Antonio Conte left the door wide open to an Italy recall, admitting his future at Napoli is in doubt. ‘If I was the FIGC President, I’d take me into consideration.’

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The 56-year-old has emerged as one of the strongest candidates to take over the reins of the Azzurri after the failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

It would be a return, as he was already on the Nazionale bench from 2014 to 2016, before walking away for a new club experience at Chelsea.

When asked in today’s press conference after Napoli beat Milan 1-0 to leap into second place if he was disturbed or flattered by the Italy rumours, his response was surprisingly open.

Conte not hiding Italy ambition

“Let us not forget that last year, in the final three months of the season, there was talk in the media that I would leave Napoli to go to Juventus, right?” said Conte.

“The media has to write something, and it is only right that my name appears as part of that list. If I was the FIGC President, I would take me into consideration along with others. For many reasons, I would put Conte in that list.

“After all, I have already worked with the Nazionale and I know the environment. I am flattered, because representing your country is something wonderful.

“You all know full well that I have a year left on my contract with Napoli and that at the end of the season I will sit down with the President to discuss it.”

A new coach is only part of the process, as Italian football has struggled since that epic World Cup triumph in 2006, and the EURO 2020 victory is starting to feel like a blip more than a sign of recovery.

What more needs to be done to turn things around?

“It’s disappointing that if we had won that penalty shoot-out with Bosnia and qualified for the World Cup, people would’ve talked about a great achievement and Italy playing great football. Unfortunately, only the results count in this sport now,” noted Conte.

“After three World Cups in a row, however, something serious needs to be done. When I was CT there was a lot of talk, but I got very little help from the clubs.

“Now everything is seen as a disaster, but even in disasters, there is always something that can be salvaged. We’ve got to understand that if things aren’t working, then they remain the same whether we qualify or not. If we had qualified, the same people criticising would’ve called it a triumph.

“We all care about the Nazionale and something must be done.”

Giovane reveals his shock when discovering this morning he ‘might have to start’ in a new role for Napoli against Milan, as Rasmus Hojlund had a virus.

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This was a Scudetto showdown to see who would go into the final seven rounds as genuine challengers to leaders Inter.

It was a rough situation for the Partenopei, who lost Hojlund just hours before kick-off to a stomach bug, with Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Antonio Vergara, Amir Rrahmani and Giovanni Di Lorenzo already injured.

Giovane was used as a makeshift centre-forward, but Politano came off the bench to meet the poor Koni De Winter header at the back post, scoring the winning goal.

Giovane had no time to prepare new role

Reports started to filter through in the afternoon that Hojlund was not in good shape, but it wasn’t much earlier that Napoli found out either.

“When I arrived at the camp this morning, I couldn’t see Hojlund, because he wasn’t well,” Giovane told DAZN Italia.

“Everyone started telling me I ought to get ready, because I might have to play. I am a young guy, I know that I need to improve and learn, and this is a role I have played only a few times.

“I am happy it went well, I really needed a performance like this against a great team like Milan.”

Giovane joined Napoli in January from Hellas Verona, but was always used as a winger and not a centre-forward.

“I had only played there at youth level, but I was ready to help the team. The coach told me to do the counter-movements in the second half, and it did go better.”

Having arrived a few months ago, the Brazilian is yet to fully discover the joys of living in Naples.

“I am rather reserved and don’t really like going out much, Juan Jesus tells me I am a weird Brazilian. What I’ve seen of the city is beautiful, it reminds me of Brazil, so I hope to see more of it.”

Antonio Conte feels Napoli beating Milan to take second place during an injury crisis is ‘extraordinary,’ but while they must be ‘realistic,’ this team still ‘wants to defend the Scudetto to the end.’

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This was a massive showdown for second place and the opportunity to keep up the pressure on leaders Inter, and it really did not start in the best way for the Partenopei.

Rasmus Hojlund came down with a stomach bug overnight and was ruled out of the squad, so with Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Antonio Vergara, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani injured, Conte had to give January signing Giovane his first start as a makeshift centre-forward.

It was a substitute who decided the match, Matteo Politano volleying in a poor Koni De Winter clearance at the back post at the 79^th minute.

Conte thanks decimated Napoli

“This victory gives us a great deal of enthusiasm and confidence, because we must never forget that if we are up there in second place, it is thanks to those lads who covered for all the absences we dealt with this season,” Conte told DAZN Italia.

“Hojlund was missing today, but we haven’t had Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Neres and Vergara for a while either, so that’s five players who are almost all regular starters. It’s extraordinary that the team has stayed up there despite these absences.

“Any other side would’ve fallen apart and lost its fight. I think of Elmas, who came on for the final 15 minutes, he was a key player during the many absences. Mazzocchi, Beukema, they were protagonists over the season.

“That was extraordinary, not what we saw this evening. It’s inevitable that the more players we get fit, the more we have choices and the more we can rotate to keep everyone fresh.”

The news only started to filter through in the afternoon that Hojlund not only might not be in the starting XI, but wasn’t even ready for a spot on the bench.

“This morning the doctor greeted me with this marvellous news that Hojlund had a fever and was vomiting, so I had to change plans, Giovane gave a good response,” explained Conte.

“I am eager during a moment of joy now that we are in second place to thank those lads who stepped up during a tragic sporting situation that could’ve ended badly. They gave a great response, we are starting to get players back, Rrahmani and Giovanni are on track. We hope Neres and Vergara can recover before the end of the season.”

Politano was in part on the bench because he was involved in Italy’s failed World Cup play-off campaign, starting against both Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I was joking with Politano today that I had predicted he’d come on and make the difference when Milan were more tired, in an area of the pitch where they’d attack us more,” revealed Conte.

“I am very glad for Matteo, who scored his second goal of the season. Alisson Santos was important too as a substitute.”

This result means Napoli leapfrog Milan into second place and are seven points behind leaders Inter, who crushed Roma 5-2 last night.

“Now we have to keep going, because there are seven rounds to go and we took an important step towards the Champions League, which is our objective,” added Conte.

“If Milan can say the Champions League is their target, why shouldn’t it be Napoli’s? Juventus say the same too, Napoli won the Supercoppa, but people seem to expect even more from us than these clubs.

“Now we must try to stay up there and defend this position. We know Inter deserve to be first in the table, we are there, and must focus on ourselves.”

More might be expected because Napoli are the reigning Champions of Italy and won two of the last three Serie A titles, even if both times their coaches tried to depict them as sporting miracles.

How much does Conte believe in the possibility of a second consecutive Napoli Scudetto?

“We’ve got to be realistic here. We would need to not make a single mistake, and at the same time hope that Inter slip up more than once. Seeing what Inter have done so far, that seems improbable. They are a very strong squad, they deserve all they are doing, and we must try to just keep our foot on the gas.

“We want to defend the Scudetto to the very end, which we hadn’t been able to do for many months, but now we’ve been able to take back control of our history, our destiny, and we want to keep going, without making proclamations.

“The Champions League spot still needs to be locked down, and it is by no means achieved yet. That truly is a fundamental objective, because everyone knows the financial benefits that brings,” concluded Conte.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season.

The 29-year-old midfielder has fallen out of favour at the London club, and he wants to leave in order to receive regular playing time. According to a report via Football Fancast, the player’s agent is already in talks with Turkish outfit Fenerbahce regarding a summer move.

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Yves Bissouma wants to move on

The player will be out of contract at Tottenham in the summer, but they have an option to trigger a one-year extension in his deal. However, the Mali International is unhappy with his treatment at the Premier League club and does not wish to extend his deal. It will be interesting to see if he can secure a move in the summer.

There is no doubt that he is a quality player, and he has proven his ability in the Premier League with Brighton. Moving to Turkey could be ideal for him. He needs a fresh start at this stage of his career, and the Turkish outfit will provide him with the opportunity he needs.

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Spurs need to replace Bissouma

Meanwhile, Tottenham will look to bring in a quality replacement for him in the summer. They need more quality and depth in the middle of the park. Keeping the International against his wishes makes no sense, and it would be ideal for the north London club to let him move on.

It will be interesting to see where the player ends up.

The midfielder joined Tottenham in 2022 for a fee of around £30 million, and he has had multiple disciplinary problems at the north London club.

The post 29-year-old seeking Tottenham exit this summer, agent already in talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Al Nassr at the perfect moment to reignite their push for the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title and end the club’s recent trophy drought. Adding to the positive mood around the squad, star teammate Kingsley Coman has also made his way back to training.

Coman had been sidelined after picking up a muscular issue during a training session in the March international break, forcing him to miss Al Nassr’s last league outing against Al Najma. With Ronaldo netting a brace in a 5-2 victory over the bottom-of-the-table side, the team got the result they needed, and with tougher fixtures on the horizon, Coman’s return could not come at a better time.

After a two-day rest following Friday’s match, Coman rejoined the group for training on Monday. According to Al Riyadiyah, the French winger made a strong impression despite returning from injury and is expected to be in contention for Al Nassr‘s next fixture against Al Okhdood on Saturday, April 11.

With several players unavailable through injury, head coach Jorge Jesus shifted to a 4-4-2 formation rather than his preferred 4-2-3-1, pairing Cristiano Ronaldo with Abdullah Al-Hamdan up front and deploying Sadio Mané and Abdulrahman Ghareeb on the flanks. Coman’s return gives the Portuguese manager a welcome attacking option to rotate back into the mix.

Since arriving from Bayern Munich, Coman has wasted no time making himself at home at Al Nassr. Comfortable on either flank but particularly effective on the right, the Frenchman has racked up 10 goals and 11 assists across 32 appearances in all competitions, five of those assists going directly to Ronaldo, cementing his status as one of the forward’s most important partners on the pitch.

Al Nassr still managing key absences

Ronaldo’s return from his month-long hamstring layoff, capped by a brace against Al Najma, and Coman’s comeback have provided a significant lift for the squad. However, with seven games remaining in the Saudi Pro League and Al Nassr sitting at the top of the table, the club is still navigating some important injury concerns.

The most pressing issues are at the back, where both Mohamed Simakan and Iñigo Martínez are causing concern. The French center back was restricted to gym work after featuring against Al Najma, while the former Barcelona defender continues to recover from a hamstring tear sustained before the March international break and has yet to return to team training.

Joao Felix, the squad’s leading contributor with 21 goals and 15 assists, is another significant name on the injury list. Reports indicate that after missing the Al Najma game, he remains in a rehabilitation program, though both he and the other absentees could potentially be fit in time for Saturday’s fixture.

Portugal will head into the 2026 World Cup with one major question hanging over them – how to solve their Cristiano Ronaldo problem.

Ronaldo has bagged 143 goals and 46 assists in 226 international appearances. He holds the record for the most international goals in men’s soccer history.

However, there have been widespread debates about whether the 41-year-old will still make an impact when the World Cup is staged in North America this summer.

Portugal have been handed an easy task in Group K alongside Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

While they will undoubtedly fancy their chances of making a deep run this summer, Ronaldo’s continued presence in the squad is potentially problematic.

Portugal shrug off Ronaldo’s absence

Ronaldo has not played for Portugal since his dismissal against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifying match last November.

He was suspended for the subsequent 9-1 victory over Armenia in their final qualifier, before missing the recent friendlies against Mexico and United States with a hamstring injury.

After being held to a goalless draw by Mexico, they breezed past the US courtesy of goals in either half by Francisco Trincao and Joao Felix.

Manager Roberto Martinez has indicated he is likely to return next week and everything points to him being part of the Portuguese squad this summer.

While Football Today and other news publications have questioned whether Ronaldo should play at the World Cup, Benfica manager Jose Mourinho believes Portugal cannot afford to be without him.

Mourinho worked with his compatriot when he was in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, and is adamant that he should start in North America.

“Take Cristiano Ronaldo out of the picture and Portugal look like any run-of-the-mill team,” Mourinho told beIN SPORTS after the draw with Mexico.

“People keep asking us not to call him up. Well, he didn’t play, and you saw the result. No threat, no fear from the opposition. Just a team being put under pressure by Mexico.

“When Ronaldo is on the pitch, the opposition think twice. Without him, they don’t think at all.”

Martinez is falling into the same trap as Mourinho

Although Mourinho’s support for Ronaldo is understandable, judging how Portugal played without him in two friendlies is an exercise in futility.

Martinez is in danger of making the same mistake judging by comments he made in an in-depth interview with journalist Sid Lowe about Portugal’s recent performances.

“We have to accept there’s a debate because there’s only one Ronaldo, a historic icon who changed football – get in a lift and the conversation is the weather or Ronaldo,” Martínez said.

“Everyone has an opinion but it’s based on a perception of Ronaldo, a period of him. The biggest error people make is not analysing him today.

“After the Euros it was: ‘Portugal didn’t win because Cristiano’s playing.’ We won the Nations League and it’s ‘what will Portugal do when Ronaldo retires?’”

Defending Ronaldo’s underwhelming performances at the 2024 European Championship by pointing out the impact he had in the Nations League is a misstep by Martinez.

In simple terms, the Euros carry far more gravitas than the Nations League. The latter is effectively little more than a glorified friendly tournament.

Martinez would be well advised to pay more attention to Ronaldo’s record at previous World Cups, which does not paint a pretty picture.

He has tallied just eight goals and two assists in 22 appearances at the tournament, which is a poor record for a player of his quality.

Resilience alone will not be enough for Portugal

Ronaldo has played in five World Cups for Portugal. He helped them reach the semi-finals in 2006, but that is as good as it has got on the biggest stage.

Despite that record, Martinez believes Ronaldo has earned the right to feature in a sixth World Cup based on his performances in recent seasons.

“An elite player is not the talent, it’s the mentality, the resilience,” Martinez added. “He’s not the Manchester United or Real Madrid winger – he’s a number nine in the area.

“We depend on him to open spaces, score goals. Cristiano’s last three years in the national team were earned, day-by-day: he’s scored 25 in 30 games.

“I evaluate talent, experience, attitude today, and decisions are never taken in an office – they’re taken on a pitch, football takes them.”

Although Martinez’s support for Ronaldo is admirable, it could ultimately be the factor which prevents Portugal from lifting the trophy this summer.

Ronaldo’s previous record at the World Cup leaves a lot to be desired, while scoring goals in the Saudi Pro League proves little in the grand scheme of things.

