speaker-0: Welcome back to the Corva Show. I'm Matt.

speaker-1: And I'm Dan.

speaker-0: We'll be here once a week throughout the Serie A season talking all things Italian football, stories, and culture from on and off the pitch. Just as for a little bit of admin, we record these typically Monday night and we'll try to get them out to ⁓ Wednesday mid-morning. Now that we've made it all the way to episode three, if you're enjoying the show, if you could please give us a subscribe and a follow on Spotify and Instagram. I never thought I'd be the person telling you that, but it does really help us out in ⁓ growing the show and getting our our content into more more feeds. ⁓ and if you if you have any friends that are enjoying Italian football or the football season more generally, tag them, share with them. We can start to create a community of football fans along the way. ⁓ Dan, let's get right into it. How's your weekend?

speaker-1: The weekend was good. ⁓ I was out in the streets with producer Claude, just getting a couple of vignettes, content creating, you know, being boots on the ground street team for the Corva show. I think we got 11 followers from that. So ⁓ but it was it was really good, man. It was cool to be out there, still nice in New York City. People are outdoors, and to your point, I think, you know, trying to build a community starts with being outside. So, you know, pr pretty good for me. I know you had a good Monday, but how'd you enjoy the weekend? How'd you enjoy the games? What were the vibes?

speaker-0: Yeah, had some stuff to k family stuff to take care of this weekend, but it's been ⁓ I think it's been nice having club football back. I feel like the world the pace of club football, the cadence of club football is so much different than the World Cup. ⁓ and it's nice having your weekends kind of dominated by by club football again and having your in this case my partner, just be really happy that I'm laying on the couch. ⁓ watching eight hours of soccer every day and kinda not engaging with the rest of my with the rest of my life. But ⁓ that is part of the joy of being a football fan. So ⁓ yeah, it was it was a nice weekend. We're kind of in this weird period where we're wrapping up summer. American sports like football are are coming back. So yeah, it's it's a it's a good ⁓ it's a good time in the sports calendar.

speaker-1: For sure. I feel like my my household missed me a lot during the World Cup. ⁓ I feel like I was always doing something, always on my phone, always reporting for duty, or always making an excuse for why this game at one AM is actually so important to the other one hundred and three matches. So good to now have an explanation that, hey, I have to watch this game at nine AM on Sunday, we can't go do anything because if I don't, this new podcast that we're doing, I'm gonna look like a jerk. So sorry, it's low key part of my ⁓ second job.

speaker-0: ⁓ That is nice having that built in kind of almost like excuse where it's like, yeah, now I have to watch this game that obviously I otherwise really wanted to watch, but now it's vitally important for the however dozens of people that probably listen to the show to for us to break down Udinese Monza from from Sunday afternoon. So so yeah, that that part has been really nice actually about about doing the show.

speaker-1: For sure. And I think ⁓ it's it's a nice segue into a little bit I wanna talk I wanna start the show not just by talking about the matches, because we're gonna get into that, but actually talking about the experience. We talk about World Cup and we talk about everywhere you go, all the people that you see, they wanna get they wanna be part of the culture of the World Cup. Every bar you walk into is playing the match, no matter which one it is. This weekend I had the unfortunate experience of walking around New York City after taking some cool videos with CJ that will be up on our Instagram ⁓ throughout the next couple of weeks. But trying to find a match, trying to find the Napoli Como match while Manchester United is playing Ipswich Town at the same hour. We went to multiple bars asking them to throw on Serie A, and they were like, I don't you know There's like five people in here watching Manchester United play the newly promoted Ipswich Town, w rocking them about five I think it was five nothing at one point. And we were in there watching Napoli Como on our phone drinking beers at one o'clock in the afternoon. It was like just a an eye-opening experience because if I'm somebody that's listening to the show and say, ⁓ you know what, I think I gotta give Italian football a chance. These guys are telling me It's dope and there's a lot of community around it and it's different. But everywhere they go in New York City is probably playing any Premier League match, no matter which it is, over any Italian game. ⁓ it was it was eye opening and I think a an interesting mission for us to go on as we go through ⁓ some more of these ⁓ some more of these episodes the next few months, some more of the games, and we try to open up the world to to Italian football. So, you know, I know it's a business decision. I know Premier League fans just want to go in for the vibes, drink beers and hang out with people that seemingly know game. ⁓ but it was it was a mission and it was a journey to go and find those matches this weekend. I'm not sure I know that it's not as good as your couch, probably. you know, and being in the streets for half of it, but it was a it was a tough mission.

speaker-0: Yeah, I mean I I think I think p the Premier League has become so synonymous with just European soccer. I think people that know ball, quote unquote, don't think of it like that. And but I think the World Cup did bring in this whole new fan base or our new group of fans as there's a helicopter flying past my apartment. But I think that for those new fans, I think that they honestly think that the only clubs that exist are like Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. ⁓ and the clubs that we know that in Italy and in even in Spain and Germany, I don't even think that many of them know who they are. And and again, this is not all all football fans in the US. This is kind of those new ones. But I was thinking about what you said, and I think the Real Madrid, I think they were playing Malaga. Real Madrid obviously the biggest club in the world. I don't think I I when I go to a bar, I've never seen a Real Madrid La Liga game on. Sure, the Champions League is a different story, but I don't think that outside of the the English teams that the American bars play that much that much ⁓ the the of the games from the continent. I don't know. Is that what you found?

