La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Milan are preparing for a major overhaul in central midfield, chasing Valencia’s Javi Guerra and Sassuolo’s Ismael Koné, while four midfielders, including Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, are expected to leave.
Milan have continued to monitor promising Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra during the 2025-26 campaign, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.
Latest Milan transfer news: Guerra, Koné and more
Valencia’s Spanish midfielder #8 Javi Guerra celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Spanish Liga football match between Sevilla FC and Valencia CF at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville on August 11, 2023. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP) (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images)
The Spaniard was a Milan transfer target last summer, before he signed a new contract until 2029, but the Serie A giants have continued to scout him in the current campaign.
According to the report, Milan are also interested in Sassuolo and Canada midfielder Koné, scorer of six Serie A goals this season.
PISA, ITALY – JANUARY 31: Ismael Kone’ of US Sassuolo celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Arena Garibaldi on January 31, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Gazzetta claims that Sassuolo might be interested in discussing a player-plus-cash swap involving either Christian Comotto, now on loan at Spezia, or Francesco Camarda.
Milan are expected to make significant changes to their central midfield over the summer, given that Fofana and Loftus-Cheek are likely to leave San Siro.
Warren Bondo, Ismael Bennacer and Yunus Musah will return after their loan spells, and while the first two will be put on the market, Musah could end up staying at Milan, mostly due to his versatility.
The Rossoneri will also wait for Luka Modric’s decision on his future and hope the Croatian star will agree to remain at the club for one more season.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Inter remain interested in Como talent Nico Paz, who is set to return to Real Madrid in the summer, but will only remain at the Bernabéu with the approval of the Merengues’ new coach.
Serie A giants Inter still hope to sign Argentine talent Nico Paz, despite his practically guaranteed return to Real Madrid in the summer.
The Merengues have an €11m buy-back option, which they intend to activate at the end of the season to bring back a product of their academy to the club.
COMO, ITALY – APRIL 12: Nico Paz of Como 1907 celebrates after scoring their team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and FC Internazionale at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on April 12, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
However, Nico Paz’s stay at the Bernabéu for 2026-27 will depend on the new coach Real Madrid appoint in the summer.
José Mourinho is seen as a possible candidate for the job, so if the ex-Nerazzurri boss returns to the Bernabéu, he will inevitably be involved in Inter’s transfer plans, as he’ll have to decide whether to keep Paz in the team.
According to the report, Inter are determined to offer a paid loan deal with an option to buy and a buy-back option, or even a permanent transfer, but still leaving Real Madrid the option to re-sign the player in the future.
The Nerazzurri are preparing a transfer package worth between €40m and €50m and hope to persuade the Argentine talent also thanks to his father Pablo Paz, a close friend and former Argentina teammate of Inter’s vice-president Javier Zanetti
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has personally called Bernardo Silva, hoping to persuade the Manchester City captain to move to Turin at the end of the season.
Spalletti in direct contact with Bernardo Silva over a possible Juventus move
Juventus coach Spalletti has reportedly reached out to Bernardo Silva over a potential move to the Allianz Stadium in the summer.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City in action during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux on August 16, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Negotiations between the Old Lady and the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, have been ongoing for weeks as Bernardo Silva’s contract with Manchester City expires at the end of the season, making him available for a free transfer in June.
According to the report, Spalletti has made a further step forward by personally contacting the Manchester City captain, who is also believed to be on the agenda of many other European clubs, including Benfica and Barcelona.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, reacts prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Gazzetta previously reported that Juventus had already offered Bernardo Silva a three-year contract worth €7m per season and that the Portugal international would only pick his next club at the end of the campaign, which sees his Manchester City side involved in the race for the Premier League title.
Serie A is gaining momentum across North America, especially in Canada, and interest in the Azzurri is rising just as quickly.
Jonathan David’s move to Juventus and Ismael Koné’s transfer to Sassuolo in the 2025 summer transfer window have only boosted the number of Serie A fans in Canada, a country that is also preparing to co-host the 2026 World Cup, the biggest football event ever staged.
The best way to watch Serie A football in Canada is through DAZN Canada or TLN TV, which shows three live Serie A fixtures every week.
Between the halves, many fans keep the excitement going by exploring the world-class slots and table games at https://charmius-canada.com, a premier destination for casino enthusiasts that also provides essential responsible gambling tools via its mobile app and browser.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: General view inside the stadium prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The race for the Scudetto and the drama of historic rivalries in the Peninsula are attracting more and more viewers abroad, as Lega Serie A confirmed in 2025, reporting an unprecedented surge in popularity across the United States.
“Never before has Italian football been so widely accessible across the country. The upcoming CBS Main Network broadcast of Juventus-Genoa on March 29 is yet another key moment in our mission to bring Serie A to as many fans as possible,” Lega Serie A President Ezio Maria Simonelli said back then.
“It’s incredible to see how much it’s grown, with broadcasts and events like this bringing fans even closer to the game,” added 2006 Italy World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo, a former Milan and Juventus superstar.
The strong community of Italian-Canadians, primarily concentrated in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, have also had a chance to see many Italian stars in action in the MLS in recent years.
Sebastian Giovinco played for Toronto FC from 2015 to 2019, followed, a few years later, by Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne, two Italy Euro 2020 winners.
Another Italian legend, Alessandro Nesta, played for Montreal Impact in 2012-13 after a successful Serie A career with Lazio and Milan, during which he had won three Serie A titles and two Champions League titles.
The former defender moved to the USA after hanging up his boots, becoming the coach of Miami FC from 2015 to 17. He then returned to Italy to take charge of Perugia, Frosinone, Reggiana and Monza.
epa00998510 Defender Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan celebrate the victory at the end of the Champions League second leg semifinal match against Manchester United in Milan’s San Siro-Giuseppe Meazza stadium late 02 May 2007. AC Milan won 3-0 and acceeds to the final match against Liverpool which will be played in Athens on 23 May. EPA/ETTORE FERRARI
Surely, there’s plenty of connection between Italian football and Canada, not just because over 1,500,000 Canadians (4.3% of the total population) have reported full or partial Italian ancestry, but also because of the many stars moving between the two countries to play the beautiful game.
Too bad that the two national teams’ proposed meeting in the 2026 World Cup Group B will never happen, as the Azzurri have failed to qualify for the competition for the third time in a row.
Italy legend Roberto Baggio has officially launched his TikTok account with a humorous juggling clip that ends with what appears to be an unfortunate glass-breaking mishap.
Italy legend Baggio has officially joined TikTok, reaching over 200,000 followers in just a few hours.
Baggio’s first video on the platform shows him juggling the ball, but the ending is not the one most fans would expect.
After the ex-striker kicks the ball, the sound of breaking glass can be heard. At that moment, Baggio turns to the camera and says, “From today, I’m on TikTok too.”
Italian former football player Roberto Baggio (R) and Argentine-born Italian former football player, David Trezeguet (L) gesture before the beginning of the Argentina 2023 U-20 World Cup final match between Uruguay and Italy at the Estadio Unico Diego Armando Maradona stadium in La Plata, Argentina, on June 11, 2023. (Photo by Alejandro PAGNI / AFP) (Photo by ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP via Getty Images)
As reported by Repubblica, Baggio’s first video has already reached two million views and over 500,000 likes.
Baggio’s first TikTok video
“Ciao ragazzi! Da oggi sono anche io su TikTok”.
Così l’ex calciatore Roberto Baggio saluta i fan e inaugura il suo nuovo profilo sulla nota piattaforma social. Nel breve video ironico pubblicato, si vede il ‘Divin codino’ palleggiare e poi calciare il pallone. Sul finale,… pic.twitter.com/fxxI6mLofe
Italian defender Matteo Ruggeri credits Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone for his defensive development and confirms Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been the ‘toughest’ opponent he’s faced this season.
Ruggeri played the full 90 minutes in Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.
The Italian left-back, a former Atalanta defender, is in his first season at the Wanda Metropolitano and has been a regular starter under Simeone.
Ruggeri: ‘I’ve improved defensively’ under Simeone
“I think that my development is mostly due to the coach who has believed in me from the very beginning,” Ruggeri told Sky Sport at full-time last night.
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 14: Matteo Ruggeri of Atletico de Madrid reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg match between Club Atlético de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 14, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“He’s given me the trust and time to work well, and I think I’ve improved, mostly defensively, thanks to him and the work we do every day in training sessions. Obviously, I can still improve, because you can learn from any opponent. I’m happy, and we must recover well, first for Saturday’s game and then for Tuesday, because we can expect a heated environment.”
Ruggeri, 23, has made 42 appearances across all competitions this season, collecting over 3,000 minutes on the pitch under Simeone in 2025-26.
A former Atalanta defender, Ruggeri has yet to make his senior Italy debut.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – AUGUST 17: Matteo Ruggeri of Atletico de Madrid controls the ball whilst under pressure from Omar El Hilali of RCD Espanyol during the LaLiga EA Sports match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at RCDE Stadium on August 17, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
The Italian defender was asked to name the toughest opponent he’s faced this season, and his reply was somewhat unsurprising.
“I don’t want to say that it is obvious, but I guess that with Lamine [Yamal], it was a nice battle,” he said.
“We’ve met many times. These matches provide motivation and the strength to play at a high level. From these matches, you understand the level and the effort required to reach a Champions League semifinal. If I have the name of the toughest one, I’ll go with him because he’s really impressive.”
Ruggeri joined Atletico Madrid in a deal worth circa €20m from Atalanta last summer, signing a contract until 2030.
Footage from Sunday’s Milan-Juventus Serie A match captured Luciano Spalletti urging Lloyd Kelly to be more aggressive with the Bianconeri coach instructing the English defender: ‘You have to go!’
Sunday’s Serie A match between Milan and Juventus saw defences dominate, with the San Siro matchup ending in a goalless draw.
A video published by DAZN shows Spalletti instructing one of his centre-backs, Kelly, to be more aggressive defensively.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Spalletti felt Kelly should have stayed closer to his direct opponent to limit his chances of hurting the Bianconeri.
“You play for 20 meters [far], but you have to go at five meters,” Spalletti said.
“[This way] I can play too.”
Kelly, 27, has been a regular starter at Juventus this season, making 42 appearances across all competitions at the Allianz Stadium.
Former Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is ‘shocked’ to see the Nerazzurri mentioned in a refereeing scandal in Serie A, as he feels the team was ‘damaged and not favoured’ last season, and insists that wins over Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Champions League were as exciting as trophies.
Former Inter coach Inzaghi had his say on the refereeing scandal that has broken out in Serie A.
Referee Designator Rocchi has suspended himself from his duties after the Milan Prosecutor alleged that he influenced VAR decisions and assigned referees favoured by Inter for some games in 2024-25.
Recent reports, however, suggest that Rocchi never met Inter executives and that no players or directors from the Nerazzurri or any other Serie A club are under investigation.
“It shocked me. Inter lost many points last season due to refereeing mistakes in Serie A and the Supercoppa,” Inzaghi told Gazzetta.
“It’s surprising to be mentioned in this story, given that we were damaged and not favoured.
“How can you think about a scheme? It was an unfortunate season for us. I’ve always had great respect for the referees’ work, and I don’t want to talk about Napoli, who honestly won the Scudetto,” Inzaghi continued.
“But there’s still a feeling that something was taken away from us. I’m not accusing anyone, and I have no doubts about good faith. Let’s say we were unlucky, and everything went against us. There’s still a disappointment that won’t go away. It’s painful to lose the title for just one point.”
Inzaghi spent four seasons at Inter, winning one Serie A title and reaching the Champions League Final twice.
“I won a lot in four years, and I’m happy with the results,” he said.
epa12148298 Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi walks past the trophy after losing the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Internazionale Milano, in Munich, Germany, 31 May 2025. EPA-EFE/ANNA SZILAGYI
“We reached two Champions League Finals. I accept criticism anyway, as long as they concern me and not the footballers, because they always gave me everything they had.
“I wouldn’t change anything. We had a dream, the treble. At the end of the season, we paid a high price for the 23 games we played more than Napoli,” he added.
“Inter have the duty to compete at all levels, and those nights against Bayern and Barcelona will remain in my mind more than trophies—unforgettable victories.”
Last season’s 5-0 loss in the Champions League Final against PSG was Inzaghi’s last game with Inter.
“We arrived at the game without much energy, both physically and mentally,” he explained.
“It’s not an excuse, but a fact. The disappointment of losing the title affected our self-esteem. PSG are a top side as we saw the other night against Bayern. It still hurts to have lost that way, but we can’t forget what had happened before in Europe.”
Is it true that he told Inter players he would leave the club days before the final?
“Absolutely no. I couldn’t have done it because the decision, which was very painful for my family and me, had not been made,” he insisted.
epa11294807 Inter’s coach Simone Inzaghi (R) and CEO Giuseppe Marotta celebrate after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and FC Inter, in Milan, 22 April 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
“The truth is that everything happened very quickly. Two days after the Champions League Final, we met at Marotta’s home, with Ausilio and Baccin. In that context, I expressed the desire to change because I felt a cycle had ended. They wanted to continue, but understood my decision. We left as friends, and we still are. If we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed.”
Inzaghi was appointed by Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal last year and has no regret about his decision.
“Luckily, money has never been a problem. I don’t need it,” he said.
“I had a fantastic home in Milan, from which I could see everything, including San Siro. Their offer convinced me, and here I am. Happy to be here.”
The Nerazzurri are now close to winning the Scudetto under Cristian Chivu.
“They’ve been very good. Winning is never easy, and it is Chivu’s merit too,” Inzaghi said.
“I knew the group, and I had no doubts about the players’ capabilities. But it was also the right decision to pick Cristian, and I knew it because I had seen how he worked. Now they must celebrate and try to win the Coppa Italia.”
The Coppa Italia Final, set for May 13, will see Inter face Lazio, two of Inzaghi’s former clubs. Who will he support?
“Nobody, I’ll sit down and enjoy the spectacle,” he said.
“They are two clubs that have given me a lot, so may the best win. Anything can happen in a final.”
Federico Dimarco and Piotr Zielinski appeared to criticise Inzaghi’s management in recent months.
“Federico has had great seasons with me, and he knows it well. I kept him at Inter after seeing him in training for ten days; otherwise, he might have left on loan again. Perhaps his words were misunderstood. We have a great relationship, and we are still in contact,” Inzaghi concluded.
“I’ve read many things about Zielinski, too, but people forget it was me who wanted him at Inter when Marotta and Ausilio said there was a chance. Unfortunately, he had many fitness problems last season and struggled to show his quality.”
Penalty Wednesday. Atletico-Arsenal ends in a draw
Inzaghi, I talk
The ex-Inter coach says it all for the first time
‘No favours, we were affected instead. Well done, Chivu, I knew he was the right pick.’
‘Our victories against Bayern and Barcelona were heavier than the trophies we won. I’d have stayed with the Champions League.’
Spalletti calls Silva
Not just Goretzka, Milan think about Guerra now
Corriere dello Sport
Paz’s dream
Club waiting: A lot will depend on the new Madrid coach
Inter wait for Mou
Nico closer if José returns to Real?
Marotta is studying a paid loan with an option to buy and a buyback clause, knowing that the player sees himself with the Merengues. Just one between Martinez and Vicario.
Juve, Kolo discount
The request was between 60m and 70m last year, now 45m is enough
KDB the Neapolitan
Kevin is at the centre of the project: he loves the city and the club relies on him to return to winning.
Italiano, aut aut
Relevant alternatives to Lucumi and Freuler, contract extension for big players and reinforcements in all departments.
Cholo pride, Atletico believe
Tuttosport
Toro, Gattuso’s chances increase
Lewa says Juve, Chico too
The Polish hitman prefers the Bianconeri to Milan. Conceiçao rejects assaults of Liverpool and United.
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Lukaku offers himself to Milan
He has the characteristics wanted by Allegri, doubts on his fitness
Reports in Italy indicate that Inter will activate an extension clause in Federico Dimarco’s contract, but will then seek to prolong his agreement by a further two years, potentially seeing him through until the summer of 2030.
Dimarco is having an MVP-calibre season with the table-topping Inter in 2025-26 and has recently matched the league’s all-time record for the most assists in a single season with 16. Some outlets claim that the Italy international has already set a new record of 17, but this depends on the outlet and their exact definition of what constitutes an assist.
Dimarco is currently under contract with Inter until the summer of 2027, which means that he will be entering the final year of his deal at the start of the coming summer transfer window.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 17: Federico Dimarco talks with Cristian Chivu during the Serie A match against Cagliari Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
According to the latest updates, though, this is not a situation that worries Inter, who have an option to extend Dimarco’s contract by a further 12 months, which would see him through until the end of the 2027-28 season.
From there, Inter will reportedly seek to formally extend Dimarco’s contract by a further 12 months, until the summer of 2030, which would likely come with an increase in wages as well. The wing-back currently takes home around €4m per season after tax according to Calciomercato.com.
Both parties are said to be keen to continue on their journey together.
Outgoing head of the Italian football association Gabriele Gravina says that calls for Italy to replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup are ‘shameful’, that the Azzurri supporters are ‘the only ones who deserve to go’, but insists ‘I don’t think I failed’ in the role of FIGC President.
An election to appoint Gravina’s successor will take place on June 22. Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete are the two leading candidates to take over the role.
Gravina had an opportunity to discuss his departure from the FIGC, his tenure as the head of the Italian FA and the suggestions that Italy could still feature at the 2026 World Cup in an interview on ‘Otto e mezzo’ on La7.
Gravina insists that he was not ‘pressured’ into stepping down from his role as FIGC President in any way following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Gravina on FIGC tenure and Italy at the 2026 World Cup proposal: ‘I don’t think I failed, fans the only ones who deserve to go’
ROME, ITALY – JUNE 19: Gianluigi Buffon, Italy new head coach Gennaro Gattuso and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina pose during the press conference at Hotel Parco dei Principi on June 19, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“I wasn’t forced to resign, absolutely not. It was my personal choice. I made a commitment to Italian football fans that we would get to the World Cup and unfortunately I wasn’t able to keep true to this commitment,” said Gravina (via La Gazzetta dello Sport).
He continued: “It was right to resign, a gesture of love and responsibility.
“I’m not one to be pressured, I reason with my head and with calmness. This was an act of responsibility for the federation. There was institutional hysteria happening all over the place, it was good to not leave the FIGC over-exposed.”
Despite the fact that Italy’s senior men’s side failed to qualify for the World Cup twice during Gravina’s FIGC Presidency, he doesn’t believe that his entire tenure should be classed as a failure.
He was keen to point out that there is more than one national team that the FIGC oversees and claimed that certain complaints from supporters relate to issues that the FIGC has no control over.
“I don’t think I failed,” Gravina insisted. “If we’re talking about small incidents, then of course, I failed, but if we want to talk about the activity in all its forms and all the projects we carried out, our federation is among the most appreciated in Europe and in the world.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: (L-R) Italy Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio and President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina look on prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
“Italians attribute responsibilities to the FIGC that the FIGC does not have. There is confusion about roles. We’ve not gone to the World Cup three times and the pattern is always the same, looking for a scapegoat. Everyone is convinced that the national team players depend on the FIGC, but there are leagues, competitions and certain rules and laws that have to be respected.
“We’re evaluating the work that the federation does based off one single national team, but there are many, male and female.”
Gravina also stands by the fact that he feels Gravina was the right man to take over as head coach of the Italy national team following the departure of Luciano Spalletti as CT last summer.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Coach Gennaro Gattuso of Italy looks on prior to the National anthems prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
“For me, he was absolutely the right man for the job. He was the best and at that moment we needed someone who would help the guys rediscover the values that the shirt holds. But unfortunately, the sporting side of it was missing.”
And on the recent suggestions that Italy could potentially replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup, Gravina said: “It seems to me to be a fanciful and shameful idea. We’re negotiating for the passion of the Italian fans, who are the only ones who deserve to go to the World Cup.”
Reports in Italy claim that Inter have an agreement in principle with Tottenham and Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, but the Nerazzurri still have two major obstacles to overcome before bringing the 29-year-old to San Siro.
Reports in Italy claim Inter have agreement in principle with Vicario
For much of the 2025-26 season, Inter have been linked with a move to sign Vicario from Tottenham at the end of the 2025-26 season. Current Nerazzurri goalkeeper, 37-year-old Yann Sommer, is out of contract at the end of June and is not expected to extend his stay.
According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter already have a basic agreement with Vicario’s camp over the length of contract and future wages, although these exact figures have not been specified in Wednesday’s report. Still, the agreement between the Inter camp and Vicario’s entourage is said to be ‘complete’.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur at City Ground on December 14, 2025 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
However, Inter still have two major details to iron out before welcoming Vicario to San Siro: First up is negotiating a fee with Tottenham.
Figures in the region of €15m-€20m have been cited by reports in the Italian press in recent weeks, and it is understood that Tottenham will be pushed to sell Vicario more urgently should they suffer relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Spurs are currently in the relegation zone, two points adrift from safety with four games of the season left to play.
Secondly, Inter must come to a decision as to what to do with Josep Martinez, who has largely served as an understudy to the veteran Sommer over the last two seasons.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 19: Josep Martinez Rieira goalkeeper of FC Internazionale kicks the ball during the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at King Saud University Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Martinez has impressed with the limited opportunities available to him, but this is a blessing and a curse for Inter. The Nerazzurri are reportedly aware of the Spaniard’s potential, but so is he, and at 27 years old, Martinez is said to be keen on playing first-team football next season, whether that be with Inter or elsewhere.
The latest updates claim that the referees heard by the public prosecutor’s office in Milan were aware of the controversial nature of the selections made by suspended referee designator Gianluca Rocchi in an alleged meeting in San Siro on April 2, 2025.
