U.S. Città di Palermo season 2008-09

Infobox Football club season
club = U.S. Città di Palermo

---

season = 2008–09
manager = Stefano Colantuono (until Day 1)
Davide Ballardini (from Day 2)
chairman = Maurizio Zamparini
league = Serie A
league result =
cup1 = Coppa Italia | cup1 result = Third Round
league topscorer =
season topscorer =
highest attendance =
lowest attendance =

U.S. Città di Palermo is playing the season 2008–09 in the Serie A, being the fifth season in a row for Palermo in the league since their top-flight return in 2004.

Review and events

For the upcoming season, Palermo are expected to confirm Stefano Colantuono as head coach. A number of signings were completed in mid-season, namely Brazilian striker Túlio de Melo of Le Mans UC72 (free transfer) [cite news|url=http://www.football.co.uk/news/de_melo_heads_to_palermo_259295.shtml|publisher=Football.co.uk|title=De Melo heads to Palermo|accessdate=2008-02-07|date=2008-01-30] , Varese youngster Marco Giovio [cite news |url=http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/31012008/44/palermo-giugno-arriva-baby-giovio-20.html |publisher=Yahoo! Sport Italia |language=Italian |accessdate=2008-05-18 |date=2008-01-31 |title=Palermo A giugno arriva il baby Giovio] and young Danish defender Simon Kjær from FC Midtjylland; [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=8503|title=Blitz di Foschi in Danimarca, preso Kjær|date=2008-02-16|accessdate=2008-02-16|language=Italian] these are expected to be joined by a number of loan and co-ownership returns, such as Hernan Dellafiore from Torino. On May 28, Palermo announced to have signed Empoli defender Andrea Raggi in a full transfer. [cite news |url=http://www.empolifc.it/documento.php?id=7098 |publisher=Empoli FC |title=Ceduto Andrea Raggi |date=2008-05-28 |accessdate=2008-05-28] [cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=8988 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |title=Acquistato Raggi dall’Empoli |date=2008-05-28 |accessdate=2008-05-28] Two days later, the "rosanero" also finalized the signing of former Fiorentina midfielder Fabio Liverani. [cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=8999 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |title=Preso Liverani |date=2008-05-30 |accessdate=2008-05-30] On June 5 Palermo announced on their website to have finalized the signing of Italy national football team and A.S. Livorno Calcio goalkeeper Marco Amelia. [cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9020 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |title=Preso Amelia |date=2008-06-05 |accessdate=2008-06-05]

On June 19, Palermo announced to have re-signed Croatian striker Igor Budan from Parma and Genoa defender Cesare Bovo, the latter in exchange with long-time "rosanero" Giuseppe Biava.cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9040|title=Riscattati Bovo, Budan, Çani e Di Matteo. Biava al Genoa, rinnovata la comproprietà di Matteini|date=2008-06-19|accessdate=2008-06-19|language=Italian] Six days later, the club completed the signing of Atalanta centre-back Moris Carrozzieri. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9043|title=Acquistato Carrozzieri dall’Atalanta|date=2008-06-25|accessdate=2008-06-25|language=Italian] On July 1, the club finalized the signing of Davide Lanzafame from Juventus in a co-ownership bid. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9051|title=Definito l’acquisto in compartecipazione di Lanzafame dalla Juve|date=2008-07-01|accessdate=2008-07-01|language=Italian]

In addition, Palermo-born Giovanni Tedesco and 41-year-old keeper Alberto Fontana have agreed a one-year contract extension.

On the other hand, a number of transfer were completed, with Amauri sold to Juventus (and Antonio Nocerino being signed by Palermo as part of the deal) [cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=8998 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |language=Italian |accessdate=2008-05-30 |date=2008-05-30 |title=Amauri alla Juventus, Nocerino al Palermo] [cite news |url=http://www.juventus.it/site/ita/NEWS_newseventi_40204637E1314E7AB09F8DDFD5741D06.asp |publisher=Juventus FC |language=Italian |accessdate=2008-05-30 |date=2008-05-30 |title=Amauri è bianconero] , Leandro Rinaudo transferred to Napoli [cite news |url=http://www.sscnapoli.it/client/render.aspx?root=707&fwd=1690&content=0 |publisher=SSC Napoli |accessdate=2008-06-04 |date=2008-06-04 |language=Italian |title=Ufficiale: Rinaudo al Napoli] and Italian internationals Cristian Zaccardo and Andrea Barzagli signed by German side VfL Wolfsburg; [cite news |publisher=VfL Wolfsburg |language=German |accessdate=2008-05-18 |date=2008-05-10 |title=Weltmeister Zaccardo wird ein "Wolf" |url=http://www.vflwolfsburg.de/53855+M57d33ec953b.html] cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9029 |publisher=US Città di Palermo |title=Barzagli e Zaccardo al Wolfsburg |date=2008-06-12 |accessdate=2008-06-12 |language=Italian]

