Gennaro Gattuso has less than a week to go before he is expected to announce his Italy national team squad for the crucial World Cup play-offs at the end of March. Here is a look at five young hopefuls who could be included in the Azzurri side for the Northern Ireland match on the 26th of this month. 

Italy are due to take on Northern Ireland in a one-legged World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on March 26, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-off decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament on March 31. 

Should Italy fail to win both matches, they will miss out on the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row. The Azzurri have not qualified for the group stages since 2014 and have not won a knock-out game at the World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2006. 

Here are five youngsters who could be involved with the Italy side come the end of March. 

• Read more: 12 Italy players certain of a place in the next squad
• Read more: Seven Italy players currently unavailable through injury

Which Italy players could be involved for World Cup play-offs?

Marco Palestra 

The 21-year-old Cagliari right-back, on loan from Atalanta, is not only an option for the future, but very much a valuable addition for the present as well. 

Marco Palestra is enjoying a fantastic breakthrough season in Serie A and has been a mainstay in the Cagliari side, appearing in all 27 of his side’s league matches following his signing. In fact, he has only been taken off twice before full-time across his last 18 league outings. 

The 21-year-old plays week in, week out at right wing-back, an area where Italy are fairly light, and is also capable of playing in a back four should Gattuso stick with the 4-4-2 that he utilised in November. 

Michael Kayode 

Italy’s shortage at right-back could be solved with the inclusion of another 21-year-old in Michael Kayode, who is having a brilliant season on an individual and collective level in the Premier League with Brentford. 

Tipped for relegation by many at the beginning of the season, Kayode has been a crucial part of the Brentford side that currently sits in seventh place in the Premier League table and are pushing for an historic spot in Europe for next season. 

Kayode’s long throw has also been causing chaos for various Premier League sides over the course of the 2025-26 campaign, and could offer Gattuso that direct option, particularly if he has a strong headerer of the ball, like a Pio Esposito, on the pitch. 

Davide Bartesaghi 

Though Italy have been somewhat short on options on the right flank, Federico Dimarco and Destiny Udogie have provided decent options on the left for the last few seasons, and now, Milan’s Davide Bartesaghi is looking like an enticing option for Gattuso as well. 

Dimarco, tipped by some for the Serie A MVP award this season, is the expected starter at left back or left wing-back approaching Italy’s World Cup play-off campaign at the end of the month, but with Udogie still recovering from his latest hamstring injury, a spot in the squad for Bartesaghi is looking like an increasingly likely and deserved possibility. 

Bartesaghi has carved out a place for himself as Milan’s go-to left wing-back, despite their signing of the experienced Pervis Estupinan, who had been expected to be the guaranteed starter for the Rossoneri at the beginning of the campaign. 

And, should the unthinkable happen and Dimarco becomes available for whatever reason, Bartesaghi has more than proved himself a worthy understudy in 2025-26. 

Niccolo Pisilli 

Roma’s Niccolo Pisilli is now an expected call-up for the Italy squad heading into the World Cup play-offs at the end of March. 33-year-old Marco Verratti was rumoured to be in line for a return to the Azzurri set-up after a three-year absence, but he has not recovered from a knee injury and is now not expected to be involved this month. 

That means that there is a high chance that Pisilli is called up to the midfield department instead. 

The 21-year-old is unlikely to start ahead of the likes of Sandro Tonali, Nicolo Barella and Manuel Locatelli, but his increasingly prominent role under Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma should not go unnoticed. 

Pio Esposito 

The Inter ‘starboy’ is also expected to be included in Gattuso’s squad after earning a series of call-ups to the Italy side during the first half of the 2025-26 season. 

The 20-year-old already has three goals for the Italy senior side from his first five caps, and despite the expected call-ups of Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui, there are arguments that the youngster should be starting for the national team, particularly if Gattuso plays two up front. 

Esposito has also been handed an even more involved role with Inter in recent weeks, following the injury to Lautaro Martinez, and was trusted to lead the line in the recent Derby della Madonnina against rivals Milan. He has three goals and two assists to his name in Serie A since the start of the calendar year. 

Both Inter and Juventus have been linked with moves for Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker over the last few weeks, but the Bianconeri feel that they are able to match the Brazilian’s salary demands and are hoping that Luciano Spalletti is a major convincing factor as well. 

Why Juventus seem confident over Alisson Becker deal

Both Inter and Juventus could be on the lookout for new goalkeepers heading into the summer transfer window. 

The Nerazzurri are expected to part ways with 37-year-old stopper Yann Sommer once his contract expires at the end of the season, and Juventus are unconvinced by the performances of Michele Di Gregorio, who has lost his no.1 status in recent weeks. 

Unsurprisingly, a similar set of potential targets has cropped up for both clubs. Guglielmo Vicario is an option for both sides, as is Liverpool’s Alisson. Reports on Thursday claimed that Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez could also be a possibility for the Bianconeri. 

However, reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday claim that Alisson is the most ‘reliable’ option for Juventus. 

The Brazilian is still under contract with Liverpool until the end of the 2026-27 season, but Juventus hold out hope that the Premier League side may sanction a sale given that Alisson will be into the final year of his deal in the summer, and they already have his replacement lined up in Giorgi Mamardashvili. 

Juventus are not put off by Alisson’s salary demands either. According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, he currently earns a net salary in the region of €6m per season at Anfield, which would not go beyond Juve’s current wage structure. 

Aside from Dusan Vlahovic, whose hefty contract will expire this summer, Juventus aim to keep all of their players on salaries below €7m per season according to Friday’s report. 

There is also the Spalletti factor for Alisson, who worked under the current Bianconeri head coach at Roma. La Gazzetta dello Sport writes that if Spalletti is able to convince the Brazilian to join this summer, negotiations with Liverpool will become a ‘downhill slope’. 

The council in Rome has voted in favour of approving the plans submitted by AS Roma for a new 60,000-seater stadium, reports on Thursday confirm: “Today is an historic day, not just for the fans, but for all Romans,” said the mayor. 

New Roma stadium formally approved by council

Roma are one of several Serie A sides hoping to build a new stadium with the aim of hosting matches at EURO 2032. Milan and Inter are also progressing with their plans for a new ground to replace the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in San Siro. 

Towards the end of December, the Giallorossi announced that they had delivered the Technical and Economic Feasibility Study (known as the PFTE in Italy). This was effectively the formal proposal for the new stadium. 

As of Friday afternoon, the city council in Rome has voted in favour of approving the plans that Roma submitted just before Christmas. 

There are still several bureaucratic and administrative procedures before work on the new stadium can begin, but as Corriere dello Sport writes, Friday’s vote was a ‘very important step forwards’, and now a new stadium in Pertralata is ‘increasingly less of a dream, and becoming more and more of a reality’. 

“Today is an historic day, not just for the fans, but for all Romans,” said mayor Roberto Gualtieri ahead of the vote on Friday (via Corriere dello Sport). 

“We can’t wait for the stadium project to be realised. Rome will have a modern stadium integrated into the urban fabric of the city, and will also bring new green spaces to the city.” 

Guualtieri also stressed that it is Roma, not the city, who will be providing the vast majority of the funds for the project. 

He expressed his thanks to Roma President Dan Friedkin “for the investment that brings a new sporting institution to our city without burdening public finances.” 

Despite being close to a return to competitive action, this weekend will be one too soon for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who will not be part of the Juventus squad to take on Udinese in Serie A on Saturday evening according to the latest reports. 

Vlahovic’s Juventus return postponed

Vlahovic has been out of action since the end of November after suffering an injury to his adductor in a 2-1 Serie A win against Cagliari. He has since had surgery and has spent the last three months rehabilitating, missing out on the last 15 league matches, plus two in the Coppa Italia and five in the Champions League in the process. 

In positive news for the Old Lady, Vlahovic was spotted back in training at the beginning of the week, and on Wednesday, it was confirmed that he had completed his first full session with the team in months, which had put him in contention to feature in Serie A this weekend. 

However, according to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the centre-forward is still not quite at 100% and will therefore not be rushed back into action. 

Friday’s report indicates that he will not be part of the Juventus squad to face Udinese at 19.45 on Saturday evening.

Francisco Conceicao believes that Juventus are ‘stronger’ than Roma and Como as the three sides look set to do battle over one spot in the Serie A top four, and says that ‘every team’ would want to have his compatriot Bernardo Silva in their side: ‘He’s a great player’. 

Conceicao sat down in front of the media for the pre-match press conference ahead of Juventus’s upcoming Serie A match away against Udinese. 

Head coach Luciano Spalletti has made a habit of sending one of his senior players in to do the Serie A pre-match press conferences in recent weeks: Manuel Locatelli went first, Pierre Kalulu has also had a go, and this week was the turn of the Portugal international, Conceicao. 

Conceicao on Juventus’s top four battle and Bernardo Silva links

The month of February was one to forget for Juventus, who slipped to defeats against Atalanta, Inter, Galatasaray and Como across the Coppa Italia, Serie A and Champions League. 

The defeats against Como and Galatasaray in the cups have ended any hopes of silverware for the Old Lady this season, and those against Inter and Como have made a top-four finish considerably more of a challenge. 

Juventus have since bounced back with a respectable 3-3 comeback draw away against Roma and a 4-0 thrashing of Pisa last weekend. They now find themselves in sixth place, one point shy of both Roma (fifth) and Como (fourth). 

“I think that the strength of the group is the basis for everything we do. We’ve shown that many times in the past,” Conceicao told the media during his pre-match press conference on Friday. 

“During the week, we work on becoming stronger and we all have to improve individually, and that’s what we’ve done. We work on all the details that the coach wants to improve.

“We’re playing very well at the moment, but we have even more potential to show. Now we have to win to achieve our goals.” 

