Dejan Stanković

Yeah.

Stankovic against Schalke on the volley in the Champions League with his leg about as high as his head.

And Goncalves versus Arsenal.

One touch after crossing the halfway before letting loose with his right foot and scoring one of the best goals in Europa League season.

Yes, this was a very surprising result.

The hero of Venezia, Stankovic, was in goal in their 3-5-2 formation with Halhal, Moreno and Jesus at the back.

Hainaut and Haps as the wingbacks with Perez, Som and Basic in the middle, Yaboa and Adams starting together up front.

For Napoli it was Meret and Goal in the 3-4-2-1 formation with Badia, Schiele, Rahmani and Belkama at the back, Di Lorenzo and Spinazzola as the wingbacks with Lobotka and Gilmour as the double pivot, Giovane and McTominay starting behind the anti-hero Lorenzo Lucca.

And yes, whatever.

He ended up taking the penalty.

And not only did he miss it, but Stankovic caught it.

Yeah.

I also look at the midfield.

I actually think Stankovic could be a key to unlock defensive stability, potentially.

I thought he played well, and I thought he offered something a bit different to the other midfielders like Hakan, Mkhitaryan, Barella.

Something a bit like, not to the same extent as Caicedo naturally, but someone that sweeps up, someone that can sit in front of the defence, break up play.

So I wouldn't be surprised if Stankovic gets more involved in this team.

But also, like you said, Alec, the start, the talent they have coming off the bench, like Bonnie, for example.

I'll be honest, with Lautaro out now for a month and a bit, I think Bonnie could easily... sort of get Thuram's chain even, or start over one of Thuram and Esposito.

This did not mean that Sampdoria had failed, but it entangled the club's ownership with Ferrero's wider financial difficulties, which made the club club's sale much more harder and then of course on the 6th of december 2021 he was arrested over ferreira was arrested over alleged bankruptcy and corporate offenses connected to four companies in calabria and he had to resign as santoria president um just to to to qualify or make an important note here is the samtoria whenever we're not involved in that criminal investigation Nevertheless, the arrest removed the club's controlling figure at precisely the moment that they needed leadership and investment and to sell the club.

And so in the 22-23 season, Sampdoria neither had the financial freedom nor the squad quality required for Serie A. Marco Giampaolo was replaced by Stankovic, but the team was relegated on the 8th of May 2023 after losing to Udinese four matches before the end of the season.

And the reports at the time, like ANSA, which is the national press agency, reported that the club's gross debt were over 150 million euros and described Serie B as the lesser danger compared with possible corporate collapse.

Now, Matteo Manfredi and Andrea Radrizzani reached an agreement to rescue the club from in May 2023.

Uh, Club Brugge, yeah, they should do.

Yeah, it should be, uh, Stankovic against his old team.

That's interesting.

Yes.