Palermo's pre-season phase will begin on July 14 to the training camp of Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria. They then moved to another camp in Levico Terme on August 1, then playing a friendly match in Wolfsburg against the local German Bundesliga team. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0708/news_scheda.jsp?id=9030|title=Palermo in ritiro da lunedi 14 luglio|date=2008-06-13|accessdate=2008-07-01|language=Italian]

Palermo started their season with a surprise 1–2 home loss to Ravenna, a Lega Pro Prima Divisione team (two divisions below Serie A). Successively, Zamparini confirmed the intention to sell out newly-acquired striker Túlio de Melo, citing the impossibility to ensure the player a guaranteed place in the starting lineup as he wanted. [cite news |url=http://www.sportbox.tv/football/news/story.php?id=270112 |publisher=SportBox |title=Tulio ponders Palermo exit |date=2008-08-30 |accessdate=2008-08-30] In the meantime, on August 30, and just a few hours before the "rosanero"'s kickoff league match, Palermo announced the signing of 18-year old striker Levan Mchedlidze on a loan basis. [cite news |url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9742 |publisher=US Città di Palermo|language=Italian |date=2008-08-30 |accessdate=2008-08-30 |title=Levan Mchedlidze al Palermo] The next day, Lille OSC confirmed to have finalized the permanent signing of Túlio de Melo from Palermo. [cite news |url=http://www.losc.fr/?r=0,0,1,3798 |publisher=LOSC Lille Métropole |title=Tulio de Melo accepte la proposition du LOSC ! |language=French |date=2008-08-31 |accessdate=2008-08-31] On September 1 Palermo completed the signing of Davide Succi from Ravenna, and loaned out Boško Janković to Genoa. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9763|title=Ceduto Bosko Jankovic al Genoa|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-01|language=Italian] [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9762|title=Preso l'attaccante Succi dal Ravenna|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-01|language=Italian] Both moves were finalized following several unsuccessful attempts to sign Brazilian international striker Nilmar from Sport Club Internacional, as confirmed in a club statement. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9767|title=Globoesporte.com rivela i retroscena della trattiva fallita di Nilmar. Il giocatore: "Sono arrabbiato, offerta irrifiutabile"|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-03|language=Italian]

The very next day saw notable criticism from supporters and local and national media regarding the club strategy in the football market, especially underlining the lack of an appropriate replacement to local hero Amauri and the controversial sale of Túlio de Melo only two months after being signed by the "rosanero". Zamparini answered to these criticisms by making the whole bid amounts in the seasons available to the public, in a very unusual move in Italy, noting his club was among the ones who spent the most money in order to sign new players. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9777|title=DICHIARAZIONE DI ZAMPARINI|date=2008-09-02|accessdate=2008-09-03|language=Italian]

On September 4, 2008, in what was promptly received as another controversial move, [cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/SerieA/Squadre/Palermo/Primo_Piano/2008/09/04/colantuonovia.shtml |title=Palermo, via Colantuono Ballardini nuovo allenatore |date=2008-09-04 |accessdate=2008-09-04 |publisher=Gazzetta.it |language=Italian] the club surprisingly announced the immediate dismissal of Stefano Colantuono from his position, making him the first head coach to be sacked in the whole Serie A season, contemporaneously announcing the appointment of Davide Ballardini as new "rosanero" boss. [cite news|publisher=U.S. Città di Palermo|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/news_scheda.jsp?id=9802|title=ESONERATO COLANTUONO. SQUADRA AFFIDATA A BALLARDINI|date=2008-09-04|accessdate=2008-09-04|language=Italian] Ballardini made his debut with an impressive 3–1 home win to AS Roma on September 13. [cite news|publisher=The Sports Network|url=http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-ita/news/news.aspx?id=4179429|title=Ballardini celebrates winning start at Palermo |date=2008-09-13|accessdate=2008-09-14|language=Italian]

Ballardini then followed up the next week by beating Genova 2-1. Ex Rosa Nero Jankovic made an appearnce but didnt affect the game much but newly aquired player Bovo scored a fantastic goal from 26 meters out.

Palermo's wonderfull form continued as they stoped Italian giants Juve 2-1, ending their unbeaten season. Miccoli scored a tap in after Buffon delfected a volley frim uraguian striker Edison Cavani. Newly aquired nosanero Levan scored in only his second ever game in the Italian serie A grabbing palermo the suprise win.

Confirmed summer transfer market bids

;In

Player details

"As of 2008-10-05" [cite web|url=http://www.ilpalermocalcio.it/it/0809/prima.jsp|title=PRIMA SQUADRA 2008/2009|accessdate=2008-10-06|language=Italian|author=US Città di Palermo] [cite web|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/speciali/2008/calcio/SerieA/teamsquad_c19_t1057.shtml|title=Palermo - Campionato di Serie A |accessdate=2008-10-06|language=Italian|author=La Gazzetta dello Sport]

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colspan="12"|"Players sold or loaned out during the summer transfer market:"

Match results

Legend

ee also

*2008-09 in Italian football

References