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.

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

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

@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/mBMVBpeqpp

— 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

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Elmas, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Lang; Hojlund

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Napoli

Live

0 - 0

Udinese

Napoli

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

Alessandro Zanoli

Defender

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

13

Amir Rrahmani

Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

61'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

61'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

17

Iker Bravo

Attacker

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

4

Sandi Lovric

Midfielder

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

2

Saba Goglichidze

Defender

16

Matteo Palma

Defender

77

Rui Modesto

Midfielder

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

61'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

61'

Fiorentina vs. Verona team news

The bottom two face off in a potentially decisive match for relegation, as while Hellas earned their first victory of the campaign last week against Atalanta, Fiorentina are still without a single Serie A success.

Marin Pongracic returns from suspension, with Robin Gosens, Jacopo Fazzini, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Tariq Lamptey still out.

At least their mood was boosted by Thursday’s Conference League win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Verona get Roberto Gagliardini back from his ban, but Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Domagoj Bradaric and Tomas Suslov miss out.

Fiorentina: De Gea; Pongracic, Comuzzo, Ranieri; Dodò, Mandragora, Fagioli, Sohm, Parisi; Gudmundsson, Kean

Verona: Montipò; Unai Nunez, Nelsson, Bella-Kotchap; Belghali, Niasse, Al-Musrati, Bernede, Frese; Giovane, Mosquera

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Verona

Live

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

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

Fiorentina

Verona

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

8

Rolando Mandragora

Midfielder

7

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

1

Lorenzo Montipò

Goalkeeper

37

Armel Bella-Kotchap

Defender

3

Martin Frese

Defender

7

Rafik Belghali

Defender

5

Unai Núñez

Defender

15

Victor Nelsson

Defender

24

Antoine Bernede

Midfielder

73

Moatasem Al-Musrati

Midfielder

36

Cheikh Niasse

Attacker

46'

25

Daniel Mosquera

Attacker

17

Giovane

Attacker

35'

Substitutes

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

18

Pablo Marí

Defender

26

Mattia Viti

Defender

14

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia

Midfielder

9

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

1

Luca Lezzerini

Goalkeeper

Christian Kouamé

Attacker

30

Tommaso Martinelli

Goalkeeper

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

29

Niccolò Fortini

Midfielder

24

Amir Richardson

Midfielder

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

21

Abdou Harroui

Midfielder

20

Grigoris Kastanos

Midfielder

34

Simone Perilli

Goalkeeper

8

Suat Serdar

Midfielder

23

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

94

Giacomo Toniolo

Goalkeeper

72

Junior Ajayi

Attacker

9

Amin Sarr

Attacker

2

Daniel Oyegoke

Defender

Nicolás Valentini

Defender

19

Tobias Slotsager

Defender

4

Yellu Santiago

Midfielder

70

Fallou Cham

Defender

16

Gift Orban

Attacker

35'

63

Roberto Gagliardini

Midfielder

46'

Hugo Ekitike said it is a “blessing” to play alongside Liverpool “legend” Mohamed Salah. After a tumultuous week, Salah returned to Arne Slot’s squad on Saturday for Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Brighton at Anfield. Salah had been left out of Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League clash with Inter in midweek, with the Reds […]

The post Ekitike blessed to play alongside Liverpool ´legend´ Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Ekitike blessed to play alongside Liverpool ´legend´ Salah appeared first on Soccer News.

Milan director Igli Tare keeps the door open for Mike Maignan’s contract extension and trusts Christopher Nkunku and Santiago Gimenez, but refuses to rule out the signing of a new centre-forward in January.

Milan host Sassuolo at San Siro on Sunday. You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Milan vs. Sassuolo – Tare’s pre-match quotes

“We’ve started with a fantastic group. Every day we work together, we realise it’s one of the best groups we’ve ever worked with,” Tare told DAZN before kick-off.

“They have determination and desire, and you can see it with results on the pitch. We know there’s work to do and we need consistency, but we are happy for now.”

With the January transfer window just around the corner, Tare was inevitably asked to provide updates on Milan’s negotiations, starting with the future of Maignan.

Tare on Maignan’s contract extension

The goalkeeper’s contract runs out in June and according to reports in Italy, he’s asked for a new €8m-a-year contract.

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

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

Former Chelsea striker Nkunku starts alongside Christian Pulisic in attack today, while Rafael Leao and Gimenez are injured.

Will Milan look for a new centre-forward in the winter transfer window?

“It’s hard to find players who can make a difference in the January window, but we’ll keep our eyes open to see if there’s something that can improve the situation of the team,” Tare said.

“If there’s a chance, we’ll take it, but the team is improving. Nkunku sent important messages in the second half against Torino. Today it’s a big chance for him to show the real Nkunku we all expect.

“As for Gimenez, he has this physical problem; we are waiting for him, but he’s also an important player for this team.”

Milan are the joint-Serie A table leaders alongside Napoli with 31 points. The Partenopei will play later today, away at Udinese.

Multiple sources confirm Juventus’ interest in Davide Frattesi, but Inter will likely ask for Khephren Thuram when, and if, negotiations begin.

Tuttosport newspaper reported earlier this week that Frattesi’s agent Beppe Riso had resumed talks with Juventus as the Inter midfielder seeks more playing time in the second part of the season.

Frattesi seeks Inter exit

The best Italy goal-scorer during the Luciano Spalletti era, Frattesi, will be glad to reunite with the ex-Azzurri boss, but negotiations between the two clubs might not be so easy.

Inter expert Pasquale Guarro and Gazzetta, in fact, claim that the Nerazzurri will likely ask for Khephren Thuram if Juventus knock on their door for Frattesi.

Inter eager to reunite the Thuram brothers

The move would allow the Nerazzurri to reunite the two Thuram brothers at San Siro, as Marcus has been playing for Inter since 2023.

According to Guarro, Khephren Thuram was already an Inter target last summer, alongside Roma’s Manu Kone and Atalanta’s Ederson.

The Nerazzurri ended up signing 22-year-old Andy Diouf last summer, but the Frenchman has only collected 150 minutes of football on the pitch this season.

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Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku lead the Milan attack against Sassuolo, who reply with Alieu Fadera and Andrea Pinamonti.

It kicks off at 12:30 CET (11:30 GMT) at the Stadio Meazza in San Siro, Milan.

Milan vs. Sassuolo and Serie A Week 15 live on Football Italia

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

Gimenez, Fofana, Leao are unavailable for the Rossoneri, but while the Mexican’s return date remains unclear, Leao and Fofana will be available for the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four next week.

Sassuolo have travelled to San Siro without the injured Romagna, Skjellerup, Pieragnolo, Turati, Berardi and Boloca and their coach Fabio Grosso, a 2006 Italy World Cup winner, is serving a one-game ban.

Pulisic and Nkunku will start up front for Milan. Ruben Loftus-Cheek gets the nod in the middle of the park, pushing Samuele Ricci to the bench.

Cristian Volpato replaces the injured Berardi for Sassuolo.

Milan vs. Sassuolo – official line-ups

Milan (3-5-2) Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlović; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Pulisic.

Milan bench: Pittarella, Terracciano; Athekame, De Winter, Estupiñan, Odogu; Jashari, Ricci.

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Murić; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muhamerović, Candé; Thorstvedt, Matić, Koné; Volpato, Pinamonti, Fadera.

Sassuolo bench: Satalino, Zacchi; Coulibaly, Doig, Odenthal; Iannoni, Lipani, Vranckx; Cheddira, Laurientié, Moro, Pierini.

Manchester United are interested in signing the Ecuadorian midfielder Ederson Castillo. 

The 17-year-old has impressed with Liga Deportiva Universitaria, and Manchester United have been keeping tabs on his progress. According to journalist Johanna Calderon, Manchester United’s interest in the player is now increasing. It seems that they are keen on securing his signature.

Man United eyeing Ederson Castillo

Manchester United have done well to groom players over the years, and it seems that they are looking to build for the future. The 17-year-old South American could be a long-term investment for them. Even though he might not be ready for first-team football, Manchester United could groom him into a star. It will be interesting to see if they submit an offer to get the deal done.

The young midfielder will certainly be attracted to the idea of moving to the Premier League. Manchester United are among the biggest clubs in the world, and they have an excellent track record when it comes to nurturing young players.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. Several other clubs are monitoring his progress, and it will not be easy for Manchester United to get the deal across the line.

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Castillo could be an asset

They have brought in talented players in recent windows, and it is clear that they are looking to build a formidable team for the future. They need more quality in the middle of the park, and the 17-year-old could develop into an important first-team player for them with the right guidance. He could add control, composure and defensive cover to the side.

Playing in England could accelerate his development and help him fulfil his tremendous potential as well.

The post Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is under a lot of pressure after a disappointing run this season.

He was backed with substantial funds during the summer window, and Liverpool were expected to defend their domestic crown. However, it has been a disappointing season for Liverpool so far. There have been rumours that the Netherlands manager could be shown the door soon.

Steven Gerrard to manage Liverpool?

They have been linked with multiple managers in recent weeks, including former club captain Steven Gerrard. According to Football Insider, the 45-year-old is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool.

It will be interesting to see if the club is willing to make a change in the coming weeks. Gerrard has managed clubs like Aston Villa and Rangers in the past. However, he is still largely unproven, and it would be a huge gamble to appoint him as a successor to Slot.

The Dutch manager helped them with the league title last, and Liverpool might need to be more patient with him. They have shown improvement in the last couple of matches against Inter Milan and Brighton. They managed to win both matches without conceding a goal. It remains to be seen whether the Netherlands manager can turn it around.

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool

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Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Gerrard might not be the ideal option

There is no doubt that the appointment of Gerrard could lift the spirits around the club and bring back the feel-good factor. However, Liverpool need a proven manager, and the former England International midfielder might not be ideal for them. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Liverpool will have to be practical when making the decision instead of being emotional. They have a talented squad, and a top-quality manager could take them back to the top of English football. If they decide to get rid of Slot, they should look to bring in someone who has won major trophies at big clubs.

The post Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United are keeping tabs on the Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham.

The 20-year-old has not been able to perform at a high-level, and he has been linked with a move away from Germany.

Man United eyeing Jobe Bellingham

Manchester United are monitoring his situation as per Fichajes, and they could look to provide him with an exit route. The 20-year-old was highly rated during his time at Sunderland, and there is no doubt that he is a promising young player with a bright future. Niko Kovac has labelled him as a player with “a lot of quality”.

Perhaps a change of scenery could be ideal for him. Manchester United need more quality in the middle of the park, and the powerful 20-year-old could be ideal for them. He has the physicality to succeed in English football, and he has the technical attributes as well. A fresh start could be ideal for him.

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Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

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Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Man United move could be ideal for Bellingham

There is no doubt that he has the talent, and Manchester United might be able to unlock his true potential. They have done well to groom young players in recent years.

The Red Devils could play a role in his development. The midfielder could be attracted to the idea of returning to England as well. Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to play for them will be quite exciting for him.

The 20-year-old would be a future investment for Manchester United. If they can sign him for a reasonable amount of money, it could be a masterstroke for them. He has all the tools to develop into a top player with the right guidance.

It will be interesting to see if the German club is willing to give up on him and sell the player.

The post Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality” appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Pablo Barrios has been linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid, and Tottenham are keen on securing his signature.

According to Fichajes, they have offered €70 million for the 22-year-old midfielder, but he has a €120 million exit clause in his contract. It is highly unlikely that any club would agree to pay that kind of money for the young midfielder.

Atletico Madrid will have to be reasonable with their demand for the move to go through. Liverpool are also monitoring Barrios, and recent reports have claimed that they could face competition from Chelsea.

