Rigore! - The Italian Football Podcast

A special extra-long episode to tide you over during the international break as we speak with renowned Italian football pundit and journalist, Gabriele Marcotti. We chat to Gab about the state of Serie A, TV rights, Ranieri to Roma and whether Spalletti has Italy on the right track.

Two points separate the top six teams (and four points separate the bottom 8) - is this the most exciting start ever? Well, not if you're a Venezia fan as they gift more ridiculous goals to their opponents. But there is more to celebrate for Giancarlo as Fiorentina continue to fly high.

What is more predictable in Italian football than a small team getting a goal chopped off v a big team in the last minute... we recorded this in the moments after Venezia's equaliser was cruelly ruled out against Inter. Elsewhere, Atalanta thump Napoli in Naples, and Fiorentina's hot streak continues. Is the title race as open as it seems?

Serie A went goal crazy this weekend, with Giancarlo's own Fiorentina handing out a 5 goal thumping to Roma, Inter and Juve sharing just the 8 goals, and even Venezia and Monza sharing 4 goals in a 2-2 draw. Where does that leave things? Giancarlo is on cloud nine, but Marco sees some small signs of hope for Venezia...

One half of the pod is very happy, the other very sad - we'll let you decide which is which as we dissect the latest games in Serie A this weekend, as well as looking back at Italy's games against Belgium and Israel

Anna Guarnerio joins us in a special bonus episode to discuss Lega Serie A's decision to partner with One Football in the UK for the TV rights, to tell us how the decision is made, and what fans can expect both this season and beyond.

It's penalty pandemonium this week as referee Luca Pairetto gave 3 and missed more in the Fiorentina-Milan game (the result of which made Giancarlo very happy), while elsewhere questionable decisions abounded. Meanwhile, Napoli stay top with a good win v Como, while Roma's Juric train is already struggling. Plus - a long rant from Marco on why Venezia should ditch Di Francesco - but won't.

Listeners will be relieved to hear we are back to our usual grumpy selves - or Marco is at least, after a frustrating Venezia defeat to Roma. Elsewhere, Napoli go top, Toro lose for the first time, and we ask once again whether 2006 World Cup Winners are doomed to fail as managers.