Antonio Conte says that he wants Napoli to win and to deserve it when they face Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on Thursday night and has provided fitness updates on the recently-returned Stanislav Lobotka and Romelu Lukaku. 

The Partenopei will take on Milan in the first of the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals on Thursday night. Inter and Bologna will then face off on Thursday evening and the winners of those two ties will go on to meet in the Supercoppa Italiana final on Monday. 

Click here to read the Football Italia guide to the Supercoppa Italiana. 

Conte: ‘Lobotka is ready to play, Lukaku needs patience’

This is, of course, the first opportunity for silverware in 2025-26, but it is also an opportunity for Napoli to get back to winning ways following a 1-0 Serie A loss against Udinese and a 2-0 defeat by Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League over the last week. 

“Lots of different situations come up throughout the year. We’re coming from five wins and now two defeats. We’ve had different moments in each. The important thing is to work hard, with seriousness, desire, determination and the right enthusiasm,” Conte said during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. 

“We have to manage victory and defeat in a similar way. Wins can bring you confidence, and in defeat, you have to look at the ‘whys’. You have to analyse everything well. You have to be good at managing everything and going through your work, especially when you play every three days.” 

Conte confirmed that Lobotka will be available to play after his return off the bench against Udinese. Lukaku is also back in training with the first-team group, but given that it has been 125 days since the injury he picked up on August 14, it is unlikely that he starts in the Supercoppa. 

Napoli’s other midfield injuries – to Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour 0 have not cleared up either, so the Partenopei are still fairly short on options in the middle of the park. 

“Lobo played for half an hour in Udinese. The problem he had wasn’t too serious, it was a minor issue that has now been resolved. He’s ready to play,” Conte said. 

“It’s not that he changes everything though. The natural midfielders we have available are him and McTominay. We have Elmas as well, who’s adapted well, but we have to respect the players’ characteristics.”

And on Lukaku, he added: “Romelu has no minutes in his legs. We have to have patience and wait for the right moment. The fact that he is back in the group is really important because he’s someone who has a lot of weight in the dressing room. 

“We will have to be patient and see the results of physical tests to understand when he can return without having the slightest danger of having to stop again.” 

This is Conte’s first involvement in the Supercoppa Italiana since it became a four-team mini-tournament, so, what does he make of the format? 

“It’s a great experience for me and the players. It’s my first time, we all want to do well, give everything and hope to stay here until Monday, but that all comes down to tomorrow’s game. May the best team win.” 

And on the Napoli fans who he’s seen out in Riyadh, Conte said: “Seeing Napoli fans here is great. The more the club gets to play abroad, the bigger your name and fanbase becomes. Fans start supporting teams based on victories, so we try to be attractive. We’re really happy to see Napoli fans here.” 

And, lastly, on the challenge that awaits him against Milan, Conte said: “We’re talking about a club with great tradition, with great players and great coaches. Everyone has that desire to test themselves in these sorts of matches and see what level we’re at. 

“This type of game, with a trophy on the line, has to bring an emotional boost for you to give your best. Everyone wants to win. We want to win and do it deservedly.” 

Giovanni Di Lorenzo has made it clear that Napoli are in it to win it at the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia, and has implored his teammates to get the job done in 90 minutes when they come up against Milan in the semi-final on Thursday: ‘Penalties are a lottery’. 

The Supercoppa Italiana gets underway in Riyadh with the Napoli vs. Milan semi-final on Thursday evening. Bologna and Inter will face off in the other semi-final on Friday night and the winners of those two ties will meet in the final on Monday. 

Click here to read the Football Italia guide to the Supercoppa Italiana.

Di Lorenzo: ‘Napoli want to qualify for the final in normal time’

Captain Di Lorenzo, speaking alongside Antonio Conte during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, said that Napoli are in a strong position despite their recent 1-0 loss against Udinese and their 2-0 defeat by Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. 

“We’re coming in at a good time even though we lost our last game. But this is another competition, we will play openly. The team is doing fine,” he said. 

When asked about Napoli’s goals for the Supercoppa Italiana, Di Lorenzo said that it is a case of one game at a time, but made it clear that he doesn’t want to face the gamble of a penalty shootout. 

“Penalties are a lottery, so we want to qualify for the final in normal time. That’s the goal. Milan are a strong team with great players, so we have to focus on doing our best.” 

