Lautaro Martinez has opened up on his ambitions, his love for Inter’s supporters, and the personal difficulties he has overcome during a wide-ranging virtual Q&A with fans organised by theresidency.io.

The Argentine striker was characteristically direct when asked about his ultimate footballing dream, and it is one that has so far eluded him despite an already decorated career.

“Winning the World Cup is the most important thing in football,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb. “But the dream I still want to achieve is winning the Champions League.”

Inter captain Lautaro Martínez reflects on career so far

Lautaro also reflected on his remarkable goalscoring record for the club, having recently climbed to third in Inter’s all-time scoring charts.

“I never imagined reaching this,” he admitted.

“But with work and sacrifice, everything is achievable. Inter is passion. Wearing the captain’s armband for the first time was an indescribable emotion, just like every goal I score at San Siro.”

The Argentine was particularly warm when discussing the Nerazzurri faithful, who have embraced him unconditionally since his arrival from Racing Club.

“From the very first day I felt loved by the people here,” he said. “I feel proud of that.” He also acknowledged that his journey has not always been straightforward, citing personal difficulties alongside physical setbacks, including a metatarsal injury during his time at Racing and an ankle problem sustained during the World Cup triumph with Argentina, as moments that have shaped his character.

Currently sidelined with a muscular injury, Lautaro will be eager to return to full fitness and continue writing his name into Inter’s history books.

Napoli welcome back two long-absent midfielders for Friday evening’s home clash with Torino, with both Kevin De Bruyne and Frank Zambo Anguissa named in Antonio Conte’s squad after months on the sidelines, although neither will start.

The Belgian and the Cameroonian, out since 25 October and 11 November respectively, are included purely as bench options, with Conte managing their returns carefully, as per La Repubblica.

A shortened preparation week due to the Friday fixture meant the training match he typically uses to sharpen recovering players could not take place.

Lobotka injured as De Bruyne & Zambo Anguissa return for Napoli

The positive news is tempered considerably by fresh midfield casualties.

Stanislav Lobotka has joined Scott McTominay on the treatment table with a muscular complaint sustained after the Verona win, meaning all four of Conte’s preferred central midfielders are simultaneously unavailable for the first time this season.

Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo and David Neres remain longer-term absentees.

Billy Gilmour and Eljif Elmas will start in midfield, with Romelu Lukaku among the substitutes alongside De Bruyne and Anguissa. Up front, a youthful attacking trio of Antonio Vergara, Rasmus Højlund and Alisson Santos will lead the line.

Napoli remain unbeaten at home in Serie A this season, and with 50,000 fans expected, plus the added subplot of Giovanni Simeone returning as opposition, the atmosphere should be suitably charged. Three points are essential for Napoli’s Champions League ambitions, and Conte will be determined to make home advantage count.

Cesc Fabregas has dismissed any suggestion that Como’s 0-0 draw with Inter in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg represented a missed opportunity, insisting his side performed well enough to have won the tie, and that the second leg in seven weeks’ time remains very much alive.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s Serie A clash with Cagliari, the Como head coach was characteristically detailed and passionate in his defence of his side’s display against the league leaders.

“Was it a missed opportunity? Sincerely, no,” he said, with quotes via CalcioMercato.

“We had three great chances to score, including Nico Paz, and they barely threatened our goal. I would like to know how many times in recent years Inter have managed just 0.07 expected goals.”

Fabregas proud of Como performance against Inter

Fabregas was equally pointed in pushing back against any criticism of his tactical approach in the closing stages, when Como sat deep rather than chasing a winner.

“If we had gone all-out and conceded a late goal, I would not have slept,” he said.

“We controlled Inter very well. For anyone used to watching teams do that against Inter, well, good for you.”

His only genuine regret was a lack of quality in the final third, with Valle and Vojvoda both failing to convert when well-placed.

“It was not attitude or tactics, it was quality in the last moment,” he conceded. “But after 40 years, we go to Milan in seven weeks to play for a final. Is it impossible? Nothing is impossible.”

The broader context is equally remarkable. Fabregas also reflected on an extraordinary run of fixtures, nine wins, four draws and two defeats across a gruelling 63-day stretch in which Como played every four days. Only the defeat to Fiorentina, he argued, was deserved.

Saturday’s visit of Cagliari offers a chance to maintain the momentum, and Fabregas is expecting another tight affair against a well-organised side.

