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Serie A, Week 38 – 16/5/10 – Stadium San Nicola
Strikers: Stellini 36′ (Bari), Rivas 95′ (Bari)
Referee: Giancola – Sent off: Gamberini 91 (Fiorentina)

Fiorentina end the campaign with a whimper, but it’s a celebration for Bari who finish in 10th place.

The mood was very different in the two camps. Bari felt jubilation at finishing mid-table after so many years in Serie B and wanted to thank the San Nicola crowd. Fiorentina’s failure to qualify for Europe and continuing uncertainty over Cesare Prandelli’s future meant they were simply eager for the season to end.

The Viola were decimated by injuries to Juan Vargas, Mario Alberto Santana, Alberto Gilardino, Manuel Pasqual, Cristian Zanetti, Gianluca Comotto and the suspended Per Kroldrup. Stevan Jovetic took on a new centre-forward role. Bari missed Riccardo Meggiorini, Mariano Donda, Andrea Ranocchia, Antonio Langella and the banned Belmonte.

Jovetic did put the ball in the back of the net after 11 minutes, but he was offside when the Adem Ljajic assist came in.

Ljajic was impressive and his long-range strike tested Jean-Francois Gillet, but Bari had a great chance when Vlada Avramov got down to parry Paulo Barreto’s snapshot.

Massimo Gobbi was stretchered off after a crunching tackle from ex-Fiorentina flop Nacho Castillo. Marco Marchionni’s effort took a deflection that lifted it inches off target.

Andrea Masiello almost scored an embarrassing own goal, as the ricochet hit his leg and bounced back over the bar.

It was Bari who broke through after 36 minutes. Castillo knocked down a corner for Cristian Stellini’s half-volley from six yards at the back post.

Riccardo Montolivo drilled a screamer just wide from distance, but it was so nearly 2-0 before half-time when Leonardo Bonucci ran on to an Edgar Alvarez through ball to hit the side-netting.

Avramov needed a desperate double save on the hour mark to deny Alessandro Parisi and the Sergio Almiron follow-up. Castillo should’ve doubled Bari’s lead, but incredibly fired wide when one-on-one with Avramov.

Jovetic wasn’t entirely convincing as a centre-forward, although he did threaten on 75 minutes when testing Gillet from point-blank range.

In stoppages substitute Alessandro Gamberini saw red for a crazy protest, as he pushed the referee in the chest with his finger, so the dismissal was inevitable.

Moments later Bari sealed the 2-0 scoreline with Emmanuel Riva tapping in Kamata’s assist from close range.

Squads:
Bari: Gillet; A Masiello, Stellini, Bonucci, Parisi; Alvarez, Gazzi, Almiron (Donati 69), Rivas; Barreto (Rivas 83), Castillo (Kamata 91)
Fiorentina: Avramov; De Silvestri, Natali, Felipe, Gobbi (Gamberini 30); Donadel (Agyei 48), Bolatti, Montolivo; Marchionni, Ljajic (Carraro 65); Jovetic

Serie A Week 38 – 16/5/10 – Stadio Bentegodi – Ref: Tagliavento
Strikers: Vucinic 39′ (Roma), De Rossi 45′ (Roma)

Despite their best efforts and this comfortable victory, it is Inter who take the Serie A title thanks to their win in Siena.

For the second time in three years, Roma went into the last day needing a win and an Inter slip-up at Siena to lift the Scudetto. Due to their superior head-to-head record, a tie at the top of the table would make the Giallorossi champions of Italy.

The Flying Donkeys were already mathematically safe, but proved with last week’s hard-fought 4-3 loss to Jose Mourinho’s men that they wouldn’t give anyone an easy ride. John Arne Riise was in the stands due to suspension, while Chievo missed Bianchi, Mandelli, Morero and Pinzi.

Around 20,000 Roma fans travelled to the Bentegodi for an extraordinary atmosphere. Francesco Totti’s free kick was charged down and Marco Cassetti drilled off target.

Marco Motta did very well to close down Luca Ariatti for a corner after his marvellous first touch at the byline.

