Italian Serie A/Serie B 2013-14 Discussion

Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez could be out for up to six weeks following a knee injury he picked up against Cagliari on Sunday.

The 28-year-old collided with Rossoblu goalkeeper Michael Agazzi during the 1-1 draw, with Borja Valero giving the hosts the lead before Mauricio Pinilla levelled late on. David Pizarro was sent off for Vincenzo Montella's men.

“For Gomez it is a trauma that will have repercussions for several weeks,” Doctor Manzuoli told Radio Blu.

“Clearly everything will be evaluated with more detailed tests tomorrow, but with the first results we can say he’ll be out for at least three to four weeks, being optimistic. If the lesion is more serious, then it’s closer to six weeks."

Meanwhile, Viola winger Juan Cuadrado also picked up an injury, dislocating his shoulder but Manzuoli is less concerned about the Colombian.

He said: “As for Cuadrado, it’s not an injury that occurs often in football.

"He can be back in the side within a couple of weeks, perhaps even less. It can be painful to the shoulder, but does not take long to recover from."

Fiorentina boss Montella told Sky Sport Italia: “The injuries are certainly the saddest note of the day, so we can only hope they prove to be less serious than they seem."

The Viola are third following the point while Cagliari are eighth.

Forza wrote:Link to a video of the San Paolo after Higgy scored...
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Kaka says he’s asked Milan to stop paying his wages until he is fully fit after picking up an injury on Saturday.

The Brazilian, who returned to the outfit this summer four years after leaving for Real Madrid, is set to be out of action for around a month with a thigh muscle strain.

He picked up the problem during his latest debut in the 2-2 draw with Torino.

“You have probably read about my injury on the Milan website,” the attacking midfielder said in a video message to fans.

“Yesterday was a bad day for me because in all honesty I was not expecting an injury like this. It was really bad and difficult for me.

“I have spoken at length with the club, with [Vice-President Adriano] Galliani and with the doctors to decide on a few things.

“In the end I decided that I don’t want anything from Milan except for love and support until I am better, until I am fully fit and ready to play again.

“For this reason, I have decided to suspend my current pay for this period of time. The only thing I ask is for support and help to recover properly.

“I have already started my rehabilitation and I have to say that your support and everything I have heard over the last few days really drives me on and makes me determined to come back as soon as possible.

“It is a difficult moment, but I have started to work on getting better and I hope to be back as quickly as possible to bring some joy to all you fans out there and to myself too.”

The recent Gazzetta dello Sport salary report claimed the player was on €4m a season after tax. If that figure is accurate then the player will be sacrificing around €300,000 should he be out for four weeks.

Roberto Mancini says he would gladly consider becoming the new Coach of Italy if he was offered the job.

The Italian Football Federation could need a new tactician given that present boss Cesare Prandelli is set to return to club football after World Cup 2014.

“If I was called then it is only logical that I would talk about it,” the sacked Manchester City boss told Quotidiano Nazionale.

“I would be very happy to discuss such an opportunity because, let us be clear about this, Italy is Italy – it is not a club side.

“To be the Coach of the Nazionale has a special appeal, it’s unique, therefore of course I would talk about it.”

Mancini is currently out of work following his Premiership dismissal at the end of last season, but he’s keen for a quick return.

“There will be no holiday for me, no sabbatical,” added the Sampdoria legend who has been named as a possible replacement for Laurent Blanc if things go badly at Paris Saint-Germain.

“No, I don’t know,” he said when asked about the PSG rumours. “I’ll only say that if that is the case then it isn’t hard to find me.

“Beyond PSG the substance remains the same. If I like a project where the idea is to win then that’s good, I won’t go anywhere to draw 0-0.

“You know how football is. One day you are at home, the next you get a phone call from a club or a national side and you are back in a tracksuit on the training field.”

Gonzalo Higuain says he feels at home in Napoli after joining the club from Real Madrid in the summer. “It’s like Buenos Aires.”

The striker was netted at a cost of €37.5m to replace the Paris Saint-Germain bound Edinson Cavani and he’s scored twice in his first three games for the club.

“Right now Napoli is a new road in my life,” the forward told UEFA.com ahead of this week’s Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund. “And it is a very important road for me.

“Naples is a city that feels like Argentina, like Buenos Aires for the way they experience their football, the way they feel it.

“I am happy to be in this wonderful city.”

In joining the Italian club, he becomes the latest Argentine to wear the Azzurri colours after Diego Armando Maradona helped inspire the side to the two Scudetti in their history.

“It doesn't put any pressure on me. It is a nice motivation that Maradona played here, for what he means to Napoli and the fans,” the 25-year-old continued.

“Personally I am grateful to have had him as a Coach with the Argentina national side and to have known him.

“I am grateful that I could be at the 2010 World Cup with him.”

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