What has Di Lorenzo made of his recent role as a right wing-back and does he have any preference as to where he plays, whether that’s in a back three or a back four? 

“We’re all professionals and we are used to playing all the time. As for me, I always train to the maximum and give my best,” he said. “It can be tiring mentally, but you need to burn a lot of energy to play in these sorts of games.

“I play wherever the coach tells me, I’m always available for the team, my position comes second.” 

Napoli, like Milan, have taken a number of youth team representatives with them to Saudi Arabia. What does Di Lorenzo have to say about them?

“They’re young guys who often train with us and bring a breath of fresh air to the first team. We try to make them feel at ease and help them express themselves at their best.” 

And on the defensive aspect of Napoli’s game, Di Lorenzo added: “Tomorrow’s match depends on how we defend, so it will be very important. You attack better when  you defend well. We work a lot on this. We will try to play a good defensive game and show our qualities in possession.” 

Antonio Conte will have a Romelu Lukaku-shaped card up his sleeve for the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia, but full-back Mathias Olivera is a risk for Napoli after Wednesday’s training according to the latest updates. 

The Partenopei will take on Milan in the first of the two Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals on Thursday evening. This will be followed by the Bologna vs. Inter semi-final on Friday night and the final on Monday evening. 

Click here to read the Football Italia guide to the 2025-26 Supercoppa Italiana.

Will Lukaku play against Napoli vs. Milan in Supercoppa Italiana?

According to updates on Wednesday afternoon, Lukaku was involved in full group training with Napoli and is expected to be part of the squad to face Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on Thursday. 

Given that he has been out injured since August 14, 125 days ago, it is unlikely that he is thrown immediately back into the starting XI. 

Wednesday’s reports confirm that Mathias Olivera was not involved in training on Wednesday as he is struggling with a muscular strain in his calf. It has not yet been confirmed either way whether he will be involved against Milan. He goes down as a doubt for now.

Stanislav Lobotka marked his return from injury off the bench during Napoli’s 1-0 Serie A loss against Udinese on Sunday and should be available in Saudi Arabia. 

The other midfield injuries have not cleared up yet though: Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour are not expected back until 2026.

Massimiliano Allegri says that he and Milan will have to wait and see about potential incomings in the January transfer window, and has told supporters what to expect when the Rossoneri take on Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana on Thursday evening. 

Milan will face Napoli in the first of the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals on Thursday evening. That will be followed by Bologna vs. Inter on Friday night and the eventual final on Monday evening. 

Click here to read the Football Italia guide to the 2025-26 Supercoppa Italiana.

Allegri previews Milan vs. Napoli Supercoppa Italiana semi-final

Milan are the reigning champions of this competition, having claimed the trophy in Sergio Conceicao’s first two games in charge last winter. Much has changed for the Rossoneri since then, including the head coach, and their league form heading into the mini-tournament. 

Allegri feels that this will be a different type of game compared to the usual matches in Serie A. 

“Tomorrow is a different type of game. It’s a one-off match and the goal is to reach the final. Napoli are a very strong side, it will be a complicated and difficult game,” he told the media during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

Allegri also gave a fitness update on Youssof Fofana and Rafael Leao: “In terms of their condition, Fofana is fully available, we will see about Leao after training today,” he said. It is also understood that Santiago Gimenez and Matteo Gabbia are unavailable.

Allegri was then asked if he plans to make any tactical changes against Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana. 

He replied: “We’ve always played with three attacking players. Saelemaekers is the one who brings the variation. We’ve got Athekame and Jashari back, we need new energy given that we always play with the same players.” 

And on tomorrow’s opponents, Allegri said: “Napoli, regardless of their tactics, are a strong team who score a lot of goals inside the box. Tomorrow will be a great game with lots of quality players.” 

The Rossoneri head coach confirmed that centre-forward Gimenez is expected to go under the knife on Thursday. Whether this means that Milan will make any moves in the January transfer window remains to be seen, though. 

“Gimenez had a medical consultation and was advised to have surgery. The operation should be tomorrow morning. Milan’s plan is to recover the players we already have available, then, with the club, we will see what can be done in the window.”

The Supercoppa Italiana gets underway on Thursday evening: Here is everything you need to know about the competition, how it works, the teams competing and their form heading into the mini-tournament in Saudi Arabia. 

When will the Supercoppa Italiana be played? 

