PLAY THE ADVANTAGE

Ah, Italia!

The Serie A season kicks off this weekend, and as always, there’s plenty of refereeing eye candy to go around.

One note about Serie A: Unlike English Premier League, Serie A employs “additional referees” – two referees at either goal line – to assist the center referee. These men are usually center referees themselves, which means that Serie A need more center referees than England does, so you’ll see a bit more rotation in the middle than you do in Premier League.

Nicola Rizzoli, arguably the top referee in the world after his reasonably successful World Cup final refereeing performance, is in action this first week, with Atalanta v. Hellas Verona (which, if their performances last year are any indication, might be much less boring than it sounds).

He’s probably the most senior referee out this week, with Daniele Orsato and Gianluca Rocchi serving as adds. Luca Banti and Paolo Tagliavento referee as well, at Genoa and Milan, respectively.

As for hotties, Italy always have plenty and this weekend is no exception. Besides Rizzoli and his fabulous hair, Daniele Doveri and my personal favorite Marco Guida‘s matches are worth watching for the referee alone (see Guida, above).

Saturday
ROMA – FIORENTINA
GUIDA
DI LIBERATORE – CARIOLATO
IV: PASSERI
ADD1: DAMATO
ADD2: CERVELLERA

CHIEVO – JUVENTUS
RUSSO
MELI – MARRAZZO
IV: FAVERANI
ADD1: ORSATO
ADD2: CANDUSSIO

ATALANTA – H. VERONA
RIZZOLI
SCHENONE – NICOLETTI
IV: GALLONI
ADD1: GERVASONI
ADD2: SAIA

CESENA – PARMA
PERUZZO
GAVA – PADOVAN
IV: DE LUCA
ADD1: ROCCHI
ADD2: GHERSINI

GENOA – NAPOLI
BANTI
POSADO – PETRELLA
IV: STEFANI
ADD1: CALVARESE
ADD2: IRRATI

MILAN – LAZIO
TAGLIAVENTO
DI FIORE – BIANCHI
IV: CRISPO
ADD1: MAZZOLENI
ADD2: NASCA

PALERMO – SAMPDORIA
TOMMASI
PAGANESSI – PRETI
IV: VIVENZI
ADD1: MERCHIORI
ADD2: AURELIANO

SASSUOLO – CAGLIARI
VALERI
FIORITO – LA ROCCA
IV: MARZALONI
ADD1: PAIRETTO
ADD2: MANGANIELLO

TORINO – INTER
DOVERI
GIALLATINI – DOBOSZ
IV: TASSO
ADD1: GIACOMELLI
ADD2: FABBRI

UDINESE – EMPOLI
DI BELLO
TEGONI – TONOLINI
IV: BARBIRATI
ADD1: MASSA
ADD2: LA PENNA