Udinese....

28-02-2011

“We don’t think about (“The”?) Champions League… we believe in it”

Francesco Guidolin: “The match lasted only one half. Sanchez was extraordinary”

Guidolin’s Udinese is unbelievable and is breaking all the (without “the”) records. Palermo’s 0-7 is the largest (“greatest”?) result ever in away matches, as well as the tenth useful consecutive result for Udinese (the series (?) was superior only in 1954-55), whereas Sanchez is the first player to score 4 goals in one single match. Yet, the most important fact is that today’s win brings Guidolin’s boys 1 point away from Lazio, defeated in Cagliari and still to (“at”?) 48 points: “I’m saying we have to take care of one opponent at a time – coach Guidolin explains during the press conference -. Today’s success was net (?) but, despite all the goals, it only brings three points. We’ll try and stay where we are as long as we can. (“The”?) Champions League? I don’t want to think about it, we don’t even talk about it, but we do believe in it. Yet, the first three teams remain unreachable to (“for”?) us”.

Did Udinese stop after the seventh goal? “We didn’t hit (??) more as we didn’t want to break any record. The match lasted only one half, we made a good start, with personality. That’s how we meant to play it, and we did it. We showed off our health, legs, quality and physical condition. I’m glad my boys have made me look good, but I had no revenge to take in Sicily”.

Alexis Sanchez will not easily forget his first poker ever: “He’s growing so quickly in the new role I created for him. I believe he will become one of the world’s best number 10 (“10s”?). He is decisive, fundamental, as all the important players are. When he’s between the lines he becomes unmarkable (??), generous and he scores. Today’s 7-0, though, is not all due to him, but to the whole team”.
Today’s result reminds that of 2004-05, when Udinese won in Palermo, back then coached by Guidolin, for 5-1: “Then Palermo were at their first year in Serie A and were running for a placing in Champions League, which was eventually taken by Spalletti’s Udinese. After 10 minutes we had already conceded three goals, I can still taste the bitterness of that match. Yet, at the end of the season we qualified for UEFA. I hope it’s a good sign”.

Udinese....

22-02-2011

Guidolin: “My boys did everything they could”

In five days coach Guidolin will be back in the stadium that, a long time ago, was his home, but, for the second time, as a guest (run-on sentence with too many commas!): “It is going to be a particular week to (“for””) me, Palermo was a beautiful page (???) in my career. I was fine in Sicily and I hold (“have”?) good memories of that period, I was moved, last season, when I went back to “Renzo Barbera” (“Renzo Barbera Stadium”?) for the first time” as Parma’s coach, and I was welcomed by an ovation. The supporters and the footballers I have coached actually feel a strong, sincere affection for me”.

Sunday’s match is going to be a direct match between teams fighting for a top placing: “Both Palermo and we (“We and Palermo…”?) are fighting to gain our place in Europe. They’re not facing a crisis, I’ve been watching them: they can easily win when the first-strings are OK and available. When someone is missing they can have some trouble (“problems”?), but since the team will be complete against us, it will be a very tough match. Palermo believe in their coach and when it is so, you can always tell it on the field” (???).

Brescia’s home draw hasn’t undermined the trust among the players: “We’re all serene, we were supposed to win against Brescia but we are also aware of the difficulties we are to find from now on. The boys did everything they could, I’m very satisfied of (“with”?) their performance. I’m rather disappointed in myself, as I could have done more to oppose Brescia. I am severe and demanding with myself, I didn’t intervene because in the second half I got the impression that the team could break the deadlock”.

The coach is very glad of (“for”?) German Denis’ (“Denis’s”?) performance: “He did what I asked him to do, he worked hard, and he was also a bit unlucky in the first half when he missed the goal”.
There are still 12 days (“12 games”?) before the end of the championship, but the coach is focused on next Sunday’s match: “I don’t pay much attention on (“to”?) the calendar, I concentrate on one oppoent (“opponent”?) at a time. It’s what I’ve always done”.

The medication to succeed again has been prescribed at the beginning of the season: ambition and humbleness. “Cohesion and sense of belonging are fundamental values for a group willing to reach certain goals and (“is”?) a basis to continue a (“continue with a good project”?) good project. My job is based on that”.