The Supercoppa Italiana will feature two semi-finals and one final, made up of last season’s Serie A winners (Napoli) and the runners up (Inter), plus the reigning Coppa Italia champions (Bologna) and the runners up in that competition (Milan).  

Napoli vs. Milan is up first, kicking off at 19.00 GMT on Thursday evening. That will be followed by the Bologna vs. Inter semi-final at 19.00 GMT on Friday evening. The winners of those two ties will meet for the final on Monday (December 22) at 19.00 GMT. 

Where will the Supercoppa Italiana be played? 

All three matches will be played at the same venue: At the King Saud University Stadium (also known as Al-Awwal Park) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Where to watch the Supercoppa Italiana

The Supercoppa Italiana matches will be available to watch live in the UK through Premier Sports. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+. 

You can also join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog. 

Napoli form and latest team news 

Napoli will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Supercoppa Italiana after slipping to defeats in their last two matches: A 1-0 loss away against Udinese in Serie A and a 2-0 defeat by Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. 

They had gone five matches unbeaten before the recent losses, and still sit just two points off the lead in the Serie A table. 

In terms of injuries, midfield is still the problem area for Antonio Conte, with no Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa or Billy Gilmour available. 

Stanislav Lobotka is available again after coming off the bench against Udinese, while Romelu Lukaku is part of the squad for the first time since the injury he picked up on August 14. 

Milan form and latest team news 

Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo last time out in Serie A, which saw the Rossoneri slip into second place in the Serie A table, behind city rivals Inter. 

Milan, who are not involved in any European competition this term, have only lost twice all campaign: A 1-0 defeat by Lazio in the Coppa Italia, and a surprise 2-1 loss against Cremonese on the opening weekend of the Serie A season. 

The Rossoneri will be without Santiago Gimenez in for the Supercoppa Italiana, as he has elected to have surgery on a recurring ankle issue. Matteo Gabbia has not travelled either, but reports on Monday claimed there could be a chance that he joins the team later on should they qualify for the final. 

Bologna form and latest team news 

Bologna were beaten 1-0 by Juventus in Serie A last time out. In the month of December, Vincenzo Italiano’s side have beaten Celta Vigo 2-1 away from home in the Europa League, were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, beat Parma 2-1 in the Coppa Italia and lost 3-1 to Cremonese in what has been a month of ups and downs. 

The Rossoblu will be without Nicolo Casale, Martin Vitik, Remo Freuler and Lukasz Skorupski for the Supercoppa. 

Inter form and latest team news 

Inter boast the strongest league form of the four teams involved in the Coppa Italia. They sit at the top of the league table after a 2-1 win over Genoa, a 4-0 win over Como and a 2-0 victory away against Pisa this month. They have also thumped Venezia 5-1 in the Coppa Italia this month, but have lost 1-0 to Liverpool and 2-1 to Atletico in the Champions League. 

The Supercoppa Italiana will be a real test for Cristian Chivu, whose only real downfall in his Nerazzurri tenure thus far is his record against direct league rivals. 

• Read more: Why Inter continue to struggle in big matches under Chivu

Denzel Dumfries is facing two to three months out after having surgery. Francesco Acerbi is also out for several weeks. Tomas Palacios and Raffaele Di Gennaro are also out. Hakan Calhanoglu and Matteo Darmian have travelled with the team but it remains to be seen what involvement they will have against Bologna.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Inter exchange blows 

Dumfries out for at least two months 

The Dutchman has an operation on his ankle. Luis Henrique hasn’t convinced, the club are on Norton-Cuffy

Yildiz + Conceicao: Creativity wins at Juventus 

Spalletti’s key players 

Mancini the ‘bad guy’ that everyone wants 

The Roma defender 

Supercoppa of phenomena 

The Napoli-Milan semi-final tomorrow 

McTominay and Pulisic already charged up in Arabia: We’ll take care of it

Scudetto reinforcements 

Mainoo calls Conte, Fullkrug for Allegri

Corriere dello Sport 

Gasp attack 

In Spalletti’s backyard

And on  Saturday, he wants to leave Lucio behind 

Roma’s exploits could upset the balance in the race for the Scudetto and Champions League 

From their defensive record (only eight goals conceded) to the super relationship between Soule and Wesley, Gasp is now looking for his first major win against a direct league rival. And he waits for Zirkzee

