Massimiliano Allegri could barely contain his emotion after Milan edged a 3-2 victory over Torino, a result that keeps the Rossoneri firmly in the hunt for Inter’s lead at the top of Serie A.

The win was all the more significant given defeats against Parma and Lazio in the past month had briefly threatened to derail Milan’s title challenge at a critical stage of the season.

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Allegri was so wound up during the match that he was caught telling referee Doveri he would quit football, a comment he addressed with characteristic humour in his post-match interview, with quotes via MilanNews.

“It was the heat of the moment,” he laughed. “I am getting on in years and I would not want my heart to give out. The match was very important for us at that point.”

The first half was not straightforward, with Torino presenting real problems in the first 30 minutes.

“We were forcing play inside the field too much and conceding too many counter-attacks,” Allegri admitted. “In the second half the players grew physically too, which was not easy after the equaliser at the end of the first half.”

Tactically, Allegri shed light on Alexis Saelemaekers’ demanding role in his 4-3-3.

“He is our balance player, when we defend he must be the fifth, when we attack he must be the third forward. Sometimes he arrives at the end of games a little spent.” The introduction of Pulisic wide helped open up a Torino side with a compact central block.

Milan 3-2 Torino – Allegri defends Fullkrug and gives Pavlovic his flowers

Niklas Fullkrug was another subject of analysis, with Allegri defending the German striker while pointing to a broader truth about players who lack consistent minutes.

“It is not easy when you do not have continuity, the physical structure suffers,” he said. “He had a difficult first half but a much better second. Compare that to Ricci, who because of his physicality and mentality can come on at any point and immediately be in match mode. Players are different.”

The head coach was clear that Fullkrug’s second-half improvement was the kind of response he needed.

On Strahinja Pavlovic’s performance, capped off with a spectacular goal from range, Allegri was full of praise.

“He played a great match tonight, he has improved a lot,” he said. “He has character, soul, he defended well in open play. He is growing significantly and I am delighted.”

With the international break now arriving, Allegri took the opportunity for a light-hearted dig at his forwards.

“This week I ask nothing of anyone, the break is the only thing I asked them not to ruin for me. But the attackers will return to scoring in the decisive moments after the pause.”

Next up after the break is a trip to Napoli, second versus third, a match Allegri described simply as “a beautiful evening of football and sport.”

Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali admits it has ‘not been an easy week’ for them dealing with a whooping cough outbreak, but they ‘feel ready to have our say’ against Juventus anyway.

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Neroverdi are dealing with a truly extraordinary situation, as an outbreak of whooping cough has spread throughout the squad.

There is one confirmed diagnosis, with five others isolated after exhibiting symptoms, although the club has not named any of them due to privacy concerns.

It is fairly easy to work out who is missing from the squad today, namely Nemanja Matic, Kristian Thorstvedt, Woyo Coulibaly and Stefano Turati.

Sassuolo were already without injured Fali Candé, Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo.

Carnevali has faith in decimated Sassuolo

“The week has certainly not been an easy one, but we’ve got to focus on the match against a very strong team,” Carnevali told Sky Sport Italia and DAZN Italia.

“When you face a side like Juventus, you will always have extra motivation, regardless of the circumstances. We know that we are not in the best situation possible, but we do feel ready to have our say in this game.

“The players who were taken ill are already improving, it’s part of the game and it gives an opportunity to those who haven’t played as much.”

The build-up has seen Sassuolo bring back Covid-era protocols to prevent the spread of this highly-infectious illness, which can even be fatal for babies.

That includes not shaking hands before kick-off, no exchange of jerseys at the final whistle, while families were warned not to get too close together in the stands either.

“Even if we haven’t beaten the big clubs yet this season, we always caused them a lot of problems.”

There is a first start for 18-year-old Darryl Bakola, who was purchased from Olympique Marseille in January for €10m plus €2m in add-ons.

“He is a young player and Sassuolo always trust youth, we made a big investment, we wanted him at all costs and beat a lot of competition from more prestigious clubs,” explained Carnevali.

“His growth process certainly doesn’t depend on this match, it’s a long-term project, and we believe Sassuolo is the ideal club for him to flourish.”

The Neroverdi have a veteran too, but Domenico Berardi was not called up for the Italy squad going into the 2026 World Cup play-offs.

“I had hoped he would get that call, as Domenico is having a great season. We’ve just got to hope that the Nazionale reach the World Cup, regardless of Berardi.”

Luciano Spalletti warns against Juventus getting ‘arrogant’ due to the Sassuolo whooping cough crisis, while he welcomes back Dusan Vlahovic and trusts Jeremie Boga in a new role.

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Sassuolo are in a very strange situation, as there is one confirmed case of whooping cough in the squad, and another four players who have been isolated after showing symptoms.

Although the club has not named any of them due to privacy concerns, notably Nemanja Matic, Kristian Thorstvedt, Woyo Coulibaly and Stefano Turati are not here today.

The Neroverdi were already without injured Fali Candé, Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo, but Spalletti refuses to see this as an advantage.

Spalletti does not expect struggling Sassuolo

“Any team usually has 15-16 first choice players, naturally there are some who play more, but that doesn’t mean the others aren’t valid,” Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia.

“I remember during the Covid era when there were only 13 players who came here with Napoli, we got a draw with a wonderful Mertens goal. So this sort of thing can create a bit of arrogance if you are not intelligent enough to handle the news, or on the other side gives you extra motivation to give something more and help your teammates out.”

The Bianconeri got themselves back in the hunt for a Champions League spot thanks to the fightback for a 3-3 draw at Roma, then two consecutive Serie A victories over Pisa and Udinese.

Among the keys to the turnaround was the move to a 4-3-3 formation, with Jeremie Boga as the centre-forward this time from the start rather than at half-time, sending Jonathan David to the bench.

“I asked all those who worked with Boga, they said he has to play on the left, but when I put him in the centre, he proved that he knows how to hurt the opposition centre-backs,” explained Spalletti.

“If he has 10 metres behind him, he can use that with a lethal change of pace, it’s impossible to keep up with him. So we’ll try to make the most of that, as well as his technique, as he does well with the ball at his feet.”

Dusan Vlahovic is back on the bench for the first time since November 29, when he suffered a serious thigh injury, and his future at the club remains to be seen with a contract that expires on June 30.

“Arek Milik is on the bench too, so we’ve got four centre-forwards on the bench. Vlahovic is doing well, naturally he has different characteristics, he had a lot of difficulty sticking to the rules after a very serious injury, but seeing as we are at the end of that process now, we will try not to do any more damage.”

Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez made his first appearance for Milan since October, when he came on as a 70th minute substitute for Niclas Fullkrug in the Rossoneri’s 3-2 win over Torino on Saturday evening.

The former Feyenoord forward underwent ankle surgery in December following a recurring issue that had been plaguing his fitness.

After the surgery was a success, Gimenez began his road to recovery and rejoined full training with his teammates this month.

Milan welcome Gimenez back at crucial juncture

It is a welcome boost for both club and country, with the Rossoneri struggling up front as of late and Mexico preparing to welcome the FIFA World Cup to its shores in the Summer.

Fullkrug’s flat performance tonight will have only strengthened the Mexican’s position as he strives to play a pivotal part in the end of Milan’s season.

With the win tonight, Milan moved within five points of league leaders and fierce city rivals Inter, albeit with the Nerazzurri still to play this weekend – they travel to Fiorentina on Sunday.

Milan scored a quick fire double early into the second half to secure a 3-2 victory over Torino, temporarily closing the gap on league leaders Inter to five points ahead of the Nerazzurri’s match at Fiorentina on Sunday.

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Football Italia’s Man of the Match was Rossoneri defender Strahinja Pavlovic, for his phenomenal long-range effort to put his side 1-0 up and resolute defensive performance, despite giving away a late penalty after pulling down Simeone in the box.

Milan 3-2 Torino – Player Ratings

Milan: Maignan 6.5; Tomori 6 (Athekame 6.5), De Winter 5.5, Pavlovic 7; Saelemaekers 6, Fofana 7 (Ricci 6), Modric 6.5, Rabiot 7, Bartesaghi 6.5; Pulisic 6.5 (Gimenez), Fullkrug 5.5 (Nkunku 6)

Best Milan player: Strahinja Pavlovic – Despite giving away the late penalty, he more than made up for it with his efforts beforehand. Scored an outrageous goal from distance in the first half and worked really hard defensively to break up Torino’s attacks.

Lowest Milan rating: Niclas Fullkrug – Still yet to really settle in at Milan, the German stood in for the injured Rafael Leao tonight but did himself no favours in establishing a more permanent place in the team. Was largely very ineffective before being replaced with twenty minutes left to play.

Coach: Massimiliano Allegri 7 – Will be happy with the way his side dominated possession of the ball but will perhaps be disappointed that the chance creation is still missing something. His substitutes really helped Milan stay fresh, and Athekame even picked up an assist.

Torino: Paleari 5.5; Coco 5, Ismajli 5.5, Ebosse 5 (Kulenovic N/A); Pedersen 5.5, Vlasic 7, Prati 5.5 (Ilkhan 5.5), Gineitis 6 (Casadei 6), Obrador 5.5 (Nkounkou N/A); Simeone 7, Zapata 5.5 (Adams 6)

Best Torino player: Nikola Vlasic – Capped off an impressive midfield display with a late consolation goal from the penalty spot, the Croatian worked hard all evening, firing off attempts on goal, creating chances and also working hard defensively.

Lowest Torino rating: Saul Coco – Really struggled to win his individual battles on the right-hand side of the back three and his passing was also lacklustre.

Coach: Roberto D’Aversa 6 – Quite unlucky as despite their lack of possession, the visitors fashioned a number of good chances and perhaps deserved a point. Still showing signs of improvement under the coach, who seems to have no trouble in getting 100% out of his players.

Milan got back on track with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Torino, including spectacular Strahinja Pavlovic strike from distance, and Santiago Gimenez made his comeback.

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The Rossoneri were feeling the pressure after going from Scudetto dream to nightmare in the space of a week, their defeat to Lazio leaving them closer to fifth place than the leaders. Rafael Leao had an adductor injury, so Niclas Fullkrug stepped in, with Santiago Gimenez on the bench for the first time since October. Davide Bartesaghi and Adrien Rabiot were also available again. Toro had two wins and a narrow defeat to Napoli since replacing Marco Baroni with Roberto D’Aversa, but missed Zakaria Aboukhlal, Alieu Njie and Zanos Savva.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was an aggressive start from the visitors, as Matteo Prati fired over from the edge of the box, then Nikola Vlasic got in front of Koni De Winter and Mike Maignan to flick on the Marcus Pedersen ball across the face of goal.

Maignan fingertipped a looping Ardian Ismajli header out from under the bar on a corner, while Christian Pulisic and Bartesaghi had efforts charged down inside the area.

Rabiot unleashed a screamer from distance that Albert Paleari flew to palm away, and it was only a warning for Milan to take the lead moments later. Saul Coco nodded a cross clear to around 25 yards, where Pavlovic took a touch, let it bounce, and smashed the left-footed half-volley in off the underside of the crossbar.

Duvan Zapata tested Maignan at the near post moments later, and Pavlovic’s goal-line clearance on Pedersen wouldn’t have counted because Simeone was offside on the assist.

Torino did equalise on the stroke of half-time, as Maignan got down for a one-handed save on the Vlasic effort from the edge of the area, it took a double ricochet off the upright and his shoulder, until Simeone was quickest to react on the loose ball.

After the restart, Milan were much more aggressive after changing to a four-man defence. Ismajli came sliding in to charge down a Pulisic effort, and Bartesaghi’s volley was deflected wide.

The pressure eventually paid off when Christian Pulisic pulled across from the right and Rabiot was ready to bundle it over the line from point-blank range with his knee. It was his first goal scored at San Siro in the Rossoneri jersey.

Moments later they extended their advantage, as Zachary Athekame’s through ball was gathered by Fofana, who was allowed to take three touches and turn in a crowd of Torino players, firing in from 13 yards.

