Italian Serie A 2011, Week 5: Juventus Impress In 2-0 Victory Over AC Milan

Meanwhile, Pirlo, whose hair was already looking shiny and strokeable this season, has reached new heights with his current ‘do. Either someone introduced that man to a curling iron or his hairstylist is excellent at shaping layers. Either way, it looks luminous, and my goal in life is to figure out the hair products this man uses.

Here we go -- the big match of Week 5 in Serie A. The one everyone’s been waiting for. The one that will probably end in a 0-0 draw simply because expectations are too damn high.

And once again, I’d like to reiterate: this match is not a scudetto decider. There are 33 to go after this one. Milan has won but one Serie A match. How about we just take this one as it is, ok?

For as much as these things matter in the fifth week of the season, it seems appropriate to say Udinese have reclaimed the top of the Serie A table, at least temporarily. Mehdi Benatia scored from a corner to keep the zebrette unbeaten, and likely to stay that way against Bologna.

Thiago Ribeiro has both a goal and an assist on Davide Biondini’s goal as Lecce continue to struggle. It was a tough fight to survive last season, but it may be an impossible battle this time around. Cagliari, meanwhile, are off to a flying start, set to take all three points in this match and make it ten overall on the season.

Blame it on the referee. Blame it on Ranieri being banished to the stands. Or perhaps, just accept the fact that Napoli might actually be that good. Good enough to challenge for the scudetto. Good enough to stand top of the table.

Inter now have the worst defensive record in Serie A, with ten goals conceded in five matches. That’s a trophy of some sort, right?

Considering the fact that it’s Walter Mazzarri’s birthday today, it’s rather surprising that it’s not the Napoli coach sitting in the stands. We all know how he likes his cigarette and whisky while kicking back to take in a match.

A big surprise in Claudio Ranieri’s lineup today as Giampaolo Pazzini is ruled fit to start. The forward picked up an ankle injury in Tuesday’s Champions League match against CSKA Moscow but has managed to recover in time to help lead the Inter Milan attack.

Unfortunately for Napoli, they can’t say the same about Edinson Cavani, who also hurt his ankle in Champions League play. The partenopei ace will rest today as Aurelio De Laurentiis contemplates war against Spain. Also, happy birthday to Walter Mazzarri -- here’s hoping you don’t have a heart attack!

This goal was slightly questionable, however, as it appeared Osvaldo was offside. Another Bojan effort forced a save from a diving Andrea Consigli, with the keeper then punching away the resulting corner. It was instantly headed back in, falling to Osvaldo. Consigli erred in attempting to push the ball away immediately, and the Roma forward was able to easily go around the falling keeper to put the ball in the back of the net.

Two in the first half doesn’t seem to be enough for Roma, however. Miralem Pjanić wants his first goal for the club, forcing yet another save from Consigli with his effort in the 35th minute.

So that’s one for Roma, but will it be enough against the determined La Dea? Atalanta have done well thus far to battle back against their six-point deduction, earning ten points in the first four matches and sitting in a perfectly respectable 14th place. Considering this club would be in first without that deduction, it’s hard to believe that there won’t be a response from Atalanta, even at the Stadio Olympico.