The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11, with just six spots remaining in the 48-team field to be decided during the March international window in matches hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada. But the playoff process has hit a significant snag, with Iraq formally requesting a postponement from FIFA.

The Iraqi national team was scheduled to travel to Monterrey, Mexico, to compete for a World Cup berth in an intercontinental playoff against the winner of the Suriname-Bolivia tie on March 31. However, a combination of logistical hurdles has put the trip in serious jeopardy, with players and staff unable to secure their visas and the Iraqi transport ministry closing the country’s airspace amid the ongoing tensions in the region.

Speaking to CNN, Iraq head coach Graham Arnold laid out the scope of the challenges his team is facing: “If the match is held in Mexico, we will face difficulties leaving Baghdad. About 60% of my players play inside Iraq, and all of the backroom staff live in Iraq. The medical staff live in Qatar, and we are currently facing difficulties obtaining Mexican visas.“

With the playoff being Iraq’s only scheduled March fixture, a preparation camp in Houston had been planned to help the squad adjust to the time zone, weather and conditions ahead of the game. That plan has since been scrapped entirely. “My first plan before all of this was to hold a small preparation camp in the United States to adapt to the time difference, the weather and the conditions there. But all of that has now been cancelled, as the preparation camp has been cancelled because we cannot leave Baghdad,” Arnold said.

With the Iraqi government’s airspace restrictions creating a hard deadline, FIFA and relevant authorities have been in ongoing communication to find a workable path forward: “The communication with FIFA officials has been very good, as well as with the federation. We are dealing with it step by step and day by day. It has been stressful, and there have been many sleepless nights as we try to organize the planning properly, but it is very difficult to do that while the airspace in Baghdad, where many of the players and staff are located, will not reopen until April 1.“

Alternatives still being weighed

With the Iraqi government showing no flexibility on the airspace closure, both FIFA and the national team are exploring alternatives to avoid a postponement that could create downstream complications for World Cup planning. One proposal put forward by the Iraqi federation itself is to push the March 31 playoff to the May/June window, immediately ahead of the tournament.

“I believe FIFA should make a quick decision on this matter, because the current situation is a little unfair considering what we will have to go through. If we cannot get there, Suriname can play against Bolivia, and we can play against the winner directly before the World Cup in America, so that we can prepare properly and do everything required to achieve success,” coach Arnold stated.

FIFA also floated an alternative of its own: traveling overland from Baghdad to Istanbul, Turkey, and then catching a connecting flight to Mexico. That option has not been well received within the Iraqi camp, with Arnold making clear he has no intention of putting his players through a 25-hour journey through areas directly affected by the conflict.

In the meantime, Bolivia and Suriname are set to play their semifinal on March 26 at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, a result that will determine Iraq’s potential opponent. With the playoff winner set to be placed in Group I alongside France, Senegal and Norway, FIFA and all parties involved are working against the clock to find a resolution, with fewer than four weeks remaining until the scheduled match date.

Liverpool are experiencing a season full of inconsistencies, also marked by injuries to several stars. Alongside this, Mohamed Salah appears to be pushing for a departure from the team following the drama surrounding his statements and other matters. Looking to replace the Egyptian and improve their attacking impact, the Reds are reportedly pursuing a star from the Saudi Pro League ahead of the 2026–27 season.

According to Fussball Daten, the Reds have decided to pursue the signing of Moussa Diaby and are maintaining constant contact with the player’s agents. Under contract with Al Ittihad until 2029, the Frenchman is valued at $46 million, but the fee may increase if more European sides chase his arrival. Liverpool could push for his arrival as a natural replacement for Mohamed Salah, targeting the 26-year-old winger.

While Diaby currently plays in the Saudi Pro League, he comes from having an excellent spell in the Premier League. In his tenure at Aston Villa, the Frenchman scored 10 goals and delivered 11 assists in 54 games, having a fairly solid performance. For this reason, Al Ittihad decided to pay €60 million for him, in the 2024–25 season where he has consolidated as one of the most important players, scoring 8 goals and delivering 29 assists in 61 games.

Given his strong performance, Moussa Diaby is drawing the attention of other major European clubs. According to Ekrem Konur, via X, formerly Twitter, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Chelsea are also pursuing his signing, complicating the Reds’ path. Despite this, the Frenchman would be a key starter at Liverpool, something that could sway him to join as Salah’s replacement.

Far from being a simple task, the Reds could find it quite difficult to secure the transfer of Moussa Diaby. Following the departure of Karim Benzema, the Frenchman has established himself as one of the team’s leaders, so they could put obstacles in the way of his signing. This would not be the first time, as the 26-year-old winger was close to leaving for Inter Milan in February 2026, but the PIF (Public Investment Fund) did not let him go.

Report: Liverpool chase an offensive rebuild for the next season

At the start of the 2025–26 season, Liverpool decided to overhaul their attack by letting Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz leave, making room for Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Alexander Isak. Despite these changes, the new additions have not delivered the expected performance, leaving Arne Slot with several problems. For that reason, they are reportedly pursuing other world-class reinforcements, not just Moussa Diaby.

According to various British media outlets, the Reds are open to letting Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah leave as they look to strengthen their attack with more dynamic players. For this reason, they are targeting Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig as a star reinforcement on the left wing, valued at €118 million. However, Liverpool may continue exploring additional options in attack to secure a better deal.

Cristiano Ronaldo, even at 41 years old, remains a central figure for both his club, Al Nassr, and the Portugal national team. Still drawing global attention, the key question now is when the legendary striker will take the field again.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s next game is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, when Al Nassr will be visiting Al Khaleej for Matchday 26 of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League at Al Khaleej Club Stadium. However, the Portuguese missed last game against Neom SC due to a hamstring injury suffered against Al Fayha, and it’s expected to be sidelined too.

Regarding the Portugal national team, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return during the March international break. After having his suspension lifted ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the veteran forward will be available for selection for Portugal’s two friendlies, one against Mexico, and the other one against the USMNT.

So far this season, the Portuguese icon has scored 22 goals and provided 4 assists in 26 games for Al Nassr, while netting 5 goals in 5 UEFA World Cup qualifiers for Portugal, with his personal account in 965 career goals. With the World Cup set for the USA, Canada, and Mexico at the end of the campaign, Ronaldo will be determined to arrive at what will likely be his final major tournament in top form.

Ronaldo faced long break due to FIFA schedule

After his stunning bicycle-kick goal against Al Khaleej, Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for Al Nassr’s midweek AFC Champions League Two match. But from that point forward, the Portuguese star endured a 24-day gap without competitive action, a result of the upcoming FIFA competition schedule.

From December 1 through 18, Qatar hosted the second edition of the FIFA Arab Cup, with the final between Morocco and Jordan played at Lusail Stadium, the same venue as the 2022 World Cup final.

With several Saudi Pro League players involved, including stars of the Saudi Arabian national team, clubs, including Al Nassr, were unable to meet domestic player requirements, forcing the SPL into a temporary pause during the tournament.

Former Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could return to Serie A for Milan next season, claim reports, but he would need to significantly drop his Al-Hilal wages.

The Serbia international first shot to fame in Italian football with eight years in the Biancocelesti jersey, arriving from KRC Genk in the summer of 2015 for €12m and sold to Al-Hilal in 2023 for €40m.

Milinkovic-Savic has some Milan links already

He has been linked with a possible comeback to Serie A several times in recent years, and the latest suggestion is pushing him towards Milan.

This is because Max Allegri has long been an admirer of the 31-year-old, and it would represent a reunion with former Lazio director of sport Igli Tare, who is now running the transfer strategy at Milan.

According to Tuttosport and Calciomercato, the Rossoneri believe Milinkovic-Savic could bring something extra to their midfield, especially if they lock down Champions League qualification.

The big problem is that he only recently signed a new contract with Al-Hilal that runs to June 2028, and with it a salary worth circa €20m per season.

In order to make the move to Milan, he’d have to pick up roughly a quarter of that sum, plus some performance-related bonuses.

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Maurizio Sarri hit out at Lazio President Claudio Lotito after losing Ivan Provedel for the season and being forced to debut Edoardo Motta against Sassuolo. ‘I was totally against the sale of Christos Mandas.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The Biancocelesti have been showing very different form in Serie A compared to the Coppa Italia, as they scraped one point from three league games, yet played a spectacular 2-2 semi-final first leg draw with Atalanta last Wednesday.

“We have such incredible differences in our statistics from Sunday to Wednesday, they are genuinely hard to explain,” shrugged the coach on Sky Sport Italia.

“It is all about the different attitude that the team had in those two games. It is a mistake to do that, we should always have great motivation, and I hope to see the version of Lazio tonight that we got on Wednesday.”

Sarri vents fury at Lazio transfer strategy

The injury crisis has dragged on throughout the campaign, but hit a new low when goalkeeper Provedel was ruled out for the rest of the season by shoulder surgery on a tendon tear.

It means Sarri has to give 21-year-old Motta his Serie A debut, having arrived in January from Reggina.

“It is certainly a major absence. I was totally against the decision to sell Mandas. Now we have a young lad with some qualities, we’ll see what he does on the field,” replied the coach.

He sent that message to President Lotito, who had loaned second-choice goalkeeper Mandas to Bournemouth in January for €1.5m with an option to buy for a further €18.5m.

However, Mandas made just one appearance this season for Lazio, in the Coppa Italia, and is yet to make his Bournemouth debut either.

Not many expected at the start of the season that in Week 28 this would be a mid-table tussle, with newly-promoted Sassuolo ahead and pushing for eighth place with a victory here.

Even if the Aquile win this evening, they won’t be able to close the gap completely and catch the Neroverdi in the table.

“I was more or less expecting Sassuolo to do this well, as they are a strong team, well-organised and had a clear identity from the start,” said Sarri.

The mood has not been helped by the ongoing boycott of the home matches, as ultras have been abandoning the Stadio Olimpico for the last four games in protest at President Lotito.

“It’s depressing, horrible, and it’s time the club does something about this,” added Sarri on DAZN Italia.

Italy international Federico Chiesa is not part of the Liverpool squad for the Champions League clash with Galatsaray, as Arne Slot explains his latest setback.

The first leg of the Round of 16 tie is going to be in Istanbul on Tuesday.

It is not a full squad making the trip as ex-Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Italy’s Chiesa were left behind in Liverpool.

Chiesa struggling for playing time at Liverpool

“Federico was also not in the session, he felt unwell last night, so that’s why he wasn’t training with us today and not travelling with us,” explained coach Slot in his pre-match press conference.

As for Alisson, the shot-stopper felt a twinge towards the end of the training session and the medical staff decided it was better he stay home for this match.

Chiesa’s injury record has stalled his career badly and the last thing he needed was to add to the number of missed games with illness too.

The 28-year-old could be recalled by Gennaro Gattuso when Italy play the 2026 World Cup play-offs later this month.

He has made 29 competitive appearances for Liverpool so far this season, contributing three goals and three assists.

However, Chiesa was only in the starting XI for five of those fixtures.

Lazio begin life without Ivan Provedel and give Edoardo Motta his Serie A debut in goal, taking on Domenico Berardi’s ambitious Sassuolo, who could leap into eighth place.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is a surprising mid-table tussle, because no matter the result this evening, newly-promoted Sassuolo will be ahead of the Aquile in the standings.

A home victory would close the gap to just one point and put Maurizio Sarri’s side in 10^th place, whereas a Neroverdi win would let them leapfrog Bologna into eighth position.

Lazio were involved in a midweek 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Atalanta, twice fumbling the lead so that it all goes down to the second leg in Bergamo next month.

The big news over the last few days is that Provedel required surgery on a tendon in his shoulder and could well be out for the rest of the season.

It means January signing Edoardo Motta is thrown in at the deep end for his Serie A debut.

Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot are also out of action, so Fisayo Dele-Bashiru starts in midfield, with Daniel Maldini, Gustav Isaksen and Mattia Zaccagni upfront.

They scraped only two points from the last four Serie A games, and failed to score for three in a row in this competition.

The mood has not been helped by the ongoing boycott of the home matches, as ultras have been gathering outside the Stadio Olimpico to cheer on their team from there in protest at President Claudio Lotito.

Sassuolo are on fine form recently, winning five of the last six games, interrupted only by a defeat to leaders Inter.

Sebastian Walukiewicz returns from suspension, but Andrea Pinamonti sits out a ban instead.

Alieu Fadera is recovering after surgery on a fractured cheekbone he suffered during the 2-1 victory over Atalanta, which was achieved when down to 10 men for over an hour.

Daniel Boloca, Edoardo Pieragnolo and Fali Candé are all long-term absentees.

Instead, M’Bala Nzola steps into the attack with Domenico Berardi and Armand Laurienté, with ex-Roma midfielder Nemanja Matic rested.

Lazio vs. Sassuolo line-ups

Lazio: Motta; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Cataldi, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Zaccagni

Sassuolo: Muric; Coulibaly, Idzes, Muharemovic, Garcia; Koné, Lipani, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Nzola, Laurienté

09-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 28

Stadio Olimpico

Lazio

Sassuolo

Live

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Daniel Maldini

2'

Lazio

Sassuolo

Starting lineups

40

Edoardo Motta

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

34

Mario Gila

Defender

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

27

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

32

Danilo Cataldi

Midfielder

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

24

Kenneth Taylor

Midfielder

18

Gustav Isaksen

Attacker

10

Mattia Zaccagni

Attacker

49

Arijanet Muric

Goalkeeper

21

Jay Idzes

Defender

80

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

23

Ulisses Garcia

Defender

25

Woyo Coulibaly

Defender

90

Ismaël Koné

Midfielder

42

Kristian Thorstvedt

Midfielder

35

Luca Lipani

Midfielder

45

Armand Lauriente

Attacker

10

Domenico Berardi

Attacker

8

M’Bala Nzola

Attacker

Substitutes

9

Pedro

Attacker

4

Patric

Defender

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

23

Elseid Hysaj

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

20

Petar Ratkov

Attacker

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

28

Adrian Przyborek

Attacker

99

Giacomo Giacomone

7

Cristian Volpato

Midfielder

6

Sebastian Walukiewicz

Defender

19

Filippo Romagna

Defender

12

Giacomo Satalino

Goalkeeper

16

Gioele Zacchi

Goalkeeper

13

Stefano Turati

Goalkeeper

24

Luca Moro

Attacker

44

Edoardo Iannoni

Midfielder

18

Nemanja Matic

Midfielder

3

Josh Doig

Defender

40

Aster Vranckx

Midfielder

50

Darryl Bakola

Midfielder

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has revealed that he is not currently in contract talks with the club, despite growing speculation regarding his long-term future at Anfield.

The Argentina World Cup winner, who has been a key part of the Liverpool midfield since arriving from Brighton in 2023, confirmed that no negotiations are currently underway to extend his stay on Merseyside.

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Mac Allister confirms Liverpool have yet to begin contract talks with him

Speaking about the situation ahead of the match against Galatasaray, Mac Allister remained calm regarding the lack of movement.

He said (via Fabrizio Romano): “We are not in contract talks with Liverpool. There are no negotiations over a new deal, but we are not in a rush.”

The 27-year-old’s current agreement runs until the summer of 2028, giving the club some breathing room.

However, the update comes at a time when Liverpool have been proactive in securing other key assets, such as Ryan Gravenberch, who recently signed a long-term extension until 2032.

Mac Allister’s father and agent, Carlos, echoed his son’s sentiments in a recent interview, noting that while the player is ‘happy’ at Liverpool, they are simply waiting for the club to make the first move.

The lack of formal discussions is reportedly a measured approach from the Liverpool hierarchy, who are currently balancing several high-profile contract situations, including Ibrahima Konate’s.

? Alexis Mac Allister: “We are not in contract talks with Liverpool. There are no negotiations over new deal, but we are not in a rush”. pic.twitter.com/YkEmTC3KTL

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 9, 2026

Mac Allister is a top target for Real Madrid

The delay in contract negotiations has inevitably alerted Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are reportedly monitoring Mac Allister’s situation closely as they look to refresh their midfield following the departures of veteran stars.

Report suggests that Los Blancos are yet to replace the technical ability of Toni Kroos and Luca Modric and have identified Mac Allister as a top target.

With Real Madrid having already raided Anfield for Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2025, there are fears among the Liverpool faithful that the Argentine could be the next star to swap the Premier League for the Bernabéu.

The post Real Madrid handed boost as Alexis Mac Allister makes concerning admission appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi will not be renewing his contract with the club, the Cherries’ director of football operations, Tiago Pinto, has officially confirmed.

The Argentine international, who has become a linchpin in Andoni Iraola’s backline since his move from Feyenoord in 2022, is now set to depart the Vitality Stadium as one of the most coveted free agents in European football this June.

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According to according to 365Scores (via MD), Tiago Pinto has confirmed that the player will be leaving the club on a free transfer:

“Senesi will become a free player next June and will officially leave the team at the end of his contract next summer. He will not have a future at the club, which means he will be out of the team’s plans for the new season.”

Marcos Senesi to leave Bournemouth a free agent amid interest from Chelsea

The announcement has sparked a frenzy among Europe’s elite, with Chelsea reportedly leading the Premier League interest.

Under head coach Liam Rosenior, the Blues are searching for ball-playing, experienced defenders to bolster their possession-based system.

Senesi, a left-footed center-back with over 100 Premier League appearances, is seen as a cost-effective solution to Chelsea’s defensive inconsistencies.

By securing Senesi, Chelsea would avoid a hefty transfer fee, allowing them to redirect funds toward other priority areas like a new striker.

Other Premier League clubs also interested including Tottenham and Newcastle

While Chelsea are circling, they face stiff competition within the English top flight. Tottenham and Newcastle United have both registered firm interest, with the Magpies reportedly believing they are “strong favorites” to keep the 28-year-old in England.

Spurs, currently navigating a difficult season under Igor Tudor, view Senesi as an essential target, specially with the future of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven uncertain. Aston Villa and Everton are also monitoring the situation closely.

Senesi would prefer a move to Barcelona

Despite the allure of staying in the Premier League, Senesi is reportedly interested in a move to Barcelona.

Reports from Spain suggest the Argentine prioritises a move to the Catalan giants, who are looking for an experienced, low-cost partner for their younger defenders.

While Juventus and Roma have also made contact, with Juve reportedly offering a four-year deal, the lure of La Liga and Hansi Flick’s project at Barcelona remains the player’s dream destination.

The post Club director confirms decision of Premier League star wanted by Chelsea and Tottenham appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Wayne Rooney has urged Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to ignore the “very unfair” criticism of the Premier League leaders’ style of play this season. Arsenal remain in contention for a potential quadruple after progressing to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last weekend with a 2-1 win over League One side Mansfield Town. The Gunners […]

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Borussia Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken has confirmed that Julian Brandt will leave the club at the end of the 2025/26 season, closing out a seven‑year tenure at Signal Iduna Park. Ricken explained after Dortmund’s 2-1 win over FC Koln that “after open talks, we agreed that the contract that is set to expire would […]

The post Julian Brandt to leave Borussia Dortmund as free agent appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Julian Brandt to leave Borussia Dortmund as free agent appeared first on Soccer News.

Cristiano Ronaldo had raised expectations for a highly anticipated return to North America ahead of the World Cup, with friendlies against Mexico and the USMNT on the schedule. But his injury situation has cast serious doubt over his availability, and the clock is now ticking after the date for Roberto Martínez to announce his Portugal squad was officially confirmed.

Alarm bells rang at Al Nassr after the club released a statement confirming that Ronaldo had suffered a hamstring injury during the match against Al Fayha, with no recovery timeline provided. The Portuguese star also missed the subsequent match against Neom SC and is expected to sit out further fixtures as he works to return to fitness ahead of the international window.

On Monday, the Portuguese Football Federation released a statement confirming that Martínez will announce his squad on Friday, March 20, at the Cidade do Futebol. That leaves Ronaldo fewer than two weeks to recover from his muscular injury and prove his fitness to the national team coach.

Portugal, who secured their place at the 2026 World Cup by topping Group F in UEFA qualifying, have organized a North American tour for the March international break, giving the squad an early look at the tournament’s host continent. The trip opens with a match against Mexico on Saturday, March 28, at Estadio Azteca Banorte.

The tour concludes with a game against the USMNT on Tuesday, March 31, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Portugal will then face Chile in a friendly on June 6 before their World Cup group stage debut on June 17.

Will Ronaldo recover in time?

The March window represents one of the final opportunities for Martínez to evaluate his options and refine the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It also carries extra significance as one of the last times Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to represent Portugal on the international stage, with the 41-year-old widely expected to retire from international duty after the tournament.