Roma were very unlucky not to take the lead on 21 minutes, as Totti smashed a powerful rising right-foot strike on the bounce that cracked against the outside of the upright!

Lorenzo Squizzi only parried a Totti cross-shot for his defence to desperately clear before Simone Perrotta could pounce. Another Totti lob whistled wide and Squizzi had a Mirko Vucinic low drive under control.

Totti had penalty appeals on 34 minutes, as he just failed to touch a Taddei ball across the face of goal, but he seemed to over-stretch and lose his balance from six yards.

Totti did put the ball in the net, but was clearly offside, then Vucinic hit the effort too meekly on the counter so it was charged down by Sardo.

Roma finally made their domination count six minutes before the break. Vucinic was released on the counter by a ball over the top, let it bounce and picked his spot, smashing the right-foot shot in at the near post from just inside the area.

Inter were still 0-0 at Siena, so at this stage Roma were top of the table thanks to their superior head-to-head record.

The Giallorossi doubled their advantage in first half stoppages. Daniele De Rossi unleashed an unstoppable blockbuster with the outside of his right foot. The poor clearance seemed to be going nowhere, but he hit it so sweetly from 25 metres to stun Sorrentino.

Chievo poured forward at the dawn of the second half, as Sergio Pellissier and Luciano had a series of efforts charged down. News also filtered through that Inter had taken the lead in Siena, meaning any result here would be meaningless.

Roma decided to play on the counter, but both Vucinic and Totti were charged down by Squizzi.

Matteo Brighi’s shot was deflected wide of the near post. From the resulting corner, a Philippe Mexes header skimmed the woodwork.

Squads:
Chievo: Squizzi; Sardo, Scardina, Yepes, Jokic; Luciano, Iori (Moro 78), Ariatti (De Paula 58), Bentivoglio; Granoche (Bogdani 68), Pellissier
Roma: Julio Sergio; Motta (Mexes 75), Juan, Burdisso, Cassetti (Tonetto 69); De Rossi (Brighi 70), Pizarro; Taddei, Perrotta, Vucinic; Totti

Serie A Week 37 – 9/5/10 – Stadio Picchi – Ref: Gava
Strikers: Rocchi 13 (La), Lucarelli 33 (Li), Brocchi 44 (La)

Lazio secure their safety with a comfortable away victory thanks to Tommaso Rocchi and Cristian Brocchi.

The conflicting political ideology of the fanbases makes this a very tense fixture indeed, but this time around it was also between a side that was already relegated and another needing a point to avoid the same fate. Livorno had won only one of their previous 18 games, while Lazio were fresh from a controversial 2-0 home defeat to Inter. In that match, their own fans cheered on the Nerazzurri, thus ruining the Scudetto hopes of rivals Roma.

Mauro Zarate was suspended with Mourad Meghni, Cristian Manfredini, Albano Bizzarri and Francelino Matuzalem sidelined. Livorno’s treatment table was crowded with Leonardo Miglionico, Nelson Rivas, Francesco Tavano, Antonio Filippini, Dario Knezevic, Pablo Diniz, Nico Pulzetti, Pieri and Andrea Esposito.

Lazio took the lead when Tommaso Rocchi went between the defenders to tap in a smart low Aleksandar Kolarov cross from the left flank. The move had been started by Stefano Mauri’s through ball.

The visitors lost Stephan Lichtsteiner to an injury, as he was left dazed by getting his head in the way of a powerful shot.

Livorno equalised with their most representative player, Cristiano Lucarelli. He was marginally offside when shaking off his marker to volley in Cristian Raimondi’s cross from six yards.

Rocchi nearly completed his brace with a strike that clipped the outside of the upright on 36 minutes, while Alfonso De Lucia had to beat away a typically fierce Kolarov free kick.

Lazio restored their advantage just shy of half-time, as Cristian Brocchi hit a powerful low shot from the edge of the box that bounced its way into the near bottom corner.

Neither side did much in the second half, as tiredness set in and Lucarelli limped off with a knee injury.

Claudio Bellucci had the best opportunity to equalise in the final minutes, but fired it straight at Nando Muslera.