Udinese...

31-01-2011

Guidolin: “Glad and conscious of our strength”

With the three points conquered at (“the”?) “Olimpico” in Turin, Udinese is now up to 36 (“points”?), only two places away from (“the”?) Champions League: “In the first half we haven’t been (“we weren’t brilliant”?) brilliant – says the coach – we’ve been (“we were”) a bit inaccurate playing too many high balls and in depth. In the second half, on the other hand (usually, if we use “on the other hand”, we should start the preceding phrase with “on the one hand”), we’ve improved (“we improved”?) in speed (“by”) keeping the ball low. Though in disadvantage (??), we’ve recovered and conquered a victory improving our physical conditions (“condition”?), rhythm and intensity. We are glad and conscious we can fight in order to stay as long as possible on the train leading to Europe”.
These three points, added to the last ten, make thirteen in the last five matches: “We need to be convinced we can fight among the teams between 34 and 38 points. We’re very proud to be two points away from Inter and Roma, right before Palermo and Juventus”.

When they reached the draw, the coach has (“had”?) substituted Di Natale with the Swiss Abdì: “It was a cool-headed choice. Di Natale is our first-rate (“first-rate what”?=) and, although I knew we could hope for something more than a draw, I wanted to preserve him for the next championship matches scheduled next Wednesday and Saturday. Against Bologna I’ll have to renounce (???) to Sanchez, who’s been red-carded, so I’ll have to rely on Totò even more”.

In Turin, Udinese have shown the same sparkling game as they had last Sunday against Inter: “Keeping the enthusiasm, altruism and growing (??) will high is all that matters. I have at my disposal a group made of a world-beater (???) , Totò, skilled players, such as Pinzi and Domizzi, and many young players studying to become champions” (master’s or Phd degrees?).

Udinese...

26-01-2011

Coda: “Humbleness, keep our feet on the ground”

“We’re concious (“conscious”?) of our means, but we can’t get a big head” (?????)

Humbleness and with the feet on the ground, though if in Turin Udinese are to play as they did against Inter, then the chances to win would be high (bad phrase!). Andrea Cota (Cota or Coda?) is really convinced of it on tonight’s programme, UdinEasy, on EasyNetwork.

“We can’t forget we’re going to play against Juventus in Turin – said Udinese’s defender – but I think that if we’re playing as we did last Sunday, we could even win. With Inter we’ve been perfect, and we’ve got to continue this way. I think the team’s grown both in cynicism and wickedness (!!!!), as we saw against Inter. We were fine also physically, and we were better than Inter, as shown by the amount of the booked players. We have reached consciousness of what we can do, but we can’t get a big head now (“big head”?). As the coach says, we have to reach 40 points as soon as possible. Then, we can start having fun”. This year Coda (o Cota?) is playing on (in?) the unusual position of left central in a three-men (three-man?) defence. A position in which the ex-Empoli (player?) seems to fit (in?) pretty well: “It’s true – he said – I had played in such a role only with Malesani, on the right moreover, but it’s not a problem to me (for me?). I can adapt to every position, I’m always ready as long as it helps the team going higher and higher” (where, on Everest?). The Tuscan defender, finally, goes back with memory (??) to last summer, when he refused to be transferred to Bari to stay in Udine. “I have wanted to stay in Udine – concluded – because here, in Friuli, I feel fine, and I didn’t want to leave. Plus, I didn’t think I had ended my course at Udinese. Second thoughts? None. I’m more and more convinced I made the right choice”.

Udinese....

23-01-2011

Guidolin: “A wonderful day”

Coach Guidolin is beaming with joy at the end of the match that has seen his Udinese defeating Inter, World’s champion (“Italian and world champions”?): “We’ve lived a wonderful day today (?), we will bear it in our minds for a long time, starting from the moving minute of silence (“and”?) ending with Morganti’s three final whistles. The team’s played with vitality, legs (really?), run (“runs” or “running”?), head (“heading”?) and technique. Today my men have given all they’ve got (“gave it all they had”?), and I can do nothing but complimenting them (“…can do nothing but compliment them”?). Despite the initial goal we conceded, they didn’t lose their hearts. We’re studying to become an important team, but application and constancy are needed. I hope I can make this moment last as long as possible”.