With that in mind, the desire to see Ronaldo on the pitch one more time on this stage runs deep, from the player himself to his teammates, staff and supporters. Whether that happens, however, will depend entirely on how his recovery progresses, with Al Nassr’s next scheduled match before the international window, set for Saturday March 14, already expected to come too soon for the striker.

As Fabrizio Romano recently reported, Ronaldo could be sidelined for up to four weeks with his muscle injury. With the setback occurring on February 28, the worst-case scenario would see him approaching the Mexico match on March 28 at the very tail end of his recovery period, likely still short of full match fitness.

Ahead of Al Nassr’s game against Neom, Ronaldo offered a public show of commitment, posting a message of support on Instagram: “Recovering and ready to watch the game today. Let’s go, Al Nassr!” The message signaled his determination to return as quickly as possible and put himself in contention for Martínez’s call-up.

After shining at Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid signed Xabi Alonso to lead the project after Carlo Ancelotti’s dismissal. However, he was fired just over five months after his arrival due to disappointing performances and reported dressing-room issues. Far from letting this define his career, Xabi appears ready to continue his coaching journey. In fact, he has reportedly reached an agreement to manage a major Premier League club for the 2026–27 season.

According to OK Diario, Xabi Alonso has already reached an agreement with Liverpool to become the team’s head coach for next season. Under the reported deal, he would sign a three-year contract. However, the Spaniard’s arrival would be linked to Arne Slot failing to win the UEFA Champions League this season. For that reason, he would begin a new chapter after his expected departure from Real Madrid, returning to the Reds.

Even though Alonso had a criticized spell at Real Madrid, he has already proven himself to be a world-class manager. After arriving at Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, he led the club to its best period in years, winning the 2023–24 Bundesliga, the 2023–24 DFB-Pokal, and the 2024–25 German Super Cup. For that reason, his potential arrival at Liverpool seems an ideal choice to boost the sports project that has suffered under Arne Slot.

Unlike his debut season, Arne Slot has struggled to achieve consistency with the Reds. In an effort to reshape the roster, he has battled to restore the team to its best form, currently ranking sixth in the Premier League. Consequently, the Dutchman’s future remains uncertain, hinging on a potential Champions League title victory. In this context, Xabi Alonso may be considered a necessary boost to propel the roster.

Xabi Alonso could unlock the potential of several Liverpool stars

After winning the 2024-25 Premier League, Arne Slot led a rebuild of the Liverpool roster. By betting on Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Florian Wirtz, they sought a decisive boost in the team’s offensive performance. However, the coach has failed to get the best out of them, compounded by the poor form of other stars. For this reason, Xabi Alonso’s potential arrival could be key to bringing out the best in several players.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi managed to elevate several players such as Jeremie Frimpong, Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz, Exequiel Palacios, among others. With the Dutchman and the German now at the Reds, his arrival could be key to helping them reach their best level. Likewise, Ibrahima Konaté—if he renews his contract—could also be boosted, just as Alonso did with Jonathan Tah, something that seems unlikely under Slot.

Raffaele Palladino expects a ‘magical’ Champions League night against Bayern Munich, assuring Atalanta ‘don’t want to set limits on ourselves, all Italians are cheering us on.’

The first leg kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Tuesday at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

La Dea are the only remaining Italian representatives in the Champions League and face a daunting task against German giants Bayern Munich.

Atalanta ready to dream big in Champions League

“Tomorrow will be a magical, wonderful night for us, as it’s a dream to be in the Champions League last 16 against one of the strongest teams in the world,” Palladino told Sky Sport Italia.

“Dreams are there to be experienced. We want to enjoy it to the full and cause difficulties for Bayern. We are playing at home, so can repeat the performance against Borussia Dortmund.”

Atalanta certainly have a strong record with German opponents, going back to winning the Europa League trophy by crushing the then-unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Final.

In the Champions League play-offs last month, they overturned a 2-0 first leg deficit to eliminate Borussia Dortmund with a 4-1 success in Bergamo.

“Being the only Italian in the Champions League is a nice feeling, we feel that all Italians are cheering us on and I received messages of encouragement from all over, including my former players at Fiorentina and Monza,” added Palladino.

“We don’t want to set limits on ourselves. We want to have our say, knowing of course that Bayern Munich are a truly excellent team.”

While the Germans are missing Manuel Neuer and waiting on fitness news from Harry Kane, Atalanta are forced to do without several key players.

Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere are still out injured, with Giorgio Scalvini suspended in defence, while Ederson remains a major doubt.

“I would’ve liked to go into this game with an entire squad at my disposal, but in attack especially we are limited without Raspadori and De Ketelaere,” continued the coach.

“I know whoever plays will give 100 per cent for this shirt. We’ll try to end the first 90 minutes of this tie having given our all to make these fans happy.”

Bayern Munich won seven of their eight Champions League games in the opening phase, losing only 3-1 to Arsenal on November 26.

“Bayern don’t have many weak spots, but we studied them carefully,” added Palladino.

“They have so much quality in attack, especially Harry Kane, but we must not lose our identity, can never drop the tempo, as intensity is our greatest strength.”

Is this to be considered Mission Impossible for Atalanta?

“Maybe, but it’s still wonderful to face this type of challenge. We want to enjoy it and I really liked the attitude of the lads.”

Alisson Santos has impressed so much at Napoli that Carlo Ancelotti has sent Brazil scouts to watch him ahead of the World Cup, but the club hasn’t yet decided to purchase him from Sporting CP.

The wide attacker arrived in the January transfer window, on loan for six months at a cost of €3.5m, with an option to buy him outright at the end of the season for a further €16m.

Alisson Santos strong start with Napoli

So far, the 23-year-old has only made five competitive appearances in the Napoli jersey, yet contributed two decisive goals in the 2-2 draw with Roma and 2-1 victory over Torino.

Spanish newspaper AS and Tuttomercatoweb maintain this caught the eye of Brazil boss Ancelotti, who sent some of his staff to watch the 23-year-old in action.

Following the serious injury that ruled Real Madrid star Rodrygo out of the 2026 World Cup, a slot has opened up for a player with similar characteristics.

However, Alisson Santos has apparently not yet won everyone over at Napoli, because transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano notes that so far they have not yet contacted his agent or Sporting CP to confirm whether the option to buy will be activated.

So much will depend on whether they manage to qualify for the Champions League next season, as they currently sit in third place in Serie A.

Vincent Kompany warns Bayern Munich ‘are playing against a very strong’ Atalanta side in the Champions League, while a decision on Harry Kane’s fitness will only be made tomorrow.

The first leg kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Tuesday at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

There are some injury concerns for the Bundesliga leaders, as Manuel Neuer is ruled out with Leon Klanac, Hiroki Ito and Alphonso Davies, while star striker Kane is a major doubt.

“Kane had a very good training session, but we will only make a decision tomorrow,” explained Kompany in his press conference.

“The priority is to have him in the squad, whether he starts or not.”

Kompany full of respect for Atalanta

Inevitably, the German giants are the favourites, but they will also have learned the lesson of Borussia Dortmund, who were eliminated by La Dea in the play-offs.

The first leg had ended 2-0 in Germany, only for Atalanta to turn it around with a last-gasp 4-1 success in Italy.

“We are playing against a very strong team tomorrow. There are analogies to the way we play, considering they attack down the wings a lot, but we must time the pressing correctly.

“Atalanta have done some great things, including winning the Europa League, so we absolutely cannot underestimate them. Our objective is to be as competitive as possible in every tournament. We are not afraid of anyone and want to take every single opportunity.”

Kompany was asked about the level of Italian football compared to many others in Europe, seeing as their biggest clubs struggled recently and crashed out.

“I know it’s a topic in Italy at the moment, because Atalanta are the only Italian team still in the Champions League. I watched the level of Inter last year, when I saw Atalanta’s games this year, I see a lot of talent, I see teams that are well-coached.

“It’s been difficult games for Dortmund, for Frankfurt and Liverpool, so we cannot have any pretention towards this game,” insisted coach Kompany.

“Atalanta is a very special opponent in terms of the way they play, and a very interesting game for us as coaches. Atalanta has been building towards where they are today, so they have the belief they can do something special.

“I was never in the Italian League, so I am not the best judge of how different the level is, but probably not too much.”

La Dea had started very shakily this season, in Serie A and Europe, but went from strength to strength after Raffaele Palladino took over from Ivan Juric in January, bringing more of the approach that his mentor Gian Piero Gasperini had imposed.

“Atalanta have a new coach now, but you can see the consistency, and it is never a guarantee after coach like Gasperini to have such a long period of success as an icon for a club, to find someone who can maintain that identity,” noted Kompany.

“It’s really difficult, but they kept that identity and add something new. I have a lot of respect for Atalanta and what they do, so I know tomorrow will be a really tough game.

“We are used to being favourites in most games, so we don’t have a problem accepting this role if people want to say we are favourites. However, anyone who follows football in recent years will know Atalanta can beat anyone.

“They beat Juventus 3-0 this season, are in the Coppa Italia semi-final, so we have great respect for them. Anything is possible in football, but we want to win.”

Unlike the play-off, this time Atalanta must play the first leg on home turf and the second in Germany.

“It looked for all of us that Dortmund was sure to qualify, they looked dominant at home and the better team, but it changed totally in Bergamo,” confessed Kompany.

“Maybe it was the stadium, the atmosphere, the fans, but they had so much belief here. Italian fans are known to be quite loud, but I can guarantee you that the Allianz Arena on Champions League nights is very special too,” smiled Kompany.

Belgium international Charles De Ketelaere is out of action and Kompany admits to having mixed feelings on the situation.

“As a Belgium fan, I want him fit for the World Cup, but I saw Charles in his debut in Bruges. I thought going to Milan was a chance to try out, but Atalanta are perfect for him to develop. He has a wonderful left foot, good physical presence, he runs a lot and this club was absolutely the right place for him to make this step.

“You can see what a good player he is, so it’s good for us that he’s not available tomorrow, but I also hope he can soon be fit and do really well for the national team.”

Luis Diaz was a big €70m investment from Liverpool and made a strong impact this season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 35 competitive appearances for Bayern Munich.

“Lucho has done really well in terms of numbers, but I think he’s so much more than that. I always say he has creativity in chaos, and what I love is the message he sends when he plays, that reflects the team as well, always fighting and trying to get something.

“Just because we are Bayern Munich, it does not mean we are any less hungry than other teams. It has been a pleasure to have him with us,” concluded Kompany.

Mauro Icardi’s former wife and agent, Wanda Nara, surprisingly met Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti, seven years after the striker’s clash with the Italian tactician: ‘Nice to see you again.’

Juventus coach Spalletti met Icardi’s ex-wife and agent Wanda Nara in Turin today.

Wanda Nara posted two pictures in her Instagram stories, showing her meeting with the Bianconeri boss.

Wanda Nara reunites with Spalletti

Icardi’s former representative added a brief caption in her first picture: “Nice to see you again, mister.”

Wanda Nara and Spalletti last crossed paths in 2019 when Icardi was playing under the Italian tactician at Inter.

Back then, Wanda was Icardi’s representative and upset Inter and Spalletti with some provocative remarks on Italian TV.

What happened between Icardi, Wanda Nara and Spalletti at Inter?

In his biography published last year, Spalletti explained what exactly happened with Icardi and Wanda.

“Mario was going through a difficult period in footballing terms,” wrote Spalletti via Goal.com.

“At that moment, things weren’t going the way he had hoped. He wasn’t able to score the way he usually did. She [Wanda] said that if we wanted Icardi to score more goals, we needed to buy different players who could help him do so. In short, better players.

“That was the idea. Unbearable. A bombshell. It was one of those statements that couldn’t be brushed off with a WhatsApp message or an Instagram story. You had to talk face to face, the old-fashioned way.

“There was only one way to avoid a war in the dressing room: Mauro Icardi’s apology. It never came,” Spalletti continued.

“I asked the captain to explain Wanda Naras’s words to the dressing room, to justify them in some way. Mauro replied that it wasn’t his wife, Wanda, who had spoken, but his agent, Nara and that she had done so strictly in that capacity. It was impossible to manage the situation. There was no way.

“I had to tell him two things: remove the captain’s armband and give it to Handanovic. The club agreed, but he took it very badly. In fact, in order not to lose the team, I lost Icardi, the man and the player.”

When, in February 2019, Inter told Icardi he was no longer the team’s captain, the ex-striker refused to join the team for an away Europa League game against Rapid Wien.

The Argentine was frozen out of the team for over a month, and the following April, after a home defeat against Lazio, Spalletti told Sky: “Negotiating with a player to make him play and wear the Inter jersey is humiliating. Towards Inter fans and his teammates. Today, Icardi had to stay out because of how he behaved; it’s only fair that the others play.”

Icardi was then reintroduced to the squad for the last nine games of the campaign, in which he scored two goals, but no longer wore the captain’s armband.

Both Icardi and Spalletti left Inter at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

Icardi joined PSG, where he would spend the following three seasons, scoring 38 goals in 92 matches.

He had been even more prolific at Inter with 124 goals in 219 matches.

There is mixed news from the Napoli medical staff, as while Scott McTominay returns to training, Antonio Vergara’s problem might be more serious.

The Partenopei have been dealing with an injury crisis for seemingly the entire campaign, as just as one player returns to the field, another picks up a new issue.

Napoli look to medical staff for team picks

McTominay has not played since aggravating the inflammation of a tendon on February 7 when scoring a goal in the victory over Genoa.

According to Sky Sport Italia, the Scotland international will resume training with his teammates tomorrow, so should therefore be in the squad for Saturday’s Serie A match against Lecce.

However, Vergara is increasingly unlikely to be part of the team after he limped off in the win over Torino.

Il Mattino newspaper suggests that the youth academy product has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and it could take a while for him to make a full recovery.

Napoli are still without David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani, but Kevin De Bruyne and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa made their comebacks last week.

Michael Carrick has done a remarkable job since stepping in as interim manager following the sacking of Ruben Amorim; however, he has not yet convinced the club to appoint him as a permanent manager.

Despite the “Carrick effect” revitalising the squad, Manchester United has reportedly shortlisted Roberto De Zerbi as a top target for the permanent role this summer.

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The former Marseille boss is understood to be ‘keen’ on the Old Trafford job as he eyes a return to the Premier League.

Roberto De Zerbi keen on Manchester United job

According to a report from The Telegraph, De Zerbi is a prominent name on Man United’s shortlist as they decide on their next long-term head coach.

The Italian, who left Marseille by mutual consent in February, has made no secret of his desire to manage a leading English club.

De Zerbi’s stock remains high among senior figures at United, who admire his front-foot style of attacking football and his insistence on dominating possession.

The Italian has been hailed as “one of the best managers in the world” by Arne Slot.

Tottenham also eyeing De Zerbi for permanent role

United are not the only club monitoring the Italian’s situation. Tottenham are also considering De Zerbi as a long-term option, though any move depends on their top-flight status.

Spurs are currently fighting for survival, sitting just one point above the drop zone.

The report suggests that while De Zerbi is a primary target, he would only consider the move if Tottenham secure Premier League survival.

With Igor Tudor under immense pressure after losing his first three games, the North London club may face a fight to beat United to De Zerbi’s signature.

Michael Carrick suffered first defeat as Man United manager vs Newcastle

The managerial speculation has intensified following a reality check for interim boss Michael Carrick.

After a sensational seven-game unbeaten run, Carrick suffered his first defeat as Manchester United manager in a 2-1 loss against 10-men Newcastle on Wednesday.

Despite Newcastle being reduced to 10 men following Jacob Ramsey’s red card, United failed to capitalise.

A late wonder goal from William Osula ended Carrick’s unbeaten run, leaving the United legend ‘bitterly disappointed’.

While United remain third in the table, the defeat has reignited the debate whether Carrick is good enough to lead the club permanently or if a high-profile appointment is necessary.

The post Manchester United boost as manager hailed ‘one of the best in the world’ is ‘keen’ on job appeared first on CaughtOffside.

While Manchester United might have watched their sensational Premier League purple patch come to an abrupt end last time out, the Reds are clearly relishing life under Michael Carrick’s guidance. Although the former Middlesbrough boss might have made a shock return to Old Trafford on temporary basis back in January, United remarkably now have their […]

The post Manchester United are keeping a very close eye on this season’s relegation scrap appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Manchester United are keeping a very close eye on this season’s relegation scrap appeared first on Soccer News.

Neymar Jr. appears to be gradually regaining his best competitive form at Santos. After undergoing meniscus surgery, he has managed to play three matches, showing an impressive level with two goals and one assist. With this, the veteran is aiming for a return to Brazil’s national team, which he has missed for several matches. Ahead of the upcoming friendlies, coach Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly made a key decision, exciting the fans.

According to Lucas Musetti of UOL Esporte, Carlo Ancelotti has made the decision to include Neymar Jr. on the list of pre-selected players with Brazil for the double round of friendlies against France and Croatia. In addition, the coach has decided to travel to watch him play with Santos, in order to follow his physical development. Despite this, the veteran does not have his call-up secured, but he is on a good path, drawing the attention of the Italian.

After shining in his first three matches following his recovery, Santos have decided not to call up Neymar for the match against Mirassol in the Brasileirão. Far from being a relapse of his injury, the veteran has been left out as part of load management, aiming to prioritize his physical continuity. Despite this, the 34-year-old star will train with the team and is expected to be available against Corinthians, where Ancelotti could go to watch him.

If he manages to maintain his physical continuity and good performances, Neymar Jr. could secure his spot with Brazil for the 2026 World Cup. After Rodrygo’s absence due to an ACL and meniscus injury, he could take his place in the roster, having Raphinha and Lucas Paquetá as competition. Because of this, the 34-year-old faces his biggest challenge in recent years: To shine with Santos in order to pursue his ‘last dance’.

Neymar Jr’s Brazil comeback receives major backing from legend Romario

After his return to Santos, Neymar Jr. has shown strong interest in making his return to due to physical problems. While he is coming off a season marked by injuries, he has undergone surgery and appears to be regaining his full physical condition. In response, the veteran’s return to the national team has received considerable support, with the legend Romário being the latest to come out in his defense.

“Neymar’s absence is certainly very bad for Brazil. The sixth title will definitely be farther away. We can only hope he is physically well and able to give everything he has… I don’t know if he’ll be able to be there without issues, but if Neymar is at 70 percent, that’s already good enough—he already helps, he already makes a difference,” Romario said, via Veja Magazine.

As Neymar is the national team’s all-time top scorer, his possible presence at the 2026 World Cup could be decisive. He may no longer be at his peak, but he has proven to be a key player creatively while still maintaining his goal-scoring instinct. Because of this, he could be crucial as an impact substitute, providing experience to manage the tempo of the game. In addition, he has received support from several players.

Scottish Cup TV Schedule

World Soccer Talk’s Scottish Cup TV schedule consistently updates with each game from Scotland’s top cup tournament.

In many ways, the Scottish Cup resembles that of the FA Cup, Copa del Rey, DFB Pokal and any other major club tournament. The one caveat to that statement is that it, unsurprisingly, only applies to clubs in Scotland.

Clubs such as Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, and Aberdeen frequently excel in the competition, but the tournament consistently produces unexpected storylines. For example, the 2021 Scottish Cup Final featured St. Johnstone and Hibernian, proving that the trophy remains within reach for clubs across the country. This unpredictability is a hallmark of the competition, as shown again in 2024 when Celtic and Rangers met in the first Old Firm final since 2002.

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The 2016 Scottish Cup Final featured Hibernian and Rangers. For one, both clubs compete in the Scottish Championship, the second tier of league soccer in the country. Additionally, Hibs sought its first Scottish Cup title in 114 years. The dramatic final needed a stoppage-time winner to break Hibernian’s drought.

Despite playing in the second division, the triumph opened European potential for Hibs.

The Scottish Cup, also known as the Scottish FA Cup, guarantees a spot in the following season’s Europa League. Moreover, the competition used to have the runner-up reach the qualification stage, but that changed in 2014 to open up for placement in the Scottish Premiership.

Still, the Scottish Cup presents the opportunity for any club in the Scottish FA. Those in the Scottish Professional Football League, or the top four divisions, as well as the clubs in the fifth and sixth divisions qualify automatically. Clubs beneath that level, including amateur and junior teams, go through extended qualifying to reach the Scottish Cup.

History of the Scottish Cup

The Scottish Cup TV schedule features familiar names for soccer fans. Celtic has the most wins in the competition at 42. Just behind Scotland’s most successful side is its Old Firm rival Rangers, which has 34 Scottish Cups.