On the upcoming opposition, Conceicao added: “Udinese are a strong team and even more so at home. We know that they’re particularly strong up front and strong in general, but we go to Udine wanting to win.” 

Juventus have also been linked with a potential move for Conceicao’s international colleague Bernardo Silva, whose contract with Manchester City is due to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

“I know Bernardo very well and he’s a great player,” said Conceicao. “Every team would like to have Bernardo in their side.” 

Conceicao was also asked how excited he is to have Dusan Vlahovic nearing a return to the team after a long spell on the treatment table and a lack of suitable replacements in his absence. 

“All teams are stronger when all the players are fit,” said Conceica. “Dusan is very strong and is missing from our team at the moment. He’s getting better and better and we hope that he comes back well from his injury.” 

And on Spalletti, he said: “The coach has brought us a lot of things. We play well, we have the quality to do even better and prove it. You can see that the team plays with happiness, and plays well. We try to dominate the game and all the players like that, particularly those up front. We create a lot of chances but we have to do more and continue working hard to try and win in every game.” 

Conceicao was also asked which of Juventus, Roma or Como he feels are the most likely to finish the 2025-26 season in the Serie A top four. 

He replied: “I’d say Juve, I don’t care about which of the others make it. I care that we are there and that’s what we’re working for.

“We know we have the quality to stay (in the Champions League). We have to work hard and win the game tomorrow. We have to stay in the Champions League, we have the quality to do it.

“For me, we’re stronger, but we have to show it. We have to win to stay up there and we have to prove ourselves.” 

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are interested in a potential deal for former Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, who is currently on loan with an obligation to buy at Primeira Liga side Porto. 

Juventus circle back to Kiwior

According to Tuttosport, Juventus are keen to add to their defensive department this summer, and are still holding out for a free transfer for AFC Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, but Kiwior remains of interest as well. 

This is not the first time that Juventus have been linked with a move for the Poland international, who has Serie A experience on his CV from his time with Spezia. Juventus were also said to be interested in him at various stages of 2024 and 2025 as well. 

According to the most recent report, Juventus see Kiwior as a potential option to compete with, or potentially even replace Lloyd Kelly on the left-hand side of Luciano Spalletti’s defence. 

Kiwior is currently out on loan at Porto from Arsenal in a deal that includes an option to buy worth €23m including bonuses and add-ons. 

Tuttosport claims that Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini has recently been to Portugal, and suggests that talks over a potential deal for Kiwior were likely on the agenda. 

Tuttosport adds that Porto will be seeking a fee in the region of €35m to sell Kiwior this summer, which would bring them an immediate profit after activating their option to buy clause.

Gennaro Gattuso and his staff are preparing for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March, but the latest news regarding Marco Verratti means that Italy now have seven players currently unavailable through injury. 

Which Italy players are currently unavailable through injury?

Italy will take on Northern Ireland in Bergamo in the World Cup play-off semi-final on March 26, and the winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the final on March 31: A one-off decider for a spot in the final tournament. 

Should the Azzurri fail to win both matches, they will miss out on the World Cup for the third consecutive tournament cycle. 

To make matters even more complicated for Gattuso and his staff, the last international break was four months ago, in November, and there has not been an opportunity for the squad to get together and train as a team since then. 

Gattuso also has seven players who might have been included in the play-off squad currently unavailable through injury. They are the aforementioned Verratti, Giovanni Leoni, Matteo Gabbia, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Destiny Udogie, Nicolo Rovella and Antonio Vergara. 

There had also been brief concerns over Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori over the last week, but Cristian Chivu has confirmed that the Inter man suffered a knock and is not expected to be unavailable long-term, while the Arsenal defender has already returned to training with his teammates. 

There is still a chance that Di Lorenzo, who has 53 caps to his name, returns in time for the play-offs. Reports in the UK indicate that Udogie could potentially return to action for Tottenham before the international break as well. It remains to be seen whether either will be called up. 

Gabbia, Leoni, Rovella, Verratti and Vergara are not expected to return in time for the play-offs, though.

Emiliano Martinez is among the potential goalkeeping options for Juventus approaching the summer transfer window, and the Bianconeri could reportedly seek to include loanee Douglas Luiz in negotiations with Aston Villa. 

Juventus, and Inter, are both looking to address their goalkeeping situations over the summer transfer window. Michele Di Gregorio has had a disappointing season between the sticks for the Bianconeri, and is no longer the club’s guaranteed first choice, with Mattia Perin returning for opportunities over the last few weeks. 

According to reports from Tuttosport and various others, Juventus will look to bring in a new stopper over the next summer transfer window. 

Could Juventus snatch Emiliano Martinez away from Aston Villa?

Juve have already been linked with several Premier League stoppers over the last few weeks, including Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, also of interest to Inter, and Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, who has Serie A experience from his time with Roma. 

According to Thursday’s reports from Tuttosport and Calciomercato.com, Aston Villa’s Martinez is also an option for the Bianconeri heading into the summer transfer window. 

The 33-year-old World Cup winner and two-time Yashin Trophy recipient remains under contract until the summer of 2029 at Villa Park, but with financial restrictions still weighing over the Premier League side, Juventus hope there is a chance they will consider a sale under the right conditions. 

Martinez reportedly earns a net salary in the region of €5m per season at Aston Villa, and he would reportedly request a three-year contract if he were to leave Villa Park this summer. 

Juventus and Villa could also seek to include Douglas Luiz in potential negotiations for Martinez. 

The Brazilian midfielder is currently on loan at Villa with an option to buy from Juventus for €25m, and Thursday’s reports claim that the possibility of a ‘double deal’ can’t be ruled out at this stage. 

Thursday’s reports indicate that Marco Verratti will be unavailable for Italy’s upcoming World Cup play-off campaign through injury, so who could replace the 33-year-old midfielder, and how is CT Gennaro Gattuso planning to line up in the middle of the park? 

Verratti, who last played for the national team in Nations League finals in the summer of 2023, has been in line for a surprise return to the Azzurri squad for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on March 26, and for the final, which will be played away against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 31 should Italy qualify. 

There were reports that the former PSG and current Al-Duhail midfielder was on Gattuso’s preliminary squad list, and that he was in line to make the final cut at the end of this month. 

Those rumours have been put to bed on Thursday, as reports from various outlets claim that Verratti is still struggling with a knee injury that has kept him out of club action since January 15 and will not be included in the World Cup play-off squad at the end of this month. 

Thursday’s reports indicate that 21-year-old Roma midfielder Niccolo Pisilli is the most likely candidate to replace Verratti in Gattuso’s squad. 

Fortunately for Gattuso, the injury to Verratti is unlikely to impact plans on his first-choice starting XI. That is because Nicolo Barella and Sandro Tonali are widely expected to be the go-to ‘number 8s’ this month, and Juventus’s Manuel Locatelli is highly likely to be the man at the base of the Azzuurri midfield. 

Which midfielders are on Italy’s radar? 

Nicolo Barella (Inter), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Nicolo Rovella (Lazio), Samuele Ricci (Milan), Niccolo Pisilli (Roma), Fabio Miretti (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Giovanni Fabbian (Fiorentina), Nicolo Fagioli (Fiorentina), Cesare Casadei (Torino).

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are also among the list of clubs interested in a potential free transfer for 37-year-old centre-forward Robert Lewandowski once his contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

Could Juventus rival Milan for Lewandowski signing?

Lewandowski has spent just shy of four years with Barcelona, having joined the LaLiga giants in a €50m deal from Bayern Munich during that summer transfer window. 

He signed a four-year contract at the time, which is due to expire this summer, and though there is reportedly an option to extend the agreement by an additional 12 months, that option is unlikely to be exercised according to the latest reports from Tuttosport. 

Tuttosport claims that Juventus are among the interested sides in Lewandowski approaching the summer transfer window. The Polish legend has also been linked with a potential move to Milan at various stages of the 2025-26 season, following the successful signing of veteran midfielder Luka Modric. 

Tuttosport claims that Juventus director Damien Comolli is studying a potential deal and that he hopes to pull off a similar deal to the one that Milan achieved with Modric, potentially on a two-year contract. 

The feeling is that like Modric, Lewandowski has the class and ability to make an immediate impact in Serie A despite his age, and with his experience, he would be a valuable addition to the senior members of the club’s dressing room. 

The main obstacle for Juventus relates to salary, given that Lewandowski earns a reported €13m per season after tax on his current deal with Barcelona. That would make him comfortably the highest-paid player in Serie A, even higher than current Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Juventus would need to convince Lewandowski to take some sort of pay cut in order to facilitate the move according to Tuttosport. 

The Old Lady are not the only interested party either. Milan have already been mentioned and there is also plenty of interest from MLS as well according to Thursday’s report. 

Star Roma midfielder Manu Kone is expected to be unavailable through injury for Thursday evening’s Europa League round of 16 first leg clash against Serie A rivals Bologna according to the latest updates in Italy. 

The two Serie A sides left standing in the Europa League will go head-to-head over two legs of the round of 16 over the next week, beginning on Thursday evening at the Dall’Ara.

Roma confirmed their squad of players on Wednesday evening, including Kone among the selections, but according to reports from Corriere dello Sport on Thursday, the Frenchman is struggling with a muscular issue. 

According to Corriere dello Sport, Kone was already feeling fatigued after Roma’s recent 2-1 loss against Genoa in Serie A. He was given a run-out on Thursday morning ahead of the Bologna match, but this mini-session has only confirmed that he is not in a condition to play this evening. 

Thursday’s report claims that Kone is likely to miss out on Roma’s massive Serie A clash against top-four rivals Como coming up this weekend, as well as the Bologna match in the Europa League. 

