Santiago Giménez joined AC Milan at the beginning of 2025 as the club’s most significant attacking prospect. However, injuries and inconsistency have hampered the Mexican striker’s ability to shine, while the team continues to struggle offensively, despite maintaining a position among the top teams in Serie A. As a result, his future appears uncertain, with Christian Pulisic‘s Rossoneri already eyeing two Premier League strikers ahead of January 2026.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan’s medical staff has given the green light for Santiago Giménez to return to the pitch following his ankle injury. However, the Mexican continues to train separately and is undergoing psychological treatment, as he is not satisfied with his situation, which suggests a potential transfer in the coming months. In addition, the Rossoneri are targeting two Premier League strikers.

To support the attacking prowess of Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao, AC Milan seem determined to strengthen its squad with a center forward in January 2026. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Joshua Zirkzee has become one of the team’s main targets. The Dutchman shone in Serie A with Bologna, but his spell in the Premier League has not been the best, as he has been relegated to a secondary role. Alongside him, another striker is emerging strongly.

Considering the challenge of signing Zirkzee due to Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo departing for AFCON with their national teams, the Rossoneri have already targeted Niclas Fullkrug from West Ham. Even though he is 32 years old, he has showcased his scoring prowess. Compared to the Dutchman, the German striker has been left out of the project by coach Nuno Espírito Santo, who counts on Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, and Callum Wilson as the main strikers.

Joshua Zirkzee may not fit Allegri’s plan at AC Milan

At just 24 years old, Joshua Zirkzee remains one of the most promising players today. Although his current situation at Manchester United does not reflect this, the Dutchman has already shone with Bologna in Serie A, leading AC Milan’s sporting director, Igli Tare, to consider him one of the best options. However, his style of play is similar to that of Santiago Gimenez, a modern center forward, almost a second striker, so they would repeat the same player profile.

In most teams coached by Allegri, he has opted for a center forward who is much more of a goal scorer but who also knows how to be very mobile, which has meant that the Mexican has not been the profile he is looking for. Like Santiago, Joshua shines with another, more goal-scoring center forward leading the line, which means that a possible fit at AC Milan may not be what the club is really looking for, as Giménez is being left out of the team.

It does not mean that Joshua Zirkzee is not a talented player, but rather that it would mean having the same profile that you already have in the squad and that did not fit, generating at least some doubts from the outset. For this reason, the profile of Niclas Füllkrug, a more traditional striker, fits with the constant mobility of Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic, despite his age raising certain doubts.

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba have undeniably been two of Inter Miami’s defining figures, not only during the 2025 campaign but ever since their arrival in 2023. That process reached one of its highest points with the club’s MLS Cup triumph. Following a productive 2025 MLS season, both Messi and Alba have now received special recognition from the franchise.

The 2025 season has officially come to an end, with the Philadelphia Union lifting the Supporters’ Shield and Inter Miami defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps to claim the MLS Cup. As MLS clubs hand out internal awards to recognize standout performances, Inter Miami did the same, honoring Messi and Alba with two of the club’s top individual accolades.

Lionel Messi was named Inter Miami’s Most Valuable Player of the Year. Coming off his best season since joining the club, the Argentine posted 43 goals and 26 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions. Messi also became the first player to win the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award in back-to-back seasons, and he was an unsurprising choice to top Inter Miami’s internal honors as well.

Meanwhile, in what is set to be his final season as a professional player, Jordi Alba was named Inter Miami CF’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2025. The award reflected not only his defensive consistency, but also his impact going forward, as the veteran fullback recorded eight goals and 16 assists in 52 matches, often serving as an extra attacking outlet.

Back in 2024, both Messi and Alba were selected to the MLS Best XI after Inter Miami claimed the Supporters’ Shield during the regular season. The 2025 campaign was different, as Messi was the only Herons player included in the league’s Best XI, but Alba’s influence throughout the season remained impossible to ignore.

Messi and Alba’s numbers at Inter Miami

The year 2023 marked a turning point for Inter Miami, a club that had been near the bottom of the MLS standings and without a trophy since its foundation. Following the arrivals of Messi and Alba, the club reached a new level, adding the Leagues Cup, the Supporters’ Shield, and the MLS Cup to its trophy cabinet.

Jordi Alba will close the chapter on his professional career after making 103 appearances for Inter Miami, becoming one of the few players to reach the century mark, and also with 15 goals and 33 assists, the second-highest assist total in club history. Lionel Messi, meanwhile, has registered 77 goals and 44 assists in 88 matches, an extraordinary rate of production that he will look to extend during the 2026 season.

Juan Cabal explains his goal celebration after giving Juventus victory against Bologna, while Lloyd Kelly admits they ‘had to play our best football’ tonight.

The Bianconeri needed a boost after last week’s 1-0 defeat to Napoli, and knew this was a crucial head-to-head for European places, as they were two points behind Bologna.

It was substitute Cabal who proved decisive with a free header on the Kenan Yildiz short corner routine, followed five minutes later by Torbjorn Heggem seeing red for bringing down Lois Openda.

Cabal and Kelly evaluate Juventus win

“I swapped shirts with Bernardeschi, who played for Juve, so I wanted his shirt. He was at Juventus, I saw him play a lot, and wanted to bring home the shirt as well as the three points. The team gave their all today,” Cabal told DAZN Italia after the final whistle.

He seemed to celebrate by kissing his wrist, so what was the meaning behind that gesture?

“I kissed the tattoo with my son’s name, I got it done recently, and he brought me good luck.”

Cabal has struggled for regular playing time so far this season and Luciano Spalletti wants more consistency from the wing-back.

“The coach wants a lot from me, because he knows I have much to give this team and I work really hard all week.”

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Bologna 0-1 Juventus

Former Newcastle United defender Kelly also spoke to DAZN Italia after the success at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

“It is a very important win, we know it’s a difficult game. We had to play our best football to be able to come away with a win today,” Kelly told DAZN Italia.

Gleison Bremer made his comeback as a substitute this evening, his first appearance since facing Atalanta on September 27, but Teun Koopmeiners was booked and will be suspended next week against Roma.

“It’s nice to have Bremer back, we know he’s an important player for Juventus, and I’m sure he’s happy to be back with the team too.”

Vincenzo Italiano insists the defeat to Juventus ‘does not diminish’ Bologna and their campaign, as they couldn’t recover from the double whammy of goal and red card.

The Rossoblu have really hit problems in Serie A during recent weeks, as this was their second consecutive home defeat after the 3-1 to Cremonese, and they have just one point from the last three rounds.

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Bologna 0-1 Juventus

It was a free header from Juan Cabal on a short corner that proved decisive, followed five minutes later by the red card for Torbjorn Heggem as he brought down Lois Openda.

Italiano recognises Bologna strengths and weaknesses

“We were up against a strong opponent that found itself ready in the big moments, with the physicality of Thuram, the experience of Locatelli, the dynamism of Cambiaso and McKennie,” Italiano told DAZN Italia.

“In my view we were in the thick of the game, we created chances and lost it on a set play. We then made life complicated for ourselves with the red card, but we were right in it up until then.”

There were some defensive weaknesses on show, not just on the corner for the goal, but also struggling with long balls over the top.

“We should’ve been a bit quicker to isolate Cambiaghi and Orsolini on the wings, but when you are too slow to create those overlaps, McKennie and Cambiaso get back to make it a five-man defence.

“As for the long ball, we can struggle at times, but Heggem got the ball stuck under his feet and wasn’t aggressive enough to clear, so he ended up running into the player. We made too many mistakes overall, a few too many touches and passes,” continued Italiano.

“It can happen when you’ve had this many games, we arrived home on Friday at 5am and had only one training session to prepare. That’s not an alibi, because we had that other times and won, but just being in the game for so long I think was good.

“All those who played on Thursday were struggling, because it was raining so hard in Vigo and the pitch was very heavy, so I had to rotate and preferred to start those who were at 100 per cent.”

Bologna did manage to give their Europa League prospects a significant boost on Thursday with a 2-1 victory away to Celta Vigo, but despite squad rotation this evening, they seemed to lack sharpness.

“We perhaps weren’t as precise as usual, but Juve deserve credit for making us struggle and run hard tonight. Perhaps with these three big games one after another, some fatigue set in, but this result does not diminish the team at all,” added Italiano.

“We’re disappointed to have lost this evening, but we lost against a Juventus side who will challenge for the top spots this season and our journey continues. We are in the Supercoppa Italiana next week and we must be proud of that.”

Now Italiano will travel to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana, where they take on Inter in the semi-final, as they are the Coppa Italia holders and will therefore face the runners-up of the Scudetto.

The other semi-final is between Napoli and AC Milan, with the two winners going head-to-head on December 22.

Luciano Spalletti insists the victory over Bologna was ‘the most important’ of his Juventus career so far, but notes where Juan Cabal, Lois Openda and Jonathan David can improve.

The Bianconeri knew the importance of this fixture, as they were two points behind Bologna in the Serie A table, so it was a head-to-head for European places.

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Bologna 0-1 Juventus

Was this the most important victory of Spalletti’s time at the club so far?

“Absolutely, because we were facing a team that has an identity, quality and enthusiasm, they were built well and even down to 10 men made it difficult for us,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia.

“Having won here means even more for my players, and they must be congratulated this evening. They did really well.”

Spalletti saw Juventus progress

Both sides had chances in the first half, but the game changed in the space of five minutes when first substitute Cabal nodded in a Kenan Yildiz cross on a corner, then Torbjorn Heggem saw red for bringing down Openda.

“I had seen things done well in training, and told the directors that I saw the players energetic and reacting well in training. We needed a performance that could give them confidence, and I hope after this we can continue to improve,” continued Spalletti.

“Aside from the goal, the overall performance needs to be evaluated in football. Juventus were in the heart of the game for 90 minutes tonight, battled for every ball, went beyond these individual duels that Bologna force you into, and this bodes well for the future.

“Cabal must learn to keep some of his emotions in check. He is like a pedigree horse with his strength and ability to sprint repeatedly, he has talent with back-heel flicks, but talent is also repeating the 100 metre runs 20 times. He doesn’t mind being in one-on-one situations, is good in the air, but in the games he played so far he wasn’t precise enough for his talent, so I had to be hard on him.”

Openda was another substitute who made an impact tonight, as he fought hard and got Heggem sent off, but also missed some sitters.

“I liked his performance. Openda is a different player to Jonathan David, who frankly seems more like a second striker to me than a centre-forward, as he combines with teammates. Openda has more power, and probably against teams like Bologna feels more at ease, because he can run at them with sheer pace when those spaces open up,” concluded Spalletti.

This result means Juventus climb above Bologna into fifth place awaiting Como’s trip to Roma tomorrow, while they also steadied the Champions League ship with a midweek 2-0 win over Pafos.

Gleison Bremer made his comeback after two months out, but Teun Koopmeiners was booked and will therefore be suspended next week against Roma.

Juventus have Juan Cabal to thank after picking up a vital three points in a 1-0 victory away against Bologna in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

Check out the player ratings below! 

The Colombian scored the only goal of the game from a set-piece, which has sent Juventus above Bologna by one point in the Serie A standings. The Bianconeri sit in fifth place as things stand, one point behind Roma who will host Como at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday night. 

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

Bologna 0-1 Juventus: Player ratings! 

Bologna: Ravaglia 6; Zortea 6 (De Silvestri 5.5), Heggem 4, Lucumi 6 (Bernardeschi n/a), Miranda 6; Moro 6 (Holm 6), Pobega 6; Orsolini 6.5, Ferguson 6 (Sulemana 5.5), Cambiaghi 5.5; Dallinga 5.5 (Castro 5.5).

Best Bologna player: Orsolini 6.5 – To little surprise, Bologna’s most threatening outlet on the night. He had more shots and shots on target than any other player in the game, and was a handful for Koopmeiners until the Dutchman came off. 

Coach: Vincenzo Italiano 6 – Statistically, it was a fairly evenly-fought contest at the Dall-Ara. The hosts had 51% of the possession, had one shot fewer than their opponents, but had one more on target. Had it not been for a momentary switch-off from a set-piece, Bologna had done more than enough to earn a draw, which would have suited them better than Juventus.

Juventus: Di Gregorio 6.5; Kalulu 6, Kelly 6.5, Koopmeiners 6 (Bremer 6); McKennie 6, Thuram 6, Locatelli 6, Cambiaso 5.5 (Cabal 7); Conceicao 6.5 (Miretti n/a), Yildiz 7, David 6 (Openda 6.5).

Best Juventus player: Cabal 7 – Two goals in six Serie A appearances for the Colombian now. Immediate impact off the bench on Sunday evening, evading his marker to claim a free header in the middle of the Bologna penalty area. That was a big confidence boost to begin his evening. 

Coach: Luciano Spalletti 6.5 – That was a big six-pointer in the race for Champions League football, and the perfect way to bounce back after a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Napoli last time out in Serie A. Had Juventus been a touch more clinical, that would have been a slightly more flattering scoreline. Still, managed the game well after going ahead, even if their life was made easier with Heggem’s sending off. 

