Luciano Spalletti opted to make a half-time substitution during the interval of Juventus’s Serie A clash against Lazio on Sunday evening, but he was forced into changing his mind at the final minute after it appeared that Francisco Conceicao would be unable to enter. 

Juventus hosted Lazio at the Allianz Arena on Sunday evening, and surprisingly fell two goals behind after strikes from Pedro and Gustav Isaksen. Weston McKennie brought one back just shy of the hour mark before a last-gasp equualiser from Pierre Kalulu with 15 seconds of injury time remaining. 

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

Why Conceicao couldn’t come on during Juventus vs. Lazio 

With his team trailing 1-0 at the half-time break, Spalletti decided to make an attacking substitution. 

He took off full-back Juan Cabal and had originally intended to replace him with Portugal international Conceicao, who was seen receiving detailed instructions from the Juventus coaching staff while warming up at half-time. 

However, it soon became apparent that Conceicao had felt something in his knee while warming up, and the Juventus team decided against risking him for the second half against Lazio, which is why they decided to bring on Zhegrova for Cabal instead. 

Cristian Chivu insists that Inter are still ‘zero’ percent along the way to the Serie A title despite his side’s 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo on Sunday, as he believes that the Nerazzurri are just about to head into one of their most crucial runs of the 2025-26 season. 

Inter showed why they are the breakaway leaders of the Serie A table during their 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo on Sunday evening. Five different goalscorers got in on the act at the Mapei: Yann Bisseck and Marcus Thuram in the first half, Lautaro Martinez, Manuel Akanji and Luis Henrique in the second. 

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

• Read more: Sassuolo 0-5 Inter – Player ratings!

Chivu assesses Sassuolo 0-5 Inter and upcoming Juventus test 

Despite dominating for the majority of the match against Sassuolo, Inter were still threatened early on. 

“We’ve understood the moment that we’re in, we suffered from their intensity and once they got hold of the ball, they went straight at the game. We struck at the right time with that corner, then our solidity became an important factor for how we went about the game,” Chivu told DAZN after full-time. 

“This team seems more mature now, of how to accept and adapt in certain moments of the game,” he added. 

Given that his side currently sits eight points clear at the top of the table after 24 matches, Chivu was asked if there is still room for his team to improve. 

He replied: “We can’t forget where we’ve come from. We can’t be afraid of anything, but we have to be aware that we can still improve. There’s no such thing as perfection. 

“It isn’t easy because there’s still a long way to go in the league and these are important phases of the season. We’re halfway through the marathon, we have to keep our maturity and be competitive.” 

Chivu was asked if this is the point in the season where we start to see more of Davide Frattesi, who was still left out of the starting line-up against Sassuolo despite the absences of Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu. 

“Frattesi, Diouf, Dimarco, the whole group works hard. We need the whole squad to maintain a certain level so that we stay competitive,” Chivu responded. 

Chivu is still unwilling to consider himself the favourite for the Serie A title this year, though. When asked what the probability of Inter winning the league title this year is, the coach replied: “Zero for me. There are fourteen games left to play. Theory’s still work to be done.” 

And looking ahead to next week’s Derby d’Italia against Juventus, Chivu said: “It’s a game like any other. Expectations are always high, but I want the group to keep their maturity and their awareness. 

“This is the first week where we have four training sessions in a row. We have a look at how we present ourselves for that match.” 

Federico Dimarco is having an MVP-calibre season and has just recorded three assists from left wing-back in an eventual 5-0 victory for Inter away against Sassuolo, but he insists that he does not currently feel he is the best wide man in world football. 

Dimarco was the star of the show as Inter picked up a 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium in Serie A on Sunday evening. He registered three assists in a game that brought five different goalscorers in Yann Bisseck, Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, Manuel Akanji and Luis Henrique. 

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

Dimarco reacts after his hat-trick of assists in Sassuolo 0-5 Inter

Before Sunday, no defender in Serie A history had registered more than eight assists after 24 games of a single season. Dimarco is now up to 11. 

Though he continues to post incredible numbers off Inter’s left wing, Dimarco insists that he does not consider himself the best in the world in that position. 

“I don’t feel like anything,” Dimarco told DAZN after full-time. “When you’re good, you’re a phenomenon, otherwise, you’re poor. That’s football,” he continued. 

He later told Sky: “I’ve had decent moments before now, this might be the one in which I’m the most decisive in terms of numbers, but the team and getting to May at the top of the table is what counts.” 