A case can be made for Portugal using Ronaldo as an impact substitute this summer, but putting him in the starting XI will not achieve the desired results.

Max Allegri admits ‘the Scudetto race is not for us now’ after defeat to Napoli, so they ‘still have work to do to achieve our objective, which is Champions League football.’

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The Rossoneri made big changes at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, leaving the not fully fit Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic on the bench to start an all-new partnership of Niclas Fullkrug and Christopher Nkunku.

They struggled to test Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, and were beaten by a late Matteo Politano volley at the back post, ready to meet the poor Koni De Winter headed clearance.

Allegri regrets after Napoli 1-0 Milan

“It was a game with few scoring opportunities, so we felt like one incident would make the difference,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.

“Napoli did well to make the most of it, our defence was in position, but we conceded that goal. We should’ve been a bit quicker to finish off attacking moves in the second half, as we hesitated and allowed them to close us down.”

The choice of strikers was a big risk when they had not been used together before, but were there fitness problems behind that decision?

“I think Nkunku and Fullkrug had a good game, Nkunku worked for the team and had a couple of opportunities. Someone like him needs to score one of those chances,” replied Allegri.

“Football is made of these situations, the whole team played pretty well. We allowed one Spinazzola shot in the first half we shouldn’t have let him get through, then struggled with a few counter-attacks.

“I thought we recovered the ball three or four times in their half, but made the wrong pass, and that lack of precision is important. We absolutely need to improve, we still have some work to do in order to achieve our objective, which is Champions League football.”

Allegri has a tendency to throw strikers on when in a losing situation, but could Milan attempt a 4-3-3 formation from the start at some point too?

“The 4-3-3 is something we could try from the start, but it depends on fitness levels. Pulisic arrived on Friday from international duty, Leao was out for two weeks and had two half training sessions. I could’ve gone for it earlier, but I preferred to keep the game going for a while.

“Unfortunately, Rafa had started the season well, but has struggled with a series of injury problems.”

This was a head-to-head for second place, and Milan have slipped down to third, now two points behind Napoli and nine adrift of leaders Inter.

Perhaps more worrying, they are now only six points clear of Juventus in fifth, so that Champions League ticket is by no means locked down yet.

“The Scudetto race is not for us now, Inter are nine points away and Napoli are ahead now. We need to focus on ourselves, taking it one game at a time. We are right now on target for our objective, but it won’t be decided within a week or two, we need to maintain that advantage by trying to win games,” warned Allegri.

Matteo Politano came off the bench for a late goal to give Napoli victory over Milan, sending them into second place, with Inter’s lead at the top extended to seven points.

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This was a crucial crossroads in the campaign, as third hosted second to see who would emerge to challenge leaders Inter.

Rasmus Hojlund was ruled out by a stomach bug, so Giovane was the makeshift centre-forward, because Romelu Lukaku was frozen out for seeking treatment in Belgium, with David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Antonio Vergara injured.

Both Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic were only fit for the bench, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek returning after six weeks out with facial fractures, and Matteo Gabbia a long-term absentee, so Max Allegri launched a new front pairing of Niclas Fullkrug and Christopher Nkunku.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Luka Modric squirmed through a crowd to force Alessandro Buongiorno into a bookable offence, and from that free kick Strahinja Pavlovic nodded inches wide of the near post.

Leonardo Spinazzola dribbled past Youssouf Fofana to bend a finish just wide of the far top corner, with Nkunku failing to keep his finish down when sent clear down the left by Fofana.

Giovane sprinted onto a through ball and was shaping up to shoot when blocked off by Pavlovic, but he forced a big one-handed save out of Mike Maignan with a strike from outside the area after the restart.

Maignan also parried a Kevin De Bruyne effort from the by-line at the near post when sent through by Spinazzola, while Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa nodded wide from a promising position.

The breakthrough came in the final stages, as Mathias Olivera’s cross to the back post was only flicked on with a weak Koni De Winter header, finding Matteo Politano on the volley with the left foot from a tight angle to give Napoli the lead.

That magic left foot

Matteo Politano gives Napoli the lead in a must win game

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 6, 2026

Santiago Gimenez saw his header sail just over the bar from a Zachary Athekame cross, while Rafael Leao fired over when going for the same ball as Pulisic.

Napoli 1-0 Milan

Politano 79 (N)

06-04-2026 19:45

MatchDay 31

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli

Milan

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Alessandro Buongiorno

12'

2nd half

Matteo Politano		79'
Matteo Politano		81'

Match statistic

53

Possession %

47

10

Total shots

7

3

Shots on target

1

6

Shots off target

6

1

Blocked shots

0

4

Corners

3

5

Offsides

2

7

Fouls

6

Napoli

Milan

Starting lineups

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

85'

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

74'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

85'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

23

Giovane

Attacker

70'

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

82'

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

62'

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

82'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

74'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

63'

Substitutes

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

70'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

74'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

85'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

85'

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

96

Lorenzo Torriani

Goalkeeper

27

David Odogu

Defender

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

62'

7

Santiago Giménez

Attacker

63'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

74'

10

Rafael Leão

Attacker

82'

8

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Midfielder

82'

Edoardo Bove has revealed that Jose Mourinho went out of his way to get in contact with his parents following his scary cardiac arrest back in 2024, and has again spoken of the reality of going from ‘feeling like a superhero’ to being told he wouldn’t play football again. 

Bove has made a miraculous return to full health after suffering a scary cardiac arrest on the pitch during the first half of a Serie A match between Inter and Fiorentina on December 1, 2024.

The former Roma youngster, who was on loan with Fiorentina at the time, collapsed on the pitch, was rushed to hospital, admitted to intensive care and later had a removable internal defibrillator device fitted. 

The defibrillator prevents Bove from playing professionally in Italy, but it has not stopped him from returning to professional action in the UK, where the rules surrounding heart conditions and defibrillator devices are more loose. For similar reasons, Christian Eriksen was forced to leave Inter after suffering a cardiac arrest at EURO 2020, but was allowed to sign for Brentford and later Manchester United in the Premier League. 

Bove’s journey has taken him to Watford, where he has since gone on to make eight league appearances. 

Bove on cardiac arrest, Watford return and special Mourinho relationship

Bove has spoken about his turbulent last 18 months in an interview with MailOnline. 

“The last thing I remember is when I went down. I woke up in hospital without knowing what happened. I thought I’d been in a car accident,” Bove recalled. 

“Before it happened, I felt like a superhero. They told me I wouldn’t play football again. Sometimes I was thinking, ‘what am I going to do?’. There were very difficult days where everything was going so bad.

“It was hard but it became part of the journey. I’m happy with how it went and I learned more in this year than from anything I’d experienced before.”

During his interview with MailOnline, Bove lifted up his shirt to show what it looks like after having a defibrillator implanted.

“The first month, you struggle sleeping on the side. It changes your physique. When you see yourself changed in the mirror it can be painful – but for me it wasn’t. I’ve never been disappointed.

“I’m so lucky it happened at a perfect age. I was 22. I was mature enough to understand the real meaning, but I also had the energy and power of a young guy.”

Bove also revealed that his former Roma coach, Mourinho, went to special lengths to get in contact during his time in the hospital, at a time when he couldn’t respond to messages or calls from his own phone. 

“He cares about every player he has trained, some of them more than others!

“He wrote to me first but I couldn’t answer anyone, so he got the number of my parents. I have an unbelievable relationship with him. Mourinho is a very important person for me and my family.

“Sometimes when I think about the past, it makes me emotional. But at the same time it makes me proud. It was a long period but I turned a tough moment into an opportunity. 

“I have a different perspective. If you are not open-minded, you lose something about life. I’m happy.”

Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt is currently on loan at Hull City, and he has been quite impressive for them in their push for promotion.

The striker has 17 goal contributions for Hull City this season, and he will be hoping to guide them back to the Premier League. According to journalist James Hoggarth, the player has decided to leave Leeds United permanently at the end of the season, and he wants to join the Tigers.

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Joe Gelhardt has excelled with Hull

He has established himself as a key player for the Tigers, and he wants to play regularly at this stage of his career. Returning to Leeds United does not make much sense for him. He is unwanted at the Premier League club, and he will want to sort out his long-term future quickly. The player has a year left on his current contract with Leeds, and the Premier League will hope to recoup a reasonable sum from his departure in the upcoming window.

Meanwhile, the player is well settled at Hull City, and the Tigers will be delighted that he wants to continue with them. It remains to be seen whether the two clubs can agree on a deal that benefits them.

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Leeds could use funds from Gelhardt sale

Leeds United are fighting for survival in the top flight, and they are 15th in the league table. Even though they are four points above the drop zone, they cannot afford to be complacent now. They will need to perform at a high level in order to guarantee their place in the Premier League next season.

They will look to further improve the team in the summer, and selling players like Gelhardt will bring in funds to fund quality additions.

The post 17-G/A ace has decided he doesn’t want to play for Leeds next season appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United are interested in signing the German defender Karim Coulibaly at the end of the season.

The 18-year-old has impressed with Werder Bremen, and he could be on the move this summer. According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle have now joined the race for his signature. The defender is reportedly ready to embark on a new chapter in his career.

Coulibaly is on the radar of Chelsea as well. Arsenal are also monitoring the German defender.

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Karim Coulibaly is a top talent

Coulibaly has made his mark in the first team at Bremen and has established himself as an important player for the German outfit. He has the quality to succeed in English football as well, and the central defender could develop into a key player for Newcastle with the right guidance.

They need more quality and depth in the defensive unit. They need to find quality long-term replacements for players like Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. The Germany under 21 international could be the ideal long-term investment for them.

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Can Newcastle sign Coulibaly?

It will be interesting to see if Newcastle act on their interest with an official proposal at the end of the season. They have an exciting project, and they are looking to build an ambitious team. The young defender could be attracted to the idea of joining them. Regular Premier League exposure could help him develop further and accelerate his progress. Newcastle have the financial muscle to get the deal across the line as well.

Romano claims that five other European clubs are also interested in signing the defender. Bremen will not want to lose a talented young player like him, and they will hope for a bidding war over his signature.

Newcastle should look to move quickly in order to get ahead of their rivals in the race for Coulibaly’s signature.

The post Newcastle plot summer swoop for German defender, five other clubs in the hunt appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for the West Ham United attacker Crysencio Summerville.

The 24-year-old could be on the move in the summer, and Leeds United are monitoring his situation. According to a report from TEAMtalk, several clubs are interested in the Netherlands International.

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Crysencio Summerville to leave?

The only way he could leave West Ham in the summer is if they go down. They are currently fighting for survival in the Premier League. It remains to be seen whether they can finish the season strongly and secure their place in the top flight for the upcoming campaign as well. Meanwhile, the report adds that Leeds United will consider a move for the Netherlands International if they can secure safety as well. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

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Leeds could use Summerville

Summerville has done reasonably well at West Ham, and a return to Leeds United could be an interesting option. The Whites need more quality in the attack, and the 24-year-old could help them improve. He knows the club well, and he could make an immediate impact. He has registered 11 goal contributions this season, and he could add a new dimension to the Leeds attack.

Meanwhile, West Ham are already lacking in depth in the attacking unit, and they cannot afford to lose the Dutch attacker. They will be desperate to keep him at the club for as long as possible. There is no doubt that they have the players required to secure safety in the Premier League. Nuno Espirito Santo is an experienced manager who could play a key role in their survival.

The post Leeds United keeping tabs on 11-G/A attacker from rival Premier League club appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing the Manchester City defender Rico Lewis at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old could be made available in the summer, and Newcastle are hoping to secure his signature. According to a report from the Chronicle, the player has fallen down the pecking order at Etihad, and they are prepared to cash in on him.

Newcastle had the chance to sign Lewis in the summer as well.

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Rico Lewis needs a move

Lewis has shown his quality in the Premier League with Manchester City, and he could be an important player for Newcastle. The opportunity to play regularly in the Premier League will be quite exciting for Lewis, and Newcastle will be able to provide him with that platform.

The defender has a contract with Manchester City until 2030, and they could demand over £30 million for him.

It will be interesting to see if Newcastle is willing to pay that kind of money for the Manchester City defender. Lewis is a talented young player with a bright future, and he might be able to justify the investment in the long-term. The asking price might seem expensive now, but it could be a solid long-term investment for Newcastle.

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Newcastle could use Lewis

They need a deeper, higher-quality squad to compete regularly in Europe, and they need to plug the gaps during the summer transfer window.

Lewis will be desperate for regular opportunities at this stage of his career, and Newcastle have an exciting project. He is likely to be tempted if they come in the summer. It remains to be seen whether the two clubs can finalise a deal in the coming months.

Lewis has been linked with Tottenham as well.

The post Newcastle plot £30m-plus summer swoop for wide player from PL rivals appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Mikel Arteta urged his Arsenal side to use their back-to-back cup defeats as motivation ahead of facing Sporting CP in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The Gunners take on Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday having suffered a shock exit from the quarter-finals of the FA Cup to Championship side Southampton. […]

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The post Arsenal must turn frustration into motivation against Sporting, says Arteta appeared first on Soccer News.

It has been widely reported that Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City upon the expiration of his contract this summer, and now, Pep Lijnders, appointed (somewhat controversially) as Pep Guardiola’s assistant after assisting Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, has confirmed it. Manchester City assistant Pep Lijnders reveals that captain Bernardo Silva is set to leave the […]

The post Manchester City assistant boss Pep Lijnders confirms Bernardo Silva will leave (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Manchester City assistant boss Pep Lijnders confirms Bernardo Silva will leave (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

Robert Sanchez is still Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper under Liam Rosenior, but according to Football Insider, that’s not expected to be the case for much longer. The 28-year-old Spaniard is quickly losing the faith of the manager, as well as the club hierarchy, especially after his very poor performance in the 3-0 loss to Everton in […]

The post Chelsea in two minds about goalkeeper to replace struggling Sanchez appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Chelsea in two minds about goalkeeper to replace struggling Sanchez appeared first on Soccer News.

