U.S. Città di Palermo - La Cosa Nostra

[paul0]

Your save has everithing good presentation,nice story,pepe for 500k,napoli relegated,
Awsome

 

[ChristopherWH]

Your save has everithing good presentation,nice story,pepe for 500k,napoli relegated,
Awsome

Haha, indeed it does! And thank you.
Yes I'm particularly happy about the Pepe signing, he does need some money in wages though but still for 500K I have some to spare.
I'm actually a Napoli fan myself in real life so I'm a bit sad that Napoli went down that hard, all star players sold now as well, only Vargas left.

 

[ChristopherWH]

September

---

Palermo 2 - 0 Juventus
Abel Hernández (15)
Giorgio Chiellini O.G. (28)

Lecce 0 - 3 Palermo
Olivier Giroud (28, 74)
Gökhan Töre (64)

Palermo 3 - 0 Cesena
Abel Hernández (7)
Olivier Giroud Penalty (20)
Giuseppe Prestia (82)

Fiorentina 0 - 2 Palermo
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (29)
Olivier Giroud (79)

Palermo 1 - 0 Udinese
Federico Balzaretti (88)

A fantastic start to this season!
All wins and not a single goal conceded, and that's against teams like Juventus, Fiorentina and Udinese.
Giroud is our best goalscorer soo far with 4 goals to his name, Pepe has 3 assists and is 1st in the league in that statistic.
Federico has made it kind of a habit of his to score important goals very late in the game, I'm not complaining but the game against Udinese should've been won by then already.
All new signings have done a good job except for Rodrigo Alborno and Daniele Ragatzu, but that's due to their limited play time I'm sure. Papastathopoulos have been terrific in the defense and has made sure that Matías Silvestre is only taking a place on the bench and rotating with Muñoz. Areola has taken the place between the posts and soo far I see no reason as to why De Sanctis should take his place, can you?
Will the new offensive players in the team it's no surprise that Di Vaio has started complaining about now playing, but what did he expect? He's 36 now and should be glad to get the wages he does and that he's even considered a substitute.

Federico Balzaretti - Has been one of Palermo's best players in the league so far with even adding a goal to his name against Udinese

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Palermo 1 - 1 Trnava
Josip Ilicic (6)
Tomas Oravec (11)

A weak display against the team I was sure to get three points from. And this is at home, bad start indeed, but we will turn it around in the next game against Club Brügge I'm sure!
Let's fight on. And well done by Ilicic by the way, getting his first goal for the season.



​

 

[ChristopherWH]

October

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Club Brügge 3 - 4 Palermo
Abel Hernández (7)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (17)
Rodrigo Alborno (32)
Carlos Bacca (38, 45)
Niki Zimling (39)
Simone Pepe (75)

Sporting 0 - 0 Palermo


The results in Europa League this month were both good, although I'm not very happy with how we lost a 3 goal lead against Brügge in the first game. I was furious in half time and glad that Pepe managed to get a goal in before the game was over.
With these results we are second in our group, two points ahead of Brügge and two points below Sporting.
I still believe we can win this though as both these games were away games, with us playing at La Favoria, I can see us have the potential to beat them both.

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Siena 2 - 1 Palermo
Reginaldo (15)
Emanuele Calaiò (34)
Abel Hernández (74)

Palermo 1 - 1 Novara
Carlo Alberto Ludi (12)
Olivier Giroud (43)

Genoa 1 - 1 Palermo
Olivier Giroud Penalty (28)
Alejandro Gómez Red Card (70)
Alberto Gilardino (75)

Palermo 1 - 0 A.C. Milan
Kevin-Prince Boateng Red Card (29)
Olivier Giroud (48)

This months league games didn't go nearly as well as last months.
We actually lost as soon as in the first game, against a weaker side to boot.
We struggled against both Siena and Novara mostly because of me rotating a bit too much I'm guessing.
I figured I'd rest some of the players as we were up against some weaker sides, but I probably over-did it with changing too many of the players out, Giroud was one of them and when he came back he managed to score three games in a row.
Good finish though against A.C. Milan to keep them behind us in the table.
Now that Giroud is scoring and Hernández is not, well not as much as last season, both Abel and Pepe has taken the top spot in the league assist table, both having assisted four times.