Report: Referees were aware of Rocchi’s controversial decisions
Rocchi is currently under investigation for alleged sporting fraud following suggestions that he influenced VAR decisions in certain league matches and appointed referees liked by Inter and avoided appointing those that were ‘unfavourable’ to the Nerazzurri towards the end of last season.
Rocchi is alleged to have attended a meeting in San Siro on April 2, 2025, on the day of the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg between Milan and Inter.
During that meeting, it is claimed that Rocchi decided to appoint referee Andrea Colombo for Inter’s Serie A match against Bologna on April 20, 2025, as Colombo was considered a ‘favourable’ referee for the Nerazzurri.
Additionally, Rocchi is said to have appointed Daniele Doveri for the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Inter and Milan, which would have made him ineligible to referee the final, even though Inter did not end up qualifying anyway. Doveri is among the referees considered ‘unfavourable’ for Inter.
Representatives from Inter have strongly denied these allegations, and several outlets inItaly report that Rocchi spoke exclusively to individuals involved in the refereeing world, and not from Inter circles.
According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the other referees that have been heard by the public prosecutor’s office in Milan as part of the investigation into the refereeing scandal have ‘confirmed’ that they were aware of the controversial refereeing selections made by Rocchi this time last year, and that there was a general awareness of the situation among top-level officials.
FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 23: Gianluca Rocchi former Italian referee and referee designator for the Serie A and Serie B championships during the FIGC Hall of Fame Event on May 23, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Rocchi has an opportunity to report for questioning by the prosecutor’s office in Milan on Thursday, April 20, but Wednesday’s reports indicate that he has been advised against doing so by his lawyer, who claims that he does not have sufficient information to prepare an adequate defence.
As things stand, there are five individuals under investigation, all of whom are tied to the refereeing association, and none with direct links to clubs, i.e. no players, coaches or directors.
Riccardo Calafiori could be poised to make his return to action, but will start amongst the substitutes on this occasion as Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday evening.
Calafiori back in squad for Atletico Madrid vs. Arsenal
Calafiori has missed Arsenal’s last four matches across all competitions (three in the Premier League and one in the Champions League) after suffering a knock in his side’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting CP on April 7.
The Italy international has missed the last three weeks of action since then, but has returned to training with the Arsenal first-team this week.
Calafiori is included in Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad for the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final away against Atletico Madrid, but Piero Hincapie is preferred at left-back on this occasion.
Former Atalanta star Ademola Lookman is included in the Atletico Madrid starting line-up, but there is no Nico Gonzalez, currently on loan from Juventus, who is expected to miss the next three to four weeks with a muscular injury.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 28: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Arsenal FC and FC Kairat Almaty at Arsenal Stadium on January 28, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Como sporting director Carlalberto Ludi insists that he is ‘sure’ Cesc Fabregas will continue in his role with the Champions League-chasing Serie A outfit, despite recent suggestions that the head coach is of interest to Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal.
Como director insists: ‘I’m sure we will continue this journey’ with Fabregas
Fabregas is approaching the end of his second full season as a head coach. He guided the newly-promoted Como to an impressive 10th-place finish in 2024-25 and currently has the team in fifth place, three points outside the Champions League positions heading into the final four matches of the 2025-26 Serie A season.
Unsurprisingly, Fabregas’s impressive early record as a head coach has not gone unnoticed, and there have been claims that he is of interest to two Premier League sides he used to represent as a player: Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chelsea are on the lookout for a new head coach following the recent departure of Liam Rosenior, while Sky Sports reporter Kavek Solhekol claims that Fabregas is also a potential option for Arsenal in the long-term as a future replacement for Mikel Arteta.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – APRIL 17: Cesc Fabregas, Head Coach of Como 1907, looks on prior to the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Como 1907 at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on April 17, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“Cesc Fabregas, what I’ve been told, there’s some kind of suggestion that long-term, the plan for him is to manage Arsenal one day. I’m not sure moving to Chelsea would be part of his career progression,” Solhekol claimed on Sky Sports’s Transfer Talk podcast.
Como’s sporting director, however, seems confident that Fabregas will continue in his current role in Serie A for now.
“We’re calm. We’re focused on these next few games. We’re incredibly aligned with Cesc but we can’t predict the future. However, I’m sure that we will continue this journey together,” claimed Como sporting director Ludi in an interview given on Wednesday.
Como President Mirwan Suwarso has recently admitted that there will always be a possibility that Fabregas decides to leave the club, but also admitted that ‘you want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible’.
COMO, ITALY – MAY 10: Como 1907 president Mirwan Suwarso during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio G. Sinigaglia on May 10, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“If that makes him happy, that’s him,” Suwarso told City AM. “You want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible, but at the end of the day, we don’t own him, and he’s free to go to Chelsea if he wishes.”
For now, Fabregas himself insists that his sole focus is on Como’s last four matches of the Serie A season: “I would be crazy to think of anything else rather than these next five games and getting my team into Europe for the first time in history. I have not seen or heard any comments that my president said other than he told me he values me very highly.”
Reports confirm that Nico Gonzalez has suffered a muscular injury that is likely to keep him sidelined for several weeks, which means that he can no longer reach the minimum number of appearances needed for Atletico Madrid to trigger his obligation to buy clause from Juventus.
Confirmed: Atletico Madrid will not trigger Nico Gonzalez obligation
Nico Gonzalez has spent the 2025-26 season on loan in the Spanish capital from Juventus. At the time of the deal, the Bianconeri confirmed that Atletico had paid a loan fee of €1m with potential bonuses of up to another €1m in a deal that also included a conditional obligation to buy clause for a further €32m.
Outlets in Italy have confirmed that the obligation to buy clause would have been triggered in the event that Nico Gonzalez played for at least 45 minutes in 60% of the LaLiga matches following his move from Juventus.
Given that he was still a Juventus player for the first three matches of the 2025-26 season, Nico Gonzalez would have needed to play for 45 minutes or more in 21 league matches in order to hit the 60% mark.
Nico Gonzalez has appeared in 24 LaLiga matches for Atletico this season, but only 16 of those have been for 45 minutes or longer.
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 27: Nico Gonzalez of Atletico de Madrid reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 27, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Now, according to the latest updates, the Argentine has suffered a muscular injury that is likely to keep him out of action for around three to four weeks. This means that with six LaLiga matches of the 2025-26 season remaining, it is impossible for Nico Gonzalez to reach the 21 appearances of 45 minutes or more needed to trigger the obligation to buy clause in his Atletico Madrid contract.
Nico Gonzalez wearing the 2025-26 Juventus Away Kit (Juventus.com)
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Nico Gonzalez is a player that Atletico and head coach Diego Simeone like, but for several weeks, the club have felt that the €32m obligation to buy fee is slightly too high. There is still a chance that the Champions League semi-finalists decide to return to the negotiating table in an attempt to arrange a discounted fee with Juventus.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Juventus will still request a fee in the region of €30m for Nico Gonzalez’s services on a permanent transfer, though.
The Pink Paper also reports that Juventus will need to raise just over €20m in order to avoid making a capital loss on Nico Gonzalez, and therefore they will not sell for anything less than that figure. This leaves plenty of room for negotiations between the relevant parties.
TURIN, ITALY – MAY 18: Nicolas Gonzalez of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Udinese at Allianz Stadium on May 18, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)
Selling Nico Gonzalez this summer would certainly be helpful for Juventus and their attempts to raise funds to enable a summer of spending under Luciano Spalletti, but there is also a chance that the Old Lady decide to keep hold of the Argentine for the 2026-27 campaign.
Wednesday’s report hints that Nico Gonzalez himself is more keen on the idea of staying with Atletico Madrid next season, though.
Roma are stepping up their preparations for Monday night’s clash against Fiorentina, with Gian Piero Gasperini handed a mixed update from the latest training session at Trigoria.
The French midfielder has recovered from a thigh injury that kept him out for around six weeks and is now pushing to return to the matchday squad. His comeback opens up the possibility of an immediate rotation option in midfield, with a potential “relay” role alongside Pisilli already being considered.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 19: Lorenzo Pellegrini of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma latest: Pellegrini & Dovbyk unlikely to feature
There is less positive news regarding Lorenzo Pellegrini and Artem Dovbyk, who both trained separately from the group. Neither is expected to be risked for the Fiorentina game, with internal expectations pointing towards a return next week instead.
Elsewhere, Robinio Vaz was absent with authorised permission but is expected back in training tomorrow as normal.
Looking ahead to Monday, Gasperini is set to have almost a full squad available, with Koné the only major returnee from injury.
The likely attacking structure is also beginning to take shape again, with Roma expected to revive a front trio involving Soulé, Dybala and Malen for the first time in nearly 100 days. Wesley is set to continue providing width on the left flank.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 system with Svilar in goal and a back three of Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso, although there is a small defensive selection doubt between Hermoso and Ghilardi. On the right side, Rensch and Tsimikas are competing for a starting spot.
Italy losing to Bosnia wasn’t just another bad night. It landed differently. The reaction back home made that pretty obvious — this wasn’t about tactics alone or one coach getting it wrong. It felt like something deeper was off, like the system itself needed a reset.
For a country that built its identity around football intelligence and discipline, the recent run has been hard to explain in simple terms. There’s frustration, but also confusion. People aren’t even sure where to start fixing things anymore.
A Loss That Sparked Old Questions Again
The loss to Bosnia was a shock to the system for those who follow the Azzurri closely, even though it was not entirely unexpected. The Azzurri have appeared disorganised and sluggish in situations where they have formerly been effective; they also appeared to lack confidence in their decision-making.
The Azzurri’s long history as an organisation that takes pride in controlling its own fate has made the team’s showing against Bosnia difficult for fans to accept.
Some critics pointed at player selection, others at the coaching setup. But even those arguments feel a bit surface-level. Because the same conversations keep coming back every time Italy struggles: youth development, identity, pressure, expectations.
It’s almost like the team is carrying too many layers of the past without fully adapting to the present.
When Pressure Builds Quietly
What’s interesting is how pressure in football doesn’t always explode right away. Sometimes it builds slowly, almost invisibly, until a result like this exposes everything at once.
Italian players aren’t just playing games. They’re carrying history — World Cups, tactical legacy, the idea that they should always know how to manage difficult matches. When that expectation isn’t met, the reaction becomes heavier than the result itself.
And honestly, that kind of mental load can affect decision-making in ways people underestimate. It’s not always about skill or fitness. Sometimes it’s just about clarity — or the lack of it.
The Human Side of Performance
We talk a lot about systems, formations, and strategies. But at the end of the day, these are still people dealing with pressure, criticism, and sometimes even personal struggles behind the scenes.
In other areas of life, when things start to slip, certain structures help individuals reset. Football doesn’t always openly talk about that part, but maybe it should.
There are communities like UK Gamblers Anonymous that exist for people who find themselves stuck in patterns they can’t easily break. It’s not about the activity itself — it’s about recognising when something starts to control you instead of the other way around.
The same idea, in a broader sense, can apply to environments like professional sports. When habits, expectations, or even mental pressure build over time, a reset isn’t just a tactical move. It’s psychological.
Interestingly, platforms that analyse player behaviour, trends, and decision-making — sometimes even outside of football — have started to highlight how patterns form under pressure. You’ll see this kind of breakdown discussed in more analytical spaces like Jackpot Sounds, where the focus is often on how people react in high-stakes situations rather than just the outcomes.
Searching for a New Identity
Italy now faces a question that’s not easy to answer: what should this team actually be moving forward?
Trying to recreate the past doesn’t seem to work anymore. Modern football is faster, more fluid, and less forgiving of hesitation. Teams that succeed today tend to have a clear identity, even if it evolves over time.
Right now, Italy looks like it’s somewhere in between — not fully committed to a new style, but also not able to rely on old strengths the same way it used to.
That kind of in-between phase can be the hardest. It’s uncomfortable and often leads to inconsistent performances, like the one against Bosnia.
The Role of Structure and Oversight
Beyond the pitch, there’s also the question of how football is managed at a higher level. Systems don’t just shape players — they influence decision-making, long-term planning, and even how pressure is handled internally. In other industries, oversight bodies exist to maintain standards and ensure accountability.
Football has its own versions of this, but the effectiveness often depends on how consistently rules are applied and adapted over time.
It’s a bit like how the UKGC operates in a different space, setting expectations for transparency and control, even when brands like Paddy Power or payment methods such as PayPal and Skrill are involved — the idea is not restriction for its own sake, but keeping the environment stable.
Without that kind of structure, things tend to drift, and when they drift for too long, the consequences eventually show up where everyone can see them — on the field, in results, in confidence.
Modern Football Isn’t Waiting
Another challenge Italy faces is that other teams aren’t standing still. Nations that were once considered outsiders are now organised, tactically aware, and confident in their approach.
Bosnia’s performance wasn’t just about Italy underperforming. It also reflected how much smaller teams have improved in terms of discipline and belief.
That changes the dynamic completely. You can’t rely on reputation anymore. Every match demands focus, adaptability, and, maybe most importantly, mental sharpness.
Small Details, Big Consequences
In matches like this, the difference often comes down to small moments — a missed pass, a delayed reaction, a lack of communication. These aren’t dramatic failures, but they add up quickly.
When a team is fully aligned, those moments tend to go unnoticed because they’re handled naturally. When something is off, even slightly, they become much more visible.
Italy seems to be dealing with that kind of accumulation right now. Not one big problem, but many small ones that haven’t been fully addressed.
What a “Reset” Actually Means
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy shows his dejection after the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
Calling for a reset sounds simple, but it’s not. It doesn’t just mean changing a coach or bringing in new players. It’s about redefining priorities, adjusting expectations, and maybe even accepting a transition period.
That’s not always easy for a country with Italy’s football history. Patience isn’t something fans naturally lean towards, especially when the past sets such a high standard.
But without that reset, the same patterns are likely to repeat.
Looking Ahead Without Illusions
There’s still talent in the squad. That hasn’t disappeared. But talent alone isn’t enough anymore — not in modern football, and not under the kind of pressure Italy operates in.
The next steps will probably involve difficult decisions, some of which will be unpopular. That’s usually how real change starts.
And maybe that’s the main takeaway from the Bosnia loss. Not that Italy is suddenly a weak team, but that it’s a team at a crossroads.
Where it goes from here depends on how honestly it’s willing to look at itself — and whether it’s ready to do more than talk about change.
Fiorentina director Fabio Paratici has delivered a blunt assessment of Italian football, admitting he is “angry” at the current state of the system and warning that too few Italian players are making an impact abroad.
Speaking at a panel on youth development in Milan, Paratici urged a collective rethink across the game. “I am very angry with myself for the period we are going through,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.
“We should all be angry and reflect. We are not doing enough. Otherwise, we would not only be at the World Cup, but we would also see more Italians in the Premier League. Portugal, for example, has many more.”
He stressed that the issue runs deeper than simple structural reforms.
“It’s a sense of responsibility we should have, not just individually but as a system. I’m not talking about changing leagues, but about training methodology, infrastructure and the education of people. We must be better.”
FLORENCE, ITALY – MARCH 8: Fabio Paratici of ACF Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Parma Calcio 1913 at Artemio Franchi on March 8, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Paratici slams lack of mental coaching in Italian youth
Paratici also revisited his experience with Juventus’ Under-23 side, but warned against treating it as a cure-all.
“It’s only the final step in the youth sector. In Italy we rarely talk about ‘post-training’, but every profession has an apprenticeship phase, so why shouldn’t footballers? The gap between Primavera and the first team is huge.”
He added that development in Italy remains too narrow in focus.
“We always evaluate technical and physical aspects, but I never hear about the cognitive side. Is the player intelligent? Does he have personality? Does he really want to succeed? These factors matter just as much.”
Despite his criticism, Paratici insisted the raw talent is still there. “Our players are not inferior to others. Our national teams prove that. The difference lies in how we train and develop them.”
Reports in Argentina claim that former Juventus and current Roma star Paulo Dybala has an ‘agreement in principle’ to join Boca Juniors at the end of the season, after four years in the Italian capital with the Giallorossi.
From Argentina: Dybala will play for Boca Juniors after 2026 World Cup
Reports from ESPN in Argentina are confident that Dybala will be a Boca Juniors player once the end of the 2025-26 season in Europe has come to an end.
ESPN journalist Leo Paradizo reports: “We are in a position to say that Paulo Dybala is going to play for Boca from next semester. There is an agreement in principle, there is a contract and after the World Cup, he will return to Argentine football to wear the Boca shirt.”
The 32-year-old, who has only been fit enough for 18 Serie A appearances and only 12 in the starting XI this season, is currently due to be out of contract with Roma on June 30, 2026.
Reports in both Italy and Argentina claim that La Joya is ‘tempted’ to return to his homeland to play for Boca Juniors.
Recent updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Gian Piero Gasperini is keen to keep Dybala on board, but if he is to sign a new deal at the Stadio Olimpico, it would have to involve a pay cut from his current €8m-per-season contract.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 25: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma talks with Paulo Dybala of AS Roma during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Roma at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on April 25, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Dybala, who has spent 14 seasons of his career in Italy, recently discussed his future in an interview with Argentine reporter Joaquin Alvarez. “It would be good, you never know,” he said. “Today, I play for Roma, I have to defend this shirt, but you never know.”
Dybala is close personal friends with current Boca Juniors and former Roma midfielder Leonardo Paredes: “I get messages from Lea, from Cami, his wife, who has a great relationship with Oriana (Dybala’s wife), and we always talk to them.
DOHA, QATAR – DECEMBER 03: Leandro Paredes and Paulo Dybala of Argentina on the bench during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
“From the day he left (Roma), it was a very sad day for us because of the relationship we had with his family, what we shared day to day. For Oriana, too. We get together much less now, so they always press on this topic a lot.”
Malta coach Emilio De Leo has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Sinisa Mihajlovic, while also sharing a series of revealing anecdotes from his decade working alongside the Serbian, including a bizarre encounter involving Samuel Eto’o.
De Leo, who is now in charge of the Maltese national team, spent ten years as Mihajlovic’s trusted assistant across multiple clubs in Italy. Reflecting on that period, he made clear the profound impact the former coach had on both his career and personal outlook.
“Even during the most difficult moments, he was stronger than everyone else. You would feel small next to him, almost overwhelmed, because while others felt emotion and compassion, he was the one giving strength to us.”
UC Sampdoria’s head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match between SS Lazio and UC Sampdoria at the Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 05 January 2015. EPA/ETTORE FERRARI
De Leo: ‘Mihajlovic would call us from the hospital to criticise!’
Recalling Mihajlovic’s battle with illness, De Leo added: “He would call the team from the hospital and still criticise performances. After one comeback win, he said the first half had been awful. That was his mentality, always demanding more.”
De Leo also offered a glimpse into Mihajlovic’s intense management style. “After a 3-0 defeat, he made the squad watch the match three times over three days. Nobody could leave. On the fourth day, the captain told him they had understood.”
Alongside the emotional memories, there was also room for lighter moments, including one involving former Inter striker Eto’o. “He would show up with a different car every day and sometimes skip training,” De Leo recalled. “One day he introduced a woman as his wife. A few days later, he introduced another woman, again saying she was his wife.”
Despite the humour, De Leo returned to Mihajlovic’s legacy in closing: “He taught me that what you need is already inside you. He didn’t leave as a defeated man, but as a winner.”
Former Italy striker Alessandro Melli has launched a scathing criticism of modern football following the thrilling 5-4 Champions League semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
While many praised the spectacle, Melli took the opposite view, arguing that the game has lost its tactical balance, with quotes via La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I’ll go against the grain, but between VAR and a style of play that no longer includes defending, marking or midfield protection, this football literally makes me sick,” he wrote on social media.
The ex-Parma, Sampdoria and Milan forward suggested that the current product is driven more by entertainment than substance.
“Do you know who loves this kind of football? Television companies, commentators and fans who just want to see goals but don’t understand anything about the game,” he added. “Modern football has become the new NBA.”
PARMA, ITALY – MAY 12: Alessandro Melli celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the conquest of the Cup Winner’s Cup at Wembley prior to the Serie A match between Parma FC and Bologna FC at Stadio Ennio Tardini on May 12, 2013 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Melli: ‘I still prefer PSG-Bayern to Milan-Juventus’
Melli later clarified his stance after facing criticism, insisting his comments were not a defence of Italian football but rather a warning about the sport’s direction.
“I didn’t say I prefer Milan-Juventus to PSG-Bayern, I’d choose the second every time,” he explained. “I just mean that with this trend, where the culture of defending no longer exists and rules and VAR influence every episode, we will start seeing matches ending 7-5 or 6-6.”
He also pointed to a broader cultural shift in how football is consumed. “Once, scoring was difficult, you had to earn it,” Melli continued. “Even the best players had to work incredibly hard for every goal. Now there is this idea that every attack can lead to a goal.”
In his view, this evolution benefits broadcasters and commercial interests.
“It helps television sell the product and clubs to sell tickets at crazy prices,” he concluded, stressing that his remarks reflected a personal opinion rather than an absolute truth.
The Neroverdi are expected to face strong interest in Grosso, with clubs such as Fiorentina and Bologna monitoring his situation, and have already begun identifying possible successors.
According to SassuoloNews, via MilanNews24, Abate has emerged as a leading candidate after impressing in his early coaching career.
The coach enjoyed a highly successful spell with Milan’s Primavera side, guiding them to strong results in youth competitions, before continuing his development at Juve Stabia.
This season, he has led the Serie B side into the play-off race, further enhancing his reputation as one of Italy’s most promising young coaches.