Juan Cabal came off the bench to snatch all three points for Juventus against 10 men, continuing the dire Bologna record in this fixture, and leapfrogging them into fifth place.

This was a direct battle for position, as the Rossoblu were two points ahead in the table. Juve lost last week to Napoli, but boosted their Champions League chances in a midweek win over Pafos. Daniele Rugani and Gleison Bremer were back on the bench, but Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Gatti, Arek Milik and Carlo Pinsiglio were still out. Bologna’s Serie A form stalled with defeat to Cremonese and a draw against 10-man Lazio, but on Thursday they won 2-1 away to Celta Vigo in the Europa League. Nicolò Casale joined Martin Vitik, Remo Freuler and Lukasz Skorupski on the treatment table.

Incredibly, Juve were unbeaten at the Dall’Ara since November 1998 and hadn’t lost to Bologna at all since a 2-0 result in February 2011.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

There was an early double Michele Di Gregorio save, first on Tommaso Pobega’s acrobatic flick from a free kick, then the Riccardo Orsolini follow-up at the back post.

Orsolini’s trademark curler was smothered and Teun Koopmeiners was booked so will be suspended next week against Roma, but David overhit the through ball to Kenan Yildiz after pouncing on a Lewis Ferguson error.

Weston McKennie only grazed his head to the Andrea Cambiaso cross, while David had penalty appeals waved away for going down too easily under a Jhon Lucumi nudge.

Juventus had the ball in the net on 36 minutes when David flicked on a long ball for McKennie, who won the ricochet off on-rushing Ravaglia and generously rolled across for the Canadian to deposit into an empty net. However, McKennie was offside on the initial flick.

Juve kept coming close, but not close enough, as Ravaglia rushed out when Kenan Yildiz found Conceicao with a smart pass, then Lucumi made the crucial interception as Khephren Thuram tried to set up the Portuguese talent.

Yet Bologna had a huge chance on the stroke of half-time, as Orsolini’s inspired disguised pass released Nadir Zortea to thump his finish against the underside of the bar from a tight angle with Di Gregorio just getting his fingertips to it.

Bologna had rather hopeful penalty appeals, but Manuel Locatelli’s hands were clamped behind his back when blocking the Cambiaghi cross.

Juventus finally found a breakthrough when Kenan Yildiz saw his control and strike deflected inches over by Heggem. The resulting corner was taken short for a Kenan Yildiz cross that found substitute Juan Cabal for a totally free header from six yards.

The situation went from bad to worse for the hosts, as soon after Heggem got caught out by a long Di Gregorio ball and bundled Lois Openda over outside the area for a straight red card.

There was more good news for Juventus, as Gleison Bremer made his comeback for the final 15 minutes, the first appearance since the meniscus injury on September 27.

Conceicao had penalty appeals rejected after running into Lucumi’s arm, infuriating the defender, while Federico Bernardeschi’s effort failed to trouble Di Gregorio.

Ravaglia kept the scoreline down with a great one-handed save on Openda’s daisy-cutter from 12 yards on the Cabal lay-off, then Openda fired another promising opportunity over in stoppages.

It is the second consecutive Serie A home defeat for Bologna after the 3-1 with Cremonese.

Bologna 0-1 Juventus

Cabal 64 (J)

Sent off: Heggem 69 (B)

14-12-2025 19:45

MatchDay 15

Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Juventus

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		19'		Teun Koopmeiners
Juan Miranda		24'

2nd half

		64'		Juan Cabal (Assist: Kenan Yıldız)
Torbjørn Heggem		69'
Ibrahim Sulemana		90'
Lorenzo De Silvestri		90+4'

Match statistic

51

Possession %

49

12

Total shots

13

4

Shots on target

3

4

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

5

3

Corners

4

0

Offsides

2

10

Fouls

11

Bologna

Juventus

Starting lineups

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

81'

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

73'

14

Torbjørn Heggem

Defender

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

66'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

73'

4

Tommaso Pobega

Midfielder

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

66'

16

Michele Di Gregorio

Goalkeeper

27

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

61'

6

Lloyd Kelly

Defender

15

Pierre Kalulu

Defender

19

Khéphren Thuram

Midfielder

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

8

Teun Koopmeiners

Midfielder

76'

22

Weston McKennie

Midfielder

7

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

88'

30

Jonathan David

Attacker

61'

10

Kenan Yıldız

Attacker

Substitutes

17

Ciro Immobile

Attacker

22

Charalampos Lykogiannis

Defender

21

Jens Odgaard

Attacker

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

30

Benja Domínguez

Attacker

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

82

Matteo Franceschelli

Goalkeeper

75

Petar Markovic

Defender

77

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

66'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

66'

29

Lorenzo De Silvestri

Defender

73'

2

Emil Holm

Defender

73'

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

81'

24

Daniele Rugani

Defender

1

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper

18

Filip Kostic

Midfielder

25

João Mário

Defender

11

Edon Zhegrova

Attacker

42

Simone Scaglia

Goalkeeper

40

Jonas Rouhi

Defender

17

Vasilije Adžić

Midfielder

20

Loïs Openda

Attacker

61'

32

Juan Cabal

Defender

61'

3

Bremer

Defender

76'

21

Fabio Miretti

Midfielder

88'

Gleison Bremer has marked his return from injury after a spell of 78 days on the sideline, but Luciano Spalletti will now have to do without another one of his centre-back options when the Bianconeri take on Roma in a huge Serie A clash next weekend. 

Bremer started four of Juve’s first five Serie A matches of the season, but has since missed nine league matches in a row, 15 across all competitions, after suffering a meniscus injury in September.

He had not featured for Juventus since Juventus’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta on September 27, but, 78 days later, has come on as a second-half substitute during Juventus’s Serie A match against Bologna. 

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

One in, one out for Juventus

While Bremer is now back, Teun Koopmeiners, who has regularly filled in at centre-back since Spalletti came in, will not be available to face Roma in Serie A next week. He picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Bologna and will now have to serve a one-match ban. 

Federico Gatti is also out injured, which leaves Lloyd Kelly, Pierre Kalulu, Bremer and Daniele Rugani, who has only recently returned to training himself as his natural centre-back options for Roma on Saturday. 

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has sent a warning to the Tottenham board after the latest defeat. 

Tottenham fell to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, their sixth defeat in the Premier League this season.

The result sees them now sit 11th in the table with 22 points, six points behind fourth placed Chelsea.

Fans showed their frustration at full-time but the manager sent the fans and the board a stern warning during the post match press-conference.

Thomas Frank sends warning to the Tottenham board

Thomas Frank did not shy away from the questions about his under future at Spurs. Instead, he fired a warning to the Tottenham board against making a decision to sack him.

The Dane was brought in with a long-term project in mind and the former Brentford manager reminded the hierarchy the need to be patient, insisted that the club’s problems run deeper than the manager and that stability is the only path to success.

When asked about his job, Frank told reporters: “I think it is extremely important to be calm and measured and of course have very very direct and clear messages at the right time.

“So they are not in doubt of what I think because and very honest about where we are as well as I was very honest it was a very bad performance. No two ways about that.

“But also know that to change this this will take some time. If no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is NOT a quick fix.”

"Know that to change this it will take some time… but no one will want to hear about that, it's just reality."

Thomas Frank says he needs time to turn things around at Spurs! ? pic.twitter.com/i2HqMNyc0O

— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) December 14, 2025

?? Thomas Frank on Tottenham job: “If no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is NOT a quick fix”. pic.twitter.com/IontC6caFb

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 14, 2025

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Frank took over the Spurs job in the summer following the shock sacking of Ange Postecoglou who had just ended Tottenham’s long awaited trophy drought.

He came in with big reputation for his work at Brentford but so far, the start to his tenure at Spurs has been mixed.

Thomas Frank’s stats for Tottenham via Transfermarkt

The post Thomas Frank sends stern warning to the Tottenham board after 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Match Overview

The Liga MX Apertura 2025 championship will be settled in a single, high-stakes night as Toluca hosts Tigres UANL in the decisive second leg. Tigres hold a slim 1–0 lead from the opening match, but the result did little to separate two evenly matched sides.

Backed by their home crowd, Toluca aim to defend the title claimed earlier this year and cap off a dominant 2025, while Tigres look to spoil the celebration and lift the trophy themselves in a tense, winner-take-all showdown—don’t miss a moment of this must-watch finale.

Despite his departure in 2021, Lionel Messi has managed to remain the greatest player in the history of Barcelona, establishing himself as the club’s all-time top scorer and assist provider. Nevertheless, the team has managed to resurge without him, led by young players such as Pedri, who is spearheading the new era. The young Spaniard has even recently surpassed a historic LaLiga appearances record previously held by the Argentine.

According to OptaJose on X, formerly Twitter, Pedri Gonzalez has become the youngest player in Barcelona‘s history to reach 150 appearances in La Liga at the age of 23 years and 18 days. With this achievement, the Spaniard star has surpassed Lionel Messi, who had held the record since October 2010, achieving it at 23 years and 121 days after starting against Real Zaragoza.

Far from being a player similar to Messi, Pedri has managed to become the most influential player at Barcelona. Without being a goal scorer or assist provider, the Spaniard has become the defensive and creative axis of Hansi Flick’s team, to the point of being irreplaceable. For this reason, the 23-year-old star promises to leave a historic legacy at Barcelona, leading the Culers to their first Champions League after the Argentine era.

Lionel Messi still remains the most iconic player in Barcelona’s history. Pedri may have managed to surpass him in one record, but the Argentine remains the player with the most appearances in the club’s history, having played 778 matches for the team. In addition, he also stands as the player with the most goals in the history of the club, with 672 goals. For that reason, the Argentine star is not comparable with Pedri, who is still writing his own chapter.

Andres Iniesta raves about Pedri’s massive impact at Barcelona

Although Pedri may not boast the most outstanding statistics, he remains as a key star player of Barcelona’s game structure. As a crucial figure in offense, defense, and playmaking, the Spaniard orchestrates the flow of the game from midfield. Recognizing this, Andrés Iniesta didn’t hesitate to praise the 23-year-old, analyzing his distinctive playing characteristics.

“I like Pedri. He is an extraordinary soccer player. I love him because he has a story behind him full of hard work and overcoming adversity… he is a differential player, capable of building plays that did not exist before. He invents passes that nobody had previously seen because he possesses great talent and, in addition, he is gradually acquiring an increasingly important role, both at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team,” Iniesta said, via Revista Barça.

With the majority of the 2025-26 season still ahead, Pedri has firmly established himself as Barcelona’s most influential player. His absence disrupts the team’s rhythm significantly. Recognizing his impact, coach Hansi Flick has ensured he remains one of the key players, clocking in 1,444 minutes on the field, even after missing some due to injury. If he can maintain his physical consistency, the Culers could realistically aspire to win all titles this season.

Italy international Guglielmo Vicario has come under fire after his performance during Tottenham’s 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon: “Typical Vicario, always blaming someone else,” says Sky Sports’s Jamie Carragher. 

It has been a few weeks to forget for Tottenham, who have slipped to 11th place in the league table and are currently six points outside the Champions League spots. 

The latest disappointment came at the hands of Nottingham Forest; 16th in the Premier League after their 3-0 victory at the City Ground on Sunday. 

Vicario under fire after 3-0 Tottenham loss 

Vicario’s performances have been under particularly intense scrutiny over the last few weeks after his howler in a 2-1 loss against Fulham at the end of November. 

Things went from bad to worse for him against Forest on Sunday. It was his risky pass to midfielder Archie Gray that led to Ibrahim Sangare pinching the ball and Callum Hudson-Odoi finishing from close range that sent Tottenham 1-0 down on Sunday. 

A moment to forget for Archie Gray and Vicario

Ibrahim Sangaré brilliantly dispossesses him and plays it to Callum Hudson-Odoi to tap in and give Forest the lead! pic.twitter.com/N5JQVIgnVc

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 14, 2025

Tottenham then conceded another freak goal, again from Hudson-Odoi, who didn’t make any attempts to hide the fact that he had meant to cross rather than shoot from the left touchline.

Callum Hudson-Odoi crosses the ball in but it goes over Vicario and straight in! pic.twitter.com/hxJp4mY9T6

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 14, 2025

“Typical Vicario, he’s always blaming someone else. Every time I see him when a goal goes in, he’s throwing his arms at someone else. Just kick it out of play,” said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher while reviewing the stopper’s recent performances. 

"Typical Vicario, he's always blaming someone else" @Carra23 not impressed with Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario pic.twitter.com/30X8ynUxS8

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 14, 2025

Head coach Thomas Frank has come out in defence of his goalkeeper, arguing that there was no correlation between the goals that Vicario conceded against Nottingham Forest and Fulham over the last few weeks: “Two different situations, you can’t even compare them. Simply because the ball was out on the side in one situation, and the other was in the middle of the pitch,” he explained in frustration. 

When asked if Vicario’s decision making should be called into question, Frank said: “I think Archie (Gray) did very well, this is a clear one. You see that every week: Premier League, Serie A, LaLiga, all over the world: In, bounce out with the first touch. Unfortunately we took a touch and then we lost the ball.” 

Some supporters have not looked as kindly on Vicario’s recent performances, though. 