Maignan made a sensational reaction save, sticking out a trailing leg to deny Simeone’s first-time sweep from 12 yards, then Cholito had another dangerous volley charged down for a corner.

There was a big moment, as Santiago Gimenez made his return after ankle surgery, his first appearance since the end of October 2025.

Samuele Ricci nearly scored against his former club, Alberto Paleari getting down to parry at the near post, but just before that was an incident that was spotted by VAR. Pavlovic had dragged back Simeone with an arm across his face and neck inside the penalty area, so even if he wasn’t going to reach the ball, it was a clear foul.

A penalty was awarded and converted into the top corner by Nikola Vlasic to get Torino back into the game.

The Granata had more penalty appeals for a Koni De Winter handball, but the arm was judged to be in a natural position.

Milan 3-2 Torino

Pavlovic 36 (M), Simeone 44 (T), Rabiot 54 (M), Fofana 56 (M), Vlasic pen 83 (T)

21-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 30

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Milan

Torino

3 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

Fikayo Tomori		9'
Strahinja Pavlovic		37'
		44'		Giovanni Simeone

2nd half

Adrien Rabiot (Assist: Christian Pulisic)		54'
Youssouf Fofana (Assist: Zachary Athekame)		56'
Strahinja Pavlovic		82'
		83'		Nikola Vlasic
Santiago Giménez		90+6'
		90+3'		Emirhan Ilkhan

Milan

Torino

Starting lineups

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

46'

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

90'

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

70'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

77'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

70'

1

Alberto Paleari

Goalkeeper

44

Ardian Ismajli

Defender

77

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

89'

16

Marcus Pedersen

Defender

33

Rafa Obrador

Defender

89'

23

Saúl Coco

Defender

66

Gvidas Gineitis

Midfielder

74'

98

Matteo Prati

Midfielder

63'

10

Nikola Vlasic

Midfielder

91

Duván Zapata

Attacker

63'

18

Giovanni Simeone

Attacker

Substitutes

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

37

Matteo Pittarella

Goalkeeper

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

46'

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

70'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

70'

7

Santiago Giménez

Attacker

77'

27

David Odogu

Defender

90'

34

Cristiano Biraghi

Defender

81

Franco Israel

Goalkeeper

20

Valentino Lazaro

Defender

61

Adrien Tameze

Midfielder

8

Ivan Ilić

Midfielder

13

Guillermo Maripán

Defender

14

Tino Anjorin

Midfielder

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

99

Lapo Siviero

Goalkeeper

19

Ché Adams

Attacker

63'

6

Emirhan Ilkhan

Midfielder

63'

22

Cesare Casadei

Midfielder

74'

17

Sandro Kulenovic

Attacker

89'

25

Niels Nkounkou

Defender

89'

Juventus have Dusan Vlahovic back in the squad after four months, but Jeremie Boga starts with Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao against a Sassuolo side affected by a virus outbreak.

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Bianconeri are back in the hunt for a top four finish after the 3-3 thriller with Roma, then back-to-back victories over Pisa and Udinese.

The key was dropping Jonathan David for Boga as a False 9, flanked by Conceicao and Yildiz, so that is repeated here today with Boga facing his former club.

Emil Holm is now the only remaining absentee, because both long-term injury cases Vlahovic and Arek Milik are on the bench.

Mattia Perin keeps the gloves, with Khephren Thuram preferred to Teun Koopmeiners.

Sassuolo had a very strange build-up to this game, as six players were isolated after showing symptoms of whooping cough.

The identities of the players affected were not confirmed, with only one confirmed case of pertussis, which is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.

The Neroverdi had been on fine form until recently, then suffered back-to-back defeats with Lazio and Bologna.

Sassuolo were already missing injured Fali Candé, Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo.

The players not in the squad are Nemanja Matic, Kristian Thorstvedt, Woyo Coulibaly and Stefano Turati.

These teams met on January 6, with Juve running out 3-0 winners away from home.

Juventus vs. Sassuolo line-ups

Juventus: Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Boga, Yildiz

Sassuolo: Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Garcia; Bakola, Vranckx, Koné; Berardi, Pinamonti, Volpato

21-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Juventus Stadium (Allianz Stadium)

Juventus

Sassuolo

Live

0 - 0

Juventus

Sassuolo

Starting lineups

1

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper

27

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

3

Bremer

Defender

6

Lloyd Kelly

Defender

15

Pierre Kalulu

Defender

19

Khéphren Thuram

Midfielder

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

22

Weston McKennie

Midfielder

7

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

13

Jeremie Boga

Attacker

10

Kenan Yıldız

Attacker

49

Arijanet Muric

Goalkeeper

21

Jay Idzes

Defender

6

Sebastian Walukiewicz

Defender

80

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

23

Ulisses Garcia

Defender

40

Aster Vranckx

Midfielder

7

Cristian Volpato

Midfielder

50

Darryl Bakola

Midfielder

90

Ismaël Koné

Midfielder

99

Andrea Pinamonti

Attacker

10

Domenico Berardi

Attacker

Substitutes

9

Dusan Vlahovic

Attacker

23

Carlo Pinsoglio

Goalkeeper

21

Fabio Miretti

Midfielder

8

Teun Koopmeiners

Midfielder

4

Federico Gatti

Defender

16

Michele Di Gregorio

Goalkeeper

14

Arkadiusz Milik

Attacker

20

Loïs Openda

Attacker

18

Filip Kostic

Midfielder

30

Jonathan David

Attacker

11

Edon Zhegrova

Attacker

32

Juan Cabal

Defender

17

Vasilije Adžić

Midfielder

19

Filippo Romagna

Defender

12

Giacomo Satalino

Goalkeeper

16

Gioele Zacchi

Goalkeeper

8

M’Bala Nzola

Attacker

24

Luca Moro

Attacker

44

Edoardo Iannoni

Midfielder

3

Josh Doig

Defender

45

Armand Lauriente

Attacker

35

Luca Lipani

Midfielder

66

Pedro Felipe

Defender

33

Christian Frangella

Midfielder

Atletico Madrid have already made their move for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, submitting a formal offer ahead of the summer transfer window as sporting director Mateu Alemany prioritises a new central midfielder.

According to transfer journalist Alfredo Pedullà, Atletico have tabled a bid of €35 million plus €5 million in bonuses for the Brazilian international.

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However, Atalanta are holding firm at a minimum fixed fee of €40 million plus add-ons, a stance that could push the total value of any deal towards €50 million.

Atletico ready to try and try again for Atalanta’s Ederson

It is not the first time Atletico have pursued Ederson.

The Spanish club attempted to sign the 26-year-old during the January window before turning their attention elsewhere after Atalanta rejected their approach. Their persistence suggests he remains their primary target heading into the summer.

Time is beginning to work in Atletico’s favour.

Ederson’s contract runs until 2027, meaning Atalanta will soon find themselves with a player entering the final year of his deal, a position that typically forces clubs into a difficult choice between selling or risking losing a valuable asset for a reduced fee or even nothing at all.

Should renewal talks stall, Atalanta’s negotiating position weakens considerably.

For now, a gap remains between the two clubs’ valuations, and any deal is expected to be revisited in the coming months rather than concluded imminently.

Luka Modric reached yet another remarkable milestone during Milan’s clash with Torino on Saturday, making his 550th appearance in Europe’s Big 5 leagues, a figure that places him second on the all-time list among players who debuted in the top divisions from the 2008/09 season onwards.

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According to OptaPaolo, only Antoine Griezmann has made more appearances in Europe’s elite leagues since that cut-off point, with the Atletico Madrid forward ahead on 555. The Croatian legend’s longevity at the very highest level is quite extraordinary.

Milan star Modric makes 550th appearance in Europe’s Top 5 leagues

Modric began his Big 5 league journey with Tottenham Hotspur, where he made 127 Premier League appearances between 2008 and 2012, scoring 13 goals.

He then spent 13 years at Real Madrid, accumulating 394 La Liga appearances and 30 goals between 2012 and 2025 before making the move to Milan last summer.

He has now added 29 Serie A outings to that remarkable tally, with two goals to his name in what has been an impressive debut season in Italy.

Now 40 years old, Modric shows little sign of slowing down, a fact that has been noted with admiration by former teammates, opponents and observers alike.

Alessandro Nesta recently described him as “a monster of humility” who applies himself with extraordinary dedication, while Andriy Shevchenko was similarly struck by his physical condition during a recent visit to Milanello.

You can follow all the action from Milan’s match against Torino on our Live Blog.

Parma chief executive Federico Cherubini made no attempt to defend his side after a chastening home defeat to Cremonese, openly acknowledging that the supporters who booed at the final whistle were entirely justified in their reaction.

The result is a damaging one for Parma, whose hopes of pulling clear of the relegation zone now look considerably more precarious with eight games remaining, especially with Cremonese picking up the three points.

The defeat makes it back-to-back losses after a run of form that had briefly raised optimism around Carlos Cuesta’s side, and Cherubini was in no mood to sugarcoat the situation.

Parma 0-2 Cremonese – Cherubini: ‘The boos were deserved’

“The boos were deserved and there is nothing to argue about, the picture is accurate,” he told DAZN, with quotes via AlfredoPedulla.com.

“I think it is entirely normal that supporters react the way they did to a performance like today’s. We must remain united in this moment and understand that the objective we thought was close is still very far away.”

Cherubini had issued a similar warning before the Torino defeat, and his message now carries even greater urgency.

“I don’t think it was a lack of concentration but unfortunately we come off the back of a very poor performance and the objective will be extremely difficult to reach,” he said.

The CEO did, however, identify one potential silver lining. The forthcoming international break arrives at a convenient moment for a squad badly in need of regrouping. “The pause comes at the right time to allow us to recompact the team,” he said.

Max Allegri gives an important injury update on Rafael Leao and warns Milan ‘need to be on our toes’ against Torino. ‘Niclas Fullkrug has different characteristics.’

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It kicks off at San Siro at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

It has been a strange couple of weeks for the Rossoneri, as they went from sudden Scudetto contenders beating Inter in the Derby della Madonnina, to losing 1-0 at Lazio and finding themselves closer to fifth place than to the Serie A leaders.

Allegri forced to make Milan changes

“It is an important match, as we are coming off a defeat, the table is closing up, and we need to be on our toes,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.

“Torino are doing very well, they are defensively strong, solid on second balls and deadly with counter-attacks, so we need focus and determination.”

Rafael Leao had a touchline tantrum when substituted against Lazio, but that won’t be repeated tonight because he is out with an adductor injury, replaced by Niclas Fullkrug.

It had been reported there was no lesion and it therefore wasn’t serious, but Allegri notes it is still sufficient to rule Leao out of international duty.

“Unfortunately, he felt this twinge in training yesterday, we talked with Rafa, and decided it was best not to risk it. I think Portugal removed him from their squad too for international duty, so he’ll have a couple of weeks to make a full recovery, then we can dive into the final eight games of the season.

“He needs specific work to get back to 100 per cent, Leao is in no condition to play for Portugal either.”

With Fullkrug as a centre-forward on loan from West Ham United, it is a very different interpretation of the role to Leao, and so Milan will be expected to provide more crosses.

“Fullkrug has different characteristics. Even if he didn’t score that many goals, Leao moved well acting as a centre-forward, we just didn’t give him the right service,” insisted Allegri.

“Of course, Fullkrug is more accustomed to that position.”

Santiago Gimenez is on the bench for the first time since his ankle problem started in October, while Adrien Rabiot returns from suspension and Davide Bartesaghi is back in the starting XI.

“I am fortunate enough to see Modric train every day and I think it’ll be tough to see one like him again in future,” noted Allegri when asked if the 40-year-old is planning on retirement this summer.

Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona reveals behind the scenes drama during his Napoli experience. ‘Victor Osimhen never trained, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia wasn’t happy, there were problems with the club.’

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The Partenopei won the Scudetto in 2023 with Luciano Spalletti, who had Calzona as his assistant manager, but the coach and his staff walked away that summer because they felt it could not be topped.