Neil El Aynaoui and Niccolo Pisilli are expected to start in midfield for the Giallorossi against Bologna instead according to the latest updates. 

Meanwhile, reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday morning claimed that Kone is still of interest to Serie A leaders Inter heading into the summer transfer window. 

Click here to read more.

Roma squad to face Bologna

Goalkeepers: Svilar, Gollini, De Marzi.

Defenders: Rensch, Ndicka, Tsimikas, Celik, Hermoso, Ziolkowski, Wesley, Ghilardi.

Midfielders: Cristante, Pellegrini, El Aynaoui, Pisilli

Forwards: Malen, Vaz, El Shaarawy, Zaragoza.

Predicted line-up (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Ghilardi, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, El Aynaoui, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante, Zaragoza; Malen

Former Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia said that the first goal he scored for Paris Saint-Germain against Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday night reminded him of a goal he once scored for the Partenopei against Monza in Serie A. Here is a look at the two wonderful strikes from the Georgian. 

Watch: Kvaratskhelia’s PSG and Napoli goals compared

Kvaratskhelia started among the substitutes, but emerged off the bench to change the game in PSG’s eventual 5-2 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday night. 

The scores were level at 2-2 at the time of Kvaratskhelia’s introduction, but the Georgian came on to change the game, providing two goals and an assist to help his side to a convincing 5-2 scoreline. 

The first goal that Kvaratskhelia scored on the night was a particularly special finish, cutting in off the left flank onto his preferred right foot before slamming a bending effort right into the side netting. 

“My first goal tonight reminded me of the one I scored at the Maradona against Monza,” Kvaratskhelia noted after full-time. “It was essential to win,” he continued. “I’m happy with the brace but now I’m looking forward to the next game.” 

The goal that ‘Kvara’ was referring to came in a 4-0 against Monza at the Stadio Maradona during Napoli’s 2022-23 Scudetto-winning campaign. 

Reports in Italy claim that talks over a new contract for Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti are progressing and that the Bianconeri have drawn up two different proposals for the former CT to choose between. 

Spalletti was appointed as the head coach of Juventus on October 30, signing a short-term contract until the end of the 2025-26 season following the dismissal of current Tottenham Hotspur boss Igor Tudor. 

Since then, Spalletti has overseen a largely encouraging upturn in results, despite the club’s recent exit from the Champions League at the hands of Galatasaray. Juventus are currently fighting it out with Roma and Como for a spot in next season’s Champions League, but Spalletti’s future is not likely to be dependent on a top four finish according to recent reports. 

Where to Juventus and Spalletti stand in contract talks?

According to Thursday’s updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, talks over a contract extension for Spalletti are progressing, and as things stand, there are currently two options on the table for the head coach. 

The first option would be for an initial 12-month contract until the end of the 2026-27 season with an option to renew for a further year. This would reportedly come with a salary offer of around €6m plus around €1m in bonuses. 

The other option would be for a straight, two-year deal, albeit on slightly lower wages in the region of €5m per season. This option would effectively give Spalletti an extra year of job and salary security. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that as things stand, the parties are leaning towards the first of these two options.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says that there is a need for ‘balance’ in Italian youth teams, and believes that coaches of Primavera and U23 sides are too ‘focused on results’ as things stand. 

The RedBird advisor addressed the topic of youth team cultures in a recent feature interview with CBS Sports.

• Read more: Ibrahimovic names biggest Milan role model: ‘They compared me with him at Ajax’ 

Ibrahimovic on Italy’s youth, relationship with Allegri, Maignan and Rabiot

During his chat with CBS, Ibrahimovic was asked for his thoughts on the current state of youth teams in Italy and the apparent struggle to field promising young Italian players in competitive matches. 

“The culture of Italy is that everybody is focused on results,” said Ibrahimovic. 

“The youth coaches (say): ‘I want to win, so If I want to win, I put a ready player. But then I have a potential player, he will not play. I will play the ready player because he will make me win’. We take that out from Milan. 

“We’re changing the philosophy because first of all we want to give them game time. Because when you’re young, I believe in game time. If you’re not playing in Milan Futuro, you’ll play with the Primavera, 100%. So everybody will get game time. Then after a while, you move up again. It’s like a balance, like a scale that goes up and down.” 

Ibrahimovic tried to explain why promoting young players to the first team seems to be such a big issue, particularly at a ‘big’ club like Milan. 

“But then when you come in the first team, it’s only based on results. So now we need results. We’re trying to bring out the youth, which we want, but at the same time, we’re haunted by the history of the club. 

“I mean seven Champions Leagues, 19 Scudettos, all the Golden Ball players that won, all the international cups we won, fans are used to that. If we don’t give them that, we’re not giving them Milan. And we need to give them Milan.” 

Ibrahimovic also discussed his working relationship with head coach Massimiliano Allegri, with whom he has worked as a player and as an advisor to the club’s ownership. 

“He’s a character. I had him as a coach also. Even at that time he handled the players very well,” Ibrahimovic said. “He’s very good at the relationships with the players, he’s managing the group fantastically. And obviously he’s a character. 

“It wasn’t easy because we had Seedorf, we had me, Cassano, all of these big characters that weren’t afraid to say things. But Allegri has to think collectively, he can’t only think about one. He has to do what’s best for the time. 

“From then, he had to work on the big characters. But he handled it well. We won in the first year and he’s bringing that to the team today, he transmits it to the team. Obviously the players he had before are different to these ones. Maybe now he’s missing the ‘characters’ that he would like to have more of.

“Working with Allegri is very easy. He’s the expert. He has big experience, he’s been at big clubs. He’s a winner and to be at Milan isn’t for everyone. It’s difficult to be the coach of Milan. It’s very demanding and he understands what it means to be at Milan, so he brings the whole package. He just has to bring that to the players now.”

Ibrahimovic is also familiar with a number of Milan’s current first-team stars from his own playing days. 

“We have Rabiot also, who is also for me, on a different level. In this team, we have Mike the goalie, Nkunku, who came this season and Rabiot. I played with them when they were 17 years old at PSG. Now they’re here at Milan. And I played with Mike obviously here, and Rabiot chose a different path.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has named former Netherlands international Marco van Basten as the Milan player he most looked up to growing up, and says that he struggled initially to handle the comparisons between himself and the former Rossoneri star. 

Ibrahimovic on biggest Milan inspirations: ‘He remains in history’

Ibrahimovic recently appeared in a feature with CBS Sports, talking all things Rossonero during a tour of the club’s training ground, Milanello. 

At the beginning of his interview, Ibrahimovic was asked which Milan player he most looked up to growing up. 

“I have Marco van Basten,” said Ibarhimovic. “When I came to Ajax, he was also playing there and they compared me with him at Ajax. And already there the pressure was too high for me because I was not ready to handle that pressure on that level because obviously Van Basten is an icon, a legend. 

“And at this club, he’s part of the trio: van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard. They’re the three from Holland that made history with the club. And I was compared with him because I was a striker, the way I was playing. So he was my symbolic ‘logo’ of Milan. 

“He was amazing. He only had a short career, but for what he did, he remains in history, and not only at Milan, in global football.”

Thursday’s reports claim that Atalanta are hoping to hand a new and improved contract extension to head coach Raffaele Palladino, despite his side’s 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich earlier this week. 

Palladino set for Atalanta contract talks despite Champions League thrashing

Palladino was appointed head coach of La Dea in November following the dismissal of Ivan Juric. At the time, he put pen to paper over a contract that runs until the end of the 2026-27 season, but Atalanta are now considering handing him a new, longer-term deal, potentially until the summer of 2029. 

That is because the club is pleased with the work that Palladino has done so far. 

Despite the recent thumping by Bayern Munich, La Dea appreciate the fact that Atalanta were able to overcome Borussia Dortmund in a particularly memorable Champions League victory in February, and the fact that the club are now back in the mix for a potential spot in Europe next season after an underwhelming start to the 2025-26 Serie A campaign. 

Atalanta are also still involved in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, which means that they are the only Italian side left standing in Serie A, the cup and the Champions League, even if their round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich has practically already been settled. 

Palladino was also named as the Serie A coach of the month for February following a string of victories against Cremonese, Lazio and Napoli. 

According to reports from TMW, Atalanta are now hoping to sit down with Palladino to discuss a potential extension of his deal until 1019 as a sign that they trust him as the right man to take the project forwards.

Despite being tipped with a surprise return to the Italy national team set-up after almost three years, it appears that Marco Verratti will not be available for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign at the end of the month after all. 

Verratti had been tipped with a return to the Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland coming up on March 26, and recent reports claimed that he was on Gennaro Gattuso’s preliminary squad list.

The 33-year-old last played for the Azzurri during the Nations League finals in the summer of 2023. 

Verratti is currently on the books of Al-Duhail of the Qatar Stars League, but has not featured for his club since January 15 due to recurring injury issues. Those problems are expected to keep him out of action for the play-offs with Italy later this month according to reports from various outlets on Thursday. 

Instead, Gattuso looks set to stick with a first-choice midfield of Nicolo Barella, Sandro Tonali and Juventus’s Manuel Locatelli at the base. Thursday’s reports suggest that Roma’s Niccolo Pisilli is increasingly likely to be included in the squad now that Verratti has been ruled out. 

When do Italy play next? 

The Azzurri will next be in action against Northern Ireland for the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on Thursday, March 26. 

The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on March 31 depending on the result of the other semi-final.

Inter could let go of several long-term first-team servants and are targeting a summer move for Roma midfielder Manu Kone according to Thursday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

The Nerazzurri are sitting seven points clear at the top of the Serie A table with 10 league matches of the season left to go, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, there could soon be a transfer ‘revolution’ on the horizon. 

