A second defeat in a row for Cagliari, the signs are becoming clear. They are safe from relegation and with minds already on the summer break, Triestejust seemed like a hassle.

Players may leave in the summer, there are many issues to be resolved internally, they are probably sick to death of the anxiety that playing for this club involves, so it must have been hard to concentrate.

Travelling half way across Italy to Trieste to play a ‘home game’ against Udinese whose ‘away’ fixture was only around the corner, must have seemed tiresome to say the least.

Crazy Cagliari, who have played with wild desperation and such a siege mentality since January, have now just become apathetic, but who can blame them?

Their future is as secure as it can be considering the turmoil and they can now look forward to having a summer break whilst their agents busy themselves looking for a lucrative alternative to the madness. Some of them may even look forward to sometime in Sardinia, since they have hardly been there in the last couple of months.

The game came and went, Cagliari were not awful they were just beaten by a team who wanted it more, sometimes games can simply come down to that. After the game Cagliari assistant coach Diego Lopez admitted, “We were a bit below par, but these things can happen. We are not finished for the season, as we tried to get the equaliser right to the end and want to maintain 10th place.”

In all honestly they finished with fuel in the tank. Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin did not even bother to mention the ‘Trieste squatters’ saying “I didn’t think we would be fighting for Europe for a third consecutive year. It is a gift we are giving to ourselves. We’re already focused on the next game.”

The situation the Sardinians find themselves in lends itself to speculation that players will leave on mass, none more than Radja Nainggolan. However, he noted that he may be convinced to stay saying that, “I have an excellent relationship with my agent, he’s like a father for me and I have great trust in him. Now is not the time to discuss my future though as there are still four games left and I want to end the season well. Then we’ll see what happens. I don’t necessarily have to leave, I could stay at Cagliari – especially if some external problems here are resolved.”

Perhaps there should be hope with this news, but only a fool could miss what is going on at the club. With Serie A status secured and a mid-table finish ensuring that they are one the success stories of the year they have switched off. Why not you may ask, they have achieved the impossible.

Now maybe they deserve to relax and push the pressure onto the President and the local authorities. Nobody has said they will leave, but at the end of the day, who wants to play for a team with no stadium and a President who is under house arrest? Cagliari maybe apathetic, but who can complain?

Follow Richard Hall on Twitter: @Gentleman_Ultra or his blog The Gentleman Ultra

Serie A week 32 fixtures

Milan v Napoli is one of the ties of the round but its the Genoa derby thats the pick of the week

It was a £10m record fee that brought the French international to Milan. Signed from Marseille in 1992 he had predatory instincts and an incredible goal scoring record.

Milan did not reap the rewards from their big money signing as Papin struggled to settle in Italy and was also the unlucky victim of constant injuries. In his two year spell he scored 18 goals in 40 appearances, not a terrible return but it was good enough and in 1994 he departed for Bayern Munich.

Papin still managed to acquire two Scudetto’s and reached two Champions League Finals (he was victorious in one) He was perhaps unlucky in his time at Milan as he was still in the shadow on Marco van Basten and his inability to keep his place in the squad no doubt hampered his consistency.

When Calcio ruled the world Jean-Pierre Papin was still winning whilst at 75%

This is when I feel in love with Inter. Seire A ruled the world in these heady days.

This is the season I fell in love with Calcio. Maradona and Maldini….it gets no better

The whole of Italy watched in horror, when in Italia 90, Diego Maradona slotted a delectable ball through to Claudio Caniggia who proceeded to round Claudio Taffarel in the Brazilian goal. Argentina had been against the wall all game and yet with Maradona’s only piece of genius so far in the tournament, they had slayed their South American rivals.

Taffarel however, had had a steady tournament and had laid waste to the perception that Brazilian goalkeepers were as reliable the tournament ticketing system. It was for this reason that he was snapped up by newly promoted Parma and paid them back with one of his finest ever seasons. Parma managed to over come all the odds and in a tough Serie A that year they managed to qualify for Europe in sixth place. Awash with players purchased after the Italia 90 tournament Parma marched on and in the three years Claudio was there they the Italian Cup and the UEFA Cup.

Taffarel left Parma in 1993 and moved to Reggiana where he stayed for a year before leaving Italy. His form here however, was good enough to earn him the No 1 shirt for Brazil in USA 94. The Brazilian shot stopper returned to Italy and Parma in 2001 as a sub keeper where he picked up another Italian Cup winners medal before moving to Empoli in 2003.

He retired without playing a game due to his car breaking down on the way to training and the Brazilian seeing this as a sign from God. Dramatic? Perhaps, but Claudio had always a small tendency to be. Periods of steady goalkeeping were broken up with the odd mistake but overall he was a superb keeper and perhaps only Julio Cesar in recent times ha equalled him.

When Calcio ruled the world the Brazilian number one played for a newly promoted club and helped transform them.