FLORENCE, ITALY – APRIL 26: Fabio Grosso manager of US Sassuolo looks on during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and US Sassuolo Calcio at Artemio Franchi on April 26, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Sassuolo keen on Abate to succeed Grosso
Despite being under contract until 2027, the opportunity to step up to Serie A could prove decisive. Sassuolo are believed to have already held initial talks with Abate, with a positive response and a two-year contract discussed as part of the project.
A key factor in Sassuolo’s interest is Abate’s track record in developing young talent, something that aligns closely with the club’s long-standing philosophy. His work at youth level, particularly in European competitions, has marked him out as a coach capable of building and improving emerging players.
His arrival could also influence transfer strategy, potentially opening the door to players he has previously worked with and trusts.
For Abate, the move would represent a major step in his managerial career, offering the chance to establish himself at the top level and continue the pathway from promising coach to a permanent figure in Serie A dugouts.
Multiple sources in Italy claim that Gianluca Rocchi didn’t meet with Inter directors on April 2, 2025, but other match officials did, leading to Andrea Colombo’s appointment for the Nerazzurri’s Serie A match against Bologna.
Serie A refereeing scandal: Rocchi didn’t meet Inter
More details are emerging regarding the new refereeing scandal involving Rocchi, VAR Supervisor Andrea Gervasoni, and three other VAR officials.
Rocchi is under investigation for participation in sports fraud, but will not appear for interrogation with the Milan Prosecutor tomorrow, April 30, unlike Gervasoni.
Rocchi is suspected of having influenced VAR decisions and appointed referees liked by Inter, which the Nerazzurri President Beppe Marotta has strongly denied.
PISA, ITALY – MARCH 2: General view of the VAR monitor inside the Arena Garibaldi stadium in Pisa during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and Bologna FC 1909 at Arena Garibaldi on March 2, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
So far, no evidence has emerged that Rocchi held talks with Inter regarding referee appointments, and no players or club directors from the Nerazzurri or any other Serie A club are under investigation.
Rocchi is alleged to have attended a meeting at San Siro on April 2, 2025, the day of the Coppa Italia semifinal first leg between Milan and Inter.
During that meeting, he reportedly decided to appoint Colombo for a Serie A match between Bologna and Inter on April 20, 2025, and Doveri for the Coppa Italia semifinal second leg between Inter and Milan, thereby making him ineligible to officiate the Final, a match Inter ultimately didn’t even reach.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: Referee Gianluca Rocchi during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Chelsea FC and AFC Ajax at Stamford Bridge on November 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
According to Gazzetta and other Italian media, including ANSA and La Stampa, wiretaps from that meeting appear to suggest that Rocchi didn’t speak to Inter directors but rather to referees or members of the refereeing world.
Rocchi and his lawyer still have not received the full set of documents containing accusations from the Milan Prosecutor, yet the former Referee Designator won’t show up for an interrogation tomorrow.
Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella has revealed he came close to quitting football during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also praising Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu as a rare and vital presence.
Montella admitted that the uncertainty of that period left him questioning his future in the game. “During COVID I wanted to stop,” he said, with quotes via La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I was well with my family and didn’t have offers that excited me. Going to Adana, a completely different world, reignited me.”
That decision ultimately reshaped his career, leading him to the Turkey national football team job and a historic World Cup qualification. “An entire people is happy and for me that is the greatest reward,” he noted.
Turning to Calhanoglu, Montella highlighted the Inter playmaker’s importance to both club and country. “Calha is one of those deep-lying playmakers who are becoming rare,” he explained. “He is a champion you miss when he is not there. With him next to you, you feel safer because in difficult moments you can give him the ball knowing you are handing it to a bank.”
Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella is seen prior to the friendly football match between Hungary and Turkey in Budapest, Hungary, on March 22, 2024. (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP) (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)
Montella: ‘Roma breakup a shame’
Montella refused to be drawn into transfer speculation surrounding the midfielder, adding: “I never get involved in personal choices. For me, it is enough that he is happy, wherever he decides to play.”
The former Roma forward also addressed the situation at his old club, declining to judge the reported tensions involving Claudio Ranieri and Gian Piero Gasperini. “It is delicate to judge from the outside,” he said. “I have great respect for both and I don’t know what led to this ending. It’s a shame, because the fans believed in this project.”
Montella also spoke about Italy’s wider struggles, suggesting structural issues remain. “The national team is not as poor as it is made out to be,” he argued. “But perhaps we need to go back to basics, teaching young players technique rather than overwhelming them with tactics.”
For Montella, the journey from uncertainty to renewed purpose has been clear. “Here I have rediscovered the flame of passion,” he said, a stark contrast to the moment he once considered walking away from football altogether.
Milan have taken significant steps forward in their pursuit of Lazio defender Mario Gila, with the Rossoneri now understood to have met the player’s wage demands ahead of a potential summer move.
The Spanish centre-back is one of the club’s primary defensive targets, with coach Massimiliano Allegri keen to strengthen his back line.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are prepared to offer Gila a four-year contract with an option for a fifth, starting at around €3m per season plus bonuses, with incremental increases built into the deal.
However, negotiations with Lazio are yet to begin formally and are expected only after the Coppa Italia final in mid-May. The Biancocelesti are likely to demand a fee in excess of €30m, and President Claudio Lotito is not expected to lower his valuation easily, particularly given Real Madrid’s 50% sell-on clause.
Competition also remains fierce, with Juventus, Napoli and Inter all tracking the Spaniard, though Milan are determined to avoid a bidding war while maintaining a strong position.
ITALY – APRIL 11: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach, looks on prior to the Serie A match at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Milan pushing hard for Goretzka as well as Gila
In midfield, Milan are also pushing to secure Leon Goretzka on a free transfer when his Bayern Munich contract expires at the end of June. The German international is viewed as a key addition in terms of experience and leadership, especially with the club planning a reshuffle in the middle of the park.
Both Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could depart if suitable offers arrive, creating space for reinforcements. Goretzka has received interest from the Premier League but is believed to be open to a Serie A move, with Milan currently leading the race.
The Rossoneri are expected to accelerate talks once the season concludes, as they look to reshape the squad ahead of their return to the Champions League.
Rafael Leao commented on the epic Champions League semifinal between PSG and Bayern Munich with a two-word message on X, but also reduced his social media presence by deactivating his Instagram account.
Milan star Leao deactivated his Instagram account, which was followed by over seven million users, after the weekend, when he was once again booed by Rossoneri fans at San Siro.
The Portuguese’s relationship with part of the Rossoneri fanbase has fallen apart in recent weeks as fans at San Siro booed him in the last two home matches against Udinese and Juventus.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 18: Rafael Leao of AC Milan reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como 1907 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The Rossoneri star remains active on X, where he commented on PSG’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday.
Leao used two Portuguese words to congratulate PSG and Bayern, in a message that translates into “real football”, to which he added clapping emojis.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Adrien Rabiot, Rafael Leao and Davide Bartesaghi of AC Milan show their dejection during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Leao has scored ten goals and provided three assists in 28 appearances across all competitions this season, and according to Italian sources, the Rossoneri will listen to offers for him in the summer.
Manchester United midfielder Ugarte has been offered to Serie A giants Juventus and Milan by his agent Jorge Mendes, according to Gazzetta.
Ugarte, 25, has been struggling for playing time at Old Trafford this season, collecting barely 1,000 minutes on the pitch in 2025-26.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 25: Anass Salah-Eddine of FC Twente is challenged by Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester United and FC Twente at Old Trafford on September 25, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
His agent is seeking an exit route for his client from Manchester United, and both Juventus and Milan have been informed of the midfielder’s availability to join them this summer.
According to Gazzetta, Ugarte is among the Manchester United players Milan can pick in a potential player-plus-cash swap deal for Rafael Leao.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 15: Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United warms up prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on March 15, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Juventus, on the other hand, have prioritised another Jorge Mendes client, Bernardo Silva, who is available on a free transfer as his contract with Manchester City runs out this coming June.
Reports in Italy claim that Robert Lewandowski’s agent has held talks with Serie A clubs, including Juventus, in recent days, while the Bianconeri continue talks to sign Bernardo Silva on a free transfer from Manchester City.
Latest Juventus transfer updates: Lewandowski, Bernardo Silva and more
Juventus are preparing for a big 2026 summer transfer window, during which they are expected to sign a new central midfielder and a centre-forward.
Gazzetta and La Stampa report that Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi, has been spotted in Italy, where he’s held talks with some Serie A clubs, including Juventus, in recent days.
According to the report, the Bianconeri’s priority is to extend Dusan Vlahovic’s contract before discussing with other transfer targets, especially Randal Kolo Muani, who will return to PSG after his loan spell at Tottenham.
Lewandowski is available on a free transfer as his contract expires at the end of the season, and the same is true of Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 04: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest at Etihad Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The Portugal international has already confirmed that he’ll leave Etihad Stadium when his contract expires in June, and the Bianconeri director, Damien Comolli, has continued negotiations with the midfielder’s agent, Jorge Mendes.
Juventus have reportedly offered Bernardo Silva a three-year contract worth €7m per season.
The experienced midfielder is open to moving to the Allianz Stadium but is also awaiting offers from other clubs, especially Barcelona, before making a final decision.
Juventus are still fighting for a Champions League placement and sit fourth in the Serie A table, and, naturally, their qualification for Europe’s elite competition will be vital to have the financial resources for any big signing over the summer.
Canada star Jonathan David has had ups and downs in his first season at Juventus, but this doesn’t mean the Bianconeri will try to sell him in the summer.
David joined Juventus on a free transfer from Lille last summer and was the very first purchase completed by Damien Comolli.
David had made a name for himself in France, scoring 109 in 232 matches with Lille and becoming arguably the most popular football player in Canada. His transfer to Juventus only boosted his reputation back home, and even if he’s been unable to fully replicate his goal-scoring form in his first season in Italy, there have also been positive signs that Juventus and their coach Luciano Spalletti won’t ignore as they prepare for the 2026-27 season.
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BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Jonathan David of Juventus reacts during the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
David has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 42 matches with the Old Lady this term. Quite far from the 20-goal mark he was accustomed to in France, yet over ten goal contributions in his first season in Serie A, probably the toughest league in Europe from a defensive standpoint, means Juventus might continue to rely on the Canadian in the future.
“For me, I think it’s been up and down. I came to a new club with high hopes, high expectations, and obviously, I wasn’t scoring as regularly as I wanted to,” David told TSN earlier this month.
“Maybe sometimes people don’t understand you, people don’t really know you so they tend to judge you but that doesn’t really matter because you have people that are close to you, who care for you, who understand the way you are so I’m not really worried about that.”
TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Jonathan David of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SSC Napoli at Juventus Stadium on January 25, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
David also played down rumours that he does not have a good relationship with part of the dressing room.
“I don’t know how or why that rumour came out, but obviously I know it wasn’t true because I’m in the dressing room with these guys, we get along very well,” he insisted.
This was particularly evident in January when David scored and assisted in Juventus’ 3-0 win over Bergamo. Only a few days earlier, David had awkwardly missed a penalty kick in a home draw against Lecce, but when he found the net against Sassuolo, all Juventus players ran towards him to hug him.
José Mourinho says Roma is the ‘best place’ where he’s been in his coaching career, admits he didn’t expect Cristian Chivu to become a coach and insists that preferring the playing style over results is ‘the biggest lie in football.’
Former Inter and Roma coach Mourinho was full of praise for the Giallorossi and his ex-player Chivu, now the Nerazzurri boss, in his latest interview with Il Giornale (via Gazzetta).
Mourinho’s latest interview on Roma, Inter and Real Madrid speculation
Mourinho spent two and a half seasons at the Stadio Olimpico, winning the Conference League in 2022 and losing the Europa League Final in 2023. Just a few months later, in January 2024, he was sacked with just six months left on his contract.
“For me, it’s been the best place in my career. I’ve never felt such an incredible environment around a football team. The Olimpico was always full,” Mourinho said.
Mourinho was asked whether the pressure around the team in the capital is what makes it so hard for the Giallorossi to win trophies.
ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 10: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of AS Roma, looks on during the warm up prior to the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico on January 10, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“It’s not a drama because when we won the Conference League, the celebrations were amazing,” he replied.
“Not even when I won the Champions League did I see scenes like those.
“My Roma is finished. I don’t want to say anything else. Actually, just one thing. Nobody should blame the Roma fans for not winning. The Roma fans are the ones who support the team, and nobody should touch them.”
Chivu’s Inter will win the Serie A title if they beat Parma on Sunday night. Chivu played under Mourinho at Inter, winning a legendary treble in 2009-10.
“I’m happy for Chivu that Inter can win the Scudetto, even if, when I was his coach, I’d never thought he would become a coach,” Mourinho admitted.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“He didn’t seem predestined, but he was smart. He has studied and has built experience. Many go on the bench today because they sell themselves well. And let’s be honest: this idea that the style of play matters more than results is the biggest lie in football.
“I haven’t messaged Chivu yet because it’s not mathematically certain. Let’s let him earn the points he needs, and when it happens, I’ll reach out.”
The members of that Inter team are still in contact thanks to a WhatsApp chat: “I’m terrible with my phone, but Materazzi is the one in charge of that,” Mou admitted.
Lastly, Mou was asked about rumours of his return to Real Madrid Madrid, but he replied: “My next target is to bring Benfica back to the Champions League.”
Reports in Italy claim that Gian Piero Gasperini will soon meet with Roma owners to discuss the strategy for the summer transfer window and beyond, starting with the appointment of a new sporting director and the extension of Paulo Dybala’s contract.
Gasperini talks with Roma owners to determine 2026 strategies
Roma coach Gasperini will discuss the club’s future strategies with club owners in the coming days.
The Giallorossi coach has taken full control of the club’s operations after Claudio Ranieri’s exit last week, a move that Frederic Massara’s departure will follow in the coming weeks.
Gasperini will have input into many decisions, both on and off the pitch, starting with the appointment of a new sporting director to replace Massara.
Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport report that Giovanni Manna (Napoli) and Tony D’Amico (Atalanta) are the frontrunners for the job, even if Sean Sogliano is also among the candidates.
Gasperini is expected to have a conference call with Dan Friedkin in the coming days, while Ryan will land in the capital shortly to hold face-to-face talks with the coach.
Gasperini and Roma owners will also discuss Francesco Totti’s potential return to the club, while the coach will receive updates on the new stadium project.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – APRIL 25: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma looks on during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Roma at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on April 25, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Gasperini and Roma owners will also discuss the club’s strategies for the summer transfer window, including the future of Dybala.
The Argentine’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Gasperini will gladly retain the 2022 Argentina World Cup winner.
According to Gazzetta, Dybala is tempted to return to Argentina to play for Boca Juniors, but believes that it is still too early to return to his native country. Therefore, he is open to considering Roma’s offer, aware that any proposal will involve a pay cut from his current €8m-a-year wages.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Manuel Ugarte, Marcus Rashford, and Joshua Zirkzee are among the players Manchester United can offer Milan in a player-plus-cash swap deal for Rafael Leao.
Milan are open to offers for Portuguese winger Leao in the summer, and Gazzetta confirms that Manchester United are among the clubs interested in the Rossoneri star.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan controls the ball whilst under pressure from Weston McKennie of Juventus during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Leao has a €175m release clause in his contract, but Gazzetta reports that Milan directors are open to starting negotiations at €50m.
The Rossoneri have planned to sell Leao just for a cash offer, yet Manchester United could try to further reduce the Serie A giants’ demands by including one of their players in the deal.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 25: Anass Salah-Eddine of FC Twente is challenged by Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester United and FC Twente at Old Trafford on September 25, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
According to Gazzetta, Manchester United are open to including Ugarte, Rashford or Zirkzee in the negotiations. The report claims that Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is United’s priority target for the left-wing position, yet the 23-year-old would cost twice as much as Leao in the summer, at circa €100m.
Rashford is currently on loan at Barcelona, but whether the Catalans will activate their €30m option to buy at the end of the season remains unclear.
Milan already held talks with Rashford in the 2025 January transfer window, while Zirkzee was among their targets the previous year, when the Dutchman eventually left Bologna for Old Trafford.
Milan are expected to reshape their attack in the summer transfer window, with Atletico Madrid forward Alexander Sorloth at the top of the Rossoneri’s shopping list, according to Gazzetta.
Nine goals in the first-leg semifinal: Bayern come back against PSG from 5-2.
Milan remake the attack
Leao leaves: everything changes. Zirkzee with Sorloth
United want Rafa. Nkunku, Fullkrug and Gimenez leave too. Pulisic can stay.
One referee talked with Rocchi at San Siro
Zappi out of AIA. FIGC, commissioner unlikely.
Dimarco, Inter unlock the renewal.
Juve, Bernardo Silva only with the top four.
Corriere dello Sport
AIA, clean house
Commissioner arriving: Zappi suspended for 13 months.
CONI reject the appeal: referees without a chief. FIGC wants to put the category under administration. Milan investigation: Rocchi won’t talk to the Prosecutor. Gervasoni awaited.
Inter, move for Paz
The big intrigue
The Argentine will leave Como, but his future remains uncertain
Nico wants to return to Real Madrid, and Ausilio is ready to make his move
Ten goals and seven assists in Serie A. Perez will bring him back to Madrid in July. The new Blancos coach’s verdict will be decisive. Marotta at the window, with a budget of 40-45m.
Alisson, Juventus risk the trick
The Reds are studying a possible extension for a further year: the alternative is De Gea
Milan, the striker with Nkunku’s money
The club’s request is at least 30m. Allegri will pick the striker on the market depending on the system.
Roma, meeting between Gasp and Friedkin
Market, new director and Totti’s return on the table. Dybala issue. One month to decide on Alajbegovic.
Kvaradona: Crazy PSG-Bayern
Tuttosport
Alisson-Juve: here are the figures
Further steps forward with the Brazilian goalkeeper who wants to leave Liverpool: principle of agreement.
The offer is worth €4.5m per season plus add-ons for three years. Agreement close. Sorrentino: ‘Unique and modern. Di Gregorio is a good keeper, but you need something more for the Scudetto.’ Stones says goodbye to City, Comolli looms. Lewa, new contact. Primavera: Coppa Italia Final at 17:00 CET against l’Atalanta.
Call it Arbitropoli for now
From the Prosecutor’s office: ‘Rocchi, possible combine at San Siro with other colleagues.’ The designator won’t appear before the prosecutor tomorrow. The lawyer: ‘Without documents…’ In the meantime, Zappi is no longer the AIA President: appeal rejected. Buonfiglio, CONI President: ‘FIGC commissioner? There are no conditions in place, I won’t let myself be influenced.’
‘The four penalties saved? I only remember errors from that night.’
The goalkeeper, protagonist of the Coppa Italia semifinal: ‘It’s stronger than me, I focus on mistakes. Buffon’s messages and Zoff’s words, so proud! Yildiz is an amazing talent.’
Italy’s ongoing refereeing scandal is beginning to cast a wider shadow across the football pyramid, with fresh controversy now emerging in Serie C involving former top-flight referee Daniele Orsato.
According to reports from arbitiri.com, via CalcioMercato, a formal complaint has been submitted to the FIGC Federal Prosecutor following the Serie C clash between Ascoli and Vis Pesaro on April 4. The focus of the complaint is Orsato, currently serving as the league’s official designator, and an alleged post-match phone call made to the officiating team.
The concern centres on the manner of that communication. Orsato is said to have contacted referee Giorgio Di Cicco after the game, with the call placed on loudspeaker in the presence of other match officials and observers. Critics argue that such a scenario could potentially influence how the referee’s performance is assessed, raising questions about impartiality and evaluation processes.
CARDIFF, WALES – MARCH 26: Referee Daniele Orsato of Italy during the UEFA EURO 2024 Play-Offs semifinal match between Wales and Poland/Estonia at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26, 2024 in Cardiff, Wales. He will oversee PSG-BVB in 2023-24 UCL semi-final. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Complaint filed but no evidence of malintent from ex-Serie A referee Orsato
There is, however, an alternative and more benign interpretation. It is suggested that Orsato simply wished to congratulate the referee and his team for their display, asking for the call to be shared so the praise could be delivered collectively. Whether the intent was harmless or inappropriate will likely be determined by any investigation that follows.
This latest development comes at a delicate moment for Italian football, as scrutiny intensifies around refereeing structures in the wake of the high-profile case involving Serie A and B designator Gianluca Rocchi. While the situations are separate, the timing inevitably fuels broader concerns about governance, transparency, and consistency within officiating bodies.
As the FIGC continues to assess multiple issues across different levels of the game, the outcome of this complaint could prove significant in shaping trust and accountability within Italy’s refereeing system.
Following a 1-1 draw with Monza in 2023, Mourinho launched a remarkable attack on referee Daniele Chiffi, describing him as “the worst referee I have encountered in my entire career.” At the time, the outburst was seen as another example of the Portuguese coach’s fiery touchline persona.
However, one particular line now stands out more than ever.
Mourinho suggested Roma lacked the influence of other clubs when it came to referee appointments, claiming some teams had the power to effectively reject certain officials.
“Unfortunately, this too is a sign of Roma’s weakness as a club, because we do not have the strength of other clubs who can say we don’t want this referee.”
He also admitted he restrained himself late in the match because he expected to be sent off for even minor protests.
ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 17: AS Roma head coach Jose Mourinho looks on during the Serie A TIM match between AS Roma and Empoli FC at Stadio Olimpico on September 17, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Mourinho comments take on new relevance amid Rocchi scandal
Those remarks have resurfaced in the wake of an investigation involving former referee designator Gianluca Rocchi. Rocchi is under scrutiny as part of a wider probe into alleged manipulation in the assignment of referees, an issue that strikes at the credibility of the system.
While there is no suggestion Mourinho had knowledge of any wrongdoing, his comments appear to echo concerns now being debated across Italian football. Questions around transparency, influence and consistency in officiating have once again come to the forefront.