“I know Pisacane very well, he is doing a tremendous job,” he said. “We want to play our game and bring home three points.”

Radja Nainggolan has never been short of an opinion, and the former Roma midfielder was in characteristically outspoken form in a wide-ranging interview with Sportium.fun, taking aim at Juventus, the VAR system, and even Paul Pogba along the way.

The Belgian, who resisted several opportunities to join Juventus during his career, explained his reluctance in the most Nainggolan way imaginable.

“I used to play Football Manager and I never picked the strongest team,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“When a club like Roma wins the title, it is a celebration for twenty years. At Juventus you have to win it every year, it is a completely different feeling.”

Nainggolan on Juventus referee bias and VAR

He then ventured into more controversial territory, citing what he described as personal experience of referee bias at the Allianz Stadium.

“When they inaugurated the Juventus Stadium, I played there with Cagliari and we drew 1-1 thanks to a non-existent penalty given to Juventus,” he said.

“Then I arrived at Roma, first game at the same stadium, we lost 3-2 with two penalties that were given outside the box. Everyone saw it. It is the truth, only not everyone can bring themselves to say it.”

On VAR, Nainggolan’s verdict was equally blunt.

“Football should be like it used to be,” he said. “If mistakes are still being made with VAR, then it is right to remove it and just let referees make errors naturally. Real football is something else.”

Perhaps most eyebrow-raising was his assessment of his midfield contemporaries. “In my era in Serie A, only Vidal and De Rossi were as strong as me,” he claimed. “Pogba? I was better than him, he only had three good years in his entire career.”

Now contemplating his next move, Nainggolan revealed he is considering taking his coaching badges. “Looking at what is out there,” he said with typical modesty, “I think I could do it.”

Juan Cuadrado faces one of the most emotionally charged fixtures of his season on Saturday, when Pisa travel to the Allianz Stadium to face Juventus, the club where the Colombian winger spent eight defining seasons of his career.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, via IlBianconero, Cuadrado was warm and reflective about his time in Turin, while making clear that sentiment will not get in the way of his desire to help Pisa take something from the game.

“It will be a beautiful match, full of emotions, against a club like Juventus who helped me grow as a professional and as a man,” he said.

“It will be a special evening. But it is a difficult match and we want to play well and take points.”

Cuadrado ‘feeling much better now’ ahead of Juventus return

Cuadrado also addressed the injury that has kept him away from the club in recent weeks, revealing he had travelled abroad to receive specialist treatment, a decision made jointly with Pisa’s medical staff.

“I am much better now and trying to give my best for the team,” he said, adding that he had remained close to his teammates throughout the difficult period. “I have always had the team in my head.”

On the match itself, the 37-year-old was candid about Pisa’s approach, urging his side to go to Turin with freedom and confidence. “Many of our players have never played in that stadium,” he said.

“We must go there with responsibility but also without fear, and try to shoot, like Aebischer did against Sassuolo.”

As for his future beyond this season, Cuadrado was deliberately vague, though his affection for Pisa was evident.

“I feel good here, I love the passion of the supporters,” he said. “But it is not yet the moment to make decisions.”

Sunday’s Milan derby carries enormous weight at both ends of the table, but Inter will be without their captain as Lautaro Martinez continues his recovery from the muscular injury sustained during the Champions League playoff first leg against Bodo/Glimt on 18 February.

Inter’s official medical bulletin confirmed the Argentine suffered a soleus muscle problem in his left leg, and he has not featured since.

The most optimistic scenario points to a return for the Serie A trip to Fiorentina on 22 March, meaning he would also miss next week’s Inter-Atalanta fixture.

Should his recovery take longer, the earliest he could feature is the Inter-Roma clash on 4 April, according to Goal.

His availability for Argentina’s Finalissima against Spain on 27 March also remains uncertain and will depend entirely on his progress in the coming weeks.

Dumfries returns to Inter XI for Milan derby

There is, however, a significant positive for Cristian Chivu ahead of the derby, via IlMilanista.

Denzel Dumfries is back in contention for a starting role after four months on the sidelines, and the Inter head coach is seriously considering handing the Dutchman his first start since returning from injury.

Luis Henrique’s performances on the right flank have been inconsistent, and with no reinforcements arriving in January, Chivu had been managing the situation carefully while waiting for Dumfries to regain full fitness.