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez heaped praise on his teammate Federico Dimarco after their 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday evening, but insisted that the Nerazzurri still have work to do despite currently sitting eight points clear at the top of the league table. 

Cristian Chivu’s side recorded a thumping 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo on Sunday thanks to goals from five different goalscorers in Yann Bisseck, Marcus Thuram, Lautaro, Manuel Akanji and Luis Henrique. 

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

• Read more: Sassuolo 0-5 Inter – Player ratings!

Lautaro Martinez reacts to Sassuolo 0-5 Inter

Lautaro’s goal means that he is now the third-highest goalscorer in Inter’s history with 171, level with Roberto Boninsegna. Only the legendary Giuseppe Meazza and Alessandro Altobelli have scored more goals in Nerazzurri colours than the Argentine. 

“The important thing, always, is to achieve our collective goals. It was a great goal for us and for everything I went through as a child, for everyone who helped me. This means a lot to me and for my career,” Lautaro told DAZN about his goal after full-time. 

The skipper also gave Dimarco his flowers after registering three goals from left wing-back on Sunday. DImarco currently has 11 assists to his name in the league this season. No defender has previously recorded more than eight at this stage of the season. 

“He was one of the best. He is deciding games right now. The team is the most important thing, but individual level is also important,” Lautaro said of Dimarco’s display. 

And lastly, looking ahead to a tricky run of fixtures in February, which includes derbies against Juventus, Milan and a Champions League play-off against Bodo/Glimt, Lautaro said: “We’ve dropped points in big games, we have to sort out some of the details and get the right results on our side. 

“We have to work hard with our heads down, we’re having a great moment and we’re happy with our season so far.”

The table-topping Inter took another step towards the Serie A title with a dominant 5-0 victory away against Sassuolo on Sunday evening in a game that included a hat-trick of assists from left wing-back Federico Dimarco. 

Five different players ended up on the scoresheet at the Mapei Stadium: Yann Bisseck and Marcus Thuram gave the travelling Nerazzurri the lead at the interval, which was followed by second-half strikes from Lautaro Martinez, Manuel Akanji and Luis Henrique. 

With rivals Milan not involved in league action this week, Inter currently find themselves eight points clear at the top of the Serie A table after 24 matches. 

You can see how the action from today’s game unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Sassuolo 0-5 Inter: Player ratings! 

Sassuolo: Muric 4; Walukiewicz 4, Idzes 4, Muharemovic 4.5, Doig 5 (Garcia 5.5); Thorstvedt 5.5, Matic 4, Kone 5.5; Berardi 5 (Coulibaly 5.5), Pinamonti 5 (Nzola 5.5), Lauriente 5.5 (Lipani 5). 

Best Sassuolo player: Kristjan Thorstvedt 5.5 – Slim pickings on a night to forget for the Neroverdi. The Dane was unlucky to have his goal ruled out for a very tight offside when Inter were just two goals up. Otherwise, not a great display, like the majority of his teammates. 

Coach: Fabio Grosso 4 – Sassuolo started fairly brightly at the Mapei Stadium, but Grosso will be disappointed with what unfolded from there on. Sassuolo were particularly poor at defending set-pieces: They looked like conceding at almost every corner, free-kick and even throw-ins in the final third. 

Inter: Sommer 6; Bisseck 7, Akanji 7. Bastoni 6.5 (Darmian 6); L.Henrique 7, Sucic 6.5, Zielinski 6 (Frattesi 6), Mkhitaryan 6.5 (Diouf 6.5), Dimarco 9; Thuram (Bonny 6), L.Martinez (Esposito 6). 

Best Inter player: Federico Dimarco 9 – What a fantastic season the Inter left wing-back is having. There are few players in the world better at delivering the ball into the area off the left flank. Three assists for him today: No defender has ever recorded as many assists as him at this stage of the season (11). The man is having an MVP-calibre season from wing-back. 

Coach: Cristian Chivu 9 – A clean sheet and a five-goal display on the road: It doesn’t get much better than that. Sassuolo had been in decent form heading into this game as well, and the Nerazzurri swept them aside with ease.

Reports in the UK claim that Manchester United could target Italy international Sandro Tonali to replace the outgoing Casemiro in their midfield department during the summer transfer window. 

Could Manchester United move for Tonali in the summer?

Tonali’s agent, Beppe Riso, has recently sparked transfer speculation after giving an interview to Tuttosport, hinting that his client could potentially be on the way out of Newcastle at some stage in the near future.