Despite the combined 76 Scottish Cups, there is still variety in terms of winners. In total, 25 different clubs can say they lifted the Scottish Cup. Yet, some of these clubs do not exist.

Aberdeen is the current defending champion for the 2025/26 season. They defeated Celtic 4–3 on penalties in the May 2025 final after a 1–1 draw at Hampden Park.

While the FA Cup is the oldest organized competition in the world, the Scottish Cup does produce the oldest trophy in the world. That is just because the current FA Cup trophy came around in 1911.

Interestingly, the Scottish FA uses the same trophy from 1874 in the celebrations after the final. Then, the winners receive a replica to hold on to, while the original goes back into a museum.

ESPN holds the rights in the United States to broadcast the Scottish Cup. Consequently, a number of games go through ESPN+.

Scottish Premiership TV Schedule

If you’re looking for the Scottish Premiership TV schedule for fans in the United States, you’ve come to the right place.

CBS owns the rights to the Scottish Premiership as part of its extensive coverage of European soccer. Therefore, games in Scotland’s top division are regularly available on CBS’s streaming platform, Paramount+.

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For the 2025/26 season, CBS will carry at least one Scottish Premiership match per week on either CBS Sports Network or Paramount+. The network will also have coverage of select matches from the Scottish Championship and Scottish League Cup. The U.S. media rights include both English and Spanish to the Scottish Premiership, the top professional soccer league in Scotland.

The Scottish Premiership, previously known for sponsorship reasons as the William Hill Premiership, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men’s professional football clubs in Scotland.

Every week, we’ll update the TV schedules for you.

USL League One TV Schedule

USL League One occupies the third tier of the American soccer pyramid. For the 2026 season, 17 clubs are competing for the title. This follows the late withdrawal of South Georgia Tormenta FC, which announced it would not participate in the 2026 campaign just days before the season opener due to internal financial restructuring.

While the USL Championship often features teams with sights set on the first division, USL League One serves as a vital professional battleground for rising talent and historic community clubs. Notably, the league consists entirely of independent organizations; all former MLS reserve sides have transitioned to MLS NEXT Pro, leaving League One as a platform for purely independent professional soccer.

The USL League One TV schedule airs on ESPN+. However, there are select games that air on some of the major ESPN networks. For instance, ESPN2 airs select games on the schedule below. Some games are also available on CBS Sports Golazo Network through Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, the Roku Channel, and other providers.

Ederson, Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere did not train with the rest of the Atalanta squad today and are expected to miss tomorrow’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich, while Giorgio Scalvini is suspended.

Atalanta are preparing for the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Bayern Munich.

It will be played tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, at 18:45 CET (17:45 GMT) at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.

Atalanta team news ahead of Bayern Munich clash in Champions League RO16

Regular starters Ederson, Raspadori and De Ketelaere are still injured and continued to train separately on Monday, TMW reports.

Giorgio Scalvini, on the other hand, worked with the rest of the team days after suffering a knee injury in a Serie A match against Lazio, but the Italian will still miss tomorrow’s match due to a one-game ban.

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino and midfielder Mario Pasalic will preview the match during a pre-match press conference at 19:00 CET (18:00 GMT) later today.

Atalanta eliminated Borussia Dortmund from the Champions League knockout playoff with a 4-3 aggregate win.

The Nerazzurri are the only remaining Serie A team in Europe’s elite competition.

• Read more – What to expect from Atalanta vs. Bayern Munich and how it impacts Italy

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero joked with Luka Modric after Milan’s 1-0 win over Inter on Sunday: ‘With Italian restaurants and food, you can play until 50.’

Modric was one of the best players on the pitch in Milan’s 1-0 victory over city rivals Inter on Sunday.

Del Piero tells Modric: ‘You can play until 50

Italy and Juventus legend Del Piero commented on the game as a pundit for CBS Sports last night and joked with the Croatian legend: “It was amazing again watching you. Congratulations again,” Del Piero said.

“With Italian restaurants and food, you can play until 50. Our quality of food is amazing, don’t know if you agree.”

The Rossoneri’s win leaves them second in the standings, still seven points behind their city rivals, and Modric argued that if the team had performed better in “small games”, they’d have been closer to their rivals.

Milan, in fact, have only lost twice in Serie A this term, while Inter have suffered five defeats.

The Nerazzurri, however, only picked up one draw against Milan’s nine.

Inter have won 22 of 28 games this term, and their city rivals have collected 17.

“We are very proud people. We like to fight.”

Luka Modrić shares what being from Zadar means to him pic.twitter.com/6azHQPAgRM

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

Italy World Cup winner and former Bayern Munich star Luca Toni feels the Bavarians ‘must not underestimate Atalanta’ in the Champions League Round of 16: ‘If they take it lightly, it’s a risk.’

Atalanta and Bayern Munich meet in the Champions League Round of 16 with the first leg played in Bergamo on Tuesday, March 10.

Toni warns Bayern about Atalanta

Bayern Munich are among the favourites to win the Champions League this season, and, naturally, “emirates online casinos” sees them as the most likely team to progress to the quarter-finals, where they’d meet the winner of the tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Atalanta, however, have already shocked some European heavyweights this season, especially in Bergamo, with Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund both losing at the New Balance Arena in the previous Champions League phases.

“On paper, Bayern are much stronger than Atalanta. La Dea has good players, and they play good football with Raffaele Palladino on the bench, especially in the Champions League,” Toni, a former Bayern Munich and Fiorentina star, told Prime Video Italia.

“The coach has changed the team’s mentality. I’ve heard Juric didn’t have a good relationship with the team, but Palladino has recreated a good atmosphere inside the team, as it happened with Gasperini.”

Palladino replaced Juric at the start of November, and La Dea has since won 15 of 26 games.

Bayern Munich will travel to Bergamo without the injured Manuel Neuer, while Harry Kane should be available after missing Friday’s Bundesliga game against Borussia Monchengladbach.

“It’s all in their hands. If they are on their day, they are clearly favourites. Bayern have fantastic players,” Toni continued.

“That being said, they should not underestimate Aalanta, who have the confidence and the pride to have reached such a stage. It will be the game of a lifetime for Atalanta, and it’s a risk if Bayern take it lightly.”

Atalanta hope Ederson will be available on Tuesday after missing the last five matches due to an injury.

“Ederson is one of the most European players, one of the best,” Toni concluded.

“Let’s see who will play in attack, but Atalanta are characterised by team spirit, as everyone helps.”

Toni spent two seasons at Bayern Munich, scoring 58 goals in 89 games.

During his playing career, the former Italian striker won a Bundesliga title in 2007-08 and the German Cup in the same year.

With Italy, he won the 2006 World Cup. He was twice the Serie A top goalscorer, first in 2005-06 with 31 goals and then in 2014-15 with 22 goals, the same as Mauro Icardi.

Liverpool has suffered a major injury blow with goalkeeper Alisson Becker ruled out of the Champions League clash against Galatasaray.

The Brazilian shot-stopper did not travel to Istanbul with the rest of Arne Slot’s squad for the round-of-16 first-leg encounter after sustaining a setback during training on Monday.

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Paul Joyce, writing for The Times, confirmed the news and explained that the issue arose following the team’s final session before departure.

Joyce wrote: “Alisson will miss Liverpool’s Champions League game with Galatasaray having complained of discomfort after Monday’s training session.”

While the problem is reportedly minor, the decision to leave the 33-year-old on Merseyside reflects a cautious approach from the Liverpool medical staff.

Nevertheless, the timing is a significant headache for Slot, as Alisson’s presence in high-stakes European away games has often been the difference for the Reds.

Giorgi Mamardashvili to step in for injured Alisson Becker

The report adds that the goalkeeper has not travelled to Istanbul and that Giorgi Mamardashvili is in line to replace him.

The Georgian international, who officially joined the club in the summer of 2025, is now set to make his first appearance since the FA Cup victory over Barnsley two months ago.

Mamardashvili is no stranger to the atmosphere at RAMS Park, having replaced Alisson as a substitute during Liverpool’s 1–0 defeat there back in September.

With 11 appearances already this season, the 25-year-old will be tasked with providing the defensive stability required to take a positive result back to Anfield.

Alisson Becker is among one of the most injury-prone goalkeepers

This latest setback unfortunately continues a frustrating trend for Alisson.

Despite his status as one of the world’s elite goalkeepers, his availability has been a persistent concern.

He has already missed nine matches this season across all competitions, including a significant spell in late 2025 due to a hamstring injury.

Since 2019, Alisson has faced a variety of muscle, hip, and calf issues that have forced Liverpool to rely heavily on their backup options.

While the club’s investment in Mamardashvili was intended to future-proof the position, the frequent reliance on the deputy has resulted in growing concern over the Brazilian’s long-term future at the club.

The post Liverpool handed major blow before Galatasaray clash as key player is ruled out appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Verdict: Away win Best odds: 6/5 Bookmaker: Olympusbet For the second time in six months, Barcelona arrive at St James’ Park as Newcastle United host the Spanish giants in Tuesday’s Champions League last‑16 first leg. The Magpies earned their place in the knockout rounds by defeating Qarabag in the playoffs, while Hansi Flick’s side secured […]

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Verdict: Draw Best odds: 3/1 Bookmaker: ZetBet Liverpool resume their Champions League campaign on Tuesday night as they travel to RAMS Park for the first leg of their round‑of‑16 tie against Galatasaray. While the Reds sit sixth in the Premier League, they take confidence from finishing third in the Champions League league phase. Their hosts, […]

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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit back at Xavi by stating the same group of players have won more under Hansi Flick. Xavi, a Blaugrana legend, left his role in charge of Barca at the end of the 2023-24 season. Under his guidance, Barca won LaLiga in the 2022-23 campaign. In a recent interview with […]

The post Laporta hits back at Xavi: The same players are winning under Flick appeared first on Soccer News.

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While Manchester United might have watched their sensational Premier League purple patch come to an abrupt end last time out, the Reds are clearly relishing life under Michael Carrick’s guidance. Although the former Middlesbrough boss might have made a shock return to Old Trafford on temporary basis back in January, United remarkably now have their […]

The post Manchester United are keeping a very close eye on this season’s relegation scrap appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Manchester United are keeping a very close eye on this season’s relegation scrap appeared first on Soccer News.

After a successful tenure as Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta has positioned himself as a candidate seeking a third term at the club. While he has received support from several current and former players, Xavi Hernández has taken a stance against him, instead backing Víctor Font. Not only that, but he also made explosive remarks, blaming the candidate for Lionel Messi’s failure to return to the club. In response, Laporta delivered a strong reply.

Even though Xavi Hernández returned to Barcelona under Joan Laporta in 2021, his departure from the club in 2024 damaged the relationship between the two. After remaining silent for several years about his exit, the former coach decided to speak out, making a surprising revelation about the candidate who supposedly rejected Lionel Messi’s return in January 2023. In response, Laporta fired back at him.

“I was surprised and hurt. When I see these statements from Xavi, I think of Flick. It’s hard to be president of Barca and you have to make difficult decisions. I did what I had to do… With Xavi, I saw that we were going to lose, and with Flick, I see that we are going to win. I understand that he is hurt. While Xavi was losing, Flick is winning games with the same players,” Laporta said, via Mundo Deportivo.

Far from agreeing with Xavi Hernández regarding Lionel Messi’s potential return, Laporta decided to reaffirm his own version of events, rejecting the former coach’s comments: “It was like this with Messi: When we couldn’t renew him in 2023 due to financial issues, he told me that Messi wanted to return. I sent the contract to Jorge Messi, who later came to my house and told me that here he would have too much pressure.”

Barcelona’s Laporta has no regrets over Lionel Messi, Xavi departures

Following Josep Maria Bartomeu’s controversial tenure, Joan Laporta took over as president of Barcelona with serious financial challenges. With astronomical debt, they were on the verge of bankruptcy, but the board’s decisions put them back on the winning track. However, the former president had to make tough decisions, such as not renewing Messi’s contract and letting legends like Xavi and Ronald Koeman leave, which he does not regret.

“The three toughest decisions I have made are about Messi, Koeman, and Xavi. I made them by putting Barça’s interests first. I had two of them as players, and they are decisions one has to take. They are legends of Barcelona. Barça cannot be run with a computer; it is about feeling. Barça is above players and presidents,” Joan Laporta said, via Mundo Deportivo.

Alongside this, Laporta expanded on the reasons behind Xavi Hernández’s departure. He not only revealed that he had relaxed in his work, but also that he was dissatisfied with the squad and wanted to replace several players. With this, the former president made it clear that his priority has always been the team, and that he would make any decision necessary if it meant returning the club to a winning path and restoring its financial stability.

USL Championship TV Schedule

The USL Championship TV schedule features a total of 34 games for each team. However, with some former USL Championship teams moving to MLS Next Pro, the quantity of teams is a nice round number of 25.

Like past years, the 2026 USL Championship season features a total of 34 games for each team.

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The 2026 USL Championship season features a two-conference alignment consisting of 25 teams: 13 in the Eastern Conference and 12 in the Western Conference. Each club competes in a 34-match schedule, which includes 30 regular season league games and four group-stage matches in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.

To maintain regional rivalries, teams play their own conference opponents twice (once at home and once away). The remainder of the league schedule is filled by five or six inter-conference matchups against select teams from the opposite side of the bracket.

At the end of the 30-game regular season, the top eight teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs. The postseason follows a fixed-bracket, single-elimination format, culminating in the USL Championship Final to determine the league title.

Broadcast information

Ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season, the broadcasters in the United States for the league changed. ESPN, which had the rights previously, was still a regular for games. ESPN+ had games, with ESPN and ESPN2 also occasionally showing contests.

However, as part of the change, CBS got in on the action. That change meant games were available on TV channels like CBS, CBS Sports Network and the CBS Sports Golazo Network. Coverage was also available on Paramount+.

Select Spanish-language contests are available on TUDN.

We’re continually updating the USL Championship TV schedule throughout the season, so bookmark the page to watch for the latest listings.

Brian Dunseth has already staked out an unforgettable legacy as a soccer player, but now, he’s staking out a new legacy as a commentator.

Born in Upland, California, on March 2, 1977, Dunseth started playing for Upland Celtic, dominating against other teams in the state and eventually earning an invitation to a tournament in England. At 12 years of age, Dunseth faced off against teams from England, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and while he believed that he had done well enough to continue his progression, he was soon dealt a cold dose of reality. Immediately after heading back to the Golden State, Dunseth was cut from the squad.

“I was lucky enough to be playing at 12 years old for a Celtic team that smashed everybody in California. I mean, we were winning everything, so much so that we ended up going to England and playing teams from England, Holland, and Denmark. And at the end of that tournament, I was the only one on the team who got cut,” stated Dunseth in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview.

“It was devastating, because my best friend’s dad was the team manager, these are all my friends, and all of a sudden, it was my first real failure in a protected environment. From that moment on, man, it was all I wanted. I continued to play all the other sports—basketball, baseball, football, all those things—and I was like, ‘You know what? Screw those guys. I’m gonna show those MFers.’ In my mind, I just locked in.”

Despite this early rejection, Dunseth didn’t give up on his dreams; instead, he grinded even harder. He started working alongside two ex-convicts, making $2.75 an hour as a dishwasher at a convalescent hospital, and excelled as Damien High School’s #10 before being one of the last players recruited to Cal State Fullerton, who agreed to pay for his parking, books, and one meal per day, but not his school expenses.

Dunseth transitioned from #10 to center back and kept his pedal to the metal, which eventually resulted in a breakthrough 1997. After representing the United States in Malaysia in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, Dunseth became one of the first players to sign a Project-40 (now Generation Adidas) contract, effectively fast-tracking him into MLS.

He was assigned to the New England Revolution and emerged as a key figure in defense before being traded to the Miami Fusion in 2001. However, his time in the 305 came to an abrupt end after the Fusion folded, with Dunseth being selected by the Columbus Crew in the 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft. He enjoyed the prime form of his career, helping them come within inches of the MLS Cup Final and winning the U.S. Open Cup, before being traded to the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) in September 2003.

“I always had seemed to find myself in situations and teams where I was good enough to play, but I wasn’t good enough to be on those consistent, winning teams that challenged for titles. I never felt in my professional career like I had a coach that really believed in me, like ‘that’s my guy.’ I mean this with the utmost respect, when you look at Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, and Sigi Schmid, those three super iconic managers in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s of Major League Soccer, even the Dom Kinnears, the Frankie Yallops, I never had those type of coaches that just had blind faith in me, no matter what.

“I was their guy, and this was going to be a cultivated winning team. So when I got in that moment, I played in the first game at Crew Stadium with the New England Revolution. It was an amazing atmosphere: Brian McBride, Jeff Cunningham, Stern John, Brian Maisonneuve, all those guys… I’m frustrated, because we should have done the double. What people forget is that we ended up losing to the Revolution in the Eastern Conference Final to a Jay Heaps goal. We would have effectively played the Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final, and hosted the Galaxy in the Open Cup Final back-to-back within the same week. We were already devastated, we were frustrated, and the Galaxy had won the most important thing.”

“We didn’t care about it, and we smashed them from the opening whistle. And I remember spraying a ball out to Freddy ‘Cabeza de Hongo’ García; he ends up playing a ball back across to Brian West, back of the net. We end up winning 1-0. And what was cool about it at the time was Lamar Hunt. He was one of the most genuine human beings that you could possibly ever come across; he had invested in the club, he invested in Major League Soccer.

“To have the U.S. Open Cup trophy named after him, to be able to be up on that stage and get handed the trophy from the owner of the Columbus Crew in the first soccer-specific stadium with his name on it, it was really, really cool. And to be in those celebratory moments, to have him in the locker room with us, I can vividly remember going over to him and hugging him and saying, ‘Without you, these opportunities don’t exist. Without you, this moment is nothing more than a fantasy for a kid that grew up in Southern California with dreams and hopes and aspirations.’ I grew up trying to consume every bit of soccer in a world that’s not like today, when you can throw on Paramount Plus and have the opportunity to watch 80 games this afternoon. It was wild how much fun it was, both on and off the field, and the stories that will never be told… it was a really incredible moment.”

Dunseth spent just a few months in Texas before moving to Swedish side Bodens BK, returning after a year and spending a season with Real Salt Lake. He then bounced around from Chivas USA to the LA Galaxy, becoming the first-ever player in MLS history to be on the roster of seven different teams before retiring in 2006.

Similar to other Californians like Jordan Gardner, Dunseth continues to play a leading role in shaping American soccer culture, working for major outlets like Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN, SiriusXM, and NBC Sports and calling Real Salt Lake games for his local channel. And today, he’s serving as a commentator on Apple TV alongside Max Bretos, traveling across the country and announcing a number of different Major League Soccer matches.

“Usually, if it’s a West Coast game like Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, or LAFC—those type of games—I’ll travel Saturday morning to the game just because it’s more efficient; I’ll gain that extra hour, call the game, come back first thing Sunday, and miss a majority of my kids’ soccer. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I’ve got Counterattack with Tony Meola on SiriusXM FC; I’ll wake up at 6 and get the kids ready for school. Now my oldest is driving, I don’t have to worry about him; middle boy back to school, youngest to school; I’ll do the show from 8 to 11 local time. If I’m booked to do any appearances or podcasts, I’ll try to knock those out on Mondays. I have a podcast called ‘Week in the Tackle’ with Tom Rennie. He’s the Premier League announcer for TalkSport; he’s amazing, really, really talented, he does the football show on SiriusXM, and our podcast on ‘Week in the Tackle’ is usually recorded either Monday or Tuesday. Thursday I’ll do a local show, called Talking RSL, for one of the local television channels.”

“If I have any hosting commitments or any appearances sprinkled throughout there, Fridays are usually committed to doing SiriusXM in the morning, and then doing our preview conversations with coaches. In the midst of all of this, I’ve got three boys that are playing ECNL soccer, so I’m heavily invested in driving them to practices and staying at their practices and being there with them, because I miss out on a majority of their games. And in the mornings of those Saturdays, I’m usually glued to my computer or to my phone, logged in to the Hudl Cam to watch their games, and then communicate with them afterwards. I’ve been happily married for 20 years… there’s always something going on, there’s always something that we’re either driving to or trying to get to, with my kids so heavily committed to soccer.”

After the victory against Benfica, Real Madrid secured a place in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Despite this, they still have several absences ahead of their clash with Manchester City, with Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo being the most notable. Far from recovering players, Vinícius Jr. has now lost another key teammate for coach Álvaro Arbeloa, forcing the team to make significant rotations.