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Bayern Munich have established as one of the best teams in the world. With a dominant style of play, they come in as the clear favorites to take the win against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals. Moreover, coach Vincent Kompany receives a major offensive boost. Following his ankle issues, Harry Kane is reportedly close to returning with the German side to face the Spanish side.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Bayern Munich will be able to count on Harry Kane to face Real Madrid, following his ankle issues that kept him out of the last two matches. The Englishman took part in the most recent group training session, participating in all the exercises. As a result, coach Vincent Kompany could opt to start him, looking for him to be a difference-maker in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

Despite this, Kompany has decided not to give any clues about Harry Kane’s starting role against Real Madrid: “The most important thing for us right now is that Harry is available. A muscle injury is different from a ligament injury. Harry knows how important this match is. He also needs to tell us if he is ready to play. We want and need to win this match. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

As it is not a serious injury, Harry Kane could be part of Bayern Munich’s starting lineup, as his impact goes beyond the scoring aspect. With the Englishman, they have their best creative asset, dropping into midfield to receive the ball and opening spaces for his teammates. Being a high-intensity match, coach Vincent Kompany could give him the starting role if he receives medical clearance.

Vinicius Jr. highlights Harry Kane danger in Bayern Munich offense

While Bayern Munich have a deep and competitive roster, Harry Kane stands out as the team’s most decisive player. In the 40 matches he has played, the Englishman has scored 48 goals, providing 5 assists. After being included in the German side’s squad, the striker is preparing for a potential return, making Vinicius Jr. highlight his impact in Real Madrid’s game plan.

In the most recent press conference, Vinicius Jr. acknowledged that the possible presence of Harry Kane in the German side completely changes the game plan: “It changes if he is not starting, because he scores many goals, but they have a great team where many players change positions. We have to be prepared.”

Even if Serge Gnabry could take Kane’s spot, he would not have the same impact at a structural level, leaving significant gaps in the creative phase. For this reason, coach Kompany could risk the Englishman if he is fully fit, looking to make the difference and break down Real Madrid’s defense with the veteran’s versatility, alongside the pace and dribbling of Luis Díaz and Michael Olise on the wings.

Kylian Mbappe has finally returned to Real Madrid‘s starting lineup, but the team has continued to struggle for consistency even with their star striker back in the fold. Now facing a pivotal test against Bayern Munich in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has come out in strong support of the French forward, insisting that “he knows what Real Madrid is.”

For the first time since February 17, Mbappe was back in Madrid‘s starting eleven over the weekend against Mallorca, a match that ended in a stunning 2-1 defeat for Los Blancos. The loss dealt a significant blow to their La Liga title hopes, with Barcelona extending their advantage at the top, and questions quickly emerged about Mbappe’s impact and the shift in playing style compared to when Brahim Diaz had been filling his role.

At Monday’s press conference, Arbeloa was asked about Mbappe’s place in the team ahead of the Bayern tie and did not hesitate to back his man: “It’s clear that Mbappe has different qualities and characteristics than Brahim, and because of that, we have to play in a different way. But I am delighted to have that ‘problem’—to have great players at my disposal, and to have a player like Kylian Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid for matches like tomorrow’s, for knockout ties like this one.“

Arbeloa also expressed full confidence in the player who currently leads the Champions League scoring charts. “I am certain we will see Kylian at his very best, leading the team as he always has, and with great confidence in the rest of the players. In the same way you mention Bellingham, it is a stroke of luck to have everyone available and not have a squad with 10 or 11 injuries, as we’ve had in the past,” he added.

One of the most pointed moments of the press conference came when Arbeloa was asked whether Mbappe had yet to fully grasp what it means to represent Real Madrid, drawing a sharp and direct response. “Mbappe knows perfectly well what Real Madrid is. He dreamt about being a Real Madrid player. I’d like you to ask me again after the Bayern tie,” he said.

Mbappe will also be walking a disciplinary tightrope on Tuesday night. A booking in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu would trigger an automatic suspension through yellow card accumulation, ruling him out of the second leg in Germany.

Does Mbappe’s presence affect Real Madrid’s performance?

Despite missing both the second leg against Benfica and the first leg against Manchester City, Mbappe still leads the competition with a remarkable return of 13 goals in just nine games. However, the Mallorca result immediately reignited debate about how Real Madrid’s style and effectiveness shifts depending on whether the Frenchman is in the lineup.

During Mbappe’s limited involvement in recent matches due to a knee sprain, Real Madrid put together five wins, including victories over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in La Liga, showing impressive levels of both individual quality and tactical cohesion. That run came to an abrupt halt against Mallorca, in the very game that marked Mbappe’s return to the starting lineup.

As Arbeloa confirmed, Brahim Diaz is expected to make way for Mbappe, with the attacking line set to be led by the Frenchman alongside Vinicius Junior. The two are known not only for their exceptional individual qualities but also for their limited defensive output, a trait that raises legitimate concerns against a Bayern Munich side that thrives on building fluidly from the back.

Juventus head coach and former Italy CT Luciano Spalletti has expressed his sympathies with Gennaro Gattuso, who left his role in charge of the national team after Thursday’s World Cup play-off final defeat away against Bosnia and Herzegovina: ‘I put myself in his shoes, my first thoughts went to him’. 

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Spalletti on Italy, Gattuso and why introducing a minimum quota for Italian players in Serie A wouldn’t work

Spalletti gave his honest assessment of the Italy national team set-up during his post-match interview following Juventus’s 2-0 Serie A win over Genoa on Easter Monday. 

Spalletti himself left the role of Italy national team head coach less than a year ago following a miserable EURO 2024 campaign and a costly defeat against Norway in World Cup qualifying, and now, the Azzurri will have to find their third head coach in a year following Gattuso’s recent departure. 

“When the game against Bosnia ended, I swear, I put myself in Gattuso’s shoes, my first thoughts went to him. He’s a decent person, he has passion, he has all the qualities to become one of the best in the world,” Spalletti told the press on Easter Monday. 

“I said to myself: ‘If I’d still been there and it happened to me in that environment, in that stadium … I really wouldn’t have got out of it. 

“I suffered a lot, in a big way. It created a non-reaction. I couldn’t talk about football, I almost hid from it. 

“That said, if Kean had scored, we’d be talking about how great Italy is. We need a bit more balance with these swings of opinions and realise that it’s easy before you get to the national team, when you’re there, you can suffer, it happens, it’s the weight of the situation. We had done well, we won all of our matches except against Norway, but it’s a very heavy situation.” 

Spalletti agrees with large sections of the Italy supporters that there are not enough chances handed to young Italian talents in Serie A. 

“Out of the 33 players on the pitch in Udinese-Como, only two were Italian,” Spalletti pointed out. “That’s a fundamental issue because we have to try and protect our talents. I don’t want to advise, but we can’t do it on our own.” 

Some supporters have called for a minimum number of Italian players to be fielded in each Serie A match, but this is a suggestion that Spalletti admits might be difficult to implement. 

“I’ll give you an example. What if you had an U19 player play in every Serie A team? We’d be forced to have four available just to play one, and then what? I go and watch those players a few years earlier because we need them, but then who actually makes it? You might get none from Juve, but you might get one come through at Cremonese. I need someone who doesn’t let the level drop.

“Our national team is strong, they showed it to you under Gattuso and as far as I’m concerned, he made the right choices. These incidents have decided it, it’s not that we are the worst in the world now. It’s the interpretation of the games that makes the difference. Football is a game of incidents.”

Luciano Spalletti criticised Juventus’s second-half performance despite picking up a 2-0 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Monday evening, and says that after six or seven months at the helm in Turin, ‘I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with’.

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Juventus claimed a 2-0 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Easter Monday thanks to first-half goals from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie, but goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, brought on at half-time, bailed his teammates out with a penalty save, and Spalletti believes that had the spot-kick gone in, it would have become a ‘very difficult’ evening for the Bianconeri. 

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

Spalletti reacts to Juventus 2-0 Genoa: ‘I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with’ 

Despite moving back within a point of Como and the Serie A top four on Easter Monday, Spalletti was still frustrated by some of the things he saw from his players against Genoa, especially in the second half. 

There were complaints that some of the Juventus squad looked tired, which Spalletti insisted can’t be the case as his players received extra time off in the build-up to Monday’s game. 

“It wasn’t tiredness, we didn’t train yesterday or the day before,” Spalletti told Sky after full-time.

“I left them alone because they needed to recover. They had two days off, a training session and a half and then they took a break, so that’s not the case.” 

Spalletti admitted that despite being in charge of Juventus since the end of October, he still doesn’t always know what he’s going to see from his players on the pitch. 

“Sometimes we have to accept that we aren’t the best versions of ourselves. After six or seven months here, I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with. It’s not possible to have a first half like that and then a second half like this. And if they go ahead and score the penalty, it becomes a very difficult evening.” 

There are also concerns for Dusan Vlahovic, who was meant to come on but felt something go in his calf while warming up, and for goalkeeper Perin, who was forced off at half-time, also with a calf issue. 

“There is concern because they both got hurt, they both felt a muscle go,” Spaleltti confirmed. “We need them to have tests to understand how long it will take to get them back on the pitch.” 

Juventus moved back within a point of Como and the Serie A top four with their 2-0 victory against Genoa on Easter Monday, but there were some questions as to why Dusan Vlahovic did not feature off the bench. 

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Goals from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie sent Juventus back within a point of fourth place in Serie A after Como were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese earlier on Monday afternoon. They and Roma in sixth and Atalanta in seventh have seven matches of the 2025-26 season left to fight it out for the final Champions League spot in the Serie A top four. 

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

Why was there no Vlahovic in Juventus 2-0 Genoa?

Vlahovic has recently returned from a five-month injury lay-off following a serious injury to his adductor. He made his long-awaited return with an 11-minute cameo appearance in the 1-1 draw against Sassuolo prior to the international break and was named in the matchday squad to face Genoa on Easter Monday. 

However, Vlahovic felt something in his calf while warming up and the coaching staff decided against risking him on precautionary grounds. 

A calf injury was also the reason why Juventus were forced into a change of goalkeepers at half-time, with the previously out-of-favour Michele Di Gregorio coming on to replace Mattia Perin at the interval. Di Gregorio went on to help his team with an important double-save from the penalty spot along with a series of big second-half stops.

Juventus teammates were full of praise for goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who came on at half-time and made a second-half penalty save to help the Old Lady towards a 2-0 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. 

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Juventus were forced into a rare in-game change of goalkeepers at half-time of their 2-0 victory over Genoa on Easter Monday after an injury to Mattia Perin, which gave a first run-out in five games for the out-of-favour Di Gregorio.

Juventus moved back within one point of the Serie A top four thanks to goals from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie in an eventual 2-0 win over Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa at the Allianz Stadium. 

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

Juventus stars review 2-0 Genoa win: ‘We knew Di Gregorio’s time would come’ 

Di Gregorio had been dropped for Perin for the last four Serie A matches, but was brought on at half-time after the latter felt a problem with his calf. Di Gregorio then went on to make a huge double save from the penalty spot to keep Juve’s two-goal lead in tact. 

“He’s gone through good and bad times with us, but we know his qualities,” said goalscorer Bremer after full-time. “We knew his time would come, and it has come.” 

Andrea Cambiaso added: “Michele is an extraordinary guy. He’s always switched on in training and I’m very happy for him because today he won us a very important game. 

“He was great because of the attitude he had, he’s always been alert and today he showed it.” 

Napoli director Giovanni Manna explains Romelu Lukaku will face ‘consequences’ for his refusal to return from Belgium, but has faith in Giovane in tonight’s big match with Milan.

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It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

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

Whoever wins will be in a position to challenge leaders Inter going into the final seven rounds of the season, as only one point separates Napoli in third from Milan in second going into this clash.

Manna outlines Napoli position on Lukaku

“It is an important match, we want to give a sense of consistency to our positive period of form, and certainly want to consolidate our position in front of our fans,” Manna told DAZN Italia.

“These are two strong teams, they are well-drilled, close together in the table. It is going to be a long and tough match.”

There was a surprising twist in the build-up to this match, because reports emerged this afternoon that Rasmus Hojlund was struggling with a stomach bug, and he is not even fit for the bench.

Lukaku, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Antonio Vergara are also still out of action, though Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa seem to be getting back to full fitness after long lay-offs, so Giovane is the makeshift centre-forward.

“We signed Giovane because we needed an attacking player. Centre-forward isn’t his best role, but he can play there, he is humble, professional, works hard, and that tends to pay off.

“He earned this opportunity, the coach had no doubts, so we have full faith in him.”

Lukaku faces disciplinary action after he refused to return from international duty, preferring to seek treatment in Belgium rather than with the Napoli medical staff.

“The situation is very clear to me. Romelu went to Belgium for international duty, he had a small injury setback and preferred to remain there to train, against what we had asked. Nobody would’ve stopped him from working with his doctors, but we had wanted to talk it over in Naples, and it didn’t happen. We are not happy about that.

“The integrity, respect and value of the group is above all else. Talking about this now is superfluous, because Romelu is not here, he is working in Belgium, I think and hope he will return in a week’s time.

“He knows there will be consequences, but we keep going, Giovane plays today, and so we are happy about that.”

Milan won when these teams met at San Siro in September, but Napoli replied with a 2-0 victory in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final in December.

“We expanded the squad precisely for these issues, and if we hadn’t done that, then we wouldn’t be there competing for our main target, which is a Champions League spot,” added Manna.

“We always fought this season to deal with injuries, but we are here, we want to give more joy to our fans this evening.”

Milan director Igli Tare explains the surprising new strike partnership against Napoli and insists Rafael Leao ‘is a very important player’ despite this season’s problems.

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It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

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

This is a crucial moment in the season, as whoever wins will be in a position to challenge leaders Inter going into the final seven rounds.

Tare stands up for Leao and Milan

“These are two great teams, the table says so as well, we expect a spectacular game of football tonight,” Tare told DAZN Italia.

“Looking at the Juventus victory too, the table is closing up and a victory would be fundamental for us this evening.”

Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic are not at 100 per cent, so rather than risk them, Allegri has launched a new strike pairing of Niclas Fullkrug and Christopher Nkunku.

“We have many excellent strikers, it is a deep squad for this reason, so there is nothing surprising about these choices. The best thing for Allegri today is that he has a lot of options to choose from.

“I generally try to look more to the top than over my shoulder, playing in a stadium with this atmosphere, there is nothing better for a player. We must try to do everything possible to win tonight.”

Leao has struggled as a False 9 and would perhaps prefer to be on the left wing, but how has his season been overall?

