Serie A Fixtures for 2009-2010 Season

The fixtures for the 2009/10 Serie A Season, which begins on August 22nd, have been released and fans of Italian Calcio won't have long to wait for a big match as the Milan Derby highlights the second matchday of the season. A determination as to who wins the Scudetto might have to wait till the last matchday of the season, May 16, 2010 when Juventus and A.C. Milan face off. Once again, Fox Soccer Channel will be airing select matches here in the United States.

Matchday 1
August 23, 2009
Catania-Sampdoria
Genoa-Roma
Inter-Bari
Juventus-Chievo
Lazio-Atalanta
Livorno-Cagliari
Palermo-Napoli
Siena-Milan
Udinese-Parma

Matchday 2
August 30, 2009
Atalanta-Genoa
Bari-Bologna
Cagliari-Siena
Chievo-Lazio
Fiorentina-Palermo
Milan-Inter
Napoli-Livorno
Parma-Catania
Roma-Juventus
Sampdoria-Udinese

Matchday 3
September 13, 2009
Atalanta-Sampdoria
Bologna-Chievo
Fiorentina-Cagliari
Genoa-Napoli
Inter-Parma
Lazio-Juventus
Livorno-Milan
Palermo-Bari
Siena-Roma
Udinese-Catania

Matchday 4
September 20, 2009
Bari-Atalanta
Cagliari-Inter
Catania-Lazio
Chievo-Genoa
Juventus-Livorno
Milan-Bologna
Napoli-Udinese
Parma-Palermo
Roma-Fiorentina
Sampdoria-Siena

Matchday 5
September 23, 2009
Atalanta-Catania
Bari-Cagliari
Bologna-Livorno
Fiorentina-Sampdoria
Genoa-Juventus
Inter-Napoli
Lazio-Parma
Palermo-Roma
Siena-Chievo
Udinese-Milan

Matchday 6
September 27, 2009
Catania-Roma
Chievo-Atalanta
Juventus-Bologna
Lazio-Palermo
Livorno-Fiorentina
Milan-Bari
Napoli-Siena
Parma-Cagliari
Sampdoria-Inter
Udinese-Genoa

Matchday 7
October 4, 2009
Atalanta-Milan
Bari-Catania
Bologna-Genoa
Cagliari-Chievo
Fiorentina-Lazio
Inter-Udinese
Palermo-Juventus
Roma-Napoli
Sampdoria-Parma
Siena-Livorno

Matchday 8
October 18, 2009
Catania-Cagliari
Chievo-Bari
Genoa-Inter
Juventus-Fiorentina
Lazio-Sampdoria
Livorno-Palermo
Milan-Roma

Matchday 9
October 25, 2009
Atalanta-Parma
Bari-Lazio
Cagliari-Genoa
Chievo-Milan
Fiorentina-Napoli
Inter-Catania
Palermo-Udinese
Roma-Livorno

Matchday 10
October 28, 2009
Bologna-Siena
Catania-Chievo
Genoa-Fiorentina
Inter-Palermo
Juventus-Sampdoria
Lazio-Cagliari
Livorno-Atalanta
Napoli-Milan
Parma-Bari
Udinese-Roma

Matchday 11
November 1, 2009
Cagliari-Atalanta
Chievo-Udinese
Fiorentina-Catania
Juventus-Napoli
Livorno-Inter
Milan-Parma
Palermo-Genoa
Roma-Bologna
Sampdoria-Bari
Siena-Lazio

Matchday 12
November 8, 2009
Atalanta-Juventus
Bari-Livorno
Bologna-Palermo
Cagliari-Sampdoria
Catania-Napoli
Genoa-Siena
Inter-Roma
Lazio-Milan
Parma-Chievo
Udinese-Fiorentina

Matchday 13
November 22, 2009
Bologna-Inter
Fiorentina-Parma
Juventus-Udinese
Livorno-Genoa
Milan-Cagliari
Napoli-Lazio
Palermo-Catania
Roma-Bari
Sampdoria-Chievo
Siena-Atalanta

Matchday 14
November 29, 2009
Atalanta-Roma
Bari-Siena
Cagliari-Juventus
Catania-Milan
Chievo-Palermo
Genoa-Sampdoria
Inter-Fiorentina
Lazio-Bologna
Parma-Napoli
Udinese-Livorno