The Supercoppa in Saudi Arabia is a necessary inconvenience 

Whoever wins earns 11 million 

Playing for pride but also for finances in Riyadh 

Napoli-Milan: McTominay is Conte’s highlander: Looking for his first goal against Milan to take them to the final. Leao recovers, Gabbia misses the battle against Hojlund. Attack on Fullkrug: A low-cost operation

Bologna-Inter: Italiano puts Dominguez and Fabbian to the test: Confirm their spot or be sold. Chivu, Luis Henrique provides the width: Trust in the former Marseille man to plug the gap until March in the absence of Dumfries 

Laio in New York: on the NASDAQ window 

New opportunities on the global market 

PSG blow, must pay Mbappe 61 million 

Intercontinental Cup, against Flamengo atr 17.00

Tuttosport 

Juve, midfield turnaround

Frattesi on a free 

Spalletti looking for quality in the middle 

In addition to the Inter man, Comolli is studying two other midfielders whose contracts are expiring: Schlager from Leipzig and Timber from Feyenoord. Perin-Leali swap with Genoa? Roma on Saturday: Del Piero frenzy 

Toro, there’s Carboni after Christmas 

The priority of sporting director Petrachi is to reinforce the defence in January. Monza like Ilkhan: Possible swap? Eye on the baby Kofler from Sudtirol

De Vrij also thinks about saying ciao to Inter 

It’s not just Frattesi

Forgotten by Chivu, the Dutchman doesn’t want to lose his World Cup spot. Dumfries operation: Returns in March 

Fiorentina time bomb: ‘Disputes and damages’

The brawl reportedly rook place in Reggio Emilia: Sassuolo and the Viola club deny it but the case is growing

‘PSG must pay Mbappe 61 million’

The French club ordered to reimburse their ex-star. Now at Real: Unpaid salary

Napoli arrived in Riyadh this evening for the Supercoppa Italiana, and as expected, Romelu Lukaku was with the squad for the first time this season.

The Belgium international suffered a high-grade tear in his thigh during a pre-season friendly against Olympiacos on August 14.

He has been out of action ever since and made his return to training on Monday morning.

Lukaku in Riyadh with Napoli squad

Il #Napoli è arrivato a Riyad per la Supercoppa Italiana#Sportitalia pic.twitter.com/Oo1553VEDW

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) December 16, 2025

There had been reports that Lukaku would be part of the squad for the Supercoppa Italiana and he was indeed spotted getting off the plane in Riyadh tonight.

Also in attendance was President Aurelio De Laurentiis, while many of the players were seen holding their freshly-prepared cups of espresso.

Napoli will play the semi-final against AC Milan on Thursday, then Bologna take on Inter in the Friday evening clash.

The winners of those two matches can then face each other in the final for the EA Sports FC Supercup on Monday December 22.

Former referee Andrea De Marco analysed the controversial Serie A decisions made during Parma-Lazio, Bologna-Juventus, Udinese-Napoli and Torino-Cremonese.

He was representing the Italian Referees’ Association (AIA) in the weekly DAZN Italia programme Open VAR, where the footage and audio from conversations between the officials are analysed.

You can read about his comments regarding the incidents during AC Milan 2-2 Sassuolo here.

Serie A referees got most of it right

De Marco was pushed on the Mattia Zaccagni straight red card for a sliding tackle on Nahuel Estevez during Lazio’s 1-0 win away to Parma, a decision that some refereeing pundits had called “excessive.”

Not for the first time, the official line was different to the one presented by the television pundits.

“In these situations, there is maximum severity when punishing tackles like this that are serious foul play,” assured De Marco.

“We see there is everything required for this to be a red card, the referee is very well placed, and he was quick to make the correct decision.

“The criteria for a red in this case are the speed of the lunge, the high leg, and the danger posed to the opposition player. It’s true he doesn’t get him full on, but this type of challenge will be clamped down on with the maximum severity throughout the season.”

If that was correct, then some other decisions this weekend did not meet with the approval of the AIA.

Specifically, Cremonese were furious late on when Torino striker Giovanni Simeone’s handling offence was not spotted by VAR.

“In this case, the VAR and AVAR focused too much on the green zone of the arm when the ball first makes contact, which also touches his chest,” explained De Marco.

“Their review was a little superficial, because they didn’t pay attention to the second touch with his arm. If there was one, then it was punishable, because it was not knocking it onto his own arm, it was a clear deflection, so that should’ve been a penalty.”