Spurs need someone like Pablo Barrios

Tottenham need more control, composure and defensive cover in the middle of the park. The Atletico Madrid could midfielder could prove to be the ideal acquisition for them. He is young enough to improve further, and he is already well settled at the highest level. He has the technical attributes in the Premier League, and he could be an important player for him. They need someone who can control the tempo of the game from the deep, and the 22-year-old seems like the ideal acquisition.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. Tottenham need to keep improving the team if they want to compete with elite clubs. They will be hoping to finish in the top four and do well in the cup competitions. Adding more quality in the middle of the park will certainly help them finish the season strongly.

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

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Dec 14 2025, 10:00

Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Can Spurs sign Barrios?

It remains to be seen whether they can convince the midfielder to join the club. He is enjoying his football at Atletico Madrid, and he is an important player for them. Moving to Tottenham might not be a priority for him right now. The outfit will have to convince the player of their project and offer him a lucrative contract to tempt him.

The post €70m offer on the table as Tottenham look to wrap up move for La Liga star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Enzo Maresca called the last 48 hours the worst he has experienced since joining Chelsea in an unexpected rant after their win over Everton. Chelsea ended a run of three Premier League games without a win, and four matches across all competitions, courtesy of goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto. On what was his […]

The post Maresca sends cryptic message after ‘worst 48 hours’ since joining Chelsea appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Maresca sends cryptic message after ‘worst 48 hours’ since joining Chelsea appeared first on Soccer News.

Match Overview

Arsenal responded in style on Matchday 16, rebounding from a 2–1 setback against Aston Villa by securing a much-needed victory over Wolverhampton, a result that reinforced their hold on first place and turned up the heat on Manchester City, who now find themselves five points back in the title chase.

With the race tightening, City approach this weekend knowing three points would cut the gap to two, but the challenge is anything but simple as a red-hot Crystal Palace arrives in top form and firmly in the hunt for a Champions League spot, setting the stage for a must-watch clash.

Match Overview

One of Europe’s fiercest rivalries returns this weekend as Ajax host Feyenoord in Amsterdam for another edition of De Klassieker, a game loaded with significance in the Eredivisie race. Feyenoord sit second in the table but trails PSV by nine points, leaving little margin for error.

Meanwhile, Ajax come in searching for a spark after recent struggles in domestic and international competition. With pressure on both sides and bragging rights at stake, this derby promises high drama—make sure you don’t miss it.

Kenan Yildiz will lead the Juventus attack in a tricky match at Bologna this evening.

It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT) at a sold-out Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna.

The Rossoblu and Juventus compete for a spot in the top four, and the home side has three points more than the Old Lady in the Serie A standings.

Bologna will be involved in the Supercoppa Italiana next week, so their coach, Vincenzo Italiano, could slightly rotate his squad.

As reported by Sky Sport and other Italian media, Jhon Lucumì will return to the starting XI, joining Torbjorn Heggem in central defence and Lewis Ferguson is also expected to feature in the Rossoblu line-up after starting on the bench against Celta Vigo earlier this week, as he was not fully fit.

Thijs Dallinga and Santiago Castro compete for a starting spot in attack.

Juventus will make no changes in defence as Gleison Bremer is available, but still not fit to start. Jonathan David is expected to start again up front with Yildiz and Francisco Conceiçao playing as attacking midfielders.

Bologna vs. Juventus – where to watch on TV

The match will be televised on TNT Sports 1 and DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.

Bologna vs. Juventus – probable line-ups

Bologna (4-2-3-1): Ravaglia; Holm, Heggem, Lucumí, Miranda; Ferguson, Moro; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro.

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

Francesco Pio Esposito is expected to partner with Lautaro Martinez in the Inter attack in an away game at Genoa.

It kicks off at 18:00 CET (17:00 GMT) at the Stadio Ferraris in Genoa.

Inter must cope without Denzel Dumfries, Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, Hakan Calhanoglu and third-choice goalkeeper Raffaele Di Gennaro.

Maxwel Cornet, Benjamin Siegrist and Leo Ostigard are unavailable for the home side.

Acerbi’s injury means Yann Bisseck will join regular starters Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni in central defence.

Luis Henrique is expected to start as a right midfielder to replace Dumfries. Petar Sucic competes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a spot in central midfield, while Carlos Augusto is favourite over Federico Dimarco, according to Sky Sport Italia and Gazzetta.

Italian media claim that Marcus Thuram will start on the bench, making room for Pio Esposito and Lautaro Martinez in attack.

Genoa vs. Inter – where to watch on TV

The match is available on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.

Genoa vs. Inter – probable line-ups

Genoa (3-5-2): Leali; Marcandalli, Otoa, Vasquez; Norton-Cuffy, Thorsby, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo.

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Pio Esposito.

Antonio Conte will make little changes to his Napoli XI as they visit Udinese in Serie A Week 15.

It kicks off at 15:00 CET (14:00 GMT) at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.

The Partenopei are still without several key players, Romelu Lukaku, Alex Meret, Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour, but Stanislav Lobotka is back in the squad and is expected to start on the bench.

Napoli will face Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal next week, but Conte still can’t rotate much, so he’ll make just one change to the XI that lost 2-0 away at Benfica in the Champions League earlier this week.

According to several sources, including Corriere dello Sport, Leonardo Spinazzola is expected to start as a left midfielder in a 3-4-3 system, while David Neres and Noa Lang remain favourites to start up front alongside Rasmus Hojlund, leaving Matteo Politano on the bench.

Udinese are without Hassane Kamara, Arthur Atta and Jordan Zemura, but Nicolò Zaniolo is fit to start and will lead their attack today.

Udinese vs. Napoli – where to watch on TV

The match is available on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.

Udinese vs. Napoli – probable line-ups

Udinese (3-5-2): Okoye; Solet, Kabasele, Bertola; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Ehizibue; Davis, Zaniolo

Napoli (3-4-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Elmas, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Lang; Hojlund

Christopher Nkunku and Christian Pulisic will lead the Milan attack today in a Serie A match against Andrea Pinamonti’s Sassuolo.

It kicks off at 12:30 CET (11:30 GMT) at the Stadio Meazza in Milan.

It’s a big day of football in Serie A with all the top sides taking to the pitch. After today’s lunch-time game at San Siro, Inter will visit Genoa (15:00 CET), Napoli will play away at Udinese (18:00 CET) and Bologna will host Juventus (20:45 CET).

Milan are still without Santiago Gimenez, Youssouf Fofana and Rafael Leao, while the Neroverdi must cope without their star Domenico Berardi.

Massimiliano Allegri will field the best possible Milan XI despite next week’s Supercoppa semifinal against Napoli.

Nkunku and Pulisic will start up front, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is favourite over Samuele Ricci in central midfield.

Cristian Volpato will replace Berardi on the right flank for Sassuolo, with Pinamonti and Armand Laurienté completing the Neroverdi’s attack.

Milan vs. Sassuolo – where to watch on TV

The match will be televised on TNT Sports 1 and DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.

Milan vs. Sassuolo – probable line-ups

Milan (3-5-2) Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Rabiot, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Nkunku.

Sassuolo (4-3-3) Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Koné; Volpato, Pinamonti, Laurienté.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

We play for the top spot

Sunday with the big sides: Napoli and Milan to remain at the top

Traps for the leaders: Allegri with Nkunku-Pulisic, Conte relies on Neres

Offer rejected

Elkann to Tether: ‘Juve are not for sale.’

‘History and value of the club are not for sale.’ The value is too low. Spalletti in Bologna (20.45), he must win to climb.

Inter idea, the two Thurams

Chivu at Genoa’s home, thinking of Pio and Lautaro

Golden Vlasic

Toro restart with a win. Cairo: ‘Fundamental victory.’

Lazio win down to ten men

Incredible: two players sent off, then Noslin scores.

Corriere dello Sport

Who gets it wrong goes down

Hot Sunday in the race for the title

Milan begin at lunchtime, then Napoli, Inter and Juve: 360 minutes waiting for the Supercoppa

Pulisic and Nkunku up front. Max: ‘Napoli and Inter still favourites.’

Conte chases the 11th win, Lobotka returns and goes to the bench. There’s Spinazzola.

Chivu hits back: ‘They said we were finished.’ Zielinski and Bisseck in.

Space for Dallinga. David with Yildiz. Lucio: ‘I told DeLa to get Italiano.’

‘History is not for sale.’

Elkann holds Juventus tight: ‘It’s a love lasting one century.’

Exor’s CEO says no to Tether’s offer: ‘Juventus have been my family’s club for 102 years. We’ll continue to support the team and look to a winning future.’

Lazio feat: victory down to nine men.

Tuttosport

Petrachi, happy debut as a director: Toro return to winning ways with Cremonese

Vlasic saves Baroni

Gobbo pride

Elkann strongly confirms he won’t sell Juve, Spalletti demands a performance in line with history

Exor’s CEO has rejected the offer from Tether. John: ‘Our values are not for sale.’ The coach: ‘I’m happy to feel his passion, now it’s up to us to honour the past and work to build the same or a better future.’ David towards the confirmation. Cautious with Bremer, but…

Frattesi for Thuram: Inter try the coup

Trap for Chivu in Genoa today after the defeat with Liverpool: ‘They said we were finished, but we’re still here. Too many labels, I don’t like it.’

Milan-Napoli: head-to-head with Ryiad on the horizon.

Allegri defends the leadership against Sassuolo without Leao. Conte still in emergency in Udine. On Thursday, the Supercoppa semifinal.

Nine-man Lazio beat Parma! Dea climb back with Scamacca

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing the AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao.

The 26-year-old has done quite well for the Italian club, and his performances have attracted the attention of the north London club.

Leao has been linked with Liverpool as well.

Rafael Leao on Arsenal radar

Mikel Arteta believes that he needs to sign a quality winger in order to get the best out of Viktor Gyokeres.

He feels that Milan attacker will be able to unlock the true potential of the Swedish international. Gyokeres needs more service, and a quality wide player could certainly make a difference in the final third.

Leao will add pace, flair and unpredictability in the final third. He will help create opportunities for his teammates, and it remains to be seen whether Arsenal follow up on their interest with an official proposal to get the deal done.

According to Fichajes, they are looking at Rodrygo Goes from Real Madrid as well. It will be interesting to see which of the two players ends up at Arsenal eventually. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to join them will be attractive for both players.

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool

Dec 14 2025, 10:00

Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Leao could use a move

Meanwhile, the Portuguese international has proven himself at Milan and for his country. This could be the right time for him to take on a new challenge. The move to the Premier League could be ideal for him. He has the physicality for English football, and he could be an important player for Arsenal.

The Gunners have the financial resources to convince Milan to sell the player, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops. He is highly rated across Europe, and Luka Modrić has recently labelled him as an “amazing” player. He has the ability to improve further, and moving to the Premier League could accelerate his development.

The post Arteta wants to sign “amazing” 26-year-old to get the best out of Gyokeres appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months.

The 23-year-old has struggled for regular opportunities at the Premier League club, and he needs to play more often. Gianluigi Donnarumma is currently the first-choice goalkeeper at the club, and Trafford will need to leave if he wants to play every week.

James Trafford is in demand

According to reports, Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa might be able to provide him with an exit route in the coming months.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up.

Keith Wyness told Football Insider: “He’s a quality keeper and I think there are a few clubs that are still unhappy in that position. But certainly those are the sort of the three clubs I think, yeah, Newcastle, Villa, Spurs are where I think Trafford may end up.”

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool

Dec 14 2025, 10:00

Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Trafford could improve all three clubs

Spurs could certainly use more depth in the goalkeeping department. Guglielmo Vicario has done well since joining the London club, but he can be quite inconsistent. He is also quite vulnerable when it comes to dealing with aerial balls. Signing another quality goalkeeper would be ideal for Tottenham.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa need a replacement for Emiliano Martinez, who has been linked with an exit from the club. There is no doubt that Trafford would be an excellent acquisition for them. He was outstanding for Burnley in the Championship last season, and he has the quality to succeed in the Premier League as well.