Just days before facing the Citizens, Álvaro Carreras was diagnosed with a muscle injury in the calf of his right leg, Real Madrid reported on their official website. While the club did not provide further details on his recovery timeline, Diario MARCA reveals that the Spanish defender could be sidelined for only one week, meaning he could still be available for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Despite only arriving at Los Blancos at the start of the season for €50 million, Carreras quickly established himself as the undisputed starter at left back. Not only does he contribute defensively, but he also offers a great deal creatively, making him one of the most complete players in his position. For this reason, his absence against Manchester City is quite significant, but coach Arbeloa already seems to have a replacement in mind.

According to Diario MARCA, coach Álvaro Arbeloa has decided to rely once again on Ferland Mendy, who recently recovered from a series of muscle injuries. With only 202 minutes played this season, the Frenchman’s potential start raises considerable uncertainty among fans. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old defender has proven to be a rock at the back, which could be crucial in countering Manchester City’s powerful attack.

Real Madrid’s Arbeloa reportedly set to bet on youngster in midfield

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Real Madrid have been hampered by injuries in defense and midfield, creating inconsistency in their performances. However, Jude Bellingham’s thigh injury has notably weakened the team. In response, coach Álvaro Arbeloa has decided to rely on two young academy players, but one of them has surprised with his level and is reportedly set to start against Manchester City.

While Jorge Cestero was one of the first youngsters to debut under Arbeloa, it has been Thiago Pitarch who has truly impressed with his performances. After playing against Benfica and getting minutes in LaLiga, he is now expected to start against Manchester City, according to Diario AS. If that happens, he would become ineligible to play in the UEFA Youth League with Juvenil A, as it would be his third appearance in the Champions League.

Il Mattino confirms that Napoli are in a hurry to agree to a contract extension with Scott McTominay, with the club’s desire driven by ‘internal balance’ rather than the player’s demands.

Napoli are set to offer McTominay a new deal, and Il Mattino confirms that the Partenopei hope to shake hands with the Scottish star in a short time.

The Naples-based newspaper (via TuttoNapoli) reports that club directors believe the 29-year-old deserves a new contract based on his performances, not because the player has demanded one and a higher salary.

The former Manchester United midfielder has never raised financial complaints, but maintaining the team’s internal balance has prompted Napoli to prepare an offer with a pay rise for their midfield star.

McTominay is contracted at the Stadio Maradona until June 2028, and previous reports claimed that the club is planning to extend his stay by two more years, until 2030.

McTominay has scored ten goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season.

He contributed to the 2024-25 Scudetto victory, being named Serie A’s best player.

At the heart of what has become an infamous crisis, Tottenham will get their Champions League Round of 16 adventure underway when they travel to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night. While Igor Tudor might have only arrived in north London less than a month ago, the Croatian tactician already finds the pressure on his shoulders […]

The post Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Bet Builder Tips – 5/1 Champions League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Bet Builder Tips – 5/1 Champions League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

Xavi has sensationally hit out at Joan Laporta, accusing the Barcelona president of blocking Lionel Messi’s potential return to the club. Messi left Barca in 2021, with the club reportedly unable to agree terms on a new contract for the Argentine superstar, who is their record goalscorer. Xavi coached Barca between November 2021 and May […]

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The post Xavi claims Laporta blocked Messi´s Barcelona return appeared first on Soccer News.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Hakan Calhanoglu has sustained a strain in the adductor of his right thigh, which will force him to miss the next game against Atalanta, but Inter hope Alessandro Bastoni will recover in time.

Inter star Calhanoglu will miss the next Serie A match against Atalanta on Saturday due to a new adductor injury.

Latest Inter injury updates: Bastoni and Calhanoglu

As reported by Gazzetta, the Turkey international underwent medical tests on Monday morning after feeling discomfort during the warm-up of yesterday’s match against Milan.

Examinations highlighted a mild strain in the adductor of his right thigh, which will rule him out of the next league game.

Calhanoglu was an unused substitute during Sunday’s 1-0 loss against Milan. Inter coach Cristian Chivu explained that the Nerazzurri star “wasn’t feeling well,” so he was not involved in the derby.

Last Tuesday, Calhanoglu had played almost an hour in a Coppa Italia semifinal first leg against Como.

As for Bastoni, Inter hope the Azzurri defender won’t need further examinations after being forced to be subbed off against Milan.

As Chivu explained after the match, Bastoni had a “knock in the shin.”

Gazzetta reports that Bastoni was still limping on Monday and will be assessed by Inter doctors on Tuesday, but the Nerazzurri hope he’ll return in time for the next Serie A match.

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are interested in a potential summer transfer for Tottenham Hotspur and former Genoa defender Djed Spence as the Bianconeri draw up a list of targets to strengthen their full-back position. 

Juventus interested in Tottenham’s Spence according to reports in Italy

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, full-back is among the priority positions for Juventus to strengthen during the off-season. There have been recent links between the Bianconeri and Italy hopeful Michael Kayode at Brentford, and also with Roma’s Zeki Celik, who could become available on a free transfer. 

According to Monday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the latest name on the wishlist is Tottenham right-back Spence, who knows Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini from their time together at Genoa. 

Ottolini brought Spence to Genoa on loan with an option to buy, around the same time that Radu Dragusin moved to Tottenham during the January transfer window in 2024. The three-time England international made 16 Serie A appearances during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign. 

As things stand, there have not been any formal negotiations between the two sides, but according to Monday’s report, Juventus would need to pay a fee in the region of €30m if they are to lure Spence away from the relegation-threatened Tottenham.

That is a similar fee to the one that has been cited for the potential signing of Kayode. 

€30m is a considerable fee for Juventus, especially at full-back, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the Old Lady may have to look at moving on one of their current players first before they are able to pull off this sort of deal. Pierre Kalulu has been mentioned as one of the players who could potentially be sacrificed in the summer. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus are happy with Jeremie Boga’s performances so far and are considering making his move permanent for less than €5m.

Juventus are satisfied with the impact of their January signing Boga, as the ex-Sassuolo and Atalanta winger has scored two goals and provided one assist in seven appearances as a substitute.

How much do Juventus need to pay to sign Boga permanently?

The Ivory Coast international moved to the Allianz Stadium on loan with an option to buy from OGC Nice on the winter transfer window deadline day, and the Serie A giants can make his move permanent for just €4.8m.

As reported by Gazzetta, Boga’s convincing performances so far and the favourable financial conditions of the deal have already convinced Juventus to consider his permanent transfer.

Boga’s permanent transfer would also be affordable in terms of salary, as the 29-year-old would earn between €1.5m and €2m.

Before joining Juventus, Boga had not played a competitive match since November 30.

His time at OGC Nice practically ended a few days later when a group of circa 400 ultras targeted the player and the club’s sporting director with a very serious physical assault, as if they were responsible for a six-game losing streak.

“It was a bad moment for my family and me. I still can’t go through the details, but I spent two months alone at home with my fitness coach and my wife,” Boga said in his first interview as a Juventus player in February.

“It was a bad moment, but now I’m happy to be out of that situation.

“It was a bad moment for my family and me. I still can’t go through the details, but I spent two months alone at home with my fitness coach and my wife. It was a bad moment, but now I’m happy to be out of that situation.

“Juventus saved me. It’s been a blessing.”

Newcastle United are reportedly preparing an ambitious summer move for Sporting CP striker Luis Suárez, with the Colombian forward emerging as a major transfer target for Eddie Howe’s side.

According to journalist Sebastián Vidal, the Magpies have begun exploring a potential deal that could reach £50 million, as the club looks to strengthen its attacking options ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Newcastle are facing an increasingly competitive race for European qualification.

Inconsistency throughout the campaign has exposed areas where the squad may require reinforcements, and the club’s recruitment team is believed to be prioritising the addition of a prolific striker.

Suárez’s Outstanding Season in Portugal

The striker has enjoyed a remarkable season with Sporting CP, quickly establishing himself as one of the most productive forwards in Portuguese football.

Across all competitions this season, the Colombia international has scored 29 goals and provided six assists in 37 appearances, numbers that have drawn attention from clubs across Europe.

Sporting signed Suárez from Spanish side Almería last summer, and his impact has been immediate. The 28-year-old combines physical strength with intelligent movement in the penalty area, making him a constant threat to opposing defenses.

Despite being under contract with the Portuguese club until 2030, reports indicate that Suárez would be open to considering a move to a bigger European league if the right opportunity arises.

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Newcastle United are looking for attacking reinforcements

Newcastle’s interest in Suárez reflects the club’s desire to improve their attacking output.

Although Howe’s side has shown flashes of quality this season, the team has struggled for consistency in front of goal.

Several of Newcastle’s recent attacking signings have yet to fully meet expectations.

Players such as Anthony Elanga and Nick Woltemade have found it difficult to consistently influence matches, while forward Yoane Wissa has endured injury setbacks and struggled to replicate his previous scoring form.

These challenges have prompted Newcastle’s recruitment team to evaluate alternative options capable of providing a reliable goal threat.

“From what I hear…” – Newcastle given important message over potential £70m forward transfer

The post Newcastle working on deal to sign £50 million-rated striker from Portugal appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Barcelona have reportedly begun closely monitoring Tottenham defender Luka Vušković as the Catalan club searches for promising young centre-backs to strengthen its squad in the coming years.

According to Sky Germany, the Spanish giants have added the 19-year-old Croatian to their defensive shortlist following his impressive performances while on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg.

Vušković has been enjoying a breakthrough season in Germany, establishing himself as a regular starter and attracting attention from several clubs across Europe.

Although Hamburg are keen to retain the teenager for another season, Tottenham are believed to have different plans for the highly rated defender.

Vušković has impressed on his loan spell at Hamburg

Vušković joined Hamburg on loan to gain valuable first-team experience, and the move has proven beneficial for his development.

Despite his young age, he has quickly adapted to the intensity of German football and has become a consistent presence in Hamburg’s defensive line.

Standing well over six feet tall, Vušković combines strong aerial ability with composure in possession, qualities that have made him stand out in the Bundesliga.

The Croatian youth international was already regarded as one of Europe’s most promising defensive prospects before his move to Germany.

His performances this season have only strengthened that reputation, with scouts from several clubs reportedly following his progress.

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Mar 9 2026, 19:52

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Mar 9 2026, 19:19

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Mar 9 2026, 17:11

Defender is part of long term plans at Tottenham

Tottenham secured Vušković with the expectation that he would eventually become part of their long-term defensive structure.

While the current loan spell has allowed him to develop away from the spotlight of the Premier League, Spurs are reportedly keen to integrate him into the first-team setup once the season concludes.

Hamburg, however, are said to be pushing for a second loan agreement in order to keep the young defender for another campaign.

The Bundesliga club believe another year of regular football could further accelerate his development.

Barcelona have been actively rebuilding their defensive options in recent seasons and are keen to add technically strong centre-backs capable of playing out from the back.

Vušković’s composure and ball-playing ability match well with Barcelona’s traditional style of football.

Supercomputer predicts unthinkable Tottenham relegation as Premier League title winner revealed

The post Barcelona add Tottenham star to defensive shortlist but face stumbling block in his chase appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Fulham defender Antonee Robinson has emerged as a target ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, with both Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly monitoring his situation.

According to TEAMtalk, the United States international would favour a move to Liverpool if he were to leave Craven Cottage at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Both clubs are evaluating potential reinforcements at left-back, though their transfer strategies may depend heavily on whether they secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

With Robinson believed to be available for a fee in the region of £25 million, the 28-year-old could represent a relatively affordable solution for two clubs seeking experienced Premier League defenders.

Robinson has experienced a meteoric rise at Fulham

Robinson has developed into one of the most reliable left-backs in the Premier League since joining Fulham from Wigan Athletic in 2020.

He is known for his blistering pace, attacking runs and his defensive consistency.

This season he has once again been among Fulham’s best performers, contributing both defensively and offensively with consistent displays down the left flank.

Robinson’s performances have also strengthened his reputation internationally, where he remains a vital player for the United States men’s national team.

More Stories / Latest News

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Mar 9 2026, 19:52

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Mar 9 2026, 19:19

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Man United and Liverpool are interested in the left-back

Liverpool’s interest is closely tied to the uncertain future of Andy Robertson, who has been a central figure at Anfield for nearly a decade.

As the Scottish international enters the latter stages of his career and speculation about his future grows, Liverpool’s recruitment team is exploring potential successors.

Man United, meanwhile, are also planning ahead in the same position.

Luke Shaw has been an important player at Old Trafford for years but has struggled with injuries in recent seasons.

As a result, United are assessing options capable of providing both reliability and long-term stability on the left side of defense.

While both Liverpool and Man United are monitoring the situation, Robinson’s reported preference for Anfield could give the Merseyside club an early advantage.

Man United pursuit of Premier League midfielder depends on UCL qualification

The post Left-back on Man United radar to replace Luke Shaw favours move to Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Prediction: Bodo/Glimt to win 2-1 Best Odds: 8/1 Bookmaker: Zetbet Bodo/Glimt and Sporting CP will lock horns in the UEFA Champions League this week. The first leg of the last-16 tie between the Norwegian Eliteserien club and the Portuguese Primeira Liga side will be held at the Aspmyra Stadion in Bodo and is scheduled to […]

The post Prediction: Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP appeared first on Soccer News.

Struggling Juventus striker Jonathan David is reportedly of interest to Ligue 1 side Lyon after a disappointing first season in Serie A with the Bianconeri according to the latest reports. 

David joined Juventus on a free transfer at the beginning of the summer transfer window following a five-year spell with Lille in Ligue 1, during which time he scored 109 goals from 232 appearances across all competitions. 

The Canada international has struggled to replicate that form in Serie A, though. He has five goals and four assists to his name from league appearances so far this term. 

David showed some encouraging signs in January and early February with four goals and two assists from a run of five league matches, but these have been his only goals in the league other than his strike on the opening day of the 2025-26 season. 

Now, David appears to be falling down the pecking order in the Juventus striking department. He was hooked at half-time of Juventus’s 4-0 victory over Pisa in Serie A over the weekend, and watched on as his teammates scored four second-half goals in his absence. 

Recent reports indicate that Luciano Spalletti is now inclined to stick with his ‘fluid front three’ for next weekend’s match against Udinese, leaving David out altogether. The Canadian’s opportunities are expected to be further reduced once Dusan Vlahovic makes his return from injury. 

Could David return to Ligue 1 after less than a year with Juventus?

According to reports from Tuttosport and Calciomercato.com, David could potentially be poised to head back to Ligue 1 less than a year after he left Lille on a free transfer. 

Lyon are said to be among the teams interested in a potential deal for David should he become available during the summer transfer window. 

The French side, under the guidance of former Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca, are currently third in the Ligue 1 table, and it is understood that their interest in David is dependent on their qualification for next season’s Champions League. The top three teams in France are granted an automatic spot in the Champions League, with fourth-place earning a place in the play-offs. 

David technically joined Juventus on a free transfer last summer, but the Bianconeri still spent a reported €12m on commission and signing-on fees, and are currently paying the striker a salary in the region of €6m per season after tax.

Cristian Chivu says Hakan Calhanoglu ‘wasn’t feeling well’ so he was not involved in the Milan derby on Sunday.

Inter star Calhanoglu spent 90 minutes on the bench in a 1-0 loss against city rivals Milan on Sunday.

• Read more – Milan 1-0 Inter: Three things learned in Derby della Madonnina

Calhanoglu ‘wasn’t feeling well’, Chivu says

As reported by FcInternews, Chivu gave a brief reply to a reporter’s question during a post-match press conference last night, saying that Calhanoglu “wasn’t feeling well”, so he was not even involved as a substitute.

Calhanoglu, 32, has been dealing with several fitness issues in recent weeks. He missed seven games, five in Serie A and two in the Champions League, between January and February due to a calf problem.

He returned as a substitute against Juventus on February 14, playing for about 30 minutes, but then missed the next three matches due to a muscle injury.

Last Tuesday, he started in the Coppa Italia semifinal first leg against Como and was replaced after 58 minutes.

The Turkish international has scored and provided four assists in 25 appearances across all competitions this season.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso will be waiting for updates from Inter and Arsenal as Azzurri stars Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori suffered injuries in their latest club appearances, barely two weeks before the World Cup play-off semifinal against Northern Ireland.

Italy defenders Bastoni and Calafiori sustained injuries over the last weekend, and the Azzurri will be waiting for updates from their clubs, Inter and Arsenal, ahead of a crucial match against Northern Ireland on the horizon.

Calafiori was subbed off during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Mansfield Town on Saturday. After the match, the Gunners’ coach Mikel Arteta said Calafiori had had “little niggles” and wasn’t “comfortable continuing.”

Arsenal play Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, and Arteta will likely provide a fresh update on Tuesday, the eve of the game.

Bastoni, on the other hand, sustained an injury during Inter’s 1-0 loss against Milan in the derby della Madonnina on Sunday and had to be substituted after coming off worse in a challenge with Adrien Rabiot that even cost him a yellow card.

“He took a knock in the shin,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said in his post-match press conference on Sunday.

“He was limping; we’ll see over the next few days, but it’s a knock.”

Inter players have a day off today, so, as reported by Gazzetta, the club’s medical staff will assess Bastoni’s condition on Tuesday.

Bastoni looked to be in a lot of pain and limped off the pitch, helped to the bench by Inter’s medical staff. Nevertheless, the Nerazzurri and Italy hope that 48 hours of rest will be enough for the defender to be fit for the next few matches.

Bastoni has made four appearances under Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, missing one due to suspension and spending another entirely on the bench.

Calafiori has played three times under Gattuso, missing two matches due to injury and remaining on the bench once.

Italy host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semifinal on March 26, and if they progress to the final, they will visit the winner of Wales-Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Refereeing expert Luca Marelli believes that Daniele Doveri was correct in his decision to not award a last-minute penalty to Inter after shouts for a Samuele Ricci handball at the end of Sunday evening’s Derby della Madonnina against Milan: ‘Not punishable’. 

Milan claimed the bragging rights in Sunday’s derby: Pervis Estupinan’s first-half strike proving enough for the Rossoneri to hold onto a 1-0 victory. This was their second consecutive victory over Cristian Chivu’s side and their fifth in an unbeaten run of seven against the Nerazzurri. 

Inter still remain seven points clear at the top of the Serie A table with 10 matches of the season left to play, but many claim that Milan are the only team remaining that is capable of putting any real pressure on the league leaders heading into the final stretch. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

• Read more: Remaining Inter and Milan fixtures compared

What Marelli said about Ricci handball incident in Milan 1-0 Inter 

There were some appeals for an Inter penalty In the final minute of second-half stoppage time in San Siro on Sunday night. 

The ball did strike the arm of second-half substitute Ricci in the penalty area after a touch from Inter defender Denzel Dumfries, however, Doveri did not blow for a handball as he judged the player’s arm to be in a natural position and deemed that he had instinctively attempted to move his arm out of the way rather than moving towards the ball.

Speaking to DAZN after full-time on Sunday evening, refereeing expert Marelli agreed with the decision to not take further action in the closing minutes of the derby: “The touch isn’t punishable because the movement of his arm was to avoid, not create an obstacle,” he declared. 

Inter legend Beppe Bergomi feels that Samuele Ricci’s handball in the final minutes of the Milan derby was worthy of a pitchside VAR review, but Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta is ‘pleased’ that such incidents will no longer be considered penalties.

Inter suffered a 1-0 loss against city rivals Milan on Sunday, but the Nerazzurri complained about a potential penalty in the dying minutes, when the Rossoneri midfielder Ricci unintentionally touched the ball with his arm inside the box.

“I believe the proximity influenced VAR’s evaluation. Up to now, penalties like these have always been given,” former Milan defender Costacurta told Sky Sport Italia (via Fanpage).

Costacurta, Di Canio and Bergomi examine Ricci’s handball in Milan derby

“However, I’m pleased that something has changed over the last two matchdays. In my opinion, this type of incident is never a penalty, but until two weeks ago, it was. I like that, from now on, it will no longer be considered such.

“Until two weeks ago, we were complaining like crazy because they were giving these ridiculous penalties every time,” Costacurta continued.

“Apparently, they looked at it and made an assessment. Maybe it wasn’t a clear penalty after he didn’t block a shot. I ask myself, why are we wasting so much time on this?”

Paolo Di Canio, a former Milan, Lazio and Juventus striker, argued: “For me, the arm here stops the ball, which otherwise would have gone onto his side. In trying to pull his arm away, he slightly cushions the ball. The advantage gained from the instinctive movement to retract the arm is that the ball stays there.

“I’d just like to see the referee’s position again and whether he had a clear view. In that situation, maybe VAR could have suggested something, or at least asked him whether he had seen it clearly.”