Inter have several senior players whose contracts are expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season and are not currently expected to be renewed, including the likes of goalkeeper Yann Sommer, defenders Matteo Darmian, Stefan de Vrij and Francesco Acerbi, and a decision is yet to be made on midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. 

The Nerazzurri are also hoping to supply Cristian Chivu with ‘fresh blood’ ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. Roma’s Manu Kone was a target in the summer transfer window of 2025, and according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are likely to make another attempt for the Frenchman this coming window.  

Thursday’s report indicates that Inter are also inclined to activate their buy-back option for 20-year-old Club Brugge midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic, son of former Nerazzurri star, Dejan. 

Departures can’t be ruled out, and La Gazzetta dello Sport argues that none of Inter’s first team stars are particularly ‘untouchable’ at this stage, aside from perhaps Lautaro Martinez and Pio Esposito. 

Even an Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella or a Marcus Thuram could theoretically be allowed to leave if a particularly enticing offer were to come in. Galatasaray are also reportedly persisting with their interest in Hakan Calhanoglu. 

Yann BIsseck is said to have interest from the Premier League and Denzel Dumfries reportedly has a release clause option in his contract valid this summer. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport maintains that these suggestions are purely hypothetical at this stage. But if a big name or two were to leave this summer, Kone, who is likely to cost in excess of €40m would be the primary target. 

Robeto Piccoli is expected to start at centre-forward for Fiorentina in the absence of Italy international Moise Kean as the Viola prepare to take on Rakow Czestochowa in the Conference League on Thursday evening. 

The Conference League has been a rare source of victories for Fiorentina in 2025-26. Paolo Vanoli’s side beat Polish opposition in Jagiellonia Białystok by a 5-4 scoreline over two legs of the play-offs in order to qualify for tonight’s round of 16 tie. 

Rakow Czestochowa finished the league phase in second place and qualified directly for the round of 16 as a result. 

Fiorentina are without Kean in attack. The Italy man is in contention to return against Cremonese in Serie A on Monday evening instead. Compatriot Piccoli is expected to start at centre-forward instead. 

Vanoli is expected to rest Dodo, Nicolo Fagioli and give an opportunity to goalkeeper Oliver Christensen instead of David De Gea. 

According to Sky Sport Italia, Fabiano Parisi and Jacopo Fazzini could also start in attack in a fairly heavily rotated Viola side.

Kick-off is due at 19.45 GMT. 

Fiorentina vs. Rakow Czestochowa: Probable line-ups 

Fiorentina (4-3-3): Christensen; Fortini, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Fabbian, Mandragora, Ndour; Parisi, Piccoli, Fazzini. 

Rakow (3-4-2-1): Zych; Mozor, Svarnas, Racovitan; Tudor, Repka, Struski, Ameyaw; Ibid, Makuch; Brunes.

Where to watch Fiorentina vs. Rakow Czestochowa

Tonight’s game will be available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 6 and online through Discovery+. Supporters in the USA are able to tune in via Paramount+. 

Join us for all the pre-match build-up, in-game commentary and post-match reactions on the Football Italia Liveblog.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Inter gets a shake-up

Scudetto, and then there will be a revolution

The club wants a side with more characters, even Barella and Bastoni up for discussion. And, on the market place, Kone and Vicario primary objectives 

Milan’s plans for the Champions League

Kean for the attack

Italy sink 

Our sides a disaster in the Champions League

No team reaches the quarter-finals. The bottom  of the barrel. Look how many points they’ve suffered: The reasons behind the crisis 

Real lessons 

Super Valverde (three goals) to overwhelm City

Rino, you think about it 

The locations of the training bases have already been chosen: Toronto and then Utah 

It’s Bologna-Roma. Gasp plays for a lot, Italiano for everything 

And in the Conference, Fiorentina take on Rakow 

Corriere dello Sport 

A place for one 

The Euroleague derby 

At the Dall’Ara (17.45) the first of two battles for a spot in the quarter-finals

Bologna with Castro, Roma have SuperMalen 

A route to the Champions League also comes up in this competition: One of Italiano or Gasp could save the honor of Italian football

Valverde humiliates Pep 

Champions League: City overwhelmed with three goals from the Uruguayan 

Guardiola, what a lesson in Madrid. Donnarumma saves a penalty from Vinicis (3-0). Psg, five against Chelsea, brace from Kvara (5-2), Arsenal save themselves in Leverkusen (1-1), Bodo continue to amaze: Sporting also capitulate in Norway (3-0)

Fiorentina, the uncomfortable cup 

Survival is the most important thing, but need to get past Rakow in the Conference League to save any further embarrassments 

Spalletti, here’s Vlahovic again 

Returning in Udine 

Dusan back after three months. Senesi intrigue: Juve are also there 

Conte, Mister 600 

He has 597 points in Serie A

Could reach a landmark figure in Napoli-Lecce 

Inter, Alisson or Vicario 

Goalkeepers in the distance 

Sommer heading for farewell: The replacement will arrive from the Premier League

Iran, no World Cup 

The announcement from the minister 

‘The conditions are not there’. Infantino’s gaffe 

Tuttosport 

Juve, the bonus Vlahovic 

DV9 returns in Udine: They need his goals for the Champions League comeback and the new contract … 

Dusan scores right away in a training match: After 105 days of absence, he will start again from the bench, but everyone is waiting for him on the pitch. Contacts over his renewal are intensifying: The salary reaches 6 million with bonuses and objectives, Spalletti lifts the tension. Boga sees himself as a starter, more doubts in goal: And for the future, looking at Martinez from Villa. Inquiry for Lewandowski

The war affects the World Cup. Iran forfeit

The consequence of the conflict and FIFA’s embarrassment 

From Tehran: ‘We can’t play in the United States like this’. The logic would be to replace them with another Asian side (Iraq or the UAE), but with fears of other renunciations, a decision based on overall ranking can’t be ruled out. Sport in Palestine: The Italian parliament writes to the IOC and FIFA. Meanwhile, Verratti is out: Gattuso puts the trust in Locatelli and thinks about Pisilli

Valverde, Real magic. PSG, what a spectacle! 

Fantasy hat-trick from the Uruguayan, City destroyed 

Chelse\ hold them off in Paris, but then Vitinha and the brace from Kvara make it 5-2. Fantastic Bodo: 3-0 against Sporting, looking at the quarter-finals and history 

Bologna and Roma to feel like we’re in Europe 

At 17.45: The derby in the round of 16. Italiano: ‘We want to get through to the end’. Gasp: ‘I’m not thinking about Como.’. Conference League: Fiorentina-Rakow 

D’Aversa studies Serie B and … Juric 

The Serbian’s return looms over safety. The scathing letter from Marengo to Cairo 

Raffaele Palladino admits that the difference in quality of players is the main reason behind Atalanta’s 6-1 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but insists that he would stick with the same system if he were to hypothetically play the same game again.

Atalanta were thumped 6-1 on home soil by a dominant and ruthless Bayern side in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie in Bergamo on Tuesday night: Josip Stanisic, Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson, Jamal Musiala and Mario Pasalic with the goals. 

• Read more: Atalanta 1-6 Bayern Munich: Player ratings!

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

Palladino reacts to Atalanta 6-1 Bayern Munich 

Atalanta were vastly outclassed by their Bundesliga opponents on the night, but Palladino insists that his players will learn from this experience and become better as players and as a team because of it. 

“Firstly let’s congratulate Bayern. A very strong team, at times they were truly unplayable,” Palladino told Sky Sport Italia after full-time. “For us, the best player was our fans. I want to thank them. They cheered us on until the very end despite the defeat.

“It’s an experience that will make us grow. I would go about it in the same way if we were to play again. If we got here, to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia and are fighting in the league, it’s because of the mentality and therefore I would play like this again.”

Atalanta will be hoping to bounce back in Serie A this weekend, but they face another tough task there with a trip to San Siro to take on league leaders Inter on Saturday. 

“The team has always reacted well to defeats and we will react as early as Saturday,” said Palladino. “We’re facing a strong team again in Inter, but I’ve told the team that they have to accept the result and recover their energy.”

And returning to the topic of the Bayern defeat, Palladino said: “We dropped off in the second half. They dribble at you and have these incredibly strong wingers. They’re a team that’s destined to go all the way, but having said that, I’m happy with the team, which sweated until the end. And again, I’d like to thank the fans.” 

Palladino insists that he will not move away from Atalanta’s man-to-man system, even if it was part of their downfall against Bayern. 

“We expected them to put us in a difficult spot, with their strong players up front and their attacks from deep. We accept their qualities and strengths. We’ve come this far because we’ve had this mentality and we won’t change that. We won’t defend zonally, we accept the result and either we win or we learn.

“I’ve never seen players with these qualities, They really impressed me. They always gave it to players on their preferred foot and at the right speed. You can try and play deep, but they will still hurt you all the same.

“We had four big absences, we didn’t have many players up front and we preferred to stay the same after the game against Udinese over the weekend.

“We were never able to restart properly. They had aggression and immediately won the ball back. We’ve come this far because we have this mentality after beating Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund. Aside from the system, the difference is in the players.”

Michael Olise was the star of the show as Bayern Munich hit Atalanta for six in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday evening. 

La Dea were utterly outclassed by their Bundesliga opponents in Bergamo on Tuesday night and a late consolation goal from Mario Pasalic will not count for much following the earlier strikes from Josip Stanisic, Olise (x2), Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Jamal Musiala. 

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

Atalanta 1-6 Bayern Munich: Player ratings!

Atalanta: Carnesecchi 5; Zappacosta 6 (Bellanova 6), Hien 4, Kolasinac 4 (Ahanor 5), Bernasconi 4; Sulemana 5.5 (Samardzic 5), De Roon 5, Pasalic 5.5 (Musah 5), Krstovic 5, Scamacca 5 (Djimsiti 5.5). 