That patience now appears ready to be rewarded, with the former PSV man set to reclaim his place as the undisputed first choice on Inter’s right side for one of the season’s most important fixtures.

Adrien Rabiot has established himself as one of Milan’s most important players this season, and in a wide-ranging interview with Rivista Undici, the French midfielder opened up on life at San Siro, his admiration for Luka Modric, and his personal ambitions in the red and black half of Milan.

The former Juventus and PSG man arrived at Milan following a difficult end to his time at Marseille, but has wasted little time in making his mark.

His mental resilience, he says, has always been his greatest asset, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Not everything can go the right way, sometimes negative things happen, but it is precisely in those moments that you learn and grow stronger,” he said. “Self-belief has always been part of my character, and with time and experience it has grown. That is something I want to transmit here at Milan.”

Rabiot: ‘Modric’s stamina surprised me!’

It is Modric, though, who has perhaps impressed Rabiot most since his arrival.

The Croatian legend, now 40, continues to defy the laws of time, and his new teammate have noticed.

“His quality we already knew,” Rabiot said. “What surprised me was his ability to run for ninety minutes, up and down, at forty years old. That is not something you take for granted, he has an extraordinary physique.”

He also highlighted the importance of leadership figures in the dressing room, naming Maignan and recent arrival Fullkrug alongside Modric as players who set the tone for the group.

On Allegri’s influence, Rabiot was equally warm. “With him there is the ambition to do well, to give everything, to train at one hundred percent and to play every match as if it were the last.”

He also credited the manager for creating a calm, focused environment, one in which younger players are thriving.

“He gives tranquillity to the group, he lets us do things properly, without rush, without nerves. The attitude of the younger players is impeccable, and that is also down to the manager.”

Rabiot’s personal goals are characteristically ambitious. He wants to leave his mark on every club he represents, something he achieved at PSG and Juventus, and Milan is next on that list.

“I want to write my name in the history of this club,” he said plainly, before adding that the World Cup remains the ultimate prize. “Winning it is the most beautiful objective in a footballer’s career.”

Lazio president Claudio Lotito’s latest phone call with a supporter went viral on social media on the eve of Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Atalanta, and his comments will have done little to ease tensions at a club already under considerable strain.

The tie ended 2-2, leaving everything to play for in the second leg.

Lotito spent ten minutes in a heated conversation that touched on everything from his coach’s squad management to a pointed swipe at former manager Marco Baroni.

On Sarri, the president was barely concealed in his frustration, with quotes courtesy of Tuttosport.

“The club has a name and a surname: Claudio Lotito. It doesn’t belong to Sarri. If he wants it, he can buy it,” he said.

“A manager must take the players available and make them play, if he’s a good coach.”

Lazio president Lotito: ‘Sarri must use his players’

He then rattled off a list of grievances.

Taty Castellanos, sold for €30 million, was barely used. Guendouzi, played out of position in a back three, grew so frustrated he forced his way out.

Noslin and Belahyane were blocked from leaving, yet neither features regularly.

“If you can’t create the right chemistry in the dressing room,” Lotito warned, “people end up telling you where to go.”

Baroni, Sarri’s predecessor, also came in for criticism, with Lotito describing him as “that idiot” and blaming him for last season’s Europa League elimination by Bodo/Glimt, claiming he had instructed the injured Castellanos to take a decisive penalty.

With the second leg still to come and Sarri’s position at the club increasingly precarious, the fallout from Lotito’s latest outburst looks set to rumble on for some time yet.

Former Italy defender Marco Materazzi reveals what Zinedine Zidane told him before giving him a headbutt in the 2006 World Cup Final between Italy and France: ‘If you want my shirt, I’ll give it to you afterwards.’

Ex-Italy and Inter defender Materazzi reflected on the famous incident involving Zidane during the 2006 World Cup Final, which led to a red card for the French icon in the last game of his career.

Zidane to Materazzi: ‘If you want my shirt…’

During his interview with Vivo Azzurro, Materazzi described the moments before Zidane’s headbutt and what the former French star told him before the incident.

“When Buffon made that save on Zidane’s header, Gattuso wanted to kill me because I hadn’t marked him,” Zidane said.

“In reality, I was marking Trezeguet, but in certain situations, it was better not to argue with Rino about what had happened.

“Shortly afterwards, in a similar situation, I held him [Zidane] by the shirt for a bit. I wanted to make sure he couldn’t jump. I apologised twice, then the third time he repeated ‘if you want my shirt, I’ll give it to you afterwards,’ I said something back to him…but nothing more than the kind of things we used to say to each other as kids when I played on the seafront in Bari.”

