AC Milan
Serie A – 2012/13 Season Review
The 2012/13 Coppa Italia final was expected to be one of the best, most exciting games contested in the competition’s history. The Coppa drew capital rivals Roma and Lazio in the third and final showing of the Derby della Capitale at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. It didn’t turn out to be the entertaining match that everyone anticipated it to be, but there were still plenty of storylines.
Lazio winger Senad Lulic, an apparent Juventus target, had the first real opportunity of the game. He managed to find a small amount of space near the penalty area and released a shot, but Bogdan Lobont got his fingertips to it, however it landed in the path of Miroslav Klose. The German flubbed his chance, though, sending the ball wide into the side netting.
Michael Bradley, who was Roma’s best player in an otherwise dire team performance, then replied to Lulic and Klose’s efforts with one of his own. Bradley sprinted forward, as he usually does, made his way into the opposing box, shot, but missed wide from the right side of the area from six yards out. Mattia Destro arguably had the best chance of the match, arriving at the end of the first half. He had a free header which ended up flashing past the right post. Destro got the nod up front over the controversial Pablo Osvaldo, who appears more likely to leave the Giallorossi in the summer as the days pass.
Federico Marchetti, was, once again, one of the standouts for Lazio on the night. He stopped Francesco Totti twice in the second half to keep the game scoreless.
Finally, on 71 minutes, the breakthrough arrived from Lulic. Antonio Candreva sent in a cross which Lobont intercepted ahead of his own defender, Marquinhos, which ended up in front of the Bosnian, who made no mistake from close range to deliver the only goal of the match. It was the hammer blow for Roma considering that Destro once again failed to capitalize on a brilliant opportunity, scuffing a shot that ended up safely in the hands of Marchetti, which could’ve easily been smashed into the back of the net.
Following four minutes of stoppage time, the Biancocelesti commenced their celebrations. Coach Vladimir Petkovic walked over with Lazio’s famed eagle, Olimpia, towards the club’s ultras. Players carried the Coppa, snapping photos of them kissing and hoisting the trophy in front of their supporters. It’s the club’s sixth cup victory, and what’ll make it sweeter is that they denied their rivals at the chance to win their tenth. Thanks to Sunday’s triumph, Lazio will face Juventus in August’s Suppercoppa, which will most likely be staged in the USA.
2012/13 Season Review
In what was a walk for the majority of their season, Juventus came out on top, claiming their 29th Scudetto, finishing with a nine point advantage over second place Napoli. Despite failing in their quest for a “top striker”, the Bianconeri were the third highest scoring club in Serie A this year with 71 goals, two back of the Partenopei.
Standout performances from Arturo Vidal, Andrea Barzagli, and Gianluigi Buffon led the way in Juve being the most defensively sound team in Italy. They conceded 25 goals, 11 less than the second lowest total. Now with their pursuit of the likes of Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez, and Stevan Jovetic, The Old Lady will only get stronger heading into the next campaign.
Napoli came the closest to dethrowning Juventus, but in the end came up short. The Partenopei’s 1-1 draw against them in March ultimately ended their chances of a Scudetto, but they won’t have many complaints. Following a fifth place finish last year after a tiring Champions League campaign, the Neapolitan side will get a chance to prove that they can balance both domestic and European competition and stay in the hunt at the top of the table from August to May in Serie A.
Napoli’s second place finish is a huge success. However due to their solid performance, they’ve lost their manager, Walter Mazzarri, who’s Inter bound following Andrea Stramaccioni’s sacking. Rafa Benitez will be confirmed as the replacement in the next month or so as the agreement can’t be made official until he’s released from Chelsea. The other dilemma is the future over Edinson Cavani, will he stay or go? His €63 million release clause gives the advantage to his club, but if a team such as PSG or Manchester City come calling, the scenario changes. It’ll be a very interesting summer for the side from the peninsula.