Best Atalanta player: Zappacosta 6 – Despite the scoreline and despite being part of a back four that had conceded three times within the first 25 minutes, it was a fairly solid showing from Zappacosta on an individual level. The experienced Dea wing-back was a handful on the right flank, provided a couple of decent balls into the area and also helped out defensively, including a good header to clear an awkward cross behind for a corner in the first half. 

Worst Atalanta player: Bernasconi 4 – That’s a night the young Atalanta wing-back will want to forget in a hurry. Utterly outclassed and often completely helpless up against Olise and the Italian will be relieved that the Bayern winger is now suspended for the return leg next week. 

Atalanta coach: Raffaele Palladino 3 – The Dea tactician got it all completely wrong with his team and tactical selections. Not helped by the absences of Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori, but still, the decision to switch to a back four in order to ‘match’ Bayern was a decision that did not work, and was one that the coach had to use two substitutes to fix at half-time. It seemed like Atalanta were so focused on their defence, which collapsed three times within the first 25 minutes, that they didn’t really have much of a plan any time they did find themselves on the ball. 

Bayern: Urbig 6; Stanisic 6, Upamecano 6.5, Tah 6.5, Laimer 6 (Davies 6, Bischof 6), Kimmich 6.5, Pavlovic 6.5 (Goretzka 6); Olise 9, Gnabry 8 (Musiala 7), Diaz 7; Jackson 7.5. 

Best Bayern player: Olise 9 – Vincent Kompany has a special, special player on his hands with the French winger, who struck complete fear into the Atalanta defence any time he got on the ball on Tuesday night. It felt like La Dea were completely powerless to stop the France international at times, especially coming in off the right flank and onto that magical left foot of his. 

Worst Bayern player: Bischof 6 – It feels wrong to criticise any of the Bayern players after such a convincing performance, individually and collectively. But the German youngster missed a challenge and then failed to track back for Atalanta’s late consolation goal, which shouldn’t have been the case just 20 minutes after his introduction. In fairness to him, he can’t have been expecting to play after Alphonso Davies was brought on at half-time. 

Bayern coach: Vincent Kompany 8 – A brilliant, dominant and ruthless display from the Bavarian giants. Fielding Gnabry over Musiala brought an element of unpredictability to the Bayern attack, and Atalanta’s man-to-man system seemed to be of little difficulty to Kompany’s side. If anything, it seemed to help them. And they did it all without talisman Harry Kane as well. An impressive display, even if Atalanta were nowhere near the levels they needed to be to compete.

Atalanta were outclassed and humiliated on home soil as Bayern Munich stuck six goals past them in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie in Bergamo on Tuesday night: Josip Stanisic, Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson and Jamal Musiala and Mario Pasalic with the goals. 

Atalanta pulled out a miraculous escape against Bundesliga opposition in Borussia Dortmund in the play-off rounds in order to qualify for this evening’s clash against Bayern, who finished second in the league phase and qualified for this stage of the competition automatically as a result.

There were a few surprising selections as Raffaele Palladino switched to a back four and deployed both Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Krstovic in attack. Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori were unavailable through injury and Giorgio Scalvini through suspension. Bayern, meanwhile, left Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala out of their starting line-up, but were still able to deploy an attacking unit of Olise, Gnabry, Luis Diaz and Jackson. 

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

It was an intense start after kick-off in Bergamo, and despite Atalanta dispossessing their opponents in their own half twice within the opening minutes, it was Bayern who registered the first shot on target through Olise. 

Bayern continued to put their foot on the throttle early on and found the opener in the 12th minute. It was a quick corner routine that gave them the lead: Atalanta switched off for the briefest of moments and were punished. Olise’s corner went short to Gnabry, who squared it to Stanisic to tap in. 

The Bavarians doubled their advantage 10 minutes later with an Olise special. 

The Frenchman cut in off the right flank, took a few touches to set himself on his wonderful left foot and dispatched a curling effort right into the side netting in the far corner of the net. 

Things went from bad to worse for La Dea when Gnabry added a third less than five minutes later. 

Goalkeeper Urbig went long over the top, Olise did brilliantly to bring the ball under control and slip it to Gnabry, who raced into the area and dispatched past Carnesecchi with ease when one-on-one. 

Bayern, away from home and not even at the halfway stage of the first leg, were not content with a three-goal lead and continued to send in the warning shots. 

Jackson should have done better one-on-one with Carnesecchi, Gnabry clipped the crossbar and Dayot Upamecano was inexplicably given acres of space in the middle of the park to line up a shot, which fortunately went wide, all before the interval. 

Bayern picked up where they left off at the beginning of the second half. Nicola Zalewski fired a free-kick into the Bavarian’s wall in the 52nd minute, which allowed Kompany’s side to spring a counter-attack and finish through Jackson one-on-one. 

Olise added his second of the game with another special finish off that magical left boot of his. It was a similar move to his first, again off the right flank, and again, perfectly into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area. 

Bayern hit Atalanta for six with their next attack of the game. Jackson found himself out on the right flank, danced past his defender and supplied a cross into the six-yard box for Musiala to poke home. 

Bayern could have had one or two more before full-time as well: Upamecano came closest with his header that bounced off the upright.

Mario Pasalic gave the Atalanta supporters a brief cheer in injury time with a late consolation goal. Raoul Bellanova did well travelling down the right flank and provided a decent ball into the middle. Krstovic and Urbig collided in the middle, but the ball fell kindly for the Croatian to poke home.

Atalanta will still have to travel to Bavaria to take on Bayern in the second leg of this tie next weekend, but after Tuesday’s hammering, this now seems an unfortunate formality for La Dea. 

Atalanta 0-6 Bayern Munich

Stanisic 12′, Olise 22′, 64′, Gnabry 25′, Jackson 52′, Musiala 67′, Pasalic 90+3′.

Tottenham and former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor were forced to backtrack on their decision to drop goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid, bringing the Italy international on after just 16 minutes after going 3-0 down. 

The Italy international was left out of Tottenham’s starting line-up for Tuesday evening’s Champions League round of 16 first leg match against Atletico Madrid, with Tudor opting to hand a first European start to Antonin Kinsky instead. Many Spurs supporters celebrated the decision to drop Vicario after a series of unconvincing performances this season. 

However, Tottenham found themselves three goals down after a quarter of an hour in Madrid, and in extraordinary scenes, Tudor decided to sub off Kinsky and bring on Vicario after little over a quarter of an hour. 

Kinsky was punished for a slip that led to Atletico’s opener, and made a second error that led to Julian Alvarez’s goal for 3-0. 

The onslaught didn’t stop there, though, as Robin Le Normand added a fourth for Atletico Madrid from a corner following Vicario’s substitution. Pedro Porro then pulled one back for Tottenham in a crazy first 25 minutes in Madrid. 

Watch: Vicario called into action after 16 minutes of Atletico Madrid vs. Tottenham

Kinský is replaced by Vicario after a difficult start against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/1EAxtRoXuE

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 10, 2026

Italy international Guglielmo Vicario has been dropped from the Tottenham Hotspur starting line-up by former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor for Tuesday evening’s Champions League round of 16 first leg against Atletico Madrid. 

Tottenham drop Vicario for Champions League clash

It has been a dismal season for Vicario and his Tottenham teammates on a domestic level, as they currently find themselves in a serious relegation battle in the Premier League. They are still involved in Champions League action, however, having finished the league phase in fourth place. 

Tottenham have lost all of their first three matches under the stewardship of Tudor, who took over from Thomas Frank on February 13. The ex-Juventus tactician already finds himself at risk of the sack, despite being appointed on a short-term contract until the end of the 2025-26 season. 

In an attempt to mix things up, Tudor has decided to drop Italy goalkeeper Vicario from his starting line-up for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid, a decision which has been celebrated by vast sections of Tottenham’s online supporters. 

“Finally, Kinsky is between the sticks, I’ve been rooting for him,” wrote one supporter on X. 

Some fans say that Antonin Kinsky’s call-up to the starting line-up is: “100% deserved.” 

“It’s about damn time,” another fan wrote. Another added: “Vicario getting dropped is one positive I suppose.” 

Vicario on the bench pic.twitter.com/PZof1YM4gm

— Rush (@RushTHFC) March 10, 2026

pic.twitter.com/9FtXXgYlJZ

— Kaan (@YTKaan22) March 10, 2026

Oliver Bierhoff believes that his former side, Milan, has what it takes to overcome the seven-point deficit between themselves and Serie A leaders Inter before the end of the season and pointed out the clever trick that Luka Modric pulled out towards the end of Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina. 

Milan beat the table-topping Inter for the second time of the season on Sunday evening, picking up a 1-0 victory to move within seven points of their city rivals with 10 matches of the season left to go. 

The question on everybody’s lips now is whether the Rossoneri have what it takes to close down the gap between now and the end of the season. 

Bierhoff assess Milan’s Scudetto chances and heaps praise on Modric

Bierhoff was part of the Rossoneri side that fought back in the final few matches of the 1998-99 campaign to steal the Scudetto away from Lazio on the final day of the season.: “Simple: We believed and we put together a resounding string of victories,” he recalled in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“That’s the reality. Nobody made any calculations, we were only focused on ourselves and we were convinced that while doing that, Lazio would have some missteps.” 

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri continues to insist that qualification for next season’s Champions League is Milan’s sole focus, not a late fight for the Serie A title. 

“In my opinion, there’s no need to make predictions and Allegri is right to continue talking about achieving the Champions League goal first,” said Bierhoff. 

“Milan have to return to Europe first and foremost, that’s important, and then think about the rest. It’s the right thing to keep the team focused on the short-term goal.” 

