Venezia win the Venetian derby, Fiorentina just about climb off the bottom of the table. Plus - we ask if it might better in the long term if Italy didn't qualify for the World Cup... Listen to the latest episode now: linktr.ee/rigore

Listen to me wallow in self pity

So much to discuss, so little time but we tried to cram it all in…

Viola rage at VAR! Como are good (funny what money can do!) Inter growing stronger. And Venezia dominate but could a weak attack be their undoing? All this and more on this week's pod! Listen now: linktr.ee/rigore

Podcast alert 🎤 ‼️ Pulisic’s penalty miss ❌ Fiorentina’s slump continues ⬇️ Venezia on the rise up ⬆️ And a look ahead to the Azzurri in action 🇮🇹. Like, share, tell everyone you meet! linktr.ee/rigore

I’m still grumpy

What an edition - fill your ears with ill-informed chat!

I disagree on this assessment but we are back!

A pretty forgettable first half in Sardinia. Cagliari the better side and a good chance with the ex-Folorunsho but not a lot to stir the soul so far. #CagliariFiorentina

A public service announcement for any @rigorepod.bsky.social fans out there. We are shifting recording to Mondays so you can get your fix of glum and glummer a wee bit later in the week. It will be no better informed or thought out despite taking more time, we promise.

A bit of reaction to the return of Serie A www.youtube.com/live/e7HyMw8...

Happy Serie A return day everyone. Looks like being another cracking season. KDB already off the mark for Napoli in their title defence and that man McTominay in the goals again.

Another new home for Serie A in the UK with DAZN it would appear. Be nice to have someone commit to it for a while.

I don’t know where the place to discuss Italy’s failings is any more but I’ll try here. What a terrible performance last night and how slow Spalletti was to try and change it. Maybe we just don’t have the players to go out and impose our play on anyone. Looked jaded and lacklustre.

I think we did the right thing not planning a bonus Champions League final episode of the @rigorepod.bsky.social . Could have been brutal, Inter were so far off the pace it was untrue…

The curtain comes down on a dramatic Serie A season and we tried to digest it all on the Rigore! Podcast 🩵 Napoli champions ❤️ 💙 Bologna Coppa kings 💜 Fiorentina Conference League 🧡 🖤 💚 Farewell Venezia linktr.ee/Rigore

Very much looking forward to my dose of 1980s Calcio nostalgia courtesy of @rickhough.bsky.social . The fact that it looks and feels like an Italian football almanac is only making things even better.

There could only be one winner and, sadly, it wasn’t me. Venezia had better stay up now!

It was 40 years ago that something extraordinary happened in Serie A and Verona won a most improbable Scudetto. @rickhough.bsky.social has written a book about it and we had a chat with him a while ago for the Rigore! podcast linktr.ee/Rigore

I confess, I’m an old school Serie A viewer who expects late season games to go to a certain script when a team with little to play for meets one with everything on the line. But Genoa are making this more uncomfortable than anticipated for Napoli.

NEW "Those players are forever together as that invincible team..." TGU editor James Oddy chats with author Roberto Pennino about his book, Immortal Torino: the emotional story of the rise and tragic fall of one of Italian football’s greatest ever teams. www.gentlemanultra.com/2025/05/04/a...

Join myself and @marcorinaldi.bsky.social on another biased, ill-informed ramble around the world of Italian football in the latest Rigore! podcast linktr.ee/Rigore

One for @football-italia.bsky.social on Italy’s last men standing in Europe football-italia.net/last-men-sta...

Friends, Serie A fans, even Juventini - lend us your ears! Another Chianti-fuelled rant about the weekend events in @seriea.bsky.social is out now. You can’t beat a bit of the Rigore! Podcast linktr.ee/Rigore

We love an underdog tale on the podcast and they don’t get any bigger than this one!

If you like your Italian football podcasts with a Scottish twang this is the one for you! Real thrill to chat to @ginkers.bsky.social about Verona Campione!