“Inter Milan, pls prepare your January Vicario bid,” one fan wrote on X. 

• Read more: Fulham howler, Tottenham support and Inter links: What’s going on with Vicario?
• Read more: Report Vicario wants Inter move

“He’s a great shot stopper, but frightens me when he’s on the ball,” another added. 

“Happily sell Vicario tomorrow, but Gray was clearly asking for the ball,” wrote another Spurs supporter. 

Lautaro Martinez insists that he and his Inter teammates have their sights set on the Serie A title in 2025-26 and took an opportunity to address his colleagues at the end of their 2-1 victory away against Genoa on Sunday: ‘We’re the ones who put in the work’. 

Inter currently sit alone at the top of the Serie A standings thanks to a 2-1 win away against Genoa on Sunday evening. Goals from Yann Bisseck and Lautaro were enough for the Nerazzurri to hold onto, despite Vitinha pulling one back for Genoa midway through the second half. 

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

Lautaro addresses Inter teammates after Genoa victory

Napoli’s 1-0 loss against Udinese and Milan’s 2-2 draw with Sassuolo earlier on Sunday means that Inter will spend the next week on their own at the top of the Serie A table. There had been four teams separated by just one point at the top of the table a few weeks ago. 

“It means a lot, we’re back at the top because we’ve worked hard, we’ve had to sacrifice ourselves and regardless of what people say about us, we are focussed on ourselves, working hard, improving, hoping to bring joy to these supporters,” Lautaro told DAZN after full-time on Sunday (via fcinternews.it). 

“Everyone’s been talking about Inter for a few years because we’ve been doing well. It’s normal for there to be criticism and compliments. 

“We’re a team that is aware of our strengths, we always try to make sure that Inter is at the top. It seems repetitive, but that’s what we do. The message in the dressing room is clear, we want to do it.” 

Lautaro was asked what the message he wants to send is, and instead of addressing the supporters, the Nerazzurri skipper took an opportunity to rally his teammates instead. 

“It’s a message to ourselves. As I always say, we’re the ones who put in the work and we’re the ones who try to bring Inter back to where it belongs, so it’s to the team that I speak.”

Cristian Chivu is pleased to see his Inter team back at the top of the Serie A standings after claiming that his side had been written off in the early stages of the 2025-26 season, and has explained why he made certain changes during Sunday’s 2-1 victory away against Genoa. 

The Nerazzurri currently sit alone at the top of the Serie A standings thanks to goals from Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez in an eventual 2-1 victory over Genoa on Sunday evening. 

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

Chivu after Genoa 1-2 Inter: ‘I’ll take the three points’

Speaking to DAZN after full-time, Chivu said that he would rather talk about the game itself rather than the impact that it has had on the Serie A table. 

“I like to talk about the game and what I saw on the pitch,” he began. “It was a difficult game tonight, in this atmosphere and against a team that has been strong since De Rossi came in. I’ll take the three points, which are the most important thing.” 

Chivu explained why he decided to make certain changes before and during Sunday’s 2-1 win over Genoa. 

“The changes were made according to energy and form. Originally, at 2-0, Bonny was supposed to come on, but then I opted for Thuram because I needed more speed. I took Zielinski off and moved Akanji up because we needed two midfielders with a strong structure.” 

Chivu was then asked if he feels his Inter side have been underrated at times this season. 

He replied: “A few months ago, they had us finishing eighth or tenth because we looked finished. We’re working hard to show our value. 

“For me, we need a bit of consistency in everything, but we’re aware of what we have to do and how we have to do it. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don’t.” 

Up next on the schedule is a trip to Saudi Arabia to take on Bologna in the semi-final of the Supercoppa Italiana. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Napoli or Milan a few days later. 

“An important game lies ahead of us in Riyadh. We’re not looking at anything else,” Chivu said.

Bologna director Marco Di Vaio feels they can ‘have our say’ against Juventus and hopes he’ll finally shrug off a shocking Serie A statistic tonight.

It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 19.45 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

This is a face-off for European places, because the Rossoblu are currently two points above the Old Lady in the table and would like to take advantage of a general slowdown in the top spots this weekend.

“We have for over two years been doing very well, so the lads and all of us know that we can have our say,” Di Vaio told DAZN Italia.

“Every game is different, Juve have great players, but we are well aware that we’re competitive and can play our game too.”

Bologna history against Juventus is astonishing

An extraordinary statistic is that Bologna have not beaten Juventus in all competition since February 2011, a 2-0 result in Turin decided by a Di Vaio brace.

They haven’t defeated Juve at the Stadio Dall’Ara since a 3-0 result in November 1998.

“I was just telling my daughter in the car on the way here that I am so tired of being told that I was the last Bologna player to score a winner against Juventus,” confessed Di Vaio.

“I look forward to someone else taking my place in that statistic, because it’s been too long. We had great results in recent years beating just about all the big clubs, but not Juventus yet.”

The team slowed down in Serie A recently, with a defeat to Cremonese and draw against 10-man Lazio, but boosted morale with Thursday’s comeback victory away to Celta Vigo in the Europa League.

Federico Bernardeschi scored twice in Spain and he represents a different kind of player to the young and promising prospects that Bologna had focused on before.

“Last season we were in the Champions League and realised we were lacking something in terms of experience at that level, so we approached both Federico and Ciro Immobile too, making the most of their situations to bring them here.

“Having players who starred and won at the highest level was something we had been lacking, as that influences the others,” explained Di Vaio.

Inter once again have Lautaro Martinez to thank for a 2-1 victory away against Genoa in Serie A on Sunday evening, a result which has sent the Nerazzurri to the top of the league table. 

Check out the player ratings below! 

A surprise goal from centre-back Yann Bisseck and a second from captain Lautaro 10 minutes before the end of the first half were enough for Inter to cling onto despite Vitinha pulling one back for Genoa midway through the second half. 

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

Genoa 1-2 Inter: Player ratings!

Genoa: Leali 6; Marcandalli 6, Otoa 6, Vasquez 5.5; Norton-Cuffy 6, Frendrup 5, Malinovskyi 5, Ellertsson 6, Martin 6; Vitinha 6.5, Colombo 5.5.

Best Genoa player: Vitinha 6.5 – Provided the moment of quality that gave the Genoa supporters a brief moment of joy and the belief that they might get something more out of the game in the second half. He had so much work to do to create that goal for himself as well. 

Coach: Daniele De Rossi 6 – It was always going to be a difficult test against Inter, but Genoa weren’t really up to the task aside from their decent opening spell. Another tricky test against Atalanta now awaits them. 

Inter: Sommer 6; Bisseck 7, Akanji 6, Bastoni 6; L.Henrique 6, Barella 6, Zielinski 6.5, Sucic 6.5, C.Augusto 6; L.Martinez 7.5, Esposito 6. 

Best Inter player: Lautaro Martinez 7.5 – A goal, an assist and four shots on target from the Nerazzurri talisman this afternoon. His seventh in Serie A so far this season, the most in the division, and 11 goals including his four in the Champions League. Realistically, the game should have been out of reach for Genoa after his strike went in for 2-0 after 38 minutes. 

Coach: Cristian Chivu 7.5 – It’s been a relentless schedule for the Nerazzurri in recent weeks, and on a weekend where others have tripped up, Chivu got his selections right on Sunday, and is now sitting alone at the top of the Serie A table as a result. Arguably Inter’s most important victory of the season thus far.

Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini reassures the Agnelli family and the club are ‘one and the same,’ while Khephren Thuram and Kenan Yildiz are going nowhere.

The trip to Bologna kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 19.45 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Bianconeri went into the weekend in seventh place and sitting two points behind Bologna, so this is a crucial head-to-head for European spots.

Chiellini speaks out on Juventus headline issues

There have been reports that Juventus could swap Khephren Thuram with Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi in the January transfer market.

“I won’t talk about Frattesi, as that’s a lack of respect towards Inter. What I can say without doubt is that Thuram will remain a Juventus player. He has done really well in the year and a half he’s been with us and we have no intention of letting him go,” Chiellini told DAZN Italia.

The big news this week was that cryptocurrency firm Tether, who are already minority shareholders, launched a shock takeover bid to purchase all the remaining shares from the Agnelli family holding company Exor.

It was rejected immediately, with President John Elkann stating the club’s values were ‘not for sale.’

“They were important words, strong words, but for those who know the atmosphere, they were not surprising. When we think of the Agnelli family, we think of Juventus, and vice versa. They are one and the same. That’s how it has always been and that’s how it will be in future,” added Chiellini.

“So there’s nothing more to say other than we will build Juve back to the strength they had in the past and will again in the future. There are values at Juventus that get passed from generation to generation, but we also look to the future.

“It has unfortunately been five years since we last won the Scudetto, we feel the responsibility of that, but it takes nothing away from our confidence going into the future. Above all, the owners and Juventus are a single insoluble entity.”

If the club had been sold, would Chiellini still have been dealing with negotiations for the new Kenan Yildiz contract?

“I haven’t the foggiest idea, but that’s not an issue I will need to think about! Kenan is an important player, he has a long contract, it’s not a situation that gets sorted out in a week. The important thing is that we both want to carry on together, his contract doesn’t expire in six months, so there’s no rush, but we want to improve the contract so it is suited to his status.”

Juve got back on track in the Champions League midweek with a 2-0 victory over Pafos, a much-needed result after last week’s Serie A loss to Napoli.

Sunderland took the Tyne-Wear derby rivalry to unprecedented levels of pettiness on Sunday, refusing to display Newcastle’s name on the Stadium of Light scoreboard during their 1-0 victory.

The Black Cats secured bragging rights on the pitch thanks to a bizarre Nick Woltemade own goal, but it was the club’s off-pitch antics that sparked a frenzy on social media.

In a move widely celebrated by the home faithful, Sunderland broke with Premier League protocol to deliver a calculated insult to their bitter rivals Newcastle.

Sunderland refuse to name Newcastle on stadium scoreboard

Fans inside the stadium and viewers at home were quick to spot the deliberate omission.

While every other away side at the Stadium of Light this season has been afforded the courtesy of having their full club name displayed, Newcastle were reduced to a single generic word: “Visitors.”

The digital scoreboard read ‘Sunderland 1 – 0 Visitors’ for the duration of the match.

The decision was no accident. Reports confirmed that previous opponents had their names and crests fully visible, making this a specific, sanctioned dig at the Magpies.

It set the tone for a hostile atmosphere where Regis Le Bris’s side ultimately stifled Eddie Howe’s men to claim a vital three points.

Sunderland take long-awaited revenge

This top-tier pettiness was widely interpreted as long-awaited revenge for the January 2024 FA Cup debacle.

On that occasion, Sunderland’s ownership faced a mutiny after allowing the ‘Black Cats Bar’ to be redecorated with Newcastle slogans to welcome corporate hospitality guests.

Sunday was the payback. Not only did they erase Newcastle’s identity from the screens, but the Sunderland squad also twisted the knife after the final whistle.

Sunderland returned the favour, taking a team photo in front of their fans on the pitch after a 1-0 win over Newcastle ?

Newcastle did the same in the FA Cup back in early 2024… pic.twitter.com/v05iqAkALa

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 14, 2025

Replicating the infamous team photo celebration that Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall orchestrated on the Stadium of Light turf two years ago, the Sunderland players and staff gathered in front of the South Stand to recreate the exact pose, mocking their neighbours in the most direct way possible.

The post Sunderland take rivalry with Newcastle to new level with two brutal gestures during 1-0 win appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United sold Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest, and he has been linked with a return in recent months.

Ross Wilson was the director for Nottingham Forest when they signed the player from Newcastle, and Wilson is now the sporting director at Newcastle.

Newcastle keen on Elliot Anderson return

Manager Eddie Howe has always been vocal about his admiration for Anderson, and he has previously admitted that he would love to have the player back at the club. Naturally, that has fuelled speculations surrounding the midfielder’s potential return to his former club.

Ross Wilson was recently asked whether he would make a move for the Nottingham Forest midfielder in future. Wilson has added fuel to the fire by claiming that he likes the player a lot. It will be interesting to see if Newcastle decide to make a move for him at the end of the season.

He said to the Shields Gazette:  “I like him a lot”.

More Stories / Latest News

Thomas Frank sends stern warning to the Tottenham board after 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Dec 14 2025, 22:34

Sunderland take rivalry with Newcastle to new level with two brutal gestures during 1-0 win

Dec 14 2025, 19:42

Ross Wilson finally responds to Newcastle links with Elliot Anderson

Dec 14 2025, 19:30

Anderson has done really well

Anderson has been excellent for Nottingham Forest, and he is certainly one of the finest young midfield talents in the Premier League right now. Bringing him back to the club would be a wise decision for Newcastle. However, they will have to pay a lot of money to get the deal done. Nottingham Forest will not want to lose a player like him easily. Also, multiple big clubs are monitoring his development, and there is likely to be intense competition for his signature.

The midfielder might prefer to join a big club where he will be able to fight for titles and compete in the UEFA Champions League regularly. Newcastle have an ambitious project and a talented squad. However, they are not quite at the level to compete with the elite clubs yet. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

They are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, and they have the finances to get the deal across the line. They already have quality midfielders like Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton. Adding Anderson could take them to a whole new level.