However, De Marco sided with the officials on two other contentious Serie A Week 15 situations.

“Karlstrom’s foul on Lobotka is clear, so Ghersini is right to suggest the review, which leads to referee Sozza disallowing the Udinese goal against Napoli.

“When Lucumi had a hand on David’s back in Bologna-Juventus, the intensity was not enough to warrant a penalty, so the correct decision was made. We raised the bar for giving penalties for a push and this falls well below it.”

Romelu Lukaku is back in training with Napoli and could be poised to make his return to competitive action in the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia later this week according to reports on Tuesday morning. 

Lukaku set for Napoli return in Supercoppa Italiana

The Belgium international has missed 124 days of action after picking up a high-grade tear in his thigh during a pre-season friendly against Olympiacos on August 14. 

The injury to Lukaku, which occurred just a week before the start of the Serie A campaign, fast-tracked the signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United after it became clear that Antonio Conte would be without his first-choice centre-forward for several months. 

Conte could soon have Lukaku, Hojlund and Lorenzo Lucca to chose from, though, as the Belgian has returned to training as of Monday morning and is set to be included in Napoli’s squad for the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia later this week. 

According to updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lukaku and the Napoli squad will fly over to Riyadh on Tuesday afternoon, although it remains to be seen how long he will be able to play for after missing 22 matches across Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Super re-match 

The Inter pact 

Barella and Lautaro have given the Nerazzurri squad a boost after taking the lead in Serie A

First semi-final in Riyadh on Thursday

Milan: The no.9 puzzle 

Leao is a big doubt, heading towards Nkunku-Pulisic. Gimenez could have an operation 

Napoli, Lobotka changes you 

The regista returns as a starter and Conte also brings Lukaku to Arabia

There’s also Roma for the Scudetto 

Como beaten at the Olimpico 

A goal from Wesley (1-0) Gasp beats Fabregas and goes fourth -3 from the top 

Juve

Tough but sincere Spalletti effect (and dreaming of Hojbjerg)

Corriere dello Sport 

The Christmas of Rom 

Lukaku in Arabia

Napoli, Big Rom returns for mission Supercoppa 

Training with the group as of yesterday and flying to Riyadh today: First call-up since the injury on August 14

Re-embraces Conte: He’s the special card for the semi-final against Milan on Thursday. Cannavaro: ‘How could you criticise Antonio?’

Fiorentina, judgement day 

Commisso on the phone from the States 

Rocco wants to restructure the technical department: A new director will decide Vanoli’s future. Here’s the plan to avoid relegation to Serie B

Saele signs until 2031, Now Fullkrug 

Milan in action 

Dumfries operation: 2 months out 

Inter think about Norton-Cuffy

Bologna, a shot in defence 

From Leysen to Disasi

Tuttosport

‘Spalletti sends Juve crazy, you can dream’

Interview with Cannavaro 

The CT of Uzbekistan will hold a workshop at the training ground where Maradona practiced. ‘Luciano, like Gasp, is someone you can always learn from. With him, you can start to believe in a Scudetto. Yildiz as a 10? He has a lot of quality, but he strikes me as more of a winger. Inter are the strongest, but when Napoli are at full strength though …’

Toro: Vlasic runs until 2028 

The Croatian is leading the team and is one of Cairo’s favourites

The new contract will be made official in 2026. Five goals and two assists in his last six games with Croatia and Torino: Tactical changes decisive. Three at the back, even without Coco and Masina: Here’s how. Israel is becoming a talking-point

Wesley goal: Gasperini, message to Luciano 

1-0 against Como 

Roma win a high-stakes match and secure fourth place. The battle with Juve on Saturday

From Palestra to Zaniolo: Gattuso’s christmas 

World Cup play-offs: New resources 

100 days until the semi-final against Northern Ireland. The league is providing different alternatives at full-back and in attack. Eyes also on Bartesaghi and Bernardeschi

Fiorentina, ahead with Vanoli until Udinese at least

Viola crisis

Inter are the new Serie A leaders, but the top four are crammed within a three-point radius in the tight Scudetto race, while Fiorentina are increasingly isolated at rock bottom.

The Week 15 fixtures have been completed with Roma beating Como 1-0 this evening to consolidate fourth place.