On the other hand, Inter legend Bergomi felt that the referee should have reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor: “I’ve seen many penalties given this way, even less obvious ones. But I don’t want to fuel controversy,” said the 1982 Italy World Cup winner.

“The referee didn’t see it, and the player was close. In this case, VAR should intervene; I don’t know why it didn’t.”

Inter remain the Serie A table leaders with a seven-point lead over their city rivals.

The Nerazzurri have collected 22 wins in 28 league matches, drawing once and losing five times, including twice against their city rivals.

Many claim that Milan have ‘re-opened’ the race for the 2025-26 Scudetto with their 1-0 victory over Inter in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday evening, but which of the two sides has the tougher run of fixtures heading into the final 10 matches of the season? 

A first-half strike from unlikely hero Pervis Estupinan gave Milan all three points in their decisive derby against city rivals Inter in Serie A on Sunday night. 

The Nerazzurri are still seven points clear at the top of the league standings with 10 games to go after last night’s defeat, with the Rossoneri the only side looking capable of applying any real pressure on Cristian Chivu’s side. 

As things stand, Inter remain in control of the league table heading into the final 10 league games of the season, and they also have the slightly ‘easier’ run of fixtures compared to Milan in terms of the average league position of their remaining opponents. 

The Nerazzurri still have challenging fixtures against the likes of Atalanta (home), Roma (home), Como (away) and Bologna (away) on the final day of the season, but the average league position of their remaining opponents comes out to 11.2. 

The average ranking of Milan’s remaining opponents currently comes out to 10.7. They still have difficult challenges against Napoli (away), Juventus (home) and Atalanta (away) left on their schedule. 

Inter’s remaining 2025-26 Serie A fixtures 

Atalanta (7th) at home. 

Fiorentina (17th) away. 

Roma (5th) at home. 

Como (4th) away. 

Cagliari (14th) at home. 

Torino (15th) away. 

Parma (12th) at home. 

Lazio (11th) away. 

Verona (19th) home. 

Bologna (8th) away. 

Remaining home games: Five

Remaining away games: Five

Remaining matches against teams in the top six: Two 

Average league position of remaining opponents: 11.2

Milan’s remaining 2025-26 Serie A fixtures 

Lazio (11th) away. 

Torino (15th) at home. 

Napoli (3rd) away. 

Udinese (10th) at home. 

Verona (19th) away. 

Juventus (6th) at home. 

Sassuolo (9th) away. 

Atalanta (7th) away. 

Genoa (13th) away. 

Cagliari (14th) at home. 

Remaining home games: Five

Remaining away games: Five

Remaining matches against teams in the top six: Two

Average league position of remaining opponents: 10.7

Arsenal are reportedly weighing up the possibility of sending young defender Myles Lewis-Skelly out on loan ahead of the 2026/27 season in order to accelerate his development.

According to Football Insider, the 19-year-old left-back could temporarily leave the Emirates Stadium after finding regular first-team opportunities limited in recent months.

Lewis-Skelly has started only one Premier League match since January, largely due to increased competition in Arsenal’s defensive unit.

While the club continues to view him as one of its most promising academy graduates, a loan move is being considered as a way to ensure he gains valuable senior experience.

Competition for places at Arsenal is high

Lewis-Skelly enjoyed a breakthrough period last season, making several appearances that showcased his composure on the ball ad his defensive quality.

His performances quickly earned praise from supporters and coaching staff, with many tipping him to become a long-term option in Arsenal’s defense.

However, the landscape at left-back has changed significantly this season. Arsenal strengthened their defensive depth with the additions of Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori, both of whom have become important options for manager Mikel Arteta.

Their arrival has pushed Lewis-Skelly further down the pecking order, reducing the opportunities available for the young defender.

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Everton are monitoring the young English defender

Everton are believed to be one of the clubs interested in securing Lewis-Skelly on a temporary deal.

The Merseyside side have been exploring options to strengthen their defensive depth and see the Arsenal youngster as a player who could bring energy and technical quality to their squad.

A loan move to Everton would also allow Lewis-Skelly to gain experience in the Premier League environment while continuing his development against high-level opposition.

Lewis-Skelly remains a player with significant potential, and the club are keen to ensure his progress continues.

If a deal with Everton or another Premier League club materialises this summer, it could provide the young defender with the consistent playing time needed to return to Arsenal stronger.

14 G/A star puts Arsenal on alert as he’s open to transfer away from Euro giants

The post Arsenal considering loan move for English defender struggling to get playing time appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario could be considering a return to Serie A this summer as uncertainty continues to surround both the club’s season and his own long-term future.

Reports from Italian outlet Tuttosport suggest the Italian international is open to leaving north London at the end of the campaign, particularly if Tottenham fail to stabilise their Premier League form.

Spurs find themselves in a precarious position in the league table. Sitting 16th with 29 points from 29 matches, the club are hovering just one point above the relegation zone.

With several crucial fixtures remaining, the possibility of dropping into the Championship, once considered unthinkable for a club of Tottenham’s stature, has become a genuine concern.

Vicario has fallen out at Tottenham

Tottenham’s difficult season has been marked by managerial upheaval and inconsistent performances.

The departure of Thomas Frank earlier in the campaign led to the appointment of Igor Tudor on an interim basis, but the team has yet to find consistent form under the Croatian coach.

If relegation were to occur, the club could face a significant reshaping of the squad.

High-profile players often seek moves away from teams relegated from the Premier League, and Vicario is widely seen as one of Tottenham’s most valuable assets.

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Juventus are showing interested in signing the goalkeeper

As per Tuttosport, Vicario would favour a move back to Italy, with Juventus reportedly emerging as a possible destination.

The Turin club are believed to be evaluating options in the goalkeeping department as they plan for the coming seasons.

Vicario previously impressed in Serie A during his time with Empoli, where his performances earned widespread recognition and eventually led to his move to Tottenham.

His reputation has continued to grow, particularly after he was elevated to Italy’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Reports suggest preliminary contact regarding a potential transfer has already taken place, although formal negotiations have yet to begin.

While the goalkeeper remains under contract and continues to perform at a high level, the club’s league position and internal instability could influence his future.

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Fikayo Tomori says that Milan’s improved defensive solidity is the key behind their upturn in league form this season, and notes that ‘to play two games against Inter and not concede a goal isn’t easy’.

Tomori was among the starters for Milan’s 1-0 victory over their city rivals Inter in the Derby della Madonnina in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

The Rossoneri have now won five of their last seven encounters against the Nerazzurri and are also unbeaten against them over that period. Sunday’s victory was also the second consecutive time that Massimiliano Allegri’s side have kept a clean sheet against Cristian Chivu’s side. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

Tomori reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter: ‘To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal, it’s not easy’

The Rossoneri now find themselves seven points behind the table-topping Nerazzurri, and seem to be the only side capable of applying any real pressure on Cristian Chivu’s side heading into the final 10 games of the Serie A season. 

Many of Milan’s players were asked after full-time against Inter whether they feel they are capable of closing down the seven-point gap between themselves and the Nerazzurri. 

“Who knows,” said Tomori in a post-match interview with CBS Sports. 

“I think at this point in time we just have to focus on ourselves. Obviously tonight was an important game, happy to have won. A good performance against a very, very good team. 

“The derby is always a special game and always a difficult game. We’re just focussed on winning, happy to have done that. Now we just have to go onto the next game, rest and recover, enjoy tonight. Just focus on ourselves like I said, keep going and try to finish the season as strongly as possible.” 

Tomori was asked where the Milan players would be celebrating following their victory, to which he jokingly replied: “I’m not sure. I don’t want the Mister to hear me, so I just have to stay quiet!” 

Tomori insists that Milan needed no additional motivation heading into the Inter match, and feels that his side could have easily had another couple of goals to their name before the interval. 

“I think in these kinds of games the Mister doesn’t really have to say too much because it’s a derby, you know how important it is for the club, for ourselves, for the fans, everyone. 

“The way that we approached the game in the first half, we put them under pressure, we had chances to score. Obviously we did score in the first half, but we had a lot of really dangerous opportunities and probably could have scored more. 

“At the end of the day and especially at this stage of the season, three points is all that really matters, so yeah, we’re really happy.” 

Tomori agrees that playing on the right-hand side of Massimiliano Allegri’s back three is helping to get the best out of him this season. 

“Yeah, I think so. I think I can show the different qualities that I have,” he said. “Obviously my first job is to defend, so try to do that, try to do my job first, but I think in games like today where there’s a bit of space, I can affect the game going forwards.” 

Milan are in second place in Serie A with 10 games left to go. They look set to secure Allegri’s goal of Champions League qualification, and despite being seven points shy of the league leaders, this is a vast improvement on the form that saw them finish ninth last season. 

Tomori believes that Milan’s defensive security has been the secret behind their improvement this season. 

“One of the main objectives for us was to concede less goals and I think this season we’ve been a lot more solid defensively, not just the defenders, but the whole team as a unit. 

“We’ve worked a lot and worked a lot on trying to stay compact as a team. To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal, it’s not easy. I think that’s testament to how well we’ve been working and the work that the coaching staff has been doing with us this season.” 

“To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal… It’s not easy”@fikayotomori_ caught up with @Bonetti after Milan’s derby win pic.twitter.com/uGYN6lMWkd

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

Manuel Akanji expressed his disappointment at Inter’s performance during their 1-0 loss against city rivals Milan on Sunday evening, and explained why last night’s defeat differed to their loss against the Rossoneri earlier this season: ‘Today was different. It wasn’t good enough from our side’.

Akanji reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter: ‘Wasn’t good enough from our side’

The Nerazzurri slipped to their second Serie A defeat against Milan of the 2025-26 season as Pervis Estupinan struck with the only goal of the game in San Siro on Sunday night.

Cristian Chivu’s side still have a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the Serie A table with 10 league matches of the season left to play, but there is disappointment around the camp in the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat against their city rivals. 

“I think they played the way we expected them to play. They try to press a bit up front, if it doesn’t work, they drop deep and that’s what they did, especially in the first half,” explained Akanji in his post-match interview with CBS Sports.  

“We had a lot of missed passes or duels that we lost, or we gave them opportunities by losing the ball easily. And also we didn’t defend well in a couple of situations and that’s why we lost the game in the end.” 

Inter will make it two Serie A titles in three years if they hold out for the Scudetto in 2025-26. They have also reached the Champions League final in two of the last four seasons and have won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italia twice within the last five campaigns. 

If there is a recurring complaint about Cristian Chivu’s side, though, it is that they have struggled to overcome ‘bigger’ sides in the league and Champions League this term. The Nerazzurri have also failed to beat Milan in any of their last seven encounters. 

“I mean, I’ve only played in the last two, today and the one in the first part of the season and for me, they were totally different games,” said Akanji. 

“The first one we dominated them, we had so many chances to score goals, we even missed a penalty. So, we clearly had enough chances to win the game. They had one opportunity and they scored the goal, that’s why they won the game. 

“Today was different. It wasn’t good enough from our side. A lot of lost duels, a lot of balls that we should have kept that we lost. Just way too many mistakes and also sometimes in the duels, we weren’t aggressive enough and that’s why we lost today.

“I think as a team we didn’t create enough opportunities up front. We tried to cross the ball, but nothing really happened, not off the crosses. But still we had good opportunities to score a goal. 

“I think right before they scored the goal for 1-0, Mkhi (Henrikh Mkhitaryan) runs alone at the keeper and couldn’t score. And even in the second half when Mkhi laid it off to Dima (Federico Dimarco) to score a goal and I think there were also a couple of opportunities with the corner that we had that the referee apparently blew the whistle before. Then a couple of situations where it maybe could have been a penalty. 

“So we tried to create something but I think it just wasn’t enough from our side today.” 

Naturally disappointed by Sunday’s defeat against Milan, Akanji insists that he is still trying to look at the positives. 

“The next few days are not going to be good. You’re never happy when you lose a derby. The good thing is that we’re still seven points ahead and we have enough time to recover. The next game is not until next Saturday at home against Atalanta, which is a big game, but we will be ready again. 

“We need to make better what we didn’t do good today and I’m confident we can get the win there.” 

Luka Modric claims that Milan would be ‘right there with Inter’ had they performed better in ‘small games’ following Sunday evening’s 1-0 victory in the Derby della Madonnina in Serie A. 

Modric reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter victory

The former Ballon d’Or winner was one of the crucial figures in Milan’s 1-0 victory over their city rivals, Inter, whose lead at the top of the Serie A table has now been reduced to seven points with 10 league games of the season left to play. 

The main topic surrounding Milan following last night’s victory over Inter is whether there is a genuine possibility that they can catch Inter at the top of the standings with 10 points to go. 

“It’s difficult to say. People always say you win titles in small games, especially in the league,” said Modric in an interview with CBS Sports after full-time.

“We haven’t done well in these sorts of games, we lost too many points, if we’d won only half of these points, we’d be there with Inter. But it’s part of football. 

“We need to find a way to improve and get better in these games where teams drop too deep, there’s not much space. We need to find a way to do better and maybe play quicker, find a better solution to win these kinds of games.” 

“We are very proud people. We like to fight.”

Luka Modrić shares what being from Zadar means to him pic.twitter.com/6azHQPAgRM

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

Milan claimed the bragging rights in Sunday evening’s Derby della Madonnina against Inter in Serie A, but there were some complaints from the Nerazzurri camp over a potential handball and a few other decisions from the officials after full-time. Here is what happened at the end of last night’s showdown in San Siro. 

Pervis Estupinan’s first-half strike was enough for Milan to claim a 1-0 victory over Inter on Sunday evening, which was their second win over the Nerazzurri in Serie A this season and has extended their unbeaten run against their city rivals to seven matches. 

Cristian Chivu’s side retain a seven-point advantage over the Rossoneri at the top of the league table with 10 games to go, though. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

Which refereeing calls upset Inter during derby defeat? 

There were protests from many of the Inter camp towards referee Daniele Doveri and his team after full-time in San Siro on Sunday night. 

The main incident in question was a supposed handball from Samuele Ricci during the 95th minute of play right at the end of last night’s derby. 

The ball had come off Denzel Dumfries and did touch Ricci on the arm, but the player’s arm was adjudged to have been in a natural position and he did appear to make an instinctive movement in an attempt to avoid handling the ball. 

Referee Doveri decided that Ricci did not make himself ‘unnaturally larger’ with the movement of his arm, and that the incident was not worthy of a penalty kick. 

Speaking on the incident after full-time, Nerazzurri head coach Chivu said: “I was told the VAR checked it, so I have nothing to add. I am focused on the performance, on my decisions, my mistakes. 

“There are 10 games to go, 30 points up for grabs, so we’ve got to build on what we’ve done so far.”

Aside from the penalty appeal, members of Inter’s coaching staff, including assistant Aleksandar Kolarov, were also frustrated by the addition of six minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second-half, which they felt was not enough. 

There was also a moment just before the handball appeal where Carlos Augusto had the ball in the back of the net from a corner, however, Doveri had already blown his whistle while the ball was still in mid-air in order to stop some scuffling in the area. 

Corriere dello Sport suggests that Doveri could have been dished out a couple more yellow cards on the night: Specifically to Estupinan for a foul on Nicolo Barella, to Adrien Rabiot for a foul on Federico Dimarco, to Fikayo Tomori for a foul on Piotr Zielinski and to Ange-Yoan Bonny for a foul on Estupinan.

Aston Villa are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Sources circulating on social media platform X claim the Midlands club have made initial enquiries regarding the England international’s availability.

While no formal bid has yet been submitted, the situation has drawn attention because Bowen is believed to be open to considering a new challenge at the end of the current season.

If Villa decide to pursue the move seriously, they could face competition from Premier League giants Manchester United.

Bowen has been a consistent performer for West Ham

Bowen has been a pivotal figure for West Ham, captaining the side in recent seasons.

The versatile forward quickly established himself as one of the Hammers’ most reliable attacking players, combining pace, creativity, and a consistent eye for goal.

Over the past few seasons, Bowen has frequently been among West Ham’s top contributors in terms of goals and assists.

His ability to operate across the front line, primarily from the right wing but also centrally when required, has made him a key tactical asset.

Despite his importance to West Ham, speculation about his long-term future has surfaced periodically, particularly as several Premier League clubs continue to monitor his progress.

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Why Aston Villa are interested in a move for Bowen

Since Emery’s arrival, Villa have steadily strengthened their squad with players capable of competing both domestically and in European competitions.

Bowen’s profile fits well within that strategy. His high pressing intensity, ability to create chances, and experience in the Premier League could provide Villa with another dynamic attacking option.

The club has already demonstrated a willingness to invest in proven top-flight talent, and Bowen’s consistency makes him an attractive target.

Bowen has scored eight goals and provided six assists in a struggling West Ham team this season.

The post Aston Villa considering summer move for Premier League captain wanted by Man United appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur expressed interest in signing him during the January transfer window, but the Scotland international ultimately chose to remain at Anfield.

he experienced defender addressed the speculation in recent comments reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, clarifying that he decided to stay with the club that has defined his career over the past decade.

Robertson remains an important figure in Liverpool’s squad despite ongoing discussions about the club’s long-term plans in defense.

While the January approach from Tottenham raised questions about his future, the 31-year-old has made it clear that loyalty and commitment played a key role in his decision.

Tottenham were interested in January move for Robertson

Tottenham were reportedly exploring options to strengthen the left side of their defence during the winter window, and Robertson’s experience and leadership made him an attractive candidate.

The Scottish international has long been regarded as one of the Premier League’s most consistent full-backs, known for his relentless work rate, attacking delivery, and defensive resilience.

However, Robertson confirmed that while interest existed, a move never materialised because he preferred to continue his journey with Liverpool.

“There was obviously interest from Spurs in January… but the decision was that I wanted to stay”.

“This club has given me everything and I’ve given this club everything. I’ve always been committed”.

“Now as soon as I decide my future, it will be announced”.

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Robertson has a distinguished legacy at Liverpool

Since joining Liverpool from Hull City in 2017, Robertson has become one of the club’s most influential players.

Under former manager Jürgen Klopp, he formed a legendary full-back partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold that helped redefine Liverpool’s attacking system.

During his time at the club, Robertson has played a key role in numerous successes, including the Premier League title, Champions League triumph, FA Cup, and League Cup victories.

His leadership qualities have also made him a senior figure in the dressing room.

While Tottenham’s interest highlighted the continued demand for Robertson’s experience, the defender’s decision to stay shows his deep connection with Liverpool.

Any decision regarding his next chapter is likely to come later this year as Liverpool continue planning their future squad.

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Real Madrid are reportedly renewing their efforts to sign Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, the La Liga giants have resumed discussions with the French centre-back’s representatives as they explore the possibility of bringing him to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Konaté’s contract situation at Liverpool remains unresolved, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

With no agreement yet reached over a renewal, speculation surrounding the defender’s future has intensified, drawing attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Contract situation raises concern for Konate at Liverpool

Konaté has been an important part of Liverpool’s defensive setup. However, Liverpool now face a potentially complicated situation.

Reports indicate that negotiations over a contract extension have yet to progress, leaving the club at risk of losing one of their key defenders on a free transfer.

The uncertainty surrounding contracts has become a topic of discussion at Anfield recently.

As per the report, the Spanish giants have ‘resumed talks’ with the representatives of French defender.

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Real Madrid are looking to strengthen their defense

Real Madrid’s interest in Konaté matches with their ongoing strategy of refreshing the squad with elite talent capable of contributing immediately.

The Spanish giants have frequently taken advantage of expiring contracts in recent years, signing high-profile players without paying large transfer fees.

The Premier League club lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid last summer and this summer, Konate could join his former teammate at the Bernabeu.

Madrid president Florentino Pérez would be willing to offer Konaté a significant signing-on bonus, believed to be around €15 million, to persuade the defender to make the move to Spain as a free agent.

Liverpool remain hopeful of resolving the issue, but the lack of progress in negotiations has opened the door to external interest.