Matchday 15
December 6, 2009
Bologna-Udinese
Fiorentina-Atalanta
Genoa-Parma
Juventus-Inter
Livorno-Chievo
Milan-Sampdoria
Napoli-Bari
Palermo-Cagliari
Roma-Lazio
Siena-Catania

Matchday 16
December 13, 2009
Atalanta-Inter
Bari-Juventus
Cagliari-Napoli
Catania-Livorno
Chievo-Fiorentina
Lazio-Genoa
Milan-Palermo
Parma-Bologna
Sampdoria-Roma
Siena-Udinese

Matchday 17
December 20, 2009
Bologna-Atalanta
Fiorentina-Milan
Genoa-Bari
Inter-Lazio
Juventus-Catania
Livorno-Sampdoria
Napoli-Chievo
Palermo-Siena
Roma-Parma
Udinese-Cagliari

Matchday 18
January 6, 2010
Atalanta-Napoli
Bari-Udinese
Cagliari-Roma
Catania-Bologna
Chievo-Inter
Lazio-Livorno
Milan-Genoa
Parma-Juventus
Sampdoria-Palermo
Siena-Fiorentina

Matchday 19
January 10, 2010
Bologna-Cagliari
Fiorentina-Bari
Genoa-Catania
Inter-Siena
Juventus-Milan
Livorno-Parma
Napoli-Sampdoria
Palermo-Atalanta
Roma-Chievo
Udinese-Lazio

Matchday 20
January 17, 2010
Atalanta-Lazio
Bari-Inter
Cagliari-Livorno
Chievo-Juventus
Fiorentina-Bologna
Milan-Siena
Napoli-Palermo
Parma-Udinese
Roma-Genoa
Sampdoria-Catania

Matchday 21
January 24, 2010
Bologna-Bari
Catania-Parma
Genoa-Atalanta
Inter-Milan
Juventus-Roma
Lazio-Chievo
Livorno-Napoli
Palermo-Fiorentina
Siena-Cagliari
Udinese-Sampdoria

Matchday 22
January 31, 2010
Bari-Palermo
Cagliari-Fiorentina
Catania-Udinese
Chievo-Bologna
Juventus-Lazio
Milan-Livorno
Napoli-Genoa
Parma-Inter
Roma-Siena
Sampdoria-Atalanta

Matchday 23
February 7, 2010
Atalanta-Bari
Bologna-Milan
Fiorentina-Roma
Genoa-Chievo
Inter-Cagliari
Lazio-Catania
Livorno-Juventus
Palermo-Parma
Siena-Sampdoria
Udinese-Napoli

Matchday 24
February 14, 2010
Cagliari-Bari
Catania-Atalanta
Chievo-Siena
Juventus-Genoa
Livorno-Bologna
Milan-Udinese
Napoli-Inter
Parma-Lazio
Roma-Palermo
Sampdoria-Fiorentina

Matchday 25
February 21, 2010
Atalanta-Chievo
Bari-Milan
Bologna-Juventus
Cagliari-Parma
Fiorentina-Livorno
Palermo-Lazio
Roma-Catania
Siena-Napoli

Matchday 26
February 28, 2010
Catania-Bari
Chievo-Cagliari
Genoa-Bologna
Juventus-Palermo
Lazio-Fiorentina
Livorno-Siena
Milan-Atalanta
Napoli-Roma
Parma-Sampdoria
Udinese-Inter

Matchday 27
March 7, 2010
Atalanta-Udinese
Bari-Chievo
Bologna-Napoli
Cagliari-Catania
Fiorentina-Juventus
Inter-Genoa
Palermo-Livorno
Roma-Milan
Sampdoria-Lazio
Siena-Parma

Matchday 28
March 10, 2010
Bologna-Sampdoria
Catania-Inter
Genoa-Cagliari
Juventus-Siena
Lazio-Bari
Livorno-Roma
Milan-Chievo
Napoli-Fiorentina
Parma-Atalanta
Udinese-Palermo

Matchday 29
March 21, 2010
Atalanta-Livorno
Bari-Parma
Cagliari-Lazio
Chievo-Catania
Fiorentina-Genoa
Milan-Napoli
Palermo-Inter
Roma-Udinese
Sampdoria-Juventus
Siena-Bologna

Matchday 30
March 24, 2010
Atalanta-Cagliari
Bari-Sampdoria
Bologna-Roma
Catania-Fiorentina
Genoa-Palermo
Inter-Livorno
Lazio-Siena
Napoli-Juventus
Parma-Milan
Udinese-Chievo