It put them within three points of new headliners Inter, two of AC Milan, and one shy of Napoli.

Serie A table tightening up at the top

This is the last time for a while that we’ll have an accurate view of the Serie A standings, because the Week 16 fixtures are staggered so that Napoli, Inter, AC Milan and Bologna can participate in the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh.

It’s an opportunity for the likes of Roma, Juventus, Como and Lazio to put some pressure on the leading pack.

At the foot of the Serie A table, it’s a very different scenario, as Fiorentina have slipped four points behind everyone else, and are the only team left without a single victory.

Verona’s 2-1 win in Florence saw them leapfrog Pisa, but they remain in the drop zone, so Fiorentina are now a massive eight points adrift of safety represented by Parma, Genoa and Cagliari all on 14.

Sassuolo’s 2-2 draw at Milan and Udinese beating Napoli 1-0 confirms their status as the surprise outfits of the campaign, with newly-promoted Cremonese just one point behind them.

Serie A Table

Inter are top of the Serie A table alone for the first time since April 2025, a remarkable achievement considering they have lost four games already.

The Nerazzurri took advantage of the slip-ups elsewhere this weekend to surge into the leadership of the league, as Napoli lost 1-0 away to Udinese and AC Milan were held to a 2-2 home draw by Sassuolo.

With their 2-1 success at Genoa, it was enough to leapfrog them into first place with a one-point advantage over their city rivals.

Inter on top for the first time

The last time Inter were alone on top of the Serie A table was mid-April 2025, when after the Week 32 fixtures they had 71 points to Napoli’s 68.

The Scudetto race took a twist in Week 33 on April 20 when Inter lost 1-0 at Bologna, while Napoli won 1-0 at Monza to catch them.

Inter followed that with a home defeat to Roma, but Napoli stalled with a 2-2 draw against Genoa, closing the gap to one point at the end of Week 36.

That is how it remained for the final two games, Napoli taking the title.

Looking at the statistics, it is unusual for Inter to be top this season when they lost four of the opening 12 rounds.

They are flying high because Cristian Chivu’s side have the most wins with 11 and zero draws.

In comparison, Milan won only nine, drew five and lost the opening game against Cremonese.

Napoli won 10, more than the Rossoneri, but only had one stalemate and four defeats.

Serie A Table

The referees have been assigned for the upcoming Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals, as Napoli face AC Milan on Thursday and Inter play Bologna on Friday.

The winners of those two clashes will go on to play each other in the Final of the EA Sports FC Supercup on Monday evening.

All these fixtures kick off at 19.00 GMT at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh.

It is the Final Four format for the Supercoppa Italiana, so the holders of the Serie A title and Coppa Italia play against the runners-up in the other tournament.

A winner is decided after 90 minutes, or they go straight to a penalty shoot-out.

Supercoppa Italiana referees appointed

Napoli vs. AC Milan on Thursday night will be officiated by Luca Zufferli, with Gianluca Aureliano as his VAR.

Imperiale and Rossi are the assistants, with Pezzuto as the fourth official.

The other semi-final between Bologna and Inter on Friday goes to referee Daniele Chiffi, who is supported in the VAR booth by Fabio Maresca.

Rossi and Fontemurato hold the flags on the touchline, with Dionisi as the fourth official.

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.

“Mançester Yunayted”in yarımmüdafiəçisi Kobbi Mainu “Napoli”nin prioritet transfer hədəfləri sırasında qalmaqda davam edir.

20 yaşlı futbolçu Ruben Amorimin rəhbərlik etdiyi komandadakı mövqeyindən narazıdır. Portuqaliyalı mütəxəssis ona start heyətində nadir hallarda şans verir.

Perspektivli yarımmüdafiəçi mövsümün sonuna qədər icarəyə getməyi düşünür. Onun məqsədi dünya çempionatı öncəsi daha çox oyun praktikası qazanmaqdır.

Komanda.az xarici KİV-ə istinadən xəbər verir ki, “Napoli” ingilis futbolçunu icarə əsasında heyətinə qatmaq üçün fəal danışıqlar aparır. Yaxın günlərdə klub nümayəndələrinin Mainunun agenti ilə birbaşa görüş keçirməsi gözlənilir.

Kobbi Mainu cari mövsümdə 11 oyunda iştirak edib. Hələlik “qırmızı şeytanlar”ın öz yetirməsi ilə müvəqqəti də olsa yollarını ayırmağa hazır olub-olmadığı məlum deyil.