Newcastle could also use another goalkeeper, and Trafford could be the ideal long-term replacement for Nick Pope. It will be interesting to see which of the three clubs can get the deal done.

The post “Quality” player from Manchester City could “end up” at Tottenham soon appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Match Overview

AC Milan return to action with momentum on their side after edging Torino in a 3–2 thriller, a result that pushed the Rossoneri to 31 points and into a share of first place in the Serie A standings alongside Napoli. While the table looks promising, Milan are well aware that the championship chase is far from settled, making every match a must-win from here on out.

That urgency sets the stage for a challenging showdown against a confident Sassuolo squad that has exceeded preseason expectations, sitting on 20 points and within striking distance of the European spots. With both teams bringing strong form and plenty at stake, this matchup has all the ingredients of a must-watch contest—make sure you don’t miss a minute of the action.

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Manchester United’s highly-rated young midfielder, Kobbie Mainoo, has become a key player in the rumour mill due to a lack of consistent game time at Old Trafford.

Major European clubs, including Chelsea, are closely monitoring his situation.

Mainoo is reportedly eager for a move to secure more game time to bolster his chances of making the England squad for the 2026 World Cup. He is actively seeking a fresh challenge to accelerate his development.

Kobbie Mainoo prefers Napoli

Although at least 12 clubs are reportedly in the race, sources close to the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Chelsea and Bayern Munich are “leading the chase”. However, the player’s personal preference list still places Napoli as the frontrunner. Mainoo is prioritising where he can be a guaranteed starter as he plots his next move.

Scott McTominay has done quite well at Napoli, leaving Manchester United, and the 20-year-old midfielder is looking to follow in his footsteps. Napoli will be able to provide him with regular opportunities, and he will be able to work with a world-class manager like Antonio Conte at the Italian club.

Mainoo is a promising player with a bright future, and he could develop into a key player for Napoli with the right guidance. It will be interesting to see if the Italian club can get the deal done.

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool

Dec 14 2025, 10:00

Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Chelsea could use Mainoo

Meanwhile, Chelsea are among the clubs leading the race to sign the player. They need more control in the middle of the park. The Manchester United player is well settled in English football, and he could make an immediate impact. He could complement the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. The youngster has the quality to complete their midfield for the foreseeable future.

It will be interesting to see if they can convince Manchester United to sell. They are looking to build a formidable team for the future, and the England International midfielder could be the final piece of the puzzle for them.

The post Sources: Chelsea “leading the chase” as 12 clubs enter race to sign Premier League prodigy appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Igor Thiago has become one of the standout names of the winter transfer window. His strong performances for Brentford have put him firmly on the radar of Premier League giants.

Sources close to the player’s situation have informed CaughtOffside that Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all showing “serious interest”, while clubs from Serie A and La Liga are also keeping an eye on the Brazilian striker.

Thiago has 12 goals in 16 matches this season.

Brentford set Igor Thiago asking price

Brentford’s stance is clear, and the club has set a price as high as €70 million, with some reports even mentioning £70 million. That figure makes a January move difficult, especially given Thiago’s contract until 2029. Brentford are reluctant to lose such a key player midway through the season.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery sees Thiago as a long-term alternative to Ollie Watkins and could push for a bid in the €50–57 million range. Tottenham have explored a loan deal, but Brentford are not open to it. Newcastle, who signed Yoane Wissa from Brentford in the summer but have yet to see him play due to injury, view Thiago as the ideal signing to strengthen their attack.

Given Brentford’s position, a big move in January looks unlikely. However, strong offers are expected to arrive in the summer. For Thiago, the priority remains playing regularly and performing well to secure his place in Brazil’s squad for the upcoming World Cup.

More Stories / Latest News

Report: One eye on the future as Man United intensify interest in midfield prodigy

Dec 14 2025, 10:45

Report: 45-year-old manager is “very keen” on taking over at Liverpool

Dec 14 2025, 10:00

Report: Man United want to sign 20-year-old Englishman with “a lot of quality”

Dec 14 2025, 9:30

Tottenham move could tempt Thiago

He will look to compete at a high-level and join a big club. The move to Tottenham would probably be more attractive for him compared to the other two clubs. Tottenham have an exciting project, and they recently won the UEFA Europa League. A quality striker could make a huge difference for them in the final third, and the move would be ideal for all parties.

It will be interesting to see if they are willing to pay the asking price in the summer.

The post Sources: Tottenham showing “serious interest” in €70m Newcastle & Aston Villa target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Cole Palmer insisted that he is solely focused on returning to full fitness for Chelsea after he scored in their 2-0 win against Everton. The England international scored the opening goal at Stamford Bridge before Malo Gusto doubled their advantage against the Toffees. It was Palmer’s fifth Premier League goal against Everton, his joint-most against […]

The post Palmer not focused on England World Cup squad after injury return appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Palmer not focused on England World Cup squad after injury return appeared first on Soccer News.

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsenal’s performance against Wolves as “not acceptable” after they won 2-1 courtesy of a 94th-minute own goal from Yerson Mosquera. The Gunners took the lead through another own goal when Bukayo Saka’s corner hit the post and ricocheted in off the back of Sam Johnstone. Tolu Arokodare thought he snatched a point […]

The post ‘Not acceptable for our level’ – Arteta frustrated despite late win over Wolves appeared first on Soccer News.

The post ‘Not acceptable for our level’ – Arteta frustrated despite late win over Wolves appeared first on Soccer News.

Own goals from Sam Johnstone and Yerson Mosquera spared Arsenal’s blushes as they beat Wolves 2-1 to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The Premier League’s top and bottom sides were already separated by 31 points after just 15 games, but there was nothing to split them for much […]

The post Arsenal 2-1 Wolves: Johnstone and Mosquera own goals spare leaders´ blushes appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arsenal 2-1 Wolves: Johnstone and Mosquera own goals spare leaders´ blushes appeared first on Soccer News.

Raphinha scored twice for Barcelona as they beat Osasuna 2-0 to go seven points clear at the top of LaLiga. The forward bagged both of his goals in the second half against a stubborn Osasuna defence at Camp Nou, helping Hansi Flick’s side extend their lead over second-place Real Madrid, who face Alaves on Sunday. […]

The post Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: Raphinha brace secures fifth consecutive win appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: Raphinha brace secures fifth consecutive win appeared first on Soccer News.

Xabi Alonso is going through a difficult stretch in his first season as head coach of Real Madrid, with disappointing performances and results that have put his future in charge into question. In that context, Barcelona fans openly mocked the situation.

This Saturday, Los Blaugranas earned an important 2–0 victory over Osasuna at Camp Nou, a result that allowed them to remain at the top of the La Liga standings. Amid the celebrations over their team’s strong form, Catalan fans made reference to what is happening with their biggest rival.

“Xabi stay, Xabi stay,” Barcelona fans chanted from the stands at Camp Nou during the match against Osasuna. The chant, clearly delivered with irony, reflects the current perception surrounding Alonso: that his time at Real Madrid has been harmful to the team. That explains why Barcelona supporters would like his tenure to last as long as possible.

At the moment, Real Madrid are a considerable distance from the top of the La Liga standings. With Saturday’s win, Hansi Flick’s side extended its lead to seven points, although Los Blancos could cut the gap to four with a victory on Sunday against Deportivo Alaves. However, they are also at serious risk of losing second place, as Villarreal sit just one point behind with a game in hand.

El Clasico was the turning point for Real Madrid and Barcelona

The current situation of the two Spanish giants would have seemed unthinkable just a month and a half ago. On October 26, Real Madrid earned a solid 2–1 victory over Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, consolidating their lead in La Liga at the time and showing performances that pointed toward a smooth path to success.

Since then, everything has changed for both teams. Barcelona won their next seven league matches and now sit atop the table, while Real Madrid have won only two of their last six La Liga games. Including UEFA Champions League play, the numbers are even worse: three wins, three draws, and three losses over their last nine matches.

What will happen with Xabi Alonso?

Poor results have cast serious doubt over Xabi Alonso’s future. For weeks, rumors have circulated about a possible firing if results do not take a dramatic turn soon. So far, however, those speculations have not materialized.

In fact, last week it was rumored that Alonso’s continuity depended on the Champions League match against Manchester City. Real Madrid lost that game 2–1 at home, and ultimately nothing happened with the coach, although the rumors have not stopped.

In that context, several players from the squad have publicly voiced their support for Xabi Alonso. “We are 100% behind our coach,” Jude Bellingham said this week, according to ESPN. “It’s a difficult moment for us and for Xabi as well, things aren’t going our way. After my goal I went to hug him because I wanted to show that we are together and that we support our coach,” Rodrygo explained.

For months, Neymar has been at the center of attention amid speculation about a possible return to the Brazil national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As one of the country’s biggest icons, he has played with many stars over the years. Now, one of his former teammates will be forced to step away from professional soccer due to serious health issues.

“This Friday morning, Oscar, from Sao Paulo, informed close friends that he will retire as a player at age 34,” O Globo reported. The news refers to the attacking midfielder who shined with Chelsea from 2012 to 2017 before embarking on a long stint in the Chinese league and returning to his home country earlier this year.

Just over a month ago, Oscar was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during a training session with Sao Paulo. Tests revealed vasovagal syncope, a temporary loss of consciousness caused by a drop in blood pressure and heart rate.

That episode followed an earlier incident in August, when cardiac abnormalities were detected during a medical check related to another injury. At the time, more serious measures were ruled out, but the situation has since escalated.

Although Oscar returned to training a few days ago, the discovery of this health condition has reportedly led him to decide to retire. The 34-year-old has “announced to close associates that he has decided to hang up his boots,” O Globo reported. “Sao Paulo are planning a meeting to settle the midfielder’s future, who has a contract with the club until 2027… The board is studying a project to bring Oscar into the club to work behind the scenes.”

Oscar’s unusual career path

Oscar’s career stands out as one of the most unusual of his generation. For several years, he was considered a world-class star, but unconventional career decisions caused him to lose that prominence at a relatively young age, culminating in this abrupt ending due to health concerns.

After breaking through with Sao Paulo and Internacional in the Brazilian league, Oscar was signed by Chelsea in 2012 for more than $30 million. He made his mark during four and a half seasons in London, scoring 38 goals in 203 appearances. He also won four trophies with the Blues, including two Premier League titles.

However, at the start of 2017, the midfielder made the surprising decision to leave Chelsea and begin a lengthy stint in the Chinese Super League. He spent eight years with Shanghai Port, registering 77 goals in 248 appearances between 2017 and 2024. Earlier this year, he returned to Brazil, but managed just 21 matches before his heart issues brought his career to a definitive halt.

The blemish on Oscar’s international career

Oscar’s status during his early years allowed him to earn a place with the Brazil national team. He was part of the squad at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where Brazil won the silver medal, and made his debut with the senior national team around the same time.

Gradually, the midfielder secured a regular role in the side ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, sharing creative responsibilities with Neymar. However, Ney’s injury in the quarterfinals left a void that proved impossible to fill, and Brazil suffered a historic 7–1 semifinal defeat to Germany. Oscar scored Brazil’s lone goal that day.

From that point on, things were never quite the same for the midfielder, nor for many of his teammates from that squad. In fact, that World Cup was the last major tournament Oscar played with Brazil. A handful of friendlies and World Cup qualifiers followed in 2015, before he ultimately fell out of the national team picture for good.

Juventus fans might’ve forgotten that he still plays for them, but Arkadiusz Milik today returned to training with the full squad for the first time in 550 days.

The striker arrived from Olympique Marseille on loan in 2022 and then made the move permanent for a total €8m in the summer of 2023.

He made 75 competitive appearances in the Juventus jersey, scoring 17 goals and providing two assists.

The most recent of those games was the 2-0 Serie A victory over Monza on May 25, 2024.

