Gregory:

Roma Roma Roma...not since Batistuta left were Roma able to compete convincingly.  I really hope I can count on Roma stopping that silly Inter Milan squad from behaving like they're the best in Europe.

we are the best in Italy and no 1 can deny that!!!

 Currently the prestige of being the best in Italy is a little issue, since it's really Ac Milan carrying the mantle in Europe and who teams really worry about most.  I'm watching closely to see who wins the Serie A this season....interesting if Inter Milan win again and funny enough - i'm guessing fans around Europe will treat it with a, "Oh well"...

it's so sad that totti have been left out of the nominees list. Some players in list really don't deserve it that much. 

Skorpio:

it's so sad that totti have been left out of the nominees list. Some players in list really don't deserve it that much. 

definently a disappointment. some very questionable nominees.

it is not really so disappointing....i did not mean to overlook his good qualities but he turned his back to italy when he declined the national team

He has said that his body doesn't handle both international football and club football at the same time at his age.  So, I'll have to say i agree - if you know you cannot maintain a specific physical condition and perform at a peak level in two scenarios, then concentrate on only one which has to be club, since you can't exactly just play international football.

Gregory:

He has said that his body doesn't handle both international football and club football at the same time at his age.  So, I'll have to say i agree - if you know you cannot maintain a specific physical condition and perform at a peak level in two scenarios, then concentrate on only one which has to be club, since you can't exactly just play international football.

well it shows, he has been playin really well for roma since he has been concentrating only on them.

Totti deservedto be nominated ...

if he didnt miss lots of penalties he would have been in better shape but anyways like da he god the Golden foot award

no doubt  totti is one of the best and that he should be in that list....

how do they do the qualifications anyway?

I agree, maybe, he should be in the top 30.  You're correct!  But as you said, he missed many penalties and that's off the top of your head, so maybe after those actually compiling stats and video footage plus behaviour etc. he didn't fall into the top 30 based on the criteria they had.

Gregory:

I agree, maybe, he should be in the top 30.  You're correct!  But as you said, he missed many penalties and that's off the top of your head, so maybe after those actually compiling stats and video footage plus behaviour etc. he didn't fall into the top 30 based on the criteria they had.

after the last euro he vowed to clean up his game and since then he has been, well mannered if i can put it that way.

he needs to do more than vowing...he needs to show the clean act................

imo he has.

Roma boss Luciano Spalletti has perhaps forecasted a repeat of his side's weekend 4-4 draw with Napoli, saying that the giallorossi will press forward against Sporting Lisbon tonight in the Champions League...

Ahead of tonight's Champions League encounter, the manager told UEFA.com, "We like to attack.

"Maybe it's a philosophy more common in foreign leagues than the Italian, but just because we haven't been ourselves for the last two or three matches, I don't think we should panic and change the way we have been playing for more than two years."

Indeed, Roma scored four at the weekend - but also shipped an identical number after a difficult defensive display.

Spalletti, formerly of Udinese and Sampdoria, is the first to admit that this needs to change.

The 48 year old coach added, "We have to pay more attention to the defensive side of things. It's true we are conceding too many goals and that produces anxiety."

But rather than make a panicked change in tactics, he's called on his players to find the answer inside themselves.

"It's easy to change when things aren't going well," he scoffed.

"We could change the lineup and the formation. We could play more physically and put men behind the ball, but we need to confront the problems and not run away from them."

At this juncture it seems that Roma and Sporting are battling it out for second place - although Manchester United are not yet able to call themselves runaway leaders - with the giallorossi absolutely determined to pick up a vital home win.

"These next two matches will be decisive," said Spalletti of this encounter and the visit to Lisbon next month.

"Tuesday will be difficult because Sporting are an attacking side that know how to play football but, playing at home, the onus is on us."

Sporting coach Paolo Bento is in a bullish mood ahead of this encounter, despite his side's late arrival preventing training on the Olimpico surface.

"It's not ideal preparation because it's an important game and we haven't been able to train, but it shouldn't make a difference to the result," he said.

"Our objective is to win in Rome but our second goal is to stop them taking three points."

The pair kick off at 20:45 local time.

These powerhouse football teams need to curb their arrogance.  The "fringe" teams if we can call Sporting Lisbon a fringe team will BEAT you.  They have good players and decent coaches.  Take it light....heard here first by I