AC Milan squeaked into third place thanks to a soft penalty and a quick follow up from Philippe Mexes, but they accomplished the impossible given what happened to them in the summer. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Alessandro Nesta, and Clarence Seedorf were just a few of the key departures, yet the Rossoneri still have a chance to feature in the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition.
Milan lost just three games from the end of October, which is the lowest number amongst any other team in Serie A. The dip in form of Stephan El Shaarawy and the lacklustre defence are two worries for the club to address in the summer, but that’s the beauty of preseason. Either way, Massimiliano Allegri’s lads should be pleased with where they finished.
Fiorentina were heartbroken on the final day of the season. Their 5-1 demolition over Pescara was all for not given AC Milan’s result that same evening. However the Viola went from a side battling relegation last season to nearly qualifying for the Champions League the very next year. The resurgence of Adem Ljajic was a particular highlight. The Serbian forward netted 11 goals and showed the potential his club saw in him when they snatched him from under Manchester United’s nose.
The downside is that due to Fiorentina’s failed quest at the Champions League, the squad may be chopped and changed. Juan Cuadrado is going to be sought after just as much as Stevan Jovetic, although the fee received will be higher for the Montenegrin attacker. Arsenal and Juventus are the two sides linked with Jovetic the most, but with the January acquisition of Giuseppe Rossi and the rumours of Galatasaray’s Burak Yilmaz arriving in Jovetic’s place, the summer may not be as depressing as the supporters think.
Udinese defied the odds yet again and finished near the top of the league and got back into European competition. It wasn’t a Champions League berth that the Zebrette have clinched the last two seasons, but a Europa League spot is just as rewarding for the small Fruilano side. Their eight wins in a row was the deciding factor, but with yet another new squad coming together, things look promising for a team that’s usually content with staying in Serie A. That may no longer be the case given their recent success. Italy may have her new emerging contender.
Two hundred Roma supporters were seen throwing objects at the team bus following the Coppa Italia loss. It’s a symbol for yet another failed season in the capital. No European competition yet again means two steps back after taking one step forward. The club’s sixth coach in four campaigns is most likely on the way with Massimiliano Allegri dubbed as the favourite to take the hot seat in Rome. One thing is for sure, another disappointing year won’t be tolerated by anyone, success is necessary and it starts by a strong finish in the table.
The sky blue half of Rome will be far more content with their 2012/13 season. A Coppa Italia triumph delivered the first piece of silverware in the Vladimir Petkovic era. The Swiss tactician of Bosnian descent was an unknown in July 2012, but is now beloved by many Biancocelesti supporters. Despite the seventh place finish, Lazio’s deep Europa League run and, at one point, their pursuit of Champions League football will be viewed as positives from the board’s perspective. If there’s added depth over the summer, Lazio may be able to make that next leap.
Describing Inter’s season in 100 words is difficult, but here’s an attempt: It was disastrous, shambolic, dreadful, and disappointing. Not one of these synonyms can be used by itself because that’s how poor the campaign went for the Nerazzurri. Ninth place with 16 defeats (the lowest since 1947/48) is all that needs to be said to put the year into perspective for those that didn’t follow it. The need for depth in quality at almost every position will be a herculean task for new manager Walter Mazzarri, but it’s something that must be done if the club wants to return to the heyday of Jose Mourinho, a man that’s yet to be replaced in terms of the success he brought.
The number eight shirt is worn by box-to-box midfielders with a sharp eye for goal and here we learn about the top 10 best number 8 football players of all time.
The number 8 soccer shirt isn’t as well-known as the numbers 7 (wings or second strikers), 9 (centre striker), or 10 (goalkeeper) (playmaker). However, everybody who wears this shirt has a significant role to play in the game. These midfielders are eager to create scoring opportunities for the club. Other soccer players have worn the number 8 shirt in positions other than the midfield.
10. Marco Tardelli
During his tenure with Juventus, the former midfielder is one of the few players in history to have won every major European title as well as everything there is in Italy. In addition, Marco Tardelli led Italy to victory in the 1982 World Cup. Tardelli, one of the most decorated players in football history, began his career with Pisa in Serie C and subsequently moved to Como in Serie B before joining Juventus in 1975.