Olivier Giroud - Palermo's best player in October​

 

[xaviesta]

Great stuff man, you've inspired me to do a Palermo save, it's nice to win & look pretty in pink.

 

[ChristopherWH]

Great stuff man, you've inspired me to do a Palermo save, it's nice to win & look pretty in pink.

Good to hear!
Haha indeed it is. I like their Pink & Black kit.

 

[ChristopherWH]

November

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Torino 5 - 4 Palermo
Riccardo Meggiorini (3, 27)
Ezequiel Muñoz O.G. (15)
Xisco (20, 38)
Stephan El Shaarawy (33)
Abel Hernández (35)
Gökhan Töre (73)
Mattia Destro (80)

Palermo 3 - 1 Chievo
Francesco Acerbi O.G. (64)
Georges Mandjeck (69)
Abel Hernández (84)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (88)

Bologna 0 - 5 Palermo
Mattia Destro (20)
Galhardo (22)
Daniele Ragatzu (32)
Abel Hernández (51, 57)

Now I have to be honest, I trashed our dressing room over in Turin. What the **** was up with that first half? Five conceded goals, I wanted to shoot someone... The players managed to shape up a little after I gave them the yelling of their lives but it didn't matter in the end, we were too far behind and Torino managed to defend themselves slightly better than we did, and "only" conceded four times.
After that we did better though with two straight wins. Against Chievo it took some time before we got the goals we needed but we sure deserved the win. Against Bologna it was the opposite and we totally crushed them from start to finish.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos - After a bad start to the month Sokratis picked himself up in the last two games

---

Palermo 1 - 2 Sporting
Xandão (18)
Diego Capel (44)
Fabrizio Miccoli (50)

We did good and actually deserved to win this game, but of course we didn't.
Giroud even managed to miss a penalty before we lost, lovely, he was totally worth less in this game.
As was Abel, the two players you can usually trust to do well, failed completely.

---

​

 

[Ricardo Moody]

gr8 story mate , i also a Serie - A fan , i managed Napoli to win 3x Serie-A , 2x CI , 2x Supper coppa but no luck in UCL

i moved to Man United in 4th season though !

i will be following this story

 

[Thedjentleman]

Great story Keep it up but hoping for more conversations and interactions with players soon

 

[anthonydestroys]

Good story.. Im definately following this

 

[paul0]

This month wasnt good but youre still in 1st

 

[Ricardo Moody]

No update , mate ?

 

[ChristopherWH]

No update , mate ?

It's been a long weekend full of fun! But now I'm back and will probably manage to get an update later today.
Thanks for following!

 

[ChristopherWH]

December

---

Ring ring!
- Motisi Residence, who am I speaking to?
- This is Giuseppe Montemurro calling from La Gazetta Dello Sport, may I have a word with Vincenzo Motisi?
- I'll see if he's available. Please Hold.
...
- Yes this is Motisi, why are you calling me at my home, what do you want?
- Heh, calm down would you? I'm calling 'cause I want to hear what you have to say about the stuff that Domenico Di Carlo (Chievo Manager) said about you in the paper.
- I don't even know who he is, and why would I care about what he says?
- I see, you haven't read it, here listen.

"I don't mind losing games, that's part of the game, but when the game is soo obviously rigged I can't just sit and not say anything.
When asked what he meant he answered: It's obvious! No one in this country doesn't know about the Motisi family, and still he is allowed to come here and coach a team, it's ludicrous. I'll just come out and say it, he's a mobster, he is probably threatening the referees and everyone else to get the results he wants, I'm sick of it. Get him away from the game!

- Shall I continue?
- I think that's enough, I got no comments.

Click...

- Haha hopefully we can get them to fight a little, sell some papers.
Goodnight, I'm off for tonight.