The post Ross Wilson finally responds to Newcastle links with Elliot Anderson appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Sheffield United are reportedly interested in signing Joe Rothwell during the January transfer window.

The midfielder was excellent for Leeds United last season, but they decided against signing him permanently when they secured promotion to the Premier League.

Joe Rothwell to return to England?

The player joined Rangers from Bournemouth during the last transfer window, but he has struggled to make his mark in Scotland. He will hope to play regularly once again, and Chris Wilder is prepared to provide him with that opportunity at Sheffield United, as per Glasgow World.

The 30-year-old has shown his quality in the Championship with clubs like Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, and Southampton. There is no doubt that he could be a very useful player for Sheffield United. Wilder needs more quality in the middle of the park, and the 30-year-old has the quality and the experience to help them improve. His leadership skills could also be invaluable for the Blades.

More Stories / Latest News

Thomas Frank sends stern warning to the Tottenham board after 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Dec 14 2025, 22:34

Sunderland take rivalry with Newcastle to new level with two brutal gestures during 1-0 win

Dec 14 2025, 19:42

Ross Wilson finally responds to Newcastle links with Elliot Anderson

Dec 14 2025, 19:30

Rothwell has done well in the Championship

Rothwell will look to get his career back on track with regular opportunities. He has the quality and the experience to make an instant impact in the Championship, and it remains to be seen whether he can establish himself as a key player for Sheffield United. Rangers are unlikely to stand in his way in January. He has been an underperformer for them, and they will look to get rid of the player and bring in an upgrade.

It will be interesting to see if the 30-year-old can hold down a regular starting spot at Sheffield United during the second half of the season.

He will add control, composure, and set-piece ability to the team. He was excellent for Leeds United when they secured promotion to the Premier League, and he could prove to be a very useful acquisition for Sheffield United as well.

The post Report: Sheffield United eyeing January move for former Leeds ace appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Lamine Yamal is expected to be one of the headliners in the upcoming Finalissima between Spain and Argentina next March, a matchup that would see him share the field with Lionel Messi for the first time. However, despite finishing as the runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the Barcelona star was overlooked by Julián Álvarez, who instead selected two other Spain internationals to represent Argentina.

Álvarez has firmly established himself as one of the world’s top strikers and remains a key figure for the Argentina side that lifted the World Cup. Now starring for Atlético Madrid in La Liga, the forward has already faced Yamal multiple times domestically, but the teenager still does not appear to be his preferred fit for a hypothetical Albiceleste lineup.

During a rapid-fire interview with Marca, and with the Finalissima approaching, Álvarez was asked which Spain player he would choose to play for Argentina. “Rodri,” the striker replied, naming his former Manchester City teammate with whom he won the UEFA Champions League.

Álvarez was then given the opportunity to make a second selection, and once again Yamal was left out. “Pedri,” he answered immediately, opting for another FC Barcelona standout rather than the highly touted 18-year-old winger.

With Spain already securing qualification for the World Cup by finishing atop their group, the Finalissima no longer faces another postponement and is expected to go ahead as planned. While no official announcement has been made, the match is projected for Friday, March 27, at Lusail Stadium in Doha, a stage where Yamal could look to prove Álvarez wrong against one of the world’s elite national teams.

Yamal leads head-to-head against Álvarez

Julián Álvarez’s move to Spain coincided with Yamal’s breakout 2024–25 season. While Álvarez was still at Manchester City, the two never crossed paths at club or international level, but frequent clashes between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona have since created a growing rivalry.

Álvarez has faced Yamal’s Barcelona five times, recording just one win, a match in which Yamal was sidelined with an ankle injury in December 2024. In the four meetings since, Barcelona have claimed three victories along with a 4-4 draw. During that stretch, Yamal has registered one goal and two assists, while Álvarez has scored twice and added one assist, giving the edge to the Spanish teenager so far.

Cristiano Ronaldo has managed to remain one of the players in the best form in the Saudi Pro League, showing his imposing goal-scoring power by scoring 11 goals in 12 matches in the 2025–26 season. After renewing his contract until 2027, the Portuguese star aims to become the club’s all-time top scorer, being just 20 goals away from achieving it. Despite this, he is planning his post-retirement life and has reportedly become a shareholder of Al Nassr.

According to 365 Scores, Cristiano Ronaldo has made the surprising decision to acquire an ownership stake in Al Nassr. The Portuguese star plans to purchase 15% of the club, valued at £50 million (approximately $66.7 million). With this move, the veteran aims to contribute to the club’s growth strategy beyond his professional career, showcasing the strong business ambition that drives him.

While the Portuguese star would become a minority shareholder, he seeks to progressively increase his stake in the club, aiming to become a majority shareholder. With this, Cristiano Ronaldo makes it clear that his intention to live in Saudi Arabia after his retirement is firm, becoming the most transformative figure in the country’s soccer by contributing both directly and indirectly to the development of the league.

With Cristiano’s emergence as stockholder, Al Nassr have made the decision to change their structural model, becoming pioneers in the Saudi Pro League by combining a private investment model that seeks to compete against European teams and increase the arrival of sponsors to help improve the team’s competitiveness. With this, the Portuguese star establishes himself as a legend in the making at the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes a transformative figure at Al Nassr

Since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo has shown that he is far from retirement, maintaining his imposing goal-scoring ability. In 117 matches, the Portuguese star has scored 101 goals and provided 28 assists, making him the league’s top scorer over the last two seasons. Moreover, he also attracted numerous high-profile players to the league, such as João Félix, Kingsley Coman, and Iñigo Martínez, highlighting his immense impact.

Although Cristiano has not yet managed to win any official title with Al Nassr, the team appears to be in its best position to claim the league title. Jorge Jesus’ arrival has transformed the team’s reality, remaining unbeaten in nine Saudi Pro League matches, with the veteran Portuguese star being the team’s second top scorer behind Joao Felix. In case of reaching the league title, Ronaldo would consolidate as a legend in the team, chasing more titles in his tenure until 2027.

Inter surged to the top of the Serie A table thanks to Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez, inflicting the first defeat on the Genoa bench for Daniele De Rossi.

The Nerazzurri were shaken by a controversial Champions League defeat to Liverpool, especially as Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi joined Denzel Dumfries, Matteo Darmian, Tomas Palacios and Raffaele Di Gennaro on the treatment table. The Grifone were revitalised since Patrick Vieira’s dismissal, Daniele De Rossi overseeing two draws and two consecutive victories against Verona and Udinese. Leo Ostigard, Junior Messias, Hugo Cuenca, Maxwel Cornet and Benjamin Siegrist missed out, but Morten Frendrup returned.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

As Milan were held 2-2 by Sassuolo and Napoli lost 1-0 to Udinese, Inter knew a win here would leapfrog them to the top of the Serie A table. There was trouble an hour before kick-off when Genoa and Inter fans clashed outside the stadium, setting cars on fire and prompting police to deploy tear gas.

The hosts had a big early chance when Lorenzo Colombo got down the left and his pull-back was just beyond Vitinha sliding in from six yards.

Instead, Inter opened the scoring when Lautaro Martinez kept it in play at the by-line and found Yann Bisseck, as while Nicola Leali was expecting a cross, he was wrong-footed on a low drive drilled into the near bottom corner.

Carlos Augusto nodded wide and Lautaro Martinez tested Leali from the edge of the area, while Francesco Pio Esposito forced a save from the on-rushing goalkeeper when holding off Sebastian Otoa to reach a Nicolò Barella pass.

Inter doubled their lead when Barella’s cross-field pass sent Carlos Augusto down the left, he laid it off for Lautaro Martinez, who used his strength to turn Alessandro Marcandalli and smash the angled drive into the far bottom corner with the inside of the left boot.

Lautaro Martinez also fired straight at Leali after the restart and Bisseck nodded a corner wide, but Genoa got back into the game with a moment of real skill from Vitinha.

The former Olympique Marseille striker gathered from Aaron Martin down the left, flicked it on with his heel to get away from two Inter defenders, cut inside to dribble around Yann Sommer and deposit into an empty net.

Albert Gronbaek’s free kick was easy for Sommer, but far tougher for Leali to parry Marcus Thuram’s header on a corner at the near post.

Sommer was tested more in stoppages, smothering the Caleb Ekuban glancing header on Jeff Ekhator’s cross.

Genoa 1-2 Inter

Bisseck 6 (I), Lautaro Martinez 38 (I), Vitinha 68 (G)

14-12-2025 17:00

MatchDay 15

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Inter

1 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

		6'		Yann Bisseck (Assist: Lautaro Martínez)
		38'		Lautaro Martínez

2nd half

		54'		Manuel Akanji
Vitinha (Assist: Aarón Martín)		68'
		73'		Nicolò Barella
		78'		Yann Bisseck
Jeff Ekhator		90+2'

Match statistic

36

Possession %

64

5

Total shots

18

3

Shots on target

8

2

Shots off target

2

0

Blocked shots

8

1

Corners

6

0

Offsides

1

10

Fouls

20

Genoa

Inter

Starting lineups

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

89'

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

78'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

58'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

89'

9

Vitinha

Attacker

78'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

74'

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

90'

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

74'

10

Lautaro Martínez

Attacker

84'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

Substitutes

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

2

Morten Thorsby

Midfielder

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

8

Nicolae Stanciu

Midfielder

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

40

Seydou Fini

Attacker

76

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

35

Ernestas Lysionok

Goalkeeper

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

58'

11

Albert Grønbaek

Midfielder

78'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

78'

70

Maxwel Cornet

Attacker

89'

23

Valentín Carboni

Midfielder

89'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

60

Alain Taho

Goalkeeper

43

Matteo Cocchi

Defender

50

Simone Cinquegrano

Defender

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

74'

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

74'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

84'

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

90'

Fiorentina have taken action after Sunday’s disappointing 2-1 loss at home against Hellas Verona in Serie A, which marked their 15th league match without a win. 

La Viola remain rooted to the bottom of the table after a Gift Orban brace condemned them to their ninth league defeat of the season. 

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

How Fiorentina responded to 2-1 Verona defeat

Fiorentina are stuck in 20th place in the Serie A table. They have drawn six and lost nine so far in the league this season. This is only the third time ever that they have gone 15 matches without a win in one season, the previous instances occurring in the 1970-71 and 1937-38 seasons. 

In response to their loss on Sunday afternoon, no Fiorentina coaches, players nor officials spoke to the media. 

According to reports from Sky Sport Italia, the Fiorentina management have decided to send the squad for an ‘indefinite’ training camp ahead of their Conference League match against Lausanne on Thursday. 

It remains to be seen what Sunday’s loss means for the future of head coach Paolo Vanoli, who was only appointed to replace Stefano Pioli at the beginning of November, but has not overseen any improvement in form since then. Violanews.com suggests that the picture will be clearer on Monday. 

Francisco Conceicao joins Kenan Yildiz and Jonathan David upfront for Juventus in a showdown for position with Riccardo Orsolini’s high-flying Bologna.

It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 19.45 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Going into this weekend, Bologna are two points ahead of Juve in the table, so it is a big clash for Champions League places.

Both teams are also coming off midweek European victories that boosted their confidence.

Juve really needed it after their Serie A defeat to Napoli, which left them languishing in seventh.

Daniele Rugani and Gleison Bremer returned to the bench in their 2-0 win over Pafos, but Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Gatti, Arek Milik and Carlo Pinsoglio are still out.

David scored in Europe and is again chosen to lead the attack with support from Kenan Yildiz and Conceicao.

Bologna stalled their Serie A progress in recent weeks with defeat to Cremonese and a 1-1 draw against 10-man Lazio.

Nicolò Casale limped off with a thigh strain in that game, joining Martin Vitik, Lukasz Skorupski and Remo Freuler on the absentee list.

Thijs Dallinga gets the nod upfront rather than Santiago Castro after Thursday’s 2-1 comeback Europa League success away to Celta Vigo.

Orsolini, Lewis Ferguson in a more advanced role and Nicolò Cambiaghi are in support.