During the same interview, Materazzi revealed that Gattuso and Vincenzo Iaquinta were among the Italian players who seemed unwilling to take a penalty kick in the shootout.

The Azzurri, including Materazzi, scored five from five, while David Trezeguet missed a penalty for France, giving Italy their fourth World Cup title.

Materazzi played 41 games with Italy, scoring two goals, both during the 2006 World Cup.

Roma’s January signing, Donyell Malen, is the Serie A Player of the Month for February.

Dutch striker Malen was the best player in Serie A last month.

Malen wins Serie A player of the month – official statement

“The EA SPORTS FC Player Of The Month award for February has been assigned to Roma player Donyell Malen. The trophy will be presented during the pre-match of Roma vs Lecce, scheduled for Sunday 22nd March 2026 at 6.00pm at the “Olimpico” stadium in Rome,” Lega Serie A said in a statement on Friday.

“The fans’ votes online, combined with individual statistical data, determined Lautaro Martinez as the winner, beating champions like Berardi (Sassuolo), Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Dimarco (Inter), Kean (Fiorentina), McKennie (Juventus).

Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo said: “Donyell Malen’s impact on the Italian league has been simply perfect. The Dutch forward immediately adapted to Mister Gasperini’s tactical schemes, proving himself to be a relentless striker in front of goal, but also capable of linking up the team’s attacking play. Arriving in the winter transfer window, Malen took a few weeks to establish himself as a key player, immediately winning the award for best player of February with four goals in as many games and immediately proving himself worthy of Roma’s Champions League ambitions”.

Malen has become the second-best scorer in Europe’s top five leagues after Harry Kane since joining Roma on an initial loan deal from Aston Villa in mid-February.

Malen has scored six goals in his first seven Roma appearances in Serie A. Only Abel Balbo (seven) and Gabriel Omar Batistuta (nine) have managed more in the club’s history.

Malen is technically on loan from Aston Villa, but the Giallorossi have an option to buy to make his move permanent for €25m at the end of the season.

Roma’s option to buy becomes mandatory if they qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League this season.

The Giallorossi currently sit fourth in the Serie A table, three points above fifth-placed Como and four points above Juventus, who sit sixth.

Roma’s next Serie A match is against Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa at Marassi.

Roma star Paulo Dybala once again felt discomfort in his knee during today’s training session, and according to Sky Sport, he’ll miss Sunday’s game against Genoa.

Roma striker Dybala will miss Sunday’s Serie A match against Genoa as the Argentine didn’t complete today’s training session due to knee problems.

Dybala to miss Genoa vs. Roma

As reported by Il Tempo reporter Filippo Biafora on X, the Argentine was forced to end the workout after just a few minutes because he felt pain in his knee again.

The 32-year-old was available against Juventus on Sunday, but spent the whole game against his former club on the bench.

He had missed the previous four league games due to knee problems. Dybala’s last competitive appearance was on January 25, 2026.

As reported by Sky Sport Italia, this latest setback will force Dybala to miss Sunday’s away game against Roma, where Daniele De Rossi is in charge.

Ferguson to undergo second ankle surgery?

Matias Soulé, Mario Hermoso and Evan Ferguson will also miss the next Serie A match, and the latter has even flown to Brighton for a specialist visit on his injured ankle.

According to Sky, Ferguson, who already had ankle surgery in March 2024, may need to undergo another operation.

Como ambassador Raphael Varane says that his former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has been the most influential person across his career, and has revealed what Zizou told him to do during training sessions as a youngster. 

Varane spoke in-depth in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday, 18 months after he retired at Como. 

• Read more: Varane breaks silence 18 months after shock Como retirement: ‘Difficult journey’

The four-time Champions League winner had joined Cesc Fabregas’s side on a free transfer following the end of his Manchester United tenure in the summer of 2024, but picked up a serious injury to his knee just 23 minutes into his first competitive appearance with the club in the first round of the Coppa Italia that same summer. 

Varane was then left off Como’s Serie A squad list for the 2024-25 campaign and ultimately announced his retirement, less than two months after he had originally joined the club. 

Despite retiring at the age of 31, Varane decided to stay on with Como and is currently serving as an ambassador, sits on the club’s development board and has a hands-on role overseeing the management of the youth sector. 