speaker-1: I think it yeah, I think if I'm a bar owner and I don't know too much about the game, I don't know too much about ball and I'm just trying to get people in the building to spend money, I'm putting the best of the best on. It's the same as, you know, the NBA having games. You're probably going to be from another country and unless you have a special tie, you're gonna be like, I'm a Knicks fan. I'm a Lakers fan. For baseball, it's like okay, I'm The Yankee hat and the logo is the sickest logo that exists and I'm just supposed to like the Yankees. I think it's kinda similar. Yeah. So I think that is the similarity. And I think we're gonna talk a little bit later in the show about ⁓ the Champions League. I know the draw happened last week. We saw some Italian clubs are gonna face off against some Spanish sides, English sides, German sides, and that's gonna start to mix the bag a little bit. And now all of a sudden you can go into a bar.

speaker-0: Yankees are Dodgers.

speaker-1: And watch Manchester United play ⁓ a Como ⁓ at home because they have now I think they've unlocked the ability to play their matches at at home. So man, you players get a nice little trip to Lake Como. but so it'll be you know, we'll we'll see how the rest of the season goes. Maybe this little show can start to influence some bars and to start to influence some of the homies to start going into some places and saying, Hey, can I watch the Derby d'Italia this weekend? ⁓ are you guys gonna be playing that? And when the people are asking, those bars gotta start making a decision. So ⁓ you know, more to come. Hopefully. Again, it's all about broadcast, it's all about spending money. And I think if the bar if the the bars are playing games, people are gonna come in and spend money, and now all of a sudden Serie A has the ability to grow a little bit more. There are the local supporters. There are, you know, I know Milan goes to Legends a lot in New York City. I know that there are bars that play these matches. But it takes an organized effort of fans going and planning ahead just to get that match. I can't stumble in at eleven AM on a weekend and say, all right, cool, I'm gonna watch this Italian league match and maybe I'm gonna end up leaving this bar and this experience after a few beers with a newfound love for for Genoa and Daniele Derossi and his club. So ⁓ you know, more more to come as we go throughout the rest of the season. I think we're gonna try to explore some some bars together and we can report live. I think, ⁓ after one, two, three, seventeen beers. ⁓

speaker-0: Yeah, and just even like a little personal ⁓ personal thing. I actually met my my girlfriend Amelia while watching Roma Napoli at a serie A watch party. I guess that was now two and a half years ago. So for anyone interested in going out there and watching Serie A games, you never know. At noon on a Sunday afternoon you could meet the the love of your life. It's always possible. Italian football is known to bring bring people together in that way.

speaker-1: You could. It is romantic. It is the you know the land of opportunity for a a romance, a fly outfit, fashion week. ⁓ I know New York Fashion Week is coming up this weekend. We saw a lot of people wanted to juggle with us while they were wearing loafers, while they were in some gigantic shorts. So, you know, there there's rom there's romance to go all around when it comes to Syria. ⁓ I used to drag Shady to all of the different matches that I would go watch. She's like, I don't know who Juventus is, but this guy just like can't stop watching them at ten AM on Sunday. So I guess that's what we do now. so yeah, so shout out shout out to the girls for making our dreams come true and and letting us watch ball on weekends. Speaking of which, probably a good transition to get into some of the games that happened this weekend, what we saw and what we're feeling. So quick break and then we can come back.

speaker-0: Yeah, so this weekend I think I don't know how much we learned about the about the league this weekend. I think we were trying to think of a headline for the weekend when we met earlier. And it seems like the kind of big boys in Serie A are holding serve. I feel like the league really starts next weekend. There are some some big matchups that we'll get into, but one important game that did happen over the weekend, Como Napoli. ⁓ Como 2 1 away to Napoli, big result. Como proving they can play with the the traditional powers in Italy. Napoli struggled a bit ⁓ i in certain ways and so I think Dan, let's get into that game. I think Tell me what you saw there in in that in that one.

speaker-1: I saw a tell of two halves. I saw ⁓ the ghosts come out of the closet and watching Allegri play some some ugly football and the second you know the the second you're kinda chasing the game, you f you feel in a way that it could be over. He was a one-nothing specialist. I always used to to to joke with my Sunday League pals of don't let Juve go one up on you because then the rest is gonna be a bloodbath and you're gonna lose one nothing. I think it didn't tell me as much about Napoli as it might have told me about Como. I think it showed we talked about Como last week of what are you gonna do against the big boys? You're a big boy yourself now, people are gonna be coming at you, and you gotta be prepared. And in the first half, I think they got their goals. I know that they they were level for a little while. They went up two-one, and in the second half. It goes back to one of the things that we talked about in the first episode, which is Como wants the ball. They're gonna keep possession. ⁓ Sas Fabragas, he likes his Spanish players, he likes his Argentinians, he's gonna pass the ball around and he's gonna try to kill the game off on you. So I actually think they had a big set of balls to be at Napoli keeping the ball, ⁓ passing it around and saying, you know what, we're comfortable with a two one lead. Come and get it. ⁓ ⁓ I know Hoyland had one nice goal that I don't know that he knew too much about it. I feel like he swung his hips around like a a salsa dancer, ⁓ on a hot day, because we know it's hot as hell in Italy right now, but it was really nice. And then Batterina, who I call the Ballerina, he had a beautiful goal. So I think there was a lot of gr really strong stuff from to excuse me, from from Como. More that I think we still need to see about them. I don't think it said that that was a scudetto run defining performance. But, you know, you come, you laid it down against the team that came in second place last year to a dominant inter. So I'm not mad at what I saw from Como, but I know that, you know, you have some thoughts on them and then you have some thoughts on on Napoli and their back line and and how they performed at home.