Bologna vs. Juventus line-ups

Bologna: Ravaglia; Zortea, Heggem, Lucumí, Miranda; Pobega, Moro; Orsolini, Ferguson, Cambiaghi; Dallinga

Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceiçao, Yildiz; David

14-12-2025 19:45

MatchDay 15

Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Juventus

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		19'		Teun Koopmeiners
Juan Miranda		24'

2nd half

		64'		Juan Cabal (Assist: Kenan Yıldız)
Torbjørn Heggem		69'
Ibrahim Sulemana		90'
Lorenzo De Silvestri		90+4'

Match statistic

51

Possession %

49

12

Total shots

13

4

Shots on target

3

4

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

5

3

Corners

4

0

Offsides

2

10

Fouls

11

Bologna

Juventus

Starting lineups

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

81'

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

73'

14

Torbjørn Heggem

Defender

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

66'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

73'

4

Tommaso Pobega

Midfielder

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

66'

16

Michele Di Gregorio

Goalkeeper

27

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

61'

6

Lloyd Kelly

Defender

15

Pierre Kalulu

Defender

19

Khéphren Thuram

Midfielder

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

8

Teun Koopmeiners

Midfielder

76'

22

Weston McKennie

Midfielder

7

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

88'

30

Jonathan David

Attacker

61'

10

Kenan Yıldız

Attacker

Substitutes

17

Ciro Immobile

Attacker

22

Charalampos Lykogiannis

Defender

21

Jens Odgaard

Attacker

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

30

Benja Domínguez

Attacker

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

82

Matteo Franceschelli

Goalkeeper

75

Petar Markovic

Defender

77

Ibrahim Sulemana

Midfielder

66'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

66'

29

Lorenzo De Silvestri

Defender

73'

2

Emil Holm

Defender

73'

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

81'

24

Daniele Rugani

Defender

1

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper

18

Filip Kostic

Midfielder

25

João Mário

Defender

11

Edon Zhegrova

Attacker

42

Simone Scaglia

Goalkeeper

40

Jonas Rouhi

Defender

17

Vasilije Adžić

Midfielder

20

Loïs Openda

Attacker

61'

32

Juan Cabal

Defender

61'

3

Bremer

Defender

76'

21

Fabio Miretti

Midfielder

88'

Leeds United are expected to complete a deal for the Liverpool academy graduate, Kai Morrall.

Morrall has been at Liverpool for eight seasons, and he is highly rated within the club. The young winger is now set to leave the club and join the Leeds United youth setup.

Kai Morrall heading to Leeds

The Northern Ireland youth international has confirmed the move on his Instagram account, and he will look to continue his development at Leeds now.

Leeds are a big club with a rich history when it comes to grooming young players. It will be interesting to see if the 15-year-old can fulfil his potential with them. There is no doubt that he is a talented player with a bright future. He is not ready to make his mark in the Premier League yet, and he will look to continue his development with regular opportunities at the youth level.

However, there is no doubt that he has the potential to develop into an important first-team player for Leeds United.

Report: Sheffield United eyeing January move for former Leeds ace

More Stories / Latest News

Thomas Frank sends stern warning to the Tottenham board after 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Dec 14 2025, 22:34

Sunderland take rivalry with Newcastle to new level with two brutal gestures during 1-0 win

Dec 14 2025, 19:42

Ross Wilson finally responds to Newcastle links with Elliot Anderson

Dec 14 2025, 19:30

Morrall could be an asset

Leeds have done well to add to the formidable pool of young talent already at the club in recent windows. The arrival of the Liverpool attacker will be another feather in their cap. It remains to be seen whether they can groom him properly and help him fulfil his potential.

He could prove to be a solid acquisition for the club in future, and it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will regret his departure.

Meanwhile, Leeds United are currently fighting for their survival in the Premier League. They have had a mixed start to the season so far, and they will need to start picking up points if they want to survive in the top flight. They are a big club, and they should be competing in the Premier League regularly.

Report: Leeds could sign 23-year-old midfield target in January due to affordable clause

The post Report: Leeds snap up promising young attacker from Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss is currently on loan at German club VfB Stuttgart.

The midfielder has done quite well for the German outfit, and he is expected to join them permanently. The Moroccan international does not want to return to the English club in the future, and he has been quite harsh with his comments regarding Leicester in the past.

Bilal El Khannouss slams Leicester

It seems that the player has taken a swipe at the Championship outfit once again. In a recent interview, the midfielder explained that Leicester City made it very difficult for him to leave in the summer, and the resistance from the club was baffling because he had a release clause in his contract.

“We reached an agreement with Stuttgart. They were always there,” he added (h/t SportWitness).

“And I’m satisfied, even though, to be honest, it wasn’t easy this summer. It was difficult to find a way out of Leicester; they didn’t make it easy for me. What I especially didn’t understand was why it didn’t work out despite my release clause.”

More Stories / Latest News

Thomas Frank sends stern warning to the Tottenham board after 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Dec 14 2025, 22:34

Sunderland take rivalry with Newcastle to new level with two brutal gestures during 1-0 win

Dec 14 2025, 19:42

Ross Wilson finally responds to Newcastle links with Elliot Anderson

Dec 14 2025, 19:30

El Khannouss fans will disappoint fans

His comments will not go down well with the Leicester City fans. It is clear that he is not happy with the way his move was handled during the summer transfer window. However, he should have been more professional in his reaction towards the club.

Even though he does not want to play for them again and wants to compete at a higher level, Leicester City played a key role in his development. They gave him valuable experience in the Premier League, and the fans would have expected more respect from the player towards the club.

It will be interesting to see if he can sort out his long-term future and focus on his football. There is no doubt that he is a talented player with a bright future, and he deserves to compete at a high level.

El Khannouss is a target for Newcastle.

The post Player takes a swipe at Leicester City after “difficult” transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have reportedly taken a major step in their pursuit of Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, with the club officially opening talks regarding the forward’s payment structure.

The development marks a significant acceleration in the Reds’ transfer plans as they look to bolster their attack.

According to the latest reports, the decision has already been communicated to Mohamed Salah during recent peace talks, signaling a transparent approach from the club regarding their future attacking hierarchy.

Liverpool officially open talks with Bournemouth

Breaking the news on X, a trusted transfer insider revealed that the Reds have officially began talks with the Cherries to sign Semenyo, with the discussions centred around the payment structure for the player.

He also claimed that Salah has been informed of the club’s intention to sign Semenyo who can play on either side of the wing.

“Exclusive: Liverpool have officially opened talks with Bournemouth regarding Antoine Semenyo’s payment structure.

Mo Salah was informed during the peace talks that the club’s plan is to sign a winger who can play on both sides. Big news.”

Exclusive ?

Liverpool have officially opened talks with Bournemouth regarding Antoine Semenyo's payment structure.

Mo Salah was informed during the peace talks that the club's plan is to sign a winger who can play on both sides.

Big news. pic.twitter.com/wM7livn07D

— indykaila News (@indykaila) December 14, 2025

This suggests that while Liverpool are working to resolve any recent friction with their Egyptian King, they are simultaneously future-proofing the squad with a versatile forward capable of operating on either flank, reducing the reliance on Salah.

It also keeps the possibility open for a shock January sale of Salah to Saudi Pro League. The Liverpool hierarchy behind the scenes have reportedly held discussions with Saudi clubs who have expressed strong interest in signing him.

Many believe this was the source of Salah’s outburst, who felt backstabbed by the club for looking to sell him behind his back.

With Semenyo’s arrival now looking a major possibility, Salah’s future remains a question mark. The player previously hinted that the Brighton game could be his final game for the club, suggesting that the club might ship him off.

His gesture post Brighton win was also quite emotional as he lapped around the stadium as the fans serenaded him.

Liverpool look set to beat Premier League rivals to sign Semenyo

Securing Semenyo would be a massive coup for Arne Slot’s side, particularly given the fierce competition for his signature.

The Ghanaian international has been one of the most coveted attackers in the Premier League over the last 18 months, drawing interest from the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham.

By moving now to discuss payment structures, often the final hurdle in modern transfers, Liverpool appear to have stolen a march on their rivals.

The urgency suggests the Reds are keen to wrap up a deal swiftly, potentially for the January window, ensuring they don’t get drawn into a bidding war.

Antoine Semenyo’s excellent stats

It is easy to see why Liverpool are pressing ahead. Semenyo has been in electric form for the Cherries.

In the current 2025/26 campaign, he has already notched 6 goals and 3 assists in just 14 Premier League appearances, building on a breakout 2024/25 season where he scored 11 league goals.

His overall career tally to date stands at 55 goals and 36 assists in 268 games across four clubs: Bournemouth, Bristol City, Newport County and Sunderland.

His underlying numbers are equally impressive, ranking in the top percentiles for progressive carries and shot-creating actions. Crucially for Liverpool’s system, his versatility is elite.

While primarily dangerous as a right-winger cutting onto his left, he has played significant minutes as a left-winger and even as a central striker, making him the perfect tactical fit for a fluid Liverpool frontline.

The post Liverpool open official talks to sign 55-goal winger as Salah informed of club’s decision appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Virgil van Dijk has told Mohamed Salah of his desire for him to stay at Liverpool in the January transfer window but accepts the situation is out of his control. Salah caused a storm at Anfield when he accused certain members of the Liverpool hierarchy of “throwing him under a bus” and saying his relationship […]

The post Van Dijk tells Salah to stay at Liverpool appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Van Dijk tells Salah to stay at Liverpool appeared first on Soccer News.

After several years of poor performances, Brazil decided to make a strong bet on Carlo Ancelotti, bringing him to his first professional experience managing a national team. Amid uncertainty, the Italian managed to bring the Verde-Amarela back to life, imposing a clear attacking style and restoring defensive stability. In light of this, the coach has taken the first step to clarify his future after the 2026 World Cup.

According to Rodrigo Mattos in UOL Esporte, Carlo Ancelotti has initiated talks with the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF) to discuss his professional future. The Italian coach reportedly seeks to extend his contract beyond the 2026 World Cup, aiming for it to last until the 2030 World Cup. Moreover, he shows a willingness to maintain his current annual salary of €10 million.

While logic might suggest that Ancelotti’s future would depend on Brazil‘s performance in the 2026 World Cup, the UOL Esporte report claims that the CBF is quite open to negotiating an early extension of his contract until 2030. With this, Brazil showcase that the sporting project is not short-term, but rather that progressive growth is expected with young players such as Estevao joining the national team.

Ancelotti forces a bold roster transformation, redefining Brazil

Carlo Ancelotti has managed to carry out a true transformation with Brazil, making defensive stability a clear priority. With the double pivot of Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro, the national team has built an imposing defensive base in which Marquinhos and Gabriel emerge as key figures. In addition, Wesley and Vitinho have emerged as options at right-back, composing a renovated defense that promises to mark a difference.

Not only has defensive stability improved, but offensive freedom has once again taken center stage for Brazil. With Raphinha, Estevao, Vinícius, and Rodrygo, they have found great versatility in attack, as they can move across the entire front line, making them quite unpredictable. Moreover, João Pedro and Matheus Cunha are establishing themselves as the main strikers looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, giving the national team a completely renewed image.

Due to his clear focus on youth, Carlo Ancelotti appears to be sidelining some veteran players who are eyeing a ‘last dance’ at the 2026 World Cup. Both Neymar Jr. and Thiago Silva have expressed their desire to remain in contention for the national team. However, the rise of young talents excelling in Europe limits their chances of making the roster, prompting the coach to prioritize the sporting project over securing spots for established stars.

After expressing concerns over limited playing time, Mohamed Salah returned to the pitch for Liverpool in their victory against Brighton. Although the Egyptian forward didn’t score, he made a significant impact by providing an assist that enabled him to break an all-time Premier League record. Following the match, Virgil van Dijk commented on the situation, praising Arne Slot‘s management and revealing additional insights.

“I think he’s handled the situation very well. Calm in his own way. It is a very tricky situation. There is a lot of noise and pressure from the outside world, obviously and rightly so because we’ve not been up or close to the standard of last season but we are human beings and everyone reacts in a different way. But personally looking at it and the conversations we’ve had on a daily basis, I think he’s handled it very well,” Virgil van Dijk said in the latest press conference.

Far from imposing his perspective aggressively, Arne Slot showed firmness while always keeping the door open to dialogue with Salah, making it clear that everything had a solution under certain criteria. With this, the coach earned the respect of the locker room and also set a boundary with one of the most important players in Liverpool‘s history. Additionally, the Egyptian’s reintegration into the team’s dynamics has proven to be the right decision.

Mohamed Salah showed elite professionalism, van Dijk reveals

Although Mohamed Salah faced being benched for three consecutive games and was left off the roster against Inter Milan, the Egyptian continued to exemplify outstanding off-field conduct. Unlike other cases, he remained fully committed to team training throughout. Virgil van Dijk even shared insightful details about the 33-year-old star’s behavior during this challenging period, highlighting his professionalism.

“Mo reacted perfectly fine. He was good against Brighton. He was good Sunday and Monday when we were training. He didn’t travel but trained on Friday together and he was perfectly fine too. It is all about how the team reacts but in my eyes and what I see and speaking to the guys, everyone handled it perfectly well. I think we showed this week we are absolutely united and we go forward as one,” Virgil van Dijk said in the latest press conference.

In his return to the roster, Salah showcased his impressive level, demonstrating decisiveness with his speed. After coming on for Joe Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai moved to right back, leaving the Egyptian as a winger. There, he provided the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s goal. This performance makes it evident that coach relies on the veteran, indicating that his departure from the team may not be straightforward, as his professionalism and impact continue to impress.

Match Overview

Real Madrid enter this La Liga matchup under intense pressure, knowing the margin for error has all but disappeared after Barcelona’s recent victory pushed the gap at the top to seven points. Powered by the attacking presence of Kylian Mbappe, the Spanish giants need a full three points to stay firmly in the championship conversation.

On the other side, Deportivo Alaves arrive with plenty at stake themselves, hovering just above the relegation line while still harboring realistic ambitions of climbing toward the European places. With both clubs fighting for very different but equally meaningful goals, this showdown carries major implications across the standings.