The general feeling within the group was a negative one, seeing them finish 10^th in Serie A after going through three coaches, culminating with Calzona sharing the Slovakia job with Napoli from February 19 to June 30.

Calzona came to Napoli’s rescue during crisis

“Napoli remain in my heart and I’d go back tomorrow morning, without the slightest doubt,” Calzona told Radio Kiss Kiss via Tuttomercatoweb.

“Nobody can dare say no to Napoli, it feels like my home.”

When Calzona picked up the pieces at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, he inherited a chaotic situation both on and off the field.

“As what happened later confirms, everyone was already seeing a way out in June and that had a big influence, as well as the other problems.

“There were issues between players and the club, people who just wanted to get to the end of the season and leave. More than anything else, the five or six new signings that were made, none of them were up to the standard of playing in that season, so by the end of that term they were all frozen out.

“So that was a fundamental problem at the core of it, but apart from that, there was a general sense of unhappiness and grumbling.

“Osimhen never trained, Kvaratskhelia wasn’t happy, there were so many problems I won’t list here. I didn’t expect to find myself in such a delicate situation, but it was still a wonderful experience,” concluded Calzona.

Osimhen had signed a new contract with Napoli, but with the understanding he would be sold that summer, so when several different negotiations collapsed, he was loaned to Galatasaray in September 2024.

Kvaratskhelia had also been pushing for the exit, but was not allowed to leave for Paris Saint-Germain until January 2025.

Milan are feeling the pressure without Rafael Leao, so Niclas Fullkrug starts with Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot against a Torino revitalised by new coach Roberto D’Aversa.

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It kicks off at San Siro at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Rossoneri had been dreaming of the Scudetto after beating rivals Inter to close the gap on the leaders, but a surprising defeat to Lazio saw them drop closer to fifth now than first place.

To make matters worse, Rafael Leao suffered an adductor injury after his tantrum at being substituted, so he is ruled out here along with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Matteo Gabbia.

It means Fullkrug is chosen to lead the attack with Pulisic, but the good news is that Santiago Gimenez gets his first appearance on the bench since his ankle injury in October.

Rabiot also returns from suspension to bolster the midfield with Luka Modric, while Davide Bartesaghi is back from injury to replace Pervis Estupinan.

Torino sacked coach Marco Baroni after a dismal run of results and have been revitalised by the arrival of D’Aversa this month.

He oversaw two victories over Lazio and Parma, narrowly falling 2-1 to Napoli.

Zakaria Aboukhlal, Alieu Njie and Zanos Savva did not make the trip, but Nikola Vlasic, Giovanni Simeone and Duvan Zapata lead the attack, with Che Adams and January signing Sandro Kulenovic ready to come off the bench.

When these sides met back in December, Milan ran out 3-2 winners in Turin, ending a run of just one point from three previous meetings with Toro.

Milan vs. Torino line-ups

Milan: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Fullkrug, Pulisic

Torino: Paleari; Coco, Ismajli, Ebosse; Pedersen, Gineitis, Prati, Obrador; Vlasic; Simeone, Zapata

21-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 30

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Milan

Torino

3 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

Fikayo Tomori		9'
Strahinja Pavlovic		37'
		44'		Giovanni Simeone

2nd half

Adrien Rabiot (Assist: Christian Pulisic)		54'
Youssouf Fofana (Assist: Zachary Athekame)		56'
Strahinja Pavlovic		82'
		83'		Nikola Vlasic
Santiago Giménez		90+6'
		90+3'		Emirhan Ilkhan

Milan

Torino

Starting lineups

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

46'

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

90'

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

70'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

77'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

70'

1

Alberto Paleari

Goalkeeper

44

Ardian Ismajli

Defender

77

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

89'

16

Marcus Pedersen

Defender

33

Rafa Obrador

Defender

89'

23

Saúl Coco

Defender

66

Gvidas Gineitis

Midfielder

74'

98

Matteo Prati

Midfielder

63'

10

Nikola Vlasic

Midfielder

91

Duván Zapata

Attacker

63'

18

Giovanni Simeone

Attacker

Substitutes

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

37

Matteo Pittarella

Goalkeeper

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

46'

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

70'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

70'

7

Santiago Giménez

Attacker

77'

27

David Odogu

Defender

90'

34

Cristiano Biraghi

Defender

81

Franco Israel

Goalkeeper

20

Valentino Lazaro

Defender

61

Adrien Tameze

Midfielder

8

Ivan Ilić

Midfielder

13

Guillermo Maripán

Defender

14

Tino Anjorin

Midfielder

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

99

Lapo Siviero

Goalkeeper

19

Ché Adams

Attacker

63'

6

Emirhan Ilkhan

Midfielder

63'

22

Cesare Casadei

Midfielder

74'

17

Sandro Kulenovic

Attacker

89'

25

Niels Nkounkou

Defender

89'

Marco Giampaolo had a dream Cremonese debut, dragging Parma right back into the relegation battle with rare Youssef Maleh and Jari Vandeputte goals at the Stadio Tardini.

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The Ducali were still fairly comfortably mid-table, despite just two points from the last three rounds, including a 4-1 defeat to Torino. Enrico Delprato was suspended, with Adrian Bernabé, Benja Cremaschi, Pontus Almqvist and Matija Frigan injured.

Cremonese were increasingly desperate after the 4-1 hammering by Fiorentina left them three points adrift in the drop zone, sacking Davide Nicola. Warren Bondo sat out a ban, with Federico Baschirotto, Michele Collocolo and Faris Moumbagna still sidelined, but Giampaolo moved to a 4-4-2 formation.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Jari Vandeputte sprinted away on the counter from his own half to sting Zion Suzuki’s gloves at the near post, while Federico Bonazzoli’s acrobatic overhead kick flashed over the bar.

Cremonese had the ball in the net on 24 minutes with Bonazzoli tapping in a poor clearance, but it didn’t count as Alessio Zerbin was offside in the build-up.

Mateo Pellegrini drilled the first Parma opportunity just wide, while Bonazzoli’s glancing header was smothered by Suzuki.

Cremonese took the lead when a poor Sasha Britschgi clearance fell to Maleh, who still had plenty to do with a ferocious first-time left-foot strike from 20 metres into the far bottom corner. It was his first Serie A goal since 2021.

They doubled the deserved advantage when Jamie Vardy came off the bench and within minutes provided the decisive assist, rolling across from the left for Vandeputte to run through the centre, taking a touch to then beat the on-rushing Suzuki.

Gabriel Strefezza fired high and wide, but Hans Nicolussi Caviglia’s strike was going on target until deflected inches wide by Sebastiano Luperto’s backside.

Martin Payero should’ve made more from a similar Vardy assist late on, but his first touch let him down. Cremonese’s last victory in Serie A was 2-0 against Lecce on December 7, followed by four draws and 11 defeats.

Parma 0-2 Cremonese

Maleh 54 (C), Vandeputte 68 (C)

21-03-2026 14:00

MatchDay 30

Parma Store (Stadio Ennio Tardini)

Parma

Cremonese

0 - 2

Player statistic

2nd half

		50'		Tommaso Barbieri
		54'		Youssef Maleh
Jacob Ondrejka		66'
		68'		Jari Vandeputte (Assist: Jamie Vardy)
Mariano Troilo		90+2'
Lautaro Valenti		90+3'
		90+1'		Martín Payero
		90+3'		Giuseppe Pezzella

Match statistic

52

Possession %

48

8

Total shots

7

1

Shots on target

4

4

Shots off target

2

3

Blocked shots

1

3

Corners

1

Offsides

3

20

Fouls

15

Parma

Cremonese

Starting lineups

31

Zion Suzuki

Goalkeeper

39

Alessandro Circati

Defender

60'

14

Emanuele Valeri

Defender

5

Lautaro Valenti

Defender

37

Mariano Troilo

Defender

27

Sascha Britschgi

Defender

16

Mandela Keita

Midfielder

73'

22

Oliver Sörensen

Midfielder

61'

7

Gabriel Strefezza

Attacker

17

Jacob Ondrejka

Attacker

73'

9

Mateo Pellegrino

Attacker

1

Emil Audero

Goalkeeper

3

Giuseppe Pezzella

Defender

15

Matteo Bianchetti

Defender

89'

5

Sebastiano Luperto

Defender

33

Alberto Grassi

Midfielder

24

Filippo Terracciano

Midfielder

27

Jari Vandeputte

Midfielder

79'

29

Youssef Maleh

Midfielder

7

Alessio Zerbin

Attacker

46'

99

Antonio Sanabria

Attacker

67'

90

Federico Bonazzoli

Attacker

67'

Substitutes

29

Franco Carboni

Defender

66

Filippo Rinaldi

Goalkeeper

40

Edoardo Corvi

Goalkeeper

3

Abdoulaye Ndiaye

Defender

24

Christian Ordoñez

Midfielder

63

Marlon Mena Martinez

Defender

41

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia

Midfielder

60'

21

Gaetano Oristanio

Midfielder

61'

8

Nahuel Estévez

Midfielder

73'

23

Nesta Elphege

Attacker

73'

69

Lapo Nava

Goalkeeper

16

Marco Silvestri

Goalkeeper

23

Federico Ceccherini

Defender

9

Milan Djuric

Attacker

77

David Okereke

Attacker

22

Romano Floriani Mussolini

Defender

30

Mika Faye

Defender

4

Tommaso Barbieri

Defender

46'

10

Jamie Vardy

Attacker

67'

32

Martín Payero

Midfielder

67'

2

Morten Thorsby

Midfielder

79'

55

Francesco Folino

Defender

89'

Federico Chiesa was called up for Italy’s World Cup play-offs, but Liverpool fans were left bemused and angry by Arne Slot’s decision to snub him against Brighton.

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The attacking winger had not been in the Azzurri for several months, as he asked Gennaro Gattuso to leave him out until he managed to regain full fitness with regular playing time at Anfield.

Chiesa not getting a chance at Liverpool

That doesn’t seem to be happening, and he received another sign that it won’t change when he was forced to watch from the bench as Hugo Ekitike went off injured in the opening minutes against Brighton, only for midfielder Curtis Jones to be introduced instead.

It didn’t pay off for Slot, as Liverpool lost 2-1 and the fans raged online against his decision to ignore Chiesa yet again until the final 13 minutes of the match.

Chiesa watching a striker come off for a midfielder while he sits on the bench… pic.twitter.com/sfV6eKlyks

— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) March 21, 2026

Chiesa has now made 31 competitive appearances for Liverpool so far this season, contributing three goals and three assists.

However, he played a total 660 minutes of football, with only four starts this term.

Fiorentina continue their search for a new coach next season, and Turkish reports claim Fabio Paratici has contacted Fenerbahce boss Domenico Tedesco.

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The Viola are already planning for the future, as current coach Paolo Vanoli will not remain after this term, regardless of whether they secure Serie A status.

Tedesco latest target for Fiorentina

New director Paratici has been tasked with finding the right man, and the latest candidate to be mentioned is Tedesco.

Although the 40-year-old is Italian, he moved to Germany at a young age and made his career there with Schalke 04, RB Leipzig, then had two years as coach of the Belgium national team from 2023 to 2025.

Fenerbahce appointed Tedesco on September 9, having sacked Jose Mourinho, and he has so far overseen 24 wins, 11 draws and five defeats for the club.

According to Turkish news site Fanatik, Paratici has been in contact with the coach on behalf of Fiorentina for next season.

His current deal with Fenerbahce is valid until June 2027.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu insists that ‘anything is still possible’ in the race for the title in Serie A: ‘We must not think about others’ mistakes, because they are beyond our control.’

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Inter will visit Fiorentina at the Stadio Franchi tomorrow.

They’ll travel to Tuscany without the injured Alessandro Bastoni, who is also in doubt for Italy’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland.

Fiorentina vs. Inter – Chivu’s pre-match press conference

Chivu confirmed at a press conference today that Bastoni would still join the Italy national team for assessment by the Azzurri doctors.

