AAAANNNNNDDDD They’re Off!

By: Ted | July 25th, 2008

Today the bigwigs who run Series A were kind enough to release the coming season’s schedule of games, and it starts with a doozy for our beloved Fiorentina. The get Juve, at home, on the opening weekend of August 31. (It may be played on Saturday or Sunday depending on how the TV scheduling works out.) Aside from having the potential to be a hell of a match, it will allow all of us to test Word Soccer’s idea that this is the 12th-biggest derby/rivalry in the world. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn’t, but it should be a hell of a match, with a reloaded Viola going up against a Juve looking for revenge after their home defeat last season. (As if I wouldn’t bring that up again.)

The following weekend doesn’t get much eisier for the boys as they get Napoli on the road, followed by Bologna at home and then on the road again to the eternal city and Lazio. By the end of Septemeber, certainly, we should have a decent idea of where the team stands and how hard it will push for a top-three spot next season. Here’s the complete schedule:

1° Fiorentina Juventus
2° Napoli Fiorentina
3° Fiorentina Bologna
4° Lazio Fiorentina
5° Fiorentina Genoa
6° Chievo Fiorentina
7° Fiorentina Reggina
8° Palermo Fiorentina
9° Fiorentina Inter
10° Siena Fiorentina
11° Fiorentina Atalanta
12° Cagliari Fiorentina
13° Fiorentina Udinese
14° Roma Fiorentina
15° Torino Fiorentina
16° Fiorentina Catania
17° Sampdoria Fiorentina
18° Fiorentina Lecce
19° Milan Fiorentina

1° Juventus Fiorentina
2° Fiorentina Napoli
3° Bologna Fiorentina
4° Fiorentina Lazio
5° Genoa Fiorentina
6° Fiorentina Chievo
7° Reggina Fiorentina
8° Fiorentina Palermo
9° Inter Fiorentina
10° Fiorentina Siena
11° Atalanta Fiorentina
12° Fiorentina Cagliari
13° Udinese Fiorentina
14° Fiorentina Roma
15° Fiorentina Torino
16° Catania Fiorentina
17° Fiorentina Sampdoria
18° Lecce Fiorentina
19° Fiorentina Milan

In other news, Roma has essentially raised the white flag on getting Mutu, especially after the great man reported said that it simply made no sense for the club to sell him. I’m pleased with how this worked out. We’ll see how we do with a fully-loaded club coming into the season.

That’s all for now, but I’ll be back this weekend with a look at how the pre-season is going. Hope you all take care.