Before joining Internazionale in 1985, he spent most of his career with the Turin club, collecting several titles. Tardelli is largely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in history. Tardelli was a versatile midfielder who could play in a variety of positions. He was a hard-tackling midfielder who was also technically skilled.
9. Juninho Pernambucano
Juninho was a fantastic playmaker who went on to become one of Olympique Lyon’s all-time greats, giving countless assists and scoring over 100 goals throughout his career. He was hailed as the most stylish player of his team.
Juninho’s arrival rejuvenated the Lyon team, which had never won a domestic title previously. Juninho would go on to lead his team to seven straight Ligue 1 victories. He was chosen to the Ligue 1 team of the year three times and earned the player of the year award once.
8. Ian Wright
Ian Wright is a television personality and former soccer player. Following his playing career, he became heavily involved in soccer-related media. He is presently a BBC Sports and ITV commentator.
During his career, he played for Crystal Palace, Arsenal, West Ham, Celtic, Burnley, and Nottingham Forest. He was able to win the Premier League while at Arsenal.
His finishing ferocity, quickness, and agility have made him a household name. Wright is Arsenal’s second-highest goal scorer and Crystal Palace’s third.
Wright scored nine goals in 33 appearances for England at the international level.
7. Gennaro Gattuso
On the field, the no-nonsense, uncompromising former AC Milan midfielder was an utter menace. His all-action, tough-tackling approach made him a fan favourite at San Siro. Gattuso was clearly identifiable by his number eight. In the mid-2000s, he was a vital player of the Rossoneri squad, which was very successful.
6. Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo was a productive forward, earning him the nickname El Pistolero (The Gunslinger), but he was also a fiery player, earning him the moniker “The Dagger.” Hristo competed in the FIFA World Cup for Bulgaria in 1994. Despite his team’s fourth-place result, he was awarded the World Cup Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the tournament and the World Cup Bronze Ball for being the tournament’s third-best player.
Hristo earned the European Golden Shoe in 1990 as the highest scorer in Europe while playing for CSKA Sofia. He became a member of the Barcelona club that won four straight La Liga titles after arriving later in 1990. He presently works as a football analyst for TUDN.
5. Steven Gerrard
For many years, the ex-England star was the soul of his childhood club, Liverpool. While wearing his legendary number 8 shirt, the great Reds bestrode the Anfield turf. During his tenure at Liverpool, Gerrard was an inspirational captain who scored many key goals. Despite the fact that he did not win any league titles, he was able to lead his side to a UEFA Champions League victory in 2005.
4. Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthaus is regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time, having participated in five FIFA World Cups with Mexico’s Rafael Marquez. In 1990, Matthaus guided West Germany to World Cup victory. In his club career, he has represented Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan.
In 1990, he was voted European Player of the Year, and in 1991, he won the inaugural FIFA Player of the Year title. At the age of 38, he even received the German Footballer of the Year award in 1999. That only goes to demonstrate how reliable a performer he was on stage.
Matthaus is known for his marauding runs from midfield when his exceptional control and acceleration leave opponents for dead. The German legend has exceptional positional awareness, vision, and the ability to smash the ball into the back of the net from any distance. He was also a fantastic tackler and an all-around midfielder.
3. Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is a World Cup champion and one of the best midfielders of his generation. He has been Real Madrid’s number eight for over a decade. Before joining Real Madrid in 2014 and wearing the number 8, he won the World Cup with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
Toni Kroos is a deep-lying playmaker who has led Real Madrid’s attacking squads for the past seven or eight seasons. Kroos, unlike many of the other players on this list, does not wow football fans with his ability, but he is the team’s beating heart, connecting the defensive line to the attack and beginning build-up play.
2. Frank Lampard
The Chelsea icon is widely regarded as one of the best English midfielders of all time. When he played for the Blues and England, the all-action goal-scoring box-to-box midfielder was known for wearing the number 8 shirt. Lampard has exceptional skill and vision, which enabled him to assist and score several goals throughout his illustrious career.