Neither Chivu nor any Inter player spoke to the media last week after a controversial 1-1 draw against Atalanta.

“It was a decision we made together after what happened on the field. I prefer to always talk about football and not focus on things that could create excuses,” Chivu said via FCInter1908.

“We made some mistakes in that match from a technical and tactical standpoint. We’ve asked ourselves what could have been done better. We must not think about others’ mistakes, because they are beyond our control.

“We come from a week of work, we are ready to face tomorrow’s match.”

Napoli beat Cagliari on Friday, moving six points below Inter. The Nerazzurri have a game in hand, but do they feel the pressure from their rivals?

“Football is about pressure. The season is still long, and anything is possible,” Chivu, who will serve a one-game ban tomorrow, replied.

“We are aware of our journey, what we have achieved, and the ambitions of the other teams, who rightly believe they can compete until the end.

“There are 27 points at stake; in a three-point era, anything is possible. We focus on being competitive and on performing as well as we have so far. We must continue to focus on ourselves and give even greater consistency to our ambitions and our journey in the championship.”

Lautaro Martinez will miss tomorrow’s match due to an injury, while Ange-Yoan Bony is dealing with dental issues, and Marcus Thuram has gone over one month without scoring in Serie A.

“He [Thuram] and everyone else can do better, and they are aware of it,” Chivu said.

“They are working every day to reach the team’s level in every way. I have no more advice to give at a time when every match becomes a final; everyone needs to take responsibility to be the best version of themselves.

“A thousand things are happening these days; you can’t mention them all. These are things that happen, and we are here to find solutions. He [Bonny] had a dental problem before the Atalanta match, and also this week. He will definitely fix them next week during the break.

“There’s a bit of everything; during a season, it’s normal to have moments that are less brilliant than usual. You have to look at what has been achieved as well. We see our improvement, and what we need to regain in terms of energy and ambition, without losing sight of the journey and the path. Nobody gives you anything; you have to go out and take everything for yourself.”

Lazio forward Daniel Maldini is tipped to potentially receive an Italy call-up for the World Cup play-offs after Gianluca Scamacca’s injury, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a replacement.

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Coach Gennaro Gattuso named his group for the decisive steps towards qualification for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

However, he was immediately forced into changes, because Atalanta confirmed Scamacca has sustained a muscular issue in training and the lesion to the adductor in the right leg rules him out for several weeks.

Inter are also keeping the Azzurri on edge after announcing Alessandro Bastoni won’t be in their group to face Fiorentina this weekend, and will require tests with the Nazionale staff to see if he could recover for the play-offs.

Maldini top option for Italy attack

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Daniel Maldini is the most likely candidate to step in, should Gattuso choose to call in an extra player to replace Scamacca.

That is by no means certain right now, as Gattuso still has 27 players to draw from.

Maldini is more of a support striker than a centre-forward, but has been used in that role by Maurizio Sarri since the move to Lazio in January.

The 24-year-old scored just one goal all season with three assists in 19 competitive games.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu confirms Alessandro Bastoni will miss tomorrow’s Serie A match against Fiorentina, but the defender ‘will be assessed’ by Italy doctors ahead of next week’s World Cup play-off semi-final.

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Inter star Bastoni won’t be available for Sunday’s Serie A match against Fiorentina at the Stadio Franchi.

Chivu provides Bastoni injury update

Bastoni already missed last week’s home game against Atalanta, due to a fibula injury he had sustained two weeks ago against Milan.

Chivu confirmed Bastoni’s omission during a pre-match press conference on Saturday, but said the Italian star would still join the Italy national team.

“The boys now represent Inter, and I hope they’ll have two important matches for Italy. Right now, our players are focused on Inter and on contributing to the journey in the league,” Chivu said via FcInter1908.

“Those who go to the national team will have the chance to prepare for the match in the best way, aware that Italy is a strong team that can and must win the first game. Bastoni is not called up for tomorrow; he will be assessed in the national team because he will report there and they’ll make a decision depending on how he feels on those days.”

Inter stars Nicolò Barella, Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, and Francesco Pio Esposito have also been included in the Azzurri squad.

Italy will start preparations for the World Cup play-off in Coverciano on Monday.

The semi-final against Northern Ireland will be played in Bergamo on March 26 and if the Azzurri progress to the final, they’ll visit Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca has suffered an adductor injury that will force him to pull out of the Italy squad for the World Cup play-off, while Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni remains in doubt as he’ll miss tomorrow’s match against Fiorentina.

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Italy World Cup play-off: latest injury updates

Atalanta striker Scamacca has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Serie A match against Hellas Verona as well as Italy’s World Cup play-off next week.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Scamacca has been diagnosed with an injury in his right adductor, and even if his recovery time is still uncertain, he’ll surely be unavailable until March 31, when Italy hope to play the World Cup play-off final against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

There’s bad news coming from the Inter training centre as well, as Sky adds that Bastoni will miss tomorrow’s Serie A match against Fiorentina due to a bruised fibula.

The Nerazzurri defender had sustained the injury in the derby against Milan two weeks ago and already missed last week’s Serie A match against Atalanta.

According to Sky, Bastoni remains in doubt for Italy’s World Cup play-off semifinal against Northern Ireland on March 26, but, unlike Scamacca, he hasn’t pulled out of the Azzurri squad.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu is expected to provide further updates at a pre-match press conference later today.

• Read more – Chivu: Italy doctors will assess Bastoni ahead of World Cup play-off

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Dusan Vlahovic returns to the Juventus squad for the first time in nearly four months as the Serbia international is available for selection for tonight’s Serie A match against Sassuolo.

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Juventus star Vlahovic is part of the Bianconeri’s squad list for their Serie A match against Sassuolo on Saturday.

Vlahovic has not made a competitive appearance for the Old Lady since November 29, when he was subbed off after less than 30 minutes of a home game against Cagliari. The Serbian was forced to undergo surgery at the start of December to repair a tendon in the left adductor.

He’s not expected to start tonight, but he could make a substitute appearance, giving Luciano Spalletti a much-needed boost for the final part of the season, during which the Old Lady will push to snatch a top-four finish.

Vlahovic has scored two goals and provided two assists in 17 appearances across all competitions this season.

His contract expires at the end of the season, but according to the latest reports, the Bianconeri are confident they can reach an agreement to extend his stay at the club.

Juventus squad list vs. Cagliari

I convocati da mister Spalletti per la gara all’Allianz Stadium di questa sera #JuveSassuolo

Powered by @WhiteBit pic.twitter.com/ypSwHrWfpV

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) March 21, 2026

Reports in Italy claim that the MRI scan Rafael Leao underwent on Saturday has ruled out a muscle lesion for the Portuguese striker, who, however, will still miss today’s Serie A match against Torino.

Milan star Leao will miss today’s home Serie A game against Torino due to a muscle injury, but this morning’s medical examinations confirmed that the 26-year-old has no serious damage.

Milan: Latest Leao injury updates

According to TMW, Leao will travel to Portugal in the coming hours to be examined by his national team’s doctors as well.

The Portugal national team will face Mexico and the USMNT during the March break.

Milan host Torino at San Siro later today with kick-off time at 18:00 CET.

According to several sources, the Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri will pick Niclas Fullkrug to replace the injured Leao.

The Rossoneri sit third in the Serie A table following Napoli’s 1-0 win over Cagliari on Friday, but they will overtake the Partenopei if they beat the Granata today.

Scott McTominay says he’s done ‘a lot of work in the gym’ to recover from a hamstring injury and insists Napoli will focus on one game at a time: ‘You can never predict football.’

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McTominay was the match-winner and the best player on the field in Napoli’s 1-0 win over Cagliari on Friday.

The victory allowed the Partenopei to move second in the standings, but Milan and table leaders Inter have a game in hand.

“I’ve obviously had an issue with the hamstring tendon that needs managing. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the gym to get back to a high level and playing games regularly again,” McTominay told BBC Alba.

“I am a terrible watcher. No footballer wants to be injured – it’s the worst thing in the world.”

McTominay returned to action last week after missing the previous four Serie A matches.

On Friday, he scored the winning goal after just two minutes, but the Partenopei failed to kill the game off.

“There are games like that; sometimes you must keep pushing, and we tried to be honest, but they are a good team,” McTominay said.

• Video – McTominay switches from English to Italian in funny post-match interview

“They make it really difficult; they are very compact. Having Kevin [De Bruyne] back is a huge plus, like Frank [Anguissa]. After the international break, we’ll try to push forward.”

After the break, the Partenopei will host Milan at the Stadio Maradona.

“Those are the games you want to play as a footballer. Great games. We just want to continue,” said the Scotland star.

“You can never predict football. It’s extremely difficult to judge where you’re going to be. You can just go one game at a time, and you’ll be in a good spot.”

McTominay will now join the Scotland national team for international friendlies against Japan and the Ivory Coast.

“I can’t wait. I’ve not seen many of the players since November – I’ve not been home since November. I’m looking forward to seeing friends and my family,” McTominay concluded.

Reports in Italy claim that Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini is under scrutiny, with either he, Frederic Massara or Claudio Ranieri expected to depart at the end of the season.

Roma’s Europa League elimination at the hands of Bologna, along with the team’s poor form in Serie A in recent weeks, will likely have consequences for the following campaign.

Gasperini under scrutiny at Roma

Corriere della Sera and Il Messaggero report that coach Gasperini met with vice-president Ryan Friedkin, sporting director Massara and advisor Claudio Ranieri on Friday.

Several issues were discussed during the meeting, from the team’s competitiveness to the coach’s management.

It is no secret that Gasperini is unhappy with the transfer activity conducted by Massara, while Ranieri has been trying to mediate between the two parties over the last few months.

Despite a very good start to the season, Roma have lost 14 games across all competitions, they are out of the Europa League and sit 6th in the table, three points below fourth-placed Como.

According to sources, Roma are set to make changes for 2026-27 with either Gasperini, Massara or Ranieri leaving at the end of the season.

In the meantime, the team will be pushing for a Champions League placement, a target that the club is desperate to reach, especially because the lack of revenue from Europe’s elite competition would force them to sell at least two top players for financial reasons.

Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori ‘can’t wait to get to Coverciano’ to prepare for Italy’s World Cup play: ‘If we go to America, anything can happen.’

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Arsenal defender Calafiori spoke about the upcoming Italy challenge in the World Cup play-off during an interview with Sport Week.

The 23-year-old has only made 12 appearances for the Italy national team, having made his Azzurri debut less than two years ago, yet he’s one of the stars included by Gattuso in his 28-man squad.

Calafiori made his Azzurri debut under Luciano Spalletti just a few weeks before the beginning of Euro 2024 and was arguably one of the best Italy players in the tournament.

“There was a lot of competition for that position. I hoped for a call-up, but I didn’t know what would happen,” said the Arsenal defender.

“In just a few days, I made my debut, and I became a starter at the Euros. A fantastic feeling. My friends in Rome watched me on the giant screens, and the country rooted for us.”

Calafiori scored an own goal in a 1-0 loss against Spain in the group phase, but provided the assist for Mattia Zaccagni’s late leveller in the final match against Croatia, allowing the Azzurri to qualify for the Round of 16.

“The own goal bothered me a little, but when I returned to the pitch against Croatia, I was very serene,” Calafiori said.

“I wanted to redeem myself. I did so with that assist for Zaccagni, and we managed to qualify for the Round of 16. It was the strongest emotion of my career.”

Italy will begin preparations for the World Cup play-off on Monday. How does Calafiori feel?

“Positive, we are pumped up, and we have a great desire to go to the World Cup,” he replied.

“I can’t wait to get to Coverciano to spend time with my teammates. Our history says that if we manage to be a united group, we can play on par with anyone. If we go to America, anything can happen.

“If we play as we know we can, we’ll go to the World Cup. On paper, we are superior, and we must only believe in our means,” Calafiori continued.

“There’s always a bit of negativity around, but I’m certain that the fans will be on the same page as us. The target is within reach; we must be united.”

