A stroll through Italy and the Serie A
by Richard Whittle, SerieA.tv
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Carlo Ancelotti has called on Serie A coaches to ignore Jose Mourinho's attempts to provoke them this season.
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The Inter coach has already fired a verbal volley at his Juventus opposite number Claudio Ranieri, accusing him of not having a winning mentality.
However, the AC Milan man said: "I like Mourinho but he likes to court the press and he can be provocative.
"I enjoy our exchanges but the important thing is not to take what he says seriously."
One area where the 49-year-old has little to laugh about is his side's poor pre-season form and he admitted that things were not going to plan.
The former Parma and Juventus tactician said: "The only area that is working is the midfield and the injuries we have had are taking their toll."
Lazio livid at Rocchi injury
Lazio have reacted with dismay on hearing that striker Tomasso Rocchi has sustained a serious injury at the Olympic Games.
The striker suffered a calf injury training with the Italy squad but was passed fit to play against South Korea, where he scored.
However, the 30-year-old paid the price for his endeavours and has been ruled out of the rest of the competition and probably the start of the Serie A campaign with a hairline fracture to the fibula.
Club president Claudio Lotito reacted angrily to the news and said: "He played for the national team when he was injured and this should not have happened.
"The Italy medical staff wrote it off as a muscle problem but if he had been with his club we would have ordered an x-ray."
Napoli starlet Andrea Russotto will take Rocchi's place in the squad as the Azzurri head into the quarter-final stages in China.
Ranieri seeks big win
Claudio Ranieri is hoping that Juventus seal qualification to the Champions League group stages with a positive performance in the first leg against FC Artmedia.
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The Bianconeri are at home to the Slovakian side and the coach said: "We need to wrap up qualification in the first game at home.
"We know that the opposition is not that great and although they can score goals we are solid at the back."
Last season's top two goalscorers in Serie A, captain Alessandro Del Piero and French star David Trezeguet are expected to lead the attack as Juve go hunting for a big goal margin to take into the return on August 27.
Baggio set for Brescia role
Roberto Baggio could be lined up to make a return to the world of football in a management role at Brescia.
The superstar has been out the game since retiring back at the end of the 2003-04 season.
However, the 41-year-old may be tempted by an offer from his last club who are looking to break out of Serie B.
Brescia president Gino Corioni said: "He said he wanted to spend time with his family but now we are expecting him to come back into the game and take up a role with us.
"We have been out of Serie A for what will be a fourth consecutive season and a fifth would be a humiliation."
Richard Whittle is the chief writer and match commentator for SerieA.TV and contributes Italian soccer news for FoxSoccer.com.
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