Juventus rediscover Milik after 18 months

Milik sustained a knee ligament injury in June 2024 and has not set foot on the pitch since, as his recovery had repeated setbacks.

The 31-year-old Poland international might finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, because today he took part in a training session with his teammates for the first time in well over a year.

It wasn’t a full session, he was only partly in the exercises with the other players, but it was already a huge achievement after 550 days of being separated from the group.

Raffaele Palladino feels the last two Atalanta victories over Chelsea and Cagliari showed ‘the right spirit’ and reveals Gianluca Scamacca almost didn’t play tonight.

It has been an ideal few days for La Dea, who beat Chelsea 2-1 in the Champions League, then held out under pressure to secure an identical result in Serie A against Cagliari.

Scamacca is finally finding his fitness after almost a year out dealing with a knee ligament injury, as he has now scored four goals in his last three competitive matches, including tonight’s double.

“It was certainly a difficult match against a good Cagliari side, who have players with pace that can hit us on the counter,” Palladino told Sky Sport Italia.

“We played a great first half, creating many chances and not running any risks. We took the lead and the only regret is that we didn’t take our other opportunities to double our lead, because if you leave these games open, then anything can happen.”

Atalanta finding their feet under Palladino

It felt for a while as if there might be another stalemate when Gianluca Gaetano equalised, but Scamacca completed his brace just six minutes later.

“In the second half, we started to lose intensity and stamina, I think due to the many games we’ve played in the last 20 days. The thing I liked most of all is that when we conceded the equaliser at the 81^st minute, we could’ve collapsed mentally, but instead we kept pushing to win it, that tells me the spirit is there in this group.”

He also revealed something unexpected about his star striker’s performance tonight.

“Scamacca had a fever, he grit his teeth and wanted to be there to help the team. I told him when I was a player, my best performances were when I was running a temperature, and he smiled. He gave his all for us.”

Since taking over from sacked Ivan Juric, this will be the first time Palladino has had a whole week to prepare for a match against Genoa.

“Winning helps you to win,” noted the coach. “We had four home wins in front of our fans in all competition, so creating that enthusiasm in Bergamo is fundamental.”

This was the final match for Ademola Lookman and Odilon Kossounou of 2025, as they will be off on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations.

There were also concerns during the second half when Berat Djimsiti pulled up clutching the back of his right thigh with an adductor issue.

“Obviously, we are losing two important players, it’s a pity we also lost Djimsiti today and we’ll have to see what the tests say. I will have to find different solutions, but having a week to prepare is a huge bonus,” continued the coach.

“I really haven’t had much time to work with these players on the training field when there’s a game every three days and travel too, all you have time for is recovery. Now we can concentrate on training and proposing new tactical ideas.”

While Atalanta have excelled in the Champions League and are currently in the top eight, this was only their second Serie A victory in the last 11 rounds.

“I need to drill the mentality into these lads that when times are difficult, we need to push even harder, believe even more in our capabilities, and I saw that both against Chelsea and tonight. Not everyone can go behind at home to Chelsea and turn it around, not everyone can concede a late equaliser when exhausted and push on to win it anyway.

“I congratulated the players for their efforts this evening.”

Gianluca Scamacca is rediscovering his form with Atalanta just in time to play for Italy in the World Cup play-offs, while Charles De Ketelaere calls him ‘a real centre-forward.’

The centre-forward has not been the same since the serious knee ligament injury he sustained in pre-season 2024, but after setbacks in the recovery process, he seems to finally be back to his best.

He bagged both in Atalanta’s 2-1 victory over Cagliari at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo this evening, around a temporary Gianluca Gaetano equaliser.

The first was an improvisation, redirecting Davide Zappacosta’s wayward effort with a back-heel flick, while with the second he reacted quickly to a volley gone wrong.

Scamacca and De Ketelaere respected Cagliari

“We expected it to be difficult, we should’ve scored more goals in the first half, Cagliari are tough and equalised, but we managed to bring it home,” Scamacca told Sky Sport Italia.

“We always try to give our all, but when there are so many games close together, we can lack sharpness sometimes. We’re on the right track, though.”

Rediscovering his form could also be boon to the Italy squad going into the crucial 2026 World Cup play-offs in March.

“Absolutely, but I am totally concentrated on Atalanta, because we have many objectives.”

Scamacca now has five Serie A goals and one in the Champions League this season, netting four goals in his last three competitive appearances.

However, Atalanta will now be without both Ademola Lookman and Odilon Kossounou, who are heading off to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Those who play will be ready and give their best,” assured Scamacca.

While Atalanta are flying high in the Champions League, this was only their fourth Serie A win in 15 rounds, along with seven draws and four defeats.

“We needed points to climb the table, and fortunately we got the result. It is better to play badly and get three points than the other way around,” noted De Ketelaere on Sky Sport Italia.

“We must be humble, take it one game at a time and keep going. You can see Scamacca is a real centre-forward, as the first goal he was in the right place, on the second he reacted well.”

Gianluca Scamacca struck twice around a temporary Gianluca Gaetano equaliser, as Atalanta squeezed to victory over Cagliari to complete an ideal week.

La Dea were fresh from a Champions League victory over Chelsea, yet had just one Serie A win in the last 10 rounds, so needed to catch up. Raoul Bellanova joined Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mitchel Bakker on the treatment table, with Isak Hien suffering from flu symptoms. The Sardinians missed Yerry Mina, Mattia Felici, Ze Pedro and Andrea Belotti, but Adam Obert returned after victory over Roma.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Charles De Ketelaere sent Ademola Lookman into the box, with the first shot parried by on-rushing Elia Caprile, then fired the rebound onto the side-netting.

Atalanta broke through soon after, as Lookman got down the left and pulled back for Davide Zappacosta, whose wayward strike was redirected from six yards by Scamacca’s back-heel flick.

Lorenzo Bernasconi got back to stop his former Atalanta Under-23 side teammate Marco Palestra going clear on goal, then Lookman’s effort was charged down for a corner.

Scamacca fired straight at Caprile on a smart De Ketelaere through ball, then the goalkeeper got down for a great one-handed save from close range on Lookman, with De Ketelaere’s follow-up deflected onto the roof of the net.

Cagliari had a huge opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half-time, Gennaro Borrelli’s header flashing inches wide on Michael Folorunsho’s cross.

Berat Djimsiti pulled up clutching the back of his right thigh and had to be replaced, as Atalanta began to visibly run out of steam following their midweek European exertions.

The visitors took advantage and equalised with an excellent team move. Folorunsho found Gianluca Gaetano, who completed a quick give and go with Sebastiano Esposito to burst into the box and bent the finish past an on-rushing Marco Carnesecchi with the inside of the right boot.

Scamacca restored Atalanta’s lead when his volley from a Lazar Samardzic volley didn’t come off, but it landed kindly and he was quickest to react on the loose ball, prodding it through Caprile’s legs from six yards.

Nicola Zalewski forced two tricky saves from Caprile in the same move, one at the near post, then a curler from the edge of the area.

Zito Luvumbo had the ball in the net for Cagliari during stoppages, but only after Folorunsho had wandered offside when flicking on the assist to the back post.

Atalanta 2-1 Cagliari

Scamacca 11, 81 (A), Gaetano 75 (C)

13-12-2025 19:45

MatchDay 15

Gewiss Stadium (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)

Atalanta

Cagliari

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Gianluca Scamacca (Assist: Davide Zappacosta)		11'
Lorenzo Bernasconi		33'

2nd half

		57'		Juan Rodríguez
		75'		Gianluca Gaetano (Assist: Sebastiano Esposito)
		76'		Gianluca Gaetano
Gianluca Scamacca		81'

Match statistic

58

Possession %

42

17

Total shots

8

8

Shots on target

1

5

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

2

5

Corners

4

Offsides

4

13

Fouls

15

Atalanta

Cagliari

Starting lineups

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

55'

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

79'

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

66'

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

79'

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

13

Éderson

Midfielder

66'

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

11

Ademola Lookman

Attacker

17

Charles De Ketelaere

Attacker

9

Gianluca Scamacca

Attacker

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

33

Adam Obert

Defender

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

58'

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

66'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

6

Sebastiano Luperto

Defender

87'

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

87'

29

Gennaro Borrelli

Attacker

58'

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

Substitutes

70

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

44

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

55'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

66'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

66'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

79'

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

79'

20

Marko Rog

Midfielder

31

Boris Radunović

Goalkeeper

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

18

Alessandro Di Pardo

Defender

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

23

Nicola Pintus

Defender

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

58'

16

Matteo Prati

Midfielder

58'

3

Riyad Idrissi

Defender

66'

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

87'

77

Zito Luvumbo

Attacker

87'

Christian Pulisic is arguably enjoying the best stretch of his professional career. He has established himself as the undisputed on-field leader of AC Milan and one of the top stars in Serie A, earning widespread praise along the way. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri spoke about him and offered an unusual description.

“He’s diabolical when he’s in front of the goal,” Allegri said about the USMNT forward during the press conference ahead of Sunday’s match against Sassuolo. “In his private life, he’s very reserved, but he transforms on the pitch.”

The Milan coach’s words are backed up by the numbers. Pulisic is currently the top scorer in Serie A alongside Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez. He has scored seven goals in nine league matches, and when combined with his two assists, he is averaging one goal contribution per game. He has also added two goals in three Coppa Italia appearances.

Despite those performances placing him among the elite of Italian soccer, Massimiliano Allegri remains optimistic about the further progress Christian can make in the near future. “He still has room for improvement,” the coach explained, before clarifying exactly what he meant: “He still needs to find his best condition.”

That observation relates to the only blemish in Pulisic’s season so far: physical issues. The American star has missed five Serie A matches this campaign due to muscle injuries, which have also affected his availability for the national team.

Allegri discusses Pulisic’s role at Milan

In the 12 matches Pulisic has played for Milan this season, he has featured in virtually every attacking position. From attacking midfielder to center forward, as well as on both wings, Christian has adapted to the team’s needs and consistently found ways to make an impact.

“I don’t know if in the future he’ll have to play deeper,” Massimiliano Allegri said in response to a reporter’s question. “I’ll just say that we have to try to get Gimenez back, hopefully… Getting Athekame, Fofana and Leao back already gives us more options on the pitch; that’s why recovering Gimenez is important.”

Indeed, Pulisic is not the only player to deal with fitness issues this season. Rafael Leao, another key figure for the team, has spent significant time sidelined with a muscle injury, as have other Milan forwards such as Santiago Gimenez. That situation, however, has not hurt the club’s ability to compete in Serie A, where they currently sit atop the table alongside Napoli.

What’s next for Milan?

This Sunday, AC Milan will host Sassuolo at home on Matchday 15 of the Serie A season. They will be looking for a win to stay at the top of the standings ahead of a crucial showdown: next Thursday, they will face Napoli in the semifinals of the Italian Super Cup, beginning their quest for the first trophy of the season.

Maurizio Sarri joked Lazio might just ‘start with 10 men’ next time after beating Parma with two players sent off. ‘We won with 8 against 10 once…’

The Aquile had a very poor away record, so things weren’t looking good for them when Mattia Zaccagni was shown a straight red card for his mistimed lunge on Nahuel Estevez just before half-time.

It got even worse at the 77^th minute when Toma Basic was also sent off, this time for elbowing Estevez in the ribs during an off the ball incident.

However, Lazio grabbed the victory when down to nine men against 11 at the Stadio Tardini when Tijjani Noslin robbed a defender, dribbled around the goalkeeper and deposited into an empty net.

Sarri impressed with Lazio attitude

“This win can give us enthusiasm, but I think the lads had already begun to believe more from the end of September,” Sarri told DAZN.

“We were two men down today, but if we look at the game overall, the victory is fully deserved. The team is improving both in terms of mentality and the performances on the field.