Italy will play Northern Ireland in the semifinal on March 26 and if they progress to the final, they’ll visit Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Calafiori has now reunited in London with Edoardo Bove, who joined Watford in the January window.

“We live in the same building. Arsenal and Watford’s training centres are next to each other, so Edo looked for a home in the same area. I think it’s destiny. Once together in the Roma youth sector, now neighbours in London.

“A few days ago, I hugged him and touched his subcutaneous defibrillator. It felt a bit strange, but he’s calm and eager to take on the world. I’m so happy for Edo.”

• Read more – Calafiori: I ‘probably disappointed’ Mourinho, but I ‘need to win’ at Arsenal

Napoli star Scott McTominay hilariously switched from English to Italian in a post-match interview following a 1-0 away win at Cagliari on Friday.

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The Scotland international scored the winner for the Partenopei at the Unipol Domus yesterday, helping his side move to the second position in the standings.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder has now equalled his seven-year goal tally in the Premier League in less than two Serie A campaigns.

There was a hilarious moment during his post-match interview with DAZN when the Scotsman said he’d conduct it in Italian but initially started speaking in English.

When the interviewer noted he was speaking in his mother tongue, McTominay quickly switched to Italian.

McTominay’s post-match quotes in Italian after Cagliari 0-1 Napoli

“Kevin [De Bruyne] is a good player,” McTominay said.

“It’s easy for me to play with Kevin, so for me today it’s great to have beaten a great team like Cagliari at home.”

𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 Scott, in italiano. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 #CagliariNapoli #SerieAEnilive #DAZN pic.twitter.com/FnjJXEJ1YZ

— DAZN Italia (@DAZN_IT) March 20, 2026

Juventus will look to Kenan Yildiz and Jeremie Boga for a home Serie A match against Sassuolo, who have been hit by a whooping cough outbreak this week.

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It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT) at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.

Emil Holm is still unavailable for the Bianconeri, while Dusan Vlahovic is still in doubt, and even if he’s available for selection, he’ll start on the bench.

As reported by several Italian sources, including Sky Sport Italia, Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti is expected to pick the same XI that beat Udinese last week, with Kenan Yildiz playing as a false nine and Boga in the left winger position.

Sassuolo are dealing with a selection crisis as they confirmed a case of whooping cough on Friday and five other team members with symptoms consistent with the disease.

The club, however, have not named those affected by the disease, so their available players will only be known when the teams are announced an hour before kick-off.

As reported by SassuoloNews, the likes of Domenico Berardi, Andrea Pinamonti, and Sebastian Walukiewicz will surely be part of the team and are expected to start.

Cristian Volpato, Luca Moro, Edoardo Iannoni, Pedro Felipe, Aro Muric, Giacomo Satalino, Gioele Zacchi and Cristian Frangella are also expected to be available.

Juventus vs. Sassuolo – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.

Juventus vs. Sassuolo – probable line-ups

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; McKennie, Locatelli, Koopmeiners;  Conceição, Boga, Yildiz.

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Garcia; Thorstvedt, Matic, Koné; Berardi, Pinamonti, Laurienté. 

With Rafael Leao injured, Massimiliano Allegri will pick Christian Pulisic and Niclas Fullkrug in Milan’s home Serie A match against Torino.

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It kicks off at 18:00 CET (17:00 GMT) at San Siro.

The Rossoneri must cope without Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Matteo Gabbia and Rafael Leao, while Torino have travelled to Milan without Zakaria Aboukhlal and Alieu Njie.

According to various sources, including Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Sport Italia, West Ham loanee Niclas Fullkrug will replace Leao in Milan’s attack, joining Pulisic.

Adrien Rabiot returns after a one-game ban, and Youssouf Fofana is expected to start over Samuele Ricci in central midfield.

Scotland international Ché Adams will lead the Torino attack alongside Giovanni Simeone.

Following Napoli’s 1-0 win over Cagliari on Friday, Milan now sit third in the Serie A table, two points below the Partenopei but with a game in hand.

Milan vs. Torino – where to watch on TV

The match is available on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a live blog.

Milan vs. Torino – probable line-ups

Milan (3-5-2): Maignan, Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Fullkrug, Pulisic.

Torino (3-4-1-2): Paleari, Coco, Ismajli, Ebosse; Pedersen, Gineitis, Prati, Obrador; Vlasic; Simeone, Adams. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Beware Inter, Conte returns

Napoli go -6. Cagliari beaten 1-0. Chivu to the attack tomorrow in Florence

Milan-Toro, Leao is out

San Siro. Allegri for the comeback with Fullkrug and Rafa injured.

We want the World Cup

Italy growls, there’s Palestra, Chiesa is back

Juve run: six of Sassuolo with whooping cough

Corriere dello Sport

There’s Juve vs. whooping cough

Sassuolo decimated: challenge at risk at the Stadium (20.45).

Grosso doesn’t know how many players will be available. At least seven stopped by the breathing disease. Team and staff under antibiotics. Five from the Primavera. Spalletti: ‘Ready to listen to the club. We’ll decide together on Vlahovic.’

Napoli climb back

McDona

Now Conte is -6 from Chivu

McTominay immediately sets the game in the right direction. Some risks in the final minutes, but the return of top players changes the substance: fourth consecutive win.

Allegri, no Leao, Fullkrug right away

Inter, Calha the Scudetto ace

Roma, first shadows on Gasp

All Chiesa and Palestra

The Liverpool striker returns for the first time since 2024. Debut for the Cagliari talent. Bernardeschi stays home, Bastoni’s fibula is concerning. On Thursday, in Bergamo, the first game is against Northern Ireland.

Tuttosport

Chiesa and Palestra for Italy’s World Cup

On Thursday in Bergamo, the semifinal against Northern Ireland. The CT surprisingly recalls Federico, who has been absent for nearly two years. The Cagliari wing-back is the news. Pisilli and Scalvini are back. Vicario out: surgery on Monday.

‘Alex inspires Yildiz.’

Sassuolo decimated by whooping cough!

Juventus’ assault on the fourth spot. Tacchinadi relies on the No.10.

The ex-midfielder to the Tuttosport podcast: ‘Kenan must not feel the pressure of the confrontation with Del Piero, quite the opposite.’ Spalletti: ‘Renewal? The break is the right moment.’ The disease spreads in the Neveroverdi team: six stay home.

Leao missing, Toro try

Milan without Rafa: muscle problem. Fullkrug in. Allegri on strikers: ‘Wake up!’ D’Aversa asks for a leap in quality: ‘We must play to win here.’

Flash McT, Napoli second and -6 from Inter.

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s second-half header proved decisive as Udinese claimed a hard-fought victory at Genoa, moving above Sassuolo into tenth place in Serie A, before an injury-time goal from Keinan Davis sealed the three points.

It was a match of few clear-cut chances and considerable frustration for the home side, who will feel they did enough to earn at least a point.

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Lorenzo Colombo struck the crossbar in the first half, Ruslan Malinovskyi did the same from a free kick shortly after, and a penalty appeared to have been awarded in the second half only for VAR to intervene and rule it out, a decision that proved costly.

The first goal of the game arrived on 66 minutes when Nicolo Zaniolo, making his presence felt on his return to the Luigi Ferraris (where he spent two years as a youth player), floated a clever lofted pass into the box for Ekkelenkamp, who met it with a composed header into the middle of the goal.

Genoa 0-2 Udinese – Huge win for visitors sees them rise to 10th

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was otherwise rarely troubled throughout, making comfortable saves when called upon as Genoa’s attacking efforts lacked the precision to genuinely threaten.

Udinese put the game to bed deep into stoppage time, when Keinan Davis found the back of the net on the counter.

The three points move Kosta Runjaic’s side onto 40 points, one behind ninth-placed Lazio and eight adrift of seventh-placed Atalanta.

European qualification remains a distant prospect given the clubs between them, but it has not yet been ruled out mathematically, and this victory will do nothing to dampen growing optimism around a Udinese side quietly building momentum in the second half of the season.

For Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa, the defeat is a more pressing concern. They remain in 14th and with several relegation rivals yet to play this weekend, the gap above the bottom three could shrink before Sunday is out.

20-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Udinese

0 - 2

Player statistic

Lorenzo Colombo

-5'

1st half

24'

Hassane Kamara

2nd half

		56'		Nicolò Zaniolo
		64'		Keinan Davis
		66'		Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Nicolò Zaniolo)
		90+6'		Keinan Davis
		90+2'		Lennon Miller
		90+2'		Oumar Solet

Match statistic

63

Possession %

37

18

Total shots

6

2

Shots on target

4

11

Shots off target

1

5

Blocked shots

1

7

Corners

1

1

Offsides

1

5

Fouls

13

Genoa

Udinese

Starting lineups

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

84'

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

84'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

61'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

72'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

9

Vitinha

Attacker

72'

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

11

Hassane Kamara

Defender

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

87'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

46'

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

87'

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

Substitutes

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

8

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

61'

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

72'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

72'

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

84'

4

Amorim

Midfielder

84'

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

46'

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

84'

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

87'

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

87'

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

90'

To add salt into the wounds of their Europa League exit on Thursday evening, Roma have since learned that midfielder Manu Kone has suffered a second-degree hamstring strain and will be sidelined for at least a month of action according to the latest reports. 

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Roma lose Kone for at least a month after Bologna injury

The Giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League at the round of 16 stage after a 5-4 aggregate defeat against Serie A opposition in Bologna. The first leg ended level at 1-1, the second ended at 3-3 after 90 minutes and was eventually settled by Bologna’s Nicolo Cambiaghi in the 111th minute of Thursday’s decider. 

The tie was particularly disappointing for Roma’s Kone, who was ruled out of the first leg with muscular fatigue, having recovered from a hamstring injury in February. Kone’s involvement in the second leg was then cut short after just 18 minutes as he went off with another hamstring injury. 

According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma have learned that Kone has suffered a second-degree strain to his hamstring, which is likely to keep him out of action for at least a month. 

If there is a slight silver cloud for the Giallorossi, it is that there will be no domestic fixtures for a fortnight after this weekend due to the international break. However, Kone is still expected to miss out on Sunday’s match against Pisa, and potentially crucial matches against Pisa, Atalanta and Bologna once Serie A action resumes. 

The Atalanta and Bologna fixtures are particularly important for Roma and their quest to land a Champions League position, given that they have recently slipped to sixth place in the table and are now just one position above Atalanta and two above Bologna.

Antonio Conte says that Napoli have ‘put a bit of pressure on the teams at the top’ after their 1-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Friday evening, their fourth win in as many matches, which has temporarily sent them above Milan and into second place in the league table. 

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A goal from Scott McTominay after just over a minute was enough for the Partenopei to hold onto at the Unipol Domus, as Conte’s side prevented their hosts from having any shots on target across the 90 minutes. 

This was also the first clean sheet that Napoli have managed to keep in 11 matches. 

You can see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Conte reviews Napoli’s 1-0 victory over Cagliari: ‘Nobody should stop us from looking ahead’

Despite their victory, Conte feels that there is still room for improvement in terms of Napoli’s performance. He feels that getting key players like McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka back to ‘100%’ will be key, though. 

“We made too many mistakes. We could have done better and commanded the game more given that Cagliari didn’t come to press,” Conte told DAZN after full-time. 

“We looked for the second goal in the second half, anything can happen in these sorts of games. Now we go into the (international) break with three points, waiting on the others.

“Three points further into the Champions League spots, we’ve been extraordinary over the last seven months to stay in the top positions. We’re looking at those in front of us, but we’re not making any empty promises. It doesn’t take much to get dragged back by those behind us.” 

Before Friday, Napoli had not kept a clean sheet in any competition since their 2-0 win away against Lazio on January 4, their first game of the calendar year. 

“It’s important to record a clean sheet after 11 games,” said Conte. “Cagliari didn’t have a shot on goal today. Being able to defend well requires everyone. There was great application and desire. The guys understood the importance of the match, even if we struggled to materialise that.” 