speaker-0: Yeah, I I the takeaway from that game for me, I guess two takeaways, is Como's press was really impressive. The the second goal coming off of a really well-organized press, probably a mistake at the back also, but I just thought that they didn't really give Napoli's midfield any time to breathe. I thought the the The the press was just so well organized and I you don't see that a lot in Italy. It seems like a lot of teams are kind of comfortable playing that a mid or low block. And I it felt like Napoli was was really at times almost even going man to man ⁓ in Napoli's half. So one, that was really impressive. And then two, I thought that's that Sesc's or changes in the second half, he really almost went to a back six after like the sixty-fifth minute, ⁓ and was comfortable. I think he knew. I think he knew that Napoli didn't have the pieces to really hurt them. And he was like, you know what? If they wanna have the a bit more of the ball, we're more comfortable kind of defending crosses, ⁓ kind of letting them play in the midfield, going side to side. We're not really worried about any of them picking up the ball and hurting us. And it did almost cost him at the end. ⁓ Luca and and Napoli kind of combined and and I think it was Lobotka for a finish that got ruled for offside that was pretty pretty close, but he got out of there with a with a result and that was I think a big result for them early on in the season.

speaker-1: Yeah, for sure. ⁓ and still without seeing the likes of Moizakin come on to onto the pitch. So you know I wanna see how he creates a new dimension for that team. I wanna see how Sessa's going to use him. ⁓ I know the transfer window technically is still open at seven twenty seven PM Eastern time in in New York or

speaker-0: I think Is it past midnight? Yeah it's it's close.

speaker-1: Might be passive. We should FaceTime Mott and see if he is ⁓ if he has information about the transfer market ⁓ in in Italy. But yeah, ⁓ you know, big statement for Como. ⁓ you know, luckily I was watching on my small but mighty rectangle of a phone in a bar that had forty seven TVs playing Manchester United scoring by accident in the pouring rain in England. So, you know, ⁓ they looked good on the small screen as ⁓ just as good. as they would have looked on the big screen, in my opinion. So more to come. And then I don't know. I I've been talking about Ses's pants a lot lately. The guy is dressing like a creative director now though, and I think I I he he's gotta if you wanna win the scudetto, I I wanna see you in a tie. I gotta I gotta see man's in a tie at least once this year. He he he's recycling outfits and I'm about it if you are going to switch it up here and there. But ⁓ I don't know he's looking a little too casual for me. To be bringing it to the big boys and the old heads.

speaker-0: My one my one note on on Sesk's outfits is just I don't understand why he doesn't wear belts. It seems like he would his his his fits would really if you're gonna tuck in your shirt, why not wear a belt? I think Amrim did this the last two weeks too, and I just I don't really understand that fashion choice. I think Sesk thinks he's doing something really important, but it's actually not, and I think he kind of just needs to move on from whatever he's whatever he's got going on.

speaker-1: Guys.

speaker-0: At least on the touchline. His tactics on the pitch look great, but

speaker-1: Yeah. Guys get to Italy and suddenly they are your fashion homie who has pointers, tips, and things that they want to do to break the rules. His non belt is actually a statement on him putting belt to ass on the rest of the week in Serie A. So it's some locker room stuff. I know that's what's going on behind the scenes.

speaker-0: ⁓ potentially.

speaker-1: Cool. And then I know there were obviously, you know, th the big boys were holding serve and I liked I like your hold serve in the time of the US Open happening in New York City. I think Syrie A is actually just one that they got you. They're in your head. I think Syria is actually one nice statement hat away from being the most popular sport in New York City because You see the everyone's breaking out their US Open 2024 hats. I was there. So fashion statements all around. But speaking of big boys holding serve, obviously I'm just gonna go right to it. We're gonna talk about Juve. Another three points from ⁓ you know one of the big historic clubs. And another weekend where I left myself asking, what exactly are we doing out there? ⁓ we keep getting results. But we keep waiting for a truly dominant performance. I called that the game of ⁓ the reject comebacks, if you will, where it was Nico Gonzalez coming in like we didn't look like we were doing anything for most of the match, and then suddenly new Nico Gonzalez comes in and he looks like a madman playing with his hair on fire, maybe either trying to play to prove that he needs to stay within the club that's been trying to sell him for a while, or to put out his stuff and say, Somebody please take me. From the ship that is sinking that is called Juventus. it just it it I felt not amused by the match and I took a shot of my screen when Douglas Luis was standing over the ball, who I know you adore, him and Locatelli in the middle over there. And I was just like, What exactly are we doing? What what is Juve doing? We have these guys that are on the team that we've bought, coming into the club. That I'm like ten years ago, maybe even, you know, a little bit more recent, like, you know, six years ago we ended our run that wouldn't even have a sniff of playing. And we are scraping and clawing for those guys to one be in the team. We're paying a shit ton of money for them to all be in the team just to you know scrape scrape by the lowly clubs. So the only thing that left me feeling excited last week was Vicario making saves that he should have made. But still looking good. And us continuing to pad the back line. I know we talked about this ⁓ right before this episode. Tagliofiko potentially coming in. ⁓ Lakumi looked pretty good in there. Bremer. I I have a also a photo of Lakumi. I guess all I do is take pictures of my screen because I have Lakumi and Bremer standing next to each other. And I was like, well, if we have nothing else, we have bruisers in the back that are not gonna let ⁓ you know guys come through. And then my last point on Juve is Spiletti wants to create spaces to let guys be creative. I don't see a creative player on the pitch other than Consey Sao, who's hit or miss, we've talked about that. But we are not achieving his mission of stretching the field, stretching the opposition, making space for creative players to do their thing. And I think ultimately, if we don't accomplish that this year, I might have to pull back my prediction of us winning the Scudetto, because we Things are looking grim for me and Juve and my predictions on this show. So maybe I might have to retire after this year because it's just gonna show maybe I don't know ball.