“These transfer talks will be held later on. We’ll see how the season ends and then decide what to do,” Riso said. 

There had been brief reports linking Tonali with a move to Arsenal on the final day of the January transfer window, but given the likely fee and negotiation process, this was never going to be feasible in the final hours of the window. Juventus have also been long-term admirers of the former Milan man. 

Now, according to reports from the Telegraph, Tonali is ‘high up’ on Manchester United’s list of midfield recruits for the summer transfer window. United will need a new midfielder to replace Casemiro, who will leave the club at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

The Telegraph claims that Tonali, Eliott Anderson and Adam Wharton are among Manchester United’s top targets heading into the summer. 

The Telegraph has not mentioned a specific transfer fee, but has pointed to the transfers of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea and the transfer of Declan Rice to Arsenal, all of which surpassed the €100m mark. 

Recent reports elsewhere have suggested that Newcastle will seek a fee in the region or potentially above the €100m mark if they are to sell Tonali, who joined for a reported fee of around €70m including add-ons from Milan in 2023. 

Gian Piero Gasperini has confirmed a travelling squad of 21 players to take on Cagliari in Serie A on Monday evening, but will have to do without Paulo Dybala, Evan Ferguson, Stephan El Shaarawy and Robinio Vaz. 

The Giallorossi are hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Udinese last time out in Serie A. That result saw them drop out of the top four and into fifth place, two points behind Juventus, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot. 

Roma’s attention now turns to an away trip against Cagliari, which kicks off at 19.45 GMT on Monday evening. 

Gasperini will have to navigate the Cagliari match without a few of his key first-team attackers, though. Dybala has been ruled out, but is hoping to return against Napoli next weekend. 

Ferguson is also out with an ankle issue, while El Shaarawy and Robinio Vaz remain unavailable. The January signing is also likely to return next weekend. Mario Hermoso is also unavailable in defence. 

As was also the case for Roma’s last two matches, Matias Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini are expected to start in attack alongside Donyell Malen. January recruits Bryan Zaragoza and Lorenzo Venturino are also pushing for game time, but are unlikely to start. 

16-year-old Antonio Arena will also be among the substitutes against Cagliari. 

Confirmed Roma squad vs. Cagliari 

Goalkeepers: Svilar, Gollini, Zelezny. 

Defenders: Wesley, Rensch, Celik, Ndicka, Mancini, Ziolkowski, Ghilardi, Angelino, Tsimikas. 

Midfielders: Cristante, El-Aynaoui, Pellegrini, Pisilli. 

Forwards: Malen, Soule, Zaragoza, Venturino, Arena.

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has revealed that striker Evan Ferguson’s latest injury came as the result of ‘trying to avoid a photographer’, and has admitted that the Republic of Ireland international has been left feeling ‘very depressed’. 

Injuries have been a constant issue for Ferguson in the early stages of his professional career. The 21-year-old missed a major chunk of the 2023-24 season with a cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and then a significant portion of the 2024-25 season with an ankle issue. 

The 2025-26 season, on loan at Roma, has also been stop-start due to recurring ankle injuries. 

Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Roma’s upcoming Serie A match against Cagliari, head coach Gasperini had an opportunity to discuss Ferguson’s ongoing battles with injuries and his current mental state. 

Gasperini on recurring Ferguson injuries: ‘He’s very depressed’

“The problem is his ankle,” Gasperini said. “It’s the fourth sprain he’s suffered. He was out for about a year with an ankle issue last year, so the situation has become a bit complicated. That’s what’s happened.

“We’re working to get him back on his feet, but every time he changes direction, the ankle seems to sprain. It’s one (ankle) or the other, but the one he had an operation on is the most problematic, which hasn’t completely solved the problem.”

Gasperini has previously called Ferguson unlucky with his injury record. There was certainly an element of misfortune with the way that Ferguson’s most recent ankle injury came about.  

“We’re all working to try and fix the situation. From a psychological point of view, he’s not very pleased and is very depressed. We’re trying to help him recover and get him back on his feet. It’s not easy, because it takes 12 weeks each time. Last time he got hurt avoiding a photographer. 

“Whenever he’s been available, he’s always played, but that’s part of the problem for this player. It’s gone better for him this year, last year he practically never played.”

Gian Piero Gasperini has credited Roma’s mentality in what he considers a difficult start to the calendar year, but insists that things will start to look brighter for the Giallorossi in a ‘more normal’ month ahead. 

