Features

European woe for Italy's finest

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 30/11/2009
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Not so long ago Italian sides dominated in Europe, but in recent years the standing of Serie A has begun to slide.

AC Milan have won the Champions League title twice in the last seven years and also lost once in the final, but Juventus - who lost on penalties to the Rossoneri in 2003 - are the only other Italian side to reach a final in more than a decade.

Last season Juve, Internazionale and Roma all made it past the group stage, but were unable to go to the quarter-finals, with the English trio of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal putting paid to Italian hopes.

In 2007-08 only Roma managed to reach the last eight and they were ousted 3-0 on aggregate by eventual winners Manchester United.

Twelve months earlier Milan spared Italian blushes by winning the competition, seeing off Liverpool 2-1 in the final in Athens thanks a double from Pippo Inzaghi.

However, Italian humiliation had taken place earlier on in the campaign as Roma were thrashed 8-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals by Manchester United, being humbled 7-1 at Old Trafford.

The 2009-10 campaign brought renewed hope that Italian football might rise again, but another collective failure is on the cards.

With one round of group games to go, only Fiorentina have booked a place in the last 16, having done so for the first time in the club's history.

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In Group A Juventus need to avoid defeat at home to Bayern Munich to reach the knockout stages, but their efforts so far do little to suggest a lengthy run in the competition.

Eight points from five games are mainly down to two narrow 1-0 victories over Maccabi Haifa, with Claudio Ranieri's side having scored just three goals in five games.

A mark of their abilities came when they were well beaten 2-0 in Bordeaux, with the French outfit having already sewn up top spot in the group.

In Group C, AC Milan need a win at FC Zurich to ensure their progress, having failed to win any of their three games at the San Siro.

A 1-1 draw with online betting favourites Real Madrid was not a great shock, but being held to the same result by Marseille and beaten 1-0 by the Swiss were major upsets.

New head coach Leonardo has been under pressure since he took the job and limited progress in Europe is doing him no favours.

Internazionale, as Italian champions, were expected to have the best chance of conquering Europe, but their hopes also hang by a thread.

Even the Special One, Jose Mourinho, has failed to find the winning formula in Europe, with Inter having won just once in Group F.

Their only success was a 2-1 victory at Dynamo Kyiv, leaving Mourinho's men needing at least a draw at home to Rubin Kazan to reach the next stage.

All in all this adds up to another potentially woeful season for Italian football, which has seen Spain and England take over as the dominant powers in the game in recent times.

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