“We seem to talk about Leao every week, but his quality is beyond doubt,” replied Tare.

“His problem is that he suffered a lot of injuries this season that never allowed him to express himself in the best way. He was out for two weeks, had a couple of days training with the team, we brought him along because he can make the difference off the bench too.”

Will these setbacks affect the future of a player like Rafael Leao?

“He has a contract for another two years, he is a very important player for Milan,” concluded the director.

These sides have already met twice this season, Milan winning 2-1 in Serie A in September despite the Pervis Estupinan red card, but then Napoli emerged 2-0 winners in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final.

Arsenal will be up against Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, and they will be without Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber. 

Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that both players will miss the first leg of the quarter-finals against the Portuguese outfit, but they could return at the weekend.

Arsenal are coming into this game on the back of a disappointing FA Cup exit against Southampton, and they will be desperate to bounce back strongly. They will look to secure a positive result in the first leg, and the absence of Saka and Timber could be a blow for them. Both players have been very important for Arsenal.

That said, Arsenal have a formidable squad and should be able to deal with the absence of the two players. Furthermore, the class gap between the two teams is significant, and Arsenal should be able to grind out a result against Sporting CP, even without two key players.

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Can Arsenal cope without Saka and Timber?

Arsenal are in the business end of the season, and they cannot afford to lose key players to injury right now. They are in the driving seat when it comes to the Premier League title race, and they will be hoping to win the league title this season. They will also look to progress further in the UEFA Champions League and win their first European Cup.

The Gunners have already struggled in attack at times this season, and Saka’s absence could further complicate matters. Even though Saka has not been at his best this season, he is still a difference maker for Arsenal in the final third. Timber has been exceptional in the full-back role as well. It remains to be seen whether the two players can return to action quickly.

The post Two key stars out for Arsenal, as Arteta confirms injury blow ahead of UCL showdown appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has been linked with a move away from the club at the end of the season.

The French international will be out of contract in the summer, and they have not yet been able to agree on a new contract with the player. According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are now on the verge of agreeing on a new deal with the 26-year-old French international.

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Liverpool have agreement in place with Ibrahima Konate

The report claims that Liverpool have reached a broad agreement with the player and his representatives over a new long-term contract. The 26-year-old has been linked with clubs like Real Madrid in recent months, but it seems that Liverpool has now made a breakthrough in their efforts to keep him at the club for the long term.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich were also monitoring his situation.

Konate has had a mediocre season so far, but he is a quality player who has consistently shown his ability in the Premier League. He is certainly one of the best defenders in the league when he is on form. Keeping him at the club will prove to be a wise decision for Liverpool.

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Liverpool need to keep Konate

It remains to be seen whether the two parties can complete the deal’s formalities and wrap up the agreement quickly. His decision to commit his long-term future to the club will come as a huge boost for Liverpool. It has been a disappointing season for them, and they need to lift the club’s spirits.

It will be interesting to see whether Liverpool can focus on their on-pitch performance and finish the season strongly. Konate will look to sort out his long-term future quickly and focus on his football as well.

The post Blow for Euro giants as Liverpool have agreement in place with 26-year-old’s camp appeared first on CaughtOffside.

It has been widely reported that Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City upon the expiration of his contract this summer, and now, Pep Lijnders, appointed (somewhat controversially) as Pep Guardiola’s assistant after assisting Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, has confirmed it. Manchester City assistant Pep Lijnders reveals that captain Bernardo Silva is set to leave the […]

The post Manchester City assistant boss Pep Lijnders confirms Bernardo Silva will leave (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Manchester City assistant boss Pep Lijnders confirms Bernardo Silva will leave (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

Robert Sanchez is still Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper under Liam Rosenior, but according to Football Insider, that’s not expected to be the case for much longer. The 28-year-old Spaniard is quickly losing the faith of the manager, as well as the club hierarchy, especially after his very poor performance in the 3-0 loss to Everton in […]

The post Chelsea in two minds about goalkeeper to replace struggling Sanchez appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Chelsea in two minds about goalkeeper to replace struggling Sanchez appeared first on Soccer News.

Amid an era that seemed hopeless, Ronaldinho emerged as the team’s most important player, completely transforming Barcelona’s impact. The Brazilian not only won two LaLiga titles but also lifted the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, leaving a historic legacy. As a living legend of Los Blaugranas, he remains closely attentive to the team’s current situation, praising Lamine Yamal and his impact.

In a recent interview with Diario Olé, Ronaldinho was asked if he thought the historic number 10 jersey was in good hands with Lamine Yamal. In response, the Brazilian said: ”Without a doubt. He is one of the best in the world, still very young, but he already does incredible things. It is very well taken care of.“

Despite being only 18 years old, Lamine Yamal has already played 147 matches for Barcelona, becoming an undisputed starter under Hansi Flick. Moreover, he has made a real impact, scoring 46 goals and providing 50 assists, making him one of the team’s most productive players. With this influence, the Spaniard finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, making it clear that his talent is on another level.

Beyond the statistics, Lamine has lived up to the historic number 10 jersey, inherited from Lionel Messi. With his versatility and game intelligence, the Spaniard provides reliability to the team, not only excelling in dribbling but also contributing to the attacking midfield role, unlocking matches against defensively solid opponents like Newcastle United or Atlético Madrid. With this, he is on track to build a historic legacy at Barcelona.

Lamine Yamal tipped as breakout star of 2026 World Cup

Although Lamine Yamal has proven to be one of the best players in the world, he is still often regarded as a potential talent, having won the Kopa Trophy in 2024 and 2025. However, he has not yet led Barcelona to a Champions League title as a key figure, nor Spain in the UEFA Euro, as he did not score in the final. For this reason, he could consolidate his status at the 2026 World Cup with his national team.

Unlike other editions, Spain arrive at the anticipated tournament as a clear favorite to win the trophy. Not only do they have players with extensive experience, but they also boast young talents capable of making the difference. If Lamine Yamal manages to emerge as the tournament’s top scorer or MVP, winning the trophy, he would immediately be considered a generational player—something that already happened with Mbappé.

In case he shines at the 2026 World Cup, Lamine Yamal would have nothing left to prove, as he would have demonstrated his impact in decisive moments. With this, the Spaniard would become a clear favorite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, potentially establishing as the best player in the world, becoming the youngest Barcelona player to win both awards in the same season.

Juventus closed to within a point of Como in fourth place with a 2-0 victory over Genoa, as Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie scored, substitute Michele Di Gregorio saving a penalty.

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The Bianconeri were feeling the pressure after a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo left them in joint fifth place, although Como’s draw in Udine gave them the opportunity to close the gap on fourth. While they finally had a full squad to choose from, Dusan Vlahovic and Arek Milik were only ready for the bench. Genoa missed Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Maxwel Cornet and Benjamin Siegrist after a run of three wins in four games was ended by a home defeat to Udinese. It was a touchline reunion for Luciano Spalletti and his former Roma player Daniele De Rossi.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took just four minutes to break the deadlock, as after the first Gleison Bremer header was charged down, Khephren Thuram and Lloyd Kelly knocked it back into the box for another Bremer header, this one wrong-footing Justin Bijlow with a deflection off Johan Vasquez.

Thuram flashed just wide and Ruslan Malinovskyi’s powerful free kick was deflected for a corner, but Juventus added a second with a well-worked move.

Weston McKennie started it in the centre-circle sending Francisco Conceicao down the right, continued his run and was ready to sweep home the return pass from 12 yards off the inside of the right boot.

However, McKennie was booked soon after for a clumsy sliding tackle on Vasquez and will be suspended for the big match with Atalanta.

Kenan Yildiz had a couple of weak efforts straight at Bijlow, but McKennie wasted an astonishing chance on the stroke of half-time.

Conceicao’s cross to the far post was acrobatically knocked back at the by-line by Kenan Yildiz, but McKennie somehow turned over from point-blank range.

Moments later, Conceicao went for goal himself, an angled drive flashing across the face of goal to skim the back stick.

Michele Di Gregorio came on for the second half, as Mattia Perin sustained a slight calf issue.

Juve continued to pour forward, as first McKennie was sliding in unable to fully meet the Thuram knockdown in a free kick routine, then moments later Jonathan David’s screamer from the edge of the area thumped the inside of the far post.

Tommaso Baldanzi fired straight at Di Gregorio, while the Vasquez strike was charged down, along with a Vitinha volley from a corner.

Vlahovic was getting ready to come on when he felt a calf twinge in the warm-up, so Milik was introduced instead.

Bremer brought down Aaron Martin for a yellow card, but VAR confirmed the contact was on the line, which is part of the penalty area. Martin stepped up, but Di Gregorio marked his unexpected return with a huge double save, first on the Martin spot-kick, then the follow-up volley too. It means Genoa have failed to convert four of their eight Serie A penalties this season, with four different players missing.

Baldanzi made a big difference since coming on for Genoa and was brought down by Thuram this time inches outside the box.

Arkadiusz Milik spotted Bijlow off his line and attempted an audacious lob from the centre-circle, which the Genoa goalkeeper scrambled back to claw away.

Juventus 2-0 Genoa

Bremer 4 (J), McKennie 17 (J)

Saved penalty: Martin 75 (G)

06-04-2026 17:00

MatchDay 31

Juventus Stadium (Allianz Stadium)

Juventus

Genoa

2 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Bremer (Assist: Lloyd Kelly)		4'
Manuel Locatelli		15'
Weston McKennie (Assist: Francisco Conceição)		17'
Weston McKennie		26'

2nd half

		51'		Morten Frendrup
Bremer		72'
		75'		Aarón Martín
Khéphren Thuram		78'

Match statistic

62

Possession %

38

16

Total shots

12

5

Shots on target

3

8

Shots off target

2

3

Blocked shots

7

5

Corners

5

0

Offsides

0

10

Fouls

8

Juventus

Genoa

Starting lineups

1

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper

46'

27

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

84'

3

Bremer

Defender

6

Lloyd Kelly

Defender

15

Pierre Kalulu

Defender

19

Khéphren Thuram

Midfielder

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

22

Weston McKennie

Midfielder

7

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

83'

30

Jonathan David

Attacker

67'

10

Kenan Yıldız

Attacker

90'

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

83'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

66'

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

52'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

66'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

9

Vitinha

Attacker

Substitutes

9

Dusan Vlahovic

Attacker

23

Carlo Pinsoglio

Goalkeeper

8

Teun Koopmeiners

Midfielder

4

Federico Gatti

Defender

20

Loïs Openda

Attacker

18

Filip Kostic

Midfielder

11

Edon Zhegrova

Attacker

32

Juan Cabal

Defender

16

Michele Di Gregorio

Goalkeeper

46'

14

Arkadiusz Milik

Attacker

67'

21

Fabio Miretti

Midfielder

83'

2

Emil Holm

Defender

84'

13

Jeremie Boga

Attacker

90'

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

4

Amorim

Midfielder

98

Jacopo Grossi

Midfielder

99

Latif Ouedraogo

Defender

8

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

52'

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

66'

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

66'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

83'

It’s a huge Scudetto battle between third and second, as Napoli lose Rasmus Hojlund, so Giovane, Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay start, while Milan revamp with Niclas Fullkrug, Christopher Nkunku and Luka Modric.

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It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

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

This is a decisive crossroads in the campaign, as whoever wins will be in a position to challenge leaders Inter going into the final seven rounds of the season.

Napoli are still missing Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Antonio Vergara, with Lukaku frozen out of the squad as punishment for refusing to return early from international duty, seeking instead to continue treatment in Belgium.

The situation took a totally unexpected turn today when Hojlund came down with a stomach bug and fever, so he is not even fit for the bench, having started the last 29 games in a row.

Antonio Conte can finally start De Bruyne, McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa together after their injury problems.

They need to provide support for makeshift centre-forward Giovane, who joined from Verona in January.

Miguel Gutierrez is preferred to Matteo Politano, who struggled for Italy in the World Cup play-offs, as Napoli seek a fifth straight Serie A victory.

Milan have quite a few problems to deal with after the hard-fought 3-2 win over Torino, because Rafael Leao is still not fully fit after a hip inflammation, while Christian Pulisic returned fatigued from international duty with the USMNT.

With that in mind, Max Allegri launches a brand new front pairing of Fullkrug and Nkunku, neither of them entirely accustomed to starting, let alone together.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is back on the bench for the first time since suffering facial fractures in a collision with the Parma goalkeeper in February, so only Matteo Gabbia remains out of action entirely.

Davide Bartesaghi is chosen ahead of Pervis Estupinan, with Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot in midfield.

These teams have already met twice this season, as Milan won 2-1 at San Siro in Serie A in September, then Napoli sealed a 2-0 victory in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on December 12.

Napoli vs. Milan official line-ups

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Juan Jesus, Buongiorno, Olivera; Gutierrez, Lobotka, Anguissa, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, McTominay; Giovane

Milan: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Fullkrug, Nkunku

06-04-2026 19:45

MatchDay 31

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli

Milan

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Alessandro Buongiorno

12'

2nd half

Matteo Politano		79'
Matteo Politano		81'

Match statistic

53

Possession %

47

10

Total shots

7

3

Shots on target

1

6

Shots off target

6

1

Blocked shots

0

4

Corners

3

5

Offsides

2

7

Fouls

6

Napoli

Milan

Starting lineups

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

85'

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

74'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

85'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

23

Giovane

Attacker

70'

16

Mike Maignan

Goalkeeper

33

Davide Bartesaghi

Defender

23

Fikayo Tomori

Defender

82'

5

Koni De Winter

Defender

31

Strahinja Pavlovic

Defender

12

Adrien Rabiot

Midfielder

56

Alexis Saelemaekers

Midfielder

62'

14

Luka Modric

Midfielder

19

Youssouf Fofana

Midfielder

82'

18

Christopher Nkunku

Attacker

74'

9

Niclas Füllkrug

Attacker

63'

Substitutes

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

70'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

74'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

85'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

85'

1

Pietro Terracciano

Goalkeeper

4

Samuele Ricci

Midfielder

2

Pervis Estupiñán

Defender

30

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

96

Lorenzo Torriani

Goalkeeper

27

David Odogu

Defender

24

Zachary Athekame

Defender

62'

7

Santiago Giménez

Attacker

63'

11

Christian Pulisic

Attacker

74'

10

Rafael Leão

Attacker

82'

8

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Midfielder

82'

Juventus had dropped Michele Di Gregorio as their first choice goalkeeper, but he replaced Mattia Perin at half-time in today’s game with Genoa.