Roma have slipped out of the Serie A top four after a 1-0 defeat against Udinese last weekend and have also had a tough time of it with injuries, with Paulo Dybala, Evan Ferguson, Robinio Vaz, Stephan El-Shaarawy and Angelino among those on the treatment table. 

The Giallorossi head coach had an opportunity to take stock of the current situation during his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s match against Cagliari on Monday night. 

Gasperini on Roma form, mentality and injuries

Reports this week have suggested that Francesco Totti could be primed to return to the Stadio Olimpico in a backroom role in the near future. 

Gasperini was asked to comment about Totti at the beginning of his pre-match press conference on Sunday. 

He jokingly replied: “Ah, I’ll let him play immediately, no problem. But he has to train, we’ll try to take 15, 20 years off him, we’ll help him grow.” 

Instead turning his attention to a question about January signing Bryan Zaragoza, Gasperini said: “He’s already trained with us, he’s been playing well and regularly with Celta, he’s in good shape. Of course, when you come to a new club, you still have to fit in, get to know your teammates, get to know the team. He is available tomorrow, though. 

“I’ve not decided whether to play him from the first minute or bring him on during the game. The intention is always to integrate players quickly, to give them more chances and increase the speed in which they settle into the team.” 

Gasperini feels that Roma are not just growing on a sporting level, but also in their mentality as well. 

“I’ve never had any doubts about that. This group has always responded strongly. Sometimes there are some aches and pains, a bit of bad luck in some cases, but we have also lost a lot of games by 1-0. Maybe we could be better in the air, that’s a fundamental, because a lot of games are settled like that in the final minutes. 

“Of course, we have a few technical aspects we need to get better at, but from a motivational point of view, this group today, as it always has, gives a great response and it will be the same for the next game.” 

Roma’s 1-0 loss against Udinese last week means that they have slipped out of the Serie A top four and now sit two points behind Juventus. 

“What we try to do is to try and solve the problems that each match presents. I have to point out that we basically played 10 games in the month of January: From December 29 against Genoa until February 2 against Udinese. They were 10 very difficult games, I mean really complicated, and we lost several players in some of them. 

“We had to play light: I’m thinking about Athens, but I could mention all the others. In some situations, because of numbers, players like Romano, Arena and Della Rocca had to make their debuts. Bassa played as soon as he came in, Venturino played immediately. 

“Despite all of that, we had a run of 10 difficult games and always played with good spirit and desire. Now we have earned the chance to play in the final phase of the Europa League. It’s a more normal month ahead of us in terms of matches, and we’ll try to recover some key players as quickly as possible.” 

Gasperini also gave in-depth injury updates on the likes of Evan Ferguson, Mario Hermoso and Robinio Vaz. 

“The problem is his ankle,” Gasperini said when discussing Ferguson. “It’s the fourth sprain he’s suffered. He was out for about a year with an ankle issue last year, so the situation has become a bit complicated. That’s what’s happened.

“We’re working to get him back on his feet, but every time he changes direction, the ankle seems to sprain. It’s one (ankle) or the other, but the one he had an operation on is the most problematic, which hasn’t completely solved the problem.

“We’re all working to try and fix the situation. From a psychological point of view, he’s not very pleased and is a bit depressed. We’re trying to help him recover and get him back on his feet. It’s not easy, because it takes 12 weeks each time. Last time he got hurt avoiding a photographer. 

“Whenever he’s been available, he’s always played, but that’s part of the problem for this player. It’s gone better for him this year, last year he practically never played.” 

And on the other members of Roma’s squad, Gasperini added: “Hermoso’s got a very bad bruise on his foot and is struggling to even get his foot in his shoe. It’s a hematoma and unfortunately that’s quite bad luck. 

“Dybala has taken a contusion to the knee, no ligaments or anything else are affected. We hope that he will be available next week, the same with Hermoso.

“Soule has been suffering from pubalgia for a few weeks, but with good spirit, he always manages to recover and play. It often happens to young players when they play this regularly. He played much less in other years. It’s not too serious, but it still affects us. Sometimes he’s better, sometimes he’s worse.

“You’ll have to ask me later about the other situations. Vaz I don’t think is a big problem, I believe that we’ll have him on Tuesday or Wednesday.” 

Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu have been unavailable for several weeks, but Sunday’s reports claim that Cristian Chivu is now close to recovering two of his star Inter midfielders. 