“I said that I was enjoying myself with this squad and I stand by that. Have I ever won 9 against 11? Actually I was coaching during Entella-Figline when we won with 8 against 10…”

Lazio have received three red cards in the last two games, as Mario Gila was sent off in the 1-1 draw with Bologna.

“We were down to 10 men against Bologna last week and didn’t lose our organisation then either. I saw the same thing today, even if with two players sent off it’s more complicated,” continued Sarri.

“I introduced players off the bench who were suited to these situations. For example, Oliver Provstgaard gave us a big hand.”

The double red card means both Zaccagni and Basic will be suspended for the next Serie A match against Cremonese, but at least Mario Gila will be back, as he sat out a ban today.

Gil Patric also got his first start in nine months and impressed in defence.

“Unfortunately, we’re getting used to these situations. If we’ve got 11 players available, then we’ll start them, otherwise we’ll just start with 10 and save time,” laughed Sarri.

There are some question marks over both the straight red cards, as while Zaccagni’s challenge was very clumsy, he didn’t make full contact on the Nahuel Estevez shin.

“I don’t think he really gets him at all, as he connects with the ankle and not the studs. It feels a bit much. I realise it doesn’t give a good impression seen at full speed, but the red seems harsh.”

Lorenzo Lucca returns ‘home’ to face his old club Udinese, but even though he’s not going to get much playing time at Napoli, he is not on the transfer market yet.

The centre-forward first made his mark with the Friulani and will visit his former teammates wearing the Napoli jersey.

He’ll be on the bench, because the hierarchy is rock solid now and Rasmus Hojlund has taken over the role, leaving the Italian with only a handful of minutes per match.

Lucca depends on other players

All this is awaiting Romelu Lukaku, who as Antonio Conte pointed out recently, is not back yet and it’s not clear when he’s likely to be at 100 per cent.

Until that time comes, Lucca is going nowhere, because Napoli need someone to rely on in a campaign full of injury uncertainty.

They will discuss it over the next few weeks, and if the Belgian should be available for selection, then Lucca could start to look around for a different solution until June.

There’s no point talking about it right now, but at least Lorenzo will be back on familiar territory and perhaps find something to smile about during a disappointing season.

Atalanta director Luca Percassi acknowledges the win over Chelsea was their third greatest European night, but now they must ‘battle for every point’ against Cagliari.

It kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo at 19.45 GMT.

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

The Bergamo boys are wearing their Christmas Match kit, which will then be auctioned off to raise funds for charity, as it has been for 15 years now.

It arrives just days after their Champions League 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea, which propelled them into the top eight with a view of going straight into the Round of 16.

However, in Serie A they are still playing catch-up and won only one of their last 10 games.

Percassi marks European milestone for Atalanta

“It is going to be a very difficult match against a team that showed last week how dangerous it can be, they are well set out with good players, so it certainly will be tough,” Percassi told Sky Sport Italia.

The panel put it to the director that the victory over Chelsea was the third best night for the club in Europe, after the Europa League Final triumph and their 3-0 Champions League win away to Liverpool.

“I fully agree! It was a magical night.”

Nonetheless, Percassi shrugs off suggestions La Dea are doing anything other than battling for every point domestically, let alone taking European qualification for granted.

“It would be a terrible error for Atalanta to give less than 100 per cent in Serie A, as our objective as always is to secure safety as soon as possible, then build from there.”

Arne Slot was not surprised in the slightest after Mohamed Salah made a big impact from the bench in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brighton on Saturday. Salah was left out of the matchday squad against Inter in midweek after declaring that he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool in comments made after a […]

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Enzo Maresca was impressed by the way his Chelsea players reacted to adversity after a 2-0 win over Everton ended their recent winless streak. The Blues had not won their last four matches in all competitions, which included defeats to Leeds United and Atalanta. But they ended their indifferent form at Stamford Bridge, with Cole […]

The post Maresca relieved to snap winless streak as Chelsea bounce back versus Everton appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Maresca relieved to snap winless streak as Chelsea bounce back versus Everton appeared first on Soccer News.

Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Everton, who were made to rue missed chances as their long wait for a Premier League win at Stamford Bridge rolled on. First-half goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto ended the Blues’ four-match winless streak in all competitions, while lifting them to fourth […]

The post Chelsea 2-0 Everton: Palmer on target as Maresca´s side end winless run appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Chelsea 2-0 Everton: Palmer on target as Maresca´s side end winless run appeared first on Soccer News.

Mohamed Salah claimed the record for the most Premier League goal involvements for a single club on his return to Liverpool’s squad, assisting one of Hugo Ekitike’s two goals in a 2-0 win over Brighton. Having held clear-the-air talks with Arne Slot on Friday following a public spat with his head coach, Salah was named […]

The post Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: Ekitike nets brace as Salah claims single-club goal involvement record on triumphant return appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: Ekitike nets brace as Salah claims single-club goal involvement record on triumphant return appeared first on Soccer News.

With less than six months to go until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, national teams are making preparations to arrive at the tournament in peak form. Argentina and Spain know they will face each other in the Finalissima in March, a crucial clash with a title on the line and the last big test before traveling to North America. Days before that match, Lionel Messi and his teammates could face an African opponent.

According to TyC Sports, Senegal have a chance to play against Argentina during the March international break. While the possibility is not yet confirmed, it was the Senegalese Football Federation itself that raised the idea when announcing its upcoming fixtures for 2026.

The African team, led by star player Sadio Mane, announced that it will face the USMNT on May 31, ahead of the World Cup in North America. The federation also noted that during the March FIFA break, they are considering a match against Argentina, with Saudi Arabia being another option.

This is not a minor detail. FIFA rules prevent national teams from playing matches on different continents during the same international break. The Finalissima between Argentina and Spain is set to be played at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, so the fact that Senegal are considering Saudi Arabia as an alternative opponent shows their intention to play in Asia during that period. If that happens, Lionel Messi could face Sadio Mane head-to-head.

Senegal could be an interesting test for Argentina

While Argentina’s main focus in March will be the Finalissima against Spain, a potential match against Senegal could be valuable for head coach Lionel Scaloni. By then, only three months will remain before the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and it could provide a useful test against a team with different characteristics.

Argentina were drawn in Group J alongside Austria, Jordan, and Algeria. The latter is one of the strongest African teams, a continent against which Lionel Messi and his teammates have not competed extensively in recent years. World Cup qualifiers and the demanding schedule have made such matchups difficult.

In fact, in the past six years, Argentina have played only one match against an African opponent. That came during the November 2025 FIFA break, when they defeated Angola 2-0. To find another example, you have to go back to March 2019, when they played a friendly against Morocco.

Senegal have other priorities besides the World Cup

While Senegal are also focused on the 2026 World Cup—where they will be in Group I with France, Norway, and the winner of the intercontinental playoff between Iraq, Bolivia, and Suriname—they will face another crucial challenge first.

On Tuesday, December 23, Sadio Mane and his teammates will make their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 debut against Botswana. That will be the first of their three group-stage matches, which also include DR Congo and Benin.

Match Overview

The Copa Colombia championship kick off with a high-stakes first leg as fierce city rivals Atletico Nacional and Independiente Medellin collide in a matchup loaded with urgency and history. Both clubs were in the thick of the Group A title chase earlier this season before Junior pulled away, leaving this final as their clearest path to silverware to close out the year.

Nacional enter riding momentum after a commanding 6–3 aggregate victory over America de Cali, while Independiente Medellin punched their ticket by narrowly outlasting Envigado 2–1. With bragging rights and a trophy on the line, expect an intense, edge-of-your-seat battle—one you won’t want to miss.

The past few weeks have seen Mohamed Salah take center stage for a variety of reasons. He was at the heart of a public controversy after Liverpool coach Arne Slot left him out of the squad for a couple of matches, creating tension and uncertainty about his future. With things seemingly resolved, the Egyptian winger returned to play and surpassed Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney with a Premier League record.

After a conversation with Slot on Friday, Salah overcame the punishment that had kept him out of Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League clash against Inter Milan, and on Saturday he was on the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion. However, in the 26th minute of the first half, he had to come on to replace the injured Joe Gomez, which allowed him to assist Hugo Ekitike for the second goal in the Reds’ 2-0 victory.

With that, Salah became the player with the most goal contributions for a single club in Premier League history. The Egyptian winger has spent nine seasons with Liverpool, scoring 188 goals and providing 89 assists in the English league, registering a total of 277 direct goal contributions.

Trailing Mo is Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United icon had been at the top of the ranking until the start of this season with 276 contributions. The third spot belongs to another Red Devils legend, Ryan Giggs, with 271. Further down the list are Harry Kane (259 with Tottenham Hotspur), Thierry Henry (249 with Arsenal), Frank Lampard (237 with Chelsea), and Sergio Aguero (231 with Manchester City).

Unsurprisingly, Salah is Liverpool’s all-time leader in Premier League goal contributions. In second place for the club is another legend: Steven Gerrard. The English midfielder, eighth on the league’s all-time ranking, recorded 212 goals and assists during his professional career.

Salah takes a break from Liverpool

Saturday’s match against Brighton was Mohamed Salah’s last for Liverpool before he travels to Africa. The winger will join the Egypt national team ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he will aim for his first continental title after losing finals in 2017 and 2021.

Before the tournament kicks off in Morocco, Egypt will play a friendly against Nigeria next Tuesday. On December 22, they will open their group stage campaign against Zimbabwe, followed by matches against South Africa and Angola as they aim to advance to the round of 16.

Lazio managed to grab a rare away victory with Tijjani Noslin’s late goal against Parma despite being down to nine men, with Mattia Zaccagni and Toma Basic sent off.

The Biancocelesti were slipping down the table after one point from two rounds, albeit very tough fixtures against Milan and Bologna. Gustav Isaksen joined Samuel Gigot and Nicolò Rovella on the injury list, with Mario Gila suspended. Parma missed Abdoulaye Ndiaye, Alessandro Circati, Zion Suzuki and Matija Frigan. There was a special patch on their shirts for the upcoming 112^th anniversary of the club’s foundation.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Matteo Cancellieri stung goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi’s gloves at the near post in the opening minutes, but at the other end Adrian Bernabé tested Ivan Provedel from the edge of the area.

Taty Castellanos was a yard out ready to nod in the Adam Marusic knockdown from a free kick when Nahuel Estevez cleared it practically off the line.

Toma Basic’s free kick was just over the bar, then his strike on a Mattia Zaccagni assist forced a desperate save out of Corvi.

The game changed just before half-time when Mattia Zaccagni went lunging into a late and high challenge in midfield on Estevez and the referee opted for a straight red card.

Enrico Delprato went off injured, but Mateo Pellegrino again tested Provedel straight after the restart, while Adrian Bernabe blasted over under pressure from Luca Pellegrini.

Lazio received a second red card for violent conduct when Basic was spotted by the referee elbowing Estevez in the ribs during an off the ball incident, reducing them to nine men.

Incredibly, the Aquile still took the lead even though they were two men down. Noslin caught Lautaro Valenti napping on the edge of the area, then kept his cool to dribble around Corvi and fire into the empty net as a Parma player tried to get back on the line.

Provedel performed a fantastic one-handed reaction save moments later, readjusting to deal with the deflection and palm the Estevez screamer out from under the bar. On the resulting corner, Pellegrino’s acrobatic attempt flashed wide.