Napoli’s defence of their 2024-25 Scudetto was completely obliterated by injuries. At certain stages, Conte had a full starting XI unavailable through injury. But, today, De Bruyne and McTominay were able to start alongside each other for the first time in almost five months, dating back to a 3-1 win over Inter back in October .

“Obviously having some players back is important, but what counts is them being at 100%,” Conte explained. 

“Anguissa and McTominay aren’t ‘brilliant’ again yet, Kevin (De Bruyne) I thought was doing well. Lobotka struggled a little bit more, and we still have to get Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo back. Neres is difficult, I think. 

“We’ve held our own over the last seven months, now we have to qualify for the Champions League, but we know that other teams want that too. Nobody should stop us from looking ahead. Today we’ve put a bit of pressure on the teams at the top.” 

Gerry Cardinale has outlined an ambitious vision for Italian football, expressing his desire to meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to build a joint plan for revitalising Serie A, while also revealing the considerable frustrations he has encountered in trying to build a new stadium in Italy compared to his native United States.

Speaking to the Financial Times over lunch at Milanello, just days before Milan’s derby victory over Inter, the RedBird Capital founder and Milan owner was candid about the cultural and political barriers he has faced since acquiring the club.

“In the US I could do it with my eyes closed,” he said of the stadium project, with quotes via MilanNews.

“Here there are linguistic, political and cultural barriers. I am building a stadium and I want it to be an Italian product, Italian banks financing it, Italian companies competing for naming rights, Italian commerce and hospitality surrounding it. In the States I could do it without thinking. Here it is not my ecosystem.”

Milan owner Cardinale: ‘Let’s make Serie A one of Italy’s greatest exports’

Despite those frustrations, Cardinale’s long-term ambition for the club and for Italian football more broadly remains undimmed.

“I would like to reach the point where, if I have built enough credibility, I can go to Rome, sit down with Meloni or whoever else, and say: let’s build a plan to relaunch Serie A,” he said.

“Let’s make Serie A one of Italy’s greatest exports.”

It is a bold and genuinely exciting vision, and one that, if realised, could have profound implications for Italian football’s standing.

Scott McTominay’s strike during Napoli’s 1-0 win over Cagliari on Friday evening means that he has now matched his seven-year Premier League goal tally in less than two full seasons in Serie A. 

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McTominay magic continues in Serie A

McTominay, back in the Napoli starting line-up for the first time since the beginning of February, took just over a minute to find the back of the net in Napoli’s 1-0 win away against Cagliari at the Unipol Domus. 

That goal was his sixth in Serie A for the season, and his 19th overall in Serie A since joining Napoli from Manchester United in the summer of 2024. 

McTominay has scored 19 goals in 59 Serie A appearances in a period of less than two years. He also has 19 Premier League goals on his CV, which he scored in 178 outings across a seven-year period. 

McTominay is also the reigning Serie A MVP and is also the division’s all-time highest-scoring Scotland international, beating the likes of Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams and Denis Law. 

He and teammate Billy Gilmour are the only two Scotland internationals to hae ever won the Serie A title.

Cagliari fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Napoli this evening, with Scott McTominay scoring the only goal in Sardinia as Antonio Conte’s side picked up a valuable three points.

Football Italia’s Man of the Match was McTominay, for his early winner and hard-working performance throughout.

Cagliari 0-1 Napoli – Player Ratings

Cagliari: Caprile 6; Ze Pedro 5.5 (Mendy 6), Mina 6, Dossena 6; Palestra 6, Adopo 5.5 (Deiola 6), Gaetano 6, Sulemana 6, Rodriguez 5 (Raterink N/A); Esposito 6 (Trepy N/A), Folorunsho 6 (Kilicsoy 5.5)

Best Cagliari player: Yerry Mina – Still an average night at the office for the menacing centre-back, but did a good enough to job to keep Napoli at bay for lengths of the match.

Lowest Cagliari rating: Juan Rodriguez – Really struggled to have any impact whatsoever on the left flank and was as worrying in defence as he was going forwards.

Coach: Fabio Pisacane 6 – Gave it a good go and set up his team fairly well to nullify Napoli’s threat. Was unlucky to get caught out early as the team looked solid for most of the match.

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic 6; Beukema 6.5, Buongiorno 6, Olivera 5.5 (Juan Jesus N/A); Politano 6.5, (Spinazzola N/A), Gilmour 5.5 (Zambo Anguissa N/A), Lobotka 6 (Alisson Santos 6), Gutierrez 6.5; McTominay 7, De Bruyne 6; Hojlund 6

Best Napoli player: Scott McTominay – Scored the decisive goal and worked hard throughout the ninety minutes. Hardly a show-stopping performance but was the best amongst a very modestly performing Napoli side.

Lowest Napoli rating: Mathias Olivera – Played at centre-back, outside of his natural positioning, and struggled as a result. Made a couple of sloppy fouls, picked up a yellow card and overall contributed nothing of particular value to his team’s victory.

Coach: Antonio Conte 6.5 – Marginally better than his counterpart, and picked up the three points accordingly. His side did not inspire with their victory but the coach will be delighted to come away with the three points.

An early strike from Scott McTominay was enough for Napoli to hold onto as Antonio Conte and his team picked up a 1-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Friday evening; their fourth win on the spin and a result that has sent them into second place in the league table.

McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne were able to start alongside each other for the first time in almost five months, dating back to a 3-1 victory over league leaders Inter in October. The 15th-placed Cagliari boasted two recently called-up Italy internationals in Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra. Napoli had four in their camp: Alex Meret, Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola and Matteo Politano. 

Antonio Conte’s side had won all three of their previous Serie A matches heading into tonight’s game, all by 2-1 margins, while the hosts were without a win across their last six. 

Click here to see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog. 

It took just over 60 seconds for McTominay to find the net on his return to the starting line-up. The Scotland international got his side ahead from the first corner of the game, which went short to Politano and pinballed around the area before the Scotland international managed to tap in on the goalline. 

From there, the first half became a fairly evenly contested, albeit slightly scrappy affair. Conte was twice visibly annoyed by misplaced passes from Buongiorno and Gilmour out of the back, giving possession away far too cheaply.

Napoli’s only other shot on target of the first half came from a fairly tame Politano free-kick, while Cagliari came closest through Sebastiano Esposito, who flashed an effort across the face of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s goal from a tight angle. 

De Bruyne almost got the better of Caprile with a low, driven effort from the edge of the area, but the recently called-up Italy international was able to parry and his defenders were able to clear in the end. 

Napoli saw a glimpse of what their star players are capable of when McTominay, De Bruyne and Politano linked up with some beautiful one-touch play in the Cagliari area, but Caprile did well to smother his compatriot when he found himself on the edge of the six-yard box.

Cagliari have not won any of their games this season when they have been trailing half-way, and that proved to be the case again despite their best efforts on Friday evening. 

Fabio Piscane’s winless run has now been extended to seven matches, with just two points earned over that period, while Conte and his team have now won four in a row and currently find themselves in second place in the league table with Milan due to play on Saturday.

Cagliari 0-1 Napoli 

McTominay 2’

20-03-2026 17:30

MatchDay 30

Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Napoli

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		2'		Scott McTominay
		17'		Stanislav Lobotka
Zé Pedro		35'

2nd half

		69'		Mathías Olivera
Alberto Dossena		90+4'

Match statistic

33

Possession %

67

7

Total shots

17

Shots on target

5

7

Shots off target

4

Blocked shots

8

2

Corners

7

Offsides

2

12

Fouls

16

Cagliari

Napoli

Starting lineups

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

22

Alberto Dossena

Defender

15

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

84'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

26

Yerry Mina

Defender

32

Zé Pedro

Defender

73'

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

65'

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

73'

25

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

84'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

77'

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

55'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

76'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

12

Alen Sherri

Goalkeeper

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

36

Nicola Grandu

Midfielder

20

Agustín Albarracín

Midfielder

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

65'

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

73'

31

Paul Mendy

Attacker

73'

37

Yael Trepy

Attacker

84'

18

Othniel Raterink

Midfielder

84'

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

9

Romelu Lukaku

Attacker

23

Giovane

Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento

Attacker

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

55'

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

76'

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

77'

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

84'

Genoa host Udinese this evening as both sides look to reinforce their place in the mid-table and keep their head below the parapet of relegation.

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Genoa come into the game with three wins from their last five games, as Daniele De Rossi continues to make his mark on the Rossoblu club.

Udinese, meanwhile, have won just one of their last five games and will be looking to recover their form this evening.

Currently, the Bianconeri sit in 11th place in Serie A, whilst tonight’s hosts sit in 13th – and therefore a win for the home side could see them leapfrog their opposition.

Genoa vs Udinese – Official Lineups

Genoa: Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Norton-Cuffy; Messias, Vitinha; Colombo

Udinese: Okoye; Solet, Kabasele, Kristensen; Ehizibue, Ekkelenkamp, ​​Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis

20-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Udinese

0 - 2

Player statistic

Lorenzo Colombo

-5'

1st half

24'

Hassane Kamara

2nd half

		56'		Nicolò Zaniolo
		64'		Keinan Davis
		66'		Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Nicolò Zaniolo)
		90+6'		Keinan Davis
		90+2'		Lennon Miller
		90+2'		Oumar Solet

Match statistic

63

Possession %

37

18

Total shots

6

2

Shots on target

4

11

Shots off target

1

5

Blocked shots

1

7

Corners

1

1

Offsides

1

5

Fouls

13

Genoa

Udinese

Starting lineups

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

84'

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

84'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

61'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

72'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

9

Vitinha

Attacker

72'

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

11

Hassane Kamara

Defender

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

87'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

46'

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

87'

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

Substitutes

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

8

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

61'

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

72'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

72'

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

84'

4

Amorim

Midfielder

84'

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

46'

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

84'

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

87'

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

87'

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

90'

Rafael Leao will miss Milan’s Serie A clash with Torino on Saturday after failing to train due to a recurrence of pain in his right adductor.

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The Portuguese winger will undergo further assessment on Saturday to determine the full extent of the muscular problem, with the club keen to establish how long he is likely to be sidelined before making any further announcements, according to reports via FCInter1908.

Milan team news: Fullkrug to start alongside Pulisic in Leao absence

In his absence, Niklas Füllkrug is expected to be handed a starting role alongside Christian Pulisic, with the German striker likely to lead the line as Massimiliano Allegri looks to reshuffle his attacking options.

It is a significant blow for Milan at a crucial stage of the season, with the title race against Inter still just about alive and every point now carrying enormous weight.

Leao has been one of Milan’s most important players this season and his absence will be felt, though the hope within the club is that the injury is not serious enough to keep him out for an extended period.

Few players in recent Serie A history have had their careers so dramatically derailed by a single transfer as Juventus man Arthur Melo.

The Brazilian arrived at Juventus from Barcelona in 2020 amid enormous fanfare, only to endure five deeply frustrating years in Turin that yielded little of the elegance that had made him one of Europe’s most coveted midfielders.

Now, on loan at boyhood club Gremio, the Brazilian looks reborn, and he has his sights set on convincing Luciano Spalletti to give him one final chance at the Allianz Stadium.

The numbers from his return to Brazil have been striking.

Eleven appearances, a goal, and a pass completion rate of 95% in 2026 alone, capped by helping Gremio win the Gaucho, the Rio Grande do Sul state championship.

A minor muscular injury in the final against Internacional has been the only blemish.

Juventus Outcast Arthur Aiming To Convince Head Coach Spalletti

His self-assessment is characteristically bold, with quotes via La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Luciano likes to have an organising midfielder, a fulcrum of the team, and I love that role,” he said. “Pizarro and Lobotka both flourished under Spalletti with possession-based, tactically intelligent football. It is not absurd to think I could adapt well. We will see.”

On his troubled spell in Turin, Arthur was thoughtful rather than bitter.

“I arrived during a period of transition at the club with many changes, and that probably affected everyone, including me,” he said. “I have the regret of not being able to show at Juventus what I am demonstrating at Gremio. But I learned a lot in Italy.”

He was equally philosophical about leaving Barcelona.