Barella and Calhanoglu nearing Inter returns

Barella has missed Inter’s last four matches across all competitions, including the last two in Serie A, while Calhanoglu has been unavailable since mid-January, missing out on five Serie A matches, two in the Champions League and one in the Coppa Italia. 

However, according to Sunday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, both are just around the corner from a return to first-team action. 

The Pink Paper claims that both Barella and Calhanoglu could potentially return to group training when the rest of the squad returns to Appiano Gentile on Tuesday. The squad is in league action against Sassuolo on Sunday and is expected to take a day off on Monday. 

The hope is that both could be part of the matchday squad to take on archrivals Juventus in the Derby d’Italia on Saturday. 

Denzel Dumfries, meanwhile, is still expected to be unavailable for a touch longer, until March, but potentially even sooner. 

Christian Pulisic and Alexis Saelemaekers were both unavailable for Milan’s recent 3-0 victory over Bologna, but reports on Sunday claim that both could be in line to return in time for the upcoming test against Pisa next weekend. 

Latest Pulisic and Saelemaekers updates for Milan

Pulisic is Milan’s leading goalscorer in 2025-26 with eight goals to his name from 16 appearances in Serie A this season. He has 10 goals across all competitions so far. 

He was unable to play against Bologna last weekend due to Bursitis, but according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are aiming to have him back out and training on the pitch next week, and hope that he will be available to play against Pisa on Friday evening. 

Saelemaekers, meanwhile, was forced to skip the Bologna match due to an adductor issue, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he is in a similar position to  Pulisic, hoping to resume full training this week and aiming to play against Pisa on Friday. 

Milan are not in action this weekend in the 24th round of Serie A fixtures. That is because their regular home venue in San Siro was busy for the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and they were unable to find an alternative venue to play their scheduled match against Como. 

Instead, the Milan vs. Como game will take place in San Siro on Wednesday, February 18.

Kenan Yildiz has recently put pen to paper on a new and improved contract extension at Juventus, but he is not the only one whose Bianconeri future needs to be addressed. Here are the other players that Juventus could look to renew in the near future. 

Juventus officially announced on Saturday that Yildiz has signed a new contract extension running until the summer of 2030. 

His previous deal had been set to expire in 2029, but that was on a salary of €1.7m. He has been rewarded with a pay increase that reflects his star status within the squad and now takes home a reported €6m per year, which will eventually rise to €7m per year. 

Which other Juventus players need new contracts? 

For Juventus, one of the most pressing pieces of business is now an extension for USMNT star Weston McKennie, whose current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

According to reports from Calciomercato.com, both the club and the player wish to continue their relationship and there could even be a meeting over a potential new deal as early as next week. 

According to Sunday’s report, Juventus could potentially look to tie Filip Kostic down to a new deal as well. Like McKennie, his deal is also up at the end of the current season, and the latest updates claim that he is a player that Luciano Spalletti likes and trusts, which could be enough to see him earn a new deal at the Allianz Stadium. 

The most significant Juventus player whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season is Dusan Vlahovic, however, the latest reports indicate that an extension for the Serbian remains unlikely at this stage. 

Elsewhere, Calciomercato.com suggests that Juventus could potentially look to extend the contracts of Pierre Kalulu, who earns a relatively low salary of €2.5m per season, but is still tied to the club until 2029. 

Similarly, Manuel Locatelli, whose deal expires in 2028, could be rewarded with new terms. It is also a similar story for Khephren Thuram, who is currently set to earn around €2m per season until the summer of 2029. 

Lastly, Juventus could also look to extend the contract of head coach Luciano Spalletti, however, a final decision on that matter is not expected to be taken until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

Gian Piero Gasperini will have to do without another one of his star attackers in Paulo Dybala for Monday evening’s Serie A clash at home against Cagliari, the latest updates confirm. 

Dybala ruled out of Roma vs. Cagliari

La Joya has not featured in either of Roma’s last two matches due to a minor issue, which is expected to keep him out of Monday night’s league fixture against Cagliari as well, according to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Sky Sport Italia and others. 

The Argentina international had been training individually in the days leading up to the Cagliari clash. 

Sunday’s reports claim that Roma have taken the decision not to risk the 32-year-old against Cagliari on precautionary grounds. 

As has been the case over the last two matches, Matias Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini are in line to start in Dybala’s absence.

Dybala adds to a considerable injury list at the Stadio Olimpico: Gasperini is also expected to be without Manu Kone, Robinio Vaz, Artem Dovbyk, Stephan El Shaarawy and potentially Mario Hermoso and Evan Ferguson as well. 

