Offside - 30 August

Del Piero for Sydney?

Alex Del Piero is having some difficulties finding a club. Gone are the days when the best known chairmen in the world would have mortgaged their wives' chastity belts in order to sign him.

Now he's being chased by the likes of Celtic, Sion and Sydney FC. I know what I would chose between Scotland, Switzerland and Australia, but Del Piero's many business interests might keep it in Italy.

Aussie in Italy

Another Australian is playing in Serie A. James Troisi left Turkish side Kayserispor and joined none other than mighty Juventus. Which promptly loaned him to Atalanta.

He made his Serie A debut coming on as substitute in the home match loss to Lazio.

Let's hope it's the first step towards a career equalling those of Mark Bresciano and Vincenzo Grella in Italy's top flight.

How do you move from a minor Turkish club to Juventus? International football does move in mysterious ways.

The more, the merrier

The saying is old but it keeps finding new applications in different fields. The latest being football, where we now have no less than five officials at each top match. Plus the one sitting on the sidelines.

In Italy football authorities are playing a major role in solving the unemployment problem. But, regrettably, quantity does not mean, necessarily, quality.

In the match between AS Roma and Catania the visitor's first goal was scored by a player in a blatant off-side position.

In Palermo the home team was denied a clear-cut penalty for a foul by Maggio on Cello.

The Lazio goal, a three pointer away to Atalanta, was scored after Mauri had controlled the ball with his hand.

The solution? Let's double the number of officials involved in each match. Given recent attendances, at the very least they will contribute to inflate the figures relating to spectators.

Guidolin to stay

He could have beaten a record, even by Italian standards, being sacked after just one match. But Udinese coach Guidolin will stay put despite being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the hands (and feet) of Sporting Braga.

The Portuguese side won 5-4 on penalties, but it was clearly the better team in Udine.

Francesco Guidolin had suggested, after the home defeat, that he might leave. The ever money-conscious chairman Gianpaolo Pozzo has decided to give him another chance. Not exactly a vote of confidence, more a money-saving measure.

Italy's disappearing act in UCL

Once there were four, then three and soon there will be only two. That is spots in the UEFA Champions League for Italian clubs.

After a series of dismal performances in the best club competition in the world, the number of Italian clubs admitted to UEFA's premier competition will be reduced to two from the 2013-2014 competition.

A sad indictment on the level to which Italian football has sunk to. Any improvement on the horizon? Don't hold your breath.