At the time, Mourinho insisted his criticism was not about a single decision but about a broader lack of connection and authority from the referee. Now, with Italian football facing renewed scrutiny, those words read less like a post-match rant and more like an early warning sign of deeper structural concerns.
Dino Tommasi used his first appearance as interim referees’ designator to publicly back his predecessor Gianluca Rocchi following the controversy that has shaken Italian officiating.
Tommasi, recently appointed by the national referees’ committee to oversee Serie A and Serie B appointments, made his debut in the role during a broadcast of Open VAR.
The former official stepped in after Rocchi and his assistant Andrea Gervasoni chose to suspend themselves amid an ongoing investigation by the Milan prosecutor’s office.
FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 23: Gianluca Rocchi former Italian referee and referee designator for the Serie A and Serie B championships during the FIGC Hall of Fame Event on May 23, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Stand-in Designator Tommasi: ‘Message of solidarity to Rocchi & Gervasoni’
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the situation, Tommasi sought to calm tensions and reinforce unity within the refereeing body. He made it clear that the group remains focused on maintaining consistency and professionalism during a crucial phase of the season.
He opened with a direct show of support, via TuttoMercatoWeb, explaining that “I want to send a message of solidarity to Gianluca and Andrea on behalf of the entire refereeing group, a strong message of closeness.”
Tommasi also stressed the importance of stability as the campaign approaches its decisive weeks, adding that “we are calm and we want to finish the season with stability and determination.”
The statement reflects an effort to protect the integrity of Italian refereeing at a delicate moment, while ensuring that on-field operations continue without disruption.
Alessandro Del Piero believes the Champions League semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich feels more like a final, given the quality and balance of both sides.
Speaking ahead of the first leg, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, the former Juventus and Italy star highlighted how closely matched the teams are from a tactical perspective, while suggesting PSG may hold a slight advantage due to their adaptability and pace in transition.
He noted that “these are two teams with many similarities in how they play, but for me PSG have something a little extra. Luis Enrique has adapted well, improving their defensive phase and making great use of counter-attacks. I haven’t seen Bayern play with that same level of explosiveness.”
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 08: Alessandro Del Piero looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg match between Real Madrid and FC Bayern München at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on May 08, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Del Piero: ‘Both teams are so strong, it could be 0-0’
Del Piero also pointed out the contrast in attacking profiles, with Bayern relying on Harry Kane as both a focal point and finisher, while PSG possess greater speed across the frontline.
“Up front there’s Kane, who can both organise and finish moves, while the French side have pure speed everywhere,” he said. “Bayern might make more of set-pieces, but fundamentally these are two teams without real weaknesses. It would have been nice to see them meet in the final.”
Despite the attacking talent on display, Del Piero warned the game could still be shaped by caution and tension.
“I don’t even know what to expect,” he admitted. “They are so strong that the game could open up at any moment, or it could even end 0-0 because of the tension and the way they cancel each other out.”
Simons, currently at Tottenham Hotspur, is expected to miss the tournament after suffering a serious knee injury, forcing Dutch coach Ronald Koeman to consider alternatives.
Taylor, who joined Lazio in January, is reportedly among the most credible options, as per TuttoMercatoWeb.
The midfielder has adapted well to Serie A and offers versatility between midfield and attacking roles, making him a strong fit to fill the gap left by Simons.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – MARCH 22: Kenneth Taylor of SS Lazio celebrates a opening goal during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and SS Lazio at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on March 22, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Taylor faces competition from Til, Lang & Summerville for Netherlands spot
Several players are already assured of their place in the squad, including Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong and Cody Gakpo, leaving limited spots available for those on the fringes.
Taylor faces competition from a number of other attacking and midfield options. Names under consideration include Justin Kluivert, Crysencio Summerville, Guus Til, Noa Lang and Georginio Wijnaldum.
A call-up for Taylor would mark a return to the national team after more than a year, with his last appearance coming in March 2025 in a Nations League fixture against Spain.
With Simons’ absence leaving a significant gap, Taylor’s performances in Italy could prove decisive in securing him a place on the plane.
The Rossoneri have decided not to exercise their €5m option to sign the German permanently from West Ham United, bringing his short spell at San Siro to a close.
However, interest is already emerging from within Italy. Fiorentina are reportedly considering a move, with sporting director Fabio Paratici keen on adding experience to the squad.
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 18: Niclas Fullkrug of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Fiorentina keen on Fullkrug after Milan flop
The Viola are expected to reshape their attack in the summer, particularly if both Moise Kean and Roberto Piccoli depart.
In that scenario, Fullkrug could arrive as a reliable, low-cost option to lead the line or support a younger forward.
Paratici is believed to value the 1993-born striker’s leadership and international experience, viewing him as an ideal figure to guide emerging talent within the squad.
Meanwhile, Milan are planning changes of their own in attack, freeing up space to target higher-profile options such as Alexander Sorloth or Goncalo Ramos.
Fullkrug’s next move remains open, but a stay in Italy is now a realistic possibility as Fiorentina explore the conditions of a potential deal.
The Napoli midfielder is increasingly viewed as a potential departure at the end of the campaign, with the Partenopei expected to listen to suitable offers, as per MilanNews24.
At this stage, there are no formal negotiations between the clubs, but Milan’s interest is understood to be genuine. The Rossoneri are assessing profiles that can add physicality and experience to their midfield, and Anguissa fits that brief.
ITALY – APRIL 11: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach, looks on prior to the Serie A match at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Milan coach Allegri a big fan of Zambo Anguissa
Head coach Massimiliano Allegri is said to appreciate the Cameroon international’s strength, work rate and tactical awareness, qualities seen as key to improving balance in the middle of the park.
While interest from abroad remains a possibility, a move within Serie A cannot be ruled out, particularly given Milan’s need to reinforce the position with a proven presence.
Much will depend on Napoli’s valuation of the player and whether Milan decide to turn their initial interest into a concrete approach in the coming months.
Nicolas Gonzalez is expected to return to Juventus this summer, with Atletico Madrid unlikely to activate the clause that would make his move permanent.
The winger joined Atletico on loan until June 2026 in a deal worth €1m, potentially rising with bonuses. The agreement also included an obligation to buy for €32m, payable in instalments, but only if certain conditions were met during the season.
One of those conditions relates to appearances, requiring Gonzalez to feature in at least 60% of matches for a minimum of 45 minutes.
Due to a combination of injuries and rotation, that threshold is now unlikely to be reached, as per TuttoMercatoWeb.
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 27: Nico Gonzalez of Atletico de Madrid reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 27, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Atletico look for discount to sign Gonzalez permanently from Juventus
Despite this, Atletico remain satisfied with the player’s performances when available.
However, rather than triggering the original clause, the Spanish side are expected to explore the possibility of negotiating a lower fee.
Gonzalez had been one of Juventus’ most expensive acquisitions last summer, with the Bianconeri committing over €28m to secure him before deciding to send him out on loan. His departure made room for further attacking reinforcements, including Edon Zhegrova.
As it stands, the situation remains open, but a return to Turin appears the most likely outcome unless Atletico can reach a new agreement with Juventus in the coming months.
La Gazzetta dello Sport insists that Dusan Vlahovic is open to a two-year contract extension with Juventus, despite interest from Milan and Bayern Munich.
Juventus and Vlahovic are expected to resume new contract talks in the coming weeks as the striker’s deal at the Allianz Stadium runs out in June 2026.
The Serbian international has been affected by injuries this campaign, missing four months of action after undergoing surgery in December 2025.
TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Juventus and Sporting Clube de Portugal at Juventus Stadium on November 04, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
According to Gazzetta, Vlahovic is increasingly inclined to extend his stay at Juventus, which would give him the chance to start the new season in a familiar environment, where he has built a strong bond with the coach and his teammates.
Reports in Italy have suggested that Milan is interested in the Bianconeri star, but according to Gazzetta, Vlahovic is unwilling to join another Serie A club, so as not to betray the Old Lady.
Bayern Munich remain in the race even if talks with Vlahovic’s entourage have not reached an advanced stage so far.
TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Juventus and Sporting Clube de Portugal at Juventus Stadium on November 04, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
The Bavarians would have no issue offering a higher salary than Juventus, but Vlahovic might prefer the stability of remaining in Turin to revive his career after a troubled season.
According to Gazzetta, Juventus might offer a new two-year deal with a salary of €6-7m, including add-ons.
Vlahovic has earned €12m, including bonuses, in the final year of his contract at the Allianz Stadium.
Lazio will take on Inter in the Coppa Italia Final at the Stadio Olimpico on May 13, 2026: you can watch the match worldwide, including in South Korea, on 세리에A 경기 안내.
The Nerazzurri knocked out Cesc Fabregas’ Como in the semis with a crazy 3-2 aggregate win.
Lazio and Inter to meet in 2025-26 Coppa Italia Final
The first leg played in Como in March ended in a 0-0 draw, but the decider played at San Siro in March was one of the best games of the season and saw the Nerazzurri recover from two goals down, securing a 3-2 victory with goals from Hakan Calhanoglu (brace) and Petar Sucic.
Lazio’s path to the final was just as exciting, given that the Biancocelesti eliminated last season’s finalists, Milan and Bologna, and earned the right to play in this season’s final with a penalty-kick victory over Atalanta.
“We’ve had a problem all season, which is that we struggle to score goals. The team has become solid and tough to play against, but we don’t find it easy to get the ball in the back of the net,” Lazio coach Sarri said at full-time.
Lazio’s second-choice keeper Edoardo Motta, who had joined the Biancocelesti from Serie B in the January transfer window, was the hero of the night in Bergamo as he saved four penalties in the shootout.
“He is amazing on penalties, he saved four out of five in the shootout, plus one in Serie A against Bologna, so that’s five out of six in the Lazio shirt,” smiled Sarri.
BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 22: Alessio Romagnoli of SS Lazio scores a opening goal during the Coppa Italia semi-final match between Atalanta BC and SS Lazio at New Balance Arena on April 22, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
“Motta has margin for improvement, especially playing the ball with his feet, but he has important prospects. He must have in his mind the desire to keep improving.”
Lazio have had a troubled season, affected by a transfer ban imposed on the club during the summer transfer window.
Even if they’ve failed to qualify for any European competition for the second time in a row, the qualification for the Coppa Italia Final, which will be played at their home ground, will give the Biancocelesti the chance to finish the season on a high.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 21: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, celebrates with Hakan Calhanoglu after during the Coppa Italia Semi-Final match between FC Internazionale and Como at San Siro on April 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Inter, on the other hand, will have the chance to complete a domestic double if, as expected, the Nerazzurri win the Scudetto in Cristian Chivu’s first season in charge.
“We’re relaxed and know the hard work we’ve already done, as well as the fact that we still need points to finish the job,” the Nerazzurri boss said at a press conference in recent days.
“We’re getting closer to what is both one of our objectives and a dream.”
Manchester United host Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend and there’ll surely be huge demand for Manchester United vs Liverpool tickets as it’s one of the stand-out fixtures on the English football calendar.
Admittedly, there doesn’t feel like there’s a huge amount at stake in this particular match, with both clubs looking fairly safe in their bid to finish in the top five and qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Still, this is one of the biggest rivalries in the Premier League and both sides will surely be keen to do whatever they can to finish above the other as they compete for third place.
It’s looking very close in the table right now, so this six-pointer could end up having a major impact, so read on for information on how to buy Manchester United vs Liverpool tickets, plus our predicted line ups, and more…
How to buy Manchester United tickets
The official club page to buy Manchester United tickets can be found via the linkhere, but just be aware that season ticket holders and club members will be ahead of you in the queue and likely to have already snapped up tickets for such a big game.
Instead, we’d recommend following our linkherewhere you can make use of our dedicated hub that allows you access to the biggest games in the Premier League, Champions League,World Cup, and more.
How to buy Liverpool tickets
Meanwhile, Liverpool fans will likely be flocking to the official club ticket pagehere, but might again run into similar problems getting hold of a seat at such a big game.
It’s well worth following our linkhereas an alternative, as there are no extra membership fees, plus the security of a 150% money back guarantee if for whatever reason you’re not satisfied.
Man Utd have some long-term injuries such as Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu, but should otherwise be close to full strength for this game.
Michael Carrick has often opted to leave Benjamin Sesko on the bench, but he does occasionally start and this could be a good game for him against a suspect Liverpool defence.
Man Utd predicted line up:Lammens; Dalot, Shaw, Maguire, Yoro; Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes; Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 09: Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Siro on December 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
How Liverpool could line up vs Manchester United
Arne Slot will be without Hugo Ekitike as a long-term injury absentee, but he can at least welcome Alexander Isak back after a disrupted season. In goal, Giorgi Mamardashvili has been filling in for Alisson Becker, but now the Georgian shot-stopper is also out, while the Brazilian is set to return just in time.
LFC have a few other options to think about, such as starting Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez, or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, while it’s debatable if Mohamed Salah still deserves to be starting regularly, especially in a big game like this.
Liverpool predicted line up:Alisson; Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Isak.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 30: Ladislav Krejci of Wolverhampton Wanderers passes the ball whilst under pressure from Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on December 30, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester United vs Liverpool head-to-head record
Man United and Liverpool have a long-standing rivalry, having first played each other all the way back in 1894.
Since then, it’s the Red Devils who have the slight upper hand with 92 wins, but it’s pretty close as there have also been 82 victories for the Merseysiders and 71 draws.
In more recent times, however, Liverpool have enjoyed some memorable wins in this fixture, such as winning 5-0 at Old Trafford in 2021, as well as that famous 7-0 victory at Anfield in 2023.
Who’s your money on this time? Let us know in the comments!
CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio says he won’t appoint a FIGC commissioner, easing concerns that Italy might lose the right to co-host Euro 2032, while Government sources call for ‘immediate and effective answers.’
The Italian FA won’t be placed under administration with the appointment of a special commissioner, said CONI President Buonfiglio on Tuesday.
CONI, the Italian National Olympic Committee, is the body entitled to appoint a commissioner in serious cases. However, Buonfiglio stated that he would not take this action.
“Neither the right nor the left wing influences me. I was elected to enforce the rules, and the first person who must abide by them is myself,” he told reporters on Tuesday, via Gazzetta.
“When the conditions were in place for appointing a commissioner, I did so. Today, they are not. I am proud to be the CONI President and honoured to represent all sporting bodies. At the same time, while I represent and support them, I must also oversee them, but that does not mean I have to act like a sheriff.”
Football in Italy needs ‘effective answers and reforms’
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina stepped down following Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination, calling elections for June 22.
The emergence of a new refereeing scandal in Italy had raised the possibility that CONI could appoint a FIGC commissioner, a scenario strongly opposed by UEFA.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: (L-R) Italy Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio and President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina look on prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
According to Italian sources, UEFA even threatened to exclude Italy from co-hosting Euro 2032 and could have gone so far as to ban Serie A clubs from European competitions if a FIGC commissioner were appointed.
“We need to stop saying that politics wants to get its hand on football,” Italian Government sources told AGI.
“There is no intention of imposing political control through a commissioner. What is needed, however, are immediate and effective answers and reforms. We are waiting to understand what course of action will be taken.”
Milan are reportedly ready to listen to offers for Christopher Nkunku next summer as the Frenchman has failed to justify his €37m price tag at San Siro.
France international Nkunku faces a summer exit from Milan, as the Rossoneri are disappointed with his contribution in the 2025-26 campaign.
The 28-year-old completed a €37m transfer from Chelsea last summer, resulting in the most expensive signing in Serie A in the current campaign.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 03: Christopher Nkunku of AC Milan celebrates after scoring his team second goal during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and AC Milan at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on February 03, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
As reported by TMW, Nkunku’s signing did not satisfy coach Massimiliano Allegri, who expected to welcome a classic, more physical centre-forward.
Nkunku has done nothing to prove his coach wrong, having scored only six goals in 31 appearances across all competitions this season, netting five times in Serie A and once in the Coppa Italia.
PARMA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 08: Christopher Nkunku of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Abdoulaye Ndiaye of Parma during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 08, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
TMW reports that Nkunku’s disappointing performances have convinced Milan to put the ex-Chelsea striker on the market.
This past January, Fenerbahce approached the Frenchman, and Saudi Pro League sides are expected to do the same in the coming weeks as the summer transfer window nears.
Roberto Mancini clinched the Qatari league title with Al Sadd and marked the triumph on the pitch by waving the Italian flag, a nod to the UEFA Euro 2020 success he achieved with Italy.
Al Sadd claimed the title with a 3-2 victory over Al Shamal in a battle between the top two teams in the league table, thanks to goals fromFirmino, Paulo Otávio, and Akram Afif.
The trophy with Al Sadd means Mancini has now won league titles in Italy, England, Turkey and Qatar.
AL RAYYAN, QATAR – JANUARY 25: Roberto Mancini, Head Coach of Saudi Arabia reacts during the AFC Asian Cup Group F match between Saudi Arabia and Thailand at Education City Stadium on January 25, 2024 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The former Azzurri coach celebrated his latest achievement on the field by holding an Italian flag inscribed with ‘Euro 2020.’
Mancini won the Euros with Italy in 2021, but also failed to qualify for the World Cup the following year.
He stepped down as the Italy coach in August 2023 and was appointed by the Saudi Arabia national team a few weeks later.
Video: Mancini celebrates Al Sadd’s title with the Italian flag
L’Al Sadd di Roberto Mancini vince il campionato del Qatar, altro trofeo vinto dal tecnico di Jesi pic.twitter.com/ezmi7TVtct
According to Repubblica, last season’s Serie A match between Inter and Roma is among those under investigation, with the suspicion that Andrea Gervasoni told the VAR official ‘mind your business’ during a potential penalty check for the Nerazzurri.
Five individuals, including Referee Designator Gianluca Rocchi and VAR Supervisor Gervasoni, are currently under investigation in a new referee scandal in Italy.
Nearly 30 referees have already been heard by Milan Prosecutor Maurizio Ascione. A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Repubblica that Rocchi “made appointments at will” and would “remove figures who would not submit to the method.”
FLORENCE, ITALY – MAY 23: Gianluca Rocchi former Italian referee and referee designator for the Serie A and Serie B championships during the FIGC Hall of Fame Event on May 23, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
The source added that Rocchi was “in constant telephone contact with club executives, even though he was not allowed to by regulations, to curry favour with the clubs for personal gain.”
No players or club directors are currently involved, and only people from the refereeing world are currently under investigation.
According to Repubblica, five 2024-25 matches are under scrutiny, including Inter-Roma on April 27, 2025, which the Giallorossi won 1- 0.
A witness reportedly informed the Milan Prosecutor that the VAR official in that match, Marco Di Bello, was told from outside the VAR room, “mind your business,” while a potential penalty check for the Nerazzurri was ongoing for a possible Evan Ndicka foul on Yann Bisseck.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 27: Matias Soule of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Manu Kone during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 27, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
According to the witness, the alleged suggestion, which is not allowed under protocol, was made by Gervasoni. Repubblica adds that the full VAR audio from that incident has never been found.
A few days later, Rocchi commented on the incident, saying it warranted a penalty kick.
PISA, ITALY – MARCH 2: General view of the VAR monitor inside the Arena Garibaldi stadium in Pisa during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and Bologna FC 1909 at Arena Garibaldi on March 2, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
“The assessment they made on the pitch was not to award the penalty, but when you evaluate something incorrectly from the pitch, it remains a mistake,” he said.
“Ndicka’s behaviour is that of someone who is completely uninterested in the ball, and for me, that is already punishable. The final decision is somewhat influenced by the fact that the holding was not very substantial, but it is definitely a penalty that should have been awarded.”
Calafiori trains with Arsenal teammates before Atletico Madrid clash
Arsenal are preparing for the first leg of the Champions League semifinals against Atletico Madrid.
The Gunners will visit Diego Simeone at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday, April 29, with the decider played at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, May 5.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on September 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Italy international Calafiori was spotted training with his teammates on Tuesday, reports Football London, suggesting the Italian defender should be available for the trip to Spain.
Calafiori suffered a knock in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Sporting CP on April 7 and has not featured since.
He was also unavailable for Arsenal’s latest game against Newcastle on Saturday despite arriving at the Emirates Stadium with his teammates.
Calafiori, a former Bologna and Roma defender, is in his second season at Arsenal. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in 31 appearances across all competitions in 2025-26.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has approved summer transfer plans, including a move to sign Lazio defender Mario Gila.
Milan will be looking to strengthen their team, adding quality and depth to a group that will likely play in the Champions League next season.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan’s primary target in defence is Lazio centre-back Gila, who is under contract with the Biancocelesti until 2027.
Gazzetta claims that Inter, Juventus and Napoli are also interested in the Spanish centre-back who is unlikely to extend with the Biancocelesti.
BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 22: Mario Gila of SS Lazio kicks the ball during the Coppa Italia semi-final match between Atalanta BC and SS Lazio at New Balance Arena on April 22, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
According to the report, the Rossoneri’s rivals have already sounded out the defender’s availability through his representatives, while Milan value the 25-year-old between €20m and €25m.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri has already identified Gila as a primary option in defence, and Cardinale has authorised the club directors to begin work to satisfy the coach’s transfer demands, which also include a winger who can be deployed on both flanks and a striker.
Gazzetta adds that Udinese’s Thomas Kristensen is seen as a possible alternative to Gila, while Bayern Munich’s Kim, a former Napoli star, appears to be less feasible due to high costs.
Chelsea have reportedly begun the recruitment process for a new coach, with Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola, and Xabi Alonso included in an ‘early list of early frontrunners’, but Como’s Cesc Fabregas is also being linked with the job.