Alex Jimenez has recently completed his permanent transfer to AFC Bournemouth, but how much will his former club Milan profit from the move?

Alex Jimenez set to join Bournemouth from Milan on permanent deal

Jimenez has spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Premier League side Bournemouth. His deal with the Cherries includes a conditional obligation to buy, which, the club confirmed they have triggered on Saturday. 

Milan already received a fee of €2m for Jimenez’s loan deal. According to recent updates, the buyout clause will be worth €19.5m plus an additional €5.5m in bonuses and add-ons. 

However, the Rossoneri will not receive all of that €19.5m as Jimenez’s former club, Real Madrid, are entitled to a 50% sell-on fee. 

So, Real Madrid and Milan will split the €19.5m fee equally, meaning €9.75m each, not including bonuses. 

Jimenez is reportedly set to join Bournemouth on a five-and-a-half year contract running until the summer of 2031.

Kenan Yildiz is fresh off signing a new and improved contract with Juventus and is expected to star in attack when the Bianconeri host Lazio in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

Juventus made it four Serie A wins in a row when they beat Parma 4-1 in the league last weekend. They have scored 13 goals in those four matches and also defeated Napoli 3-0 during that run, but Luciano Spalletti’s side have since slipped to a 3-0 defeat against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia quarter-final on Wednesday night. 

The Old Lady sit in fourth place in the Serie A table ahead of kick-off with 45 points to their name from their first 23 games of the season. They are two clear of Roma in fifth and four shy of Napoli in third having played one game less than Antonio Conte’s side. 

Lazio beat Genoa 3-2 last time out in Serie A, bouncing back after a disappointing pair of results against Lecce and Como beforehand. They find themselves in eighth place ahead of kick-off, 13 points off the top four.

Kenan Yildiz was officially rewarded with a new and improved contract on Saturday and is expected to start in attack on Sunday night along with Fabio Miretti, Weston McKennie and Jonathan David. 

Maurizio Sarri’s side are without Mattia Zaccagni in attack, but are expected to stick with the same front three as the Genoa match, with Gustav Isaksen, Pedro and Daniel Maldini as a false nine. 

Kick-off is expected at 19.45 GMT. 

Juventus vs. Lazio: Probable line-ups

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; McKennie, Miretti, Yildiz; David. 

Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Taylor, Cataldi, Basic; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro.

Where to watch Juventus vs. Lazio 

Today’s game will be available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and through 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.

The table-topping Inter are expected to bring back their first-team big hitters when they visit an in-form Sassuolo side in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. 

The Nerazzurri are sitting pretty at the top of the Serie A table with 55 points after 23 matches, five clear of their closest competitors, Milan. Cristian Chivu’s side are unbeaten in 11 league matches and have won 10 of those 11 games. 

Sassuolo have recorded two consecutive victories in Serie A heading into Sunday’s clash against Inter, which puts them within a point of the top half of the table after 23 matches. 

Fabio Grosso is expected to name a similar side, if not the same starting XI as the one that beat Pisa 3-1 away from home last weekend, with Domenico Berardi, Andrea Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente starting across the front three. 

After resting the majority of his key first-team players for Wednesday evening’s 2-1 Coppa Italia victory over Torino, Chivu is expected to bring back his big hitters, including the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni, against Sassuolo.

The travelling Nerazzurri are still without midfielders Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu, but Chivu has hinted that they could both return to the squad after the Sassuolo match. Petar Sucic, Piotr Zielinski and Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the expected midfield combination on Sunday. 

Kick-off is due at 17.00 GMT. 

Sassuolo vs. Inter: Probable line-ups

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente 

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; L.Henrique, Sucic, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; L.Martinez, Thuram. 

Where to watch Sassuolo vs. Inter 

Today’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.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Mamma, how about Italy

Winter Olympics: An unforgettable first day

Lollobrigida gold in the 3000m speed skating. ‘Beautiful to win with my Tommi’. Silver for Franzoni in the downhill, Paris also on the podium at 36 years old: ‘I’m not stopping’ 

Napoli, what strength 

Inter anti-trap

Conte wins with 10 men, Hojlund settles it in the 95th minute from a contested penalty. Chivu against Sassuolo to return to +8. ThuLa up front again

Yildiz renews until 2030: ‘I love Juve, I want to make history’

