Italy Football Review 2007: Milans dominate, as violence spreads

Just as it was over the previous 12 months, it has been a year of extremes in Italy.

In 2006, there was the infamous match-fixing scandal that threatened to bring Italian football to its knees. That was quickly followed by the pinnacle of footballing achievement as the Azzurri claimed their fourth World Cup victory with a penalty shoot-out triumph over France.

In 2007, it seems as if little has changed.

AC Milan conquered all abroad while their bitter cross-city rivals Inter were dominating at home, yet still the year could not pass without tragedies and scandals.

In February, a policeman was killed after violence broke out around the Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.

In November, a Rome-based disc jockey was accidentally shot dead by a policeman when violence reared its ugly head once again, this time at a gas station when rival Juventus and Lazio fans crossed paths when both heading to away fixtures.

On the pitch, both Milans were majestic, while the national team teetered on the brink of missing out on Euro 2008.

A 0-0 home draw with France in September ensured palms all over the country remained tepid right up until November when veteran right-back Cristian Panucci popped up to score a late header in Glasgow to give Italy a 2-1 victory over a valiant Scotland and a ticket to Austria and Switzerland.

Ironically, the world champions were then placed alongside France, the Netherlands and Romania in their group for the Euro 2008 finals.

It would be a similar story in club football.

Inter Milan have been untouchable at home, romping away to the Italian title in the 2006-07 season while setting a new Italian league record of 17 straight victories and finishing the season 22-points clear of second-placed Roma.

This season they are unbeaten after 17 games and already with a seven-point lead on the pack.

And following closely behind are a resurgent Juventus who were promoted having claimed the Serie B crown last season and already almost back to their best lying eight points behind Inter as Serie A went into its winter break.

But in Europe, where Inter have long failed to match their close neighbours, AC Milan have been quite simply unstoppable.

With Brazilian playmaker Kaka to inspire them and veteran forward Filippo Inzaghi banging in vital goals, Milan stormed to the Champions League title in May with victory over Liverpool and then added the Club World Cup in December by dominating Boca Juniors.

Inzaghi scored two goals in each game - a 2-1 win over the English outfit and 4-2 triumph against the Argentines - but it is Kaka who has been the real star of the show.

In fact it was his two-goals in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Old Trafford that essentially set the stage for Milan's success.

That allowed Milan to come away from Manchester United's ground with a narrow 3-2 defeat and a brilliant 3-0 victory in the return leg eliminated the toughest hurdle in the glory quest.

Kaka was rightly named World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or winner.

Inzaghi, meanwhile, surpassed the great Gerd Muller's European goalscoring record.

But just as Italy wanted to bask in its glory, along came the draw for the Champions League knockout round.

Milan drew Arsenal after winning their group, Inter, likewise having topped their group, will face Liverpool and Roma, who already had to contend with Manchester United in the group stages, face Real Madrid