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

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

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

Conte: Udinese loss, Napoli injuries and improving away form

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There were some ugly scenes outside Marassi this evening ahead of Genoa vs. Inter, when two sets of fans threw objects at each other, attacked police, and cars were set on fire.

It kicks off at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, also known as Marassi, at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

According to Sky Sport Italia and Sportitalia, there were clashes outside the stadium over an hour before kick-off.

What happened before Genoa vs. Inter

A group of Genoa ultras threw objects including fireworks at some Nerazzurri fans who were preparing to enter the away end of the stadium.

𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬: 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐝𝐢 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐚-𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫

Lancio di petardi e fumogeni dei genoani verso i tifosi nerazzurri

@tancredipalmeri #genoa #inter #sportitalia pic.twitter.com/eZFXBik8OW

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) December 14, 2025

They responded by attempting to break down the barrier separating them, so police were forced to intervene and the situation degenerated.

At least one car was set on fire, while some fans were seen dealing with the effects of tear gas deployed by the authorities.

Continuano gli scontri prima di Genoa-Inter: macchine in fiamme all’esterno del Ferraris

@tancredipalmeri #GenoaInter #Sportitalia pic.twitter.com/YZqjcdlwhc

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) December 14, 2025

Once calm was restored, a car, several motorbikes and some bins were left burned to a crisp.

Scontri al Ferraris prima di Genoa-Inter: le immagini dei clamorosi danni

1 camioncino, 1 motorino, 1 macchina e 7 cassonetti dati a fuoco

@tancredipalmeri #GenoaInter #Sportitalia pic.twitter.com/DVfCDfcClL

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) December 14, 2025

Davide Bartesaghi scored the first goals of his Milan career in a 2-2 Serie A draw against Sassuolo in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, and in doing so, became the youngest Rossoneri defender to net a brace since Paolo Maldini in 1988: ‘It’s a dream’, he said. 

Milan, overall, will be disappointed by their 2-2 draw at home against Sassuolo on Sunday evening, which has left them at risk of being leapfrogged into first place by Inter, but it was certainly a memorable occasion for Bartesaghi, who netted the first and second goals of his senior career. 

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

Bartesaghi on first Milan goals: ‘Goosebumps, but I’m sorry we didn’t win’

With his goals in the 34th and 47th minutes against Sassuolo, Bartesaghi became the youngest defender to score a brace for Milan since Maldini in 1988. Maldini was 19 years and 247 days old at the time, and Bartesaghi is 19 years and 350 days old on the day of his Sassolo double. 

“I’m very happy, it’s a dream come true for me to play and score in these colours,” Bartesaghi told Milan TV after full-time on Sunday. 

“It gives me goosebumps, but I’m also sorry that the team wasn’t able to win, that’s a shame.” 

He continued: “I want to dedicate the goals to (Bernardo) Corradi, who has always believed in me, and also to the whole staff and team. I also want to say thanks to my two best friends who came here to the stadium today. I’m very happy.” 

Liverpool fans were impressed by Federico Chiesa’s selflessness with his attempted assist for Mohamed Salah at the end of their 2-0 Premier League victory over Brighton on Saturday afternoon: ‘We need to see more of him’. 

After a relatively slow start to life on Merseyside in 2024-25, Chiesa is becoming somewhat of a cult hero at Anfield in 2025-26. Despite his limited opportunities in the first team, the former Juventus winger has impressed with his brief appearances off the bench, and is winning over Liverpool supporters with his passion, determination and selflessness. 

Chiesa currently has two goals and one assist to his name from 11 appearances in the Premier League this season, all of which have come off the bench. 

He came close to adding another assist to that tally during injury time at the end of Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday afternoon. 

At full sprint in the opposition half, Chiesa latched on to a long ball over the top on the edge of the opposition area and had the space and time in front of him to line up a shot towards the bottom corner of the net. Instead, he looked up and squared to Salah. 

Liverpool fans react to Chiesa’s selflessness

Plenty of Liverpool supporters feel that Chiesa was intentionally trying to get a goal for Salah specifically after a difficult week off the pitch. The Egyptian was dropped for Liverpool’s recent Champions League victory over Inter and had started on the bench against Brighton after his recent outburst and accusations against the club. 

“Moments like this matter. Chiesa could’ve easily shot, but chooses Mo instead. Respect,” wrote The Anfield Buzz on X reacting to the Italian’s attempted assist on Saturday.

One supporter wrote: “Chiesa can do this on both flanks and has some incredible pace in him even after all those injuries and an ACL. With Mo going to AFCON, we need to see more of him.” 

Another added: “Chiesa has played only 15 minutes and really doesn’t deserve to be benched. Now that Salah has gone to play in the AFCON, Federico Chiesa DESERVES to start. He looks very sharp.” 

“Two chances to go alone, which was the better option, but instead opted to pass to Isak and Mo Salah cause he knows they can do with it more. Unselfish, team player. Honestly one of the best signings we’ve had in recent years,” another wrote.

Cristian Chivu is impressed with how Daniele De Rossi transformed Genoa and warns Inter they need ‘quality and intensity’ after surprise results already today.

It kicks off at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, also known as Marassi, at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

There was some crowd trouble outside the stadium before kick-off, with clashes between sets of supporters and police.

Meanwhile, Inter know a victory could leapfrog them to the top of the table, because AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo today, while Napoli lost 1-0 away to Udinese.

Chivu concerned about Inter distraction

“We have to focus on ourselves, be ready to play what will not be an easy game, because Genoa are in a great period of form, are on home turf and feeling the energy of enthusiasm,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.

Genoa have been revitalised under new coach De Rossi since he replaced Patrick Vieira, so has Chivu spoken to his old Roma teammate this week?

“We haven’t spoken this week, no. De Rossi transmitted character to his squad, but also quality, as they pass it around more and try to open up the opposition defences. Their strikers are doing well, so it’s going to be tough for us too.”

The last week has been a rollercoaster for the Nerazzurri, who had the best performance of the season thumping Como 4-0, but then lost to Liverpool in the Champions League thanks to an extraordinarily soft late penalty.

The biggest problem about that midweek defeat was fresh injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi, who both limped off during the first half and are therefore absent here.

“I expect to see a team aware of how important and difficult this match is going to be, because there will be moments when we need quality, others where we have to focus more on intensity,” concluded Chivu.

Inter are forced into changes in defence and midfield, while Francesco Pio Esposito partners Lautaro Martinez for the trip to Daniele De Rossi’s revitalised Genoa.

It kicks off at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, also known as Marassi, at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

This has been a difficult few days for Cristian Chivu, as just after an exhilarating 4-0 victory over Como, he had to deal with a second consecutive Champions League defeat, this one to a ridiculously soft Liverpool penalty.

To make matters worse, Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi both limped off during that game and are out of action, along with Denzel Dumfries, Matteo Darmian, Tomas Palacios and Raffaele Di Gennaro.

Changes are therefore forced, including Carlos Augusto stepping in on the left, with Piotr Zielinski and Petar Sucic in midfield.

Francesco Pio Esposito is chosen to partner Lautaro Martinez upfront.

Genoa have been revitalised since Daniele De Rossi replaced Patrick Vieira, earning two draws and back-to-back victories over Verona and Udinese to break out of the relegation zone.

Leo Ostigard, Junior Messias, Hugo Cuenca, Maxwel Cornet and Benjamin Siegrist are still out of action, but Morten Frendrup returns to midfield.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy scored last week and bolstered his transfer value, while Vitinha supports Lorenzo Colombo upfront, leaving Inter-owned Valentin Carboni on the bench.

Genoa vs. Inter line-ups

Genoa: Leali; Marcandalli, Otoa, Vasquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Ellertsson, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

Inter: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Pio Esposito

14-12-2025 17:00

MatchDay 15

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Inter

1 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

		6'		Yann Bisseck (Assist: Lautaro Martínez)
		38'		Lautaro Martínez

2nd half

		54'		Manuel Akanji
Vitinha (Assist: Aarón Martín)		68'
		73'		Nicolò Barella
		78'		Yann Bisseck
Jeff Ekhator		90+2'

Match statistic

36

Possession %

64

5

Total shots

18

3

Shots on target

8

2

Shots off target

2

0

Blocked shots

8

1

Corners

6

0

Offsides

1

10

Fouls

20

Genoa

Inter

Starting lineups

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

15

Brooke Norton-Cuffy

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

89'

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

78'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

58'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

89'

9

Vitinha

Attacker

78'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

74'

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

90'

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

74'

10

Lautaro Martínez

Attacker

84'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

Substitutes

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

2

Morten Thorsby

Midfielder

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

8

Nicolae Stanciu

Midfielder

14

Jean Onana

Midfielder

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

40

Seydou Fini

Attacker

76

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

35

Ernestas Lysionok

Goalkeeper

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

58'

11

Albert Grønbaek

Midfielder

78'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

78'

70

Maxwel Cornet

Attacker

89'

23

Valentín Carboni

Midfielder

89'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

60

Alain Taho

Goalkeeper

43

Matteo Cocchi

Defender

50

Simone Cinquegrano

Defender

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

74'

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

74'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

84'

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

90'

Fiorentina took a big step towards relegation with this shock home defeat to Hellas Verona, as Gift Orban came off the bench and netted twice to decide this dogfight.

The importance of this clash could not be underestimated, as the bottom two went head-to-head. Hellas secured their first win of the season last week by surprising Atalanta, but the Viola were still without a single Serie A victory. Marin Pongracic returned from suspension, with Robin Gosens, Jacopo Fazzini, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Tariq Lamptey still out after Thursday’s Conference League win over Dynamo Kyiv. Verona missed Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Domagoj Bradaric and Tomas Suslov.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Hellas nearly took the early lead after six minutes when Antoine Bernede hit a screamer off the underside of the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Moise Kean ran onto a long Nicolò Fagioli ball over the top, let it bounce, and hit the half-volley just over the bar. A very similar move saw the pair combine again, this time the finish forcing a save from on-rushing Lorenzo Montipò.

Cheick Niasse ran a huge risk with a sliding tackle on Luca Ranieri, where he just about managed to get the ball, but Verona lost Giovane to a sprained ankle.

Montipò was also tested with a tricky save under the bar on Rolando Mandragora’s sweeping strike, but it was Hellas who took the lead.

It was a classic counter-attack as Al-Musrati’s inspired through ball sent substitute Gift Orban running from inside his own half and he spotted David De Gea off his line, bending the right-foot finish around the goalkeeper in at the near post.

Fiorentina had an opportunity to equalise in first half stoppages, but Kean found himself in the way of Fagioli’s strike.

After the restart, a free kick was flicked on for Luca Ranieri’s looping header that landed on top of the crossbar, then Montipò pushed away the Fagioli snapshot from the edge of the box.

Verona could easily have been 2-0 up on the hour mark, but Orban turned a free header over from Amin Sarr’s inspired ball.

Kean again ran onto a Fagioli ball over the top and flicked it beyond the on-rushing Montipò, but just wide of the open goal.

Orban also wasted another counter-attack drilling wide for Verona, but Fiorentina equalised with a bit of luck.

The tactic was used repeatedly and eventually paid off, Fagioli’s ball over the top for Kean forcing another Montipò save, but this time it ricocheted off Unai Nunez and back into the net.

De Gea needed a tough save to palm away the ferocious Roberto Gagliardini volley from the edge of the box on a corner.

Just as it seemed to be a point each, Verona snatched the victory. Bernede gathered a throw-in and managed to pull back from the by-line, finding Orban ready to tap in at the near post from six yards.

Fiorentina 1-2 Verona

Orban 42, 93 (V), Unai Nunez og 69 (F)

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Verona

1 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

		25'		Cheikh Niasse
		32'		Martin Frese
Albert Gudmundsson		36'
		39'		Moatasem Al-Musrati
		42'		Gift Orban (Assist: Moatasem Al-Musrati)

2nd half

Unai Núñez		69'
		85'		Rafik Belghali
		90+3'		Gift Orban (Assist: Antoine Bernede)
		90+5'		Unai Núñez

Match statistic

66

Possession %

34

20

Total shots

13

4

Shots on target

3

9

Shots off target

7

7

Blocked shots

3

9

Corners

4

1

Offsides

1

10

Fouls

22

Fiorentina

Verona

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

87'

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

61'

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

87'

8

Rolando Mandragora

Midfielder

61'

7

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

69'

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

1

Lorenzo Montipò

Goalkeeper

37

Armel Bella-Kotchap

Defender

3

Martin Frese

Defender

75'

7

Rafik Belghali

Defender

5

Unai Núñez

Defender

15

Victor Nelsson

Defender

24

Antoine Bernede

Midfielder

73

Moatasem Al-Musrati

Midfielder

75'

36

Cheikh Niasse

Attacker

46'

25

Daniel Mosquera

Attacker

61'

17

Giovane

Attacker

35'

Substitutes

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

18

Pablo Marí

Defender

14

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia

Midfielder

1

Luca Lezzerini

Goalkeeper

Christian Kouamé

Attacker

30

Tommaso Martinelli

Goalkeeper

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

29

Niccolò Fortini

Midfielder

61'

24

Amir Richardson

Midfielder

61'

9

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

69'

26

Mattia Viti

Defender

87'

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

87'

21

Abdou Harroui

Midfielder

20

Grigoris Kastanos

Midfielder

34

Simone Perilli

Goalkeeper

23

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

94

Giacomo Toniolo

Goalkeeper

72

Junior Ajayi

Attacker

2

Daniel Oyegoke

Defender

19

Tobias Slotsager

Defender

4

Yellu Santiago

Midfielder

70

Fallou Cham

Defender

16

Gift Orban

Attacker

35'

63

Roberto Gagliardini

Midfielder

46'

9

Amin Sarr

Attacker

61'

8

Suat Serdar

Midfielder

75'

Nicolás Valentini

Defender

75'

Davide Possanzini is walking on thin ice at Mantova, and Francesco Modesto has emerged as a possible replacement.