speaker-0: I mean, I don't think I don't I wouldn't go that far. I think you you do have a good idea of what's going on there. I think you might have just might have just ⁓ jumped the gun on on a scudetto pick. But the thing that was interest was I just didn't understand from that game was they just keep passing the ball side to side, side to side. And Parmo was so comfortable putting ten behind the ball, defending those crosses coming in from Consey Sao or from the other side, and then putting Jonathan David in the tenth spot. When he's about to go out on loan and that's like your creative player that's supposed to be providing service to Colomwani. That that just didn't make any sense to me. Like I think we talked last week about the tactical changes, potentially putting two up front. That would have made more sense to me. At least you could try to play like play have David and Colomwani play off each other a little bit more and kind of work the center backs, but the the the strategy didn't just just didn't work for me. But You know, we'll we'll get into the transfers in a bit. And I I do think that the the transfers have these deadline day moves have made have made Juve a little better, so we'll see. I think next weekend obviously will be a big test against Milan.

speaker-1: and then just to get into a couple of the other matches that happened over the weekend, you know, n nothing really that is any different from last week. ⁓ Fiorentina dropping, Roma demolishing, and the Milan sides getting it done. But anything to say or sing about on behalf of your boys at Roma or any bold predictions you want to make two weeks in that I might be able to use later down the road?

speaker-0: I don't have any any songs for you this week. However, Roma going four-nil up again this week against Lecce. Lecce pretty poor, Roma kinda capitalizing on some mistakes, but it does seem like Malin is kind of running away with the Capriconieri this year. He's already five goals, also had an assist today. ⁓ I think Roma's attack does a quite potent. On the other side, flip side, Fiorentina. Seven goals conceded, zero scored. in their hundredth anniversary season, looking pretty tough for them, ⁓ so far. I think I don't know, do you think it's a cr it's it's too early for a crisis or or what where are you s where are you thinking about with them?

speaker-1: Last week was too early for a crisis. This week is let's go yellow light. Let's go yellow light because tryna again, getting getting bold on any teams too quick is a fast track for us to be coming on here next week and being like, Hey, we made a mistake. We we we put him in the ground too early. So new coach, a lot of new players, they played Frozinone. Who ⁓ you know, kind of dismantled them a little bit. And I think that that gives us ⁓ that gives me a little bit more clout that Juve s kind of scraped by them in the previous year. But they they got Beto today from Everton, so they replaced Moisekin at Stryker, so they're they're still working in the window. I think it's gonna take time for a team like them to just get these players together, get them meshed and molded to the way that Grosso wants to play. ⁓ But I mean alarm bells for for sure. Having four goals and then three goals, having David De Gea come and be like, Yeah, we have no leadership in the back. you can have all the talent in the world. If you have a bunch of guys who are like, Who is driving this ship? ⁓ then I think you're you're in for some trouble. So you know, more to come. I think the current ⁓ you know, leadership At Fiorentina should maybe not be up in front of the fans with his phone out trying to speak Italian just for them to hit him with a vafango ⁓ which was probably one of the highlights of my my last week on social media. But ⁓ more to more to come from Fiorentina. I don't want to write him off yet, but man, it's it's it's looking dark. And I will co sign your Capriconieri ⁓ prediction on on Malin. I think he's cooking something up over there and like I said, if Dybala's healthy, then I think Malin's getting fed big time. ⁓ yeah.

speaker-0: And I I think Fiorentina, look, sadly enough, ⁓ they've they've been here before. Last year started out really poorly also, ⁓ and actually bounced back quite nicely towards the end of the season and were pretty clear of the relegation zone. But I think this year they clearly had bigger ideas about where they could go in terms of potentially challenging for one of those ⁓ European places. So ⁓ they're they got a wa a ways to go before they get to that level.

speaker-1: Agreed. And then we had ⁓ to sort of wrap things up on the weekend. Obviously a lot of games going on, but would it be a serial weekend without talking about the Milan sides? ⁓ I didn't catch too much of the the intermatch. I was in a bar watching it with no sound. I managed to get them to switch the Yankee game ⁓ in the second bar that I that I went to. ⁓ but there was a lot of conversation going on. But like 1-0 win. I know that you had a a couple of thoughts on them and You had a very bold prediction that Inter would win the league by twenty points. Are we still feeling that way after this weekend, or are we ready to say we spoke too soon?

speaker-0: I think first I would like to clarify my prediction happened before the 4-0 Romo win over Fiorentina. That was a ⁓ after after Monza's after they beat Monza ⁓ last last Saturday. I think this weekend against Gargeti, they created a lot of chances. They were really wasteful. ⁓ didn't didn't put enough away. ⁓ Chalonalgu's finish ⁓ in the first half, really nice. So he's on the score sheet back-to-back weeks. ⁓ I think I think intro will be fine. I I still don't think they've gotten out of like first gear. I I just think they're kind of posting. They know that they have enough quality to beat a lot of these teams. Some of the passages of play they had and he's Esposito's hold up play for DeMarco, really, really nice. The way Esposito brings in the fullbacks into play, really impressive. ⁓ it'll be interesting to see how they rotate ⁓ Lataro, Tarom and ⁓ And and him moving forward, especially as as Champions League games are upon us. But yeah, I think Inter I don't really have any concerns about that moving forward. But in terms of Milan sorry, go ahead, Dan.