Team: Pescara

Shirt: Home 1992-93

Make: Pienne

Sponsor: Gelati GIS

Worn by: Dunga, Sivabaek, Mendy, Allegri and Sliskovic

Fact: Pescara wore this in their first season in Serie A when they managed to sign Brazilian captain Dunga. They had no problem scoring goals, beating Juventus 5-1, but they were poor at the back, losing out 5-4 in a thiller to Milan.

The Rossoneri’s number one from 1990-2002, Sebastiano Rossi was an integral part of the great Milan side of the 1990’s.

Some have argued that he is the best goalkeeper never to be properly recognised by the Italian National team, a statment hard to disagree with when you look at his exploits and his trophy cabinet. One of the lasting memories that Rossi gave followers of Serie A is the 11-match span from 12 December 1993 to 27 February 1994 where he kept a clean sheet for 929 consecutive minutes

His greatest strengths were his positioning and his handling. These attributes were only enhanced by a fusion of abilities that almost looked unnatural, such as being able to get his tall frame down quickly to shots and his uncanny knack for foiling one on one situations.

When Calcio ruled the world, Rossi was keeping clean sheets.

UEFA Champions League 1993-94

UEFA Supwer Cup 1990 and 1994

Intercontinental Cup 1990

Serie A 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99

Supercoppa Italiana 1992, 1993, 1994

Igor Protti scores for Bari. A memorable and consistent image from the early 1990’s

Bari - Apps 112 goals 46

Kit: Roma (Home)

Season: 1990-91

Make: Ennerre (NR)

Sponsor: Barilla

Worn by: Voller, Giannini, Berthold, Aldiar and Rizzitelli

Fact: Roma won the Coppa Italia against Sampdoria in this shirt, recording an aggregate victory of 4-1

The groundsmen have not yet drawn the white lines on the pitches; some players are still not back for pre season but before the new Serie A campaign kicks off, match fixing once again is in the headlines. Its almost as regular as Babbo Natale’s annual visit.

First and foremost Juventus, (to one mans complete surprise), have been at the center of the scandal. Antonio Conte who led his unbeaten team to the Scudetto last year now faces a possible 10 month ban and an uncertain future at the club. Meanwhile according to Gazzetta dello Sport the ‘Scommessopoli’ accusations have been dropped in relation to Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe who were charged with fraud and failing to report match fixing respectively. Did someone say Luciano Moggi or does this topic now come with a nostalgic feel?

Sampdoria are to start their campaign back in Serie A with a one point deduction. The Genoese outfit having a plea bargin accepted on Friday in a deal that saw the IFF’s disciplinary committee agree deals with prosecutor Stefano Palazzi, including a 37,000 Euro fine. Could it be that this somewhat archaic court system just does not realise epically bad form? Maybe they should have Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini shot for desertion as it all started out from there.

Compared to Sampdoria, Serie B side Bari have been positively beastly and have had a five point deduction inflicted on them and this includes a 98,000 Euro fine to boot. Meanwhile the Witch Master General, sorry Chief Prosecutor, has saved most of his wrath for Atalanta defender (and ex Bari player) Alessandro Parisi, who has been banned for 26 months for his part in events, a punishment that even Cristiano Doni would find amusing. Joining their former team mate Alessandro Parisi (Torino) and Marco Rossi (Cesena) have managed to secure themselves a 24 and 20 month ban respectively. The Italian justice system once again, handing out penalties at the same rate as the Nerazzurri last season.

Away form the main highlights and Bologna also find themselves facing a two point deduction for the start of next term with defender Daniele Portanova being the main protagonist and facing a rather large 3 year suspension. One can only wonder how he singularly managed to fix matches so much as to warrant this suspension.

It must however, not be forgotten that this is Italy and in a flash, after the public have seen the ferocity of the punishments handed out, the justice system will sit back and reflect. On doing so they will realise that the start of the new season is just around the corner and in true Italian fashion reduce all the penalties. After all who wants to ruin the football season? Also they have been warned and surely won’t do it again? Will they?

Photo of the day. Remembering my trip to Novara and the incredible Ultras of the Stadio Silvio Piola

Future Stadiums of Serie A: Udinese, Nuovo Stadio Friuli

There is often a sad reality when looking back nostalgically at players from our childhood. We remember them one way and then, when you watch the tapes back, (I am that old) you realise that often, you have taken one moment of genius from the players career and encapsulated it in a sugar coated bubble in you memory. The reality is that they were not really that good

This is not the case, I am pleased to say, with Inter and Hollands Wim Jonk. My memory was of a midfielder with a destructive shot so powerful that it could almost pierce the opposition net from fully 30 yards. I remember a man who had a delicate touch, superb passing ability and the composure to go around the goalkeeper. On looking back I was glad to see that he had all of these.

Plying his trade at the Meazza between 1993-1995 Jonk played 54 times for the Nerazzurri scoring eight goals (not one of them was a bad one). He helped his team to victory in the UEFA Cup in 1994 and perhaps should have stayed at the club longer than he did.

When Calcio ruled the world, Wim Jonk lining up a pile driver.

New Parma Shirt 2012-13

In a revolutionary move Errea (the makers) have printed the name of every season ticket holder on the shirt