Starter against Lazio

Toro draw: Level against Fiorentina through Maripan in the 94th minute

Finishes 2-2 in Florence

Corriere dello Sport 

Fourth star 

Yildiz 2030: Renewal signed, Kenan celebrates: ‘Fino alla fine’ 

‘I love Juve, it’s my family’ 

Salary rises from 1.7 to 7 million. Spalletti: ‘An important day, demonstrates the club’s desire’. The challenge with Lazio at 19.45 

Starting with three 

Milan-Cortina: Three immediate medals for Italy at the Winter Olympics 

Insane Napoli: Stronger than anyone 

Success in the 95th minute: 3-2 at Marassi 

McT scores then gets injured, brace from Hojlund, Buongiorno shocker. Juan Jesus sent off 

Lautaro chases Bonimba and the +8 

Inter, Sassuolo at 17.00

ItalRugby, off with a bang: Scotland beaten 

What a start in the Six Nations 

Viola disappointed with themselves, Torino fight back 

Finishes 2-2 at the Franchi 

Baroni goes ahead with Casadei. Fiorentina respond with Soloman and Kean. Maripan silences the Franchi in the 94th minute 

Tuttosport 

Mamma, what a gold! 

Triumph and olympic record in the skating: Moving moment for Lollobrigida with the little one, Tommaso

Franzoni & Paris: Fantastic medals 

‘Juve, my life’ 

Yildiz signs until 2030 for six million a year: Up against Lazio this evening 

Tuttosport’s anticipation is confirmed: The Turk states his bianconeri ambitions: ‘I love this team, we’ll do great things together’. Elkann also at Continassa for the announcement. Spalletti: ‘Will I renew as well? I have to deserve it, like Kenan’. Gattuso arrives at the Stadium: For Miretti but not just him. Conceicao and Kelly doubts

Maripan saves Toro and Baroni in the 94th 

The defender’s header in the final attack of the game sends Fiorentina back down to -9 off the Granata 

The Viola fight back through Soloman and Kean after Casadei’s opener, brought up the thought of Serie B for Cairo and the Franchi, but at least there was a proud finish this time. The Chilean: ‘My being left out? Eh, but the team is strong here, there are a lot of good players and the coach always decides’. Obrador, out with a muscular injury

Hojlund and heart, Napoli down to 10 at Genoa, mockery in the 95th minute 

Cornet touches Vergara: Penalty 

The Dane and McTominay (also injured) relaunch Conte. Buongiorno shock

Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has admitted that ‘it wasn’t a big big surprise’ to see Jean-Philippe Mateta fail a medical with Milan ahead of a proposed deadline day transfer to San Siro, and has explained why it is difficult to predict how long the Frenchman will be unavailable for. 

Milan were hoping to secure a late deal for Palace striker Mateta during the final days of the January transfer window. There was an agreement in place with the South London outfit over a fee in the region of €35m, but, on the final day of the window, the Rossoneri decided not to proceed after uncovering a concerning knee issue during Mateta’s medical.  

According to recent reports, three different medical experts warned Milan against the signing of Mateta, who may require surgery to fix the knee issue. 

Glasner: ‘It wasn’t a big big surprise’ to see Mateta fail his Milan medical

Glasner was given an opportunity to reflect on the whole ordeal during his pre-match press conference ahead of Palace’s Premier League match against rivals Brighton. 

Glasner explained why he and the club decided to keep playing Mateta if they knew there was an issue with his knee: “I’ve mentioned this often that we have to manage his knee. The most important thing is always the player’s welfare. There were no concerns (so that’s why) that we took a higher risk so that’s why he could always play. Then we rested him in a few games, in a few training sessions. 

“To be honest it was not a big big surprise that he could fail (his medical). We always knew that this could happen and he knew it. Of course, if you’re playing for two and a half months with a swollen knee and you have to be managed, we knew and he knew that there is an issue in his knee. 

“He wasn’t really pleased. We all know this from our private lives, when you visit three doctors, you get three opinions and that is what we have right now. 

“We have an opinion from an English doctor, one from an Italian, one from a French doctor and we’ll get another one from a German doctor JP trusted when he had surgery when he was a Mainz player. We’ll do further assessments, he’ll see one more doctor on Monday and then we’ll all sit together and make a final decision.”

Part of the reason why Palace and Mateta are taking their time to make a decision on whether or not to have surgery is the upcoming 2026 World Cup. 

