europa League and will play Fiorentina in the Semis of the Coppa Italia.

In the league we'll face Genoa and Sassuolo at home and Spal and Parma away, a good opportunity to get some points in the bag, but with the injuries, suspensions and busy schedule (8 games in February), it's a hard task ahead.

A quiet transfer window saw the pre-agreed signing of Atalanta's Vido, who scored against us, joining us on a free in the summer. Bunini will leave in February for free after failing to impress.

Can Camilla Cordella take her boys into the Coppa Italia final and hopefully lift the trophy for the first time in the club's history. Also can she progress in Europe?

A busy February has come to a close and Palermo have managed to produce some great football.

The results:

Serie A:

Palermo 2-2 Genoa
Sadiq (OG), Okaka
Roberts, Lapadula

Spal 0-3 Palermo
Pirrello (2), Da Graca

Palermo 2-2 Sassuolo
Okaka (2)
Berardi, Ferrari

Parma 1-4 Palermo
Cruz, Ciano
Rizzo (2), Lucera, Da Graca

Europa League:

BATE Borisov 0-5 Palermo
Moro, Lucera, Tuanzebe, Da Graca, Pereira

Palermo 1-1 BATE Borisov
Da Graca
Semenov

Semi Finals Coppa Italia:

Fiorentina 1-3 Palermo
Man
Lucera (2), Okaka

Palermo 1-0 Fiorentina
Mendola
Pezzella



Palermo now find themselves 6th in the league, but it is tight with five points splitting 4th and 10th place. Lazio are still top but their lead has been reduced to just one point, with Juventus pushing for that 10th consecutive title. Parma are still bottom on 20 points, five points from safety. With ten games left to play, much can change.

Lucera was named young player of the month.

March sees Palermo play their second knockout round matches against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League. While AC Milan visit the Renzo Barbera and the boys travel to Udinese in the Serie A. The Coppa Italia final pits Palermo against Juventus in April.

Fantastic month there and really keeping pace to remain in those European spots.

April is almost over as the season nears its end. Palermo have continued being solid in spite of a plague of injuries and suspensions across the team.

The results:

Serie A:

Palermo 0-0 AC Milan

Udinese 3-1 Palermo
Machis, Pinamonti, Mayoral
Da Graca

Palermo 2-1 Fiorentina
Rizzo, Pereira
Simeone

Palermo 0-0 Torino

Lazio 1-2 Palermo
Immobile, Marusic
Da Graca, Moro

Palermo 1-1 Pescara
Pereira
Caprari

Europa League:
Second Round Knockout Stage:

Galatasaray 1-2 Palermo
Cornelius
Da Graca, Chong

Palermo 4-4 Galatasaray
Rizzo, Chong, Da Graca (2)
Garry Rodrigues, Rafa (2), Cornelius


Palermo became the highest scoring club in Europa League history.

The quarter finals will see Palermo take on Italian champions Juventus.

Coppa Italia:
Final:

Juventus 1-2 Palermo
Bernardeschi
Da Graca (2)





Palermo win their first ever major trophy. In a moving speech Camilla Cordella dedicated the win to her late father. The team are automatically qualified for next year's Europa League.



In the league, Juventus have moved top ahead of Lazio. Palermo sit in 8th position, only eight points separate 4th spot from 10th in a very tight upper table. Parma seem doomed for relegation as they are still bottom on 20 points.

In the transfer market, Palermo have sealed deals for last year's loanee McTominay, Vido and Luca Ravanelli, whose contracts will expire soon. Young portuguese winger, Laranjeiro, who was wanted by Man Utd, Juventus, Roma, Bayern.., .will also join in a 550k deal. On the out will be winger Lucera who will join Bologna for 1.8M, Santoro who will join Perugia for 1.7M and Fiordilino who will join Pescara for 3.9M. With many weak areas in the team and a small wage budget and almost non-existant transfer funds, it will be a hard summer for Camilla Cordella if she wishes to improve her squad and take them to the next level.

Left back Mazzotta was released after a serious conflict with Cordella over his future. His performances had been terrible all season. His departure means the club have no natural left back for the last couple of months of the season.

A Europa League semi final against Juventus looks difficult. With trips to Sampdoria and Salernitana and home games against Napoli and Bologna, Camilla Cordella will hope her men do enough to at least equal last season's seventh place.

Camilla Cordella's third season is over, having signed a new contract with the club, she goes into another season with high hopes.

The results:

Serie A:

Sampdoria 0-4 Palermo
Da Graca (2), Szyminski, Schindler

Palermo 1-0 Napoli
Da Graca

Salernitana 2-3 Palermo
Ponce (2)
Chong, Moro, Lucera

Palermo 3-1 Bologna
Da Graca, Chong, Santoro
Corbo

Europa League:

Palermo 2-2 Juventus
Chong, Okaka, Pereira
Douglas Costa, Rakitic

Juventus 2-1 Palermo
Rakitic (2)
Moro

Juventus went on to lose 2-0 against Sporting Lisbon in the final.

Pereria broke the average rating for the competition with an 8.02 rating.

Some other awards, showing Palermo's excellence in the competition:







Juventus clinched their 10th title in succession, finishing a massive 10 points clear of Lazio. Palermo excellent run at the end of the season saw them climb up to fourth place, a new record for the club, to qualify for Champions League football. Cagliari, Sassuolo and Parma are relegated. Cordella was again named manager of the season by the media, can she win this year's manager's manager of year award?

The Under 20s won their league.

The board has announced the budgets for the upcoming season and in spite of Champions League football and the successes of this term, the wage budget remains low. There is less than 20 million euros in the transfer funds and several key players are expecting to sign new contracts with agent fees and loyalty fees. With a new goalkeeper, central defender and wing backs needed to push further up the table, Camilla Cordella is in for a hard time.

A deal has been struck for Cagliari's 26 year old goalkeeper Alessio Cragno for 4M. Da Graca who has just signed a new contract is seeing a lot of interest after his excellent season, with AC Milan leading the line.

FOURTH! Brilliant turnaround at the end of the season in the league!