Matchday 31
March 28, 2010
Chievo-Parma
Fiorentina-Udinese
Juventus-Atalanta
Livorno-Bari
Milan-Lazio
Napoli-Catania
Palermo-Bologna
Roma-Inter
Sampdoria-Cagliari
Siena-Genoa

Matchday 32
April 3, 2010
Atalanta-Siena
Bari-Roma
Cagliari-Milan
Catania-Palermo
Chievo-Sampdoria
Genoa-Livorno
Inter-Bologna
Lazio-Napoli
Parma-Fiorentina
Udinese-Juventus

Matchday 33
April 11, 2010
Bologna-Lazio
Fiorentina-Inter
Juventus-Cagliari
Livorno-Udinese
Milan-Catania
Napoli-Parma
Palermo-Chievo
Roma-Atalanta
Sampdoria-Genoa
Siena-Bari

Matchday 34
April 18, 2010
Atalanta-Fiorentina
Bari-Napoli
Cagliari-Palermo
Catania-Siena
Chievo-Livorno
Inter-Juventus
Lazio-Roma
Parma-Genoa
Sampdoria-Milan
Udinese-Bologna

Matchday 35
April 25, 2010
Bologna-Parma
Fiorentina-Chievo
Genoa-Lazio
Inter-Atalanta
Juventus-Bari
Livorno-Catania
Napoli-Cagliari
Palermo-Milan
Roma-Sampdoria
Udinese-Siena

Matchday 36
May 2, 2010
Atalanta-Bologna
Bari-Genoa
Cagliari-Udinese
Catania-Juventus
Chievo-Napoli
Lazio-Inter
Milan-Fiorentina
Parma-Roma
Sampdoria-Livorno
Siena-Palermo

Matchday 37
May 9, 2010
Bologna-Catania
Fiorentina-Siena
Genoa-Milan
Inter-Chievo
Juventus-Parma
Livorno-Lazio
Napoli-Atalanta
Palermo-Sampdoria
Roma-Cagliari
Udinese-Bari

Matchday 38
May 16, 2010
Atalanta-Palermo
Bari-Fiorentina
Cagliari-Bologna
Catania-Genoa
Chievo-Roma
Lazio-Udinese
Milan-Juventus
Parma-Livorno
Sampdoria-Napoli
Siena-Inter

Houston Dynamo's CCL Group Stage Draw

The Preliminary Rounds of the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League starts tonight, but the Houston Dynamo's CCL run doesn't begin until the Group Stage. The Dynamo are in Group A with Metapan, Jalapa/Pachuca, and Olimpia/Deportive Arabe Unido. The schedule for Dynamo is as follows (all times central):

Wednesday August 19, 2009: Metapan at Dynamo - 7pm

Wednesday August 26, 2009: Dynamo at Olimpia or Arabe - 9pm

Wednesday September 16, 2009: Dynamo at Pachuca or Jalapa - 9pm

Tuesday September 22, 2009: Olimpia or Arabe at Dynamo - 9pm

Wednesday September 30, 2009: Pachuca or Jalapa at Dynamo - 9pm

Wednesday October 21, 2009: Dynamo at Metapan - 9pm

Mun2 Broadcasting Mexico v. USA on August 12, 2009

On August 12, 2009, the U.S. National Team will be travelling to Azteca Stadium in Mexico City to play Mexico in their first match of the second half of the CONCACAF Hex for World Cup Qualificiation. Since the match is at Azteca, the television broadcast rights are not held by ESPN but by Telemundo, part of NBC Universal. The English language broadcast will be on the Mun2 network, which is not easily available in many markets.

The initial response from soccer fans and pundits from the United States was an uproar of protest seeking to have the English language broadcast moved to a bigger network in the NBC Universal family. Mun2 is seeking to use this broadcast as an opportunity to heighten its visibility in the United States, and, recognizing that not all cable and satellite providers have Mun2 on a basic package, are taking steps to make the channel free to all viewers on August 12th. It appears that if you have DirecTV or Dish Network, Mun2 will be free. If you have cable, you should contact your local cable provider to determine if they will make it available for free viewing on August 12th. Mun2 is available on Channel 410 on DirecTv, Channel 250 on Dish Classic Gold, and Channel 838 on Dish Latino.

The match will begin at 3:00 pm central time and the broadcast team will include Phil Schoen and Marcelo Balboa.

Click for video about Mun2.