1. Andres Iniesta
The former Barcelona midfielder was one of the finest number 8 players in contemporary history. For rival defenders and midfielders alike, the twinkle-toed ex-Spanish international was a nightmare to face. His dribbling skill and penchant for always finding a way out of tight circumstances made him one of football’s most dangerous opponents.
He established a deadly midfield triangle with Xavi Hernández and Sergio Busquets that helped Barcelona win several La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and UEFA Champions League trophies. Andres also demonstrated his knack for scoring crucial goals. Take, for example, a crucial goal that helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Not to mention his two goals in the 4-0 thrashing of fellow finalists in the 2012 Euro final in Italy. He has been one of the best footballers in history. Iniesta was the greatest player of Spain during his days.
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Who Is Carol Dias? Meet The Wife Of Kaka
Carol Dias is famous for being the wife of Brazilian legend Kaka. Read on to learn more about her nationality, net worth, facts and family.
Despite coming from a humble background, Carol Dias has already made millions in the modelling and acting industry. Later on, in this article, we will learn more about her profession. But our main focus will be the beautiful relationship between Romarey and Brazilian legend Kaka.
Kaka is considered one of the greatest attacking midfielders Brazil ever produced. Playing with AC Milan, Kaka has achieved major triumphs. However, his greatest display came for the national team, when he helped them to win the 2002 World Cup. Kaka became a family man in 2019 when he married Carol Dias. So, let’s find out more about the stunning wife of Kaka.
Carol Dias Childhood and Family
Carol Dias was born on August 11, 1995, in Goiania, Brazil, making her Brazilian nationality. Despite having a significant online presence, she never discussed her private life on any public media. That’s why we currently don’t know the name of her parents and their occupations.
Whether she has any siblings is also unknown. We believe she didn’t have an entirely comfortable childhood, but her parents did everything to make sure she got a good headstart in her life. We are still looking for the missing information and will update the article if we find something new. So stay tuned to learn more about the stunning girlfriend of Kaka.
Carol Dias Education
Carol went to a local high school in her hometown. She was a curious student who always looked for explanations. Once she found something interesting, she would spend hours reading and researching the topic. Even though we don’t know whether the Brazilian beauty went to college, we believe she must have skipped higher studies in order to pursue a career in modelling.
Carol Dias career
Carol is a professional model. She was passionate about modelling from childhood. After deciding to go forward with modelling in her career, she started shooting for local photographers, which earned her a reasonable amount. Due to her striking looks and photogenic body, she gained popularity among experienced photographers. The Ford Modeling Agency represents her.
Her work includes collaborating with brands like Eve Beauty and EasySim 4U. She acts as a brand ambassador for many famous brands, including Soller Assessoria and Choisir. After her modelling career took off, Carol decided to take a shot at acting. She has featured in several episodes of ‘Pânico na TV’.
Carol Dias Net Worth
Carol hasn’t shared any information about her earnings. We couldn’t calculate her net worth as we don’t have the exact number of her yearly wages. However, we believe she has accumulated a large sum from her modelling gigs and acting roles.
She enjoys a luxurious lifestyle, which comes at an attractive price. So she might have a significant net worth. We are looking for more information and will update the article if we find reliable data. Carol’s husband, Kaka, has accumulated a significant sum during his peak years.
Carol Dias and Kaka relationship
Kaka met his girlfriend in 2019 after getting separated from his childhood sweetheart, Caroline Celico. We are not pretty sure how they met. But we believe it was love at first sight as the duo was instantly attracted to each other’s charm, and it was only a matter of time before anyone made a move. The pair finally communicated each other’s feelings, and it was an accurate match.
After they started going out together more often, they realised that they had to spend the rest of their lives together. They finally tied the knot in 2019 at an extravagant marriage ceremony where all their friends and family members were invited.
Carol Dias and Kaka Children
The duo welcomed their first child, Esther Leite, on October 8, 2020. Kaka also has two children from his previous wife, Caroline Celico.