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You can follow all the action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

Juventus forced into goalkeeper change

The Bianconeri have seemingly changed their hierarchy of goalkeepers due to recent form, as coach Luciano Spalletti had started out picking Di Gregorio, but switched to Perin after a series of errors.

The former Monza man was benched for six games in a row between Serie A and the Champions League, not featuring since the 2-0 home defeat to Como on February 21.

He was also on the touchline for this evening’s Week 31 fixture against Genoa, but surprisingly came on for the second half.

Sky Sport Italia report this is because Perin felt a twinge in his calf muscle and it was decided not to risk further damage, so Di Gregorio came on in his place during the break.

Crysencio Summerville has been linked with a move away from West Ham United at the end of the season.

The London club is currently struggling for safety in the Premier League, and it remains to be seen whether they can survive in the top flight.

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Crysencio Summerville is on the radar of multiple clubs

According to a report from TuttoAtalanta, multiple Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on his situation, and they could look to make a move for him in the summer. Tottenham, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford, and Everton are all keen on securing his signature. The player could cost around €30 million, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.

His former Leeds have been mentioned as a potential destination as well.

Tottenham need more quality on the flank, and the Dutch attacker could be a useful acquisition. He is well settled in English football, and he could make an immediate impact. The opportunity to join Spurs will be exciting for him. Summerville has 11 goal contributions this season.

However, Tottenham are fighting for survival as well. They have had a disastrous season, and it remains to be seen whether they can stay up.

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Spurs could use Summerville

They will need to improve the attacking unit in the summer, and investing in Summerville could be a wise decision. The 24-year-old will want to compete at a high level and fight for trophies. Even though Tottenham are struggling right now, they have quality players at their disposal and have brought in a quality manager like Roberto De Zerbi. There is no reason why they cannot bounce back strongly next season and compete towards the top end of the table.

They have the resources to pay the asking price as well. The Netherlands international could justify the investment and help them improve going forward.

The post Tottenham join five-way tussle for €30 million-rated Dutch International appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool and Chelsea continue to be linked with Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig.

The 19-year-old has been excellent in the Bundesliga, and he is on the radar of multiple clubs this summer. Spanish Champions Barcelona are also monitoring his situation. It remains to be seen whether they decide to make an approach for him in the summer.

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Yan Diomande is a player in demand

According to a report from SPORT via SportWitness, the player could cost around €70 million. The two Premier League clubs are prepared to offer over €60 million to get the deal done, and it remains to be seen whether Barcelona can match that. The report claims that Barcelona are facing financial constraints and will only be able to afford the 19-year-old African winger if they sell any of their existing attackers.

Financially, the Premier League clubs are clearly well placed to get the deal done, and it remains to be seen where Diomande ends up. He is a young player with a lot of potential, and he could develop into a star in future.

The move to the Premier League could be the ideal next step in his career. He has shown his quality in the Bundesliga, and he has the technical attributes to make an immediate impact in England as well.

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Apr 6 2026, 21:20

Diomande could improve Liverpool and Chelsea

Liverpool and Chelsea need more pace and unpredictability in the final third. The 19-year-old could be the ideal investment for them. He has 19 goal contributions this season, and he will only improve with coaching and experience.

The 19-year-old has previously admitted that he would love to play for Liverpool in future. He is a boyhood Liverpool fan, and his father dreams of watching him play for the Premier League champions. The Reds might have an advantage in the race for his signature.

Diomande is also a target for Arsenal.

The post Liverpool and Chelsea ready to pay over €60m Barcelona target who idolises the Reds appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are looking to strengthen their defensive units in the summer, and they have identified the Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic as a target.

The defender has impressed with his performances in Italy with Sassuolo, and he could prove to be a quality addition for the two English clubs. According to reports via SportWitness, the player could cost around €30 million.

The Italian club signed him for €5 million and is now looking to make a substantial profit. It remains to be seen whether the Premier League club will come forward with an official offer to get the deal done.

Manchester United have been scouting Muharemovic as well.

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Spurs could use Tarik Muharemovic

Tottenham could use more quality in depth in the defensive unit. Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from the club, and they need to replace him properly. Muharemovic could be a quality long-term investment for them. The opportunity to join the Premier League club will be exciting for the 23-year-old as well. He is a young player with a lot of promise, and they could groom him into a future star.

On the other hand, Aston Villa need a quality long-term replacement for Tyrone Mings.

They are pushing for Champions League qualification in the upcoming campaign, and they could be an attractive destination for the young defender.

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Where will Muharemovic end up?

It will be interesting to see which of the two clubs comes forward with an official offer to sign the player. They have the resources to pay €30 million for him, and the young defender might be able to justify the investment in future.

Muharemovic has the physicality and technical attributes for English football, and he will look to establish himself as a reliable defender in the Premier League if a transfer goes through.

The post Tottenham and Aston Villa lineup move for 23-year-old defender, club set for 6x profit appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Despite not being called up by Brazil since Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival, Neymar Jr. remains focused on earning his place at the 2026 World Cup. Following his knee surgery, the veteran has been thriving with Santos, playing a key role both as a scorer and a creator. After not being included in the most recent friendlies, Neymar reportedly underwent another procedure on his knee, seeking to reach full physical condition for the anticipated tournament.

According to Estadao Esporte, Neymar Jr. decided to undergo a regenerative procedure on his knee, aiming to convince Carlo Ancelotti that he is in full shape to compete with Brazil in the 2026 World Cup. Using his own blood, this procedure seeks to accelerate the healing of micro-injuries and strengthen joint tissues. With this, the veteran aims to prove his full physical condition ahead of the tournament.

Neymar Jr. has followed a strategy of managing his playing time, not featuring in every Santos match. As a result, the veteran has been able to boost his performances, recording three goals and three assists in six games. Beyond the statistics, he remains the team’s best player, creating space and distributing play to his teammates. For this reason, the 34-year-old star is pushing for a return to Brazil’s national team.

Even though the veteran has been impressing, Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly not convinced about his return to Brazil. Instead, he is looking toward alternatives that can deliver immediate results, with Endrick, Igor Thiago, and Lucas Paquetá emerging as the leading options. However, Neymar could still push for a return to the national team by continuing to deliver solid performances with Santos.

Neymar Jr. could be a major boost for Brazil at the 2026 World Cup

After his numerous injuries, Neymar Jr. is no longer at the same level he showed during his time at PSG or Barcelona. However, he has managed to adapt his style of play, becoming more of a creative midfielder rather than a dribbling winger. While this could raise some doubts, the veteran could still elevate the performances of players like Vinicius Jr. or João Pedro at the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar’s potential presence would attract the attention of opposing defenders, opening up space for his teammates to shine. Moreover, Brazil still lacks a player capable of dictating play and finding spaces the way the veteran does. In addition, he could be key in the rotation, bringing a different rhythm against more compact defenses—something that could be common in the anticipated tournament.

Following Carlo Ancelotti’s departure, Xabi Alonso emerged as the ideal solution for Real Madrid, as he was coming off an impressive spell with Bayer Leverkusen. However, he was dismissed just a few months after his arrival, amid poor results and reported dressing room issues. Far from hiding these differences, Vinicius Jr. has acknowledged having difficulties with Xabi Alonso during his tenure as head coach.

“I played matches, but only a few minutes. But every coach has their own methods, and I didn’t connect the way he (Xabi Alonso) wanted. Still, it was a learning experience, and I hope I can continue with Arbeloa, with whom I have a wonderful connection and who has always given me confidence… With Arbeloa, I’ve had a special connection, like I did with Ancelotti. He has always made clear what he wants from me,” Vinicius Jr. said in the latest press conference.

Under Xabi Alonso, the Brazilian had a less prominent role on the offensive end, taking on multiple defensive responsibilities. As a result, he delivered fairly inconsistent performances, leading to him being frequently substituted—something that did not usually happen. In response, Vinicius Jr. reportedly paused his renewal, making it clear that he did not see a future at the club if the Spanish coach remained in charge.

Despite being dismissed, Xabi maintained solid performances at Real Madrid, recording 5 losses, 20 wins, and 3 draws in 28 matches, outperforming Álvaro Arbeloa. Alongside this, he aimed for a dominant style of play, building his attack around Kylian Mbappé. As the season progressed, the Spaniard was forced to adapt his approach, as the absence of an organizing midfielder defined his short stint at the club.

Xabi Alonso lacked the players to impose his style at Real Madrid

Throughout his managerial career, Xabi Alonso has found success by relying on a 3-4-2-1 system, built around two midfielders capable of organizing play and providing balance. Because of this, the Spaniard reportedly pushed for Luka Modric’s continuity—something the front office ultimately rejected. Without a player with the Croatian’s profile, he was unable to solidify the foundations of his sporting project.

Upon his arrival at Los Blancos, coach Xabi reportedly requested the signing of a playmaking midfielder, which was also turned down. As a result, the front office expected Eduardo Camavinga or Jude Bellingham to step up in that role. However, neither of them managed to truly excel in that aspect, leading to a constant imbalance within the team.

Alongside these issues, the coach failed to properly fit Vinicius as a forward, instead deploying him as a left wing-back, while relying on Bellingham and Guler as attacking midfielders behind Mbappé. Ultimately, Xabi Alonso’s departure can be summed up by his attempt to adapt the players to his system rather than adjusting his system to suit his players. As a result, the Spaniard was dismissed, leaving fans disappointed.

Raffaele Palladino was ‘satisfied’ with Atalanta’s 3-0 victory away to Lecce, which put them back in the race for the top four. ‘It was the first of eight finals, we’ll keep climbing that mountain.’

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La Dea put themselves right back in the race for a top four finish and return to the Champions League, as they started the final sprint of eight rounds with a 3-0 victory away to Lecce.

Giorgio Scalvini opened the scoring in the first half at the Stadio Via del Mare, followed by Nikola Krstovic and Giacomo Raspadori, while Marco Carnesecchi never really had a save to make.

Palladino believes in Atalanta comeback

“This was a game with many hidden dangers, as the first after the break for international duty is always complicated to get everyone back together again,” Palladino told DAZN Italia.

“It wasn’t easy to prepare for this, the two teams also struggled with the heat as the temperature is changing, so that made the passing too predictable.

“We adjusted as time went on and did well to attack the space. I’m satisfied with the performance, another clean sheet also gives confidence to the defence.

“It was the first of eight Finals, now we must continue our climb up that mountain.”

If Champions League football and a top four finish seemed improbable when Palladino took over from Ivan Juric in November, the situation is very different now.

Atalanta are within five points of fourth place after Como were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese today.

“We expected Lecce to be aggressive, as this was a decisive match for them, so I liked the maturity shown by my team in dealing with that early strong approach,” continued Palladino.

“We let them have their runs down the flanks with Banda and Pierotti, but blocked off the channels with quality, technique and dynamism.”

Having been eliminated from the Champions League Round of 16 by Bayern Munich, Atalanta are still in the Coppa Italia semi-final, having drawn the first leg 2-2 with Lazio.

“Now we have two head-to-head clashes coming up, plus the Coppa Italia semi-final, so I asked the team to raise the bar. Everyone is really involved in this fight,” continued the coach.

“Our DNA is to attack and defend together, the players know how much I care about everyone contributing to the two phases. We need altruism in the final third to find the player in the best position to score, I saw some of that today, and we could’ve won by a wider margin.”

It is not just Como’s draw that represented a boost for Atalanta, but Roma losing 5-2 to Inter also means La Dea are within a point of their former boss Gian Piero Gasperini in sixth.

“Obviously, those results were positive for us, I tried to keep the lads concentrated on our own path. I asked them to finish off this journey by giving their all, then we will see where we end up,” concluded Palladino.

Rasmus Hojlund is reportedly out of tonight’s big game between Napoli and Milan with a virus, so Giovane or Alisson Santos could step in.

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It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

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

This is a huge match for the title race, as the winner will be in a position to keep up the pace with leaders Inter and pressure them to the end.

Napoli must do without Hojlund

Hojlund was set to start his 30^th game in a row for Napoli, but there were reports this afternoon that he was struggling for fitness.

Details were scarce, it was assumed he had sustained an injury on international duty with Denmark, but Sky Sport Italia now confirm it is a different matter.

Hojlund started feeling ill last night with a high fever, vomiting and stomach bug, he is still not in any fit condition to play, so is likely to not even be on the bench tonight.

The 23-year-old was their top scorer with 14 goals and four assists in 37 competitive games.

It’s a devastating blow for Antonio Conte, who was already missing Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Antonio Vergara, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani.

Giovane is the only real striker available, although some are suggesting that Alisson Santos could be used as a False 9 instead.

Juventus director of sport Marco Ottolini faces his old club Genoa, giving updates on contract talks with Dusan Vlahovic and Luciano Spalletti. ‘Italian football needs vision and patience.’

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).

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

The pressure is on the Bianconeri to secure Champions League qualification, which became more difficult after their 1-1 draw with Sassuolo going into the break for international duty.

However, a win here would put them within a point of fourth place, seeing as Como were held 0-0 by Udinese earlier today and Roma lost 5-2 to Inter.

Ottolini outlines Juventus vision

“It is a special game for me, I want to salute all of Genoa, as I spent some unforgettable years there,” Ottolini told Sky Sport Italia.

“The team is doing well, including those who returned from international duty, and we are ready to concentrate on this final sprint.”

Vlahovic and Arek Milik made their comebacks two weeks ago, but are still only fit for the bench to begin with after so many months on the treatment table.

The Serbian is only under contract until June 30, but while his exit as a free agent had seemed inevitable, it is increasingly likely that a new agreement will be reached.

“With Dusan we started talking again after his return from Belgrade, showing the mutual desire to sit down and evaluate the situation. Those talks will continue over the next few weeks. There is nothing more to say than that,” explained Ottolini.

Coach Spalletti is also in discussions for a contract extension, as he arrived to replace Igor Tudor and penned a short-term deal without guarantees, even if he qualifies for the Champions League.

“With the coach, as he himself said, there is no rush. We are concentrated on these final games, but talks are at an advanced stage.”