What Zidane told Varane at Real Madrid

During his own teenage years, Varane left his boyhood club Lens in order to join Real Madrid, where he would go on to play under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Zidane.  

“When I moved to Real Madrid from Lens, everything was bigger, newer, different. More than anything, the perception of time is different. You don’t play for a month and it feels like a year,” Varane told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“You have to stay focused, stay on track, be resilient and train in the same way that you play.” 

Varane also revealed which individual had the biggest impact on his career: “Zidane,” he said. 

“He advised me to focus on one specific thing during each session. A long ball, a different touch, a new move. A small thing, not lots of things, not everything. Add things and improve day by day.”

Click here to read the full interview with Varane

Marco Carnesecchi has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to extend his contract with Atalanta.

Matteo Moretto reports that Italy international Carnesecchi will soon sign a contract extension with Atalanta.

Carnesecchi ready to sign Atalanta contract extension

“Atalanta will extend his contract with a pay rise; there’s already a verbal agreement, and only the signature is missing,” Moretto said on YouTube.

Carnesecchi’s current deal in Bergamo runs out in June 2028.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper has kept14 clean sheets in 38 appearances across all competitions this season, conceding 38 goals.

He has been linked to Inter and Juventus, while Manchester United attempted to sign him last summer.

Football Italia exclusively reported in June that the Red Devils proposed €40m to sign the Italian goalkeeper, but Atalanta turned down the offer.

Inter and Juventus will indeed look for a new starting goalkeeper in 2026-27, but the Nerazzurri’s main target seems to be another Italy international, Guglielmo Vicario, who is willing to return to Serie A from Tottenham.

According to Moretto, Inter and Vicario’s representative will be involved in a new round of talks this month.

Carnesecchi was part of the Italy squad in October and November under new coach Gennaro Gattuso, but has yet to make his senior Azzurri debut.

Douglas Luiz has finally returned to playing regular top-flight football during his loan spell with Aston Villa, but how much will it cost the Premier League outfit to sign the Brazilian on a permanent transfer from Juventus? 

How much will Aston Villa have to pay Juventus to sign Douglas Luiz permanently?

It has been a strange few years for Douglas Luiz, who earned rave reviews towards the end of his first stint with Villa, which began in 2019 and ended in 2024. His performances, particularly during the 2023-24 season, earned him a big-money move away from Villa, joining Juventus in a deal worth €50m. 

Despite his promising Premier League performances, Douglas Luiz failed to hit the ground running in Serie A, and soon became somewhat of an outcast in the Bianconeri first-team. In the end, he made just 19 Serie A appearances during his first season in Italy, and only three of those came as a starter. 

The Old Lady decided to cut their losses during the most recent summer transfer window, sending Douglas Luiz on a season-long loan deal to Nottingham Forest with a conditional obligation to buy. 

Still, largely due to injuries, Douglas Luiz struggled to make an impact at the City Ground and was limited to just eight league appearances during the first half of the 2025-26 season. 

His loan deal was terminated in January, which facilitated a return to Aston Villa, this time on loan with an option to buy. 

Since then, Douglas Luiz has gone on to make six consecutive starts and is looking increasingly settled back in his familiar environment at Villa Park. He added his first league goal of the season with his second-minute strike in an eventual 4-1 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday night. 

If Aston Villa were to activate their option to buy clause this season, Juventus would receive a €25m fee, which is payable over three financial years. The Bianconeri could also claim bonuses of up to €3.5m, the club confirmed in January.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who has been linked with Juventus and Inter, reportedly wants to stay at Anfield until the end of his contract in 2027, while the Nerazzurri are preparing for a new round of talks for Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario.

Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto report the latest updates on two Premier League goalkeepers, Alisson and Vicario, who have been linked with a return to Serie A.

Latest Alisson transfer updates

Both Inter and Juventus are looking for a goalkeeper for next season, Romano confirmed, but Alisson wants to stay at Liverpool for another season.

The Brazilian’s contract at Anfield expires in June 2027, and the player is planning to remain at the club for one more year.

Nevertheless, his future at the club remains uncertain, as it’s unclear whether Liverpool will put him on the market at the end of the current campaign. The Reds will decide in this regard only in the coming months.

Vicario eyes Serie A return

Vicario, on the other hand, would be glad to return to Serie A, and Inter are already in talks with the Tottenham goalkeeper.