The post “Napoli” ondan əl çəkmir appeared first on Komanda.az.

Antonio Conte admits that his players were ‘too worried, too fearful’ and that they have to improve on their record on the road after slipping to their seventh away defeat of the season in a 1-0 Serie A loss against Udinese on Sunday afternoon. 

A lone goal from Udinese’s Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was enough to defeat the reigning Serie A champions, who are now sat in third place and could be two points off the lead of the table by the end of Sunday evening. 

You can see how the action from all of Sunday’s Serie A matches unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Conte: Udinese loss, Napoli injuries and improving away form

Napoli have had a tough time of it with injuries over the last few weeks, with Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, Romelu Lukaku, Juan Jesus and Alex Meret all having spent time on the treatment table over the last few weeks, and months in some cases.

Aside from swapping Leonardo Spinazzola for Mathias Olivera on Sunday, Conte has named the same starting XI for three games in a row, within the space of seven days. 

“We didn’t concede any shots on goal in the first half, we could have made better of the chances we had. We struggled at the beginning of the second half, and you could tell there was a bit of fear from there on,” Conte told DAZN while reviewing his side’s performance against Udinese. 

“Two disallowed goals and a crossbar at the start of the second half,” he continued. “We were too worried and too fearful, we needed to work hard. We have to play well, even in the difficult moments. We have to manage situations and we definitely have to improve.

“We have to be better at managing these moments, we have to tackle them with experience. We can’t lose courage or become overwhelmed. If you play like that, you run the risk of conceding, and we conceded. 

“I have nothing negative to say about the guys who are giving their all in this emergency. We have to be better at managing games and bringing out more character away from home. On a psychological level, we try to work on it and find the right way. We can grow, we have great guys here.” 

Conte was asked if he is worried about injuries derailing his side’s season. 

He replied: “I sounded the alarm even after we were winning. There’s not much to say. 

“At the beginning of the season, when you’re playing in a lot of competitions, you worry about building a squad that is up to scratch. (What can you do) when the squad is weakened because of external factors? 

“This year won’t be easy for us. The important thing is to be united and compact, facing challenges while sticking together. The whole club needs to stand together, this year won’t be easy. We want to work and fight. We’ve lost seven away games, we have to improve that a bit.”

Napoli rode their luck for two disallowed goals, but were eventually undone by a Jurgen Ekkelenkamp stunner for Udinese.

The Partenopei looked exhausted in their midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, but had few alternatives available, as Juan Jesus joined Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table. Stanislav Lobotka and Miguel Gutierrez were back on the bench. The Friulani lost Jordan Zemura in the surprise 2-1 home defeat to Genoa, with Arthur Atta and Hassane Kamara already out.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Nicolò Bertola risked an own goal with his decisive interception, as Leonardo Spinazzola got down the left and rolled across for a Noa Lang tap-in. Lang then fired over on the resulting corner.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic pushed away a Jurgen Ekkelenkamp strike from the edge of the area, with the Nicolò Zaniolo follow-up charged down, while Jakub Piotrowski nodded wide.

Udinese came out more aggressive for the restart and had the ball in the net when Milinkovic-Savic’s weak parry on Bertola’s strike from the edge of the box was tapped in by Keinan Davis, but the forward was offside.

The hosts threatened again soon after when Piotrowski smashed his finish onto the underside of the crossbar down the right flank.

Zaniolo really should’ve opened the scoring when firing wide at the end of a well-worked move at the back post. He did get the ball in the net moments later, but it was disallowed when VAR spotted Karlstrom’s foul on Lobotka in the build-up.

Udinese finally scored a goal that counted when Jurgen Ekkelenkamp bent a sensational right-foot finish into the far top corner from the edge of the box, giving Milinkovic-Savic no chance.

Napoli wasted an astonishing opportunity to equalise on 88 minutes when Lorenzo Lucca got down the right and rolled across, but Hojlund off balance stumbled and somehow prodded it off target from a couple of yards.

Lucca went for it himself in stoppages and came sliding in to meet the David Neres cross, volleying it onto the base of the back post.