Houston to Host 2010 MLS All-Star Game

Here's the Official Press Release from the Houston Dynamo:

HOUSTON, TX (Monday, July 27, 2009) -- Major League Soccer announced today that Houston, home of the two-time MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo, will host the 2010 MLS All-Star Game next summer. MLS Commissioner Don Garber joined Dynamo President / General Manager Oliver Luck in Park City, Utah to make the announcement.

The city of Houston will host the 15th annual All-Star Game, with either Robertson Stadium or Reliant Stadium to be selected as the host venue at a later date. The 2010 MLS All-Star Game will be the seventh time the MLS All-Stars will take on a high-profile international club, continuing the tradition of “MLS Takes on the World.” The 2010 All-Star Game will take place after the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but the date and opponent will be announced early next year.

“The city of Houston has consistently and fervently supported the Dynamo and other high-profile soccer events in recent years,” Garber said. “Houston will be a tremendous site for the 2010 MLS All-Star Game, and we are pleased to reward its vibrant soccer community with the week of festivities that surround this marquee event.”

After moving from San Jose in 2005, the Houston Dynamo have had tremendous success, winning MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007 and finishing first or second in the Western Conference each of the three seasons. Last season, the team averaged about 17,000 fans per game in the regular season and drew more than 30,000 for its home playoff game, as it did for two playoff games in 2007.

“We are very proud to be hosting the MLS All Star game in 2010,” Luck said. “Our selection as the host city is a true testament to the fans and the unique soccer culture that makes Houston one of the top soccer markets in the country.”

The MLS All-Star Game is a showcase of the league’s brightest talents on the field. It gives soccer fans from around the world a chance to see MLS’ best compete with some of the world’s most well renowned clubs. Since 2003, the MLS All-Stars have faced and defeated West Ham United (England), CD Guadalajara (Mexico), Fulham FC (England), Chelsea FC (England), and Celtic FC (Scotland), and are set to battle Everton FC (England) July 29 at Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium in the 2009 mid-summer event.

Fans from throughout North America and across the globe are expected to travel to Texas to take in the game and surrounding All-Star festivities, such as the MLS Soccer Jam that will take place during All-Star Week. Ticket information will be available in the coming months through www.houstondynamo.com, the official Web site of the Houston Dynamo.

The Dynamo will next be in action on Saturday, August 1, when they host D.C. United at Robertson Stadium.

The Return of DB23 & Let's Get the Mexico - US Match on a bigger English language Network

This week it was announced that the Mexico-US match at Azteca next month will only be available on Telemundo and Mun2, with Mun2 carrying the English feed. This means many USMNT fans will have to watch the Spanish language feed. This would not be so bad if it was on Univision or Telefutura, but the Telemundo commentators are over the top in their Mexico bias.

Match Fit USA has started a campaign to get NBC Universal to move the English feed to a more widely available network.

Click here to join that campaign.

David Beckham finally returns to the L.A. Galaxy and MLS tonight at the Meadowlands where they'll be playing RedBull New York. The match airs 7pm central time on Fox Soccer Channel. Earlier this week, Grant Wahl's The Beckham Experiment was published, detailing the bizarre relationship between Becks, MLS, AEG, 19 Entertainment, and the L.A. Galaxy.

I'm currently reading the book and will have a review posted at Major League Soccer Talk when I'm done, in the meantime check out Kartik's review.

And of course, you can buy the book at Amazon.

Oguchi Onyewu signs 3 Year Deal with AC Milan

On the heels of the success obtained by the US National Team at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, followed much speculation about which American players would benefit with big, exciting, or interesting new contracts. This morning American footy fans woke to the news that Oguchi Onyewu, a center back, has signed a 3 year deal with AC Milan. Gooch, as he is known by his fans, is the first US soccer player to sign with a Serie A club since Alexi Lalas played for Padova from 1994 to 1996. Gooch, unlike many of his teammates for the US Squad, has never played in MLS, his senior career has involved stints at Metz, La Louviere, Standard Liege, and Newcastle United. Last season Gooch played in the Jupiler League and his team, Standard Liege, won the title.

Check out the Reuters article below, which indicates that the Gooch signing was a means to address the supporter unrest that Milan has been faced with this week. Since Onyewu holds a Belgian passport, he does not count as a non-EU player.

Here's some news articles and Blog Posts on Onyewu's signing with AC Milan:

The AP

Yanks Abroad

Sky Sports

Match Fit USA

Alexi Lalas on Gooch's Signing with Milan from Goal.com

Reuters

ESPN

Channel 4 - Football Italia