“It leaves a bittersweet taste, I was happy there. But Juventus allowed me to discover another culture and grow as a man, even through difficulties. Lessons I perhaps would never have learned staying in my comfort zone.”

Arthur also addressed his hopes of a Brazil World Cup call-up under Carlo Ancelotti, and took the opportunity to recommend two Gremio youngsters, 18-year-old defender Luis Guedes and 17-year-old winger Gabriel Mec, as future stars to monitor.

On playing alongside both Messi and Ronaldo, his verdict was suitably poetic. “Leo is magic. Cristiano is work, hunger, ambition: a winning mentality that pushes everyone around him. I feel privileged to have played with both.”

Luciano Spalletti held his pre-match press conference ahead of Juventus’ Serie A clash with Sassuolo, addressing a number of pressing topics including Dusan Vlahovic’s potential return, his own contract situation and the race for Champions League qualification with eight games remaining.

On Vlahovic, Spalletti was deliberately coy, directing reporters to the official squad list for confirmation.

“There are a couple of players with some discomfort to assess, we will have the final picture by tomorrow morning,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

The Serbian striker has been absent through injury and his return would be a timely boost for a side still pushing hard for a top-four finish.

Juventus coach Spalletti plays up renewal talks

Spalletti was more forthcoming on the subject of his own renewal, suggesting the international break provided an ideal window for productive discussions with the club.

“It seems like a correct moment, there is less stress and the necessary time,” he said. “On my part there is complete availability to hear what the club wants to say to me.”

He was careful, however, not to discuss potential signings, joking that talking about players he might want to bring in while his own contract is unsigned would make him “feel like an idiot.”

The Juventus coach also delivered a passionate defence of his squad’s motivation, dismissing any suggestion that missing the Champions League would be straightforward to absorb.

“Pressure is a privilege that belongs only to those who have a history to honour,” he said. “Our fans travelled to Bodo, overcoming all the costs and difficulties just to be there. We owe them everything.”

On the number nine debate that has followed Juventus all season, Spalletti was characteristically direct.

“It is the moment, the episodic decisions inside a game, that decides things, not a profile. We are not inferior to Galatasaray. The red cards decided that tie, not the level of football.”

Gennaro Gattuso has named his Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March and has included three uncapped players among his selections.

Which uncapped players are in Gattuso’s latest Italy squad?

Gattuso has called up a squad of 28 players for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo coming up on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final on March 31: A one-match decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament. 

Given the importance of the occasion, Gattuso has understandably decided to stick with a core of trusted and experienced players.

The likes of Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are expected to start against Northern Ireland. There has also been a return to the squad for Federico Chiesa for the first time since EURO 2024. 

Only three of the 28 players called up have not previously played for Italy. Two of them are goalkeepers in Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, neither of whom have yet been given an opportunity over Gianluigi Donnarumma or Guglielmo Vicario. 

Cagliari right-back Marco Palestra, on loan from Atalanta, is the only uncapped outfield player to be selected in the latest Italy squad. The 21-year-old has impressed in his first real breakthrough season at Serie A level, and is also included in the Cagliari starting line-up to take on Napoli on Friday evening. 

You can see follow the action from Cagliari vs. Napoli on the Football Italia Liveblog.

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Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne finally start alongside each other in the Napoli midfield again as Antonio Conte’s side prepare to take on Cagliari away from home in Serie A on Friday evening. 

Napoli have won their last three matches in succession heading into Friday night’s tie, all by 2-1 margins against Hellas Verona, Torino and Lecce.

Their run of form has brought them within one point of the second-placed Milan, and Antonio Conte’s side will overtake the Rossoneri with a victory this evening. 

Cagliari, meanwhile, are without a win since the end of January, when they beat Verona 4-0, and have only picked up two points from their last six matches since then. They are currently in 15th place, six points above the relegation zone. 

Napoli are without Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Antonio Vergara and David Neres through injury, but Conte’s ‘fab 4’ of Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are finally all back and available for selection. 

McTominay, De Bruyne, Lobotka and Billy Gilmour are the chosen starters in midfield, supporting Rasmus Hojlund in the lone centre-forward role. Anguissa starts among the substitutes. 

Tonight’s game involves six players who have been called up to Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-offs coming up at the end of the month. Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra are among the national team inclusions, as well as Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, Matteo Politano and Alex Meret from the Napoli camp. 

Kick-off this evening is due at 17.30 GMT. 

Cagliari vs. Napoli: Confirmed line-ups 

Cagliari (4-3-3): Caprile; Zé Pedro, Mina, Dossena, Rodriguez; Adopo, Gaetano, Sulemana; Palestra, Folorunsho, Esposito. 

Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Gilmour, Lobotka, Gutierrez; De Bruyne, McTominay; Højlund.

20-03-2026 17:30

MatchDay 30

Unipol Domus (Sardegna Arena)

Cagliari

Napoli

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		2'		Scott McTominay
		17'		Stanislav Lobotka
Zé Pedro		35'

2nd half

		69'		Mathías Olivera
Alberto Dossena		90+4'

Match statistic

33

Possession %

67

7

Total shots

17

Shots on target

5

7

Shots off target

4

Blocked shots

8

2

Corners

7

Offsides

2

12

Fouls

16

Cagliari

Napoli

Starting lineups

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

22

Alberto Dossena

Defender

15

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

84'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

26

Yerry Mina

Defender

32

Zé Pedro

Defender

73'

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

65'

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

73'

25

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

84'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

77'

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

55'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

76'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

12

Alen Sherri

Goalkeeper

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

36

Nicola Grandu

Midfielder

20

Agustín Albarracín

Midfielder

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

65'

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

73'

31

Paul Mendy

Attacker

73'

37

Yael Trepy

Attacker

84'

18

Othniel Raterink

Midfielder

84'

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

9

Romelu Lukaku

Attacker

23

Giovane

Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento

Attacker

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

55'

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

76'

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

77'

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

84'

English prospect Jonathan Rowe has become an increasingly key figure for Bologna, particularly in the Europa League, as the Rossoblu prepare to face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

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Bologna have knocked out their domestic rivals Roma from the Europa League Round of 16, securing a 5-4 aggregate win.

Rowe’s big start to 2026 at Bologna

English winger Rowe, 22, played a vital role across the two Europa League fixtures, providing two assists and scoring one goal.

Last night, he netted the opener in an eventual 4-3 away victory that sent Bologna to the quarter-finals.

Rowe joined Bologna from Marseille last summer and took a few months to settle in at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

• Read more – De Zerbi: Rabiot ‘refused to take a step back’ after fight with Rowe

The England U21 European champion only started four Serie A matches in the first half of the campaign, spending six of the opening 17 league games entirely on the bench.

However, it was only a matter of time before the Englishman showed his ability on the field.

The new year started with an assist in a home 2-1 loss against Fiorentina on January 18. A few days later, he scored his first goal for the Rossoblu in a 2-2 home draw against Celtic in the Europa League.

Since then, Rowe has started four Europa League games out of five and six of the last eight league matches

After a very quiet start to the season, Rowe has grabbed five goals and four assists across all competitions for Bologna, all in 2026.

The product of the AFC Wembley academy has been particularly efficient in the Europa League, with three goals and two assists in 10 games this term.

Rowe’s performances have contributed to Bologna’s historic qualification for the Europa League quarter-finals, where they’ll meet Aston Villa.

These two sides have already met twice in the last two seasons, both times in Birmingham.

Aston Villa secured a 2-0 win in the Champions League group stage in October 2024, followed by a 1-0 victory in this season’s Europa League group stage in September 2025.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery and will be ruled out of action for around a month, which is why he is not part of the 28-man Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off, which kicks off next week. 

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Why is Vicario not in the latest Italy national team squad?

CT Gennaro Gattuso has confirmed his squad of 28 players to take on Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-legged play-off final on March 31. 

Among Gattuso’s selections are four goalkeepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Alex Meret (Napoli) and Elia Caprile (Cagliari), but there is no Vicario, who has been Italy’s regular second-choice for most of the last two years. 

Initially, there had been speculation over Vicario’s form at Tottenham being the reason behind his absence from the Italy squad, however, Spurs have since confirmed that the former Empoli stopper requires surgery and will not be available for the play-offs. 

Tottenham’s statement explains that Vicario has decided to have surgery now in order to minimise the impact on his season at club level. It is, and was always expected that Donnarumma will start in the play-off semi-final and the final should Italy qualify. 

“We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery next week on a hernia,” read a statement from Tottenham on Friday. 

“The minor procedure for the Italy international goalkeeper has been timed to have as minimal impact on our season as possible.

“Guglielmo will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately, and it is hoped that he could return to action within the next month.”

We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery next week on a hernia.

The minor procedure for the Italy international goalkeeper has been timed to have as minimal impact on our season as possible.

Guglielmo will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff… pic.twitter.com/7hYaJyTQrK

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 20, 2026

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri warns that Italy should ‘not imitate other countries’ and insists that youth sectors must be ‘fixed’ as only two Serie A sides remain in European competitions this season.

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Bologna and Fiorentina are the only two Serie A representatives left in European competitions this term.

The Rossoblu have qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals, eliminating Roma, while Fiorentina have earned access to the Conference League quarter-finals.

During a pre-match press conference today, Allegri was asked his thoughts on the state of Italian football.

“I’m just talking, not explaining, because I don’t explain anything and I don’t have the truth. We shouldn’t denigrate Italian football,” the Milan coach said via SempreMilan.

“We have those characteristics; they’re part of the history of the Italian people, dating back to the Middle Ages and the defence of the forts. Now everyone’s talking.

“The speed of passing is certainly different and depends on the players. Why are games faster in Europe? First of all, because you either win or lose. The English league is completely different, not better or worse. When they say that in Italy the game stagnates and there’s less space, let’s look at the positive: it’s harder to score goals,” Allegri continued.

Allegri: Italy need to ‘fix the youth sectors’

“We were born and raised like this, and we’ve evolved. We shouldn’t go imitating other countries with different cultures. The history varies from club to club. We need to fix the youth sectors and find different formulas. But don’t talk, we need to do! And make decisions. I’ll end now, otherwise I’ll become polemical. I think numbers should be shown for all the youth sectors.

“These numbers should be brought out. We need to worry because so many kids who play football stop playing early and switch to tennis. To get to the Sinners, there’s a lot of work behind it. You have to be careful. Those who understand the youth sector just need to make some reforms.”

• Read more – Official: Gattuso confirms Italy squad for World Cup play-off – Chiesa returns, Vicario dropped

Reports in Italy suggest that Roma will have to pay a compensation fee to Bayern Munich if they fail to make Bryan Zaragoza’s move permanent at the end of the season.

Zaragoza’s future at Roma remains uncertain, as the Spaniard has played only 135 minutes with the Giallorossi since his initial loan move from Bayern Munich in the January transfer window.

How much must Roma pay if Zaragoza returns to Bayern?

The 24-year-old moved to the Stadio Olímpico via Celta Vigo, where he had spent the first half of the campaign.

Roma have already paid €2m for the player’s six-month loan, and their option to buy in the summer is set to €13m.

According to Calciomercato.com and Roma expert Filippo Biafora, the agreement between Roma and Bayern Munich includes a €500,000 compensation fee that the Giallorossi will have to pay if they fail to sign the Spaniard permanently at the end of the season.

Zaragoza has made four Serie A appearances with Roma, two as a starter, providing one assist.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says Luka Modric ‘brings enthusiasm and positivity’ to the squad, but his future at San Siro is still uncertain: ‘It’s up to him.’

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Modric, 40, has been a regular Milan starter this season, and his contract expires in June.

Milan have an option to extend his stay until 2027, but the club won’t activate it unless the Croatian star agrees to stay.

Allegri’s update on Modric’s Milan future

During a pre-match press conference on Friday, the Rossoneri boss Allegri was asked whether Modric will remain at San Siro for one more season.

“The club will talk to him. It’s up to him,” Allegri said via SempreMilan.

“He has a World Cup to play in… In the meantime, let’s let him play, let him have fun.”