COMO, ITALY – APRIL 12: Como 1907 coach Cesc Fabregas looks on during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and FC Internazionale at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on April 12, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Chelsea will hire a new head coach for 2026-27, and several sources in the UK suggest that Fabregas will be one among those considered for the job.
According to Standard.co.uk, the Blues have started a robust recruitment process and will not rush in appointing a new head coach for next season.
The report claims that Chelsea’s early list of frontrunners includes Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola, and Xabi Alonso.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Mirwan Suwarso president of Como during the Serie A match between Bologna and Como at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on February 01, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Silva is under contract with Fulham until the end of the season, and according to The Standard, Chelsea will explore his availability by contacting his representatives.
Xabi Alonso is without a club after being sacked by Real Madrid months ago, while Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the season.
Fabregas not focused on Chelsea job
The report suggests that “other candidates” are on Chelsea’s shortlist.
Como coach Fabregas was recently questioned about his availability for the role: “It’d be stupid to think about that now, my focus is on the next game against Genoa. I believe I will continue my chapter as Como head coach and focus on the next games,” Fabregas said before Como’s latest victory against Genoa.
“I would be crazy to think of anything else rather than these next five games and getting my team into Europe for the first time in history. I have not seen or heard any comments that my president said other than he told me he values me very highly.”
Como President, Mirwan Suwarso, however, added: “If that makes him [Fabregas] happy, that’s him,” he told City AM.
“You want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible, but at the end of the day, we don’t own him, and he’s free to go to Chelsea if he wishes.”
Juventus legend Fabrizio Ravanelli believes Kenan Yildiz, Gleison Bremer and Francisco Conceiçao should build the ‘strong core’ of the Bianconeri’s team in 2026-27, but is disappointed by Jonathan David: ‘I don’t think he’s a player you can rely on to win Champions League titles or Scudetti.’
Former Juventus and Italy striker Ravanelli, a 1996 Champions League winner with the Bianconeri, shared his thoughts on the Bianconeri’s attacking struggles this season.
Canada international David has scored eight goals across all competitions, resulting in the third-top goal scorer at Juventus in 2025-26 after Kenan Yildiz and Weston McKennie. Yet, Ravanelli feels the ex-Lille forward hasn’t shown enough quality in his first season in Turin.
“It was a negative season. He has scored some goals, but I don’t think he’s a player you can rely on to win Champions League titles or Scudetti,” Ravanelli told Gazzetta.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Matteo Gabbia of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Jonathan David of Juventus during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“He has paid a high price for the leap in quality. Playing at Juventus and in the French league, without too much pressure, is not the same as making a difference at Juventus. The shirt’s weight is much more difficult to bear, and you need a great personality. The difference between a champion and a good player nowadays lies in personality, character, and determination. You need to have these qualities to play at Juventus, or you’ll struggle.”
Dusan Vlahovic has missed most of the season due to fitness issues, including surgery that sidelined him for four months.
Ravanelli: Zhegrova has more personality than David and Openda
Just like David, Edon Zhegrova and Lois Openda also joined Juventus last summer, but Ravanelli would rely on just one of them going forward.
“I think Zhegrova has more personality than others,” said the ex-striker.
TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 21: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Allianz Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“Since Spalletti’s arrival, David and Openda have always given me the impression that they don’t really want to take on too much responsibility. On the other hand, Zhagrova is someone worth continuing to invest in because he has real quality. I’d love to see him in a positive Juventus side and in a winning environment. He’s the kind of player who embraces responsibility, not someone who, after failing one dribble, shies away from trying another. He has a very strong personality.
“I think there are three or four players Juventus can build on,” Ravanelli concluded.
“Yildiz, Bremer, and Conceiçao must be retained to build the strong core of the team.”
During the same interview, Ravanelli also discussed Juventus’ possible reinforcements from next season, suggesting that the Bianconeri should try to sign Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal.
Former Juventus star Fabrizio Ravanelli believes the Bianconeri should try to sign Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus rather than Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski: ‘It would send a wrong signal…’
Kenan Yildiz is the Bianconeri’s top scorer this season with 11 goals, followed by Weston McKennie with nine and Jonathan David with eight; therefore, Ravanelli feels that a new, ruthless striker must be a transfer priority for Juventus next summer.
“A finisher. I believe that is where Juventus struggle. They’ve been without Vlahovic for a long time, and he’s also had problems, but I believe that if he were fully fit, Juventus would have had some more points,” the ex-striker told Gazzetta.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus warms up prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“Spalletti has tried in any way to make the team more clinical in attack, because they create so many chances. They’ve also scored a few goals in recent games, but they lack a truly clinical finisher who makes a difference. A No.9.”
Vlahovic’s contract expires this coming June, but negotiations with the Serbia international are expected to resume shortly.
“Even if he were to stay, Juventus would still need a striker who makes a difference,” insisted Ravanelli.
“Juventus have always had great attackers, and there’s always been competition to start up front. Only Vlahovic, if he stays, would not be enough to fight on all fronts.”
Among the possible attacking reinforcements mentioned by the Italian press in recent weeks is Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, who is available as a free agent after his contract expires at the end of the season.
Ravanelli, however, feels the Poland international would not be a good fit for the Bianconeri.
“I don’t think so, because it would send a wrong signal to the fans and the Juventus programs,” he said.
“They’d take a step back. Not because Lewandowski is not a good striker. He’s a star and a big champion, we all know that. But Juventus need players with a bright future ahead, who want to develop at Juventus, with the Juventus DNA. I think the club should look to other attacking options rather than the 38-year-old Lewandowski.
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 20: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal FC celebrates after scoring their team’s secons goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Arsenal FC at Stadio San Siro on January 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“I’d do anything to sign Osimhen, even if it’s not easy because of certain clauses,” Ravanelli added.
“There are many strong strikers in Europe, starting with Gabriel Jesus, who would be worthy of a place at Juventus even after a few injuries. There are other young players, and the scouts must identify the right profile who can win something important in the future.
“I’ve always liked Moise Kean, who has already been at Juventus,” Ravanelli concluded.
“Perhaps he’s had a few too many injuries, and he had a difficult time at the club, but I consider him one of the best young players in Italy. He has the physical strength and the bearing of someone who could be a Juventus striker.”
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The passion of Italian football fans and the historical clashes between their clubs are increasingly in demand across all markets, from the US to South America and Asia.
Serie A is increasingly popular in South Korea
Even though few South Korean footballers have played in Serie A, many have left their mark on the league, starting with ex-Perugia star Ahn Jung-hwan, who eliminated Italy from the 2002 World Cup with a famous Golden Goal in the Round of 16.
FRANKFURT, GERMANY – JUNE 13: Jung-Hwan Ahn of South Korea shoots on goal during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Group G match between South Korea and Togo at the Stadium Frankfurt on June 13, 2006 in Frankfurt, Germany. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
More recently, centre-back Kim Min-jae made history at Napoli in the 2022-23 season, contributing to winning the first Scudetto in the post-Diego Armando Maradona era, ending a 33-year wait.
Serie A has proved to be one of the most unpredictable leagues over the last few years.
Even if Inter are expected to clinch their 21st Scudetto with a few games to spare this season, the previous campaign saw the Nerazzurri battle Antonio Conte’s Napoli until the very last round, with the Partenopei emerging victorious.
“In recent years, this team has always been competitive on all fronts. When you are the coach of Inter, you have big objectives; the club has built something important here,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu recently said.
“The players have shown how competitive they can be in recent years, so we are obliged to be competitive.
“When I arrived, the narrative depicted was that this team was at the end of an era, but they were reborn and found the motivation to be what they always had been.
“It is not a fluke that we are top of the table and in the Coppa Italia Final. We should’ve done better in the Champions League, but I take responsibility for that. I am proud of these lads, I love them to death. Choosing a young coach was a risk, but I always said things to their faces, and they know what our ambitions are.”
NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 23: Giovanni Di Lorenzo of Napoli lifts the Serie A TIM Scudetto title trophy after his team’s victory in the Serie A match between Napoli and Cagliari at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 23, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
After Juventus’ domination with nine consecutive Serie A titles from 2012 to 2020, the Italian league has had three different winners in the last five years: Inter and Napoli twice and Milan once.
Even more interestingly, no club has ever retained the Serie A title since Juventus in 2019-20, when Maurizio Sarri won his first and only Scudetto as a coach in Turin.
Serie A’s excitement and drama will continue to entertain the fans for years to come, so make sure you tune in to watch one of the most exciting leagues in the world.
According to Corriere della Sera, UEFA is strongly against the appointment of a FIGC Commissioner, which could jeopardise Italy’s right to host Euro 2032 and may even result in Italian clubs being barred from European competitions.
UEFA expect no political involvement in the FIGC Presidential election, set to take place on June 22, 2026.
A new referee scandal has broken out in Italy just weeks after Gabriele Gravina resigned in the wake of Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination, prompting Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi to suggest extraordinary measures, such as appointing an external FIGC Commissioner, should be taken.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: (L-R) President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio, President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin look on prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
However, according to Corriere della Sera (via Calcio&Finanza), such a scenario would deeply concern UEFA, which has warned that any political intervention in the Italian Football Federation could put Italy at risk of losing the rights to co-host Euro 2032 and could even lead to Italian clubs being excluded from European competitions.
Having a FIGC Commissioner, appointed by CONI, would effectively place the Italian FA under administration, a scenario UEFA wants to avoid.
According to the report, Lega Serie A President Ezio Maria Simonelli has already discussed the matter with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
Even if the European Football Governing body has not issued a statement on this topic, its stance is clear and could lead to severe consequences for Italy if a commissioner is appointed instead of a newly elected President.
“Hasty judgments or conclusions of any kind are out of place while dutifully waiting for the investigations to complete their journey to the truth,” Simonelli said on Sunday about the new referee investigation from the Milan Prosecutor.
“None of us knows any detail of the affair, and as custodians, that is our exact duty until the final judgement.”
Referee investigation, breakthrough from the prosecutor
‘No club is under investigation.’
‘Inter are not involved, 30 members of the refereeing world have been heard. Rocchi and four more under investigation for now.’ Five games on the radar, not from this season. Tommasi is the new designator.
Modric, end of the season.
Cheekbone operated: out for six to eight weeks. Transfers: yes to Fila
Juve, Vlahovic is close again: two-year extension.
Corriere dello Sport
Referee feud
The investigation does not involve clubs or players
Five games 2024-25 Serie A games on the radar
No to Ceferin to the hypothesis of a Federation commissioner.
Gravina could place AIA under guardianship. Today, Zappi will attend a CONI meeting. Secret code in the VAR room? Lawsuits are coming.
Calhanoglu agitates Inter
Soleus muscle problem: Hakan has already missed 13 games this season
Juve and Yildiz, he’s the check
Spalletti needs the real Kenan for a target worth 60m
Milan problem: Modric out
Cheekbone fracture: the Croatian will undergo surgery. He’ll be ready for the World Cup.
Crazy Lazio: Maldini deals with it.
Mendy’s fairytale: Cagliari nearly safe.
Tuttosport
Calcio on the brink
The investigation in Milan and the unpredictable developments agitate the Italy of football.
Besides Rocchi, Gervasoni, Di Vuolo, Nasca and Paterna, others are under investigation, but not Inter nor their directors. New duty for the Prosecutor, Ascione, and tension within the Prosecutor’s office. Secret codes in the VAR room. Tommasi is the temporary designator. Today, CONI will discuss the Zappi case, the AIA President banned for 13 months. In the meantime, Gravina raises his voice against the commissioner: ‘It violates the principle of autonomy protected by CIO; FIFA and UEFA.’
Vlahovic? Worthy of Juve if…
The 10 minutes at San Siro and Spalletti’s words: behind the scenes
Dusan has four games remaining to give guarantees on a physical standpoint and favour negotiations. Here are the others under scrutiny for the coach. Yildiz, increasing confidence.
D’Aversa, a super month to stay.
Calhanoglu injured again: will he miss Coppa and renewal?
Lazio and Udinese truly did battle in a thrilling 3-3 draw including some spectacular goals by Pedro, Kingsley Ehizibue and Luca Pellegrini, plus two in stoppages.
The Aquile were in celebratory mood after reaching the Coppa Italia Final, eliminating Atalanta on penalties with a heroic performance from goalkeeper Edoardo Motta, but the fans continued to boycott their home games.
Mattia Zaccagni, Danilo Cataldi and Mario Gila joined Samuel Gigot, Ivan Provedel and Alessio Furlanetto on the treatment table in this head-to-head for a top 10 finish, but surprisingly Nicolò Rovella returned to the bench over two months after suffering a fractured clavicle. Jesper Karlstrom was suspended for Udinese after the surprise loss to Parma, with Keinan Davis, Jordan Zemura, Nicolò Bertola and Alessandro Zanoli injured.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 27: Maurizio Sarri, Head Coach of Lazio, looks on during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on April 27, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Idrissa Gueye went sliding in and just failed to connect with a low Hassane Kamara cross from six yards in the opening minutes, then Edoardo Motta made a tough save as Jakub Piotrowski ran onto the Nicolò Zaniolo through ball.
That move continued, and after two players collided trying to head the Oumar Solet cross at the back post, it fell kindly for Kingsley Ehizibue to smash a screamer into the roof of the net from a tricky angle.
Arthur Atta tried to add a second moments later, his shot charged down at the near post, while Patric was unlucky to see his attempt for Lazio charged down by teammate Boulaye Dia.
The Aquile equalised with practically their first chance of the game, but it was another spectacular finish. A corner was cleared to just inside the area, where Luca Pellegrini let it bounce and thumped the magnificent left-foot strike on the volley into the far top corner.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 27: Luca Pellegrini of SS Lazio scores a first goal during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on April 27, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Jurgen Ekkelenkamp went off with an ankle injury, while Tijjani Noslin grazed the crossbar with his strike on the Pellegrini assist.
Gustav Isaksen came even closer when running onto a cross-field pass and seeing Maduka Okoye palm the finish onto the crossbar, with Noslin unable to get clean contact on the rebound.
Adam Buksa wasted a golden opportunity to restore Udinese’s lead when shinning the first-time finish from seven yards on a low cross.
Zaniolo did even worse, as he somehow managed to connect with the Ehizibue low cross from the right and didn’t bundle it over the line from five yards, getting the contact horribly wrong.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 27: Pedro Rodriguez of SS Lazio in action during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on April 27, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Moments later, Pedro reminded everyone how it’s done with a wonderful first-time right-foot curler into the far top corner from the edge of the area, on the Toma Basic lay-off.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru surged forward and dribbled past two only to then place the angled drive wide for Lazio.
Instead, Udinese equalised when Vakoun Bayo’s header at the back post on a Zaniolo cross was meekly palmed by Motta into the path of Arthur Atta for the easiest of tap-ins.
It remained wide open, as Zaniolo on the counter forced Motta into a great flying save to palm his screamer over the bar, with another Zaniolo attempt charged down.
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 27: Kingsley Ehizibue of Udinese Calcio celebrates a opening goal with his team mates during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on April 27, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
On the resulting corner, Atta was left unmarked to sweep into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot from 12 yards to turn it around again.
It still wasn’t over, as when an Alessio Romagnoli header bounced off the near post, the Pedro cross came back in from the right for Daniel Maldini’s tap-in from close range, springing the offside trap for 3-3.
Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino apologised after a 3-2 defeat to Cagliari ended top six hopes and discussed his future. ‘I am not tied by contracts and money, I try to be ambitious.’
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Referee Juan Luca Sacchi reacts with Yerry Mina of Cagliari during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
La Dea were already shaken last week by their Coppa Italia semi-final elimination to Lazio on a penalty shoot-out, and were clearly carrying the weight of that 120 minutes.
They conceded a goal within 16 seconds in Sardinia to teenager Paul Mendy, who promptly added a second just seven minutes later.
Gianluca Scamacca’s brace had it at 2-2 by half-time, but Gennaro Borrelli scored the winner in the opening minute of the restart.
Palladino frustrated by Atalanta performance
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Paul Mendy #31 of Cagliari scores the opening goal during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
“Starting like that knocks the wind out of you. We were unable to recover our physical and mental energy after the Coppa Italia. It is obvious if you are a goal down within 30 seconds. I had hoped the lads would turn a corner today, but we didn’t, and we apologise to the fans for our performance.
“We wanted to keep the European hopes alive and we didn’t manage it, so there are many regrets.”
Cagliari were certainly not lacking in motivation, because this victory allowed them to move eight points clear of the relegation zone with four rounds left to play.
“They came out fighting from the start, but we did have a very good reaction to equaliser. Cagliari had a lot of aggression and intensity, but conceding the third goal straight after the restart was just dumb of us.
“After that, they all got behind the ball and it became difficult to break them down, even if we had many scoring opportunities. It think their goalkeeper was Man of the Match, Elia Caprile was extraordinary.”
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Coach of Atalanta Raffaele Palladino looks on during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Palladino tried to shake things up in the second half by using both Scamacca and Nikola Krstovic together, something that could be seen more in future.
“It is an option for certain games, today we had a lot of individual duels to fight, so we used two centre-forwards.”
The coach has revitalised Atalanta after a dismal start under Ivan Juric, but ultimately looks as if he will lead them to seventh place in Serie A, which might not be enough to qualify for the Conference League.
“Since I arrived, we have climbed a mountain and had a great journey. We were 13th and yet managed to challenge for a place in Europe, but we used up a lot of energy chasing that down over many months,” added Palladino.
“When you are chasing, you cannot afford a single error, and when you do it feels like the world is collapsing around you. These lads had to deal with a lot of setbacks since the start of the campaign, so now we’re a bit short on mental and physical energy.
“I had hoped we could hit the reset button after the Coppa Italia, but it’s not easy after 4-5 days. Unfortunately now the gap is quite big, but we’ll keep fighting to the last day.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 22: Raffaele Palladino, Head Coach of Atalanta, looks on prior to the Coppa Italia semifinal match between Atalanta BC and SS Lazio at New Balance Arena on April 22, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Palladino was brought in to replace Juric in mid-November, but what does the future hold for the Atalanta coach?
“I am happy at Atalanta. I tried to do my best. I am not tied by contracts and money, I try to be very ambitious and want to do my best until the end of the season for this club.”
The shot-stopper sustained the horrific injury during a Serie B match against Palermo earlier this month, when colliding heavily with Filippo Ranocchia.
He was stretchered off in a neck brace and tests in hospital showed he had fractured the first vertebra in his neck.
Klinsmann had surgery for spinal fracture
COLUMBUS, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 09: Jonathan Klinsmann and Sergiño Dest of the United States celebrates after winning an international friendly game between Japan and USMNT at Lower.com Field on September 09, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
Delicate surgery was required and it inevitably ended his season, also ruling him out of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
His teammates wore Klinsmann shirts during the warm-up of their 0-0 draw with Sampdoria, and kept a Captain America shield with his initials JK behind the net.
They also put together a selection of clips of messages from fans to reassure the son of former Inter striker Jurgen Klinsmann.
Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez has repeatedly been linked with a Serie A move for Inter, but now ESPN claim Juventus have a deal worth €40m already in place.
The centre-back only celebrated his 22nd birthday last week and is under contract with Club Brugge until June 2029, but widely expected to move on this summer.
BRUGES, BELGIUM – NOVEMBER 05: Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona is put under pressure by Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Club Brugge KV and FC Barcelona at Jan Breydelstadion on November 05, 2025 in Bruges, Belgium. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
ESPN commentator Jorge Barril in Ecuador claimed during the commentary of Milan 0-0 Juventus that the Bianconeri have shaken hands with Club Brugge and the player for a transfer worth €40m.
It is suggested that the final details will be worked out after the World Cup.
He already has 16 senior caps for Ecuador and is set to participate in the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada this summer.
Milan and Atalanta had also shown interest in Ordonez in the past, while Club Brugge had refused to negotiate with Olympique Marseille last year, but it looks as if Juventus are beating them all to his signature.
Cagliari won a 3-2 thriller against Atalanta and broke eight points clear of the relegation battle with Paul Mendy’s brace on his full debut, and Gennaro Borrelli off the bench, despite a Gianluca Scamacca brace.
The Sardinians risked getting dragged back into the danger zone after scraping just one win and two draws in the last 10 rounds. Leonardo Pavoletti, Luca Mazzitelli, Mattia Felici and Riyad Idrissi were still out of action, but striker Paul Mendy got a surprise start with Marco Palestra benched against his parent club. La Dea were smarting after losing the Coppa Italia semi-final to Lazio on penalties, with Lorenzo Bernasconi sustaining a knee ligament injury and Isak Hien still struggling.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Paul Mendy of Cagliari celebrates his goal 1-0 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Cagliari youth team striker Mendy made an immediate impact on the first start of his professional career at the age of 19, as within 16 seconds he got his head to the Michel Adopo cross from the right and turned it into the net.
Incredibly, the teenager added another moments later. Marco Carnesecchi made a sensational save to deny Alessandro Deiola from a corner, but could do nothing when Mendy’s follow-up from six yards was deflected in off Berat Djimsiti’s chest.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Paul Mendy of Cagliari celebrates his goal 1-0 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
They threatened a third on the counter sparked by Mendy, but Marten de Roon was decisive to stop Deiola sliding in from six yards on another low Adopo cross.
Atalanta woke up from their Coppa Italia hangover when Charles De Ketelaere’s effort was charged down, but Gianluca Scamacca bent the rebound into the far bottom corner with a wonderful curling right-foot finish from 14 yards.
Within five minutes, they had drawn level, as Giorgio Scalvini pulled back from the right for Scamacca to sweep in first time from 12 yards.
Juan Rodriguez risked an own goal when sliding in to intercept the Raoul Bellanova low cross moments later, but prodded it at teammate Elia Caprile.
Mendy’s dream full debut ended at half-time when he pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh, but his replacement Gennaro Borrelli took under a minute to add his contribution.