speaker-1: No, I was just gonna say I got homies talking ill on Lottero Martinez name. They're saying that he is overrated. They saying that he can't he can't ⁓ you know put him down. So I think it's something something to keep an eye on and we might have to take ⁓ take some guests on this show just ⁓ to hear some some callers from the audience and see what they have to say. But ⁓ my bad. Continue on on Milan the other side of the Derby.

speaker-0: No, I just gonna say quickly, similarly, Milan, you can really see what Amram's really installed his his vision and his tactics pretty early on. ⁓ they squandered or they meaning really Gonchalo Ramos squandered some really really easy chances to be honest in the first half. ⁓ and then actually ended up scoring from one of his tougher chances late in the second half. But some of the ⁓ some of the the movement on and off the ball. ⁓ for Milan, really impressive. ⁓ heila, the right side at center back in the back three, was able to kind of push up and join the midfield in a lot of ways and and his ball progression I thought really helped the team. ⁓ really he he lets them play. And I feel like ⁓ that's that's always important in those Amarim t ⁓ sides to have another another player join into the midfield to that's able to progress the ball and pass. So I ⁓ Milan Juve next weekend As we mentioned, I think for both teams, definitely a measuring stick. ⁓ I hope it's not one of those classic kind of chess match, cagey Italian games that we get for when so many of the big sides play each other. I hope that kind of Amarim goes for it in his first ⁓ his first big test, but we'll see.

speaker-1: Yeah. I ⁓ n not too much to add to what you called out of Milan. I think that they were aggressive without the ball early. They were hunting down Benecia every time they they lost the ball. I think Chukawese, I mean, there's there's not much more to say about him. I think he's ballin' under Amarim. We know that he likes to use the wing players and get them flying up the sides. ⁓ same sort of deal with Ruben Loftus cheek of not really understanding why he's playing that position. And wondering when they're going to to swap him out. But I'm not gonna lie. There's there's two things I wanna say. One, I don't know that I am sold on Milan yet. I think that they are kinda like Juve, where I want to see them do more against smaller sides. I think that Yboa from Venezia missed two really good chances that would have actually put Milan behind. And we haven't really seen them play from behind quite yet. Musa hit the crossbar in the 54th minute. I know that Bramos finally took until the 69th minute to to bag his goal, but you see that the longer these games go on, the cager it gets, the more the crowd gets unsettled. I think the I think next week to get to my second point is going to tell a lot about whichever team loses. ⁓ I think that the papers are gonna be going nuts, whether it's Juve or whether it's Milan. I think this if Milan loses next week, it's gonna be Manu Amarim all over again very, very quickly. And whatever they were talking about the past two weeks might be ⁓ a a thing in the past. So I I'm not down on them. I'm not saying that they're not a good club. ⁓ I'm not saying that they're going to fall off, but I want to see them do something Good against a good club. And I'm just wondering if we can like lean in to some of the corruption of Serie A and just maybe they can remove this game later in the season. Cause I think Juve needs some time to get their shit together. So if we could write to President of Serie A, if you're listening, I would love ⁓ like a rain check on this weekend's match. Maybe give us another Low League club. I would love to play Leche. Like, let me play Leche real quick. Let the guys get some confidence, let our new signings get in there and ball out. ⁓ 'cause I'm not saying I'm nervous, but I'm not saying I'm trying to lose to ⁓ Milan because I think it would be ⁓ a ship on fire this weekend if Juve goes down to to Milan. So but we'll see. Excited to watch that match.

speaker-0: Yeah, definitely. I think ⁓ just last point on that. It'll be interesting to see what kind of team Emmeren picks. Like, does he when they brought in, as you mentioned, they took off Loftus cheek and brought in Salamakers. Salamakers right away, you could see the one-two on the outside of the box. He was able to kind of unlock the Venecia defense in a way. Loftus cheek really wasn't. I I still don't understand Loftus Cheek in the 10th spot. He really is more of an eight. And so does he go back to Rabio Modric in those two midfield spots and then Salomacers as the right side of ten? We'll see. I think that that to me is like that'll tell what he thinks about about his team and how he's gonna what he's gonna do moving forward in some of the bigger games.

speaker-1: Right on. We'll see you next weekend what's to come of ⁓ those matches. I know that's the the big one that is on our list. So we'll take another quick break and then we're gonna come back and we are gonna widen the aperture a little bit. We're gonna talk Europe and the Italian clubs heading to Europe for the Champions League after that draw. And then we have a special new segment that we're gonna introduce because we segment boys now ⁓ later on in the show, so make sure you you continue listening. ⁓ we're really excited to introduce that one. I know. Matt is revved up and ready to go on ⁓ on our new segment. So more to come. Alright, so we're coming up towards ⁓ our last few pieces of the show here. Last week we were able to see the Champions League draw. I put out a quick video on our IG. If you haven't started following from the beginning of this show, hit us right now as we hit our midway point. But you know, seven clubs ⁓ in Europe. ⁓ Matt, ⁓ super excited to see all of these clubs heading out. It's really important for the health of Italian football. Obviously the bottom line when you talk about Italian football. So, you know, give us a little bit about what's going on in Europe, why we should be excited and why we should be watching Syrial teams out in ⁓ in the Champions League, the Yu Europa League, and the Conference League.

