Catania

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Location: Catania (Sicily)
Manager: Walter Zenga
Ground: Stadio Angelo Massimino (Capacity: 23,420)

Pre-Season Training Began July 14th in Catania
Friendlies Played: Catania 5-0 Viole (July 16th); Catania 8-0 RRU Carabinieri (July 16th); Catania 12-1 Torandrea (July 20th); Catania 8-1 Angelana (July 21st); Catania 1-0 Botev Plovdiv (July 24th)
Friendlies Scheduled: Benevento (July 25th)

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In: Julian Di Cosmo (S, Igea Virtus); Tomas Kosicki (G, Inter Bratislava); Ezquiel Carboni (D, Red Bull Salzburg); Pablo Ledesma (M, Boca Juniors); Mirko Delia (S, Francavilla); Anderson Babu (S, Triestina); Michele Paolucci (S, Atalanta); Nicolae Dica (S, Steaua Bucharest); Andrea Catellini (S, Reggiana); Mauro Minelli (D, Triestina); Gianvito Plasmati (S, Taranto)

Out: Inacio Pia (S, Napoli); Fabrizio Lasagna (S, Paganese); Juan Vargas (D, Fiorentina); Adriano Mezavilla (M, Perugia); Andrea Sottil (D, Free Agency)

Negotiating For: Mariano Stendardo (D, Messina); Pablo Granoche (S, Triestina); Danilo (D, Genoa)

Transfer Rating: 7

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Having spent most of their tenure as a club in Serie B, the southern minnows have had surprising success since their most recent promotion to Serie A, peaking at 4th place after twenty games in the 2006-07 season.  They have made their presence known across the peninsula and believe they can set their sites higher than just Serie A salvation.  Perhaps UEFA Cup dreams are in the eyes of the Catania faithful?

For the 2008-09 season they have retained most of their squad, not including star left-back Juan Varags, whose departure was pretty much a given.  In addition, the Elefanti have brought in some important players.  Boca Juniors star midfielder Pablo Ledesma joins Catania after following out of favor at the Argentine club.  Catania have also made in an impressive signing in bringing in Romanian international Nicolae Dica, an attack-minded midfielder.  Dica had motivation to join Catania because of his past relationship with head coach Walter Zenga.  Zenga took over reigns this past April and showed a lot of promise for the upcoming season after leading them to a dramatic last minute survival, drawing 1-1 against Roma.  Zenga last coached Dica at Romanian club Steaua Bucuresti.

“Serie A is a very tough league, so it is a new challenge for me,” Dica said  “Our objective is to make Catania a team capable of competing with the more prestigious northern clubs.”

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Prediction: Mid-table finish (9th-13th place).  With these new important signings and Zenga at the helm, Catania should comfortably avoid relegation and continue to show that the smaller southern clubs can hang with the big boys.

Probable Formation: 4-1-4-1
Bizzarri; Alvarez, Stovini, Terlizzi, Sardo; Carboni; Dica, Biagianti, Ledesma, Martinez; Paolucci

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New Kit For 2008-09: