Lautaro Martinez, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are the only four players to have been directly involved in more than 10 goals in each of the last seven seasons in Europe’s top five leagues, reports Opta.

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez inspired the Nerazzurri’s 2-1 win over Genoa on Sunday providing one goal and one assist at Marassi.

The Argentine is currently the Serie A top-goal scorer with eight goals, one more than Milan star Christian Pulisic.

Stats from Opta on X social media confirm that Lautaro has been one of the most decisive strikers in Europe over the last few years.

Lautaro Martinez matches Mbappé, Haaland and Kane

“Lautaro Martínez is only one of the four players to have been directly involved in more than 10 goals (8G-3A this season) in each of the last seven Big-5 European Leagues’ seasons, along with Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Unstoppable,” Opta reported.

Unstoppable Lautaro Martinez

Lautaro has netted 165 goals in 355 Inter games since joining the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2018.

A 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina, ‘El Toro’ was the Serie A’s Capocannoniere in 2023-24 with 24 goals, contributing to Inter’s 20th Scudetto in their history.

He was also the top-goal scorer in the Copa America with Argentina in 2024.

Napoli have been dealing with several injuries in recent weeks, and many of their stars, including Scott McTominay, have played 100% of the available minutes in the last month.

Napoli suffered their second consecutive defeat across all competitions on Sunday, seeing Udinese secure a 1-0 win at the Bluenergy Stadium.

Earlier last week, Napoli had lost 2-0 away against José Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League.

Napoli struggling away from home

Napoli are still unbeaten in home Serie A games with six wins and one draw, but have fallen short away from the Maradona with four losses in the league and three – from three outings – in the Champions League.

“They have a stadium that pushes; playing at home for them it’s a big advantage,” former Lazio goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani told Sky Sport Italia.

“In the first half against Udinese, they did some good things and created some situations. The tragic thing was the start of the second half. That was when Udinese took command.

“This season, Napoli have struggled to face all the teams with the same determination. This is a team that, to be efficient, must play with their intensity; if they drop it, they can suffer against anyone.”

Coach Antonio Conte has had limited chances to rotate in recent weeks, especially in central midfield, where Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Zambo Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka have all suffered injuries.

The latter returned to action against Udinese yesterday after two weeks, while the others will be forced to the sidelines for longer.

“Napoli are a team that doesn’t have the strength to play constantly in the opposing half and dominate proceedings through ball possession,” argued Inter legend Beppe Bergomi.

Napoli stars overused

“The coach is good at fixing problems and finding solutions. They are better than last season because they have a deeper team with important players. But they have an alibi, which is a lot of injuries and reduced options in certain roles.”

Conte’s reduced options have forced the Italian tactician to overuse many of his stars. Sky showed that Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Scott McTominay and goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic have played every minute since Conte switched to a three-man defence against Atalanta on November 22. That makes it six full games in less than one month, with the only exception being a Coppa Italia match against Cagliari.

Amir Rrahmani, David Neres, Rasmus Hojlund and Alessandro Buongiorno have played over 90% of the available minutes in the same time, Same Beukema and Noa Lang more than 80%.

Even Matteo Politano, a regular starter at the end of the season, has struggled with playing time, despite being fully fit, playing just 27.9% of the available minutes since November 22.

Football Italia transfer expert examines Juventus’ deserved victory against Bologna on Sunday, highlighting that the Bianconeri are finally starting to flourish under Luciano Spalletti.

The Bianconeri secured a 1-0 win at the Stadio Dall’Ara last night, boosting their hopes of finishing in the top four, which is now just one point away.

Pedullà examined the Old Lady’s victory in his latest YouTube video for Football Italia.

“You can witness a blossom even in December, the blossoming of football and a team that is still trying to internalise a new theorem,” Pedullà said.

Juventus are now just one point below fourth-placed Roma, but the Giallorossi have a game in hand and will be the Bianconeri’s next opponent in Serie A on December 20.

Watch the full video below:

Juventus supporters at the Stadio Dall’Ara last night paid tribute to an emotional Federico Bernardeschi after the Old Lady’s 1-0 win over Bologna.

Juventus supporters showed respect to their former winger Bernardeschi after an away 1-0 win against Bologna on Sunday.

Bernardeschi reunites with Juventus fans

It was the first time Bernardeschi met with his former fans as he had left the Bianconeri in 2022 for Toronto FC, returning to Italy from Canada last summer.

Videos circulating on X social media show the Italian winger going under the Bianconeri’s Curva at the Dall’Ara to thank the Juventus fans for their chants.

Juventus fans’ tribute to Bernardeschi

“One of us,” the Bianconeri ultras sang while Bernardeschi thanked them and collected some Bianconeri scarves thrown from the stands.

Bernardeschi spent five seasons at Juventus, scoring 12 goals in 183 games.

#Bernardeschi

pic.twitter.com/EbfZ4vO4p0

— BianconeriZone (ESP) (@BianconeriZonEs) December 14, 2025

Giancarlo Marocchi and Beppe Bergomi highlight John Elkann’s ‘sense of belonging’ as Exor rejected an offer for a majority stake in Juventus.

Juventus minority shareholders Tether have seen a €1.1 billion bid rejected by Exor, a decision confirmed by club owner John Elkann in a passionate message released over the weekend.

Sky Sport Italia pundits Marocchi and Bergomi suggested Elkann, cousin of ex-Juventus President Andrea Agnelli, made the right decision, highlighting the strong sense of belonging he conveyed with his statement.

“I’ve spent a few years there, and there was the feeling of being part of the Agnelli family,” Marocchi, a former Juventus midfielder, said live on TV on Sunday.

“This pushed you to make sure the only thing that mattered was the victory. You looked at the past, and it was full of victories. In the present, you had to do the same.”

Inter and Italy legend Bergomi added: “I highlight this important sense of belonging, which the fans, the players and the staff feel. It’s the Juventus tradition.”

Agnelli family tradition at Juventus

The Agnelli family has owned Juventus for over 100 years, while Tether have an 11,52% stake in the club and is represented on the board of directors by Francesco Garino.

Juventus secured a 1-0 win over Bologna on Sunday night, moving just one point below the top four.

Luciano Spalletti was appointed in October to replace Igor Tudor and has collected five wins in the last six matches.

Juventus’ next game is against Roma at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday, December 20.

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Milan defender Matteo Gabbia has suffered a ‘hyperextension trauma of the left knee’, but the Rossoneri are relieved that exams have ruled out ‘capsuloligamentous and meniscal injuries.’

Milan defender Gabbia underwent medical checks on Monday morning after being forced to be substituted with a suspected knee injury during a 2-2 draw against Sassuolo on Sunday.

Gabbia injured during Milan-Sassuolo

Sky Sport and Milan News report that Gabbia has avoided a serious injury involving the meniscus or the knee ligaments, having been diagnosed with a hyperextension trauma of the left knee.

When will Gabbia return to action?

According to Sky Sport, the Italian centre-back will likely miss this week’s Supercoppa Italiana semifinal against Napoli, which will be played in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, December 18.

Milan hope their defender will recover in time for a Serie A match against Verona on December 28 or even the potential Supercoppa Final on December 22.

The player has already begun his rehabilitation program in Milanello.

Former Juventus winger Massimo Mauro insists the Bianconeri still lack a centre-forward and won’t be favourites when Roma visit them in Turin next week.

Juventus secured a massive 1-0 win over Bologna on Sunday, moving just one point below fourth-placed Roma, who have a game in hand and will host Como this evening.

Juventus and Roma will meet at the Allianz Stadium in Turin next week, and Mauro, a former Juventus player, believes the Old Lady won’t be the team to beat.

“They certainly won’t be the favourites, but we’ll see what happens on the pitch,” the ex-winger told Gazzetta.

“That’s the real issue, not cryptocurrencies. I was at the stadium for Juventus-Pafos, and it highlighted the squad’s issue with depth. Not only defensive absences, but also difficulty in finding a replacement for Yildiz, Conceiçao, McKennie and Locatelli. Thank goodness, David scored; otherwise, he would have had to flee Turin. It had been such a hard game for him.”

The January transfer window is just around the corner, but Mauro doesn’t expect big moves to Turin.

“I wouldn’t know where to turn because they didn’t sell good players. I wouldn’t have signed Openda for that kind of money,” he said.

“I would have said there were no players worthy of Juventus. There’s also a lack of important Italian players, something Juve have always had. Without them, you can’t rebuild because Juventus have always had an Italian dressing room leader.”

Ideally, however, the Bianconeri would still need a centre-forward, particularly after Dusan Vlahovic’s injury.

‘Juventus need a Napoli-style Osimhen’

“They need a Napoli-style Osimhen, a driving force who could carry the attack on his own and whom Luciano Spalletti turned into a true leader. Juve are full of solid, above-average players, but they need someone who makes a difference,” he said.

“I would invest in attack where the situation is incredible. If Yildiz plays badly, it’s a tragedy. If he plays well, there’s a chance to create something dangerous, but Yildiz is not a 20-goal striker, unless he becomes Del Piero or plays as a central forward or support striker. Out wide, at best, he can become like Kvaratskhelia.”

Spalletti has won five of the last six matches and Mauro feels he’s one of the best coaches Juventus could hire.

“He’s the best, along with Conte and Gasperini. An elite coach,” concluded the former winger.

“He can’t be the problem. He has to build the team of the future while hoping to finish in the top four, but he doesn’t have a magic wand.”

Spalletti was hired in October and his contract at the Allianz Stadium runs out in June 2026.

Safe to say Scamacca has settled in well under the new Atalanta coach, Palladino, as the Italian striker has been scoring consistently over the last month.

As reported by Gazzetta, Scamacca has gone from scoring one goal every 292 minutes under the previous Atalanta coach Ivan Juric to one every 97 minutes under the new boss.

Scamacca shines under Palladino

Scamacca had been dealing with fitness issues during Juric’s tenure, which also prevented him from featuring with the Italy national team, but he only netted once in seven games with the Croatian in charge.

With Palladino, he’s already grabbed five goals and one assist in seven appearances. He scored one goal against Napoli and Verona and two against Cagliari in Serie A, plus one against Chelsea in the Champions League.

The assist he provided in a 4-0 Coppa Italia win against Genoa means Scamacca has contributed to at least one goal in every game he’s played under Palladino except those against Eintracht and Fiorentina, which Atalanta still won.

Italy watching Scamacca

Furthermore, Scamacca has had more shots and touches inside the opposing box under Palladino than under Juric and, overall, he seems much more involved in the play.

Scamacca’s form will surely come as good news for Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, who watched Scamacca in action at the New Balance Arena two weeks ago before dispatching his assistant Leonardo Bonucci to watch Atalanta-Chelsea.

Scamacca has only scored one goal in 22 appearances with the Italy national team, making two substitute appearances under Gattuso.

With Mike Maignan’s contract expiring in June 2026, Gazzetta warns that Milan could end up losing the Frenchman on a free transfer, as it happened with Gigio Donnarumma in 2021, but the Rossoneri still hope the story will end differently this time.

Milan will continue talks to extend Maignan’s contract in the next few days, but January is just around the corner, which means the French goalkeeper can start negotiations with any other club in just a few days and complete a free transfer at the end of the season.

Milan faced the same situation a few years ago, when lengthy talks to extend with Donnarumma led nowhere, so the Rossoneri signed Maignan from Lille before Gigio’s free move to PSG.

Maignan’s contract extension a priority for Milan

It is no secret that Maignan attracted interest from Chelsea last summer, and according to Gazzetta, the Milan star still has many admirers in the Premier League.

Milan are aware that every suitor of Maignan, especially from England, will outbid them in contract negotiations with the 30-year-old, but the Serie A giants still hope to secure an agreement in the coming weeks.

Maignan’s contract extension is a priority for Milan, and even coach Massimiliano Allegri is trying to persuade the Frenchman to sign a new deal, Football Italia understands.

What Tare said about Maignan

Igli Tare said on Sunday that the club would soon resume negotiations with the Frenchman, who was “happy” to stay at San Siro. Tare, however, denied that Maignan has demanded a new €8m-a-year contract.

“We’ve never discussed the figures, I’ve never heard these numbers, but it’s easy to talk about Mike because he’s a fantastic lad, he’s a leader and a man of the group,” said the Milan sporting director.

“We are happy with him, he likes to stay at Milan and Milan want to extend. Today we have a game we want to win, then we’ll have time to discuss the matter.”

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Fiorentina are considering sacking their coach, Paolo Vanoli, after barely a month from his appointment, as the Tuscans are still winless in Serie A and have lost four matches from seven under the 53-year-old.

Several Italian sources, including Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport, claim that Fiorentina coach Vanoli is on the brink and could be sacked just one month after replacing Stefano Pioli at the Stadio Franchi.

Fiorentina could sack Vanoli after latest loss

Fiorentina sit at the bottom of the table and lost at home against 19th-placed Verona on Sunday, prompting the club to impose a media blackout and send the team into an ‘indefinite’ training retreat.

The Tuscans have only collected six points in 15 Serie A matches and are the only winless team in the league.

Fiorentina hired Vanoli on November 7 to replace Pioli, but the appointment of the ex-Torino and Venezia coach clearly hasn’t produced the desired results.

Fiorentina collected draws against Genoa and Juventus under Violi and lost to Sassuolo, Atalanta and Verona. They lost at home against AEK Athens in the Conference League, but at least managed to beat Dynamo Kyiv.