Parma 0-1 Lazio

Noslin 82 (L)

Sent off: Zaccagni 42 (L), Basic 77 (L)

13-12-2025 17:00

MatchDay 15

Parma Store (Stadio Ennio Tardini)

Parma

Lazio

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

42'

Mattia Zaccagni

2nd half

Emanuele Valeri		51'
		62'		Matteo Cancellieri
Nahuel Estévez		77'
		77'		Toma Basic
		82'		Tijjani Noslin (Assist: Danilo Cataldi)

Match statistic

47

Possession %

53

19

Total shots

15

5

Shots on target

5

9

Shots off target

6

5

Blocked shots

4

4

Corners

4

2

Offsides

0

14

Fouls

8

Parma

Lazio

Starting lineups

40

Edoardo Corvi

Goalkeeper

14

Emanuele Valeri

Defender

15

Enrico Delprato

Defender

46'

5

Lautaro Valenti

Defender

27

Sascha Britschgi

Defender

10

Adrián Bernabé

Midfielder

21

Gaetano Oristanio

Midfielder

70'

16

Mandela Keita

Midfielder

86'

8

Nahuel Estévez

Midfielder

7

Adrian Benedyczak

Attacker

76'

9

Mateo Pellegrino

Attacker

94

Ivan Provedel

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

4

Patric

Defender

70'

32

Danilo Cataldi

Midfielder

88'

8

Mattéo Guendouzi

Midfielder

26

Toma Basic

Midfielder

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

70'

10

Mattia Zaccagni

Attacker

11

Taty Castellanos

Attacker

70'

Substitutes

23

Hernani

Midfielder

66

Filippo Rinaldi

Goalkeeper

22

Oliver Sörensen

Midfielder

18

Mathias Løvik

Midfielder

11

Pontus Almqvist

Attacker

19

Tjas Begic

Attacker

63

Nicolas Trabucchi

Defender

25

Benja Cremaschi

Midfielder

24

Christian Ordoñez

Midfielder

13

Vicente Guaita

Goalkeeper

37

Mariano Troilo

Defender

46'

17

Jacob Ondrejka

Attacker

70'

32

Patrick Cutrone

Attacker

76'

30

Milan Djuric

Attacker

86'

9

Pedro

Attacker

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

35

Christos Mandas

Goalkeeper

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

70'

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

70'

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

70'

5

Matías Vecino

Midfielder

88'

Atalanta are fresh from a Champions League win over Chelsea, so Ademola Lookman, Charles De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca face Marco Palestra’s Cagliari.

It kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo at 19.45 GMT.

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

This has been a remarkable few days for Atalanta, who shrugged off a Serie A defeat to Verona by completing a comeback to beat Chelsea 2-1 in the Champions League.

That result put them in the top eight and they could even go straight into the Round of 16 if they keep up this kind of European form.

However, they’re still playing catch-up domestically after the dismal Ivan Juric era, and under Raffaele Palladino have lost to Napoli and Verona around a 2-0 win over Fiorentina.

Remarkably, that was their only victory in the last 10 Serie A rounds.

Raoul Bellanova limped off during the Chelsea game and is ruled out for circa a month, along with Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mitchel Bakker.

Isak Hien is also out of action after coming down with flu symptoms.

De Ketelaere, Scamacca and Lookman are starting to really gel as a front three, so there are no changes there.

Squad rotation is in defence, as midweek Sead Kolasinac had his first start since knee surgery in April, but he starts again.

Cagliari had been on a negative run of four draws in the last nine rounds, but ended it with a shock 1-0 victory over 10-man Roma.

Colombia international veteran Yerry Mina is still out of action, along with Mattia Felici, Ze Pedro and Andrea Belotti, but Adam Obert returns to the squad.

Gennaro Borrelli, Sebastiano Esposito and Michael Folorunsho lead the attack, but the player being watched most carefully is Palestra.

That is partly for his many impressive performances down the right flank in recent weeks, but above all because he is on loan from Atalanta.

The 20-year-old was a star of their youth academy and has been given this opportunity to prove himself in Serie A.

Atalanta vs. Cagliari official line-ups

Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Scamacca, Lookman

Cagliari: Caprile; Zappa, Luperto, J Rodriguez, Obert; Adopo, Deiola; Palestra, S Esposito, Folorunsho; Borrelli

13-12-2025 19:45

MatchDay 15

Gewiss Stadium (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)

Atalanta

Cagliari

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Gianluca Scamacca (Assist: Davide Zappacosta)		11'
Lorenzo Bernasconi		33'

2nd half

		57'		Juan Rodríguez
		75'		Gianluca Gaetano (Assist: Sebastiano Esposito)
		76'		Gianluca Gaetano
Gianluca Scamacca		81'

Match statistic

58

Possession %

42

17

Total shots

8

8

Shots on target

1

5

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

2

5

Corners

4

Offsides

4

13

Fouls

15

Atalanta

Cagliari

Starting lineups

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

55'

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

79'

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

66'

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

79'

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

13

Éderson

Midfielder

66'

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

11

Ademola Lookman

Attacker

17

Charles De Ketelaere

Attacker

9

Gianluca Scamacca

Attacker

1

Elia Caprile

Goalkeeper

33

Adam Obert

Defender

28

Gabriele Zappa

Defender

58'

Juan Rodríguez

Defender

66'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

6

Sebastiano Luperto

Defender

87'

14

Alessandro Deiola

Midfielder

90

Michael Folorunsho

Midfielder

8

Michel Adopo

Midfielder

87'

29

Gennaro Borrelli

Attacker

58'

94

Sebastiano Esposito

Attacker

Substitutes

70

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

44

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

55'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

66'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

66'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

79'

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

79'

20

Marko Rog

Midfielder

31

Boris Radunović

Goalkeeper

4

Luca Mazzitelli

Midfielder

18

Alessandro Di Pardo

Defender

24

Giuseppe Ciocci

Goalkeeper

9

Semih Kılıçsoy

Attacker

23

Nicola Pintus

Defender

27

Joseph Liteta

Midfielder

10

Gianluca Gaetano

Midfielder

58'

16

Matteo Prati

Midfielder

58'

3

Riyad Idrissi

Defender

66'

30

Leonardo Pavoletti

Attacker

87'

77

Zito Luvumbo

Attacker

87'

The Supercoppa Italiana Final Four is coming up next week, so check the location, kick-off times, and the prizes at stake for Napoli, Inter, AC Milan and Bologna.

The format of the tournament remains the same after last season, so rather than be a traditional clash between the winners of the Scudetto and the reigning Coppa Italia holders, it is expanded to four teams.

All the matches take place at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Supercoppa Italiana 2025 schedule

The trophy holders therefore face the runners-up of the other competition, then the winning teams take on each other for the Final.

That means Napoli face AC Milan in one semi-final on Thursday December 18, kicking off at 20.00 GMT.

Bologna then play against Inter in the other semi-final on Friday December 19, also at 20.00 GMT.

The winners of these two matches then go head-to-head on Monday December 22, again at 20.00 GMT.

There is no extra time, so if two teams are level after 90 minutes, they go straight to a penalty shoot-out.

According to Calcio e Finanza, the total prize pot for the tournament is €22.5m, with the winners getting €9.5m plus a further €1.5m to play a friendly against the team that takes the Saudi Super Cup.

The two losing semi-finalists should get €2.4m each, while the beaten Finalist can expect €6.7m.

AC Milan won it last season, beating Inter 3-2 in the Final.

Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi warns that the Lega Serie A must clamp down on insults between players after the Mario Hermoso and Michael Folorunsho controversy.

The Minister spoke to reporters at a political event and was asked several questions on the current Calcio landscape.

Although he did not specifically name anyone, it was evident he was talking about last week’s ugly clash between Cagliari midfielder Folorunsho and Roma defender Hermoso.

Abodi wants action against unacceptable insults

“If a coach does not think he must also be an educator, then something really isn’t adding up,” said Abodi.

“It also doesn’t add up when a professional on the field makes a violent and unacceptable insult towards the mother of an opponent. When that happens, it cannot just end with a pat on the back.

“Aside from simple politeness, that is anti-sporting behaviour, it is against the rules of the sport. And we have seen too often that people hide behind the interpretation of the rules.

“The behaviour of professionals must be exemplary.”

Hermoso and Folorunsho were spotted having an intense argument at one point during Cagliari’s 1-0 win over Roma last week.

Hermoso later complained that Folorunsho had taken ‘trash talk’ too far and made comments about the player’s mother, but there has been no disciplinary action taken.

This is because although there is very clear video footage of what was said, including ‘your mother is a w***e and she needs to die,’ video evidence can only be used by the Disciplinary Committee for certain incidents.

That does include blasphemy, which is the worst type of swearing in Italian football, but not vile insults like this.

“I am not being a spoilsport here, but I do believe that considering the media visibility that players have, this carries with it a sense of responsibility,” continued Minister for Sport Abodi.

“There also has to be a disciplinary mechanism that can take action and make people realise this is not ok, because if they are allowed to insult like this, then they feel authorised to continue doing it.

“Insults we see in Serie A then will prompt even worse insults in the third division or the under-15 teams. Every gesture can be read as educational or damaging.”

In what could prove to be an intriguing affair from west London on Sunday afternoon, Brentford will welcome Leeds to the Gtech. While the Bees might have continued to show some glaring issues on their travels this season, Keith Andrews’ men will be excited to make a return to the English capital this weekend and […]

The post Brentford vs Leeds Bet Builder Tips – 5/1 Premier League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Brentford vs Leeds Bet Builder Tips – 5/1 Premier League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is grateful for the experience littered throughout his team after they beat Valencia 2-1 on Saturday. Midfielder Koke scored early in the first half, and though Lucas Beltran equalised for the hosts, Antoine Griezmann came off the bench to score the winner in the 74th minute, ending a two-match losing […]

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The post Simeone grateful for experience in Atletico´s ranks appeared first on Soccer News.

Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways in LaLiga after Antoine Griezmann secured a 2-1 win over Valencia with a brilliant goal. Lucas Beltran cancelled out Koke’s opener for Atleti, but Griezmann came off the bench to secure all three points for the hosts in the 74th minute and end a two-game losing run in the […]

The post Atletico Madrid 2-1 Valencia: Touch of class from Griezmann snaps losing run appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Atletico Madrid 2-1 Valencia: Touch of class from Griezmann snaps losing run appeared first on Soccer News.

The Saudi Pro League has become a stage where legacies are no longer fading quietly but being fiercely negotiated in public view. As Cristiano Ronaldo continues to redefine longevity in the Gulf, Karim Benzema now finds himself at a similar crossroads — one that has sparked growing speculation about whether his journey in Saudi Arabia is nearing its final chapter. With contract rumors swirling and reports contradicting one another, the Al-Ittihad captain has finally addressed the uncertainty — albeit without revealing everything at once.

Despite turning 38 next week, Benzema remains one of the most influential forwards in the Saudi Pro League, both statistically and symbolically. His arrival at Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, following an iconic career at Real Madrid, was meant to anchor the club’s ambitious long-term project. While his first campaign was disrupted by injuries and criticism, the Frenchman responded emphatically.

The veteran striker rediscovered peak efficiency before the late November break, scoring six goals in just three matches across eight days. That purple patch reminded observers why he was still considered elite when he left Europe. The comparison with Ronaldo is unavoidable. Both are nearing the end of their careers, both are central figures in Saudi soccer’s global branding, and both are still expected to deliver week after week.

Benzema himself has been open about the changes he made to prolong his relevance at the top level. After admitting that his first season in the Middle East was “very average,” the striker completely overhauled his physical routine, committing to additional gym work, stricter nutrition, and disciplined sleep cycles. The results were undeniable.

Last season, he produced 21 goals and nine assists in 29 league matches, leading Al-Ittihad to a historic domestic double — winning both the league and the cup. This season, he has already scored 11 goals in 12 matches across all competitions, despite Al-Ittihad sitting eight points off the podium after nine rounds. Still, questions remain. Age, competition, and squad evolution all hover over Benzema’s future — and that uncertainty has only grown louder in recent weeks.

Growing cloud of doubt about his future

French outlet Foot Mercato recently poured cold water on reports suggesting Benzema had already agreed to extend his stay in Jeddah. According to their information, no official renewal offer has been presented, despite claims circulating in both Saudi and European media. Meanwhile, journalist Nicolo Schira reported that Benzema is prepared to leave Al-Ittihad as a free agent once his current deal expires, a claim that intensified speculation around his next move.