Although Jeremie Boga had been expected to start, it is Jonathan David who gets the nod in attack, with Francisco Conceicao, Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz in support.

It also remains to be seen how the Italy internationals in the squad will react after the World Cup play-off failure to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The debate over how to get more young players to develop in Italy also involves stronger use of second teams.

“We were the first club in Italy to set up the Next Gen team and are very pleased with how that is progressing, but naturally that also requires investment and infrastructure,” explained Ottolini.

“It also needs patience, but if you have a medium to long-term vision, it does bring results, and we will continue to put our faith in this project.

“When it comes to Italian football as a whole, many expressed their opinions, but I feel we need to sit down, set individual interests aside, and focus on the system in total.”

Daniele De Rossi explains his Genoa choices against Juventus and why he admires Luciano Spalletti. ‘He keeps up to date with changes in football and remains a modern coach.’

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).

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

De Rossi outlines Genoa decisions

Genoa went into the break for international duty off a home defeat to Udinese, but are missing Brooke Norton-Cuffy after he suffered an injury with the England Under-21 side.

There were different options on the left flank, but Aaron Martin got the nod ahead of Stefano Sabelli.

“I can’t be using left-footed players on the opposite flank, Martin is suited to the left, so I’ll keep him there. We can solve games like this with set plays and Martin is a maestro, and his fitness levels really improved recently,” De Rossi told Sky Sport Italia.

“With five substitutions, it helps to have a deep squad, but I think Juventus have a great starting XI and play some of the best football currently in Italy along with Como.”

It is a touchline reunion with De Rossi’s former Roma coach Spalletti, and the veteran said that he considered DDR one of his ‘football sons’ who went on to become tacticians.

“He taught me so much, I worked with him when I was very young, he left and came back an even better coach than I remembered,” explained De Rossi.

“That means he is always eager to keep up to date with changes in football, continue to develop, and remain a modern coach, even when the years tick by.”

It was a long rapport, because De Rossi played 251 competitive games under Spalletti, more than with any other coach.

The midfielder scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists in that time.

Roma are expected to be without Gianluca Mancini for two to three weeks after tests showed a serious injury during the 5-2 defeat to Inter.

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The defender had been in the starting XI at San Siro on Easter Sunday and scored the equaliser, but then limped off at half-time clutching the top of his right thigh.

Mancini injury confirmed for Roma

Now tests have identified the source of the problem, namely a lesion to the adductor in the right leg.

According to the Corriere dello Sport and Sky Sport Italia, it means Mancini is expected to be out of action for two to three weeks.

It would rule him out of the games against Pisa on April 10, Atalanta on April 18 and possibly also the trip to Bologna on April 25.

This is a further blow for the Giallorossi, who were already missing Wesley, Manu Koné, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson.

Their chances of making it into the Champions League suffered a blow with that 5-2 defeat to Inter, although they were boosted by the fact Como in fourth were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese today, keeping them within reach.

Chelsea and Manchester United are interested in signing Kerim Alajbegovic at the end of the season.

The 18 year-old winger has impressed with Red Bull Salzburg, and his performances have attracted the attention of the Premier League club. However, Bayer Leverkusen recently announced that the player will join them in a long-term deal.

He was a youth player for the German club, and they have decided to bring him back following his impressive performances in Austria. According to a report from Reprezentacija, the German outfit could be open to selling him immediately for a profit, and a deal could be worth around €30 million. Chelsea and Manchester United have already made contact to sign him.

Chelsea and Manchester United could use more quality on the flanks, and the 18-year-old could be a solid long-term acquisition. He will add goals, creativity and unpredictability in the final third. The opportunity to move to England could be exciting for him. Chelsea and Manchester United are elite clubs, and they could groom him into a future star.

However, Alajbegovic should look to join a club that will give him regular opportunities. Sitting on the bench at a big club could be detrimental to his growth. If Chelsea or Manchester United fail to provide him with the necessary assurance, it would be ideal for him to return to his former club in Germany.

The 18-year-old should focus on his development for now. He is a promising player with a bright future, and he will have plenty of opportunities to join a bigger club in future.

Alajbegovic is a left-sided winger, but he is versatile enough to operate on either flank. He has 11 goals and three assists to his name in all competitions this season.

The post Chelsea and Man Utd make contact over €30m move for 11-goal sensation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Roberto De Zerbi is looking to improve his attacking unit in the summer, and he has identified Moise Kean as a target.

The 26-year-old has 13 goal contributions this season, and he could prove to be an excellent addition for the North London club. He has played in the Premier League with Everton and knows the league well. He might be able to adapt quickly.

According to a report from Calciomercato.It, the player has a €62 million release clause in his contract, but Fiorentina could sanction his departure if an offer of €50 million is presented in the summer. Tottenham have the resources to pay the asking price for him, and it remains to be seen whether they act on their interest with an official proposal.

Kean has managed to rediscover himself since his return to Italy, and it remains to be seen whether he is prepared to return to England. He had an unsuccessful time with Everton. He has the physicality and technical attributes for English football, and he is at the peak of his career. He is certainly better equipped to succeed in the Premier League this time around.

Furthermore, the opportunity to work with a quality manager like De Zerbi could be attractive for him.

Tottenham need to add more cutting-edge in the final third if they want to do well next season. Dominic Solanke has not been able to find the back of the net consistently. He needs more support in the attack, and the Italian International could share the goal-scoring burden with him.

It has been a disappointing season for Tottenham, and they need to improve the team in multiple areas if they want to bounce back strongly next season.

The post De Zerbi sets sights on €62m star with PL experience to revive Tottenham attack appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Verdict: Draw Best odds: 27/10 Bookmaker: ZetBet Tuesday’s Champions League quarter‑final first leg brings an intriguing subplot as Arsenal travel to Lisbon to face Sporting, with Viktor Gyökeres lining up against his former club in what has been dubbed an unofficial derby. The Gunners arrive seeking to avoid a third straight defeat after recent cup […]

The post Prediction: Sportins Lisbon vs Arsenal appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Prediction: Sportins Lisbon vs Arsenal appeared first on Soccer News.

Vinicius Jr. has established as one of Real Madrid’s most important players in recent years, playing a key role in several titles. Despite this, his future at the club has been surrounded by rumors of a possible departure, as his contract runs until 2027 and no new agreement has been reached. In response, the Brazilian decided to address the rumors immediately, providing an important update on his renewal with Los Blancos.

In the latest Champions League press conference, Vinicius decided to shut down any rumors on his departure of the Spanish side: “I hope I can stay here for a long time. I still have one year left on my contract, but I have a lot of confidence in the president. At the right moment, we will complete the renewal. It’s the club of my dreams, and I want to stay here for many years.“

Despite not being in his best season with Los Blancos, the Brazilian remains the team’s second top scorer and second top assist provider, being a key all-around player for the squad. Moreover, the arrival of Álvaro Arbeloa has been crucial in improving Vinicius’ situation, as they not only have a good relationship, but he has also rediscovered his best form on the pitch—something that seemed unthinkable under Xabi Alonso.

Not only has Vinicius improved his impact on the pitch, but he has also improved his physical condition. Following Xabi Alonso’s departure, the Brazilian reportedly admitted to his teammates that he was not in his best shape. In response, the 25-year-old star stated: “I’ve gone through difficult moments, the fans put pressure on me, but I’m at my best version… I do work at the club and at home with my physio.”

Vinicius Jr. defends his attacking partnership with Kylian Mbappé

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Kylian Mbappé’s dominant offensive performances have emerged as a main reason behind Vinicius Jr.’s dip in form. In response, several analysts and former players have pointed to a lack of on-field connection between the two stars, raising doubts about their coexistence. However, the Brazilian has come out to defend his attacking partnership with the Frenchman.

“People say many things. When there are many good players, Kylian has always scored goals. We have to stay connected. It’s a complicated match. Mbappé makes the difference. I also have a strong connection with him off the pitch,” Vinicius Jr. said in the latest press conference.

Vinicius and Mbappé have played 81 games together, during which they have been involved in 18 goals between them. With this, the Frenchman stands out as a better teammate statistically than Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric, trailing only Rodrygo Goes and Federico Valverde by a narrow margin despite having played in far fewer matches. For this reason, coach Arbeloa has decided to keep them as his offensive duo.

Despite their loss to Lazio, AC Milan managed to bounce back from their poor run with a victory against Torino. However, they face a much more complex challenge today, as they take on Napoli, who are also chasing second place in the Serie A standings. For this reason, fans are keeping a close eye on Christian Pulisic’s status for the match, as he could remain a key difference-maker in securing the win.

Massimiliano Allegri has decided to leave Pulisic on the bench alongside Rafael Leão for today’s game. Far from being due to any physical issues, this decision appears to be a tactical adjustment in response to inconsistent performances in recent matches. In their absence, Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Füllkrug will lead the attack, aiming to provide an offensive boost.

Pulisic has not managed to regain the scoring instinct he showed at the start of the season. With just one assist so far in 2026, the USMNT star is far from his best version with the Rossoneri. While he remains important at a collective level, he has not been making the difference the way he used to. For this reason, coach Allegri has decided to adjust the attack, also leaving Leão on the bench, as he too is far from his best form.

The Rossoneri are aiming for a different offensive approach than usual. Throughout the season, they have rarely relied on the Nkunku–Füllkrug pairing, so they could look to exploit the spaces between Napoli’s defensive lines to create more room and generate scoring chances. However, coach Allegri is making a risky call, as neither player has managed to make a significant impact this season.

Napoli lineup vs AC Milan

Coming off four consecutive victories, Napoli face AC Milan in top form, aiming for second place in Serie A. However, coach Antonio Conte continues to be without Antonio Vergara, Romelu Lukaku, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, David Neres, and Amir Rrahmani remains uncertain. Despite this, they have Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay, who are expected to make the difference.

Considering this, Napoli will lineup as follows: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Alessandro Buongiorno, Mathias Olivera, Juan Jésus; Miguel Gutiérrez, Stanislav Lobotka, Frank Anguissa, Leonardo Spinazzola; Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay; Giovane.

AC Milan lineup vs Napoli

AC Milan come into today’s match under full pressure to secure a win against Napoli, as a loss would drop them to third place in the Serie A standings. For this, coach Massimiliano Allegri has almost his entire roster available, with only Matteo Gabbia remaining out due to injury. However, Pulisic and Leão will be on the bench, with Nkunku and Füllkrug favored instead, adjusting the attack compared to previous matches.

With this in mind, the Rossoneri will lineup as follows: Mike Maignan; Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic; Alexis Saelemaekers, Youssouf Fofana, Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Davide Bartesaghi; Niclas Fullkrug, Christopher Nkunku.

Match Overview

Second place in Serie A hangs in the balance as AC Milan prepare for a high-stakes clash against Napoli, with both clubs still chasing league leaders Inter Milan. Napoli come in surging, riding a four-match winning streak and sitting on 62 points, just one behind their rivals.

On the other hand, Milan look to build on a hard-earned 3-2 victory over Torino that lifted them to 63. With minimal separation in the standings and momentum on both sides, this showdown has all the ingredients of a defining moment in the title race’s supporting battle.

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Juventus use Jonathan David and Kenan Yildiz upfront in a must-win game against Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa, who look to Vitinha and Lorenzo Colombo.

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It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).

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

The race for fourth place and that Champions League qualification could go down to the wire, but with Roma beaten 5-2 by Inter on Sunday, the pressure is on for Juve to keep up with Como.

They slipped behind going into the break for international duty with a 1-1 draw against Sassuolo.

In a rare situation, Luciano Spalletti has a full squad to choose from, although Dusan Vlahovic and Arek Milik are only fit for a spot on the bench initially.

Jonathan David and Lois Openda have been flops this season, but the Canadian is given another chance as the centre-forward, flanked by Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao, with Weston McKennie uniting midfield and attack.

Mattia Perin gets to face his old club in goal, preferred to Michele Di Gregorio.

Genoa had been on sparkling form with three wins in four rounds, until a surprising 2-0 home defeat to Udinese.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy picked up an injury playing for the England Under-21 side, so he is out along with Maxwel Cornet and Benjamin Siegrist.

Junior Messias gets the nod rather than Tommaso Baldanzi in support of strikers Vitinha and Colombo.

This is a special reunion on the touchline for Luciano Spalletti and his former Roma player De Rossi.

Juventus vs. Genoa line-ups

Juventus: Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David

Genoa: Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Martin; Messias, Vitinha; Colombo

06-04-2026 17:00

MatchDay 31

Juventus Stadium (Allianz Stadium)

Juventus

Genoa

2 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Bremer (Assist: Lloyd Kelly)		4'
Manuel Locatelli		15'
Weston McKennie (Assist: Francisco Conceição)		17'
Weston McKennie		26'

2nd half

		51'		Morten Frendrup
Bremer		72'
		75'		Aarón Martín
Khéphren Thuram		78'

Match statistic

62

Possession %

38

16

Total shots

12

5

Shots on target

3

8

Shots off target

2

3

Blocked shots

7

5

Corners

5

0

Offsides

0

10

Fouls

8

Juventus

Genoa

Starting lineups

1

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper

46'

27

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

84'

3

Bremer

Defender

6

Lloyd Kelly

Defender

15

Pierre Kalulu

Defender

19

Khéphren Thuram

Midfielder

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

22

Weston McKennie

Midfielder

7

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

83'

30

Jonathan David

Attacker

67'

10

Kenan Yıldız

Attacker

90'

16

Justin Bijlow

Goalkeeper

3

Aarón Martín

Defender

27

Alessandro Marcandalli

Defender

22

Johan Vásquez

Defender

5

Leo Östigard

Defender

32

Morten Frendrup

Midfielder

83'

17

Ruslan Malinovskyi

Midfielder

66'

10

Junior Messias

Attacker

52'

29

Lorenzo Colombo

Attacker

66'

77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson

Attacker

9

Vitinha

Attacker

Substitutes

9

Dusan Vlahovic

Attacker

23

Carlo Pinsoglio

Goalkeeper

8

Teun Koopmeiners

Midfielder

4

Federico Gatti

Defender

20

Loïs Openda

Attacker

18

Filip Kostic

Midfielder

11

Edon Zhegrova

Attacker

32

Juan Cabal

Defender

16

Michele Di Gregorio

Goalkeeper

46'

14

Arkadiusz Milik

Attacker

67'

21

Fabio Miretti

Midfielder

83'

2

Emil Holm

Defender

84'

13

Jeremie Boga

Attacker

90'

20

Stefano Sabelli

Defender

39

Daniele Sommariva

Goalkeeper

1

Nicola Leali

Goalkeeper

13

Nils Zätterström

Defender

34

Sebastian Otoa

Defender

4

Amorim

Midfielder

98

Jacopo Grossi

Midfielder

99

Latif Ouedraogo

Defender

8

Tommaso Baldanzi

Midfielder

52'

18

Caleb Ekuban

Attacker

66'

73

Patrizio Masini

Midfielder

66'

21

Jeff Ekhator

Attacker

83'

Atalanta closed the gap on fourth place to just five points and plunged Lecce closer to relegation trouble with Giorgio Scalvini, Nikola Krstovic and Giacomo Raspadori goals.