speaker-0: Yeah, so just a quick rundown. We have Inter, Como, Roma, Napoli will be competing in the Champions League, Milan and Juventus in the Europa League, and Atalanta in the Conference League. So in total, as you mentioned, seven teams competing in those three competitions. For kind of newer fans or newer watchers of European soccer, the there's a a newly introduced ⁓ rule in In UEFA European competitions where two leagues in Europe get an extra spot. So typically four ⁓ teams from from all the major leagues qualify for the Champions League. Now, based on the season's ⁓ performance or that that country's performance in European competitions, your league could earn an extra spot, so a fifth spot in European competition.

speaker-1: Cool, so we are into our next segment right now, ⁓ which is teams from Italy heading into Europe. We had the Champions League draw last week, which I did a quick video on for anybody who hasn't started following us yet. I hope you'll take this time to go and hit us with a follow on IG, Twitter, threads, wherever you get your social content. ⁓ but it is super important for the health of the league, the health of overall Italian football. to be in Europe, to be in these competitions. So, Matt, you know, let's chat quick about, you know, what what this means for those clubs going into Europe and what it kinda means for Italian football as a whole.

speaker-0: Yeah, and first quickly, Fochi, I think we gotta give you some props for for turning the camera around on your phone towards yourself, recording some video and then posting it. I know that's not the easiest thing to do, and it's something that I have ⁓ I have decided against doing, but I am very appreciative of you doing it to grow our our our our audience. So ⁓ so yeah, let's all let's all give Fochi some praise for that. Back to back to the European competitions. ⁓ just to give a quick rundown, inter Como, Roma, Napoli will be competing in the Champions League, Milan and Juve in the Europa League, and Atalanta in the Conference League. So in total, seven teams competing in the three competitions. There are some really interesting ties, especially in the Champions League. Como will get to host Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, ⁓ which I think those two teams going to Como Stadium, the Lakeside Stadium, will be ⁓ really interesting. So in in other kind of big Champions League matches, Inter and Madrid will be facing off. Roma is not only playing Madrid, but they're also facing Manchester United. so really some it's some interesting Italian matchups and it'll be interesting to see how Roma is able and and really the other teams, ⁓ obviously my focus on Roma will will be ⁓ able to match up against ⁓ against some of the big boys in Europe.

speaker-1: Yeah, and I mean you you talk about why it's important for Italian football and Italian clubs to do well in Europe. I just want to talk about how it's important for me. And that is I have the experience of I I've been lucky enough to be supporting Juve through a lot of very successful years in Europe. But I like let me let this be my moment to have you come to the dark side. Have you been the villain in your friend group when everybody is talking about Arsenal playing really ugly football in the Champions League? Be the guy who's rooting for the Italian club. I don't care if you root for Inter, there's my mortal enemy. Go in that bar and you talk your shit to the English Premier League loving people in there and have them question you why do you love Syria? Why why do you like this Italian club? And you go and you tell them, well, that's because the boys at Corva told me. that I should because there's gonna be some fly outfits because maybe during fashion week in Milan I can also catch a match at the same time. So, you know, I again throw all of the analytics and why it's important for ⁓ Italian clubs out the window for just one second. I know me and you, we like to talk a little shit. ⁓ and we get we tend to be somewhat good at it from here or there. So you just it's back to the World Cup of it all where you can Pull up into a bar, you can throw a jersey on, know nothing about the club that you are supporting, but still have a few beers, talk a little shit, and walk out of there, not, you know, needing to be dedicated to watching them play against ⁓ you know, the lowly clubs or fear ⁓ any th them getting relegated at any moment. You get to root for a bigger club, it's a lower hanging fruit, it's your pathway into watching a different team without all of the ⁓ you know, intangibles that come with it on the weekends when me and Matt are making our girls watch Italian Serie A multiple times a weekend. So, you know, again, throw all throw all that analytics out the window. If I had to be the brute foreside of it all, that's why I love watching these ⁓ clubs go to Europe and ⁓ you know, hopefully we get some success this year round.

speaker-0: And I think the other thing is, as we know, or you know, wage bills typically result in success in football competitions, whether that's your domestic league or champions league. And everyone loves to root for an underdog. The Italian teams almost always will be underdogs in the European team European key European competitions this year. And so go to a bar, pick an underdog that you want to support. ⁓ one of the teams from Italy and and ⁓ hopefully they knock off one of the the Real Madrids, Bayern, Munich, Barcelona and you can rub it in ⁓ rub it in all those fans' faces.

speaker-1: I love rubbing it on other fans' faces. It's one of my favorite pastimes. So, more to come. awesome. ⁓ we're gonna wrap up ⁓ shortly here, but something new that we haven't done in our, you know, in the history of this show, which is just about three weeks now, is talk about we started this show because we love Italian culture so much, not just because of the vacation spots and where people are posting on Instagram. But because we think that Italian culture can be fun, it can be crazy, ⁓ you know, we we grew up around Italian families who are are very interesting.

speaker-0: Today was the ⁓ deadline day of the transfer window. The summer window closed today at at midnight ⁓ European time. A lot of the Italian teams made some made some moves today. A lot of the teams all over the world made some moves made moves today. I think holistically, Dan, I think I have one big question. Did any of these teams actually get better today with all the moves they made?