Michael Folorunsho rode two tackles to get the shot away, charged down by Sead Kolasinac, but only into the path of Borrelli to fire in for 3-2 from eight yards.
Marco Palestra came on against his parent club and Atalanta tried to use two centre-forwards together, pinning the Sardinians back into their own half, but barely troubling Caprile.
Borrelli’s game was brief, as he too pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh and was forced off the field for Cagliari. His replacement Andrea Belotti nearly scored within 20 seconds when sent clear on goal, but was denied by Carnesecchi one-on-one.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – APRIL 27: Referee Juan Luca Sacchi reacts with Yerry Mina of Cagliari during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Sant’Elia on April 27, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
At the other end, Mario Pasalic’s acrobatic control and bicycle kick flashed just wide of the near post, then Caprile made an astonishing reaction save on Nikola Krstovic from the Ederson through ball.
Caprile was again called into action to prevent Scamacca’s header completing a hat-trick on the Lazar Samardzic cross.
It kept going to the final whistle, as Caprile made up for flapping at an Atalanta corner by rushing out to use his body against Raspadori’s finish from point-blank range.
Milan released a statement confirming Luka Modric had surgery today for multiple facial fractures, as it’s a race against time to recover for Croatia at the World Cup.
It was only today that the extent of the damage became apparent, and the decision was made to go under the knife.
Modric surgery successful after facial fracture
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luka Modric of AC Milan is assisted off by medical staff after going down injured during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Milan announced that the operation was performed today at the La Madonnina Clinic in Milan.
Surgery was performed by the team run by Dr Luca Autelitano in the presence of Milan medical staff Stefano Mazzoni and Andrea Bulgheroni.
Initial reports suggest Modric will be able to participate in this summer’s World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada for Croatia, but only with the aid of a protective mask.
This type of injury generally requires six to eight weeks out of action.
The club statement confirmed his season is over for the Rossoneri, wishing him “a quick recovery in view of the FIFA World Cup!”
PISA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 13: Luka Modric of AC Milan celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and AC Milan at Arena Garibaldi on February 13, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Despite being 40 years of age, Modric made 36 competitive appearances for Milan this season, with two goals and three assists.
The latest reports claim that Juventus are willing to offer an enticing long-term contract to 33-year-old Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker in an attempt to lure him back to Serie A.
Where Juventus stand in contract negotiations with Liverpool’s Alisson
For several months, reports in Italy suggest that Juventus are targeting a move for Liverpool’s Alisson this summer. The Brazil international will be heading into the final year of his Liverpool contract this summer, and he knows Bianconeri head coach Luciano Spalletti well from their time working together at Roma.
Juventus, meanwhile, are expected to part ways with at least one of their first-team goalkeepers this summer, which at the moment, is pointing towards Mattia Perin more so than Michele Di Gregorio.
According to updates from Fabrizio Romano, Juventus are prepared to offer Alisson a two-year contract with an option to extend for a further 12 months, or even potentially a straight, three-year deal, which would see the goalkeeper through until the age of 36.
LEEDS, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 06: Alisson Becker of Liverpool warms up prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road on December 06, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Romano’s latest update claims that Alisson is ‘tempted’ by the idea of returning to Serie A and reuniting with Spalletti.
However, Alisson is intent to not leave Liverpool on bad terms. And, whilst the club already have a replacement lined up in the form of Giorgi Mamardashvili, losing a senior player and a key figure in the dressing room like Alisson, as well as Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, who will also leave Liverpool this summer, is not a particularly ideal scenario for Arne Slot.
The Rossoneri have made absolutely no secret of their search for a real centre-forward, as Santiago Castro and Niclas Fullkrug failed to bring the characteristics requested by coach Max Allegri.
Goncalo Ramos would fit bill for Milan
LISBON, PORTUGAL – JANUARY 20: Goncalo Ramos of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio Jose Alvalade on January 20, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Agent Jorge Mendes has close ties to Milan and has seemingly proposed the striker to the San Siro giants.
The 24-year-old has scored 12 goals in 41 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this season, but with a contract that runs to June 2028, he is expected to be on the market this summer.
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 17: Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta BC makes a save whilst under pressure from Goncalo Ramos of Paris Saint-Germain during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta BC at Parc des Princes on September 17, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
Even with the help of the agent, Milan might not be prepared to pay the reported €30-35m asking price that PSG are looking for.
It would be roughly half the €65m that PSG paid to pluck him from Benfica in January 2024.
The Portugal international also has 10 goals in 24 senior caps for his country.
Donald Trump’s special envoy Paolo Zampolli has told Italian media there is ‘more than a 50 per cent chance’ Italy will replace Iran in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Players of Italy sing the national anthem prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
As the USA and Iran are currently engaged in what the President has repeatedly described as a war, it remains to be seen whether the team will feel safe participating in the World Cup, or even be allowed into the country.
Trump envoy wants Italy at World Cup
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Players of Italy pose for a team photo prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
So Zampolli is arguing that FIFA should exclude Iran and instead draft Italy in as the highest-ranked team that failed to qualify.
“I will meet Gianni Infantino in Miami for the Formula 1 GP this weekend. There shouldn’t be a World Cup without Italy, the decision is down to Infantino and Trump.”
Zampolli is very much on his own in this pursuit, because many figures from Italian football have already said they would refuse to take Iran’s place in the World Cup.
The former modelling agent, who claims he introduced Melania Trump to her husband, explained how he came up with this plan.
“I saw that Iran was still not confirmed due to the war, so I asked Infantino for the chances of Italy getting recalled,” explained Zampolli.
“On top of that, visas are very difficult to get now and we don’t want people coming in who could do some bad things. If you are sending people who are not welcome in the United States of America, then it’s better they don’t come.
“I haven’t spoken to Trump yet, but he has not decided either way. Iranian players are welcome, but Secretary Marco Rubio was clear on the fact we cannot allow in people who don’t love the United States of America.
“If Iran do not participate, I don’t know if we are prepared to bring anyone else in, but anything could happen.”
Confirmation of the start and end dates of both the summer and winter transfer windows for the 2026-27 Serie A season has arrived, and it is now just over two months until the summer spending gets underway.
The summer transfer window in Serie A will open on June 29, 2026, and will slam shut on September 1, 2026 at 19.00 BST (20.00 CET). In Serie B and Serie C, the summer transfer window will open slightly later on July 1, but will close at the same time as Serie A (at 19.00 BST on September 1).
Jonathan David signs his Juventus contract
As it was in the 2025-26 season, the winter transfer window will again open on January 2, 2027 and will close at 19.00 BST (20.00 CET) on February 1, 2027. This will be the case for Serie A, Serie B and Serie C.
As for the amateur leagues in Italy, the summer transfer window will begin on July 1, 2026 and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The amateur leagues’ winter session will run from December 1, 2026 until December 16, 2026.
Reports in Italy suggest that no players or directors are involved in the new referee scandal in Serie A, with all those under investigation being tied to the refereeing world.
More details emerge on the new referee scandal that hit Serie A over the weekend, with VAR officials Luigi Nasca, Rodolfo Di Vuolo and Daniele Paterna now reported to be under investigation, along with the designator Gianluca Rocchi and VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: Referee Gianluca Rocchi during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Chelsea FC and AFC Ajax at Stamford Bridge on November 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Are Inter under investigation for the new referee scandal?
According to Italian media, including Gazzetta, even more people appear in the Milan Prosecutor’s register of suspects. Still, all are tied to the refereeing world and none to Serie A clubs.
Gazzetta reports that, to date, no footballers or club directors are under investigation.
Rocchi is reportedly accused of influencing VAR officials during matches and of selecting referees who were liked by Inter for some games during the 2024-25 campaign.
However, no evidence appears to show that Rocchi held talks with the Nerazzurri over referees’ appointments, and no Inter player or director is under investigation.
On the other hand, a video from March 1, 2025, appears to show VAR official Paterna receiving communication from outside the VAR room during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma, prompting him to urge the on-pitch referee to the pitchside monitor despite initial reluctance.
Former referee Dino Tommasi has been assigned as the interim Serie A and B refereeing designator for the rest of the season after Gianluca Rocchi suspended himself.
The scandal erupted last week when it was confirmed that designator Rocchi had been placed under formal investigation for sporting fraud.
In the wake of that situation, he decided to suspend himself while the investigation plays out, so a replacement was needed for the rest of the current campaign.
Tommasi chosen to replace Rocchi
GENOA, ITALY – JANUARY 27: Referee Dino Tommasi signals a foul during the Serie A match between UC Sampdoria and Pescara at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on January 27, 2013 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Following his Serie A debut in March 2008, he put together 52 top flight appearances, then went into management.
The refereeing designator assigns officials to the individual games in Serie A and B, and then helps evaluate their performances after the matches.
The better a referee performs, the more likely they are to be given big fixtures.
Among the accusations against Rocchi was that he assigned referees who were ‘preferred’ by Inter to certain matches rather than ones the club disliked.
He is also accused of over-stepping the protocol by banging on the window of the VAR booth to change a decision during a game, specifically between Udinese and Parma.
Referees Luigi Nasca, Rodolfo Di Vuolo and Daniele Paterna are under investigation alongside Gianluca Rocchi and Andrea Gervasoni, but the number of people involved in the latest Serie A scandal could grow ‘significantly’ in the coming hours, according to reports in Italy.
Italian sources, including Gazzetta dello Sport, report that three referees have been placed under investigation, after Referee Designator Rocchi and VAR supervisor Gervasoni.
Serie A referee scandal: three more under investigation
PISA, ITALY – MARCH 2: General view of the VAR monitor inside the Arena Garibaldi stadium in Pisa during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and Bologna FC 1909 at Arena Garibaldi on March 2, 2026 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
They are Nasca, Di Vuolo and Paterna, and according to Gazzetta, they are all suspected of providing false information to the prosecutor.
Paterna appeared in a video that seemed to show a person outside the VAR room giving officials suggestions on what to tell the on-field referee, in an open violation of protocol.
Investigators believe that VAR officials were influenced by people outside the control room, even with coded messages, undermining their independence of judgment.
According to Gazzetta, the number of people under investigation could become ‘significantly’ higher in the coming hours.
The Milan Prosecutor will hear Rocchi and Gervasoni on April 30. Rocchi’s lawyer, Antonio D’Avirro, released multiple interviews with Italian media, insisting that his client is facing an injustice.
“I met with him, and he’s demoralised because he believes he’s the victim of an injustice,” D’Avirro told Pressing.
“He [Rocchi] considers all the allegations to be unfounded.
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“He has always acted loyally and transparently, and he is deeply troubled by being accused of something so serious.
“I don’t know whether he will return, but we will certainly be able to defend ourselves effectively. We are currently evaluating which defensive strategies to adopt by Thursday.”
Rocchi has suspended himself from his duties while under investigation for participation in sports fraud.
“Reference is being made to other people, but we do not know who they are,” D’Avirro told Sport Mediaset.
“It is a multi-party offence, yet only Rocchi is named in the notice of investigation.
“Calciopoli? This is a completely different matter. Back then, hundreds of people around the clubs were involved, whereas here we are talking about only two or three individuals.”
Reports in Italy confirm that former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric requires surgery after suffering a nasty head-to-head clash with Italy international during the 0-0 draw between Milan and Juventus on Sunday evening.
According to the latest updates from Sky Sport Italia, Modric suffered a fracture to his left cheekbone after challenging for a header in the air with Locatelli in the second half of Sunday night’s game in San Siro.
Modric, who was voted Milan’s man of the match against Juventus, reported for medical examinations on Monday and the latest updates indicate that he will have surgery on his fractured cheekbone in the coming hours.
It has not yet been confirmed either way whether Modric will be able to return for Milan for their final four matches of the Serie A season. The Rossoneri are next in action away against Sassuolo on Sunday, then at home against Atalanta on May 10, away against Genoa on May 17 and at home against Cagliari on May 24.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luka Modric of AC Milan is consoled by Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, as he is assisted off by medical staff after going down injured during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Modric is also into the final few months of his Milan contract, having signed an initial one-year deal at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, but there is an option to extend that agreement by a further 12 months.
The 40-year-old has defied his age this season and has been a key player in Milan’s 2025-26 season. He has been in the matchday squad for all 34 of the team’s Serie A matches this season, has started in 32 of them and has only been left on the bench once.
Lazio have confirmed that Mattia Zaccagni and Danilo Cataldi have not made the matchday squad for Monday evening’s Serie A match against Udinese, which means that there could be an outing for veteran Pedro at the Stadio Olimpico this evening.
It’s a midtable battle between the ninth-placed Lazio and the 11th-placed Udinese in the capital on Monday night. Maurizio Sarri’s side are hoping to put a run together after beating Napoli 2-0 last time out in Serie A and overcoming Atalanta on penalties in the Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday.
The Biancocelesti are without two key first-team players in Zaccagni, who is still struggling with the after-effects of a quadriceps injury, and Cataldi, who misses out through illness. Neither have been included in the matchday squad.
TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 01: Danilo Cataldi of SS Lazio reacts during the Serie A match between Torino FC and SS Lazio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on March 01, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Nicolo Rovella is available to Sarri again, but he is not expected to be thrown into the starting line-up on this occasion.
Reports from Sky Sport Italia indicate that Pedro will start on Lazio’s left wing in the absence of Zaccagni, but it remains to be seen whether it will be Boulaye Dia or Daniel Maldini starting in the middle of the attack. Sarri is tipped to name a midfield three of Kenneth Taylor, Toma Basic and Patric.
Despite their defeat against Parma last week, Udinese are not expected to make any major personnel changes against Lazio, although there are reports that Adam Buksa could come into the starting line-up. Leading goalscorer Keinan Davis is unavailable through injury.
Kick-off is due at 19.45 BST.
Where to watch Lazio vs. Udinese
UDINE, ITALY – DECEMBER 27: Matias Vecino competes for the ball with Nicolò Zaniolo of Udinese Calcio during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Friuli on December 27, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Tonight’s game will be available to watch live in the UK on DAZN. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+.
Join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog.
FLORENCE, ITALY – APRIL 13: Maurizio Sarri looks on during the Serie A match against ACF Fiorentina at Artemio Franchi on April 13, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Napoli, Milan and Juventus currently occupy the three positions behind league leaders Inter in Serie A’s Champions League zone, but Como and Roma are hoping to take the top four fight until the very end of the 2025-26 season.
Here is a look at each side’s remaining fixtures and a look at which side has the ‘easiest’ run-in.
As things stand, the table-topping Inter are the only Serie A side to have a Champions League place wrapped up with four league games of the season left to play. The Nerazzurri have 79 points after 34 games, which has them 18 points clear of fifth place with just four games to go.
Below them, just eight points separates five teams hoping to secure a place in next season’s Champions League. In order, they are Napoli, Milan, Juventus, Como and Roma. The latter two are level on 61 points, just three behind Juventus in fourth place.
With four Serie A matches of the season left to go, it is Juventus who have the ‘easiest’ run-in in terms of the average league position of their remaining opponents. With games against Hellas Verona (19th), Lecce (17th), Fiorentina (15th) and Torino (13th) left to go, the average league position of Juve’s remaining opponents comes out to a mouth-watering 16th.
By the same metric, it is Napoli who have the ‘toughest’ remaining run of league fixtures. Their schedule includes matches against Como (5th), Bologna (8th), Pisa (20th) and Udinese (11th), which means the average league position of their remaining opponents comes out to 11th.
Remaining Napoli, Milan, Juventus, Como and Roma fixtures compared in Champions League race
Napoli
NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 24: Scott McTominay of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring his side first goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and US Cremonese at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 24, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Current rank: 2nd
Points: 69
Remaining fixtures: Como (a), Bologna (h), Pisa (a), Udinese (h).
Average league position of remaining opponents: 11.00
Milan
NAPLES, ITALY – APRIL 06: AC Milan team pose before the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 06, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Average league position of remaining opponents: 11.75
Juventus
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Manuel Locatelli of Juventus applauds the fans following his side’s victory in the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Current rank: 4th
Points: 64
Remaining fixtures: Verona (h), Lecce (a), Fiorentina (h), Torino (a).
Average league position of remaining opponents: 16.00
Como
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Anastasios Douvikas of Como (4th from left) celebrates with his team-mates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Current rank: 5th
Points: 61
Remaining fixtures: Napoli (h), Verona (a), Parma (h), Cremonese (a).
Average league position of remaining opponents: 12.75
Roma
ROME, ITALY – APRIL 10: Donyell Malen with his teammates of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Pisa SC at Stadio Olimpico on April 10, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Hakan Calhanoglu has suffered a new muscle injury, and according to reports in Italy, the Inter star is in doubt for the Coppa Italia Final against Lazio on May 13.
Inter star Calhanoglu could miss the Coppa Italia Final against Lazio on May 13 due to a new muscle injury.
The Nerazzurri confirmed on Monday that the Turkish midfielder had sustained a new injury.
“Hakan Çalhanoğlu underwent medical examinations this morning at the Humanitas Clinical Institute in Rozzano,” Inter said in a statement.
“The tests revealed a muscular strain in the soleus of his left leg. His condition will be assessed in the coming days.”
Italian sources, including Sky Sport Italia and Gazzetta, report that Calhanoglu’s new injury might rule him out of the upcoming Coppa Italia Final in about two weeks.
JUNE 16: The trophy at the Olympic stadium prior the Coppa Italia Final match between Juventus and SSC Napoli at Olimpico Stadium on June 16, 2020 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)
Calhanoglu has been on and off the field due to injuries, especially in the second part of the campaign, but has still managed 12 goals and seven assists in 30 games across all competitions this term.
The 32-year-old has missed 13 matches due to injuries this term.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter scores his team’s second goal while under pressure from Lorenzo Pellegrini of AS Roma during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
On Sunday, he was an unused substitute in Inter’s 2-2 draw against Torino.
Former referee Daniele Minelli has brought further claims and provided more details regarding the latest refereeing scandal, and claims that errors have ‘multiplied at an alarming rate’ after a complaint about referee designator Gianluca Rocchi was brought forward last year.
The matter began in May 2025 when former assistant referee Domenico Rocca sent a letter of complaint to the Italian referees’ association (AIA) regarding designator Rocchi.
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Chine has confirmed that the matter was investigated and later closed last year, but this is now being investigated by the public prosecutor’s office in Milan due to potential criminal relevance.
The investigation centres around an incident that occurred during the Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025. During that game, there was a review for a potential penalty, which VAR official Daniele Paterna appeared inclined to rule out, however, footage shows that Paterna looked back, appeared to be talking to somebody behind him, was seen asking ‘is it a penalty?’, and this has led to claims that VAR decisions were being influenced by external figures.
Reports in Italy claim that various other incidents have been brought under review, including referee Daniele Doveri being removed from certain Inter matches at the end of the 2024-25 season, as he was not considered a ‘favourable’ choice for the Nerazzurri.
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 11: Match referee, Daniele Doveri shows Antonio Conte, Head Coach of SSC Napoli, (not pictured) a red card during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Minelli provides further details and allegations in refereeing scandal
Speaking to news agency AGI (via La Gazzetta dello Sport), former ref Minelli, who spent most of his officiating career in Serie B with a handful of outings in the top flight, claims that interference in the VAR room was a well-known thing among officials.
He also says that refs whose errors were corrected by VAR would receive a higher rating, and would therefore be more likely to appear in big matches, while those who didn’t have their mistakes corrected would drop lower down the referees’ ranking, and in some cases, might not even be paid.
“The knocks (on the glass) of the VAR room? People were talking about it and it was well known that the protocol didn’t allow it,” Minelli said.
LIVORNO, ITALY – JULY 31: Daniele Minelli referee during the serie B match between AS Livorno and FC Empoli at Armando Picchi Stadium on July 31, 2020 in Livorno, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images for Lega Serie B)
“In the case of Udinese vs. Parma, it’s clear that if the VAR official gave a (penalty), it would affect their rating and consequently, the internal ranking that determines whether referees stay or go home, and thus, whether they receive their attendance fee or not. There could also be repercussions for the clubs in the league table.”
Minelli claims that referee designator Rocchi and his assistants affected certain calls in the VAR room, but adds that these incidents have significantly reduced after the complaint was made by Rocca last year, and as a result, mistakes by referees have increased.
“Ever since Rocchi and his assistants stopped turning up in Lissone, because the federation required that the federal prosecutor be present in the VAR room after Rocca’s complaint, refereeing errors have multiplied at an alarming rate. I don’t know if that’s the reason, but I’ve never seen as many as this year.
“If mistakes were corrected in some cases but not in others, it’s clear that this has skewed the referees’ rankings, because those whose mistakes were corrected received a positive rating, while those who weren’t received a negative one. You only need to watch the footage from the VAR room from recent years: You can hear the suggestions being made.”
Former Italian striker Pasquale Luiso recalls his time at Vicenza, especially his goal at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the Cup Winners’ Cup and explains why he rejected offers from Milan, Lazio and Roma: ‘I preferred being a small-club top scorer.’
Former Vicenza star Luiso released an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport to talk about his career as a footballer, during which he scored 25 goals in 87 Serie A matches.
The former Italian striker became an icon in the 90s for his bicycle kick goals, especially one against Milan in 1996.
Luiso was playing for Piacenza back then, bagging 14 goals in 32 appearances, attracting interest from many top clubs in Italy.
“Both Milan and Roma wanted me. The following year, Lazio too. But I always said no,” he said.
“I wanted to play, not to be the fourth striker. I preferred being a small-club top scorer to being one of many on a big team. Of course, maybe two forwards get injured, and you play, but I was afraid of rotting on the bench.
“It was a different kind of football back then. On the pitch, we used to really go at each other. I remember clashes with Montero; we’d beat each other up for 90 minutes,” he continued.