Possanzini is once again on the brink at Mantova as the Serie B side’s management is making serious assessments that can lead to the coach’s dismissal.

Surely, the latest defeat against Cesena was not digested as the team had taken a two-goal lead, but then suffered a comeback, eventually losing 3-2.

Mantova directors want to have a proper think on whether to go forward with the current coach, who had already been on the brink a few weeks ago, but then managed to keep his spot.

Now the situation is tricky once again, and there are already some possible candidates to replace Possanzini.

Sources with direct knowledge of the matter exclusively tell me that Francesco Modesto is the leading candidate for the job, but the list also includes Maran and Pagliuca, who are slightly below Modesto.

In the meantime, Possanzini’s future at Mantova is once again uncertain.

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

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

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Udinese 1-0 Napoli

Ekkelenkamp 73 (U)

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Napoli

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Nicolò Zaniolo

33'

2nd half

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Keinan Davis)

73'

Match statistic

38

Possession %

62

18

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

6

Shots off target

6

7

Blocked shots

1

1

Corners

3

1

Offsides

1

16

Fouls

9

Udinese

Napoli

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

Alessandro Zanoli

Defender

90'

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

84'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

83'

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

75'

13

Amir Rrahmani

Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

82'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

61'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

82'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

61'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

4

Sandi Lovric

Midfielder

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

16

Matteo Palma

Defender

77

Rui Modesto

Midfielder

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

83'

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

84'

17

Iker Bravo

Attacker

90'

2

Saba Goglichidze

Defender

90'

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

61'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

61'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

75'

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

82'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

82'

Tijjan Noslin’s winning goal for Lazio against Parma could change the striker’s future at the Stadio Olimpico.

Noslin scored a vital goal for Lazio against Parma, allowing the Biancocelesti to secure three points at the Tardini despite being reduced to nine men.

It was the second goal of the season for the Dutchman, but this was truly a massive one because it kept Lazio fairly close to a European spot.

To some extent, what happened was a miracle when thinking about what has happened since last summer, when Noslin had long been considered a potential asset in the transfer market.

However, Lazio then decided to stick with him also because they had been imposed a transfer embargo.

Until a few weeks ago, Noslin’s future at Lazio might have seemed uncertain, with the possibility of a swap deal or a permanent transfer. However, after his goal at Parma and Maurizio Sarri’s post-match words, the scenario could change.

Luciano Spalletti has confirmed his squad of 23 Juventus players to take on Bologna at the Dall’Ara on Sunday evening, in a game that is already crucial in the race for the Champions League positions in Serie A. 

The Bianconeri sit in seventh place in the Serie A standings ahead of kick-off with 23 points to their name thus far. Bologna are two points and two positions above them in the table as things stand. 

Spalletti’s side were beaten 2-1 away against reigning champions Napoli last time out in Serie A, but have since got back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday night. 

Spalletti has named the exact same squad of players that he did against Pafos for this evening’s match against Bologna. 

Defenders Gleison Bremer and Daniele Rugani have returned to the squad against Pafos, and have been selected again for the Bologna trip, but it remains to be seen whether either of them will earn any minutes on this occasion. Pre-match reports suggest that it will be a back three of Pierre Kalulu, Lloyd Kelly and Teun Koopmeiners again on Sunday. 

Khephren Thuram is expected to return to the midfield after Fabio Miretti’s opportunity midweek, while Francisco Conceicao could come into the team in place of Edon Zhegrova in attack. 

Juventus are without Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Gatti, Arkadiusz Milik and Carlo Pinsoglio. 

Confirmed Juventus squad vs. Bologna 

Goalkeepers: Perin, Di Gregorio. 

Defenders: Bremer, Kelly, Kalulu, Rugani, J.Mario, Cambiaso, Cabal, Rouhi, Scaglia. 

Midfielders: Locatelli, Koopmeiners, Adzic, Kostic, Thuram, Miretti, McKennie. 

Forwards: Conceicao, Yildiz, Zhegrova, Openda, David.

La lista dei convocati per la sfida in trasferta di questa sera #BolognaJuve

Powered by @WhiteBit pic.twitter.com/EBsyNfusHU

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) December 14, 2025

Vinicius Jr. has firmly established himself as one of the world’s top players, leading Real Madrid to multiple titles. Despite these achievements, his performance in the 2025-26 season has not been at its best, as he endures a 15-game scoring drought that raises doubts about his leadership of the team. Amid tensions regarding his contract renewal, Vinicius disclosed to his teammates the real reason behind his poor form.

Unlike in previous seasons, Vinicius Jr. has managed to score just 5 goals and register 7 assists in 22 games, with a notable streak of 15 consecutive matches without scoring. According to Jose Felix Diaz of Diario AS, the Brazilian winger confided in his Real Madrid teammates that he isn’t in peak physical condition, which has impacted his speed and endurance.

Far from being upset, Real Madrid’s executives, headed by President Florentino Perez, have understood the Brazilian’s statements, according to Diario AS. In addition, the club is said to be very confident that Vinicius Jr. will regain his best form, meaning that his contract and future at the club are not at risk. Despite this, the 25-year-old star already has a limit set on his contract offer, marking a clear limit on his renewal.

Vinicius Jr. reportedly knows Real Madrid’s final renewal offer limit

After Kylian Mbappe’s arrival, Vinicius Jr. has been displaced as Real Madrid’s cornerstone. Although he continues to play a leading role, the team’s attack no longer revolves around him but rather around the Frenchman. However, the Brazilian reportedly believes he deserves an improved contract, having led the team to several trophies. While the team is not opposed to this, it has allegedly set a clear limit on the renewal offer.

According to Le Journal Du Real, Real Madrid have informed Vinícius Jr. and his agents that they will not enhance the current contract renewal offer. Reports indicate that the Brazilian forward is seeking a salary of €30 million per season, but the club remains steadfast at an offer of around €20-22 million. Consequently, the 25-year-old star must decide whether to accept this offer or face the possibility of being sold in the summer transfer window of 2026.

While the Brazilian hoped for a higher offer, his renewal might just be a matter of time, as both parties want to extend his tenure until mid-2030, according to Jose Felix Diaz in Diario AS. With this in mind, Vinicius Jr. is focused on regaining peak physical form to enhance his impact on the team. He aims to break his current streak of 15 games without scoring, leading the offense alongside Kylian Mbappe.

Football Italia’s transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà examines referee controversies from Torino-Cremonese and Parma-Lazio and criticises the reported proposal to reschedule a big game from Round 30 by just 45 minutes.

Pedullà’s latest video for Football Italia on YouTube touches on several issues in Serie A, including referee controversies in Torino-Cremonese and Parma-Lazio.

Cremonese were not given a penalty kick despite a clear Simeone handball, a kind of incident that previously led to opposite decisions from the referee and VAR.

“They need to explain how this works, because it can’t go on like this,” Pedullà said.

“VAR unplagged itself and decided not to intervene; that’s not a penalty! So they need to guide us on all the other situations that, in the same circumstances, should not be penalties either.”

The Italian pundit also praised Cremonese coach Davide Nicola for the sportsmanship shown in post-match interviews.

Pedullà also criticised the latest proposal, which appeared in the Italian media, to potentially postpone a big game of Round 30 by just 45 minutes in order to give Gennaro Gattuso more rested players for the World Cup play-off in March.

DAN referee pundit Luca Marelli claims that Christian Pulisic’s goal for Milan against Sassuolo shouldn’t have been disallowed, but the Neroverdi deserved a penalty kick for a Strahinja Pavlović foul.

Milan’s 2-2 home draw against Sassuolo saw referee Valerio Crezzini in the spotlight as he navigated several tricky incidents, with his decisions coming under criticism from the Italian media.

USMNT international Pulisic had a goal disallowed in the second half, with Milan already leading 2-1.

Referee controversies in Milan vs. Sassuolo

The American put the ball inside an empty net after Arijanet Muric palmed away a Pavlovic header from point-blank range. The referee, however, had spotted a Ruben Loftus-Cheek push in the build-up right behind Pavlovic.

“It’s a field assessment because there was contact. Loftus-Cheek placed his hands, but I don’t see any push,” said DAZN’s referee pundit Luca Marelli (via Calciomercato.com).

“Crezzini barely blew the whistle. This contact is below threshold; there isn’t a real push. This goal shouldn’t have been disallowed.”

Marelli spotted another mistake from the Milan-Sassuolo referee, claiming that the visitors should have been awarded a penalty kick for a Pavlović foul in the dying minutes, with the result set to 2-2.

“Pavlovic didn’t touch the ball, but with his right leg, he hit Cheddira’s left leg. VAR were too hasty. It was a penalty, and VAR should have intervened,” Marelli said.

Milan remain the Serie A table leaders with 32 points, but they will be overtaken by Napoli if the Partenopei beat Udinese away today.

Davide Bartesaghi is Football Italia’s MOTM in Milan’s 2-2 draw against Sassuolo, but Andrea Pinamonti was impressive for the Neroverdi, providing two assists.

Milan 2-2 Sassuolo: Player Ratings

Milan: Maignan 6.5; Tomori 5, Gabbia 5 (60′ De Winter 5), Pavlovic 5.5; Saelemaekers 6.5 (90′ Athekame N/A), Loftus-Cheek 6.5, Modric 5.5, Rabiot 6, Bartesaghi 8 (90′ Estupinan N/A); Pulisic 5.5 (73′ Ricci 5.5), Nkunku 6. Coach: Allegri 5.5.

Best Milan player: Bartesaghi 8 – First two goals in Serie A. A day he’ll not forget, but it wasn’t enough to secure all three points.

Lowest Milan rating: Tomori 5 – Lost track of Laurienté when the Frenchman scored the equaliser, and even later on, when he could have scored the third one for Sassuolo. Gabbia and De Winter were also equally disappointing.

Milan coach: Allegri 5.5 – Milan once again dropped points against a newly promoted side at San Siro. The Rossoneri boss didn’t have many options in attack, which is why Pulisic’s substitution will make people talk in the coming days.

Sassuolo: Muric 6.5; Walukiewicz 5.5, Idzes 5.5, Muharemovic 6, Candé 5.5 (60′ Doig 6.5); Thorstvedt 6, Matic 6.5, Koné 7.5; Volpato 6 (86′ Moro N/A), Pinamonti 7.5 (86′ Cheddira), Fadera 5.5 (60′ Laurienté 7.5). Coach: Grosso (suspended) 7.

Best Sassuolo player: Pinamonti 7.5 – Two fantastic assists to inspire Sassuolo’s big draw at San Siro. He now has four goals and three assists in 15 Serie A matches this term. Still looking for consistency, but also underrated. Koné was also brilliant today, besides his goal.

Lowest Sassuolo rating: Fadera 5.5 – He helped the team defensively, but took a big risk in the first half when he lost possession just outside the box.

Sassuolo coach: Grosso 7 – Just one loss in the last five games. The game plan was excellent, including leaving Laurienté on the bench to hurt Milan in the second part of the match. Sassuolo have 21 points, practically safe already, and it’s not even Christmas. Oh, and don’t forget they were without Berardi today.

Massimiliano Allegri insists he would have replaced Christian Pulisic even if Milan didn’t play in the Supercoppa next week, but feels it was ‘too easy’ for Sassuolo to score goals in a 2-2 draw.

Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted side Sassuolo at San Siro on Sunday.

The Rossoneri already dropped points against Cremonese and Pisa, two other teams coming from Serie B, earlier this season.

Davide Bartesaghi scored his first two goals in Serie A, but Ismael Koné and Armand Laurienté helped a brave Sassuolo return home with one point in their pocket.

“I think we played a good game, we attacked well, and Sassuolo are always dangerous because they have quality in attack, so if you don’t recover the ball immediately, you are forced to track back for 90 minutes,” Allegri told DAZN.

“We played a good game, but in the end, we even risked losing it. Now we focus on the Supercoppa.

“The lads played a good game, regardless of the players’ characteristics. For now, we are still the table leaders, and our target is to qualify for the Champions League,” the Italian tactician continued.

“We know there’s a lot of work to do, and obviously, we must start conceding fewer goals. I can’t absolutely blame the lads today.”

Milan will face Napoli in Saudi Arabia in the Supercoppa Italia semifinal next Thursday.

Allegri replaced Pulisic in the second half and said he would have done the same even if Milan didn’t play the Partenopei next week.

