As Italians wearily make their way to the polling booths for a second general election in two years the consensus is that Silvio Berlusconi will be back in charge by the end of the week.
ItâÂÂs a wonder he has had time to do any electioneering, what with trying to woo Ronaldinho to AC Milan and having to field calls from a desperate Andriy Shevchenko pleading to return to the club.
The Ronaldinho matter is still very much up in the air with Inter owner Massimo Moratti in fine mischief-making form, suggesting that the Brazilian will end up at his club but according to those ever-reliable sources at Milan, Sheva is a done deal.
Shevchenko: Back in the red and black shirt again next season?
The Ukrainian has been handed a two-year contract and Mrs Sheva has been back in town overseeing the move and no doubt finding an English-speaking school for the children.
The protests of coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has been in charge longer than any Italian prime minister could ever hope to be, have fallen on deaf ears and, anyway, the new man Marcello Lippi is hoping that Shevchenko's return will knock Filippo InzaghiâÂÂs nose out of joint so much that he will clear off.
It looks as if Gennaro Gattuso has had enough and like a lot of Italians in the wake of BerlusconiâÂÂs return to power, is seriously thinking of skipping the country.
He would love to go to Bayern Munich but the German champions-elect arenâÂÂt that interested so look out for the tenacious midfielder popping up in the Premiership.
At least it hasnâÂÂt all been about has-beens trying to recover lost glories as Serie A sat up and took notice of a new star at the weekend.
Look out for the name Mario Balotelli for many years to come.
New kid on the block: Mario Balotelli
The 17-year-old was given the nod by Roberto Mancini to lead the Inter frontline against Fiorentina, ahead of Hernan Crespo and David Suazo.
Not only did the strapping youngster find the back of the net for a second week running, having scored his first league goal at Atalanta last Sunday, but he also took all the free-kicks and corners and generally ran the Viola defence ragged in the 2-0 victory.
This is the sort of confidence in youth that the whole country could do with at the moment.