Bierhoff went on to give his post-match analysis of Milan’s most recent derby victory over Inter: “I saw a motivated team in the derby, that has confidence and had an excellent first half. They might have dropped a little too deep in the second, but they resisted. It’s clear that they’re well organised, despite facing Inter, and show a willingness to suffer.” 

And what is the biggest ‘threat’ to Milan heading into the final stretch of the season?
“The anxiety of having to make up ground. When you’re behind and you can’t slip up, it’s understandable that there’s a little bit more tension. However, it looks to me as though neither Allegri nor the group of players lacks the necessary experience.” 

Bierhoff is particularly impressed by the performances of former Ballon d’Or winner Modric this season: “Champions stay as champions at all ages, and I was convinced that he would prove that when he signed for Milan. I’m not surprised by the ability or the confidence he has on the pitch, but just look at how much he runs. 

“On Sunday, in the final few minutes he took a yellow card for protesting after trying to recover the ball near the opposition area. I think he knew that he needed to break up the rhythm of the match to defend the result. He helps out in both phases of the game and he’s turned out to be a great coup.” 

Bierhoff has no doubt that Milan should offer Modric an extension to his one-year contract: “For the good of Milan and for Italian football, I say yes. There’s nobody else like Modric out there.” 

Bierhoff also gave his thoughts on Milan’s attackers in 2025-26. On Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic, he said: “You will see that their goals will come. I’m also convinced that my compatriot Fullkrug will score too. He’s a good guy who has useful characteristics.” 

Harry Kane is not fit enough to start for Bayern Munich against Atalanta in Tuesday night’s Champions League round of 16 first leg in Bergamo, as Raffaele Palladino turns to Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Krstovic in a two-man attack for La Dea. 

You can follow the action as it unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Atalanta are the only Italian side left standing in the Champions League in 2025-26 following the elimination of Juventus and Inter in the play-off round and the exit of Napoli at the end of the league phase. 

La Dea miraculously overcame Bundesliga opposition in Borussia Dortmund in the play-off round in order to qualify for tonight’s round of 16 tie against Bayern, who finished second in the league phase and qualified for this stage of the competition automatically. 

Kick-off this evening is due at 20.00 GMT. 

The second leg of this fixture will be played in just over a week’s time, on Wednesday, March 18. 

Atalanta are without several key first-team players through injury on Tuesday night, including Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori. Giorgio Scalvini was sent off in the chaotic final minutes of Atalanta’s victory over Dortmund in the play-off second leg, so misses out through suspension tonight. 

Palladino turns to Scamacca and Krstovic to lead the attack in tandem against Bayern. The Dea system appears to be a 4-4-2 with Marten De Roon and Mario Pasalic in central midfield and Kamaldeen Sulemana and Nikola Zalewski out wide. 

There had been some doubts over the fitness of England national team captain Harry Kane, who was left out of Bayern’s squad for their 4-1 Bundesliga win over Borussia Moenchengladbach over the weekend. He is not fit enough to start and is replaced by Nicolas Jackson. 

Manuel Neuer and Alphonso Davies are still unavailable through injury, so Jonas Urbig starts in goal and Konrad Laimer at left-back for Vincent Kompany’s side. 

Serge Gnabry is also chosen to start ahead of Jamal Musiala.

Confirmed Atalanta vs. Bayern Munich line-ups 

Atalanta (4-4-2): Carnesecchi; Zappacosta, Hien, Kolasinac, Bernasconi; Sulemana, De Roon, Pasalic, Zalewski; Scamacca, Krstovic.

Bayern (4-2-3-1):Urbig; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Jackson.

10-03-2026 20:00

1/8 Final

Gewiss Stadium (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)

Atalanta

Bayern

1 - 6

Player statistic

1st half

		12'		Josip Stanisic (Assist: Serge Gnabry)
		22'		Michael Olise (Assist: Dayot Upamecano)
		25'		Serge Gnabry (Assist: Michael Olise)
		39'		Konrad Laimer

2nd half

		52'		Nicolas Jackson (Assist: Luis Díaz)
		64'		Michael Olise (Assist: Alphonso Davies)
		67'		Jamal Musiala (Assist: Nicolas Jackson)
		77'		Michael Olise
Yunus Musah		83'
		84'		Joshua Kimmich
Mario Pasalic		90+3'

Match statistic

31

Possession %

69

11

Total shots

25

3

Shots on target

13

4

Shots off target

8

4

Blocked shots

4

2

Corners

7

1

Offsides

1

11

Fouls

11

Atalanta

Bayern

Starting lineups

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

67'

4

Isak Hien

Defender

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

55'

7

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

73'

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

55'

9

Gianluca Scamacca

Attacker

46'

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

40

Jonas Urbig

Goalkeeper

2

Dayot Upamecano

Defender

4

Jonathan Tah

Defender

6

Joshua Kimmich

Defender

44

Josip Stanisic

Defender

86'

45

Aleksandar Pavlovic

Midfielder

68'

27

Konrad Laimer

Midfielder

46'

17

Michael Olise

Midfielder

14

Luis Díaz

Attacker

11

Nicolas Jackson

Attacker

7

Serge Gnabry

Attacker

46'

Substitutes

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

5

Mitchel Bakker

Defender

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

48

Federico Cassa

Midfielder

45

Dominic Vavassori

Midfielder

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

46'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

55'

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

55'

16

Raoul Bellanova

Defender

67'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

73'

9

Harry Kane

Attacker

26

Sven Ulreich

Goalkeeper

3

Min-jae Kim

Defender

42

Lennart Karl

Midfielder

37

Leonard Prescott

10

Jamal Musiala

Midfielder

46'

8

Leon Goretzka

Midfielder

68'

19

Alphonso Davies

Defender

20

Tom Bischof

Midfielder

71'

22

Raphaël Guerreiro

Defender

86'

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Napoli have confirmed the extent of the injury to Antonio Vergara, but in more positive news for Antonio Conte’s side, his ‘Fab 4’ of Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa could soon be seen in the same squad. 

When could Vergara, McTominay and Lobotka return for Napoli?

Injuries have been a constant issue throughout the 2025-26 season, sometimes with an entire XI of first-team players unavailable. 

The most recent player to be added to the Partenopei injury list is Vergara. The 23-year-old had only really been given an opportunity in the first team due to the aforementioned injury troubles, but has since gone on to impress, earning the ‘rising star of the month’ award for February and calls for him to be included in this month’s Italy national team squad. 

Vergara was, however, forced off at half-time of Napoli’s 2-1 win over Torino on Saturday, and is now expected to miss the next two league fixtures before the international break coming up at the end of March. 

“Antonio Vergara has undergone diagnostic tests at Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a plantar fascia strain in his left foot. He has already begun a treatment programme,” read a statement on the club website on Tuesday. 

As per Corriere dello Sport, a realistic return date for Vergara is the Serie A match against Milan on April 6. 

In more positive news for Conte and his team, De Bruyne, who had missed the last four months of action, returned off the bench against Torino, as did Anguissa, who had missed 16 consecutive Serie A matches with a hamstring injury. 

Scott McTominay is expected to be in contention to feature over the weekend as well, and Stanislav Lobotka is not expected to be out for too much longer either.

Milan finally have centre-forward Santiago Gimenez back in first-team training after missing the last 133 days and the last 19 Serie A matches with an ankle injury. 

Gimenez finally returns to Milan training

The Mexico international, who joined the Rossoneri in a €35m deal from Feyenoord last January, has not featured for Milan since their 1-1 draw against Atalanta in late October. He has been nursing an ankle injury and decided to have surgery to amend the issue in December. 

Gimenez had featured in all of Milan’s first nine matches of the Serie A season and started in eight of them, but has since missed a run of 19 league fixtures, one in the Coppa Italia and one in the Supercoppa Italiana. 

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, the Mexico international was back in first-team training with the Rossoneri on Tuesday. 

The Milan squad had taken Monday off following Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina victory over rivals and league leader Inter, and returned to work at their training base on Tuesday. 

It remains to be seen when Gimenez could make his return to Serie A action. He is unlikely to be thrown straight into the starting line-up against Lazio on Sunday, but could potentially be involved with the travelling squad, if not for the match at home against Torino the following weekend.

As things stand, Ruben Loftus-Cheek remains the only Milan player currently unavailable through injury.

Fabio Capello feels that if Inter win their next three league matches, Milan will have no chance whatsoever of catching them at the top of the Serie A table despite their victory in the Derby della Madonnina over the weekend. 

Milan did the double over Inter in the league this season, confirmed after their 1-0 victory against Cristian Chivu’s table-topping side in San Siro on Sunday night. 

Inter still have a seven-point lead at the top of the Serie A table with 10 games to go, but questions have been asked as to whether Milan have any realistic chance of catching them in the final few games of the 2025-26 campaign. 

“Inter have never seemed unbeatable this season, even in the best moments. It’s no coincidence that they’ve lost several direct clashes,” wrote Capello in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column on Tuesday.

“Over the last few months, Chivu has been very good at regenerating a dressing room that was discouraged by the Champions League final they lost to PSG, but now he will have to show even more skill.” 

Capello believes that Inter’s biggest ‘risk’ between now and the end of the season is a psychological one. 

“The derby, or rather the two losses in the derby this season, are the real danger in the race for the Scudetto. To win it, Cristian has to remove the memory of the defeats against Milan from the heads of Barella and his teammates. I’d go into the dressing room and remind them: ‘Guys, we’re the strongest. Let’s go back to having fun’.” 

Capello on Inter’s decisive run and Milan’s Scudetto chances

Inter have a decisive run of fixtures coming up against Atalanta and Fiorentina over the next two weeks and then the Champions League contenders Roma and Como immediately after the international break. 