“I would have done it anyway. Christian had joined us in Turin after a fever and then trained. He played well for 72 minutes, but at that moment, we needed one more midfielder. Loftus-Cheek held firm up front, but we had to defend better, especially for the second goal. We had to follow Laurienté, and it was too easy for them to score.”

Christopher Nkunku provided the assist for Bartesaghi’s second goal.

Allegri explains Pulisic’s substitution

“Today he played a good game, as in Turin. He was decisive for the second goal; he had a chance in the final minutes,” argued Allegri.

“He was very good. We know the team’s quality, we know we can’t win every game, and we must give consistency to the results. Today, we could have lost the match, but we took home a draw. Today it seems that we’ve thrown two points away, but in the end, it will prove to be useful.”

Matteo Gabbia was subbed off with a suspected knee injury in the second half.

“Let’s see. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. We’ll see tomorrow, but De Winter and Odogu will be ready to play,” concluded Allegri.

Napoli director Giovanni Manna insists they must remain ‘positive’ during an injury crisis after Champions League setbacks, but demands ‘more determination’ from Lorenzo Lucca.

It kicks off at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine at 14.00 GMT.

See how all today’s five Serie A games unfold on the Liveblog.

The Partenopei are flying high in Serie A at the top of the table alongside AC Milan, but the lack of options for squad rotation are starting to take their toll.

They looked exhausted in the midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, which left them scrambling just to secure a place in the play-offs.

Napoli running out of steam

“Quite simply, we are playing with the same figures repeatedly, because there are few alternatives, it becomes difficult to rotate,” Manna told DAZN Italia.

“We proved that we were superior over our opponents with a series of head-to-head wins, it can happen that you feel fatigued and if you are not at 100 per cent in the Champions League, you will struggle.

“There are many matches, we hope to get as many players back as possible. It is a tough game today, a very physical one, so we must be positive.”

The injury list just keeps growing, as Juan Jesus has joined Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table.

At least Stanislav Lobotka and Miguel Gutierrez are back for a spot on the bench, while the only change to the starting XI is Leonardo Spinazzola.

Is there a reason why Napoli give their best in Serie A and yet are struggling so badly in the Champions League?

“If I analyse the Champions League games, the only one we got really badly wrong was in Eindhoven,” insisted Manna of that 6-1 loss.

“We were down to 10 men with Manchester City for over an hour, we deserved more against Eintracht, we beat Qarabag and Sporting. Our energy levels were depleted against Benfica, but we still created scoring opportunities.

“I remain very positive, I feel the work that the coach and players are doing is clear for all to see. Now we’ve got to keep focused and try to bring home the points.”

Despite the injury crisis, ex-Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca can barely get on the pitch, as Rasmus Hojlund is the first choice centre-forward.

There have also been reports that Napoli could try to sign Udinese midfielder Arthur Atta, although he is out of action today.

“I am hardly the first to notice Atta’s talent and everyone knows he’s destined for a great career,” replied the Napoli director when pushed on this player.

“Aside from the transfer gossip, he is a player beyond our range right now. Udinese always had a great scouting network to find talented young players with big prospects.

“As for Lucca, he needs to speed up the process of settling in and show more determination on the field. We are convinced he has the right characteristics to play for Napoli, but he must understand this is a different club to Udinese, he needs to show determination every single day in training and on the pitch.”

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo would prefer a move to Real Madrid to joining Barcelona in the January transfer window, according to Defensa Central. Mainoo is ready to leave Man Utd on a loan deal in the middle of the season. The 20-year-old England international midfielder has become frustrated by his lack of chances under […]

The post Kobbie Mainoo prefers Real Madrid to Barcelona? appeared first on Soccer News.

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Arne Slot claimed he has no remaining issues to resolve with Mohamed Salah, after the latter returned to Liverpool’s squad. Salah came off the bench to set up Hugo Ekitike’s second goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brighton at Anfield. That assist saw Salah set a new record for Premier League goal contributions for a […]

The post Slot: No issues to resolve with Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Slot: No issues to resolve with Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

Al-Hilal are interested in signing Kylian Mbappe from Real Madrid in the January transfer window, according to Fichajes. The report in the Spanish news outlet has claimed that the Saudi Pro League club have offered a world-record transfer fee of €350 million for the France international striker. Al-Hilal are also willing to offer Mbappe an […]

The post Al-Hilal make €350m bid for Kylian Mbappe? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Al-Hilal make €350m bid for Kylian Mbappe? appeared first on Soccer News.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo would prefer a move to Real Madrid to joining Barcelona in the January transfer window, according to Defensa Central. Mainoo is ready to leave Man Utd on a loan deal in the middle of the season. The 20-year-old England international midfielder has become frustrated by his lack of chances under […]

The post Kobbie Mainoo prefers Real Madrid to Barcelona? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Kobbie Mainoo prefers Real Madrid to Barcelona? appeared first on Soccer News.

Al-Hilal are interested in signing Kylian Mbappe from Real Madrid in the January transfer window, according to Fichajes. The report in the Spanish news outlet has claimed that the Saudi Pro League club have offered a world-record transfer fee of €350 million for the France international striker. Al-Hilal are also willing to offer Mbappe an […]

The post Al-Hilal make €350m bid for Kylian Mbappe? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Al-Hilal make €350m bid for Kylian Mbappe? appeared first on Soccer News.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo would prefer a move to Real Madrid to joining Barcelona in the January transfer window, according to Defensa Central. Mainoo is ready to leave Man Utd on a loan deal in the middle of the season. The 20-year-old England international midfielder has become frustrated by his lack of chances under […]

The post Kobbie Mainoo prefers Real Madrid to Barcelona? appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Kobbie Mainoo prefers Real Madrid to Barcelona? appeared first on Soccer News.

Milan talent Davide Bartesaghi scored his first two goals in Serie A, but Sassuolo bravely picked up a point thanks to goals from Ismael Koné and Armand Laurienté in a 2-2 draw.

Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo at San Siro on Sunday.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog. 

The visitors were without their star Domenico Berardi, and Laurienté started on the bench in a defensive 4-3-3 set-up.

The Neroverdi still took the lead with Ismael Koné after winning the ball high up the pitch from a Milan defensive throw-in. Andrea Pinamonti laid it off for the Ivory Coast international who ran into the space to beat Matteo Gabbia with his first touch and Mike Maignan with the outside of his foot.

Adrien Rabiot had a big chance to level the score when he stole the ball from Alieu Fadera at the edge of Sassuolo’s box, but saw Arijanet Muric spread himself brilliantly to deny the equaliser.

It was just a matter of time for Milan anyway, as Bartesaghi scored his first Serie A goal at minute 33 when he headed towards the far post to meet a Ruben Loftus-Cheek driven pass from the right, finding the net at the far post with a left-footed finish.

The Italian left-back doubled Milan’s lead just one minute into the second half. This time around, Christopher Nkunku saw his late run on the left delivering a perfect through ball for Bartesaghi’s finish at the near post.

After scoring his first senior goal in the first half, 19-year-old Davide Bartesaghi gets a brace just a minute into the second half

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 14, 2025

Matteo Gabbia worringly twisted his knee and was forced to be subbed off around the hour mark.

Sassuolo’s Kristian Thorstvedt had a massive chance to level the score, but was denied by Maignan from point-blank range, and Milan had two goals disallowed.

Pulisic found the net from a corner kick routine, but the referee spotted a foul from Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the build-up. A few minutes later, Adrien Rabiot steered a Loftus-Cheek header into the net, but he was offside.

Sassuolo made attacking substitutions by introducing Armand Laurienté and Josh Doig, and forced the Rossoneri to defend inside their own box.

Laurienté made it 2-2 with an identical move to the first goal, Pinamonti laying it off and the scorer bursting in to finish at the far post.

The Frenchman had two more big chances to win the game for Sassuolo, but first, he didn’t find the net from an excellent position inside the box and then he hit the post from distance.

Milan 2-2 Sassuolo

I Kone 13 (S), Bartesaghi 34, 47 (M), Lauriente 77 (S)

14-12-2025 11:30

MatchDay 15

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Milan

Sassuolo

2 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

		13'		Ismaël Koné (Assist: Andrea Pinamonti)
Ruben Loftus-Cheek		23'
		23'		Alieu Fadera
Davide Bartesaghi (Assist: Ruben Loftus-Cheek)		34'

2nd half

Davide Bartesaghi (Assist: Christopher Nkunku)		47'
		59'		Tarik Muharemovic
		66'		Kristian Thorstvedt
		77'		Armand Lauriente (Assist: Andrea Pinamonti)

Match statistic

59

Possession %

41

13

Total shots

8

5

Shots on target

3

5

Shots off target

2

3

Blocked shots

3

7

Corners

3

2

Offsides

1

12

Fouls

12

Milan

Sassuolo

Starting lineups

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

90'

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

46

Matteo Gabbia

Defender

60'

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

90'

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

8

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Midfielder

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

73'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

49

Arijanet Muric

Goalkeeper

5

Fali Candé

Defender

60'

21

Jay Idzes

Defender

6

Sebastian Walukiewicz

Defender

80

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

20

Alieu Fadera

Midfielder

59'

7

Cristian Volpato

Midfielder

87'

90

Ismaël Koné

Midfielder

42

Kristian Thorstvedt

Midfielder

18

Nemanja Matic

Midfielder

99

Andrea Pinamonti

Attacker

87'

Substitutes

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

37

Matteo Pittarella

Goalkeeper

27

David Odogu

Defender

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

60'

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

73'

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

90'

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

90'

12

Giacomo Satalino

Goalkeeper

16

Gioele Zacchi

Goalkeeper

25

Woyo Coulibaly

Defender

44

Edoardo Iannoni

Midfielder

77

Nicholas Pierini

Attacker

26

Cas Odenthal

Defender

40

Aster Vranckx

Midfielder

35

Luca Lipani

Midfielder

45

Armand Lauriente

Attacker

59'

3

Josh Doig

Defender

60'

24

Luca Moro

Attacker

87'

9

Walid Cheddira

Attacker

87'

Gian Piero Gasperini confirms Roma will have Evan Ndicka and potentially Paulo Dybala starting against Como on Monday. ‘We have all the ingredients to do well.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday at 19.45 GMT.

The Giallorossi are badly in need of a boost in Serie A after back-to-back defeats against Napoli and Cagliari, both with 1-0 results.

Gasperini forced into some changes

Zeki Celik was sent off in Sardinia and is therefore suspended, which makes holding on to Ndicka for a little longer before Africa Cup of Nations duty all the more important.

“Ndicka is there tomorrow, for the rest we’ll see in the next games. Morocco appealed to FIFA for Neil El Aynaoui, so we await their response,” explained Gasperini in his press conference.

“Those teams who played on Saturday and Sunday could use their players, but seeing as we are scheduled for Monday, we could have a problem, despite the fact it is the same round of fixtures.”

Como are coming off a 4-0 defeat to Inter, yet before that had been flying high in the table and pushing for European places.

“It will certainly be a tense match, as Como are no longer a surprise, both for the investment made and the quality in the squad. They are very pleasant to watch, so tomorrow will be a game between two teams who want the maximum result,” continued Gasperini.

“Cesc Fabregas has given Como a precise identity that aims for results via good football, with attacking wingers who can also cut inside.”

Roma had perhaps a much better start to the campaign than many expected, but have since run into problems, especially with the lack of goals.

Evan Ferguson netted twice in Thursday’s Europa League win away to Celtic, but his Serie A performances remain shaky.

“The start was better than even the rosiest predictions, as I came here with the hope to do well and the belief this was the right atmosphere to do my work.

“We must be ambitious and not arrogant, keep solid and united. We have all the right ingredients to mix together and do well, with the club, the fans, the possibility of building a new stadium and boosting investment.

“As for Ferguson, he needs to be a player who is of use to Roma, that is the most important thing. He was the other day and that is what counts, Roma first and foremost, above everyone and everything.”

Dybala has been used as a False 9 on several occasions, but he continues to struggle with a history of injury problems.

“We’ll see tomorrow if he is there from the start, as he had a positive moment, but today’s football does not all for you to be anything less than 100 per cent. I have no doubts about Paulo when he is in good shape.

“When he has been healthy, he always played whole games, including several in a row.”

His fitness record is believed to be one of the main reasons why Roma are in no rush to renew his contract, while Lorenzo Pellegrini is also in the final seven months of his deal.

“With regards to contract renewals, it is purely an economic issue,” assured Gasperini.

“Therefore, I cannot get involved in that.”

Check the official line-ups from this afternoon’s Serie A games, as Napoli have limited options against Nicolò Zaniolo’s Udinese, while Fiorentina vs. Verona is a huge relegation dogfight.

These two fixtures both kick off at 14.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Serie A Week 15 games

Udinese vs. Napoli team news

Napoli need a victory to ensure they stay top of the Serie A table, but after looking exhausted in the midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, Antonio Conte has few alternatives for squad rotation.

Juan Jesus joins Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table.

Udinese lost Jordan Zemura with a muscular lesion, with Arthur Atta and Hassane Kamara already out of action following a surprise 2-1 home defeat to Genoa.

Udinese: Okoye; Kabasele, Kristensen, Solet; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Bertola; Zaniolo, Davis