speaker-1: I don't think so. I I don't I don't I think that there was you know, shout shout out to Fabrizio who you know, today was today his like holiday. My man was up what ⁓ you know, ⁓ he I feel like all I saw on my feed today was that dude posting here we go. I took a screenshot and ironically posted it to ⁓ to my story. because it felt like it was a carnival. A little bit, which I suppose you could call Serie A at times a a carnival, but I think none of these clubs I there was not a one signing where I went, Holy shit, they just changed the trajectory of their season based on what we've seen so far. I don't really want to talk even about Juve and what we did. I guess I'm glad we shipped off Jonathan David to Edleti. ⁓ pray for that man who's gonna have to go play Simeoni ball. ⁓ But I I don't see another club that necessarily like you saw that sign and you went, That's it. They changed everything about their club. They they are now going to become this incredible force. The only time that I've really talked about transfers so far in the show has been Moizakin, who I think can be a game changer for Como and just giving them depth and everything that they want to accomplish in both domestically and in Europe. But that didn't happen today, so you know. It felt like a it felt like a show more than it felt like teams doing business and making moves that really benefited them. But, you know, curious if you think that any team did get, you know, that much better or added the that much to their squad.

speaker-0: Yeah, I think you I the Juventus's kinda deadline day, loans, they weren't even signings, I think we'll improve you guys this season. I just Loans always underwhelm me. Like okay, you got Voltamata, who was one of the best forwards in European football two seasons ago. You got Popsar from Tottenham, but at the end of the season those players are gonna be gone. I don't think there were buy options even included in either of those deals. So I think, yeah, for this season they plug some holes, but it's like it's almost similar to the managerial carousel where it's like Kind of everyone's just changing just for the sake of change and no one's actually doing anything to fix the root problems that they have. I think that's that's kind of my big takeaway. I I say that and then I also will say that I I did like that Gasparini gets to reunite with Martin Darun. Almost four hundred and fifty appearances at Atalanta Club Legend, won a trophy there. And, you know, is that the Cristante kind of guy that's gonna replace him or or be able to at least ⁓ spell Cristante and That sixth spot ⁓ for Roma. So no, nothing really impressed me. I think the one thing, the one takeaway I had that I was like, ⁓ that's interesting is Chelsea just keeps raiding these Italian clubs of their of their young players. Like th I just today signing Anasanahor for 40 million. ⁓ and Atalante keeps producing these young players that are able to go to the Premier League and and and do really well. So ⁓ it's too bad that that he wasn't able to to stay in Syria. I think obviously a promising young player, but ⁓ yeah, Chelsea just obviously with the ability to to pay more wages and ⁓ Atalanta wasn't gonna pass up on forty million euros for a player that's you know barely played any minutes at the senior level.

speaker-1: Yeah. The only the two things. One, two once again, Gasparini, Dirune, we talked about it. Syrian romance. Even if it's a bromance. Keeping guys together, you know? ⁓ and then you brought up Atalanta, I forgot that I wanted to say I'm really mad at Frank Kessy. Cause I don't know why you made me think that ⁓ er ⁓ I saw Tuto Fato, it's done, he's going to Juve, we're all good, and then You know, he goes romance once again. It strikes again. He goes back to Atalanta after three years in Saudi Arabia. So I was at the beach, ⁓ I saw my phone, I saw that update, and I was I was really pissed. So luckily it didn't happen on deadline day today, but I was ⁓ you brought up Atalanta and it reminded me to speak on my frustration over over that move. It's just Uve's lost the clout. Guys don't wanna go there anymore. There is something going on over there, both from a financial stability thing to, you know, the the project continues to change because we can't seem to keep a coach. Vlahovic scored three today for Basiktas. So I'm just like, maybe it's us. Maybe it's us. Maybe it's us. So we'll have to see what happens. You know, we'll see what happens to some of these new signings. Maybe we'll look back and say it truly did change the game.

speaker-0: We shall see.

speaker-1: Cool. ⁓ all right, and then to our last segment, which is our first of hopefully a reoccurring segment on this show that we want to start to bring into the fold. We ⁓ we started this show because we have a lot of love for not only Italian football but Italian culture. We think it is very interesting. We grew up around it, you know, Italian families who who really leaned in. And I feel like we were always Aside from talking about what was happening on the pitch, we were just talking about the stories and why it just made it Sirias such a crazy fun, interesting league to follow. ⁓ in a world of people who like reality shows, I think they might like this next ⁓ segment and at least this next story for today. So we're gonna call this for now Curva's most Italian story of the week. And what we're gonna be doing is just focusing on this weird, crazy shit that is happening. It could have been something again that happened on the pitch, a story outside it. We won't even mention Weston McKinney, who had his birthday this past weekend and he was magically injured for the match, but then we see him on the sideline macking it with two girls. So we'll keep that to the side for now because we don't know what was going on there. But you are excited to talk on ⁓ this next story here. So I'm gonna yield the floor to you to introduce our first topic of Corvas. Most Italian story of the week.