Carol Dias Social media
Kaka’s alluring looks became a hit on social media. She gained immense popularity on Instagram. She mostly shares images of herself in fashionable attires. She also adds snaps from her gym activities. Due to her large audience, she has a great potential of earning money if she starts monetising. She also has a couple of collaborations. Carolina Dias shares her activities on stories and posts.
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Asmir Begovic is a Bosnian professional football player who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Leicester City and for the Bosnian national team and in this article, we will see more about the player’s Net Worth, Salary, Sponsors, Wife, Tattoos, Cars, and more.
Asmir Begovic joined the Premier League club Everton from Italian club AC Milan in 2021. He is a talented and experienced goalkeeper who has established himself as one of the best in the Premier League and Europe. He is currently the backup goalkeeper for the English keeper Jordan Pickford at Everton.
Asmir represents Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team and has been a great leader for the team with experience over 50 appearances for the national team. Let us get to know more about the player’s profile in the following paragraphs.
Asmir Begovic’s Net Worth and Salary
Asmir is a young player and footballing has contributed much to his earnings. The player’s net worth is estimated to be £22 m as of 2026. The market value of the player in 2026 is valued at €3.00m by Transfermarkt. He currently earns a salary of £676,000 per year playing for Leicester City.
Asmir Begovic Club Career
Asmir began his career at Portsmouth, before moving to Stoke City in 2010. He spent five seasons with the Potters, becoming their first-choice goalkeeper and earning a reputation as one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League.
In 2015, Begovic joined Chelsea as a backup to Thibaut Courtois, but still managed to make over 50 appearances for the club across all competitions, including starting in the Premier League and Champions League. He then moved on to AFC Bournemouth in 2017, where he played for two seasons before joining AC Milan in 2019.
After a loan period with AC Milan for 6 months, he joined the Premier League club Everton on 20 July 2021 on a 12-month contract with an option to extend for a further year. He made his premier league for Everton debut against Aston Villa on 18 September 18 and the match resulted in a 3-0 loss. The footballer moved to Leicester City for the 2025 EFL Championship season.
Asmir Begovic International Career
Begovic has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2008, earning over 50 caps and serving as their captain. He played a crucial role in their qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, their first major tournament as an independent nation.
After the World Cup, Begovic continued to be a regular starter for the national team, helping them qualify for the 2016 European Championship and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was also appointed as the team’s captain, a role he held for several years. The goalkeeper was a part of the national team for 11 years.
Asmir Begovic Family
Asmir was born on 20 June 1987 in Trebinje, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. His parents are Amir and Ajnija Begovic. His father Amir, was also a goalkeeper who played for Leotar and Iskra Bugojno whilst his mother, Ajnija, hails from Stolac.
The Begović family fled the Bosnian War to Germany when Asmir was four years old, where he began to play organized football with the local youth club FC Kirchhausen in Heilbronn. When he was 10, his family moved to Edmonton in Canada. Throughout Asmirs football career, they have always supported him both mentally and financially.
Asmir Begovic’s Wife – Nicolle Begovic
Asmir Begovic is married to Nicolle Begovic. She is a dedicated equestrian athlete with a resolute approach and commitment to the much-loved sport of Dressage. With a strong commitment and high expectations of the sport to which she has dedicated herself full-time, Nicolle demands high expectations of herself and her approach to the discipline she loves with a passion. The couple also has two daughters. the name of the eldest daughter is Taylor. The youngest one’s name is not available.
Asmir Begovic Sponsors and Endorsements
The Goalkeeper has not been seen endorsing any company on his social media accounts. But Asmir is the founder of the Asmir Begovic Foundation. This is a non-profit organization that has been created to help needy children. It also helps to build and rebuild recreational facilities in England and Bosnia.
Asmir Begovic Cars and Tattoos
Asmir Begovic has been spotted driving a Jeep in the streets of Bournemouth. Unlike many footballers, the player seems not fond of tattooing his body.
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