---

Palermo 3 - 3 Cagliari
Abel Hernández (3)
Blerim Dzemaili Penalty (7)
Thiago Ribeiro (11)
Marco Di Vaio (19)
Siyanda Xulu (32)
Andrea Cossu Red Card (34)
Darko Bodul Red Card (77)
Gökhan Töre (90+1)

Roma 2 - 1 Palermo
Bojan (34)
Matteo Brighi (61)
Abel Hernández (82)

Palermo 2 - 2 Atalanta
Guido Marilungo (33)
Emmanuel Culio (35)
Olivier Giroud (51)
Matías Silvestre (67)

Parma 0 - 2 Palermo
Simone Pepe (27)
Abel Hernández (66)

Another month of crappy performances in the league, I'm glad we actually managed to win one and keep our fourth place.
I'm not one to throw money around like nothing, well okey I am but I don't really know what to get to help us having a shot at the Champions League spots as well as competing in the Europa League. Any suggestions?

---

Trnava 0 - 2 Palermo
Abel Hernández (65)
Mattia Destro (68)

Palermo 2 - 1 Club Brügge
Sokratis Papastathopoulus (3)
Giuseppe Prestia (28)
Joseph Akpala (90+4)

Two games we really had to win, so I'm really glad that the guys manned up and fought for six points which took us through to the 1st Knockout round where we drew Tottenham.
It'll be a really tough couple of games but with a good result in the first game, at home, I really have faith in that we will get the best of them.


​

 

[ChristopherWH]

January

---

We can report that witnesses have once again seen Italian-American mobster suspect John Gambino fraternising with current Palermo manager Vincenzo Motisi.
The two were seen in a Motisi owned restaurant in downtown Palermo, discussing between themselves and known associates of Don Gambino and Vincenzo Motisi's father, Don Motisi. All during this time, the restaurant was closed for outside customers.

---

Motisi: So I have this thing I need taken care of, and I can't do it myself, not now.
Gambino: Your father and I go way back, and I've known you for a long time as well, you know you can ask me anything Vincenzo, anything.
Motisi: Well you know how it is, family honour and respect and such things, yes. There is this guy, who has been spreding rumours, about me being affiliated with criminals and such. He has even been talking to the press, it was in the ******* papers all over the country!
Gambino: I hear what you are saying, and since you have to live here in Italy you want someone from the outside take care of it, understandable. I know a guy, well a couple, brothers. They work out of the Balkan, and occasionally do jobs elsewhere as well. Ex-military men, Serbs I believe. They cost a bit but I'll handle that, don't you worry. Now what's the fellows name, the one we don't want around for long?
Motisi: Di Carlo, Domenico Di Carlo, manager of Chievo Verona. Thank you John, I appreciate it.
Gambino: After this I'll stay clear from you and Italy for a year or so, I know you understand. Take care.
Motisi: Ciao John, take care and say hey to your wife and kids for me.

---

Palermo 1 - 2 Catania
Gökhan Töre (41)
Federico Balzaretti Red Card (53)
Maxi López Penalty (55)
Gonzalo Bergessio (68)
Matiano Bittolo Red Card (71)

A loss that came from bad defending and indecisive attacking. Without Hernandez up front, who's injured, there's not as much speed as I would've liked. Töre can play up there but it isn't his best position, his foot is better suited for passing and crossing than for shooting to be honest. It's annoying as **** going out from the Coppa this early, especially in a Palermo derby, but frankly with the League and Europa League still being played, I would prioritize them both before this, a bit more rest that will help us hopefully. Still, I want to win everything, better luck next time.

---

Empoli 0 - 1 Palermo
Daniele Ficagna Red Card (29)
Marco Verratti (80)

Palermo 2 - 0 Sampdoria
Gökhan Töre (75)
Giuseppe Prestia (79)

Inter 1 - 2 Palermo
Olivier Giroud (36)
Diego Forlán Penalty (45)
Josip Ilicic (48)

Juventus 5 - 0 Palermo
Claudio Marchisio (2)
Fabio Quagliarella (31, 68)
Marco Verratti O.G. (52)
Alessandro Matri (66)