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The post Real Madrid have ‘resumed talks’ with Liverpool star involved in contract issues at Anfield appeared first on CaughtOffside.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Milan of dreams 

Inter nullified, Scudetto reopened 

Estupinan decides they derby: Diavolo -7 off the top 

Allegri does the double: ‘They remain the favourites though’. Cardinale’s celebrations. Nerazzurri minimal in spite of the absences. Chivu: ‘We were below par’

Champions League crazy

A three-way race for one spot 

De Rossi beats Roma. Historic Como: They’re fourth. And Juve are -1 behind and believe

Corriere dello Sport 

l’Allegrata 

Scudetto, 10 games to go | Short leash: Max also takes the Derby in the return leg (1-0)

Milan ruthless: -7 points behind and dreaming. Inter buried 

Estupinan delivers defeat to the Nerazzurri, who last lost in Serie A against Allegri on November 23. Chivu: ‘Ricci’s hand in the area? They told me there was a check’

De Rossi puts Roma in trouble 

Genoa shock Gasp: 2-1 

Messias and Vitinha lift DDR’s side, Ndicka not enough. Champions League race: Malen at Fabregas’s house on Sunday 

Juve, Lucio’s turning point 

The fluid front three 

Napoli, the Fab4 return 

After 160 days 

Nicola at risk 

Cremonese beaten by Lecce (2-1)

Tuttosport 

StraMilan 

Inter, derby nightmare: Estupinan reopens the Scudetto fight 

The Ecuadorian was the surprise hero. In the second half, Dimarco misses the equaliser, then chaos at the end: Carlos Augusto denied a goal (but Doveri has already ended the game) and protests over a touch of the hand from Ricci. Allegri gives another lesson to Chivu and goes back to -7 points off the lead. Inter, who have not beaten Milan in seven games, pay for the absences of Lautaro and Thuram: Pio and Bonny dry. Bastoni still subjected to boos

Yildiz, Vlahovic, Boga: Attack on the Champions League 

Roma beaten in Genoa: Juve -1 off fourth place 

The magic of Kenan, the recovery of Dusan and the numbers from Jeremie are the prime assets for Spalletti in the final push. And the schedule could help too: The Bianconeri could profit from the direct clash between Como and the Giallorossi next Sunday. The David case: Disheartened and in crisis: Heading towards a farewell and Lyon step forwards 

Safety and contract: Toro, time for Che

D’Aversa relaunches him 

Adams could return as a starter against Parma and Petrachi looks to extend the contract agreement. The fan’s strike continues: The club try with discounted tickets 

Arsenal are preparing to complete the permanent signing of defender Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, with the deal expected to be formally confirmed in June.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the agreement was always intended to become permanent despite initially being structured as a loan arrangement.

The move is considered a formality within Arsenal’s recruitment plans.

The loan structure was reportedly designed primarily to help the club manage Financial Fair Play (FFP) requirements, with the long-term transfer already agreed between the two clubs.

Deal structure and financial details of Hincapie’s move

The agreement between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen is understood to be worth €52 million, with an additional 10 percent sell-on clause included in the deal.

The initial loan format allowed Arsenal to spread the financial impact of the transfer across multiple accounting periods, a strategy increasingly used by clubs to remain compliant with financial regulations.

Romano has indicated that the permanent transfer was “never in doubt,” with the arrangement comparable to Arsenal’s previous deal for goalkeeper David Raya.

In that case, Raya initially joined on loan before the transfer was completed permanently in a later window.

By structuring the Hincapié move in a similar way, Arsenal were able to secure a key defensive target while maintaining financial flexibility during the current season.

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Hincapie has impressed at Arsenal

Hincapié has earned a strong reputation in European football during his time with Bayer Leverkusen, where he developed into one of the Bundesliga’s most reliable young defenders.

The Ecuador international is known for his composure on the ball, defensive aggression, and ability to operate across multiple positions in the back line.

Primarily a centre-back, Hincapié is also comfortable playing as a left-sided defender in a back three or even as a left-back when required.

This versatility makes him particularly valuable and his form at Arsenal has shown why he is highly rated by Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff.

The signing adds depth and flexibility to a defensive unit that has been central to the club’s recent progress.

Bargain asking price: Liverpool & Arsenal transfer target to be allowed surprise move for just £54m

The post Romano confirms Arsenal plan of completing €52 million signing in the summer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Real Madrid have reportedly stepped up their monitoring of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, with scouts attending the FA Cup this weekend to watch the Italian international in action.

According to The Sun, the Spanish giants are among several top European clubs keeping close tabs on the 25-year-old ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Tonali remains an integral part of Newcastle’s midfield setup and has not publicly expressed any desire to leave St. James’ Park.

However, his consistent performances in the Premier League and on the international stage have inevitably attracted attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Tonali has been hugely important for Newcastle United

Known for his composure on the ball, tactical intelligence, and tireless work rate, the Italian midfielder has become a cornerstone of Eddie Howe’s system.

His ability to recover possession, break opposition lines with forward passes, and maintain composure under pressure has made him a standout performer in the Premier League.

These qualities have helped Newcastle strengthen their position as one of England’s rising forces.

The club’s ownership group has repeatedly emphasised their intention to build a squad capable of competing both domestically and in Europe, making Tonali a key figure in their long-term plans.

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Europe’s elite are showing interest in the Italian star

Real Madrid’s scouting visit shows the level of admiration Tonali commands across the continent.

The Spanish giants have been gradually reshaping their midfield in recent years, integrating younger talents as they prepare for the next generation of the team.

Reports suggest Madrid see Tonali as a potential addition who could bring both technical quality and tactical balance to their midfield.

They are not alone in their interest. Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City have also been linked with the Italian international in recent months.

Both clubs have ongoing plans to strengthen their midfield depth and view Tonali as a player capable of performing at the highest level.

Despite the growing interest, Newcastle remain in a strong position regarding Tonali’s future.

The midfielder is under contract with the club until 2030, meaning any potential transfer would likely require a substantial offer.

Real Madrid prepare big money spending spree for double deal which involves Man City star

The post Report: Real Madrid scouted Newcastle United star in the FA Cup against Man City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are preparing for a significant reshaping of their midfield as the club looks ahead to the next phase of its long-term project, according to a trusted source on X.

The Merseyside club have identified Inter Milan’s Nicolò Barella and Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White as two of the primary targets for a summer rebuild in the centre of the pitch.

The move shows Liverpool’s intent to refresh one of the most crucial areas of the squad after an inconsistent campaign.

Despite moments of promise this season, the midfield has struggled at times to control matches with the authority that once defined Liverpool’s most successful sides.

Why Liverpool are targeting Barella

Barella has long been considered one of Europe’s most complete midfielders.

The Italian international has played a key role for Inter Milan in recent seasons, helping the club remain competitive domestically and in European competitions.

Barella is widely admired for his ability to influence games both defensively and offensively.

He combines tireless pressing with precise passing and late attacking runs into the box, making him an ideal fit for teams that rely on high intensity and quick transitions.

Liverpool have been linked with Barella in previous transfer windows, but Inter’s reluctance to sell has consistently complicated negotiations.

With the Italian club determined to maintain their competitive core, any potential move would likely require a substantial transfer fee.

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Gibbs-White is emerging as a Premier League target

Alongside Barella, Nottingham Forest’s Gibbs-White has also emerged as a major target.

The England international has developed into one of the Premier League’s most creative midfielders since joining Forest.

Gibbs-White’s vision, dribbling ability, and capacity to unlock defences have made him the focal point of Forest’s attacking play.

His adaptability allows him to operate as a traditional No.10, a wide playmaker, or even in a deeper creative role.

For Liverpool, signing a player already proven in the Premier League could provide immediate impact while complementing younger talents in the squad.

The upcoming summer window could prove decisive in shaping Liverpool’s midfield for years to come.

Bargain asking price: Liverpool & Arsenal transfer target to be allowed surprise move for just £54m 

The post Liverpool plan complete reset of midfield, two top performers are being targeted appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United have reportedly added Bournemouth midfielder Marcus Tavernier to their list of potential transfer targets as they prepare for the upcoming summer window.

According to The Daily Mail, the 26-year-old has caught the attention of United’s recruitment team after an impressive season in the Premier League.

United are evaluating several midfield options as part of their broader squad rebuild.

While the club has made progress under interim manager Michael Carrick, strengthening the centre of the pitch remains a key priority if they are to compete consistently at the top level next season.

Tavernier has consistently impressed at Bournemouth

Tavernier has been one of Bournemouth’s most influential players during the 2025/26 campaign.

The versatile midfielder has contributed nine goal involvements in 25 Premier League appearances, combining creative playmaking with a strong work rate in central and wide midfield roles.

Originally developed at Middlesbrough, Tavernier earned a reputation for his technical ability and attacking instinct before moving to Bournemouth.

His ability to operate in multiple midfield roles has made him particularly valuable. Tavernier can play as an advanced midfielder, drift wide to create overloads, or contribute deeper in the build-up phase.

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Man United face competition from Premier League clubs

Man United are not the only side monitoring Tavernier’s progress. Aston Villa have also shown interest in the player and reportedly made enquiries about his availability during the January transfer window.

Villa manager Unai Emery is known for valuing energetic midfielders who can contribute both defensively and offensively, making Tavernier a logical target for the Midlands club.

For United, however, any serious pursuit may depend on whether they secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Participation in the competition would significantly boost the club’s revenue and provide greater financial flexibility in the transfer market.

Sources: Man United make informal contact with £80 million Casemiro replacement

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Manchester City could be preparing to say goodbye to one of the defining players of their modern era.

According to transfer journalist Matteo Moretto, midfielder Bernardo Silva is expected to leave the club on a free transfer this summer, bringing an end to a remarkable nine-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.

There have reportedly been no discussions between Silva and Man City regarding a contract extension.

With his current deal approaching its expiration, the situation strongly suggests that the Portuguese international may be ready to embark on a new chapter away from the Premier League giants.

Bernardo Silva has been a key figure at Man City

Since joining Man City from AS Monaco in 2017, Silva has been a central figure in Pep Guardiola’s highly successful project.

His intelligence, work rate, and technical brilliance made him one of Guardiola’s most trusted players, capable of operating in multiple positions across midfield and attack.

Over the years, Silva has played a pivotal role in City’s domestic dominance. During his time at the club, he helped deliver six Premier League titles, numerous domestic cups, and the club’s historic Champions League triumph.

His versatility allowed Guardiola to deploy him as a winger, central midfielder, or even in deeper creative roles depending on the tactical demands of a match.

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Why the Portuguese midfielder is expected to leave

Despite his continued importance to the team, speculation about Silva’s future has surfaced repeatedly over the past few years.

Clubs in Spain and the Saudi Pro League have shown interest at various points, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain previously linked with potential moves.

The lack of progress on contract talks suggests that both player and club may now be prepared to move on.

At 31, Silva may be seeking a new challenge after nearly a decade of success in England.

Guardiola has already begun integrating younger players into key roles as the club prepares for the next phase of its evolution.

Liverpool beat Manchester City to secure signing of teenage sensation

The post Man City linchpin edges closer to summer exit with no contract talks scheduled appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães is expected to be one of the most closely watched players in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside that Manchester United consider the Brazilian midfielder as an ideal replacement of Casemiro who is set to leave the Red Devils at the end of the season.

Several of Europe’s top clubs continue to track the Brazilian international, whose performances over the past few seasons have elevated him into the elite tier of Premier League midfielders.

Despite the growing external interest, Newcastle remain determined to secure Guimarães’ long-term future.

The club is currently engaged in discussions aimed at extending his contract and reinforcing his role as a central figure in their project.

Newcastle United want to keep the 28-year-old midfielder

Guimarães has become one of Newcastle’s most influential players. His combination of technical quality and relentless work rate has made him the heartbeat of Eddie Howe’s midfield.

The Brazilian has also emerged as a leader on and off the pitch. His ability to dictate tempo, recover possession, and contribute offensively has been instrumental in Newcastle’s rise from relegation candidates to contenders for European places.

Because of his importance, Newcastle are keen to extend his contract beyond its current terms. The proposed agreement is intended not only to reward his performances but also to discourage potential suitors ahead of what could be a hectic summer transfer window.

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Man United hold genuine interest in the Brazilian star

The most serious interest appears to be coming from Man United. The club is reportedly planning a major squad investment this summer, with the midfield identified as a priority area.

Casemiro’s uncertain long-term future has prompted United to explore replacements, and Guimarães is seen as a player capable of anchoring their midfield for years to come.

The club could be prepared to allocate around £80 million for the Brazilian as part of a wider transfer budget exceeding £230 million.

The Brazilian has 16 G/A this season for the Magpies, showing his goal scoring quality as well as his brilliant work rate.

Sources: Man United scouts “impressed” with €50m powerhouse on Aston Villa & West Ham radar

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Lionel Messi‘s extraordinary performances on the soccer field have made him one of the highest-paid athletes in sports history, and even after leaving Europe behind, his earnings have kept climbing. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed that the club pays the Argentine star somewhere in the range of $70 million to $80 million annually, raising the question of whether this represents the most lucrative deal of his career.

Inter Miami recently became the most valuable franchise in MLS history, according to Sportico’s 2026 rankings, with the club’s valuation reaching $1.45 billion. That financial structure, however, is built on far more than what happens on the pitch, with a range of commercial and business activities underpinning the club’s revenue model.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Mas offered a rare glimpse into the club’s finances, noting that sponsorships and commercial deals account for roughly 55% of Inter Miami‘s revenue. That commercial success has been fueled by the global appeal of world-class names like Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and, above all, Messi himself, while media rights make up just 2% of total revenue, according to the co-owner.

It was in that context that Mas dropped the headline figure. “The reason that I need to have sponsors and for them to be world class is because players are expensive. I pay Messi — worth every penny — but it’s $70 to $80 million a year. Across everything,” the Inter Miami co-owner said.

The MLSPA’s salary guide, released in October 2025 ahead of Messi’s contract extension through 2028, listed his base salary at $12 million and his guaranteed compensation at $20.5 million. Mas’ figure, however, takes a much broader view, encompassing not only salary but also equity rights and other forms of player compensation.

Is this Messi’s biggest deal in his club career?

Messi has long since transcended soccer to become a global brand in his own right, with business ventures spanning luxury hotels (MiM Hotels), his own clothing line (The Messi Store), sports drink brand Más+, and co-ownership of Uruguayan side Deportivo LSM alongside teammate Luis Suárez, among numerous other interests. But when it comes to direct compensation from his club, the numbers at Inter Miami are not quite unprecedented in his career.

In 2017, Messi signed what would turn out to be his final and most lucrative contract with FC Barcelona, running through June 2021. As revealed by El Mundo, the deal amounted to a total gross of 555,237,619 euros (around $673 million) over four seasons, working out to approximately €138.8M per year before taxes, or a net figure of around €74.9M annually (roughly $86.4 million), placing it above even the range Jorge Mas referenced for Messi’s current Inter Miami arrangement.

That contract was the largest in the history of soccer at the time it was signed. It incorporated a fixed salary, image rights, a series of unprecedented signing and loyalty bonuses, per diems and a wide range of performance-based incentives. Ultimately, the deal’s staggering financial weight contributed to Barcelona’s well-documented economic crisis, and played a central role in Messi’s abrupt and emotional departure from the club in 2021.

Lamine Yamal scored the only goal as Barcelona restored their four-point lead at the top of LaLiga with a narrow 1-0 win away to Athletic Club on Saturday. Having seen Real Madrid close the gap following their dramatic win over Celta Vigo a day earlier, Hansi Flick’s side responded to stay clear of their Clasico […]

The post Athletic Club 0-1 Barcelona: Yamal helps leaders restore four-point lead appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Athletic Club 0-1 Barcelona: Yamal helps leaders restore four-point lead appeared first on Soccer News.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar formed one of the most dangerous attacking combinations in recent soccer history at Paris Saint-Germain, yet their individual brilliance repeatedly failed to translate into collective European success. Now, with PSG finally having claimed the UEFA Champions League, squad star Vitinha has shed light on the key difference between that star-studded trio and the current crop of European champions.

The rationale behind assembling three of the world’s most expensive players was always to deliver Champions League glory, but across the two seasons the trio played together in 2021-22 and 2022-23, PSG failed to advance beyond the Round of 16 on both occasions. With all three since departed, a cohesive and tactically disciplined side built by Luis Enrique has delivered the trophy that Nasser Al-Khelaïfi’s project had long been chasing.

Speaking on the program Soltinhos pelo Mundo on Canal 11, Vitinha reflected warmly on sharing a locker room and a pitch with three of the most iconic forwards of the modern era: “It was a privilege to have shared a locker room and the pitch with them, to have learned from them. They really are players apart—they are extraterrestrials, they are stars, and they perceive things that we don’t.”

That admiration, however, came with a candid observation about where the arrangement fell short. “That doesn’t mean it’s always what’s best for the team. And that is what ended up happening. It’s very difficult when one, two, or three players don’t run or don’t help out on defense,” the midfielder stated.

Little has changed on that front for any of the three forwards since their time together in Paris. Messi and Neymar may be less relevant to the conversation given age and injury respectively, but Real Madrid have had to contend with the same issue from Mbappé this season. The reality is that, had the trio remained together, PSG’s defensive structure would have been carrying three significant voids from the front.

“Today’s game is increasingly competitive. Even a team fighting against relegation knows how to organize and make life difficult for the opponent. That makes it very hard in modern football when one, two, or three players aren’t running,” Vitinha added.

High pressing: PSG’s signature during the last Champions League

PSG caught the soccer world off guard in the second half of the 2024-25 season, emerging as one of the most compelling and fearsome sides in Europe through a combination of relentless intensity and technical quality spread across every line of the pitch. The numbers back it up: João Neves led the entire Champions League in ground covered, logging an extraordinary 106.17 miles (170.87 km) throughout the competition.

Vitinha, widely regarded as the second-best player at PSG behind Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, summed up what makes this incarnation of the club so different from its predecessor: “You see the wingers chasing down the fullbacks when they attack. You see Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos dropping back to defend in our own box and being the first ones to press high up the pitch.“

The Finalissima has been shrouded in uncertainty due to the ongoing situation in Qatar, with the highly anticipated clash between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal stuck in a prolonged state of limbo. As a new host venue has emerged as a frontrunner, the parties responsible for organizing the Argentina vs. Spain showdown are reportedly closing in on a final decision.

Given the proximity of the 2026 World Cup, all parties involved are keen to keep the Finalissima on its originally scheduled date of Friday, March 27. However, reports suggest Qatar has been reluctant to relinquish hosting rights, given the size of the commercial agreement already in place to stage the event in Doha.

Against that backdrop, RNE Deportes reports that a high-level meeting is set to take place on Monday to reach a definitive resolution. The meeting will bring together UEFA, representing Spain, CONMEBOL, representing Argentina, and representatives of the Qatari government, which has been a key stakeholder pushing to retain the match.

Estadio da Luz proposed as new Finalissima venue

Even though the situation in Qatar has not dramatically escalated since the incidents of early March, both continental confederations are prioritizing the safety and security of Messi, Yamal and all those who would need to travel to Doha, a city currently considered unsuitable for hosting the game. While Qatar would only walk away from its contractual obligations as a last resort, alternative venues have been actively surfacing.

According to the Spanish outlet, the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, has emerged as the leading candidate to host the Finalissima. Rome’s Stadio Olimpico has also been put forward as a potential alternative, though the Lisbon option is understood to be well ahead in consideration.

In recent days, a number of other countries have been floated as possibilities, including the United States, Spain, Argentina and England. The U.S. has been ruled out given its direct involvement in the same regional tensions affecting Qatar, while staging the game in either Spain or Argentina has been dismissed due to the home advantage it would confer on one of the competing nations.

A return to Wembley, where Messi lifted the Finalissima trophy in the 2022 edition, was also floated as a sentimental option, but the March 27 date is already occupied by a Uruguay vs. England fixture at the stadium, making it unavailable. With a decision now imminent, all parties are aligned on one priority: ensuring the Finalissima goes ahead, with the venue set to be the defining topic on the table come Monday.

Federico Dimarco admits it’s ‘difficult to explain’ Inter’s sluggish response with Milan, but insists ‘if someone told us eight months ago we’d be seven points clear, we wouldn’t believe you.’

The Nerazzurri looked disjointed after losing both first choice strikers, as Marcus Thuram was out with flu symptoms and Lautaro Martinez injured.

While Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Dimarco missed big chances, Milan were clinical when Pervis Estupinan ran onto the Youssouf Fofana through ball and surprised Yann Sommer at the near post.

Dimarco saw Inter struggle in Milan Derby

“Milan dropped very deep after their goal, as was entirely to be expected, and the truth is that we created too little to really hurt them,” Dimarco told DAZN Italia.

“We had prepared the match with a low-to-medium block so we could increase the press. When it came to my chance, the ball bobbled and I didn’t connect properly.”

They had been unbeaten in the league since the last Derby della Madonnina, which also ended 1-0 back in November 2025, putting together a 2-2 draw with Napoli and 14 victories.

“When we concede a goal, we struggle to react a lot of the time, or rather we don’t react with enough determination,” confessed Dimarco.

“It is difficult to explain why we do that. The team is united, we are having a great season and are still seven points clear at the top, after all.