Moretto reported that Inter are currently the ‘closest team’ as negotiations with the goalkeeper’s entourage have already begun and will continue in March with a new round of talks between the two parties.

Galatasaray President Dursun Ozbek confirms that Victor Osimhen’s contract does not include a release clause, amid rumours of an interest from Juventus.

Osimhen’s agreement with Galatasaray does not include a release clause which would allow any club to sign the Nigerian for a pre-arranged fee, the Turkish club’s president Dursun Ozbek told Fanatik.

‘No release clause in Osimhen’s contract’

“There is no release clause in Osimhen’s contract. He is an extremely successful footballer who will serve Galatasaray for many years,” Ozbek said.

“Perhaps the amount was considered high on the day we signed him, but today the prevailing view in football circles is that the transfer fee was low and the player’s value is much higher.”

Juventus are reportedly among the clubs following Osimhen and already tried to sign the Nigeria international two years ago, before his transfer to Galatasaray.

According to Italian sources, however, there’s a clause that prevents Osimhen from joining a Serie A club until September 2027.

Galatasaray first signed Osimhen on loan in 2024 and then made his move permanent for €75m the following year.

The former Napoli star has scored 53 goals in 65 appearances with Galatasaray.

During his four-year spell at Napoli, Osimhen scored 76 goals in 133 games, winning the Scudetto in 2022-23 as Serie A’s top scorer.

Osimhen’s contract with Galatasaray expires in June 2029.

Italy World Cup winner Marco Materazzi says his ex-Azzurri teammate Gennaro Gattuso will ‘fight tooth and nail’ for World Cup qualification: ‘He’s taken on the most difficult role.’

Italy host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semifinal on March 26, with the potential final on March 31 against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Materazzi: Gattuso must make sure Italy players ‘stay calm’

“What I know is that Rino (Gattuso) will fight tooth and nail to get us to the World Cup,” Materazzi told Vivo Azzurro.

“He’s taken on the most difficult role he could have taken; direct qualification was practically compromised. He’s trying to pass on his enthusiasm to the team. We won’t face fantastic teams, but they’ll be tough ones, and we have to make sure the players stay calm. We’ll have to push hard. I’m convinced he’s working with the utmost professionalism, and that’s what’s most important for these difficult matches.”

Materazzi and Gattuso won the World Cup with the Azzurri in 2006, and Italy have only played in the World Cup again twice since, in 2010 and 2014.

That legendary Azzurri team in 2006 beat France on penalties.

“By the time it went to penalties, there were people like Rino (Gattuso) who had already taken off their boots,” Materazzi recalled, smiling.

“Iaquinta was wandering around at a distance. Fabio (Cannavaro) had said he would take the sixth, but in my opinion, Buffon would have taken it before him. So there weren’t many of us left. I’ve always taken penalties and felt confident, even though I have this obsession that if you score during the match, you’ll miss the penalty afterwards. But when you get to that point, you can’t back out.”

Materazzi was not a designated starter at the World Cup, but broke into the XI after an injury to Alessandro Nesta.

“In terms of elegance and tactical intelligence, Nesta was the best along with Maldini. Playing next to him, I felt a bit intimidated,” Materazzi admitted.

“I can’t say the same about Cannavaro, because I felt closer to him, and we looked like two street kids playing in the park. Today’s defenders have changed, but football has changed too. In our days, the first thing was to mark and not concede goals; everyone did their job. Today, a defender almost has to know how to handle the ball with his feet first and then focus on marking so as not to lose his man.”

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has deleted a story from his Instagram profile criticising Red Devils head coach Michael Carrick but praising Italy international Sandro Tonali. 

The Class of 92 graduate took to Instagram to share his thoughts after Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat by Tonali’s Newcastle in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, criticising his former teammate Carrick, who has been placed in charge on an interim basis until the end of the season. 

Despite an upturn in United’s results since Carrick took over, Scholes said that they “have been crap last four games,” and also gave a shout-out to Newcastle midfielder Tonali. The Instagram story was posted on Wednesday evening and had been removed from Scholes’s profile by midday on Thursday. 

Scholes continues to praise Tonali

Tonali has previously cited Tonali as being the best midfielder in the Premier League. 

Speaking on The Overlap in October, Scholes said: “I love Tonali at Newcastle. Oh, he can run. (Bruno) Guimarães as well. I’d probably choose Tonali at this point.” 