Palermo 7 - 1 Lecce
Simone Missiroli (8)
Giuseppe Prestia (17)
Simone Pepe (32, 84)
Gökhan Töre Red Card (50)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (54)
Moris Carrozzieri O.G. (58)
Mattia Destro (68, 74)
Federico Moretti (86)

A tough League month with away games against two title contenders, Inter and Juventus. We did very good in the first game, actually controlling the game in Milano and managing to get away with a win and three points, I was very proud of the guys, maybe overly so. After that we went on to lose in the cup, and with few days in between we came to Torino quite exhausted, without a very deep squad I didn't have as much freedom rotating as I would've liked, well not without losing some serious talent out there. So when we were up against Juventus, they totally ran us over, it was terrifying to see them just pounding on our goal time and time again, scoring too many to bother counting.
After a fiesty talk with the lads after that collapse though, it almost got a little physical, there was a fire in their eyes in the next game, when Lecce probably wished they never came to visit. Seven(!!!) goals we managed to score, five of which came after we had a man sent off.

---

---

I also decided to make use of some of the money in our transfer budget. I signed this young chap, as a back-up to Balzaretti as well as a watch-and-learn type of thing as he's still very young and inexperienced.

He came rather expensively to be honest, from Getafe whom he had recently joined therefore the hefty price-tag. He's had the chance to prove himself once already and did well to be honest, he was a part of the team that crushed Lecce the other day.

​

 

[ChristopherWH]

February

---

Cesena 0 - 3 Palermo
Rodrigo Alborno (29)
Olivier Giroud Penalty (69)
Simone Pepe (80)

Palermo 1 - 1 Fiorentina
Mauricio Pinilla (8)
Abel Hernández (36)

Udinese 0 - 4 Palermo
Marco Verratti (44)
Olivier Giroud (46, Penalty 50)
Abel Hernández (81)

Marco Verratti - Playing very great against Udinese, the youngling picked up the MoM award

Palermo 2 - 1 Siena
Frando di Santo (20)
Andrea Montovani (62)
Fibrizio Miccoli (90+1)

Three wins and a draw, good results that let us stay on top in the league. We just have to keep this going a little longer and we might actually win this year, but it's still too close and too many games left to call. Hernández and Giroud keeps performing, and a brilliant goal by Miccoli who haven't been playing that much this season, got us a late and important victory against a hard fighting Siena. Our best league game this month have to have been the one against Udinese, a comfortable four goal win with Verratti picking up one goal and two assists. The game against Fiorentina was a close one and could've gone any way, a draw was fair.

---

Palermo 2 - 3 Tottenham
Abel Hernández (22, 29)
Tom Huddlestone (34)
Jermaine Defoe (59, 71)

Tottenham 2 - 1 Palermo
Jermaine Defoe (8, 74)
Mattia Cassani (32)

I'm really dissapointed on how we acted in the first game, losing an early two goal lead is one thing, conceding three goals at home in an important fixture such as this is not right at all.
Truth be told, Tottenham were big favorites to win against ut, but I still had faith, they have a bit more Europe experience than we have, and they have a much larger budget to work with as well as some more well known players such as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale. I feel sorry for the guys who really tried but to no avail.
A thing that annoyed the **** out of me was the fact that none of our registred keepers were fit for these games, both Di Sanctis and Areola were injured shortly before, so we had to put an inexperienced 17 year old to guard our goal.
I'd like to point out that I put no blame at all at him, he did his absolute best and can't be blamed for any of the goals.

Better luck next year, when we will hopefully get qualified for the big leagues!

---

​

 

[ChristopherWH]

March

---

Novara 3 - 3 Palermo
Abel Hernández (43)
Olivier Giroud (53, Penalty 58)
Fabio Grosso Penalty (72)
Javier Chevantón (75)
Luigi Giorgi (85)

Palermo 3 - 2 Genoa
Abel Hernández (44)
Alberto Gilardino (45+2)
Simone Pepe (52)
Peter Utaka (55)
Gökhan Töre (75)

A.C. Milan 2 - 2 Palermo
Simone Pepe (24)
Olivier Giroud (53)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (60)
Pato (63)

Palermo 4 - 1 Torino
Simone Pepe (7, 10)
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (36)
Rolando Bianchi (42)
Abel Hernández (50)

It's a good thing our offensive is strong enough, mostly, to handle our weak defending. Until next season I can sense that I'll have to strengthen and change the defense up a bit, with both players and tactics perhaps.
Another tough away game this month against a top contender, when we were up against A.C. Milan and lost a two goal lead to a draw. We did the same thing against weaker opponents, Novara, where we lost a three(!!!) goal lead in the second half. Terrible terrible defending, I feel like kicking some doors down.