Al-Ittihad’s position is said to be clear: the club wants to keep Benzema for at least two more seasons, viewing him as a cornerstone of its sporting identity. But without a formal proposal on the table, everything remains unresolved.

What did Benzema say?

Amid the noise, Benzema finally addressed his situation in an interview with L’Equipe — and it was here that the mystery gained clarity. “I’m really focused on what I’m doing, whether it’s for these last six months or for after if I extend my contract. Some people are better placed to talk about all that.”

Then came the line that cut through every rumor. “Right now, I have six months left on my contract.”That ten-word clarification instantly reframed the entire conversation, before adding, “So, I’m completely focused on football.” There is no signed extension, no hidden agreement, no imminent announcement — just a captain focused on the present, fully aware that time is now the most valuable currency of his career.

Speculation rarely sleeps in Madrid, and with Kylian Mbappe leading the line at the Bernabeu, every managerial whisper feels louder than usual. Xabi Alonso finds himself under intense scrutiny after a run of inconsistent results, while Jurgen Klopp—despite stepping away from the dugout—has once again been linked with the most demanding job in club soccer. The question hanging over Europe is simple but loaded: Could Klopp really be the next man entrusted with guiding Real Madrid’s galaxy of stars?

Alonso’s tenure at Real Madrid has entered a critical phase. While the club remains second in La Liga and is still alive in Europe, recent performances have fallen short of expectations. Reports from the Spanish press describe a team struggling for rhythm, having won just two of their last eight matches in all competitions, and the atmosphere around the coach has inevitably tightened.

According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Spanish boss will remain in charge for the upcoming league fixture against Deportivo Alaves, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. There has been no official statement from the club hierarchy, yet sources close to the situation suggest patience is thinning as the season reaches a decisive stretch.

Big fixtures in La Liga and Europe leave little room for prolonged dips in form, and Sunday’s match against Alaves has been framed as a defining moment. A convincing performance could buy Alonso time; another stumble may accelerate discussions behind closed doors. It is in this context that familiar names resurface. Among them, none carries more weight—or intrigue—than Jurgen Klopp, as per El Mundo‘s earlier report.

Why Jurgen Klopp’s name keeps returning

Klopp’s profile fits almost perfectly with what Los Blancos often seek in moments of uncertainty: authority, charisma, and a proven ability to rebuild belief. His work at Liverpool, where he transformed near-misses into sustained dominance, still resonates across Europe. Now serving as Global Head of Football for Red Bull, Klopp has stepped away from the relentless grind of daily management.

Yet reports from Germany and Spain have repeatedly placed him on Madrid’s theoretical shortlist, especially as doubts around Alonso grow. The idea of the 58-year-old serial winner coaching Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham is tantalizing for supporters—and unsettling for rivals. It represents a potential reset, not just tactically but emotionally, at a club that thrives on momentum.

Red Bull forced to speak out

Midway through the speculation, a decisive voice finally cut through the noise. Oliver Mintzlaff, a senior Red Bull executive and close collaborator of Klopp, addressed the rumors directly. Speaking to Leipziger Volkszeitung, Mintzlaff delivered a blunt clarification that reshaped the entire debate. According to him, Klopp has already communicated a clear position on his immediate future: “He has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be a coach at the moment.”

In other words, the German coach has no intention of returning to the touchline right now. That statement effectively shuts the door—at least for the moment—on the idea of Klopp replacing Alonso, regardless of Madrid’s interest or the scale of the opportunity.

Since his arrival at the beginning of 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo has been indisputably the main star of the Saudi Pro League. He is the highest-paid player in the world and has served as a beacon for a large number of players who followed his path from Europe. However, now Mohamed Salah could challenge that dominance.

The Egyptian winger is in an unusual situation at Liverpool, having lost his spot in the starting lineup under head coach Arne Slot. This sparked a controversy that included explosive statements from Salah, his subsequent absence in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan, and a return as a substitute against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.

In that context, Mo’s situation has drawn attention from Asia. “Arabia already wants Salah. The Saudi league wants to sign him in January, and if they don’t succeed, they will come back for him in the summer,” reported Diario AS on Saturday.

Knowing Salah’s prestige and how difficult it would be to convince him to leave the elite of European soccer, the offer to persuade him has to be massive. “From Arabia, they are offering him to be the highest-paid player in the league, ahead of Cristiano. In addition, 100% of his image rights, shares in the team he signs for, and a role as ambassador for the 20234 World Cup, to make the Egyptian golden,” AS added.

How much does Cristiano Ronaldo earn in Saudi Arabia?

Reports indicating that the Saudi Pro League is willing to make Mohamed Salah the highest-paid player in the country are significant. That would mean surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo, who since joining Al Nassr is not only the highest-paid player in Saudi Arabia but in the world.

In July of this year, Ronaldo renewed his contract with Al Nassr for two more years, through the end of the 2026-27 season. Under that new deal, the Portuguese forward earns an impressive $244 million annually. That figure puts him well ahead of the second on the list, Lionel Messi, who earns around $110 million in total compensation at Inter Miami, according to Sports Illustrated.

If the rumors are confirmed and Salah agrees to move to Saudi Arabia for the reported figures, he would see an incredible boost in earnings. Spotrac reports that the Egyptian winger currently earns around $20 million annually at Liverpool, meaning his salary could multiply more than 12 times.

Salah could become the new face of the Saudi Pro League

Despite maintaining impressive scoring records on the field, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t have much time left as a professional player. He will soon turn 41 and has acknowledged on multiple occasions that retirement is near.

With Karim Benzema in a similar situation, and even amid rumors of a possible departure from Al Ittihad, the Saudi Pro League may soon need a new superstar to represent the league globally, attract fans, and motivate players to follow a similar path.

Salah has the elements to fill that role. While his level of success and fame doesn’t yet match Cristiano Ronaldo, he has two major advantages. The first is age, as he is 33 and still has several years ahead as a professional player. The second is his origin: being Egyptian makes him a huge figure in the region. These factors could be decisive in convincing the Saudi Pro League to make the efforts necessary to sign him.

Cristiano Ronaldo has never been short of ambition beyond the pitch, and as his playing career continues to defy age, the Portuguese icon now appears to be edging toward an entirely new arena. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi remains a constant point of comparison whenever soccer’s biggest names cross into popular culture. With Hollywood whispers growing louder, a provocative question has resurfaced: what happens when soccer superstardom meets the silver screen?

That question gained new momentum after Vin Diesel dropped a tantalizing hint involving the Al-Nassr forward and one of cinema’s most lucrative franchises. The speculation began when Fast & Furious star and creative force Vin Diesel shared a social media post featuring the Portuguese superstar, accompanied by a caption that instantly went viral.

Diesel confirmed that a role had been written specifically for Ronaldo within the Fast & Furious universe, igniting excitement across both soccer and film communities. “Everyone asked, would he be in the Fast mythology… I gotta tell you, he is a real one. We wrote a role for him…” Diesel wrote, tagging the superstar directly. The timing of the revelation was striking. With Fast & Furious 11 expected to serve as the final chapter of the franchise, any new addition carries enormous symbolic weight.

The saga, which has generated billions at the global box office, is preparing for a climactic send-off — and Ronaldo’s potential involvement would be one of its boldest crossovers yet. According to Diesel, the idea of casting Ronaldo is not new. A role was initially conceived for Los Bandoleros, a 2009 short film that expanded the Fast & Furious mythology. At the time, the forward was completing his world-record move from Manchester United to Real Madrid, a moment that made any Hollywood cameo logistically impossible.

What reignited speculation was Diesel’s subtle edit to his original post. The explicit reference to Los Bandoleros was later removed, leaving only the confirmation that a role had been written — without specifying when or where it might appear. That single change sparked widespread theories that Ronaldo’s cameo could instead materialize in the upcoming feature-length finale.

Why Cristiano Ronaldo fits the Fast & Furious universe

Few athletes possess the global reach required to transcend sport and command mainstream cinematic attention. Cristiano Ronaldo does. With hundreds of millions of social media followers, unmatched brand recognition, and a carefully cultivated public persona, Ronaldo aligns perfectly with a franchise built on spectacle, physicality, and larger-than-life characters. His presence would not merely be a cameo; it would be a cultural event.

Importantly, Ronaldo has already begun laying the groundwork for a post-soccer career in entertainment. In April 2025, he launched UR•MARV, his own film studio, in partnership with acclaimed director Matthew Vaughn. “This is an exciting chapter for me, as I look ahead to new ventures in business,” Ronaldo said at the time, per official statements released via X. Vaughn was equally effusive, describing Ronaldo as “a real-life superhero” whose stories on the pitch rival scripted cinema.

Has Lionel Messi ever appeared in a movie or TV series?

While Cristiano Ronaldo appears poised to make his first true Hollywood leap, Lionel Messi has taken a very different path. The Argentine has appeared on screen, but almost exclusively as himself, and never in a traditional acting role. His most notable appearances include the documentary Messi (2014), directed by Álex de la Iglesia, and a cameo in the Argentine series Los Protectores. He has also featured in soccer-centric documentaries and animated projects tied directly to his real-life story.

What the 38-year-old has never done is play a fictional character in a mainstream movie or television series. This distinction reflects a broader contrast between the two icons: Ronaldo actively embraces media expansion, while Messi protects an image rooted almost entirely in soccer authenticity.

Christian Pulisic has become one of the central pillars of Milan’s project, a player around whom the club’s present and future increasingly revolves. Yet while the American continues to grow in stature at San Siro, a significant figure in the dressing room may soon be heading for the exit. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, one Milan regular is weighing up a decisive January move that could reshape both his international prospects and the club’s short-term plans.

For the Rossoneri, the coming weeks may therefore bring difficult decisions — sporting, financial, and strategic — as the January transfer window approaches. With the expanded format of the 2026 World Cup expected to allow larger squad sizes than previous tournaments, competition for places in national teams remains as fierce as ever.

According to MilanNews.it and Calciomercato, Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has made it clear that regular minutes are now his absolute priority, even if that means pushing for a mid-season exit. The logic is simple: playing time equals visibility, and visibility is essential to convince England coach Thomas Tuchel, who has repeatedly stressed that form and continuity outweigh reputation.

At Milan this season, that continuity has been missing. The player has featured in 15 official matches, scoring one goal and accumulating just 715 minutes across all competitions. While his availability has rarely been an issue, his status as a guaranteed starter has steadily eroded.

A utility player — but not a cornerstone

Massimiliano Allegri has consistently praised the 29-year-old’s versatility, deploying him in a wide range of roles: central midfielder, advanced attacker, emergency wing-back, and even as a makeshift forward. That adaptability, however, has come at a cost. When the squad is fully fit, he is not considered a first-choice option.

In Serie A, he has started only four league matches, with eight appearances coming from the bench. Milan’s absence from European competition and early Coppa Italia elimination have further reduced opportunities to rotate the squad, leaving league matches as the sole platform for exposure. A supporting role is simply not enough for a player targeting a World Cup call-up.

This situation has led to growing speculation that a January move is now being actively explored. Reports suggest interest from Premier League clubs, alongside enquiries from Bundesliga sides and Serie A rivals, including Napoli and Lazio. Napoli’s interest, in particular, is linked to their ongoing midfield injury crisis, while Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri — who previously worked with the player — is said to admire his profile. However, financial constraints make any deal complex.

Why Milan may not stand in the way

While the potential departure would weaken Milan’s depth, it may also align with the club’s broader strategy. Milan needs flexibility in the market, and offloading a high-earning squad player who is not central to Allegri’s plans could help accelerate negotiations elsewhere.