A Venezia victory, a flaccid Fiorentina game and a rambunctious Rome derby. All this and more in the latest @rigorepod.bsky.social offering. Tell the world! linktr.ee/Rigore

Join my campaign to keep @marcorinaldi.bsky.social on the podcast. It will be awfy lonely without him. Please like, share, send messages of support to convince him there is life after Joel…

Come with @marcorinaldi.bsky.social and I on a journey through the crazy world of Calcio. A money back guarantee if you don't enjoy this episode! (Not really, it's free anyway). linktr.ee/Rigore

Farewell to the King! Scots in @seriea.bsky.social might be commonplace now but Denis Law was a true pioneer. A wee tribute for @football-italia.bsky.social football-italia.net/denis-law-sc...

The Rome Derby! Pohjanpalo’s on Fire! Yerry Mina’s in Pain! All this and much, much more… linktr.ee/Rigore

I often wonder what makes a club’s mind up to sack a manager. Not so much the reason - almost always results - but more the timing. Why was a narrow defeat by Juve the result that decided Nesta’s fate at Monza? I was quite admiring them for sticking by him. Will it work out? Who can say?

Give yourself some Christmas cheer with a @rigorepod.bsky.social where @marcorinaldi.bsky.social is almost happy. I said ALMOST happy linktr.ee/Rigore?utm_s...

What is going on in Florence? A 7-0 stroll? Madness.

A rainy night at the Penzo, Fiorentina party like it’s 1960 and Atalanta fire a warning shot to Real Madrid! All this and more in the officially best podcast in a particularly niche category linktr.ee/Rigore

Where can this Fiorentina side end up? A few thoughts for @football-italia.bsky.social football-italia.net/how-high-can...

Folks, what are your thoughts on @onefootball1.bsky.social ‘s coverage of @seriea.bsky.social so far this season. I’ll try to relay your views to the powers that be who have all said they’re keen to hear and will listen to fan feedback

On an emotional weekend in Serie A I got my sidekick @marcorinaldi.bsky.social back off the treatment table and into the action for the @rigorepod.bsky.social. Are Milan Scudetto material? Who got the softest penalty? Is Di Francesco on the brink? linktr.ee/Rigore

So, so saddened by what’s happened at the Stadio Artemio Franchi today. Football seems so insignificant at times like this. Totally right to call the game off. Can only pray Edoardo Bove will be OK. Nothing else matters.

He's reading about Fiorentina…

Hard enough for Venezia to survive without penalty gifts like that being given against them…

Fiorentina head to Como this afternoon aiming to keep their place among the league leaders. Moise Kean has led the Viola's resurgence under Raffaele Palladino. @ginkers.bsky.social picked his nostalgic five-a-side Fiorentina team as part of our ongoing series. www.theguardian.com/football/the...

We’ll be recording the @rigorepod.bsky.social tomorrow night rather than tonight this week to take in the big match of the weekend - Venezia v Lecce! All your thoughts and comments and questions from the weekend across Serie A and Serie B and the Nazionale welcome.

Enjoyed recording this with @ginkers.bsky.social + his cousin...

It may be the international break, but we have another surprise bonus episode of the pod out today - and it's a bumper-length one as we chat with the one and only legendary calcio correspondent @marcotti.bsky.social! Listen now: linktr.ee/rigore

This was great fun, few people (if any) know their Calcio better. A must-listen, especially for Roma fans.

Some thoughts after Italy’s latest games - there were good and bad points football-italia.net/italy-nation...

Who won the Inno for you? I’m saying Gigio, I like the eyes-closed thing. There’s no full Gattuso/Bonucci man but they’ll get there.

Could have been worse, could have been a pie and bovril…

Interesting Italy line-up on the cards tonight against Belgium. Hopefully the Azzurri can keep all 11 players on the pitch this time and carry on the good work of recent games.