speaker-0: Yeah, Fochi, I ⁓ I don't know if excited is the right word. I think ⁓ I don't want to get I don't want to get pegged as someone that's excited about fascism, but I did find this one interesting and as I did more research on the story it actually became even more interesting. So ⁓ I actually wrote this out because I didn't want to ⁓ offend anybody or ⁓ cause any stir in the in in the political space, but I I we're gonna keep this one strictly facts. So Fochi, you may have seen there's a new player in Syria that made his debut for Lazio last week who carries a very interesting last name. Yes, the great-grandson of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, Romano Floriani Mussolini, is now playing, you guys guessed it, on the right wing for Lazio. A club with a long history of harboring far right and fascist fans, and has even been re been referred to as Nazio in the past. Clearly Mussolini's family history is interesting, but what's even more interesting ⁓ is that his mother, Alessandra Mussolini, who is Benito's granddaughter, is a former MP in parliament who's closely aligned with several right wing and far right Italian political parties and even founded her own neo fascist party. Alessandro even featured on the cover of an Italian version of Playboy magazine in the 80s that read The Duce's Granddaughter, Grandpa Benito's grit and sex appeal. Romano's father, Mauro Floriani, Is a businessman who is embroiled in a prostitution scandal in which police uncovered that teenagers were offering sexual services to affluent clients, including Floriani. Through wiretaps and phone records, police found that Floriani was one of the most frequent clients. To make things even more interesting, when this news came to light, Mauro's wife, Alessandro Mussolini, was serving as the chair of a parliamentary children's rights committee and had publicly advocated for the chemical castration of pedophiles. Romano The Lazio fullback has told the press that he just wants to focus on football, but as the Lazio fans and owners are currently going to war over the future of the club, who better to mediate a crisis than a Mussolini? This is truly one of those quote unquote only in Italy stories that we just had to share. So that that concludes story time for this week, Foggy.

speaker-1: Hey.

speaker-0: Ha ha ha.

speaker-1: Talk about it. So if y'all want to know what's going on behind the scenes at these clubs. Come to Matthew McKibben, he will lay it down for you. I can guarantee you that there is not a story currently that is going to bring that energy. And I can guarantee you, Mr. Jeff Bezos, who's buying ⁓ part-time in in Liverpool, doesn't have these in intricate background stories. That that we know of so far, but a a little round of applause for that ⁓ you know, so soliloquy that Matt just put on for us because I think that is one of the things that you can continue to find and just one of the small things ⁓ in this game that you're gonna continue to see week in and week out. you brought it up this morning on our on our morning call and I shot the some of my family over in Italy at text. I was just like I was like, tell me what's going on over there right now, well w with this situation and she's basically like, Yeah, everyone's kinda split on this, obviously. If you're in, you know, a Lazio shirt, you're probably in there saying some nasty things. ⁓ And then if you are on the outside looking in, you have a a different and differing opinion on that. So we'll see what happens with Mussolini who actually plays on the back of his jersey. He's really trying hard. I th he probably has the PR engine continuously running for him as he continues to make his way into the league. I know he has said that other people care more about ⁓ his name and his lineage.

speaker-0: I don't know.

speaker-1: Than he truly does, and he would just like to focus on the match at hand. But hard to ⁓ it's hard to shake, and it is pretty eye-opening when you are forcibly changing the name on the back of your jersey to ⁓ you know, your first or middle name, just to avoid some of

speaker-0: Yeah, and just to wrap it all up for as I mentioned, just it's almost too perfect. It's it's two on the nose that a Mussolini plays on the right wing at Lazio. So ⁓ yeah, fall we'll we'll we'll stay in touch with Romano throughout the season and kind of see ⁓ see how he does.

speaker-1: Just ⁓ you know, next time you are in Italy and you hear a certain stadium rumbling his last name or another chant of which we cannot say on this show, just know that you have not time traveled and gone to the past. You are certainly in the year twenty twenty six. and that you are just close to a serie A match. So safe travels while you're out there and ⁓ you know, you'll you'll be just fine. amazing. Well, I love that segment and I can't wait to continue to bring it. I think that might be the most fun part of our group chat going into the next couple of weeks. So that is also a space where I will say, if you got something, say something, bring it to us. ⁓ because I would love to see what other people are are curious about out there, what they want to hear more about. amazing. Well, that really brings us towards the the end of the show today. I think we'll always try to wrap things up by looking at the week ahead.

speaker-0: Definitely.

speaker-1: And just I think we covered this for the most part, but games that we're excited about for next week. I think it's no secret that we are both pretty excited about Milan Juve ⁓ coming up next week, which is on Sunday at 2 45. It is that crown jewel match for our NFL heads out there. That's the 820 pm Sunday night game. That's prime time. So we'll see what happens there. I know I've said my piece on that, but Any other matches that you got your eye on coming up to this weekend, Matt?

speaker-0: Yeah, Inter plays Napoli Saturday at noon. ⁓ will Napoli be able to go away, ⁓ maybe play some Allegri ball and and find a point up in Milan, or does Milan kinda turn it on and are they f up four one in the seventieth minute and Allegri's got his head in his hands and things are going quickly awry. And then following that Roma plays Atalanta two forty-five. Atalanta big win today, some Argus ninety-fifth minute winner, both teams on six points. ⁓ I think ⁓ Gasparini playing his old club again. There's a lot of interesting storylines there. ⁓ does Roma kind of keep the attacking fluidity that they've had the first two weeks? So ⁓ those those are the the three matches I think that this seas this is the the season's really starting now in match week three.

speaker-1: Couldn't agree more. Cool. Well that wraps us up here for those matches. If you are in town, if you're in the city, if you are wherever you're listening, make sure you go to your local bar, you tell them to put that name on. We are gonna create some demand out here for these matches so that in a year's time, maybe you can go to a bar and maybe you can find the love of your life watching Udinese versus Cagliari on a Saturday afternoon with me and Matt. So we'll always be there to wingman for you. But appreciate you all listening. Obviously, as Matt mentioned at the top of the show, Wednesdays we will be going live with these episodes. So in the meantime, again, make sure you like, follow, subscribe, hit us on all of our platforms. And ⁓ until next time, we'll see you in the Corva. Thanks everyone.

speaker-0: See you next week.