A six-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Modric has scored two goals and provided three assists in 31 appearances across all competitions this season.

He joined the Rossoneri last summer after the end of his contract with the La Liga giants.

“Luka arrived and brought quality not only on a technical level but above all on a human and professional level, especially for the younger players,” Allegri continued.

“Seeing a player, a man—Luka is 40 years old—with such passion and love for what he does is incredible. This creates enthusiasm and brings positivity to the environment.”

Tomorrow, Milan host Torino at San Siro in Serie A Round 30.

The Rossoneri sit second in the table, eight points below table leaders Inter.

Massimiliano Allegri urges Milan to ‘wake up’ after a 1-0 loss against Lazio and reveals Santiago Gimenez will be available for selection for Saturday’s match against Torino.

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Milan host Torino at San Siro tomorrow, and the Rossoneri will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Lazio last week.

Milan vs. Torino – Allegri’s pre-match press conference

“These things happen during a season where points count,” Allegri said at a press conference via SempreMilan.

“The only thing we can do is stay calm. We have an important match tomorrow before the break. It’s difficult because Torino has been getting good results since D’Aversa arrived. Let’s forget about what happened; we need to focus on tomorrow. Gimenez is fine; he’ll be called up tomorrow.”

Mexico international Gimenez underwent ankle surgery in December and has not made a competitive appearance for Milan since the end of October 2025.

The 24-year-old has only scored one goal in 11 appearances across all competitions this season, but none in Serie A.

Allegri was asked whether the title race is already over, as the Rossoneri sit second, eight points behind leaders Inter.

“Football is wonderful for this reason. Everyone thought Inter had dropped two points, but instead… They have their destiny in their hands for the Scudetto; we have it for the Champions League,” the Milan coach replied.

“We have to focus on one game at a time. Then, when the math says that Inter has won the Scudetto and that Milan is in the Champions League, then we won’t be able to win the Scudetto and we won’t be able to exit the Champions League.”

Multiple sources have reported that Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic argued before and after the latest match against Lazio, with the Portuguese complaining about a lack of passes from his teammate.

“As for the Leao-Pulisic duo, they’ve had a season with injuries. One missed pre-season, the other had a good pre-season, and then was out for two months. Now it’s important to do well in the last two months,” Allegri said.

“Pulisic is doing well; in terms of physical condition, he put in a good performance in Rome. He lacks accuracy in his shots, but he’ll find it again. Rafa has nine goals; he still has some games to go, and he can reach double figures.

“But now we have everyone available; to play, we need to wake up. Everyone.

“Whoever has the ball has to see who’s unmarked. He didn’t pass that ball to him because he didn’t see it. But it’s happened other times, too,” Allegri continued.

“The difference in football is the choice of the final pass. With Leao I said: ‘He didn’t see you, otherwise he would have passed it to you.’ It didn’t take much.”

Aside from Gimenez, Niclas Fullkrug is the other Milan centre-forward available for Milan against Torino.

“There are post-match solutions when needed. Gimenez hasn’t been available so far and hasn’t got match rhythm. In fact, during the break, we’ll see if we can organise one. If you need someone with those characteristics with 20 minutes to go, you only have one,” Allegri said.

“So you either have to play him from the start or until the end. Everyone’s fine, everyone’s needed. From now until the end, having five forwards available is very important.

“Leao can easily play as a centre-forward, just look at his moves on Sunday against Inter and Cremona with those deep attacks,” continued the Milan coach.

“When he opens up, he feels a little more comfortable, but when he goes wide, if he doesn’t get the ball, he loses his grip on the game a bit…

“We need to improve the understanding between the players. Pulisic and Leao haven’t played together much in those positions, but so have the others. However, there have been some excellent combinations, like Fullkrug and Pulisic in Florence.

“On Sunday, however, Pulisic didn’t show any signs of being there; that can happen in football.”

• More from Allegri’s press conference – Allegri waits for Modric’s decision on future at Milan: ‘It’s up to him’

Sassuolo revealed on the eve of their Serie A clash with Juventus that they had notified Lega Serie A of a confirmed case of whooping cough in the squad, along with five additional team members showing ‘symptoms consistent with the disease.’

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A whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak has hit the Sassuolo squad days before their Serie A match against Juventus.

Sassuolo’s statement after case of whooping cough identified

The Neroverdi wrote in an official statement on Friday: “Sassuolo announce that, following several tests carried out in recent days, one case of whooping cough has been identified, along with five cases showing symptoms consistent with the disease within the team group.

“Individuals presenting symptoms are currently in isolation and have been under constant monitoring by the club’s medical staff for the past three days. The staff is applying all procedures required by current health protocols in coordination with the health authorities. It is also noted that all asymptomatic members of the group have promptly undergone specific prophylactic measures.

“The club has already informed the Lega Serie A of the current situation and will continue to closely monitor developments, adopting all necessary measures to safeguard the health of its players and staff.”

Sassuolo play away at Juventus on Saturday night, and according to Italian sources, including TMW, the game is not at risk of being postponed.

The identities of the Sassuolo player diagnosed with pertussis and those with symptoms remain unknown.

Sassuolo have lost their last two Serie A matches, but sit tenth in the standings with 38 points in 29 matches.

Juventus sit fifth with two consecutive wins in Serie A. Luciano Spalletti’s men are unbeaten in the last three league games and are one point below fourth-placed Como.

Juventus and Sassuolo met not long ago in the reverse fixture on January 6, seeing the Bianconeri secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso has named his 28-man squad for the World Cup play-off, with Federico Chiesa returning to the team while Guglielmo Vicario is dropped.

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The FIGC confirmed Gattuso’s squad for the 2026 World Cup play-off on Friday.

Liverpool winger Chiesa returns to the team for the first time since 2024.

The last time Chiesa had played for the national team was in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 tie against Switzerland.

Newcastle star Sandro Tonali is regularly part of the squad despite suffering an injury during Wednesday’s Champions League match against Barcelona.

Exams undergone on Thursday, in fact, ruled out a serious muscle lesion for the ex-Milan ace.

Cagliari’s Marco Palestra earns his first senior call-up, while Tottenham’s Vicario is not part of the team as Gattuso has picked Elia Caprile, Marco Carnesecchi, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Alex Meret.

Italy will play Northern Ireland in the play-off semifinal on March 26, and the potential Final will be played on March 31, away against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Italy squad for 2026 World Cup play-off

Goalkeepers: Elia Caprile (Cagliari), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Alex Meret (Napoli);

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Marco Palestra (Cagliari), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli);

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle);

Attackers: Federico Chiesa (Liverpool), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta).

• Read more – Gattuso appears to have chosen Italy system as squad list confirmed

Tuttosport newspaper reports that Mateo Retegui has held talks with Juventus after Milan, while Turkish side Fenerbahce have shown interest in Lois Openda.

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Italy international Retegui is eager to return to Serie A after just one season at Al-Qadisiya, and, according to Tuttosport, his father has held direct talks with Juventus in recent days.

Tuttosport reported earlier this week that one of Retegui’s agents had also met Milan director Igli Tare.

Juventus’ main target in attack remains Randal Kolo Muani, followed by Retegui, Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Chelsea-owned Nicolas Jackson.

Juventus are determined to sign a new centre-forward for 2026-27 regardless of Dusan Vlahovic’s possible contract extension.

The Serie A giants will be listening to offers for Jonathan David and Openda, and, according to the report, the latter has already received an initial inquiry from Fenerbahce, coached by ex-Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco.

Retegui has already returned to Italy to prepare for the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off.

The 2024-25 Serie A top-goal scorer has netted five goals in six matches under Gattuso.

Italy have officially unveiled their new away kit, which will be worn in the upcoming international fixtures.

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Gennaro Gattuso is expected to announce his Italy squad for the World Cup play-off today, but the FIGC already made an announcement this morning, unveiling the Nazionale’s new away kit.

• Read more – Official: Gattuso confirms Italy squad for World Cup play-off – Chiesa returns, Vicario dropped

Italy’s new 2026 Away Kit – Official statement

“Today, adidas and the FIGC revealed the official Away Kit of the Italian national football team, which will be used for their upcoming international fixtures,” a statement reads.

“It is a jersey steeped in traditional Italian tailoring and inspired by the elegant suits worn by the National Team during legendary celebratory moments.

“The Away jersey features a blue and white pattern all across, mirroring the intricate textures seen in fine tailoring. The sleeves, logos, and numbering are finished with navy blue and gold details, while the collar is adorned with the ‘Italia’ monogram, inspired by bespoke embroidery, demonstrating a strong sense of identity and belonging.

Trefoil Tricolour.

The @Azzurri_En away kit is officially here @adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/Ty0jMPe10z

— Italy (@Azzurri_En) March 20, 2026

“The jersey is made from jacquard fabric to provide a lighter finish and allow for more freedom of movement on the pitch. The kit is rounded off with the iconic three stripes running along the shoulders, applied using a herringbone pattern and designed to enhance breathability and ensure optimal ventilation even in the most demanding climates.

“The entire adidas Away jersey range is built for high performance, to support world-class players in moments of intense pressure. To adapt to the hottest and most challenging conditions, the engineered 3D body-mapped mechanical stretch fabrics incorporate adidas’ latest CLIMACOOL+ materials, which pull moisture away from the skin faster and keep players drier for longer.”

Italy’s next match is against Northern Ireland in Bergamo on March 26. It’s the World Cup play-off semifinal, and if the Azzurri qualify for the Final, they’ll play Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away.

If Italy qualify for the World Cup, they’ll be placed in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Fikayo Tomori has been included in the England squad for friendly games in March, but Thomas Tuchel admits the Milan defender ‘benefits from the injury of Trevoh Chalobah.’

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Milan centre-back Tomori has been included in the England squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

Tuchel explains Tomori’s return to the England squad

Tomori has not played a competitive match for England since November 2023, and this is the first time Tuchel has called him up to the Three Lions squad.

“Fikayo Tomori benefits from the injury of Trevoh Chalobah,” Tuchel said.

“Trevoh unfortunately got injured in the last minutes of the Champions League match and we hope that he comes back soon but it looks like a little bit of a nasty and painful one. It gives Fikayo the chance to come and impress. I was in contact with him through the whole year basically and was impressed very early when I watched him play with his physicality and approach to defending, so happy to have him in camp.”

Tomori, a former Chelsea defender, has made five appearances for the senior England national team, making his debut in 2019 against Kosovo under Gareth Southgate.

Tomori, 28, has been a regular starter at Milan over the last few years and in the current campaign, he has provided three assists in 30 appearances across all competitions.

During a recent interview with The Athletic, Tomori said he had spoken to Tuchel and hoped to be part of the England World Cup squad in June.

Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund are expected to start for Napoli in an away game at Cagliari today, and Corriere dello Sport describes the new Partenopei attacking trio as ‘made in Manchester.’

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Conte picks new Napoli attacking trident

Napoli coach Antonio Conte will field an unprecedented attacking trio for a Serie A match against Cagliari today, as the Italian tactician is expected to start De Bruyne, McTominay and Hojlund up front at the Unipol Domus Arena.

The trio started several matches in the first part of the season before De Bruyne’s muscle injury in October, but back then, the Belgian ace was deployed as a central midfielder and McTominay as a left winger.

Napoli’s system in the first months of 2025-26 was 4-2-3-1, but Conte has long changed the team’s set-up using a 3-4-2-1 for the last few months.

With De Bruyne back in action since the beginning of March, Conte has integrated the ex-Manchester City star into his new system, and later today, De Bruyne will start as an attacking midfielder alongside McTominay, behind the sole striker Hojlund.

De Bruyne has not started a Serie A match for Napoli since October 25, 2025, when he suffered a high-degree injury after less than 40 minutes in a home match against Inter.

De Bruyne joined Napoli on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer, while both McTominay and Hojlund moved to the Stadio Maradona from Manchester United.

McTominay is in his second season at Napoli, while Hojlund joined the Serie A giants last summer, on loan with an obligation to buy.