Fiorentina tension skyrockets

According to Corriere dello Sport, ex-Fiorentina coach Giuseppe Iachini has emerged as one of the early options to replace Vanoli, but the club are currently making their assessments.

Tension in town is so high that Gazzetta reports that the team was taken to the training centre Viola Park on black tinted vans rather than on the team bus after the game yesterday.

Fiorentina fans protested inside and outside the stadium, blaming the players and club directors Alessandro Ferrari and Roberto Goretti, who are currently at the Viola training ground where the team has to prepare for the upcoming Conference League match against Lausanne.

Argentine talents Matias Soulé and Nico Paz will face off in a big match between Roma and Como at the Stadio Olimpico this evening.

It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT), and it’s the final match of Serie A Round 15.

Just three points separate the two teams in the table, with Roma in fourth and Como in seventh.

The Giallorossi are without the injured Artem Dovbyk and Neil El Aynaoui and the suspended Zeki Celik, so Devyne Rensch is expected to start as a right midfielder with Wesley on the opposite flank.

Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini will provide support to Roma’s centre-forward, and according to Tuttosport and Gazzetta, Evan Ferguson is favourite over Paulo Dybala for a starting spot up front.

Como are without the suspended Maximo Perrone and the injured Alberto Dossena, Sergi Roberto, Edoardo Goldaniga and Alvaro Morata.

Anastasios Douvikas is expected to lead the Azzurri’s attack, while Jayden Addai and Assane Diao compete for a starting spot as right winger.

Roma vs. Como – where to watch on TV

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

Roma vs. Como – probable line-ups

Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, Cristante, Koné, Wesley; Soulé, Pellegrini; Ferguson.

Como (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Carlos, Valle; Da Cunha, Caqueret; Diao, Paz, Rodriguez; Douvikas.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Fiorentina, Serie B hell. Vanoli might leave too

Inter lead

Overtake at the top: Nerazzurri are the leaders alone

Bisseck and Lautaro decide it. Chivu’s pride: ‘Now we want the Supercoppa.’

Juve coup

Golden Cabal. Victory in Bologna with an eye to the Champions League

Little devil

Milan and the nightmare of newly promoted teams, luckily, there’s Bartesaghi

Ahi Napoli

Udinese dominate. Conte: ‘No excuses, we’re struggling.’

Soulé and Nico Paz play for the World Cup too.

Corriere dello Sport

Lauturbo

Chivu’s sprint

Goal and assist: The Toro overtakes Conte and Max, Supercoppa on Thursday.

Inter take the lead. Milan’s draw, Napoli’s stop

Cristian celebrates: 2-1 win at Marassi. Bisseck breaks the deadlock. Laurienté shocks Allegri. Sassuolo’s comeback (2-2). Conte falls in Udine (1-0). Ekkelenkamp scores.

Roma jump: the big chance

Gasp can return in the Scudetto zone: ‘I’ll end my career here, ambition needed to improve.’ Ndicka plays, Wesley returns.

Viola sink: endless training retreat

Shadows on Vanoli: hypothesis Iachini. The Franchi protests: survival is eight points away. Orban’s brace decisive.

Spalletti’s breakthrough

The Bianconeri win again away after 43 days. Cabal scores. Lucio: ‘The best win since I’m here.’ Zortea hits the crossbar on 0-0. Heggem sent off. Supercoppa: on Friday, Italiano against Inter.

Tuttosport

Milan stumble against Sassuolo, Napoli fall in Udine: Chivu’s overtake

Inter put them back in line

On the pitch after the rivals, the Nerazzurri don’t waste their chance: Bisseck and Lautaro sign the blitz in Genoa. The Rossoneri don’t digest the newly promoted sides. Bartesaghi’s brace: 2-2. Palpitation in San Siro after the draw with Pisa and the defeat against Cremonese. Zaniolo sends Conte’s team into a tilt, punished by a super Ekkelenkamp goal. From Thursday, the Supercoppa in Riyadh.

Juve to Cabal

Convincing and heavy win in Bologna: 1-0.

A defender’s header rewards a high-level performance. Rossoblu (who end up with ten men) are overtaken, and a Champions League spot is one point below. Spalletti (five wins in the last six games): ‘It can be a breakthrough.’

Cholito, the leader: ‘Such a good Toro!’

Image of a bomber and a very Granata family: ‘I couldn’t wait to return to action.’ But Baroni’s troubles are not over.

Viola sink, endless training retreat