“Inter have to immediately reconnect, and to deal the decisive blow in the league this season, they have to get through their next three matches with momentum: Against Atalanta, Fiorentina and Roma, their riskiest opponent,” Capello says. 

“As for Milan, if Inter return to their authentic selves, the Rossoneri will not have the opportunity to attempt the overtake in the Scudetto race. It’s a matter of arithmetics.” 

Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri has always maintained that Champions League qualification, not the Serie A title, is Milan’s goal this season. 

“Allegri knows the calculations well, but with his experience and with his Scudetti, he knows that the pressure is all on Inter and sometimes the weight of needing to win at all costs can play tricks on you,” Capello continued. 

“Max knows best how to motivate his players and will convince them to try until the very end, even if it’s just to guarantee qualification for next season’s Champions League well in advance, the goal he had heralded in the summer. It seems like an impossible mission, but there isn’t always logic in the last few metres of the race.”

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are interested in a potential summer transfer for Tottenham Hotspur and former Genoa defender Djed Spence as the Bianconeri draw up a list of targets to strengthen their full-back position. 

Juventus interested in Tottenham’s Spence according to reports in Italy

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, full-back is among the priority positions for Juventus to strengthen during the off-season. There have been recent links between the Bianconeri and Italy hopeful Michael Kayode at Brentford, and also with Roma’s Zeki Celik, who could become available on a free transfer. 

According to Monday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the latest name on the wishlist is Tottenham right-back Spence, who knows Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini from their time together at Genoa. 

Ottolini brought Spence to Genoa on loan with an option to buy, around the same time that Radu Dragusin moved to Tottenham during the January transfer window in 2024. The three-time England international made 16 Serie A appearances during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign. 

As things stand, there have not been any formal negotiations between the two sides, but according to Monday’s report, Juventus would need to pay a fee in the region of €30m if they are to lure Spence away from the relegation-threatened Tottenham.

That is a similar fee to the one that has been cited for the potential signing of Kayode. 

€30m is a considerable fee for Juventus, especially at full-back, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the Old Lady may have to look at moving on one of their current players first before they are able to pull off this sort of deal. Pierre Kalulu has been mentioned as one of the players who could potentially be sacrificed in the summer. 

Struggling Juventus striker Jonathan David is reportedly of interest to Ligue 1 side Lyon after a disappointing first season in Serie A with the Bianconeri according to the latest reports. 

David joined Juventus on a free transfer at the beginning of the summer transfer window following a five-year spell with Lille in Ligue 1, during which time he scored 109 goals from 232 appearances across all competitions. 

The Canada international has struggled to replicate that form in Serie A, though. He has five goals and four assists to his name from league appearances so far this term. 

David showed some encouraging signs in January and early February with four goals and two assists from a run of five league matches, but these have been his only goals in the league other than his strike on the opening day of the 2025-26 season. 

Now, David appears to be falling down the pecking order in the Juventus striking department. He was hooked at half-time of Juventus’s 4-0 victory over Pisa in Serie A over the weekend, and watched on as his teammates scored four second-half goals in his absence. 

Recent reports indicate that Luciano Spalletti is now inclined to stick with his ‘fluid front three’ for next weekend’s match against Udinese, leaving David out altogether. The Canadian’s opportunities are expected to be further reduced once Dusan Vlahovic makes his return from injury. 

Could David return to Ligue 1 after less than a year with Juventus?

According to reports from Tuttosport and Calciomercato.com, David could potentially be poised to head back to Ligue 1 less than a year after he left Lille on a free transfer. 

Lyon are said to be among the teams interested in a potential deal for David should he become available during the summer transfer window. 

The French side, under the guidance of former Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca, are currently third in the Ligue 1 table, and it is understood that their interest in David is dependent on their qualification for next season’s Champions League. The top three teams in France are granted an automatic spot in the Champions League, with fourth-place earning a place in the play-offs. 

David technically joined Juventus on a free transfer last summer, but the Bianconeri still spent a reported €12m on commission and signing-on fees, and are currently paying the striker a salary in the region of €6m per season after tax.

Refereeing expert Luca Marelli believes that Daniele Doveri was correct in his decision to not award a last-minute penalty to Inter after shouts for a Samuele Ricci handball at the end of Sunday evening’s Derby della Madonnina against Milan: ‘Not punishable’. 

Milan claimed the bragging rights in Sunday’s derby: Pervis Estupinan’s first-half strike proving enough for the Rossoneri to hold onto a 1-0 victory. This was their second consecutive victory over Cristian Chivu’s side and their fifth in an unbeaten run of seven against the Nerazzurri. 

Inter still remain seven points clear at the top of the Serie A table with 10 matches of the season left to play, but many claim that Milan are the only team remaining that is capable of putting any real pressure on the league leaders heading into the final stretch. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

• Read more: Remaining Inter and Milan fixtures compared

What Marelli said about Ricci handball incident in Milan 1-0 Inter 

There were some appeals for an Inter penalty In the final minute of second-half stoppage time in San Siro on Sunday night. 

The ball did strike the arm of second-half substitute Ricci in the penalty area after a touch from Inter defender Denzel Dumfries, however, Doveri did not blow for a handball as he judged the player’s arm to be in a natural position and deemed that he had instinctively attempted to move his arm out of the way rather than moving towards the ball.

Speaking to DAZN after full-time on Sunday evening, refereeing expert Marelli agreed with the decision to not take further action in the closing minutes of the derby: “The touch isn’t punishable because the movement of his arm was to avoid, not create an obstacle,” he declared. 

Many claim that Milan have ‘re-opened’ the race for the 2025-26 Scudetto with their 1-0 victory over Inter in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday evening, but which of the two sides has the tougher run of fixtures heading into the final 10 matches of the season? 

A first-half strike from unlikely hero Pervis Estupinan gave Milan all three points in their decisive derby against city rivals Inter in Serie A on Sunday night. 

The Nerazzurri are still seven points clear at the top of the league standings with 10 games to go after last night’s defeat, with the Rossoneri the only side looking capable of applying any real pressure on Cristian Chivu’s side. 

As things stand, Inter remain in control of the league table heading into the final 10 league games of the season, and they also have the slightly ‘easier’ run of fixtures compared to Milan in terms of the average league position of their remaining opponents. 

The Nerazzurri still have challenging fixtures against the likes of Atalanta (home), Roma (home), Como (away) and Bologna (away) on the final day of the season, but the average league position of their remaining opponents comes out to 11.2. 

The average ranking of Milan’s remaining opponents currently comes out to 10.7. They still have difficult challenges against Napoli (away), Juventus (home) and Atalanta (away) left on their schedule. 

Inter’s remaining 2025-26 Serie A fixtures 

Atalanta (7th) at home. 

Fiorentina (17th) away. 

Roma (5th) at home. 

Como (4th) away. 

Cagliari (14th) at home. 

Torino (15th) away. 

Parma (12th) at home. 

Lazio (11th) away. 

Verona (19th) home. 

Bologna (8th) away. 

Remaining home games: Five

Remaining away games: Five

Remaining matches against teams in the top six: Two 

Average league position of remaining opponents: 11.2

Milan’s remaining 2025-26 Serie A fixtures 

Lazio (11th) away. 

Torino (15th) at home. 

Napoli (3rd) away. 

Udinese (10th) at home. 

Verona (19th) away. 

Juventus (6th) at home. 

Sassuolo (9th) away. 

Atalanta (7th) away. 

Genoa (13th) away. 

Cagliari (14th) at home. 

Remaining home games: Five

Remaining away games: Five

Remaining matches against teams in the top six: Two

Average league position of remaining opponents: 10.7

Fikayo Tomori says that Milan’s improved defensive solidity is the key behind their upturn in league form this season, and notes that ‘to play two games against Inter and not concede a goal isn’t easy’.

Tomori was among the starters for Milan’s 1-0 victory over their city rivals Inter in the Derby della Madonnina in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

The Rossoneri have now won five of their last seven encounters against the Nerazzurri and are also unbeaten against them over that period. Sunday’s victory was also the second consecutive time that Massimiliano Allegri’s side have kept a clean sheet against Cristian Chivu’s side. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

Tomori reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter: ‘To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal, it’s not easy’

The Rossoneri now find themselves seven points behind the table-topping Nerazzurri, and seem to be the only side capable of applying any real pressure on Cristian Chivu’s side heading into the final 10 games of the Serie A season. 

Many of Milan’s players were asked after full-time against Inter whether they feel they are capable of closing down the seven-point gap between themselves and the Nerazzurri. 

“Who knows,” said Tomori in a post-match interview with CBS Sports. 

“I think at this point in time we just have to focus on ourselves. Obviously tonight was an important game, happy to have won. A good performance against a very, very good team. 

“The derby is always a special game and always a difficult game. We’re just focussed on winning, happy to have done that. Now we just have to go onto the next game, rest and recover, enjoy tonight. Just focus on ourselves like I said, keep going and try to finish the season as strongly as possible.” 

Tomori was asked where the Milan players would be celebrating following their victory, to which he jokingly replied: “I’m not sure. I don’t want the Mister to hear me, so I just have to stay quiet!” 

Tomori insists that Milan needed no additional motivation heading into the Inter match, and feels that his side could have easily had another couple of goals to their name before the interval. 

“I think in these kinds of games the Mister doesn’t really have to say too much because it’s a derby, you know how important it is for the club, for ourselves, for the fans, everyone. 

“The way that we approached the game in the first half, we put them under pressure, we had chances to score. Obviously we did score in the first half, but we had a lot of really dangerous opportunities and probably could have scored more. 

“At the end of the day and especially at this stage of the season, three points is all that really matters, so yeah, we’re really happy.” 

Tomori agrees that playing on the right-hand side of Massimiliano Allegri’s back three is helping to get the best out of him this season. 