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La Dea made the trip without Isak Hien and Gianluca Scamacca, so Nikola Krstovic faced his old club. The Salentini were increasingly in danger of the drop after losing four of their last five games, missing Antonino Gallo, Riccardo Sottil, Francesco Camarda, Medon Berisha and Kialonda Gaspar.

There was a mixed atmosphere before kick-off, as while Lecce ultras left the Curva Nord empty for the first 15 minutes in protest at limitations, the players brought out puppies from a local rescue centre as mascots.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Sadik Fofana should’ve done much better on 11 minutes when shinning the half-volley well over from 14 yards relatively undisturbed, so at the other end Wladimiro Falcone made a great one-handed save to deny Charles De Ketelaere on the Krstovic lay-off.

Lameck Banda had an effort charged down, but Atalanta scored on the counter-attack, as Giorgio Scalvini ran from his own box to meet the De Ketelaere pass, shrug off a defender, and smash into the net from 12 yards.

It was nearly 2-0, as De Ketelaere rolled across for Krstovic to sweep first time, forcing a sensational save out of Falcone. On the resulting corner, Danilo Veiga charged down Ederson’s scorcher with his face.

Atalanta had the ball in the net again after the restart with Ederson tapping in the De Ketelaere pass to the back post, but the offside flag went up for a very tight decision.

When Lecce did get into promising situations, they were wasteful with rushed crosses from Walid Cheddira and Lameck Banda, and were made to pay for it with a second goal on the counter-attack.

Ederson started the move and De Ketelaere threaded through for Krstovic to fire in from 12 yards. The former Lecce striker did not celebrate, instead bowing in apology to his former fans.

Falcone made another strong save to deny Ederson from close range, but the move kept going and he could do nothing as Giacomo Raspadori rifled it into the roof of the net from 12 yards for 3-0.

Banda was the last to give up for Lecce, curling just over the bar, while Krstovic’s acrobatic overhead kick was off target from a Raspadori assist.

Lecce 0-3 Atalanta

Scalvini 29 (A), Krstovic 59 (A), Raspadori 73 (A)

06-04-2026 14:00

MatchDay 31

Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del Mare

Lecce

Atalanta

0 - 3

Player statistic

1st half

29'

Giorgio Scalvini (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere)

2nd half

		47'		Berat Djimsiti
		59'		Nikola Krstovic (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere)
		70'		Davide Zappacosta
		73'		Giacomo Raspadori (Assist: Mario Pasalic)

Match statistic

42

Possession %

58

11

Total shots

16

Shots on target

6

6

Shots off target

6

5

Blocked shots

4

2

Corners

5

2

Offsides

5

10

Fouls

18

Lecce

Atalanta

Starting lineups

30

Wladimiro Falcone

Goalkeeper

3

Corrie Ndaba

Defender

17

Danilo Veiga

Defender

67'

5

Jamil Siebert

Defender

8

Sadik Fofana

Defender

46'

44

Tiago Gabriel

Defender

79

Oumar Ngom

Midfielder

20

Ylber Ramadani

Midfielder

68'

19

Lameck Banda

Attacker

50

Santiago Pierotti

Attacker

99

Walid Cheddira

Attacker

78'

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

70'

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

70'

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

13

Éderson

Midfielder

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

63'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

63'

17

Charles De Ketelaere

Attacker

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

80'

Substitutes

14

Thórir Jóhann Helgason

Midfielder

32

Jasper Samooja

Goalkeeper

1

Christian Früchtl

Goalkeeper

36

Filip Marchwinski

Midfielder

18

Gaby Jean

Defender

13

Matías Pérez

Defender

28

Olaf Gorter

Midfielder

6

Álex Sala

Midfielder

16

Omri Gandelman

Midfielder

46'

11

Konan N’Dri

Attacker

67'

29

Lassana Coulibaly

Midfielder

68'

9

Nikola Stulic

Attacker

78'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

5

Mitchel Bakker

Defender

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

98

Albert Navarro

Defender

99

Piotr Pardel

Goalkeeper

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

63'

18

Giacomo Raspadori

Attacker

63'

16

Raoul Bellanova

Defender

70'

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

70'

7

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

80'

Gianluigi Donnarumma was enraged with the Bosnia and Herzegovina team after Italy’s World Cup play-off defeat and it is now revealed why, as a ball boy stole his penalties cheat sheet.

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The Azzurri had held on when down to 10 men for a 1-1 draw after extra time in Zenica, forcing the tie to go all the way to a penalty shoot-out.

Usually, Donnarumma is very strong in these situations, acting as the hero when Italy won the EURO 2020 Final against England on penalties.

However, this time he didn’t get near any of the efforts from the Bosnian players, and he was spotted screaming angrily at Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

Donnarumma rage explained in Bosnia vs. Italy shoot-out

This was because he accused Vasilj of stealing the cheat sheet that was hidden under his towel before the shoot-out, so in revenge tried to tear up his own list of indications.

It is now revealed that Donnarumma’s list was indeed stole, but not by Vasilj, rather by a 14-year-old ball boy.

The kid, a Celik youth team player called Afan Cizmic, revealed all when speaking to a local television station.

“I saw there was something next to the towel and realised immediately what it was. I took it and hid it. This had all the indications on our players, and without that list, Donnarumma would need to go by instinct.”

It might’ve been unsporting behaviour, but some Bosnian fans are urging Cizmic to be rewarded with a trip to the World Cup as the team mascot.

Cesc Fabregas admits he ‘expected more’ from Como after their 0-0 draw at Udinese and that Alvaro Morata ‘is disappointed because he wanted to play more.’

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The Lariani had won five on the bounce and seemed unstoppable in their march towards an extraordinary Champions League qualification.

However, that could all change after they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Udinese, a game with very few scoring opportunities.

Fabregas lists Como errors in Udine

“Both teams had difficulties finding spaces, it was a very tactical game and nobody really took the initiative,” Fabregas told DAZN Italia.

“Nonetheless, we had two big chances to score and that is important. In general, I didn’t like the way the team played in possession, there were many players who were below par today. At the same time, Udinese created very little danger and we kept our 15^th clean sheet.”

Como are still in fourth on 58 points, now four clear of Roma, but if Juventus beat Genoa this evening, they will move to within a point of the ambitious minnows.

Atalanta can also threaten to get back into the race going into the final seven rounds of the Serie A season.

“Let us not forget that Roma, Napoli, Atalanta and Fiorentina all lost here. Some of my internationals also had long journeys over the last few days, as a coach I have to take that into consideration,” insisted the coach.

“When you are in these situations, it is important not to lose and not to concede, even if I am the first to admit that I expected more.”

What was it about the performance that Fabregas did not appreciate from his team?

“The possession, transitions, vertical passes, we didn’t play the ball with pace, we didn’t do the right preventative marking, and we did not win the duels. Against a physical and experienced side like Udinese, you pay for that.”

The struggle to create scoring opportunities made it a surprise that Fabregas at one point took off Tasos Douvikas, leaving them with no centre-forward, until Alvaro Morata was introduced late on.

“Morata is motivated, you saw his attitude when he came on. He is certainly disappointed because he wanted to play more this season, I would be too in his position, but I always say the important thing is the quality of the minutes you get on the field, not the quantity,” replied the coach.

“This is the change of mentality I want all players in the world to adopt, seeing as there are five substitutions now and so many games. Morata is helping the team, he is starting to get back to his level.

“We are a family here, we all have our journey, but they will all be important for me this season.”

Crystal Palace have received a major update on their manager situation as it seems Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has rejected their offer to replace Oliver Glasner.

Glasner will be leaving Selhurst Park at the end of the season after announcing earlier in the campaign that he would not be signing a new contract, with his current deal expiring in the summer.

Iraola is another top Premier League manager who’s about to become available, and he’s been one of the names linked with the vacancy at Palace.

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However, Sky Sports now report that the Spanish tactician has turned the job down, in what is likely to be a boost for clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United.

Andoni Iraola snubs Crystal Palace for bigger job?

Iraola has become highly regarded during his time at Bournemouth, even if his side have suffered a slight dip in form in more recent games.

It seems likely that the 43-year-old will have plenty of opportunities once he becomes available this summer, having previously been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd.

We already know that the Red Devils could be searching for a new manager, unless they decide to gamble on keeping the inexperienced Michael Carrick once his spell as interim manager comes to an end.

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LFC, meanwhile, are doing really badly under Arne Slot right now, and that’s put the Dutch tactician under growing pressure ahead of the summer.

For now the word is that the Reds will keep faith in Slot, but if things get any worse between now and May it’s easy to imagine them being tempted to swoop for Iraola instead.

Glasner, meanwhile, has also been linked as an option for the Old Trafford job.

The post Super Premier League manager rejects job in boost for Liverpool & Man United appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United could reportedly rival Liverpool for the potential transfer of Monaco attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche this summer.

The talented 24-year-old has nine goals and seven assists in all competitions so far this season, and looks like he’s surely going to earn himself a big move sooner or later.

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Akliouche has been with Monaco since joining their academy in 2017, playing for their B team before notching up over 130 appearances for their senior side.

According to TEAMtalk, he’s now being eyed up by both Man United and Liverpool this summer after both clubs had scouts monitoring his performances.

Maghnes Akliouche to Liverpool or Manchester United?

We have also seen Akliouche linked with Liverpool in the last few days, with Fichajes claiming the Reds are looking at him as one of their potential options to replace Mohamed Salah.

Still, it seems the Red Devils are also keen on the France international, who could be a useful addition for either club due to his ability to play a variety of roles.

WhoScored note that Akliouche has played as a central attacking midfielder, on the right flank, and even as a striker so far this season.

That could be useful for MUFC as there could soon be the need to replace the ageing Bruno Fernandes, who is approaching the final year of his contract.

Liverpool will also surely hope to be in the mix for Akliouche, not only because of Salah’s imminent exit, but with Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa both being fairly underwhelming with their recent performances.

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Monaco often tend to sell their best players when tempting offers come in, so this will be an interesting one to watch this summer.

The Ligue 1 giants could also lose Lamine Camara this summer, as we recently reported, with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea keen on the 22-year-old midfielder.

The post Report: Man United rival Liverpool for transfer of versatile 24-year-old attacker appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In what is a blockbuster Champions League semi-final showdown on Tuesday night, Real Madrid will welcome Bayern Munich to the Bernabeu for their first-leg battle. Watching their La Lia title dreams take a monumental blow over the weekend and facing a public backlash, Los Blancos will be desperately searching for an immediate European boost when […]

The post Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich Bet Builder Tips – 3/1 Champions League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich Bet Builder Tips – 3/1 Champions League Special, Analysis & Predictions appeared first on Soccer News.

There are reports emerging of a new and potentially devastating injury problem for Napoli, as Rasmus Hojlund could miss tonight’s showdown with Milan.

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It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

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

New Hojlund problem for Napoli

It was assumed that the injury crisis was starting to calm down for Antonio Conte, as Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa are all expected to start tonight.

There are still quite a few absentees, such as Romelu Lukaku, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani.

According to Il Mattino, there are concerns that Hojlund could miss the match too, because he is struggling with an injury sustained on international duty.

It is not clear what condition he is suffering from, but only that he is in doubt for this match.

With Lukaku frozen out after refusing to return early from Belgium, as he prefers to seek treatment there than with the club staff, there are very few centre-forward options available.

Giovane could be used in that role instead, with support from De Bruyne.

Reports in the UK and Italy continue to link Juventus with a potential summer transfer for Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte as the Bianconeri look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park. 

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Could Juventus move for Manchester United’s Ugarte?

According to reports from Corriere dello Sport and various others, Juventus are among the sides interested in a summer transfer for Uruguay international Ugarte, who is currently valued in the region of €40m.

The 24-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations since joining United from Paris Saint-Germain in a €50m deal in the summer of 2024. The Manchester Evening News suggests that it is time for United to ‘cut their losses’ with Ugarte, whose first-team opportunities have decreased during his second season at Old Trafford. 

Juventus could potentially be among the clubs that could offer Ugarte an escape route, but the interest from the Old Lady depends heavily on their qualification for next season’s Champions League. 

The Bianconeri will have an opportunity to move back within one point of the Serie A top four when they take on Genoa in Serie A on Easter Monday. Como, who currently occupy fourth place and had a three-point advantage over the Bianconeri at the start of the weekend, were held to a 0-0 draw against Udinese on Monday. 

Galatasaray, Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been mentioned as potential destinations for Ugarte this summer.

Raffaele Palladino explains the Atalanta ‘mantra’ ahead of today’s match with Lecce, as fourth place is within reach, while this club can be ‘a model for Italian football.’

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It kicks off at the Stadio Via del Mare at 14.00 UK time (15.00 CEST).

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

Como were held to a 0-0 draw by Udinese earlier today, while Roma were swept aside 5-2 by Inter last night, so the race for fourth place is hotting up.

A win here would take Atalanta to within five points of Como and the top four, with seven rounds left after that.

Palladino trusts Atalanta model for success

“Our mantra over the last five months is to keep climbing that mountain,” Palladino told DAZN Italia.

“We won many games, were competitive in the Champions League, are still in the Coppa Italia, and now we are going into the last eight games of the Serie A season.

“We must give everything, have no regrets and be ambitious, as is the style of this club.”

So much has been said about the Italy crisis after failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, and the main culprit is the lack of Italian representation in Serie A club football.

