City Crush United, Super Mario Misses, Roma Beat Lazio, Istanbul Derby Abandoned, Di Canio Sacked

Besiktas and Galatasary fans get the party started in Istanbul...

Whew. What a weekend, eh? Let's begin with everyone's Favorite Fascist: Paolo Di Canio. As if the Sunderland directors needed any extra reason to let Paolo go, things apparently came to a head at the training ground yesterday. It was enough to say, "Arrivederci, " and...You're Fired. Gus Poyet and Roberto Di Matteo are names being bounced about as possible replacements. Either of them would be a massive improvement to Di Canio.

On to the matches at hand. Or that were at hand. Manchester! Mancunians of the Red and Blue persuasion and the rest of us around the world were focused on the Etihad Stadium yesterday for the Manchester Derby. RVP had a thigh issue so he didn't play. Chris Smalling took the pitch, but he didn't really play much either. Four - One to Manchester City was the result. Ouch. Henry Winter was there, don't you know? As was Phil McNulty. And Michael Cox talks Nasri, Kolarov, and the tactics that won it for City.

We might as well stick with the BPL. Spurs saved it for late to break down a resilient Cardiff side, Ozil notched three assists as Arsenal downed Stoke, Liverpool lost at Anfield, Chelsea swept aside Fulham, and Yank Abroad Brad Guzan and Villa kept a clean sheet! Here's some shit:

10 Talking Points
Five Thoughts

7 Truths
Garth Crook's Team of the Week
Team of the Week

Over in Italy, Napoli and Roma remained perfect atop Serie A with key wins, Inter Milan thrashed Sassuolo 7-0, and two-time defending champion Juventus struggled at times before edging Hellas Verona 2-1. Napoli came away from the San Siro with a 2-1 victory over AC Milan with goals from Miguel Britos and Gonzalo Higuain, while Mario Balotelli failed to convert a penalty kick for the first time in his career. He also scored. He also got a red card. Sounds like Balotelli, right? Never a dull moment. Here's your Serie A Wrap.

Federico Balzaretti scores for Roma against Lazio. And promptly loses it.

Politics and football mixed once again in Turkey, where a red card for Galatasaray's Felipe Melo in the 92nd minute was the catalyst for the scenes of havoc after Ivorian striker Didier Drogba had scored twice to give the visitors a 2-1 lead over Besiktas. Apparently, Melo raised his jersey at the Besiktas fans as he was leaving the pitch. They were none too pleased and entered the field of play chanting songs in reference to this summer's anti-government protests across Turkey. Sweet.

Down in Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid cruised but Bale got hurt warming up. In Germany, Bayern Munich still look brutally good. In France, PSG and Monaco drew as Falcao and The Zlatan both scored. Here's a complete Euro Review.

Back in the USA, they're plying their trade in Major League Soccer. Ives has a wrap and says the race for the playoffs is a full blown free-for-all.

Act like you know,
SSN