Moreover, the club is well aware that players chasing international ambitions rarely accept prolonged bench roles, especially with a World Cup staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Even Tuchel himself has been explicit about his criteria. Speaking recently, the England manager said: “The door is always open for guys who perform on a regular and high level… Ruben needs more starts, more minutes.” That message has seemingly resonated.

Cesc Fabregas reveals he had an ‘unpleasant’ conversation with the coach of Senegal, prepares to face Roma, and is glad the Australian match with AC Milan seems to be off.

The Lariani are in action on Monday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.45 GMT.

Nonetheless, the coach had his press conference this afternoon and is getting ready for another tough test after their 4-0 defeat to Inter.

“I am very curious to see how the team reacts to three consecutive away games, as it is a new experience for me too,” said Fabregas.

“At times we analyse things too much, and that is all my fault, I raise my hand in front of the players, the loss to Inter was my defeat because of the way I prepared against a top team.

“I saw their defeat to Liverpool and I think we did many things better than they did, but we are a work in progress. If I want Jacobo Ramon to become like Konate or Van Dijk, who made such a big difference defensively, then he needs to learn from these experiences.”

Fabregas ready to take risks with Como

Despite that setback, Como are still flying high in the Serie A table and are ahead of Juventus.

“In the last 25 games, we lost only three, two of them against Inter and the other Bologna,” continued Fabregas.

“This is a competitive team, it doesn’t give up, it wants to play with its own identity.”

Fabregas is also not shy about standing up for his club, even if his power is ultimately not enough to really shift things.

This is revealed in the way he discussed losing Assane Diao to international duty with Senegal for the Africa Cup of Nations next month.

“He is called up and I spoke to him after the game with Inter. I spoke to the coach of Senegal, it was an unpleasant conversation. They have all the power here. Diao will go, if that’s the way they want to deal with it. He’s leaving on Tuesday.”

When it comes to power, the clubs had been pushing to reschedule the Serie A game against AC Milan in Australia, but new problems make that unlikely.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen – fortunately!” replied Fabregas.

There are also concerns for Alvaro Morata due to injury, so he won’t be risked, and Tasos Douvikas should step in upfront.

Maxi Perrone is suspended in midfield and Sergi Roberto nowhere near fully fit either.

Gian Piero Gasperini has influenced so many coaches in Italian football over the years, including a relatively late arrival to Serie A like Fabregas.

“I know Gasperini is a special coach with remarkable methodology that he created, something very different within Italian football. Many coaches, Spanish an English, call me to ask why he does this or that.

“You have to say, wow, this is Gasperini. He created this vision for many years, a clear identity, and helps young players to grow, so for this I have enormous respect.”

Fabregas has also tried to create his own identity at Como, which is why he does not regret the aggressive approach against Inter, even if they lost 4-0.

“I hear Max Allegri at Milan saying they want to finish in the top four, but want to do it their way. I say the same, we want to get there with our own identity. I could’ve been more defensive against Inter, but for the way I see football, it wouldn’t have helped our growth process. We go to the Stadio Olimpico with our ideas.

“I saw the statistics of the Liverpool game, and Inter ran a lot more against us than with Liverpool. I want to create an identity here, which means going to San Siro and playing our game. You can call me arrogant for that, but I prefer this to just going to defend and hope for the best.”

Niclas Füllkrug has not made the right Premier League impact, so West Ham United and his agents are trying to find him a new club in January, offering him to AC Milan and Roma.

However, the Serie A sides have not seemed particularly interested in taking up these proposals, as he has scored zero goals for the Hammers this season and is struggling to deal with the shift from the Bundesliga.

Even being in dire need of a striker, Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini still has his heart set on Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee.

Füllkrug has been a flop for West Ham

We will see if things change, but in the meantime there are more pros than cons on the idea of bringing Füllkrug to Italian football.

The first issue is his age, as he will celebrate his 33^rd birthday in February and West Ham paid €27m to sign him from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2024.

Moving to another new league he is unaccustomed to in January would be risky, so the most likely destination is a return to Germany mid-season.

Luciano Spalletti says Juventus will no longer go into a training retreat before games and confirms he has suggested ‘everyone’ to hire Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano, ‘not just to President Aurelio De Laurentiis.’

Spalletti’s Juventus will visit Bologna at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Sunday, meeting a direct rival in the race for the top four.

Bologna, in fact, are three points above the Old Lady, who ranks 7th in the Serie A table.

Spalletti previewed tomorrow’s match at a press conference, starting with team news.

Bologna-Juventus: Spalletti’s press conference

“Daniele Rugani can already be deployed. As for Bremer, because of his previous injury, he still needs time, and we must be cautious even if he’s available and wants to be there,” Spalletti told reporters via Ilbianconero.com.

Asked whether he’ll have more time next week to test a four-man defence in training, Spalletti replied: “I’m still surprised when I hear about systems in the field. In today’s football, it has changed a little. You don’t win by occupying positions, but spaces, deciding where you want to bring the game. We are going towards one-on-one across the pitch, and we have to adapt. It’s true that I want to use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, trying to do something different, but it’s just the starting point because the game forces you to use other systems during the match.”

Francisco Conceiçao made a substitute appearance in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Pafos, contributing to a 2-0 win, but Spalletti expects a further step forward from the Portuguese.

“His development lies in becoming more decisive. He needs to increase the chances of scoring and be more determined in the attacking phase,” said the Juventus boss.

“He has this lethal outburst of pace that puts you in real trouble when he accelerates. Let’s also add some defensive phases, some duels, but I’ve seen great willingness to track back and help out, so we’re on the right path.”

The Juventus tactician was full of praise for Bologna and their coach, Italiano, confirming he had suggested Napoli hire the Bologna boss in 2023.

Spalletti on Italiano

“There are certainly things you can learn from Italiano. For me, he’s one of the best young coaches we have, and I’ve told everyone to get Italiano, not just President De Laurentiis.

“Credit goes to the coach and those who built the team. They have great quality and know exactly where they want to go,” continued Spalletti.

“They fear nothing and force you into a huge number of duels; they don’t care about how much space they leave behind. We have to break down these fences, not go man against man, but beyond the man. If we are not ready for this, it will be a complicated evening for us to talk about.

“Personality is a fundamental aspect of football. In the past, it only belonged to those who dared a risky play; today, is about accepting a full-pitch battle, pushing the opponents into the spaces you want, beyond the technical gesture,” Spalletti added.

“One single play might be enough to get a passing grade [from the media], but to play like a champion, you have to be in the heart of the team for 90 minutes and close to the ball.

“No one will convince me not to expect great things from these lads; no one will convince me that they aren’t good. A coach has to be obsessed with the idea of improving the team.”

Last but not least, Spalletti said the team would no longer go into a training retreat before matches, which means they won’t travel to Bologna until tomorrow morning.

“A training retreat isn’t a place, but a mental condition,” concluded Spalletti.

“We won’t do it anymore because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s an extra burden. If you are dealing with a group of players with the right mental condition, like those at Juventus, you don’t go into a training retreat. Whoever plays for Juventus is always in this mindset, so we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

• More from the press conference – Spalletti reacts to Elkann claims after offer to buy Juventus: ‘It’s up to us’

Torino celebrated their first win in over two months by seeing off Cremonese thanks to the Nikola Vlasic strike, but there were penalty appeals in stoppages.

The Granata were in crisis after three consecutive defeats, hovering just above the drop zone and without a win in six rounds, and sacking director of sport Davide Vagnati. Giovanni Simeone, Ardian Ismajli and Adrien Tameze were back in the squad, leaving only long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and Zanos Savva. Cremonese were buzzing after back-to-back wins over Bologna and Lecce, sending them into the top 10. Jeremy Sarmiento, Francesco Folino, Alberto Grassi, Mikayil Faye and Michele Collocolo missed the trip, then Matteo Bianchetti pulled out in the warm-up with a nosebleed.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Federico Ceccherini’s header from a corner was well smothered, but Emil Audero needed a great save getting down one-handed to keep out the powerful Che Adams angled drive.

Toro opened the scoring when Duvan Zapata controlled a cross from the left with his back to goal and turned, but in trying to intercept, Federico Baschirotto just knocked it down for Nikola Vlasic to smash in from 10 yards.

Cremonese responded immediately, Alberto Paleari forced into a tricky save on Federico Bonazzoli’s acrobatic chest and bicycle-kick. Moments later, Jamie Vardy drew out the goalkeeper, but couldn’t keep it in play after springing the offside trap.

Toro continued to create the best chances after the restart, Adams stinging Audero’s gloves, while at the other end Ceccherini’s strike was straight at Paleari.

Romano Floriani Mussolini got back for a decisive block on the Marcus Pedersen counter-attack, but Cremonese wasted a golden opportunity to equalise on 80 minutes.

Vardy sprung the offside trap down the left and rolled across only for Faris Moumbagna to fire over as he came sliding in at the back post.

Adams could also have sealed it for Torino, cutting inside Federico Baschirotto to bend a right-foot finish inches past the far post.

Simeone stung Audero’s gloves from a tricky angle too, but there was controversy deep into stoppages when Simeone controlled the Alessio Zerbin free kick with his shoulder and it ricocheted onto the arm. VAR had a silent check, but ultimately decided not to suggest an On-Field Review for a Cremonese penalty.

Torino 1-0 Cremonese

Vlasic 27 (T)

13-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Olympic Grande Torino Stadium

Torino

Cremonese

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Nikola Vlasic (Assist: Duván Zapata)		27'
		36'		Tommaso Barbieri

2nd half

Marcus Pedersen		90+9'
		90+3'		Martín Payero

Match statistic

46

Possession %

54

18

Total shots

10

6

Shots on target

3

4

Shots off target

4

8

Blocked shots

3

6

Corners

6

Offsides

1

20

Fouls

13

Torino

Cremonese

Starting lineups

1

Alberto Paleari

Goalkeeper

44

Ardian Ismajli

Defender

13

Guillermo Maripán

Defender

16

Marcus Pedersen

Defender

23

Saúl Coco

Defender

20

Valentino Lazaro

Defender

90'

66

Gvidas Gineitis

Midfielder

64'

32

Kristjan Asllani

Midfielder

90'

10

Nikola Vlasic

Midfielder

19

Ché Adams

Attacker

83'

91

Duván Zapata

Attacker

64'

1

Emil Audero

Goalkeeper

6

Federico Baschirotto

Defender

3

Giuseppe Pezzella

Defender

63'

15

Matteo Bianchetti

Defender

4

Tommaso Barbieri

Defender

63'

24

Filippo Terracciano

Midfielder

27

Jari Vandeputte

Midfielder

77'

32

Martín Payero

Midfielder

38

Warren Bondo

Midfielder

51'

90

Federico Bonazzoli

Attacker

77'

10

Jamie Vardy

Attacker

Substitutes

81

Franco Israel

Goalkeeper

61

Adrien Tameze

Midfielder

8

Ivan Ilić

Midfielder

14

Tino Anjorin

Midfielder

7

Zakaria Aboukhlal

Midfielder

5

Adam Masina

Defender

21

Ali Dembélé

Defender

71

Mihai Popa

Goalkeeper

25

Niels Nkounkou

Defender

92

Alieu Njie

Attacker

18

Giovanni Simeone

Attacker

64'

22

Cesare Casadei

Midfielder

64'

26

Cyril Ngonge

Attacker

83'

34

Cristiano Biraghi

Defender

90'

6

Emirhan Ilkhan

Midfielder

90'

69

Lapo Nava

Goalkeeper

16

Marco Silvestri

Goalkeeper

23

Federico Ceccherini

Defender

11

Dennis Johnsen

Attacker

8

Mattia Valoti

Midfielder

48

Dachi Lordkipanidze

Midfielder

7

Alessio Zerbin

Attacker

51'

99

Antonio Sanabria

Attacker

63'

22

Romano Floriani Mussolini

Defender

63'

20

Franco Vázquez

Midfielder

77'

14

Faris Moumbagna

Attacker

77'