In that sense, Atalanta stand out as an example to others, especially as their youth academy has been churning out talent for a long time and their players receive passage to the senior squad.

“Before I arrived here, I looked to Atalanta as a model for Italian football, because this is a club that believes in youth, not just Italian, even though over half the squad is Italian,” noted Palladino.

“We know that even if they make mistakes, we must give these young players belief and the time to grow.

“The tendency is to drop players who make errors and then they get forgotten, whereas we are ready to keep the faith.”

There are three Italians starting for Atalanta today, two in the Lecce XI, although it would’ve been more if not for Gianluca Scamacca’s injury.

Como were frustrated by a goalless draw away to Udinese, ending a run of five consecutive Serie A victories.

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The Lariani had the opportunity to consolidate fourth place after Roma’s defeat to Inter, but Jesus Rodriguez, Jacobo Ramon and long-term absentee Jayden Addai missed the trip. Udinese had top scorer Keinan Davis suspended, plus Adam Buksa, Jordan Zemura and Alessandro Zanoli carrying injuries. Controversially, there was only one Italian in the starting 22 players.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Arthur Atta sprung the offside trap to sting the gloves of Jean Butez, while Diego Carlos made a decisive tackle to stop him going clear on the Nicolò Zaniolo through ball and Lucas Da Cunha tested Maduka Okoye at the near post.

Diego Carlos threw himself in the way of a ferocious Jesper Karlstrom strike from the edge of the area, while Okoye took the sting out of a Tasos Douvikas angled drive.

Weak Christian Kabasele and Douvikas attempts were easy smothers for the two goalkeepers, then Sergi Roberto couldn’t keep his header down from a promising position.

Udinese substitute Idrissa Gueye forced a tougher save out of Butez with a powerful finish at the near post, and Marc-Oliver Kempf made a decisive block to deflect the Zaniolo strike over the bar from 10 yards.

Mergim Vojvoda should’ve done better for Como at the 87^th minute when running onto a long Butez ball, but he over-hit the lob and it sailed over the bar.

Alvaro Morata made an impact coming off the bench late on, getting two opponents booked, but unable to test Okoye.

Udinese 0-0 Como

06-04-2026 11:30

MatchDay 31

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Como

0 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

		50'		Máximo Perrone
		72'		Diego Carlos
		78'		Ivan Smolcic
Kingsley Ehizibue		85'
Thomas Kristensen		88'

Match statistic

49

Possession %

51

14

Total shots

12

4

Shots on target

4

1

Shots off target

4

9

Blocked shots

4

6

Corners

2

3

Offsides

2

10

Fouls

12

Udinese

Como

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

86'

11

Hassane Kamara

Defender

69'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

86'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

14

Arthur Atta

Midfielder

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

65'

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

69'

10

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

1

Jean Butez

Goalkeeper

3

Álex Valle

Defender

34

Diego Carlos

Defender

28

Ivan Smolcic

Defender

86'

2

Marc Oliver Kempf

Defender

6

Maxence Caqueret

Midfielder

60'

23

Máximo Perrone

Midfielder

60'

10

Nico Paz

Midfielder

11

Anastasios Douvikas

Attacker

59'

38

Assane Diao

Attacker

80'

33

Lucas Da Cunha

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

15

Vakoun Bayo

Attacker

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

22

Branimir Mlacic

Defender

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

65'

7

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

69'

20

Juan Arizala

Defender

69'

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

86'

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

86'

5

Edoardo Goldaniga

Defender

22

Mauro Vigorito

Goalkeeper

44

Nikola Cavlina

Goalkeeper

18

Alberto Moreno

Defender

19

Nicolas Kühn

Attacker

21

Noel Törnqvist

Goalkeeper

56

Cristiano De Paoli

Defender

31

Mërgim Vojvoda

Defender

59'

8

Sergi Roberto

Midfielder

60'

20

Martin Baturina

Midfielder

60'

7

Álvaro Morata

Attacker

80'

77

Ignace Van Der Brempt

Defender

86'

Manchester United are reportedly ready to trigger the €45m release clause of Villarreal defensive midfielder Pape Gueye this summer.

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The Red Devils have supposedly identified Gueye as a priority target and decided that he ticks all the boxes for what they’re looking for in the middle of the park.

That’s according to a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes, which states that Man Utd now look prepared to make a big offer for Gueye by paying the €45m required to get him out of Villarreal.

The Senegal international looks like he could be a good fit for United to replace Casemiro as he nears the end of his contract, and he’d be a lot cheaper than some of the club’s other targets in that position.

Pape Gueye to return to the Premier League?

Gueye has shone in La Liga and doesn’t have any experience of playing in the Premier League, despite briefly being a Watford player.

In a bizarre saga back in 2020, Gueye agreed to join Watford on a free transfer, though he never actually kicked a ball for the club.

As reported by the Daily Mirror at the time, Gueye was sold to Marseille just 17 hours after becoming a Watford player as he immediately changed his mind about his move to Vicarage Road, claiming he’d been badly advised.

Pape Gueye to Manchester United transfer could accelerate

Fichajes now suggests MUFC are really keen on Gueye, and a deal for the 27-year-old could accelerate in the coming weeks.

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It will be interesting to see if he can have a more successful spell in England this time after that bizarre saga with Watford a few years ago.

In fairness to him, Gueye has put that saga behind him and let his football do the talking during a successful spell in Spanish football.

The post Manchester United ready to trigger star’s €45m release clause appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have a crucial four games coming up, ever since I made it clear just how important their last four games would be.

Two weeks ago I looked ahead at Arsenal’s fixtures against Everton, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester City, and Southampton.

Now we know the Gunners’ record from those four matches – two wins, against Everton and Leverkusen, followed by two defeats to City and Southampton.

So, the Carabao Cup and FA Cup are gone now, but Arsenal actually extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table by beating Everton while Manchester City could only draw at West Ham.

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What next for Arsenal?

7th April – Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal

While it may only be the first or two legs, so unlikely to be decisive, if Arsenal play as badly as they have in their last two games then it will surely be another defeat. Losing by a single goal wouldn’t be the end of the tie, but Arsenal on current form probably wouldn’t have it in them to come back from a two-goal deficit, and this is a quality Sporting side who shouldn’t be taken for granted.

11th April – Arsenal vs Bournemouth

Arsenal’s first league fixture since the win over Everton, and it looks on paper like a fairly generous one. Even if this Bournemouth side have looked very decent at times this season, they’re currently without a win in their last five games and down in 13th in the table. If Arsenal can’t pick up three points at home in this context then that doesn’t bode at all well for them holding on to their current lead at the top of the table.

15th April – Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon

After this game, Arsenal will either be out of a third competition in the space of just a few weeks and facing a full-blown crisis, or they’ll be heading for the Champions League semi-finals and keeping their double hopes alive. Given the fixture coming up after this one, they’ll want to avoid extra time and avoid feeling like their entire season rests on how they do in the league.

19th April – Manchester City vs Arsenal

The big one. Arsenal were really poor in the Carabao Cup final defeat, and it’s unclear at this stage how that game will affect this one. Before their recent meeting at Wembley, Mikel Arteta boasted a good recent record against Pep Guardiola, albeit not so much at the Etihad Stadium. So, will Arteta learn lessons from that cup final defeat and coax a response from his players, or will that result wreck the team’s confidence and lead to another damaging result?

Arsenal’s season can still be a success

It’s been nervy for Arsenal at times, and the football hasn’t always been pretty, but this is a team that knows how to grind out results, and they could still scrap their way to a successful season.

You’d imagine that once they finally get their hands on a big trophy like the Premier League or the Champions League, there’ll be a new-found confidence flowing at the Emirates Stadium, but for now they just need to do whatever it takes to get points on the board.

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And, let’s be clear about this, because there’s been a lot of nonsense of this nature written on social media – even if Arsenal only manage to win the Premier League title this season, that’s still a huge success.

Arsenal were never realistically in the race for a quadruple, which even Pep’s best Man City teams never managed. To measure any success the club has against a fantasy outcome like that is absurd, and the reality will be a first title in 22 years against a City side with far more in the way of resources, and an expensively-assembled Liverpool side everyone was expecting to stroll to the defence of their title.

What do you expect from Arsenal in their next four games and do you still see this as a potentially great season for the club? Let us know in the comments!

The post Are Arsenal going to bottle it? The next four games will decide their season appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Luciano Spalletti has named his strongest available squad for Juventus’s upcoming Serie A clash against Genoa on Easter Monday afternoon. 

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The fifth-placed Bianconeri are hoping to keep up with the pace set by Como, currently occupying Serie A’s fourth Champions League spot heading into the final stretch of 2025-26 fixtures. 

Juventus have a clean bill of health heading into Monday’s clash against Genoa. There are no major absentees from the Bianconeri squad, but Dusan Vlahovic remains unlikely to start having recently returned from his long-term injury lay-off. The same is also true for Arkadiusz Milik. 

According to pre-match reports, either Jonathan David or Jeremie Boga could start up front for the Old Lady on Easter Monday, but otherwise, it is expected to be the same Juventus starting XI that drew 1-1 with Sassuolo prior to the international break. 

That means that Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie and Francisco Conceicao are likely to start in the supporting attacking roles, Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli in midfield, a back four of Pierre Kalulu, Gleison Bremer, Lloyd Kelly and Andrea Cambiaso, and Mattia Perin still in goal instead of Michele Di Gregorio. 

Kick-off is due at 17.00 BST.

Confirmed Juventus squad for Genoa

Goalkeepers: Perin, Di Gregorio, Pinsoglio

Defenders: Holm, Bremer, Gatti, Kelly, Kalulu, Cambiaso, Cabal.

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

Forwards: Conceicao, Vlahovic, Yildiz, Zhegrova, Boga, Milik, Openda, David.

I convocati da mister Spalletti per la gara all’Allianz Stadium di questa sera #JuveGenoa

Powered by @WhiteBit pic.twitter.com/LYCMFNtToY

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) April 6, 2026

A common complaint from supporters of the Italy national team is that there are not enough opportunities handed to homegrown players in Serie A, and that argument is evidenced by the fact that there was only one Italian in the 22 players that started Easter Monday’s match between Udinese and Como.

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The Easter Monday schedule began with Udinese’s visit from Cesc Fabregas’s Como, who are looking to cement their place in the Serie A top four heading into the final stretch of the 2025-26 season. 

You can follow the action from all of Monday’s Serie A fixtures on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Just one Italy player named in Udinese vs. Como line-ups 

There have been widespread complaints from many supporters of Serie A clubs that there are not enough opportunities handed to Italian players in the domestic top-flight. This was certainly the case when Nicolo Zaniolo was the only Italian in the 22 players that started in Monday’s Serie A match between Udinese and Como. 

Cesc Fabregas and Como are, in fact, the worst offenders when it comes to the lack of opportunities for Italy hopefuls at club level. 

Only one Italian player has represented Como in Serie A so far this season: 32-year-old centre-back Edoardo Goldaniga, who has made two substitute appearances for a total of 14 minutes of league action this campaign. He also had a 90-minute run-out in the second round of the Coppa Italia.

“If Italy wants to fix the problems with its national team, it’ll have to go through a change in the league regulations forcing a minimum number of Italians on the pitch,” one supporter commented on X.

Another supporter commented: “I don’t agree with setting a minimum number of Italians on the pitch, but this is embarrassing.”

One fan wrote: “But it would be wrong to force Italians to play without any merit whatsoever. The focus should be on the youth teams, on why there aren’t any Italians capable of being starters in a mediocre league like Serie A.”

“We keep failing to understand that the problem isn’t foreign players, but a rotten system that favours agents and those willing to pay, with 80-year-olds sitting in the positions of power. We’ll make it to the World Cup in 2042,” another added.

Ibrahima Konate is reportedly now expected to stay at Liverpool, with a new contract increasingly considered more likely than a summer exit.

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The France international is coming towards the end of his current deal, making him a free agent this summer, which has led to plenty of speculation over his future in recent months.

However, it now looks like things are heading in a more positive direction, according to L’Equipe, who report that Konate has never been closer to staying at LFC than he looks now.

This follows Fabrizio Romano reporting for us last week that talks were ongoing over a new contract for Konate, who is open to staying at Anfield.

Ibrahima Konate could be staying at Liverpool after all

With Virgil van Dijk looking past his best at times this season, it’s surely vital for Liverpool to keep Konate as a key figure in their defence.

If the 26-year-old were to leave this summer, it would likely mean the Reds would have to enter the market for two new central defenders.

There are increasingly positive noises about Konate’s future now, though, with the Athletic also reporting that an Anfield stay could be the most likely outcome now.

What Fabrizio Romano told us about Ibrahima Konate

Speaking to CaughtOffside last week, Romano told us: “Liverpool remain in active conversations with Ibrahima Konate and his camp over a new contract,” Romano said.

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“There are discussions ongoing with the French defender. At the moment there’s still nothing done or agreed, but the conversations are still underway.”

He added: “Let’s see if they can find a financial agreement … The player is open to continuing at Liverpool, but obviously it’s an important contract for his career.”

Romano also mentioned that Real Madrid had cooled their interest in Konate.

The post Deal closer for Liverpool after “important” claim made by Fabrizio Romano appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have been linked with Yan Diomande and my understanding is that they’d have the edge over Liverpool in the race for his signature.

Having reached out to a number of sources close to the situation, I can reveal that Champions League football is considered a must for Diomande when it comes to deciding his future.

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The Ivory Coast international is yet to decide on his future, and he could even sign a new deal with Leipzig, as they remain in contention for Champions League qualification.

Liverpool, by contrast, currently face an uphill battle to get into Europe’s top club competition next season, so could fall behind in the race for Diomande.

Arsenal register interest in Yan Diomande

Liverpool have been strongly linked with Diomande for some time now, but I’m now also aware that the Gunners have registered an interest.

“Arsenal have reached out to those around Diomande to be kept informed over his future,” one source said. “That doesn’t mean a bid or an offer is imminent or definitely going to happen, but it’s a position they’re looking to strengthen and he’s appreciated by their recruitment team.”

“Diomande is Liverpool’s preferred Salah replacement, but the reality is that they’ll struggle to get him without Champions League football, and there is a huge amount of interest from all over Europe, with Arsenal very much in the race,” another source added.

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