“We’ve got to stay calm, because our fate is still entirely in our hands.”

The result means Inter see their lead at the top of the Serie A table cut to seven points, which is still a significant advantage at this stage of the season with 10 rounds left to play.

It is put to the Nerazzurri that they have a poor record in the ‘big’ games, managing only two wins, one draw and three defeats in the Serie A fixtures against Milan, Napoli, Roma and Juventus.

“You say that, but if someone had told us eight months ago that we’d be seven points clear at the top of the table, we wouldn’t have believed you,” insisted Dimarco.

“We’ve got to stay clear-headed and focus on these remaining 10 matches.”

Inter were also angry in stoppages when Denzel Dumfries nodded the ball onto Samuele Ricci’s elbow from close range inside the penalty area.

“I didn’t see it, as I was on the other side of the pitch. Watching the video, the arm is quite wide, so it’s down to the interpretation of the referee. There could’ve been a VAR check.”

Lionel Messi‘s departure from FC Barcelona in 2021 was one of the most painful moments in the club’s recent history, and both the player and the institution were eager to find a way to reunite. But former coach Xavi Hernández has now revealed that a return following Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph was ultimately blocked by club president Joan Laporta, who feared it would trigger a “power war” he could not afford.

With Messi’s two-year deal at Paris Saint-Germain set to expire at the end of the 2022-23 season and his relationship with the club increasingly strained, the conditions for a return to Barcelona appeared to be falling into place. Xavi confirmed that contact was made over the possibility of bringing the Argentine back as a free agent, and that progress was being made until a significant obstacle emerged.

In an interview with La Vanguardia, Xavi directly challenged Laporta’s version of events: “That’s another instance where the president isn’t telling the truth. Leo was a done deal. In January 2023, after won the World Cup, since we have a great relationship, we got in touch and he told me he was excited about coming back—and I could see it happening. We spoke until March, and I told him, ‘Look, as soon as you give me the green light, I’ll tell the president, because from a football perspective, I see the fit.‘”

The former coach then described the moment the deal collapsed, pointing squarely at Laporta’s intervention in negotiations. “The president began negotiating the contract with Leo’s father, and his deal was done, we had the green light from LaLiga, but it was the president who pulled the plug on everything. Once again, he isn’t telling the truth,” the former Barcelona boss continued.

He went on to paint a vivid picture of how the situation unraveled in its final stages: “Then, suddenly, Leo stopped picking up my calls because, on the other side, they had told him it couldn’t be done. I called his father and said, ‘Jorge, this can’t be,’ and he told me, ‘Talk to the president,’ and the president told me that he wasn’t going to do it. I insisted to him that we had been talking to Leo for five months—it was done. There were no doubts on the pitch; economically, we were moving to Montjuïc and we were going to have a ‘Last Dance’ just like Michael Jordan’s. Everything was ready.“

Xavi ultimately concluded that Laporta’s reluctance came down to a fear of losing control of the club’s narrative, given his standing as the man who had rebuilt Barcelona from the brink of financial collapse. “Laporta told me, verbatim, that if Leo returned, it would ‘start a war’ that he couldn’t afford. That’s the truth, I’m not trying to lie to anyone, I have no interest in returning to Barca, nor with Victor Font’s candidacy.“

“Leo didn’t come to Barca because the president didn’t want him to. Not because of LaLiga, nor Jorge Messi asking for more money. That’s not true. It’s the president and his people who said he couldn’t afford it, that he has all the power and that power would be poorly managed with Messi around, that there would be a war,” he candidly stated.

Xavi Hernandez and a situation that affected his relationship with Messi

During the 2022-23 season, Xavi Hernández led Barcelona to the La Liga title and was the driving force behind efforts to bring Messi back for the following campaign. Had the move gone through, Messi would have been reunited with a close friend and former teammate who had already been a cornerstone of the Barca squad when the Argentine made his debut against Espanyol back in 2004.

The failure to secure that return, however, left a mark on one of soccer’s most storied friendships: “It took a heavy toll on my relationship with Leo. We spoke recently and we’re on good terms now, but for a while, he thought I was part of the scheme—that I had deceived him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I was dying for Leo to come back.“

Though reluctant to elaborate on what Messi shared with him regarding the Barcelona presidential elections, Xavi made clear that, in his view, the Argentine could still make a meaningful contribution even today. “Even now, I still believe he would help the team score goals and provide that final ball, without a doubt. I mean, he’s about to play in another World Cup! Leo would have triumphed once again at the Camp Nou; it was his dream and mine, and he knows that now. It was a shame, but it was because of those currently in charge,” he concluded.

Following Carlo Ancelotti’s departure, Real Madrid have struggled to find the right balance in midfield, as the exits of Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos seem to have disrupted the squad’s structure. Amid their underwhelming performances, Rodri Hernández of Manchester City emerged as a potential reinforcement. However, Kylian Mbappe’s team reportedly decided against pursuing his signing, opting instead to target a young Premier League star.

According to José Félix Díaz of Diario AS, Real Madrid are not interested in signing Rodri Hernández from Manchester City. Despite approaching the final year of his contract, the Spanish midfielder is expected to renew with the Citizens, as Los Blancos reportedly have serious doubts about his level following the serious injury he suffered. While he may be close to regaining his best form, his age—29—also raises concerns about pursuing the transfer.

Coupled with this, Antonio Hernández, Rodri‘s father, disclosed the intentions of the 29-year-old star during the National Sports Awards ceremony: “He is very happy where he is. You will understand the natural discretion in these circumstances. I don’t know anything, and I truly mean that. I don’t know anything—the story still has to be written… He’s desperate to go to the World Cup.” With this in mind, Pep Guardiola could soon secure his stellar midfielder.

Instead of pursuing Rodri Hernandez, Los Blancos are preparing to enter the bidding for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, reports Diario AS. The Englishman has established as one of the most consistent players in the Premier League. Not only does he shine defensively, but he also has a quality with the ball that resembles the Spaniard’s style. Despite this, Real Madrid would have to pay more than €100 million for his transfer, other Premier League teams are also pursuing him.

Not only Wharton: Real Madrid reportedly target three other midfielders

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Real Madrid have struggled with the absence of midfielders capable of organizing play, as Jude Bellingham has not managed to shine in that aspect. In response, the emergence of Adam Wharton appears ideal, as he contributes defensively while also helping build play. However, they reportedly have two alternative options to the Englishman, as they seem determined to sign a new midfielder.

According to José Félix Díaz of Diario AS, Los Blancos are also targeting Kees Smit from AZ Alkmaar and Vitinha from PSG. While the Portuguese midfielder has expressed his desire to remain with the French club, Real Madrid are looking to convince him. The Dutchman is different a situation as he would be open to joining the club, but his transfer fee could exceed €50 million due to his exceptional potential growth.

Not only Vitinha and Kees Smit are being followed as Real Madrid are also reportedly considering the return of Nico Paz by activating their €9 million buyback clause. With the possible arrival of new reinforcement, they could shift to a system with four midfielders, with one of them playing as an attacking midfielder: Jude Bellingham. Therefore, the new signing would likely operate closer to the base of play, taking responsibility for organizing the midfield.

Lamine Yamal has been reshaping the boundaries of what is possible in world soccer since his sudden emergence in Barcelona‘s first team as a teenager, shattering records once thought untouchable. The Spanish winger has added another chapter to his remarkable story, reaching the 50-goal milestone at a younger age than both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Back in action following their Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Atlético Madrid, Barcelona needed to refocus quickly to maintain their grip on the La Liga title race. The Blaugrana traveled to San Mamés on Saturday to face Athletic Club, and it was Yamal who provided the decisive moment, curling home a composed finish in the 68th minute after a perfectly weighted pass from Pedri to secure a 1-0 victory.

That goal against Bilbao took Lamine Yamal to 50 career goals at just 18 years and 237 days old. The breakdown includes 44 goals for Barcelona across all competitions and six more while representing the Spain national team.

For context, Lionel Messi reached the same milestone in 2008 at the age of 20 years and 315 days, more than two full years older than Yamal was on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in soccer history, netted his 50th career goal in 2007 at 21 years and 297 days old, nearly three years later than the mark Yamal has now set.

At club level, Yamal has scored 44 goals in 142 games for Barcelona since making his debut at 15 years old. Those goals span every competition he has featured in for the Blaugrana: 28 in La Liga, eight in the UEFA Champions League, five in the Copa del Rey and three in the Spanish Super Cup.

At international level, his six goals for Spain are spread across three competitions: three in the UEFA Nations League, two in the Euro qualifiers and one in the EUROs themselves. Yamal was absent from Spain’s World Cup qualifying campaign during the October and November windows, meaning he has yet to score in that competition, but the upcoming tournament in June will give him the opportunity to add yet another to his tally.

Yamal through his best goalscoring season

Despite the midweek Copa del Rey exit, Barcelona remain one of the most formidable sides in Europe and remain firmly in contention for Champions League glory. In Hansi Flick’s second season in charge, Yamal has been one of the primary driving forces behind the Blaugrana‘s La Liga surge, as they currently lead the table with 67 points, four clear of Real Madrid.

Saturday’s goal was his 19th of the season in all competitions, adding to 15 assists in 36 games and making it comfortably his most prolific campaign to date. His previous best was 18 goals across 55 games last season, and with at least 13 matches still to play, not accounting for potential Champions League progression, Yamal is well-placed to surpass that mark.

Early in his career, Yamal was viewed primarily as a creator rather than a finisher, with his goalscoring rate cited as one of the few areas for improvement. Ten goals in his last 11 games has put that notion firmly to rest. With Ronaldo sitting on 965 career goals and Messi on 899, it may be too early to speculate about those kinds of numbers, but at the rate Yamal is going, the question is at least worth asking.

Cristian Chivu concedes Inter were ‘unable to break down’ the Milan defensive block, but insists ‘nothing would’ve changed even if we had won tonight’ in the Scudetto race.

The Nerazzurri could put the final nail in the coffin of the title with this showdown, but have instead seen their 10-point lead reduced to seven.

They were forced into changes on the night, as Marcus Thuram was ruled out by flu symptoms, with Lautaro Martinez also injured, so the all-new strike partnership of Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny struggled to gel.

Moments after Henrikh Mkhitaryan wasted a promising counter-attack, Inter conceded from Pervis Estupinan at the near post, surprising Luis Henrique by running onto the Youssouf Fofana assist.

Chivu recognises Inter should’ve done better

“Our first half was below par with a slow tempo, we then conceded their goal and that was a blow too,” Chivu told DAZN Italia.

“We tried to step up a gear after the break and did better in fits and starts, creating a good chance with Dimarco. We tried everything to swarm around their low defensive block, but were unable to break them down.”

Considering that Esposito and Bonny are different to the usual centre-forwards, should Inter have put more crosses into the box this evening?

“We got to the by-line, but without clear-cut situations, and then the crosses tended to be cleared by their defenders, because we never got in front of them,” replied Chivu.

“There was a lack of dynamism for us, Milan were sitting back and waiting for us to then go on the counter-attack. We need to improve and raise the tempo.”

Inter had been unbeaten in Serie A since the last encounter with Milan, another 1-0 result on November 23, managing a 2-2 draw against Napoli and 14 victories.

Chivu had said that Inter were too often criticised and not given credit for their successes, but after a disappointing 0-0 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Como midweek and this defeat, they seem to be losing steam.

This is on top of the Champions League exit in the play-offs to Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt.

“We could and should have done better. The strikers are young, they didn’t do what we usually require, but that is not an excuse, I am pleased with what they tried to do, considering they were the only two at our disposal. For two such young players, this is valuable experience,” added Chivu.

“We all should’ve had greater intensity and moved with more determination all over the pitch.”

There had been suggestions Inter could go back to the system with one centre-forward and two more advanced creative midfielders, the approach used against Como in the Coppa Italia, to have at least one striker who could come off the bench and shake things up.

“I don’t think this was the right game to make experiments like that.”

The coach was pressed on the late incident where Denzel Dumfries headed the ball onto Samuele Ricci’s arm, but it was considered to be in a natural position.

“I was told the VAR checked it, so I have nothing to add. I am focused on the performance, on my decisions, my mistakes. There are 10 games to go, 30 points up for grabs, so we’ve got to build on what we’ve done so far,” replied Chivu.

“We still have a seven-point advantage, there are 30 still to be earned, nothing would’ve changed even if we had won tonight.”

In Serie A history, Inter and Milan have never managed to win the Scudetto in the same season where they lost both editions of the Derby della Madonnina.

Max Allegri confirms the Pervis Estupinan goal was prepared by Milan to target an Inter defensive weakness, but insists the Nerazzurri ‘remain the clear Scudetto favourites.’

The last time the Rossoneri won both editions of the Serie A derby was 2010-11, also under this coach, and how did that season end?

“It ended with winning the Scudetto,” smiled Allegri on DAZN Italia.

“However, Inter have a seven-point lead at the top, it’s a big advantage, they are still the strongest team and the clear favourites. We could’ve done better and been sharper in the final third on a few situations.

“We can only be happy, because we have kept Juventus at -10 points, Como and Roma at -9, so it was important to get a result today.”

Allegri keeps eyes on the real Milan prize

There are now 10 rounds left in the campaign, and a seven-point gap at the top of the table, although the coach has been adamant the main focus must be on qualifying for the Champions League.

“We worked seven months to make sure we reached March in the best possible condition, because this is when the most important games of the season are played and everything is decided,” continued Allegri.

The Rossoneri knew this was their last chance to keep the title race alive and that Inter had been unbeaten in Serie A since the last Derby della Madonnina on November 23.

That also ended 1-0, but this was an unexpected hero, Estupinan running onto the Youssouf Fofana through ball to beat Yann Sommer at the near post with his first goal for the club, hitting the weakness of Luis Henrique’s defending.

“Luis Henrique is a very good player, but we had prepared that situation in training,” confessed Allegri.

“Before the goal, there was a Rabiot cross that Estupinan could’ve run onto if he had just read it a moment earlier. Fofana did really well with that assist, he had another two important passes against Cremonese where we didn’t manage to score. The team is doing better.”

Milan owner Gerry Cardinale was present at San Siro, something he had not done for 18 months, and went into the dressing room after the final whistle to congratulate the team.

“I spoke to the team and then left, because I had to do the interviews, but I’m very pleased that the club and patrons congratulated the players.

“Having said that, we know that we have not achieved anything yet, so we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground. We must be pleased with the victory, but above all recognise they take us up to 60 points, with one less round to go in order to achieve our target.”

Milan pressed Inter hard in the first half, while they were pushed back a bit more after the break and ended the match clammed up in their own penalty area.

“We used up a lot of energy in the first half, then obviously Inter stepped up a gear and we allowed them a few more crosses when we sat deeper,” continued Allegri.

“However, apart from Federico Dimarco’s chance on the counter-attack, I don’t remember genuine Inter chances. We had some favourable situations too and could’ve gone into the break 2-0 up.

“Having said that, yet again, I need to point out Inter remain the clear favourites for the Scudetto. This victory gives us a morale-booster.”

Luka Modric believes Milan had ‘some Sergio Ramos spirit’ in their Derby della Madonnina victory over Inter today, while Pervis Estupinan admits it was ‘the most important goal of my life.’

The odds were against the Rossoneri, who also felt the most pressure knowing they were 10 points behind the leaders going into this last chance to keep the title race open.

It was an unexpected hero who secured the 1-0 victory at San Siro, as Estupinan had never scored in the Rossoneri jersey before, but he ran onto the Youssouf Fofana through ball to surprise Yann Sommer at the near top corner.

Estupinan and Modric dreaming big for Milan

“It is the most important goal of my life, really,” Estupinan told DAZN Italia.

“This is thanks to all the hard work we did, we worked all week so hard, we had the right approach and we got the victory.”

Max Allegri told Estupinan to run at Luis Henrique, who got the timing and positioning all wrong when defending.

“Yes, as I said, we worked on this and the coach told me to attack that channel. I found the right moment to make the run and scored the goal.”

This means Milan have won both editions of the Derby della Madonnina this season, as Inter had been unbeaten in Serie A since the last encounter on November 23, which also ended 1-0.

“We always believed, but we must keep taking it one game at a time,” Modric told DAZN Italia.

“It was an enormous effort, a great performance in the first half, Inter fought back after the restart, because they are a strong side, but they still created practically nothing against us.

“That shows how well we defended and were so organised, we deserved the victory.”

The gap at the top of the Serie A table remains extensive at seven points, but it does at least give the Rossoneri some hope of catching their bitter city rivals in the remaining 10 rounds.

Inter protested in stoppages when they had the ball in the net, but the referee had stopped play on the corner.

“I don’t know what happened, but the referee blew the whistle beforehand, so it cannot be a goal if play was stopped. It isn’t even disallowed,” explained Modric.

Modric invited 60 friends and family to the match tonight, including his old Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos, who was spotted in the stands at San Siro.

Considering his presence, what do they make of the rumours in Spain that Allegri could be lined up for Real Madrid next season?

“There are always rumours around Real Madrid, but I don’t get involved in these things. I am very happy at Milan, I am so happy to see Sergio, he wrote yesterday and said he really wanted to experience this match. To have him here and with a victory too, that’s even better! We had a bit of Sergio Ramos spirit today,” concluded Modric.

Pervis Estupinan is Football Italia’s Man of the Match in  Milan’s 1-0 win over Inter.

Milan 1-0 Inter player ratings

Milan: Maignan 6.5; Tomori 6, De Winter 6.5, Pavlovic 6.5; Saelemaekers 6, Fofana 6.5 (73′ Ricci 6), Modric 7, Rabiot 6.5, Estupinan 7; Leao 5.5 (73′ Fullkrug N/A), Pulisic 6 (84′ Nkunku N/A). Coach: Allegri 7.

Best Milan player: Estupinan 7 – There are several, but Estupinan slightly beats his teammates thanks to his winning goal in the first half. Maignan was just as decisive a few minutes earlier as he produced a key save to deny Mkhitaryan. De Winter and Pavlovic were very solid at the back, Modric led the Rossoneri with experience and quality. Not a news that.

Lowest Milan rating: Leao 5.5 – He didn’t do much, did he? Even when the Rossoneri had space on the counter, the Portuguese star was too sloppy and made too many touches, losing momentum and hurting the opponents.

Milan coach: Allegri 7 – He told Estupinan after just seven minutes that he had to find space behind Luis Henrique, and that’s exactly how Milan scored the winning goal. Milan kept things tight at the back, but, to be honest, they probably thought they’d have needed to sit deeper to win the game.

Inter: Sommer 6; Bisseck 5.5 (80′ Diouf N/A), Akanji 6, Bastoni 5.5 (68′ Carlos Augusto 6); Luis Henrique 5 (59′ Dumfries 6), Barella 5.5 (68′ Frattesi 5.5), Zielinski 5.5, Mkhitaryan 6 (59′ Sucic 5.5), Dimarco 5.5; Esposito 5, Bonny 5. Coach: Chivu 5.

Best Inter player: Mkhitaryan 6 – It’s hard to pick one as many Nerazzurri were below par. Mkhitaryan probably had the best chance for the Nerazzurri, but was denied by Maignan, just a few minutes before Estupinan’s winner. Dumfries’ introduction in the second half was a clear upgrade on Luis Henrique. Inter have missed him so much.

Lowest Inter rating: Luis Henrique 5 – At the end of the day, he made the decisive mistake that allowed Milan to win the match. It had already happened against Juventus and Arsenal. When the Brazilian is defending, opponents will always have a chance to hurt on that flank. It happened tonight, and Estupinan didn’t waste it.

Inter coach: Chivu 5 – It wasn’t easy without his starting strikers. Lautaro was injured on the bench, and Thuram wasn’t available due to a fever. Inter have now lost their first game since the reverse fixture on November 23. Besides that, they were never really dangerous. The ball moved too slowly, and the strikers didn’t link up well. The good news is that Inter still hold a seven-point lead over Milan.

Milan have won both editions of the Derby della Madonnina, as the Pervis Estupian goal reopens the Scudetto race, closing the gap on leaders Inter to seven points.

This was not only the Derby della Madonnina, but also a Scudetto showdown between first and second place. The Nerazzurri were unbeaten in Serie A since the 1-0 defeat in this fixture on November 23, followed by a draw and 14 victories. Marcus Thuram had flu symptoms, with Lautaro Martinez injured and on the bench anyway to cheer on his teammates, so it was an all-new strike partnership. Matteo Gabbia and Santiago Gimenez missed out following surgery, with Davide Bartesaghi not fully fit.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Luka Modric drilled inches wide from the edge of the area in the third minute after a wayward Yann Sommer pass out from the back.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan gathered from his own half and sprinted forward to force a tricky save out of Mike Maignan one-on-one, but Milan scored instead moments later.

