The 2007/08 Serie Aaaaargh! awards go to...
So the curtain has come down on another fun-filled Italian football season.
AS Roma exacted some revenge over Inter in the Italian Cup final where once again Roberto Mancini got his tactics all in a tangle.
But enough of the Mancio-baiting for a moment. What about some awards from the 2007/08 campaign?
Let us begin with:
Goal of the season
Not easy at all. Trawling back through the season there were enough stunners to fill a Milanese bar during fashion week. Udinese star man Antonio Di NataleâÂÂs wonderful flick on the heel and angled drive against Reggina springs to mind.
Then thereâÂÂs Marco BorrielloâÂÂs flying volley for Genoa against Inter and Pablo Daniele OsvaldoâÂÂs equally impressive bicycle-kick to secure Fiorentina fourth spot on the last day of the season at Torino.
Francesco TottiâÂÂs blast against Parma, Alessandro Del Piero doing the same to Roma and Zlatan Ibrahimovic nearly bursting the net against Sampdoria and then repeating the feat from distance at Siena.
However, stand up Palermo and soon-to-be Juventus striker Amauri who certainly impressed his would-be employers with a magnificent curling effort from the edge of the area which left even Gianluigi Buffon shaking his head in disbelief.
Bamboozling Buffon earns Amauri goal of the year gong
Player of the year
Got to be Alessandro Del Piero who also picks up the âÂÂstuffing it back in the face of the criticsâ award. Written off more times than the Italian national debt, the Juventus captain finished the season as the leagueâÂÂs top goalscorer and along the way ran ragged defenders much younger and physically more imposing than the diminutive Del Boy. His little legs will be pumping all the way to Euro 2008 now.
Worst player of the year
Marco Materazzi had his eye on this award all season and made it his own on the penultimate day of the season against Siena when he grabbed the ball off Julio Cruz with Inter a hairâÂÂs breath away from winning the title to claim all the glory for himself from the penalty spot. Of course, mad Marco missed but still couldnâÂÂt find a hole big enough to fit his over-sized ego.
Mad Marco misses against Siena, to noone's surprise
Team of the year
Not Inter, not Roma or Juventus. They were all expected to be up there making the running. Instead, everyoneâÂÂs new favourites Fiorentina, who under coach of the year Cesare Prandelli, played the most attractive football. Pleasing to the eye and good sports with it, the Viola thoroughly deserved their fourth place finish.
Needless to say, AC Milan have to be lumped with the worst team of the year raspberry, best young player goes to FiorentinaâÂÂs Riccardo Montolivo while InterâÂÂs Julio Cesar nabs the goalkeeping accolade.
Strop of the year
WeâÂÂll leave Roberto Mancini and Antonio Cassano to fight over that one after the formerâÂÂs resignation in front of the press following InterâÂÂs exit to Arsenal in the Champions League and the latterâÂÂs on-pitch breakdown on two occasions when things didnâÂÂt go his way.
Anyway, thatâÂÂs enough awards for now unless you can think of some more worthy recipients?
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