“Then, off the pitch, we were friends. Same thing against Andrea Sottil, as well as Ferrara and Nesta. They were incredibly strong defenders, and every match against them felt like a war.”
In the summer of 1997, despite requests from Milan and Roma, Luiso joined Vicenza.
“I couldn’t have made a better decision. Guidolin was a master, even if we didn’t talk much. Practically, never,” he recalled.
“He said he didn’t want to hug us or give us compliments. Football, for him, was his fake world. He limited himself to the pitch and the dressing room; for everything else, he kept to himself. And I think he paid a bit for that. On top of that, he was incredibly superstitious. He would put plasters on his fingers because he used to bite them so much…”
During the 1997-98 season, Vincenza beat Chelsea 1-0 at home in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal. They went on to lose the decider 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, with Luiso scoring the only goal for the Italian side.
2 Apr 1998: GianLuca Vialli of Chelsea beats a Vicenza tackle during the European Cup Winners Cup semi-final between Vicenza and Chelsea played at the \ Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport
“So many memories! We won the first leg at the Menti, and in the return match, I scored, silencing the opposing fans,” said the ex-Italian striker.
“I even told them to shut up, since they were booing. I also had a goal disallowed, which should have stood. Who knows how it would have gone otherwise? Gianluca Vialli played against us. He was my absolute idol. When I was a kid, I used to wear my socks down in his honour. He gave me his shirt, and I still keep it today like a relic.”
Luiso never got to make his senior Italy debut, but had been long considered by the Azzurri coach back then, Cesare Maldini.
16 Apr 1998: Pierluigi Brivio of Vicenza loses his cool with Jody Morris of Chelsea in the European Cup Winners” Cup Semi-final at Stamford Bridge, London, England. Chelsea won the match 3-1 to go into the Final. \ Mandatory Credit: Stu Forster /Allsport
“Look, I was an ‘unpolished’ footballer. I couldn’t juggle the ball twice in a row,” Luiso admitted.
“I came through with hunger and the desire to conquer the world. On the pitch, I was unbearable for both teammates and opponents. I wasn’t pleasant to watch. Just the fact that [Cesare] Maldini thought about me was already a source of pride. And besides, in my time, there would have had to be an epidemic. Up front, we had phenomenal players.”
The situation of Italian football is much different now.
“I’m not saying this out of arrogance, but I think today I would score goals at will and probably be a starter for the national team,” Luiso said.
“When I played, everything was different. It was another kind of football.
“I’m enjoying life now. I’d like to return to football, but I don’t know,” he concluded.
“Nobody has ever called me. Maybe it’s because I’m not very social, and I’ve never sold myself well. I run a car rental business with my brother, and sometimes I go and help out.”
According to reports in Italy, VAR officials were allegedly influenced by external figures, such as referees’ chief Gianluca Rocchi, who used ‘coded messages’ to suggest whether to alert the referee on the pitch.
Serie A and Serie B designator Rocchi is under investigation for suspected participation in sports fraud and has therefore suspended himself from his duties.
Serie A referee scandal: latest updates
The former international referee is expected to be heard by the Milan Prosecutor on April 30, while the FIGC Prosecutor has denied having requested documents from authorities in the ongoing criminal investigation.
Rocchi is suspected of influencing VAR decisions, as a video appears to show.
On March 1, 2025, VAR official Daniele Paterna reviewed a potential penalty for Udinese in their home game against Parma and initially seemed reluctant to urge the on-the-pitch referee to the pitchside monitor.
However, Paterna suddenly turned right, seemingly talking to someone outside the VAR room. Paterna asked, ‘Is that a penalty?’ before telling the referee to review the incident on the monitor.
Repubblica reports that investigators believe VAR officials were aware of coded messages that would be used to assess controversial incidents and, therefore, to determine whether to alert the referee on the pitch.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 05: Referee Gianluca Rocchi during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Chelsea FC and AFC Ajax at Stamford Bridge on November 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
A raised hand meant ‘do not intervene’, while a clenched fist meant ‘send the referee to monitor’.
“Whether these are exaggerations or even smear tactics burn out of internal feuds within the refereeing world, or instead pieces of evidence supporting the allegations, will become clear when the prosecutors reveal their findings,” wrote Repubblica.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MAY 12: Referee Simone Sozza checks the pitch side VAR monitor during the Serie A match between Atalanta and AS Roma at Gewiss Stadium on May 12, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni is also under investigation and, just like Rocchi, he’s expected to be heard on April 30.
Rocchi is also accused of having appointed referees who were liked by Inter during the 2024-25 campaign, yet no evidence has emerged.
Nerazzurri President Marotta has insisted that the club is not involved in the scandal and, currently, no Inter representative is under investigation.
Johan Cruijff will forever be remembered as one of the best players and coaches of all time, but back in 1994, his Barcelona side underestimated Milan, who secured an historic 4-0 victory in the Champions League Final.
Forget the last 15 years during which Milan have failed to leave their mark on the Champions League: the Serie A giants remain one of the most successful clubs in the competition, having lifted the trophy seven times. Only Real Madrid have more with 15.
Back in the days, Milan were the team to beat as they reached three consecutive Champions League Finals from 1993 to 1995.
On May 18, 1984, they won the fifth Champions League in their history, beating Cruyff’s Barcelona 4-0 in Athens.
On the eve of the game, the Catalans’ coach looked beyond confident, telling the media: “Barcelona are favourites. We’re more complete, competitive and experienced than [in the 1992 final] at Wembley. Milan are nothing out of this world. They base their game on defence; we base ours on attack.”
Barcelona had already won the Champions League (European Cup) in 1992, beating Sampdoria at Wembley Stadium.
Back then, it was already possible to gamble on football matches, but nowadays, an overview of the latest betting bonuses massively helps football fans spot the best offers, especially the wagering rules and limits, so they can make smarter, more confident bets.
Cruijff’s words surely produced a positive effect in the Milan squad, as Marcel Desailly, one of the legendary players of that Rossoneri team, said in a recent interview with the Italian Football Podcast.
“His words helped a lot. The coach didn’t give the speech at the hotel but in the dressing room, with the assistant coach who had a copy of the newspaper with the quote that we were crap,” said the former France defender.
“What are you talking about? We had Donadoni, Albertini, Savicevic and me all international players. So, saying that Milan wasn’t anything special as we were about to win the Serie A, really motivated us.
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 20: Fabio Capello attends the Sporting Mixed Zone ahead of Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2025 at Palacio De Cibeles on April 20, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Laureus)
“Capello and his assistants were very, very smart by giving us the adrenaline to make the difference. Barcelona was a bit deluded in their motivation. Because they had already won La Liga a couple of weeks earlier.
“So, automatically their adrenaline had dropped, so to bring back into the system the motivation back against a Milan that was like a wolf, they couldn’t make it. And also, with an amazing Marcel Desailly, they couldn’t make it [laughs].”
The last time Milan won the Champions League was in 2007, again in Athens, but against Liverpool, with Carlo Ancelotti in charge.
Saelemaekers hits the crossbar, Roma and Como remain at a distance.
Inter, it’s yours
Great Toro comeback, but the Scudetto is three points away
+10 with four games remaining. Party ready at San Siro against Parma on Sunday. Marotta: ‘Fans, be calm, we are not involved in the scandal. We’ve always been correct.’
The referees shield themselves.
Rocchi and Gervasoni heard on Thursday, and they might not reply to the prosecutors. The investigation is nearly closed; it started a year ago.
FIGC commissioner, the Government pushes, the board is divided.
Corriere dello Sport
Referees, the prosecutors investigate: Inter’s rebellion
Marotta: ‘We are not involved.’
‘We’ve always acted with the utmost fairness, never indicated unwanted referees.’ Chiné: ‘I’ve never asked for the documents.’ Rocchi: ‘Heard on Thursday? We’ll see.’ The Government wants to appoint a commissioner.
It doesn’t end here
Draw (0-0) in the match between Allegri and Spalletti: Fabregas and Gasperini are three points behind Lucio.
Champions League race: Milan, Juve, Como and Roma within six points
Disallowed Thuram goal and Saelemaekers’ crossbar. Little emotions at San Siro. Cesc wins 2-0 in Marassi. Four games to go: a race for two spots.
Napoli, McTominay’s record
13 goals so far, the next one will mark a personal record
Roma, Malen leaves the others behind
181m invested in No.9 since 2020: Donyell is the leader
Arezzo celebrate: Here’s Serie B
Bucchi beats Torres (3-1): 80 points in 36 matches.
Tuttosport
Simeone+Vlasic: 15 minutes of fury block Inter’s joy.
Toro’s comeback with pride
Thuram and Bisseck appear to legitimise the Nerazzurri’s certainty of winning at the Grande Torino, but D’Aversa gets the substitutions right: Zapata and Nije give a shake. Ilkhan lights up, and the stadium finally gets excited. The coach: ‘The attitude has changed too, Cholito was so determined!’ Duvan: ‘We must rebuild our relationship with the fans.’ Chivu needs three points for the Scudetto.
Once upon a time, there was Milan-Juve
A disappointing 0-0 at San Siro
Thuram’s disallowed goal for offside and Saelemaekers’ crossbar were the only highlights; then the two teams settled for a goalless draw, as in the reverse fixture. Allegri slips -2 from Napoli, Spalletti remains fourth, but Como and Roma get closer: ‘Now let’s see who is worthy of Juve.’
Max Allegri insists Milan ‘can be content with the point’ against Juventus, admits Christian Pulisic is ‘sensitive’ to his drought, but warns Rafael Leao ‘can never be consistent.’
The Rossoneri felt it was perhaps more important to keep the Bianconeri at a safe distance from third rather than keep up with Napoli in second, and it showed at San Siro in a tactical stalemate.
There were some chances, above all Alexis Saelemaekers hitting the crossbar and the Khephren Thuram goal ruled offside, but Milan have now failed to score in their last six consecutive Serie A meetings with Juve.
Allegri sees positive point for Milan
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan controls the ball whilst under pressure from Weston McKennie of Juventus during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“It was a very balanced, tactical game, with a great deal at stake. We had a couple of situations, as did Juventus,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.
“Juve have a lot of strength in depth with players who can come off the bench and take men on down the wings, but my lads defended very well, apart from one cross that David didn’t get his head to.
“We can be content with the point, as it allows us to take another small step forward, we are mathematically now just six points away from securing our target, so that means winning two games.
“The draw was the right result, these are balanced matches where an incident can change the game, and it was a fair result.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Bremer of Juventus is challenged by Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Allegri was seen on the touchline getting furious with his players for allowing some Juve counter-attacks and he laughed when asked about those situations.
“We conceded three goals against Udinese and didn’t even notice, those were all counter-attacks, and today we lost the ball two or three times dangerously. However, the lads defended very well when chasing them down.
“I do wish we’d had more precise passing and timing of the passes to complete our moves.”
Luka Modric was forced off after a nasty clash of heads with Manuel Locatelli, and continued to look somewhat dazed on the touchline.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The front pairing of Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic continues to do little to help either player in the 3-5-2 formation, and Niclas Fullkrug this time replaced the USMNT star to shake things up a bit with a real Number 9.
“I think Rafa played well tonight, it was one of his best performances of the season. Between assists and goals, he gave his contribution this term, but you cannot expect a player like this to be particularly consistent. He never has been, not even four or five years ago, because he lights up at the right time,” insisted Allegri.
“He helped out defensively today and had a good attitude, he had a couple of changes of pace, which he had struggled with lately due to fitness problems. He took on Bremer and pulled the ball back, so it was one of his best performances.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Lloyd Kelly of Juventus battles for possession with Niclas Fuellkrug of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Pulisic meanwhile has now equalled his worst ever goalless streak, failing to find the net for 16 consecutive games, just like at Chelsea in 2022, and is yet to contribute a goal in 2026.
“Christian is a very sensitive man and this drought is hitting him harder. He is also someone who struggles more with the physicality of duels and the lack of a centre-forward, but I must try to give a balance to this team, as we have an objective to achieve.
“I realise he is not entirely suited to this, I had asked him to play centre-right tonight and Leao centre-left, so we were without a centre-forward. Rest assured, by the end of the season Pulisic will have given his contribution,” assured Allegri.
“The results ultimately are a tally of points, and now we need six points rather than seven to secure the Champions League spot. Now we have to prepare well for Sassuolo, and play better on a technical level.”
Luciano Spalletti warns Juventus that they ‘had to be wary’ in their 0-0 draw with Milan, but the race for a Champions League spot will go down to the wire.
The Bianconeri had a huge opportunity with a victory to catch Milan in third place, but also knew they had to look over their shoulders to keep Como and Roma at bay in the hunt for a Champions League spot.
Khephren Thuram had the ball in the back of the net, but only after wandering into an offside position, while Alexis Saelemaekers came closest for the hosts when rattling the crossbar.
Spalletti wanted careful Juventus
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“We continued our journey, we tried to take the initiative, a bit too slowly and predictably in the first half, we never managed to get past their men, so they were always in position,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia.
“You have to be wary with Milan, as you feel like you are in complete control, and then they suddenly burst forward with three or four to make it difficult for you. The danger is when you feel comfortable against them.
“When building out from the back, we worked on the preventative marking to ensure those counter-attacks didn’t happen. There were a few situations where we could’ve done better, including a foul on Jonathan David, but it was missed.”
That was a challenge on the very edge of the penalty area and the referee waved play on, but overall it was another decent performance from the Canadian.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Jonathan David of Juventus is challenged by Davide Bartesaghi of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“If there isn’t a lot of physical contact, he can get out of duels with technical quality, but if you press him physically, he struggles more. He runs so much, you cannot doubt his dynamism, pressing on Modric, Gabbia and Maignan constantly, he brings results. Naturally, he’s not someone who can run with pace or take men on, but when collaborating with the team, he’s perfect at that.
“We needed to create more density in support to help him out, as today especially in the first half, we left him a little too isolated,” said Spalletti.
Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz both came on for the final minutes, as they were carrying injury problems.
“When the team had more control in the second half and pushed Milan back, Vlahovic’s presence could’ve helped, but he only came back to training with the team on Friday. Kenan too struggled when he had to make two changes of pace, you could see he wasn’t in great shape.
“With Vlahovic, he was coming off a very long injury, he got hurt last time when warming up on the touchline, so we can’t rush him. The future depends also on the present, so we can’t run unnecessary risks.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus warms up prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
This 0-0 draw mirrors the previous meeting between the teams earlier this season, when Christian Pulisic failed to convert a penalty in Turin.
Both Roma and Como now move to within three points of Juventus, so the hunt for Champions League qualification is still wide open with four rounds left to play.
“I think it will go down to the wire or very close to it, because these are the games. Roma and Como won, so we still have quite a few matches left to win before we can deserve our place in that tournament,” added Spalletti.
“It’s time for the final sprint, and at this stage is where the fatigue of a long season starts to build up, that is where you can tell who belongs at Juventus and who doesn’t.
“We must confirm the culture of self-discipline, hard work and determination that inhabits this club, giving our all every day and letting nothing go by.”
Juve extended their unbeaten run to eight Serie A games, but notably they have conceded only one goal in the last seven rounds, during their 1-1 draw with Sassuolo.
Milan and Juventus shared the spoils at San Siro, though Alexis Saelemaekers hit the crossbar and Khephren Thuram had a goal disallowed, keeping the race for the top four open.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan warms up prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
This was a huge crossroads for the season, because the Rossoneri were only three points clear of Juve in third place and chasing Napoli, the Bianconeri in turn needing a result to stop Como and Roma closing on fourth. Davide Bartesaghi started despite not being at 100 per cent, while the Old Lady missed Arek Milik and Juan Cabal, with Kenan Yildiz and Dusan Vlahovic only fit for the bench.
Youssouf Fofana fired wide from a tricky angle after shaking off Andrea Cambiaso, but Adrien Rabiot stung the gloves of Michele Di Gregorio with a scorching strike, Rafael Leao firing the follow-up over the bar.
Juventus thought they had equalised moments later when Francisco Conceicao rolled across to the back post for Khephren Thuram to come sliding in, but the Frenchman was offside.
Francisco Conceicao got down the right again for a shot that Mike Maignan parried with his chest at the near post. Bartesaghi was not fully fit and struggling to keep up with Conceicao, so replaced by Pervis Estupinan at half-time.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus controls the ball whilst under pressure from Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Milan came so close when Alexis Saelemaekers smashed a ferocious finish onto the underside of the crossbar with the inside of the right boot from 10 yards on a Leao assist. Juve then immediately went on the counter, David going down after squirming between Matteo Gabbia and Fikayo Tomori just outside the area, but the referee waved away appeals for a foul.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Alexis Saelemaekers of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Modric went off after a nasty accidental clash of heads with Manuel Locatelli left him dazed, replaced by Ardon Jashari.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Luka Modric of AC Milan is consoled by Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, as he is assisted off by medical staff after going down injured during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
David just failed to get his head to a dangerous cross from the right, only grazing it from six yards, while Dusan Vlahovic was offside when Maignan stuck out one foot to parry his angled drive.
The second 0-0 draw of the season between these teams means Milan have not scored in any of their last six Serie A meetings with Juventus.
Milan fans booed their star striker Leao during a Serie A match against Juventus at San Siro on Sunday.
The same had happened two weeks ago, in the previous home match against Udinese, which the Rossoneri lost 3-0.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan chases a loose ball alongside Manuel Locatelli of Juventus during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
This evening, Leao was subbed off in the 80th minute and replaced by Christopher Nkunku.
Once again, most of the Rossoneri supporters showed no mercy for the Portuguese, whistling him as he made his way off the pitch from the far side of the field.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Rafael Leao of AC Milan reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Leao walked all the way around the pitch until he reached the Rossoneri bench, where coach Massimiliano Allegri gave him a high five and told him, “Well done.”
Leao has not scored a Serie A goal since March 1, but provided the assist for Adrien Rabiot’s winning goal against Hellas Verona last week and also delivered a key pass in the match against Juventus, seeing his teammate Alexis Saelemaekers hit the crossbar from an excellent position.
Football Italia is among the accredited media at San Siro tonight. You can follow live updates on the liveblog.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu admits his team has ‘regret’ after a 2-2 away draw at Torino, although the Granata’s comeback ‘could have ended even worse.’
The Nerazzurri were still buzzing after the fightback from 2-0 down to beat Como 3-2 midweek in the Coppa Italia semi-final, setting up a showdown with Lazio on May 13.
It could well be the Double for Chivu in his first season at San Siro, although the Scudetto party will have to wait after fumbling a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Torino this evening.
“There’s regret. We had the game in our hands, and we suffered their push in the final minutes,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.
“The first goal scared us out, and the second was the consequence. We tried to react and score 3-2, but you also risk losing these matches, so credit to Torino: they didn’t give up and believed until the end.”
Federico Dimarco’s assists for Marcus Thuram and Yann Bisseck were cancelled out by Giovanni Simeone and a rather harsh Nikola Vlasic penalty for Carlos Augusto’s handling offence, so the lead at the top is cut to 10 points.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Nikola Vlasic of Torino is challenged by Matteo Darmian of FC Internazionale Milano during the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
The celebratory atmosphere was shaken when news broke that refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi had been placed under formal investigation for sporting fraud.
Among the accusations against him was colluding to assign referees favoured by Inter rather than others, backing Andrea Colombo over Daniele Doveri during the crucial Serie A run-in last season.
It remains to be seen whether more figures will be investigated and how involved the Nerazzurri were in the alleged collusion.
“I talk about football; I am the coach, and I’m paid to prepare the matches in the best way, passing on serenity and motivation,” Chivu said.
“Apparently, I didn’t do my job properly when we were leading 2-0. I take responsibility, but it changes little. We need three points, and we want to kill it off as soon as possible.”
Hakan Calhanoglu and Alessandro Bastoni were not involved. Denzel Dumfries started on the bench, while Lautaro Martinez is still injured.
“Calhanoglu was not fully fit. Dumfries is still not okay. For Lautaro, it’s still long,” Chivu explained.
“I thought I’d give some minutes to Bastoni in the second half because he had trained three times with us, but it’s never easy to enter certain pitches at a certain moment of the season after you’ve done so much.
“When you are up 2-0, you think everything is easy and that you have everything under control. Then you concede to make it 2-1 because of a mistake while playing out from the back, and the ghosts start creeping in; you get nervous.
“You begin to realise it won’t be easy after all, especially when a few incidents go against you. In my view, the comeback could have ended even worse.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 21: FC Internazionale coach Cristian Chivu looks on during the Coppa Italia match between FC Internazionale and Como 1907 at San Siro on April 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Inter will win the Serie A title next week, with three games to spare, if they beat Chivu’s ex-team, Parma, at San Siro. Does he feel any special emotion?
“Zero. I’m only focused on my job and my duty,” the Nerazzurri told DAZN.
“I don’t think about emotions. I must prepare for the match as best I can and provide the right motivation. It’s our dream. It started nine months ago. I think about taking home one of the season’s objectives. I must transmit serenity and ambition, but also desire and the appropriate attitude; the rest doesn’t count.”
Inter were held to a 2-2 draw by Torino and saw their lead at the top cut to 10 points, but could still celebrate the Scudetto next week without taking to the pitch.
The Nerazzurri had been on track for victory at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino this evening when leading 2-0 with goals from Marcus Thuram and Yann Bisseck.
With that result, they would’ve required only a point in the final four games to be mathematically certain of the Serie A title.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
The Scudetto is guaranteed if they beat Cristian Chivu’s old club Parma next Sunday evening at San Siro, which would be a fitting scenario for his crowning moment.
However, they might already have popped the champagne corks by kick-off.