“Yeah, I think so. I think I can show the different qualities that I have,” he said. “Obviously my first job is to defend, so try to do that, try to do my job first, but I think in games like today where there’s a bit of space, I can affect the game going forwards.” 

Milan are in second place in Serie A with 10 games left to go. They look set to secure Allegri’s goal of Champions League qualification, and despite being seven points shy of the league leaders, this is a vast improvement on the form that saw them finish ninth last season. 

Tomori believes that Milan’s defensive security has been the secret behind their improvement this season. 

“One of the main objectives for us was to concede less goals and I think this season we’ve been a lot more solid defensively, not just the defenders, but the whole team as a unit. 

“We’ve worked a lot and worked a lot on trying to stay compact as a team. To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal, it’s not easy. I think that’s testament to how well we’ve been working and the work that the coaching staff has been doing with us this season.” 

“To play two games against Inter and not concede a goal… It’s not easy”@fikayotomori_ caught up with @Bonetti after Milan’s derby win pic.twitter.com/uGYN6lMWkd

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

Manuel Akanji expressed his disappointment at Inter’s performance during their 1-0 loss against city rivals Milan on Sunday evening, and explained why last night’s defeat differed to their loss against the Rossoneri earlier this season: ‘Today was different. It wasn’t good enough from our side’.

Akanji reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter: ‘Wasn’t good enough from our side’

The Nerazzurri slipped to their second Serie A defeat against Milan of the 2025-26 season as Pervis Estupinan struck with the only goal of the game in San Siro on Sunday night.

Cristian Chivu’s side still have a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the Serie A table with 10 league matches of the season left to play, but there is disappointment around the camp in the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat against their city rivals. 

“I think they played the way we expected them to play. They try to press a bit up front, if it doesn’t work, they drop deep and that’s what they did, especially in the first half,” explained Akanji in his post-match interview with CBS Sports.  

“We had a lot of missed passes or duels that we lost, or we gave them opportunities by losing the ball easily. And also we didn’t defend well in a couple of situations and that’s why we lost the game in the end.” 

Inter will make it two Serie A titles in three years if they hold out for the Scudetto in 2025-26. They have also reached the Champions League final in two of the last four seasons and have won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italia twice within the last five campaigns. 

If there is a recurring complaint about Cristian Chivu’s side, though, it is that they have struggled to overcome ‘bigger’ sides in the league and Champions League this term. The Nerazzurri have also failed to beat Milan in any of their last seven encounters. 

“I mean, I’ve only played in the last two, today and the one in the first part of the season and for me, they were totally different games,” said Akanji. 

“The first one we dominated them, we had so many chances to score goals, we even missed a penalty. So, we clearly had enough chances to win the game. They had one opportunity and they scored the goal, that’s why they won the game. 

“Today was different. It wasn’t good enough from our side. A lot of lost duels, a lot of balls that we should have kept that we lost. Just way too many mistakes and also sometimes in the duels, we weren’t aggressive enough and that’s why we lost today.

“I think as a team we didn’t create enough opportunities up front. We tried to cross the ball, but nothing really happened, not off the crosses. But still we had good opportunities to score a goal. 

“I think right before they scored the goal for 1-0, Mkhi (Henrikh Mkhitaryan) runs alone at the keeper and couldn’t score. And even in the second half when Mkhi laid it off to Dima (Federico Dimarco) to score a goal and I think there were also a couple of opportunities with the corner that we had that the referee apparently blew the whistle before. Then a couple of situations where it maybe could have been a penalty. 

“So we tried to create something but I think it just wasn’t enough from our side today.” 

Naturally disappointed by Sunday’s defeat against Milan, Akanji insists that he is still trying to look at the positives. 

“The next few days are not going to be good. You’re never happy when you lose a derby. The good thing is that we’re still seven points ahead and we have enough time to recover. The next game is not until next Saturday at home against Atalanta, which is a big game, but we will be ready again. 

“We need to make better what we didn’t do good today and I’m confident we can get the win there.” 

Luka Modric claims that Milan would be ‘right there with Inter’ had they performed better in ‘small games’ following Sunday evening’s 1-0 victory in the Derby della Madonnina in Serie A. 

Modric reacts to Milan 1-0 Inter victory

The former Ballon d’Or winner was one of the crucial figures in Milan’s 1-0 victory over their city rivals, Inter, whose lead at the top of the Serie A table has now been reduced to seven points with 10 league games of the season left to play. 

The main topic surrounding Milan following last night’s victory over Inter is whether there is a genuine possibility that they can catch Inter at the top of the standings with 10 points to go. 

“It’s difficult to say. People always say you win titles in small games, especially in the league,” said Modric in an interview with CBS Sports after full-time.

“We haven’t done well in these sorts of games, we lost too many points, if we’d won only half of these points, we’d be there with Inter. But it’s part of football. 

“We need to find a way to improve and get better in these games where teams drop too deep, there’s not much space. We need to find a way to do better and maybe play quicker, find a better solution to win these kinds of games.” 

“We are very proud people. We like to fight.”

Luka Modrić shares what being from Zadar means to him pic.twitter.com/6azHQPAgRM

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 8, 2026

Milan claimed the bragging rights in Sunday evening’s Derby della Madonnina against Inter in Serie A, but there were some complaints from the Nerazzurri camp over a potential handball and a few other decisions from the officials after full-time. Here is what happened at the end of last night’s showdown in San Siro. 

Pervis Estupinan’s first-half strike was enough for Milan to claim a 1-0 victory over Inter on Sunday evening, which was their second win over the Nerazzurri in Serie A this season and has extended their unbeaten run against their city rivals to seven matches. 

Cristian Chivu’s side retain a seven-point advantage over the Rossoneri at the top of the league table with 10 games to go, though. 

• Read more: Milan 1-0 Inter: Player ratings

Which refereeing calls upset Inter during derby defeat? 

There were protests from many of the Inter camp towards referee Daniele Doveri and his team after full-time in San Siro on Sunday night. 

The main incident in question was a supposed handball from Samuele Ricci during the 95th minute of play right at the end of last night’s derby. 

The ball had come off Denzel Dumfries and did touch Ricci on the arm, but the player’s arm was adjudged to have been in a natural position and he did appear to make an instinctive movement in an attempt to avoid handling the ball. 

Referee Doveri decided that Ricci did not make himself ‘unnaturally larger’ with the movement of his arm, and that the incident was not worthy of a penalty kick. 

Speaking on the incident after full-time, Nerazzurri head coach Chivu said: “I was told the VAR checked it, so I have nothing to add. I am focused on the performance, on my decisions, my mistakes. 

“There are 10 games to go, 30 points up for grabs, so we’ve got to build on what we’ve done so far.”

Aside from the penalty appeal, members of Inter’s coaching staff, including assistant Aleksandar Kolarov, were also frustrated by the addition of six minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second-half, which they felt was not enough. 

There was also a moment just before the handball appeal where Carlos Augusto had the ball in the back of the net from a corner, however, Doveri had already blown his whistle while the ball was still in mid-air in order to stop some scuffling in the area. 

Corriere dello Sport suggests that Doveri could have been dished out a couple more yellow cards on the night: Specifically to Estupinan for a foul on Nicolo Barella, to Adrien Rabiot for a foul on Federico Dimarco, to Fikayo Tomori for a foul on Piotr Zielinski and to Ange-Yoan Bonny for a foul on Estupinan.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Milan of dreams 

Inter nullified, Scudetto reopened 

Estupinan decides they derby: Diavolo -7 off the top 

Allegri does the double: ‘They remain the favourites though’. Cardinale’s celebrations. Nerazzurri minimal in spite of the absences. Chivu: ‘We were below par’

Champions League crazy

A three-way race for one spot 

De Rossi beats Roma. Historic Como: They’re fourth. And Juve are -1 behind and believe

Corriere dello Sport 

l’Allegrata 

Scudetto, 10 games to go | Short leash: Max also takes the Derby in the return leg (1-0)

Milan ruthless: -7 points behind and dreaming. Inter buried 

Estupinan delivers defeat to the Nerazzurri, who last lost in Serie A against Allegri on November 23. Chivu: ‘Ricci’s hand in the area? They told me there was a check’

De Rossi puts Roma in trouble 

Genoa shock Gasp: 2-1 

Messias and Vitinha lift DDR’s side, Ndicka not enough. Champions League race: Malen at Fabregas’s house on Sunday 

Juve, Lucio’s turning point 

The fluid front three 

Napoli, the Fab4 return 

After 160 days 

Nicola at risk 

Cremonese beaten by Lecce (2-1)

Tuttosport 

StraMilan 

Inter, derby nightmare: Estupinan reopens the Scudetto fight 

The Ecuadorian was the surprise hero. In the second half, Dimarco misses the equaliser, then chaos at the end: Carlos Augusto denied a goal (but Doveri has already ended the game) and protests over a touch of the hand from Ricci. Allegri gives another lesson to Chivu and goes back to -7 points off the lead. Inter, who have not beaten Milan in seven games, pay for the absences of Lautaro and Thuram: Pio and Bonny dry. Bastoni still subjected to boos

Yildiz, Vlahovic, Boga: Attack on the Champions League 

Roma beaten in Genoa: Juve -1 off fourth place 

The magic of Kenan, the recovery of Dusan and the numbers from Jeremie are the prime assets for Spalletti in the final push. And the schedule could help too: The Bianconeri could profit from the direct clash between Como and the Giallorossi next Sunday. The David case: Disheartened and in crisis: Heading towards a farewell and Lyon step forwards 

Safety and contract: Toro, time for Che

D’Aversa relaunches him 

Adams could return as a starter against Parma and Petrachi looks to extend the contract agreement. The fan’s strike continues: The club try with discounted tickets