Youssouf Fofana completed a give and go with Rafael Leao, then placed a smart through ball to send Estupinan down the left behind Luis Henrique, beating Sommer from a tight angle at the near post. It was the Ecuadorian’s first ever goal for the Rossoneri.

Pervis Estupiñán rockets AC Milan into the lead in the Derby della Madonnina

@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/4JFOkVSDrN

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2026

It was nearly 2-0 soon after, as Christian Pulisic pulled back from the left by-line and Federico Dimarco did just enough to stop Alexis Saelemaekers sweeping in from 12 yards.

After the restart, Piotr Zielinski stung Maignan’s gloves at the near post, while Rafael Leao scuffed well wide after a strong Pulisic counter-attack.

Fofana tested Sommer on another counter, but Federico Dimarco should’ve equalised on 54 minutes when ballooning over from 12 yards, as Mkhitaryan knocked down a Barella cross.

Leao also wasted a promising opportunity when sent through by Fofana, while Denzel Dumfries came off the bench and within 60 seconds had tested Maignan after pouncing on a loose ball, then Bonny nodded his cross over the bar.

Alessandro Bastoni was booked for a late trip on Rabiot, which ended up injuring the Inter defender and forcing him off the pitch.

Rabiot also saw yellow later and will be suspended for next week’s meeting with Lazio. Inter had the ball in the net on a corner during stoppages, but the referee had clearly blown the whistle beforehand to have it taken again.

Inter also had penalty appeals when Dumfries nodded the ball onto Samuele Ricci’s arm, but it was considered to be in a natural position, then the move continued and Manuel Akanji’s header was off target.

Milan 1-0 Inter

Estupinan 35 (M)

08-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 28

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Milan

Inter

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Pervis Estupiñán (Assist: Youssouf Fofana)

35'

2nd half

		65'		Alessandro Bastoni
		69'		Denzel Dumfries
Adrien Rabiot		80'
Luka Modric		89'

Match statistic

37

Possession %

63

9

Total shots

11

2

Shots on target

2

6

Shots off target

5

1

Blocked shots

4

1

Corners

6

2

Offsides

1

8

Fouls

12

Milan

Inter

Starting lineups

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

73'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

84'

10

Rafael Leão

Attacker

73'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

68'

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

80'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

59'

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

68'

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

59'

Substitutes

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

96

Lorenzo Torriani

Goalkeeper

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

27

David Odogu

Defender

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

73'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

73'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

84'

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

10

Lautaro Martínez

Attacker

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

53

Matteo Lavelli

Attacker

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

59'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

59'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

68'

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

68'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

80'

Inter and Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni was forced to be subbed off after suffering an injury in the second half of the Milan derby on Sunday.

Italy international Bastoni was forced to be subbed off at minute 68 of Inter’s Serie A match against Milan on Sunday.

See how the match unfolded on the live blog.

Bastoni collided with Milan midfielder Arien Rabiot, committing a foul and receiving a yellow card.

The Inter defender took the worst of it, remaining on the ground in pain and needing treatment from the Nerazzurri’s medical staff.

He was quickly replaced by Inter coach Cristian Chivu, who introduced the Brazilian Carlos Augusto.

Inter are expected to provide injury updates in the coming hours, and Italy CT Gennaro Gattuso will be awaiting news on Bastoni as well.

The Azzurri, in fact, play Northern Ireland in the World Cup semifinal play-off on March 26, and even Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori suffered an injury over the weekend.

Today’s derby is technically a home game for Milan, and the Rossoneri crowd had loudly booed Bastoni before his injury over the controversy surrounding him in the Inter-Juventus match last month.

Watching Enzo Maresca complete a messy divorce from Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, Chelsea have endured a turbulent time behind the scenes in west London. Although many across the continent might have been shocked following Liam Rosenior’s arrival, it appears that the Blues are enjoying life under the former Strasbourg boss. Avoiding what would […]

The post The Chelsea superstars who should be sweating over their futures at Stamford Bridge this summer appeared first on Soccer News.

The post The Chelsea superstars who should be sweating over their futures at Stamford Bridge this summer appeared first on Soccer News.

Watching Enzo Maresca complete a messy divorce from Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, Chelsea have endured a turbulent time behind the scenes in west London. Although many across the continent might have been shocked following Liam Rosenior’s arrival, it appears that the Blues are enjoying life under the former Strasbourg boss. Avoiding what would […]

The post The Chelsea superstars who should be sweating over their futures at Stamford Bridge this summer appeared first on Soccer News.

The post The Chelsea superstars who should be sweating over their futures at Stamford Bridge this summer appeared first on Soccer News.

Pervis Estupiñán could not pick a better game to score his first Milan goal as he gave the Rossoneri the lead against Inter in the derby della Madonnina.

Estupiñán’s first Milan goal allowed the Rossoneri to put their noses in front in a derby della Madonnina against Inter on Sunday.

See how the match unfolds on the liveblog.

The Rossoneri won the ball high up the pitch. Youssouf Fofana slipped a through pass to Estupinan on the left, and the former Brighton defender finished the move with a powerful strike toward the near top corner.

Video: Estupinan’s goal vs. Inter

Pervis Estupiñán rockets AC Milan into the lead in the Derby della Madonnina

@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/4JFOkVSDrN

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2026

Pervis Estupiñán fires home his first Serie A goal in the Derby della Madonnina pic.twitter.com/QFMZI9NsgX

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

The Telegraph reports that Italian tactician Roberto De Zerbi is on Manchester United and Tottenham’s shortlist for the 2026-27 season, but Spurs must first secure survival.

Former Sassuolo, Brighton and Marseille coach De Zerbi is a candidate to become the new coach of Tottenham and Manchester United next season, The Telegraph reports.

According to the report, De Zerbi is keen on the Red Devils job and is among the club’s shortlist of candidates for next season.

The same goes for Tottenham, but Spurs are in a tricky situation currently as they are just one point above the relegation zone.

Their new coach, Igor Tudor, has lost all three of his opening games in charge.

The former Juventus tactician risks being sackedm but he’ll remain at the helm for next week’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.

According to the report, both Tottenham and Manchester United directors appreciate De Zerbi’s attacking style of play, but the Italian tactician also has admirers at Manchester City, where he has built a solid bond with Pep Guardiola.

De Zerbi left Marseille by mutual consent on February 11. The French club had appointed him in the summer of 2024.

• Read more – De Rossi: I won’t pretend I’m sorry after win over Roma

Roma suffered a 2-1 away defeat against Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa on Sunday.

Today’s loss leaves them fifth in the standings, level on 51 points with fourth-placed Como and just one point above Juventus.

Gasperini comments on Genoa 2-1 Roma

“We approached the game really well; we were determined and solid,” Gasperini told DAZN via TMW.

“We didn’t have many shots on target, and perhaps they had even fewer than we did. We weren’t even lucky in the final minutes, but the team spirit was very high.”

“The incident is quite clear; VAR didn’t intervene. Everyone can see it their own way, but the images are so clear,” Gasperini said.

“If those in charge of VAR aren’t certain about this, they should do another job. You can’t change reality; it’s quite evident. He didn’t impose the penalty, and we shouldn’t consider other interpretations.

“There was great intensity with long balls from any position, quite suitable for a player like Cristante,” Gasperini continued.

“It was really difficult to play the ball on the ground, but the lads were good; it’s not a lucky moment. Svilar made the first save in the second half. Now we have a busy schedule with two games against Bologna.”

Roma’s next game is away at Bologna in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16. Next Sunday, they’ll host Como at the Stadio Olimpico in what will be a crucial match in the race for the top four.

Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi won’t pretend to be sorry after his Genoa side beat Roma 2-1 and admits he feels ‘ at home’ at Marassi.

De Rossi’s Genoa beat Roma 2-1 on Sunday and the Italian tactician commented on his players’ performances during a post-match interview with DAZN.

“It was worth three points, which are so important and were earned by a strong and healthy group,” De Rossi said.

“In January, after the transfer window, I said I was happy because I had a group with different characteristics in all departments. I know games are not all the same, and opponents are not all the same. When you need intensity like tonight, you need players with those skill sets. I’m happy with the table, but very happy with my players. They deserve this satisfaction, especially those who have played less.”

De Rossi is a Roma legend and a former Giallorossi coach, so how does it feel to beat his favourite club?

“If you decide to do this job, you must know you’ll face Roma sooner or later,” De Rossi replied.

“I don’t want to minimise or say I’m not sorry that they are sorry, but I don’t want to justify myself or pretend I’m sorry. I’m happy, not that Roma lost, but that I won. This will be my fate until the day I’ll hope Roma win 38 games. It’s a target of mine and a dream of many. Perhaps, one day it will happen.

“However, if I have to think about a team similar to Roma, that makes me feel at home, with similar fans, in both good and bad ways; it’s where I am now, and I really like it.”

De Rossi went on to praise his players.

“What they give me is more than what I give them. I try to treat them honestly and equally. I hadn’t noticed the assist [for Vitinha] was from Masini,” he continued.

“I’m not surprised. I like to spend time with these lads, I like to shield them when there are bad games, like against Inter. All we do comes from what they do in training. If you look at Masini, you have to stop him in training because he goes twice as fast as the others. Perhaps, he won’t play in the next game, but this is football. They give everything to me, I give everything to them.”

Inter President Beppe Marotta agrees with Cristian Chivu that their success ‘attracted jealousy and excessive criticism,’ while youth is the way forward in the Milan derby.

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Nerazzurri are forced into changes, because Marcus Thuram has flu symptoms and is not even fit for a spot on the bench this evening.

Curiously, Lautaro Martinez is named among the substitutes, even though he is in absolutely no condition to play, because the captain wants to be close to his teammates during this huge match.

Marotta reassuring for Inter showdown

“It was a nice gesture, he wanted to be there and knows that a captain is not just on the pitch, but he can take that role off it too. We consider it an extremely positive attitude,” Marotta told DAZN Italia.

Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny start together in a competitive match for the first time, forming a brand new and young Inter strike partnership.

“Italian football cannot compete financially with many other leagues, so we need to focus on the quality of Made in Italy. Playing Pio Esposito is to the credit of our youth academy, and this is the path that other Serie A sides ought to be following.

“Football is entertainment and another way of creating that is to make the most of the talent within our shores.”

Inter are 10 points clear at the top of the Serie A table, so anything less than a defeat would all but stitch the Scudetto badge onto their jersey.

“We are not thinking about that,” said the President. “We want to remember the dangers in this derby, as it is always separate from the rest of the season.

“I hope it can be a positive advertisement for the city of Milano, an iconic city. We hope it can be spectacular and positive for those in the stadium and around the world.”

Cristian Chivu complained recently that Inter did not receive credit for their successes this campaign, playing in the Coppa Italia semi-final and top of Serie A.

“I think it is a fair assessment, because generally those who win tend to attract jealousy or excessive criticism without substance,” agreed Marotta.

“In the last five years, Inter are the side in Italy who won the most, and we’ve got to be able to handle that kind of malicious sniping that drags us into situations where we don’t belong. There’s no point getting into more controversy.”

Piero Hincapie joined Arsenal on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, with the Gunners having the option to turn it into a permanent deal at the end of this season. According to Fabrizio Romano, the initial loan agreement was necessary for Arsenal to comply with the Financial Fair Play regulations, and their plan was always […]

The post Arsenal to turn Hincapie loan into permanent transfer appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arsenal to turn Hincapie loan into permanent transfer appeared first on Soccer News.

Max Allegri assures Christian Pulisic ‘hasn’t forgotten how to score goals’ for Milan and warns they ‘need to be realistic’ in the Scudetto race even if they beat Inter.

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Not only is this a Derby della Madonnina and bitter local rivalry, it’s also a decisive crossroads in the Scudetto race, because anything less than a victory for the Rossoneri today would make it a huge ask to claw back the gap at the top of the table.

Allegri not fooled by Inter difficulties

Inter are forced to do without both first choice strikers, as Marcus Thuram has flu and Lautaro Martinez is injured, so does anything change for Milan in their approach to facing Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny?

“Nothing changes, as Esposito and Bonny are both very good players,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.

“It is a difficult match, Inter are an excellent team, as you can see from their position in the table, and we’ll see if we are able to put in a good performance, and above all to get a result.”

Alexandre Pato is in the stands as a guest of the Milan squad, saluted by Allegri before kick-off, with memories of his goal early into a Derby della Madonnina.

“We will try to start strong and that we get what happened in 2011, it would be auspicious. Having said that, we need to be realistic and look at the ultimate objective. The season doesn’t end here, it would be good to get a marvellous result this evening though,” continued Allegri.

Pulisic has not found the net since the 3-0 win over Hellas Verona on December 12, but the USMNT star returns to the starting XI today.

“I think his condition is improving and he will be very important for us in the final months of the season. It’s not as if he has forgotten how to score goals, he had an injury from pre-season, he had a few more setbacks, but is working on finding his best form,” concluded Allegri.

Marcus Thuram is not even on the Inter bench this evening for the Derby della Madonnina against Milan, but Lautaro Martinez is among the substitutes, even if he cannot play.

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

This is not just the fiery local derby and Stadio Giuseppe Meazza battle for local bragging rights, but also a Scudetto showdown between the runaway leaders and the only team keeping up the pace in second.

Inter without first choice strikers

However, Cristian Chivu is forced into some changes, because Thuram has not recovered after suffering from flu symptoms on Friday evening and is not even on the bench today.

Curiously, Lautaro Martinez is named among the substitutes, even though he is in no condition to play after sustaining that calf strain during the first leg of the Champions League play-off with Bodo/Glimt last month.

The captain wanted to be included so that he could be close to his Inter teammates, both inside the locker room, and sitting on the touchline rather than being more isolated in the stands.

The last time Inter did not have a single minute for both Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram in Serie A was a 2-0 win away to Como on May 23, 2025.

Back then, they were rested ahead of the Champions League Final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, so that was 289 days ago.

Inter bench: Di Gennaro, J Martinez, Dumfries, De Vrij, Sucic, Lautaro Martinez, Acerbi, Frattesi, Diouf, Calhanoglu, Carlos Augusto, Darmian, Lavelli

Daniele De Rossi stunned his beloved Roma to give Genoa a much-needed victory, allowing Como to catch the Giallorossi in joint fourth place.

The Giallorossi were gearing up for the Europa League Round of 16 tie with Bologna, but also knew they needed a result here to hold onto fourth place. Paulo Dybala and Evan Ferguson found out this week they required surgery, with Matias Soulé, Mario Hermoso and Artem Dovbyk out too, plus Wesley suspended. Lorenzo Venturino therefore got his first start aged 19 against his parent club. Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa lost Roma-owned Tommaso Baldanzi to injury, with Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Sebastian Otoa not fully fit either.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Evan Ndicka received an early yellow card for a push on Jeff Ekhator and will be suspended when Roma take on Como next week.

Donyell Malen squirmed away from three for a shot deflected wide, while Junior Messias misplaced the pass that would’ve sent Ekhator clear on goal.

Malen was booked after going for the acrobatic volley on a Gianluca Mancini cross, but only catching Leo Ostigard on the head instead.

Genoa had a huge chance on the stroke of half-time, as Caleb Ekuban came sliding in and got to the Messias cross before Mancini, turning over from seven yards.

Bryan Cristante came on for the restart, but Lorenzo Pellegrini slipped and crashed into Mikel Ellertsson for an inevitable penalty, which was converted centrally into the roof of the net by Messias.

Ekuban fired over from a promising position moments later, but Roma equalised on a corner kick of their own. Mancini’s header was nodded away by Messias, but only into the path of Ndicka for a looping header into the empty net. It was the defender’s third consecutive Serie A match on target.

Malen had the ball in the net just two minutes later, but was offside when gathering the Neil El Aynaoui pass through the middle. Malen’s diving header also went over from 10 yards on another Mancini cross.

A Lorenzo Colombo overhead kick failed to trouble Mile Svilar, but Genoa restored their advantage after a throw-in. It was knocked down by Colombo for Ruslan Malinovskyi, who sent Patrizio Masini down the left, rolled across for Vitinha to come sliding in to tap into an empty net from six yards.

Kostas Tsimikas got into the box and could’ve gone for goal, but instead pulled back from the by-line into an area with no Roma teammates.

Malen saw his strike deflected just wide in the final minute and there was a scramble on a corner, then Svilar made a desperate save one-on-one with Malinovsyki on the counter-attack.

Genoa 2-1 Roma

Messias pen 52 (G), Ndicka 55 (R), Vitinha 80 (G)

08-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 28

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Roma

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		12'		Evan Ndicka
Patrizio Masini		16'
		40'		Donyell Malen

2nd half

Junior Messias		52'
		55'		Evan Ndicka
Vitinha (Assist: Patrizio Masini)		80'
		89'		Bryan Cristante

Match statistic

35

Possession %

65

11

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

1

5

Shots off target

2

1

Blocked shots

4

3

Corners

6

1

Offsides

5

11

Fouls

17

Genoa

Roma

Starting lineups

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

75'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

64'

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

64'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

79'

99

Mile Svilar

Goalkeeper

2

Devyne Rensch

Defender

70'

5

Evan Ndicka

Defender

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

84'

12

Konstantinos Tsimikas

Defender

19

Zeki Celik

Defender

84'

7

Lorenzo Pellegrini

Midfielder

56'

17

Manu Koné

Midfielder

61

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

14

Donyell Malen

Attacker

20

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

46'

Substitutes

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

70

Maxwel Cornet

Attacker

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

4

Amorim

Midfielder

99

Mamedi Doucouré

Defender

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

64'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

64'

9

Vitinha

Attacker

75'

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

79'

92

Stephan El Shaarawy

Attacker

95

Pierluigi Gollini

Goalkeeper

97

Bryan Zaragoza

Attacker

4

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

46'

8

Neil El Aynaoui

Midfielder

56'

87

Daniele Ghilardi

Defender

70'

24

Jan Ziolkowski

Defender

84'

78

Robinio Vaz

Attacker

84'

Inter start an all-new partnership of Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny with Piotr Zielinski, while Milan hope Luka Modric can inspire Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic.

It kicks off at San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Not only is this a Derby della Madonnina and bitter local rivalry, it’s also a decisive crossroads in the Scudetto race, because leaders Inter are 10 points clear of Milan in second place.

The Nerazzurri were held 0-0 by Como in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg on Tuesday, when adopting a new tactical system with Davide Frattesi and Andy Diouf in advanced roles to support a single centre-forward.

Marcus Thuram was meant to start today, but he is suffering from flu symptoms and is not even fit for the bench, with Lautaro Martinez still out after that calf injury against Bodo/Glimt.

Curiously, the Argentine is named ‘on the bench’ just so he can be close to his teammates and cheer them on.

It means a brand-new strike pairing of Esposito and Bonny, while Hakan Calhanoglu is rested after making his first start in six weeks with Como.

Instead, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zielinski take the midfield reins, with Denzel Dumfries slowly making his way back to full fitness after several months out due to ankle surgery.

Milan have problems of their own to deal with, because Matteo Gabbia had an operation for a sports hernia and is expected to be out for a month, joining Santiago Gimenez on the absentee list.

Davide Bartesaghi avoided a serious flexor injury, but the twinge against Cremonese was enough to mean he’s on the bench, replaced by Pervis Estupinan.

Pulisic and Leao work on their partnership, with Modric and Adrien Rabiot in midfield.

Inter are unbeaten in Serie A since their loss to Milan on November 23, followed by a 2-2 draw with Napoli, and 14 victories.

Milan vs. Inter line-ups

Milan: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Estupinan; Leao, Pulisic

Inter: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Esposito, Bonny

08-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 28

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Milan

Inter

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Pervis Estupiñán (Assist: Youssouf Fofana)

35'

2nd half

		65'		Alessandro Bastoni
		69'		Denzel Dumfries
Adrien Rabiot		80'
Luka Modric		89'

Match statistic

37

Possession %

63

9

Total shots

11

2

Shots on target

2

6

Shots off target

5

1

Blocked shots

4

1

Corners

6

2

Offsides

1

8

Fouls

12

Milan

Inter

Starting lineups

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

73'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

84'

10

Rafael Leão

Attacker

73'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

68'

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

80'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

59'

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

68'

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

59'

Substitutes

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

96

Lorenzo Torriani

Goalkeeper

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

27

David Odogu

Defender

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

73'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

73'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

84'

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

10

Lautaro Martínez

Attacker

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

53

Matteo Lavelli

Attacker

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

59'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

59'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

68'

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

68'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

80'