Ten points conquered (??) and 13 goals scored are Udinese’s loot this January: “Everything seems to be easy for us, we develop the game naturally and we happen to be unpredictable to our opponents. The table’s good, in line with the team’s possibilities. In front of us there are stronger teams, but we have to try and stay on this train” (for where, Moscow?).
The troubles (“trouble”?) for Italy’s champions came from the side flanks: “We ask our outsides (??) to play high and play on their qualities. If we stay humble (“remain humble”?), we can keep doing well in the future as well (“we can also keep doing well in the future”?). We need to put brightness (like a light bulb?) and ability together with pragmatism”.

The second round has started with two brilliant wins showing an excellent physical condition: “I want to compliment my whole staff, all my collaborators, the doctors and the physiotherapists. The team’s legs are working at 100 km/h. Today we’ve been both practical and good-looking (like George Clooney?). We started running at the beginning of the championship and the whole pool of players is doing well. No one backs down during the trainings (“practises”? or “during training”?), which are not tender (like a good steak?) nor sweet at all” (??).
Pablo Armero has been a thorn in the flesh for the opponents also today (“has also been…”?=: “The Columbian (“Colombian”?) is an interesting boy who’s drawing attention and giving us a boosts (boosts? Perhaps “boost” seeing that it’s singular!) on the left flank”.

Udinese go up to 33 points (“has reached 33 points”?): “Once we go over 40 points we’ll see who our fellow travelers (“travellers”?) are, who we’ll have left behind and who will be in front of us”.

Udinese...

23-01-2011

Di Natale: “A huge satisfaction”

Zapata: “The most beautiful day in (“of”?) my career”

99 goals in Serie A, one goal down from the fatidic (fatidic? The word doesn’t even exist in English!) 100, though Totò Di Natale’s only concern is still his Udinese, author (a literal translation of the word “autore”!) of a terrific performance against Inter. “We’ve been perfect – said Udinese’s captain – and it’s a huge satisfaction for each one of us winning against Italy’s and (the) World’s champions (how about: “winning against the Italian and world champions”). We have to stay down to earth (??) and remember that our main goal are (“is”?) 40 points. My 100 goals in (the) championship? You know I care, but they’re nothing compared to the team’s good” (?).

Moreover, it has been the first goal in (the) championship for Cristian Zapata, who, thanks to his left-foot (left-footed) kick, has scored (“had scored”?) shortly after Inter’s lead: “I’ve made a good goal (“scored a good goal”) and we’ve won – explained “El Mago”, smiling – what else can I ask for? I would like to dedicate this goal to my girlfriend, who’s in Columbia, whose (whom) I miss a lot. So far, I had always said (“I’ve always said”?) that the most beautiful moment of my career in Udine was the match with Milan, some years ago. Well, now, that moment has changed: it is today’s match, rightfully (“it is rightfully today’s match”?). We have to go on like this, on the path we’ve drawn, until the championship’s over, so that we can gain more than an easy safe salvation” (salvation? As in religious terms?).

Udinese....

23-01-2011

Domizzi: “Emotions to stay in Udinese’s history”

Inler: “We’ve been perfect”

Maurizio Domizzi is the man who’s closed, definitely, the match. The one who, with his kick, has taken the wind out of Leonardo’s sails (??) giving Udinese an (“a”?) historical win.

“My happiness is unbelievable – explained Udinese’s defender – and it will remain undeletable in our hearts, forever. We have believed in it, also when we were down (“down a goal”?) of a goal, because we know we can be always harmful, also on the inactive balls (whose balls?). My goal? So far I had been pretty unlucky, getting (??) myself three crossbars, and also on Castellazzi’s saving (“save”?) I was telling myself: here we go again! But then I did it, finally! I’m glad for me (“myself”?) and for my team-mates because I think that during the last two matches we’ve taken back what we had left behind in the first four days”.

The Swiss Gokhan Inler has been the master of the midfield: “You can tell it (??) we’re fit – said “The Warrior” -, we wanted to win and we did it, with a great reaction after Stankovic’s goal. Focused, mean, detail-aimed (??): practically perfect. Our goals? First of all our 40 points, then the rest”.