Udinese 1-0 Napoli

Ekkelenkamp 73 (U)

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Napoli

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Nicolò Zaniolo

33'

2nd half

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Keinan Davis)

73'

Match statistic

38

Possession %

62

18

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

6

Shots off target

6

7

Blocked shots

1

1

Corners

3

1

Offsides

1

16

Fouls

9

Udinese

Napoli

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

Alessandro Zanoli

Defender

90'

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

84'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

83'

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

75'

13

Amir Rrahmani

Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

82'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

61'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

82'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

61'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

4

Sandi Lovric

Midfielder

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

16

Matteo Palma

Defender

77

Rui Modesto

Midfielder

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

83'

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

84'

17

Iker Bravo

Attacker

90'

2

Saba Goglichidze

Defender

90'

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

61'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

61'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

75'

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

82'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

82'

{rsn-live-v2}

Futbol üzrə İtaliya A Seriyasının 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün qalibi “Napoli” 38 ildən sonra özünə məxsus rekordu təkrarlayıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Antonio Kontenin baş məşqçisi olduğu kollektiv 2025-ci ildə İtaliya A Seriyasında keçirdiyi ev matçlarını məğlubiyyətsiz başa vurub.

Komanda son olaraq İtaliya A Seriyasının 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 14-cü turunda “Yuventus”u 2:1 hesabı ilə üstələyib. Bu, Neapol təmsilçisinin cari ildə doğma meydanda sonuncu matçı olub.

Son olaraq 38 ilə əvvəl, 1987-ci ildə belə hal yaşanıb.

Xatırladaq ki, “Napoli” hazırda 31 xalla İtaliya A Seriyasının yarış cədvəlinə liderlik edir. Antonio Kontenin komandası keçirdiyi 14 oyunda 10 qələbə qazanıb, 1 heç-heçə edib, 3 məğlubiyyətə üzülüb.

Futbol üzrə İtaliya çempionu “Napoli” daha bir futbolçusunun – yarımmüdafiəçi Stanislav Lobotkanın da xidmətindən məhrum olub.

Arena.az bu barədə İtaliya mətbuatına istinadən xəbər verir.

Bildirilir ki, slovakiyalı futbolçu zədə səbəbindən sıradan çıxıb. O, komandanın zədəlilər siyahısında yer almış Andre-Frank Zambo Anqissa və Kevin de Bröyneyə qoşulub.

Lobotka İtaliya Kubokunun 1/8 final mərhələsi çərçivəsində “Kalyari”yə qarşı keçirdikləri matçda xəsarət alıb. Zədənin çox ciddi olmamasına baxmayaraq, onun qarşıdakı həftəsonu “Yuventus”la baş tutacaq görüşü buraxacağı demək olar ki, dəqiqdir.

Daha uzunmüddətli vəziyyətlə bağlı isə hələlik dəqiq proqnoz vermək çətindir. Lobotkanın agenti bir müddət əvvəl futbolçunun Konte ilə işləməyin çətin olduğuna işarə edən açıqlamalar da vermişdi.

Xatırladaq ki, “Napoli” “Kalyari” ilə oyunda penaltilər seriyasında qalib gələrək 1/4 finala vəsiqə qazanıb.

Futbol üzrə Şotlandiya millisinin və “Napoli”nin yarımmüdafiəçisi Skott Maktominey 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün ən yaxşısı seçilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, İtaliya Futbolçular Assosiasiyası A Seriyasında 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün laureatlarını açıqlayıb.

Mövsümün ən yaxşı futbolçusu “Napoli”nin yarımmüdafiəçisi Maktominey seçilib. Neapol təmsilçisi həm də “mövsümün ən yaxşı komandası” mükafatına layiq görülüb. Komandanın baş məşqçisi Antonio Konte isə ən yaxşı baş məşqçi olub.

Assosiasiya mövsümün rəmzi komandasını da açıqlayıb. İlk “11-lik” aşağıdakı kimidir:

Qapıçı: Mile Sviler (“Roma”);

Müdafiəçilər: Denzel Dumfris (“İnter”), Amir Rrahmani (“Napoli”), Alessandro Bastoni (“İnter”), Federiko Dimarko (“İnter”);

Yarımmüdafiəçilər: Skott Maktominey (“Napoli”), Nikolo Barella (“İnter”), Ticani Reynders (“Milan”/“Mançester Siti”);

Hücumçular: Lautaro Martines (“İnter”), Moyze Kin (“Fiorentina”), Matteo Reteqi (“Atalanta”/“Əl-Kadisiya”).