---

Simone Pepe - Palermo's best player in March with 4 goals in 4 games

---

​

 

[ChristopherWH]

April

---

Chievo 2 - 3 Palermo
Sergio Pellissier (19, 53)
Ezequiel Muñoz (44)
Abel Hernández (76, 84)

Palermo 3 - 1 Bologna
Abel Hernández (32, 40, Penalty 73)
Katlego Mphela (58)

Cagliari 1 - 0 Palermo
Sídnei (77)

Palermo 3 - 0 Roma
Sokratis Papastathopoulos (3)
Marco Verratti (47)
Fábio Simplicio Red Card (51)
Federico Balzaretti (73)

Atalanta 1 - 3 Palermo
Abel Hernández (4, 81, 83)
Valerica Gaman (50)
Marco Veratti Red Card (58)

---

Motisi: Abel, please have a seat.
Abel Hernández had been called to Vincenzo Motisi's estate, and had just been led to his study.
Abel: Thank you sir.
Motisi: I'm really only calling you here to praise your game here with us, you're in terrific form and you've now scored more than you did for the whole last season. Do you enjoy your time here?
Abel: Well thank you, and yes, yes I really do enjoy it here, especially since you joined us. My game, and goal scoring in particular, have gotten itself a real boost ever since that day.
Motisi: With performances like that, and considering the relatively low stature of this club, there's a risk that some larger clubs will come now at the end of the season and try to ****** you from us. What would your response be to that?
Abel: Well I guess that's a possibility, one that I haven't given much thought though, as I said, I'm enjoying myself here. Sir.
Motisi: That makes me really glad to hear, I consider you a one of the stars at this club, and you're young, hopefully the team can grow up around you. That's what I have in mind. I am glad you see yourself staying here on Sicily for the time being.
Motisi stood up and walked towards the safe that stood neatly in the corner of the room.
After punching the code in, and getting the fingerprint recognition, the safe opened and he picked something up, Abel couldn't see what until Motisi turned around with a suitcase in his hand. He tossed it to Abel.
Motisi: This is for your trip over here, have some fun with it.
Abel opened the suitcase and saw money and quickly tried to estimate it's worth.
Abel: But Signore, there's several hundred thousand Euros in here, I can't take this.
Motisi: Of course you can, now go, I have some "business" to attend to, see you at practice.
Motisi walked towards the window and smiled as he lit a cigarr, watching the ladies he had invited to his pool who were all at the back with some of his... Associates.
Abel: Of course Signore, thank you once again, see ya' at practice!

---

Abel Hernández - Palermo star striker manages to score 8 goals in 5 games with two hat-tricks among them​

 

[ChristopherWH]

May

---

Palermo 1 - 0 Parma
Olivier Giroud Penalty (24)

Palermo 2 - 2 Empoli
Abel Hernández (10, 75)

Sampdoria 2 - 2 Palermo
Olivier Giroud (28)
Daniele Gastaldello (36)
Cristian Bertani (63)
Simone Pepe (86)

With these two bad last games where we only got two points against weaker opponents, we lost the first spot to Juventus who are now 1 point ahead of us at 79 points in 37 games.
We are up against Inter in our last game, at La Favorita while Juventus will play away from home, in Bergamo against Atalanta who are in a surprising fifth place in the table.