Glasner admitted that there is still a possibility that Mateta goes to the World Cup with the France national team: “There are two ways we can do it: Either manage it, like we did. We can manage the knee until after the World Cup, because this is especially what JP is considering, his dream, playing for France at the World Cup. Or, the other one is that he undergoes the surgery.” 

And when asked which option gives Mateta the best possibility of playing at the World Cup this summer, Glasner said: “This is what we don’t know right now. 

“There are a few predictions for his surgery, he could be out for two months, he could be out for three months, he could be out for six to nine months. There are many opinions and now it’s about doing the right thing. We don’t know right now, but we will decide next week.” 

“The most important thing is the players welfare.”

Oliver Glasner reveals he wasn’t surprised that Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan could not be completed pic.twitter.com/9FrXiyXhBC

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 6, 2026

Recent rumours claim that Thiago Motta could potentially return to Bologna if the Rossoblu part company with Vincenzo Italiano, but how much would Juventus save if the move went ahead? 

Could Thiago Motta return to Bologna and how would it affect Juventus? 

Thiago Motta has been out of work since being dismissed as head coach of Juventus in March last year. He lasted less than a year in the job after being called in to replace Massimiliano Allegri for the 2024-25 season. 

The 43-year-old has since been linked with several managerial vacancies, including with Real Sociedad, AS Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and Spartak Moscow. 

Motta is in no particular rush to jump back into coaching and according to Calciomercato.com, he wants to take as much time as possible to evaluate his next steps to ensure that his next job is the right fit. 

There have been rumours circulating over the last few days that Motta could potentially return to his former club Bologna should they take the decision to part ways with current head coach, Italiano. 

Italiano guided Bologna to their first Coppa Italia title in 51 years last season, gaining a spot in the Europa League in the process, but is currently on a dismal run of form with just one Serie A victory to his name since the beginning of December. 

The Rossoblu are now 10th in the table and risk slipping into the bottom half of the table if they fail to beat Parma over the weekend. 

In the event that Bologna do part company with Italiano in the near future, it is expected that Motta will be among the candidates to replace him. 

Though he left Juventus last March, Motta has not yet terminated his contract, which means that he is still entitled to a salary until the end of his contract in the summer of 2027. 

According to reports from Calciomercato, Motta still earns a net salary of around €3m per season from Juventus, which costs Juventus roughly €5.5m gross. That salary would be wiped off the Juve balance sheet in the event that Motta takes over at Bologna. 

Claudio Ranieri has recently revealed that Francesco Totti could potentially return to his beloved Roma in the near future. Here is everything we know about the potential return of the legendary former Giallorossi skipper. 

Could Totti finally be set to return to Roma?

“I know the Friedkins are thinking about it. I hope Francesco can truly be useful to Roma as well, because he really is part of Roma,” Ranieri told Sky Sport Italia in a recent interview. 

Totti retired in 2017 after a 24-year career in Roma’s first team. He was immediately appointed as a technical collaborator after hanging up his boots, a role which was intended to keep Totti involved with the club on a day-to-day basis. 

However, it was never particularly clear what his daily duties entailed in his previous role, and eventually, after a breakdown in relations with the former Roma set-up, Totti decided to walk away from the club in 2019. 

“I resign, but sooner or later I will return. Definitely under a different ownership,” Totti said at the time of his resignation in 2019. 

Since 2020, Roma have been under the ownership of Dan Friedkin and are currently under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri, who is said to have an excellent relationship with Totti. 

Totti was recently spotted at the Stadio Olimpico for Roma’s 2-0 Europa League victory over VfB Stuttgart, his first appearance at the stadium in around two years, and as per Corriere dello Sport, this was under this invitation of Ryan Friedkin. 

Ranieri is very much the bridge between Totti and the current Roma ownership, though. 

Corriere dello Sport claims that talks over a potential return for Totti are ongoing. There is no rush though, and the relevant parties want to make sure that everybody is in agreement over what a return for Totti would look like. 

The Friedkins reportedly see Totti as a key, symbolic figure for the club in a potential representative or ambassadorial sort of role, while Totti himself is said to be keen on more of a hands-on operational position somewhere between the sporting director and first team. These are details that still need to be hashed out. 

As per Corriere dello Sport, Totti’s return could potentially coincide with the club’s centenary year in 2027. The club would also like to have Totti on board for a potential move into a new stadium. 

While there are still several details to be sorted out, on a personal level as well – Totti is set to finalise a complicated divorce from his wife in March – reports in Italy claim that a return to the Stadio Olimpico has never been closer than it is right now.