Why Italian football does not make sense in the English language

English commentary suits Premier League games but it fails to describe what is really going on when two Italian clubs meet

By Sam Griswold for These Football Times

As a football fan living in the US, I’m amazed at how many games are available on TV these days. On any Saturday or Sunday, I can choose from at least 10 games on my basic cable package. Football fans in the US tend to focus their attentions on the Premier League, which has as much to do with the crispness of its presentation as the action on the pitch. The periphery is perfect: the stadiums are beautiful, modernised and full, and the the fans are present and loud. But, more than anything, the games are so watchable because of the commentary.

NBC, who show all 380 Premier League matches live in the US, do not put out the exact same broadcast as the one shown in the UK, but they do employ commentators with British presents, which lends everything immediacy and authenticity. This is what sets the Premier League apart from the rest of the big European leagues. When we watch games from Spain, Germany, France or Italy, we are watching something in translation.

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