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Season Finale

U.S. Città di Palermo vs. Football Club Internazionale Milano

The Palermo players are entering the field knowing this is a match they have to win to have a chance at the title, at the same time that Juventus are not allowed to win.
Palermo has the first kick-off, playing the ball back calmly before lashing out on offense at the first opening found!
Inter is starting with a reserve player out on the right fullback position, something that Motisi is planning to take advantage of it seems, as most balls oare going towards Gökhan Töre who tries to get the ball in the box, without the players manageing to connect with the ball.
Insted, after yet another attack by Palermo, Emiliano Viviano kicks the ball away and it lands at the feet of Galhardo who knocks it past Wesley Sneijder and puts the ball far and deep on a running Giroud who stayed up, decesively he blasts the ball into the net without Viviano standing a chance! This is in the 18th minute and Palermo are off to a good start.

Shortly after, Pazzini can be seen kicking the grass in frustration as he can't seem to keep up nor get the ball in a favourable position at all. He keeps getting irritated and is booked after a tough challange against the assist maker Galhardo.

At the same time, in Bergamo, Atalanta is giving Juventus trouble with a quick double-fire by Edwin Hoffer (33) and Guido Marilungo (37) just before Quagliarella (45) manages to reduce just before the whistle. Quagliarella who's having a great season trailing Hernández in the scoring charts.
At this point Palermo is nr.1.

The second half starts a bit slower, with Palermo not wanting to give anything away, they've started to play a deeper defense and Pazzini and Castaignos can't create anything up front at the same time as Sneijder is taken care of by Palermo youngling Afriyie Acquah who has been performing admirably when given the chance this season.
And what do you know, Pazzini's temper isn't getting any better and he seems to have something against Galhardo whom once again gets attacked from behind by the striker who is now seeing the red card, putting Inter one man down with a goal in the back.

Now Palermo is starting to take serious control of the game and in the 71st minute Hernández gets the ball on the opponents half and runs like a bull down the left side, and gets past his man but a bit too far out to the left to pose and immediate threat and decides to lay the ball off on Balzaretti who's waiting at the sideline. He then picks out both Giroud and Pepe in the box and gets a cross off, Pepe comes up perfectly on it and Palermo is now ahead with two goals against none all while Juventus can't seem to get the offensive working in Bergamo.
Palermo and Rodrigo Alborno, who came on for Töre who got injured just as El Sharaawy came on for Pepe who were kicked down as well, made it 3-0 before the final whistle. Once again Galhardo came running down his right flank with the ball getting past anyone who tried to stop him and got a perfect cross in that Alborno capitalized on against his former team.
As the whistle blew the fans and players in Palermo got news on Juventus loss in Bergamo and the title was a fact, their first Serie A title ever was won and this day would forever be remembered in Palermo and on Sicily.

3 - 0
Olivier Giroud (18)
Simone Pepe (71)
Rodrigo Alborno (83)

U.S. Cìtta di Palermo - Campioni di Italia 2012/2013

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Serie A Table

Serie A Player Stats

Serie A Team of the Year

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Champions League

​Europa League

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Now that's season two finished and I'm glad we did soo well in the league even though the cups were a dissapointment.

I'd be happy if anyone ever commented, it get's a bit lonely in here, and boring.
​

 

[ChristopherWH]

The police have found Domenico Di Carlo, the (former) manager of Serie A outfit Chievo Verona, dead in Lago di Garda (Garda Lake).
The police had been investigating the disappereance of Di Carlo for weeks after he the neighbours had heard gunshots in his home.
The police say that they are investigating what happened at the moment although they do not have many leads, they'd like any neighbours or people who think they might've seen something on the night of the 19th of May after he came home after a game with Chievo Verona.

"We are looking at a murder here. We found bullet wounds in his knee caps but no bullets were found, he was bound and transported here from his home. He was tied and put in a black plastic bag wich was weighted down with rocks from the area. He was alive when thrown in and his lungs are filled with water which indicates he drowned. Anyone who saw anything suspicious that night, please call our tip line and help us solve this horrible murder. We wish his family the very best in the future and hope that they'll manage to get on with their lives peacefully after this." Says Police Chief Alberto Bonucci
A special memorial service will be held at the Chievo Verona arena, Marcantonio Bentegodi, for all who would like to join us as we say goodbye to a friend, father and leader.


​