If Milan lose to Juventus tonight (or against Sassuolo next week) and Napoli also lose away to Como on Saturday, it would make it mathematically impossible for them to catch the leaders.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 21: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, celebrates with Hakan Calhanoglu after during the Coppa Italia Semi-Final match between FC Internazionale and Como at San Siro on April 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Matteo Darmian insists Inter ‘remain focused’ on the title race despite recent allegations in a new referee scandal: ‘We’ll try to win the Scudetto in frot of our fans next week.’
The Nerazzurri now have a ten-point lead over second-placed Napoli, which means that a win in the next match against Parma will give them the Scudetto with three games to spare.
The last 24 hours, however, have been dominated by headlines about a new referee scandal in Italy that might involve Inter. Referee Chief Gianluca Rocchi, in fact, is accused, among other things, of choosing match officials favoured by the Nerazzurri.
“We read stuff, but we try to remain focused on the field and what we need to do to end this season in the best possible way,” Darmian told Sky Sport Italia via TMW.
“We needed four points before today’s game; we wanted to win, but we didn’t manage it,” the defender continued.
“We’ll try to do it next week in front of our fans to win the Scudetto; last season ended in the worst possible way, despite still being positive. It was not easy to start again, especially psychologically, but we were good, also thanks to the coach. We’ve done our best, and we are happy.”
Darmian made his 300th Serie A appearance today, but his contract expires at the end of the season, and according to several sources, the ex-Manchester United defender could return to Torino next summer.
“I don’t think about it now. I want to enjoy the last few games,” he said.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Matteo Darmian of FC Internazionale celebrates during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on February 08, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“We’ll celebrate when it is mathematically confirmed, and then we’ll have a Coppa Italia Final. The future is not something I’m thinking about now.
“I was injured for a long time, but I’ve always tried to make myself available. I’ve always respected the coach’s decisions. I know one can be important even if one doesn’t play all the games,” Darmian concluded.
“I’ve always made myself available. This season, we’ve proved how strong this group is, also mentally. It was not easy after the previous campaign, but we are great men before anything else. I’ve been at Inter for six years, and it’s normal to have ups and downs.”
Luciano Spalletti explains why Kenan Yildiz does not start for Juventus against Milan and how Jonathan David’s ‘relationship’ with his teammates improved.
This is a big crossroads for the season, because the Bianconeri know a victory would put them joint third with Milan, but a defeat can see Como and Roma close on them in fourth.
Spalletti explains Juventus decisions
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, reacts prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“It’s a wonderful atmosphere, there are sentiments all over the place,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia while looking around at a packed out San Siro.
“It’s natural for the fans to push us on with their enthusiasm and we gladly take on that added responsibility. This evening we have to come here and prove ourselves, show what we are capable of.
“This is going to be a difficult match because Milan have this approach where you seem to be in full control and comfort, but then suddenly they are breaking through from every angle. So we would need drones hovering above to see their positions in order to be ready for their style of football.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Kenan Yildiz is again only fit enough for a spot on the bench, while Dusan Vlahovic also returns to the squad after a muscular setback, but the season is over for Juan Cabal and Arek Milik.
“Yildiz is fine, he needs a recovery process so is unable to train on the pitch, he has to train in a different way. He only returned to training with us for the final session, so out of respect for the team and also in agreement with Yildiz, it is better to start with those players who had a full week of preparation,” explained Spalletti.
“However, he is ready to give his contribution off the bench when needed.”
Jonathan David broke his goal drought last week against Bologna and leads the attack, with Jeremie Boga and Francisco Conceicao in the wider support roles.
“David is improving, especially in terms of relationships. Too often in football we talk about reading the spaces and movements, but not enough about how to fit into a group,” noted Spalletti.
“The players all love him, he loves them, and when you have that connection between players, the ball moves faster and the game gets louder.”
TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Juventus FC head coach Luciano Spalletti looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SS Lazio at Allianz Stadium on February 8, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Much had been said in the early months on David’s lack of rapport with the Juventus teammates, which had been shrugged off with a joke that it was because he put cheese on seafood pasta.
Max Allegri expects ‘a great evening of sport’ between Milan and Juventus at San Siro, insisting Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic ‘can turn the game at any moment.’
This is a huge match for the top spots, because the Rossoneri need a victory to keep up with Napoli in second, and the Bianconeri know a victory would put them level with the Diavolo, holding off Como and Roma in the hunt for fourth.
Allegri expects intriguing Milan vs. Juventus
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 21: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Torino FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“We are talking about Juventus, so it is sure to be a great evening of sport. Juve are doing very well right now, they have not conceded in three games, move very well all over the field, so we must be organised and solid, as well as technically precise,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.
Rafael Leao and Pulisic remain the centre-forwards in a 3-5-2 formation, despite the difficulties shown by both strikers in this system, while Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot pull the midfield strings.
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri looks on during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Hellas Verona FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“They are fine, they are just in need of goals, and I hope that those will arrive this evening. They are players who can turn the game at any moment, but above all we need a strong performance from the whole team.”
Davide Bartesaghi is not at 100 per cent, but still manages to start for Milan, while Youssouf Fofana has also shaken off a knock in midfield.
Luciano Spalletti has shifted from three at the back to four, although Kenan Yildiz and Dusan Vlahovic are only fit for a spot on the bench.
“I expect a team that will move well, play between the lines, so we must be solid and allow as few balls as possible to go through. Juventus are strong in one-on-one situations, they always have had a good squad, and the arrival of Spalletti has just made them stronger,” concluded Allegri.
Inter are going to have to wait a little longer for the Scudetto party after fumbling a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Torino, despite historic Federico Dimarco.
The Nerazzurri were coming off a spectacular week, going 12 points clear at the top of the Serie A table, then fighting back from 2-0 down to beat Como 3-2, setting up a Coppa Italia Final against Lazio on May 13. Luis Henrique joined Lautaro Martinez on the treatment table, while Alessandro Bastoni, Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries were rested. Toro were unbeaten in three, but while Tino Anjorin and Zakaria Aboukhlal were ruled out, Duvan Zapata and Ardian Ismajli were back in action.
The Curva Maratona was left empty, as Torino ultras were on strike and marched towards the stadium, but stayed outside, in protest at the club and President Urbano Cairo.
Manuel Akanji nodded wide of the back post after a short corner, while Saul Coco ballooned over from the edge of the box following a Carlos Augusto error playing out from the back.
Marcus Thuram giving Federico Dimarco the shoeshine celebrating during Torino vs. Inter
Marcus Thuram opened the scoring with a header at the far stick from close range, but it was thanks to a record 17th assist of the Serie A season from Federico Dimarco, even if Opta record only 16 due to a deflection. The Italian floated one of his trademark crosses from the left, beating the tally of 16 assists achieved by Papu Gomez for Atalanta in 2019-20.
TADHAL! Marcus Thuram aig a’ phosta chùil airson Inter!
Piotr Zielinski volleyed just wide from the edge of the area after an Inter corner, but they had a huge double chance at the dawn of the second half.
First Alberto Paleari made a big save on Dimarco at the near post, then a desperate Enzo Ebosse sliding tackle prevented Matteo Darmian turning the rebound into an empty net from seven yards.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Piotr Zielinski of FC Internazionale Milano is challenged by Ardian Ismajli of Torino during the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Ismajli got in the way of the Thuram counter-attack, but Inter scored on the resulting corner with a Yann Bisseck header off the inside of the far post. The assist was yet again from Dimarco, ensuring Opta and the Lega Serie A can all agree he is now the outright record-holder.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Yann Aurel Bisseck of FC Internazionale Milano scores his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Ismajli needed another desperate tackle to stop Francesco Pio Esposito clear on goal from a central pass, but Torino did get one back in real style.
Giovanni Simeone ran onto the through ball, provided a back-heel flick for Emirhan Ilkhan, then ran onto the return pass and dinked a delightful finish over the on-rushing Yann Sommer.
It was nearly 2-2 moments later, Simeone at full stretch flicking the Luca Marianucci cross just wide from six yards when getting in front of Bisseck.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 26: Giovanni Simeone of Torino celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 26, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Torino were suddenly fired up and Alieu Njie’s strike forced a very tough save out of Sommer at the back post, but before that, Duvan Zapata’s header hit Carlos Augusto’s hand from point-blank range. It was considered to be worthy of a penalty following the VAR review, so Nikola Vlasic converted into the top corner.
Nikola Vlašić! Bho 0-2 do Inter, tha sinn co-ionnan!
Nikola Vlašić! From 0-2 to Inter, we're now level!
Henrikh Mkhitaryan had the ball in the net for Inter, but only after combining with the clearly offside Thuram. It remained wide open to the end with both sides going for victory, Zielinski drilling just wide, then Denzel Dumfries making a decisive interception to stop the Duvan Zapata tap-in.
The gap at the top is reduced to 10 points, but with only four games left to play.
Milan start Rafael Leao, Christian Pulisic and Luka Modric in this showdown for third place, with Juventus playing Jeremie Boga, Jonathan David and Francisco Conceicao.
This is a huge match for the Serie A table, because Max Allegri’s men are just three points clear of the Bianconeri and need a victory to keep up with Napoli in second, but Juventus are also looking anxiously over their shoulders to hang on to fourth after Como and Roma victories.
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Luka Modric of AC Milan celebrates the victory at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
While Youssouf Fofana has shaken off a muscular issue to start, Davide Bartesaghi is not at 100 per cent, but still recovers enough to start rather than Pervis Estupinan.
Alexis Saelemaekers gets the nod with Modric and Adrien Rabiot, who with Allegri are facing their former club.
VERONA, ITALY – APRIL 19: Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Rafael Leao during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and AC Milan at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on April 19, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Juventus had rested Kenan Yildiz against Bologna due to a recurring fitness problem, and he is again not risked from the start here.
Jeremie Boga therefore starts with Francisco Conceicao and David, the Canadian fresh from ending his goal drought.
Emil Holm and Khephren Thuram are not at 100 per cent either, so could be sharing their midfield spot with a second half substitution.
Michele Di Gregorio is firmly back in goal now after a period of poor form, but while Dusan Vlahovic returns to the bench, the season is over for Juan Cabal and Arek Milik.
PISA, ITALY – DECEMBER 27: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus FC looks on during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and Juventus FC at Arena Garibaldi on December 27, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Cesc Fabregas confirmed that Como star Nico Paz was taken to hospital after a head injury during the 2-0 win away to Genoa. ‘He couldn’t see properly.’
The Argentina international was in the starting XI at Marassi and playing very well in the afternoon Serie A Week 34 kick-off.
However, he had a clash of heads with Genoa defender Marcandalli during the first half, then went over several times to the touchline and told the medical staff he was struggling to see properly out of one eye.
Nico Paz struggling with head injury
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Nicolas Paz of Como (left) and Alessandro Marcandalli of Genoa lie on the pitch after suffering an injury during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Cesc Fabregas, head coach of Como, looks on prior to kick-off in the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Nico Paz has scored 13 goals with eight assists in 38 competitive matches for Como so far this season.
Real Madrid retain a buy-back option on the 21-year-old that is worth €9m, and multiple reports confirm they fully intend to use it.
Marcus Thuram brought out a very special Inter celebration to congratulate Federico Dimarco on an historic Serie A assist, one used in the past for Ronaldo, but is it a full record or not?
The Nerazzurri opened the scoring at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino this evening against Torino, when Dimarco floated a trademark cross to the back post for Thuram’s header from close range.
This was no ordinary goal, because it was for Opta the 16th Serie A assist of the season for Dimarco.
It enabled him to enter the history books, equalling the previous record of 16 set by Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez for Atalanta in the 2019-20 campaign.
The Lega Serie A suggest he actually provided 17 assists already this season, but Opta only calculated 16 because of a significant deflection on one of his corners that was then turned in.
Thuram knew as much and brought out a celebration from the history books too, as he knelt down and acted as a shoeshine for his teammate and that special left foot.
The 27-year-old has been a regular in the starting XI for Max Allegri so far this season and is expected to play this evening in the big Serie A game against Juventus.
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 21: Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammates during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Torino FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
There was already strong interest from Galatasaray in the January window, and they are expected to try again at the end of the current campaign.
According to Calciomercato, they will face fierce competition from two Ligue 1 clubs, as both Olympique Lyonnais and Marseille are also keeping a close eye on the situation.
Fofana moved to Milan from AS Monaco in the summer of 2024 at a cost of €26m.
Before that, his entire career had been in France with Strasbourg and JA Drancy.
It is reported that if the Rossoneri were to sell, then offers of €25-30m would be taken into consideration.
The lawyer representing Gianluca Rocchi, who is under investigation for sporting fraud, has pointed to a potential flaw in the proceedings taken against the refereeing designator: ‘I’ve never seen an indictment that doesn’t specify who the other subject is’.
He is said to have influenced VAR protocols during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025 by banging on the window of the VAR booth and recommending that the officials call for an on-field review for a penalty. There have also been claims that Rocchi sought to remove referee Daniele Doveri from certain Inter matches towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign, as Doveri was not considered a ‘favourable’ referee for the Nerazzurri.
Rocchi has since stepped down from his position as referee designator pending the results of the ongoing investigation by the prosecutor’s office in Milan.
The referee designator will be heard by the Milan prosecutor’s office on April 30. Representing him is lawyer Antonio D’Avirro, who believes that there is a fundamental flaw with the investigation involving his client.
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
D’Avirro claims that the investigation focuses on an ‘agreement’ between multiple parties, but that Rocchi is the only individual currently being investigated, which he argues cannot be the case.
“These are disputes I can’t understand, because the concurrence of several people was reported, but these other people have not been identified. I have never seen that the other subject of an alleged agreement is not brought forward in cases of sporting fraud,” saidRocchi’s lawyer.
“We’re evaluating. We don’t know who these other people are, it’s not been indicated.”
There have also been suggestions that Rocchi made arrangements regarding the removal of specific referees from certain Inter matches while he was at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza last season, which his lawyer outright denies.
“Rocchi visited all the stadiums and whatever the case, the prosecutor’s office must indicate who these other people are. I have done a lot of trials involving sporting fraud but I have never seen an indictment that doesn’t specify who the other subject is.”
Lega Serie A President Ezio Simonelli has had his say on the latest refereeing scandal that has emerged in Italy, but says that he is unable to go into any major details, as is his duty.
Serie A chief responds to Rocchi refereeing controversy
On Saturday, news broke that referee designator Gianluca Rocchi is under investigation after a complaint was raised by former assistant referee Domenico Rocca back in May 2025. The complaint was originally archived, but has since been dug up and is being investigated by the public prosecutor’s office in Milan.
Rocchi reportedly received notice of an investigation on Friday (April 24) for his alleged involvement in sporting fraud, a particularly serious accusation that was not even brought up during Serie A’s infamous Calciopoli scandal.
Reports in Italy claim that Rocchi interfered with the VAR process during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025 by banging on the window of the VAR booth and recommending an on-field review for a penalty during the game. There have also been claims that Rocchi sought to take referee Daniele Doveri off Inter’s most important matches towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign, with suggestions that Doveri was not a ‘favourable’ referee for the Nerazzurri.
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Simonelli has since had an opportunity to comment on the matter, but says that he is unable to go into any real depth until the investigations have drawn to a conclusion.
“Following on from what I’ve read in the media, I would like to remind you that, as in any other situation, these are accusations by the investigators and it is everybody’s duty to consider them as such,” said Simonelli (via Corriere dello Sport).
“Hasty judgements or conclusions of any kind are out of place while dutifully waiting for the investigations to complete their journey to the truth. None of us know any detail of the affair, and as custodians, that is our exact duty until the final judgement.”
Inter President Beppe Marotta insists the club is ‘stunned’ at being dragged into the Gianluca Rocchi investigation, but they are ‘safe in the knowledge we are not involved.’
PISA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 30: Giuseppe Marotta of FC Internazionale looks on prior to the Serie A match between Pisa SC and FC Internazionale at Arena Garibaldi on November 30, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
“For a start, we do not have referees that we favour or are unfavourable towards, we are confident that we acted entirely fairly, which should reassure everyone.
“Last season, not to complain but as an objective fact, there were some refereeing decisions that went against us and that the officials agreed were mistakes, for example the penalty not awarded in Inter-Roma.
“So I have to say we are here focused on this game, this season, this Scudetto that we want to take home. We are safe in the knowledge that Inter are not involved in this situation and will not be involved in the future.”
AIA chief Gianluca Rocchi (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
There are reports that representatives of Inter could be called to act as witnesses for the investigation into Rocchi, especially if it spreads to more figures in the refereeing world.
“I have been very clear on this,” replied Marotta.
The investigation into Rocchi refer to a supposed situation at San Siro during the Coppa Italia semi-final in April 2025 when he decided to assign Andrea Colombo to an Inter match rather than Daniele Doveri, and that he ‘colluded’ with someone to make this decision.
“I was surprised because I cannot remember anything of the sort. As I said, we are learning all of this from the media, so I think I have been very clear on this,” added Marotta.
“We want to reassure the Inter fans, we are here to play Torino, to bring home a deserved Scudetto, and I repeat we acted with utmost fairness.”
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 21: Petar Sucic of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the Coppa Italia Semi-Final match between FC Internazionale and Como at San Siro on April 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
This has been a remarkable week for the Nerazzurri, who went temporarily 12 points clear at the top of the Serie A table.
They then came back from 2-0 down to beat Como 3-2 in the Coppa Italia semi-final, setting up a Final showdown with Lazio and potential Double on May 13.
“Compliments go to the coach and the squad, but I also wish to underline that we haven’t achieved anything yet, so the team is very concentrated on this test. It would be our 10th time winning the Coppa Italia, which would be something wonderful and extraordinary for Inter,” concluded Marotta.
Now he needs a victory to maintain that gap and take another step towards not just the Scudetto, but potentially the Double.
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 14: Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Lautaro Martinez and Luis Henrique are injured, but the Inter captain has made the trip anyway to be close to his teammates.
Hakan Calhanoglu, Denzel Dumfries and Francesco Pio Esposito are rested, as Matteo Darmian gets a rare start with Petar Sucic and Piotr Zielinski.
Yann Sommer is also back in goal after two games with Josep Martinez taking the gloves.
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 05: Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Torino are comfortably mid-table and unbeaten in three, coming off wins against Pisa, Verona, and a 0-0 draw with Cremonese.
Since taking the job from sacked Marco Baroni on February 23, Roberto D’Aversa has overseen four wins, a draw, and two defeats.
Tino Anjorin is ruled out by a bruised hip in training, joining Zakaria Aboukhlal on the treatment table.
The good news is the return of Duvan Zapata and Ardian Ismajli to the squad, as the Colombian striker had not featured since a serious thigh strain against Milan on March 21.
Nikola Vlasic starts in support of Giovanni Simeone and Che Adams, while Emirhan Ilkhan is preferred to ex-Inter youth product Cesare Casadei in midfield.
Valentin Lazaro faces his former club in place of Marcus Pedersen.
Che Adams of Torino celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Torino and Cagliari at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on January 24, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Goals from Tasos Douvikas and Assane Diao helped Como to a 2-0 victory away against Genoa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, which draws Cesc Fabregas’s side level on points with Roma and just two behind Juventus in the Champions League positions with four games of the season remaining.
Genoa had recorded two consecutive 2-1 victories in Serie A in the fortnight building up to Sunday’s clash against Como. Cesc Fabregas’s side have had an impressive 2025-26 season, but their results tanked in April and they had been without a win in over a month before facing Genoa.
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Daniele De Rossi, head coach of Genoa (left), chats with Cesc Fabregas, head coach of Como, prior to kick-off in the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Despite their recent victories, Daniele De Rossi made four alterations to his starting line-up, while Fabregas made two following his side’s midweek Coppa Italia semi-final defeat against Inter.
It took less than 10 minutes for Como to find the opener. It was a wonderful, floated cross in from the left half space from Lucas Da Cunha, which Douvikas met with a trademark centre-forward’s header on the edge of the six-yard box. This was the Greece international’s 12th Serie A goal of the season and his 15th across all competitions.
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Anastasios Douvikas of Como (center) scores a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Nico Paz tried his luck from the edge of the area after a neat piece of fancy footwork 22 minutes in, but dragged his shot just wide of the upright.
Como goalkeeper Jean Butez had his heart in his mouth when he played an outball right into the legs of Genoa’s Vitinha, but the opposition striker was in a bit of a mess himself and slipped over in the area with the goal gaping wide open. A relieved Butez quickly regathered the ball.
There was a nasty clash of heads between Nico Paz and Alessandro Marcandalli following a Como corner. While both continued initially, Paz was later withdrawn at half-time with suggestions that he was struggling to see properly. Genoa goalkeeper Justin Bijlow was also forced off with an injury at the interval and was replaced by Nicola Leali.
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Nicolas Paz of Como (left) gets checked after suffering an injury during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Genoa started the second half encouragingly, but in spite of their pressure, it was Como who claimed the second goal of the game two thirds of the way through. Maxence Caqueret instinctively flung a leg at Martin Baturina’s cross from the left flank, which inadvertently steered the ball perfectly into the path of Diao to head home at the back post.
This meant that Como had scored twice with their first two shots on target.
Second-half substitute Alvaro Morata should have scored his first Serie A goal of the season when he received the cut-back from Caqueret, but despite having plenty of the goal to aim out, he shot down the middle and replacement stopper Leali got down to make the save.
Today’s results sees Como back level on points with Roma, but sitting just above the Giallorossi in fifth place. They are now just two points behind fourth-placed Juventus ahead of the Old Lady’s upcoming test against Milan on Sunday night.
GENOA, ITALY – APRIL 26: Anastasios Douvikas of Como (4th from left) celebrates with his team-mates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Como 1907 at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
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