When asked to clarify if he meant that Tonali is currently the best midfielder in the Premier League, he replied: “Yeah. Why? Are you going to say Declan Rice? 

“Yes. I think he’s better than Declan Rice. I really like Declan Rice, don’t get me wrong. I think he’s got everything, I just think too many times he takes too many touches of the ball. I think he tries to look a little bit more stylish than he needs to. 

“I think his physical attributes are brilliant, I think he can be a box-to-box, he can link, I think he can score goals, I just don’t think he does it enough. I prefer Tonali. Is that okay?”

• Read more: Tonali sends message to Pickford after wonder save: ‘One of the best shots of my life’

Dusan Vlahovic is closing in on a return to action after over three months on the treatment table, but what does his presence in the squad mean for Juventus’s summer signing Jonathan David? 

Vlahovic nears Juventus return: Where does David fit in?

Vlahovic has been out of action with an adductor injury he suffered during Juventus’s 2-1 win over Cagliari on November 29, an issue which required surgery to fix.

He had an operation in London, has been working on his rehabilitation since then and as of Wednesday, has returned to training with the first-team group at Continassa, albeit partially. 

Reports earlier this week suggest that the Serbian, who is into the final year of his contract with the Old Lady, could potentially be called up to the matchday squad to face Pisa in Serie A on Saturday. 

In Vlahovic’s absence, and with Arkadiusz Milik also out long term, Juventus have been left without a ‘traditional’ no.9 in their attacking ranks: Summer signings David and Lois Openda have both played there previously, but neither have particularly convinced when starting alone at centre-forward in Serie A. 

The Bianconeri has considered bringing in a new striker during the January transfer window given Vlahovic’s injury and his contract situation, but a move for Fenerbahce’s Youssef En-Nesyri fell through towards the end of the January transfer window, 

Vlahovic will soon be able to lend Juventus a hand on the pitch, and there have been reports that talks over a potential contract extension are progressing as well. 

Vlahovic’s return does not spell the end of David’s days in the Bianconeri attack, though, as reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Luciano Spalletti is keen to play both attackers in the same line-up, with the Serbian leading the line and the Canadian playing off him a second striker or no.10 role. 

This would still allow Juve to field Kenan Yildiz and either Francisco Conceicao or Weston McKennie out wide as well. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Pierre Kalulu’s high-level performances this season have ‘not gone unnoticed’ in the Premier League, as Liverpool and Manchester United will ‘try to tempt Juventus’ in the summer.

Juventus defender Kalulu has attracted interest from Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester United, according to Gazzetta.

Liverpool and Manchester United ‘will tempt Juventus’ for Kalulu

‘Kalulu’s record-breaking season has not gone unnoticed in the Premier League; Manchester United and Liverpool will try to tempt Juventus’, wrote Juventus reporter Filippo Cornacchia on today’s Gazzetta.

Kalulu has been a regular starter for Juventus under both Igor Tudor and Luciano Spalletti.

He spent the first part of the season playing mostly as a right wing-back, but under Spalletti, the Frenchman has played as a centre-back in a three-man defence or right-back in a four-man backline.

A former Milan defender, Kalulu has given his contribution on both ends, scoring twice and providing six assists in 38 appearances across all competitions.

The 25-year-old signed a new contract until 2029 in July last year.

Juventus, on the other hand, have set their sights on the Premier League for midfield reinforcement next summer as Sandro Tonali and Bernardo Silva are reported to be among their main targets for 2026-27.

The Derby della Madonnina between Milan and Inter in Serie A is fast approaching, and the league have confirmed that Daniele Doveri will be the man with the whistle in San Siro on Sunday evening. 

Doveri confirmed as referee for Milan vs. Inter 

Milan will be the home side for Sunday’s derby in San Siro. The Rossoneri are currently in second place, 10 points behind the table-topping Nerazzurri after 27 matches of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Referee Doveri will take charge of Sunday’s derby. The 48-year-old has taken charge of 14 matches in Italy so far this season: 13 in Serie A and one in Serie B. 

Doveri has refereed Milan twice so far this season: Once for the 3-0 win over Udinese in September and once for the 1-1 draw with Atalanta in October. Matteo Gabbia, Luka Modric and Santiago Gimenez were shown yellow cards in the 1-1 draw with La Dea. 

Doveri has taken charge of three matches involving Inter so far this season: For their 2-1 win away against Hellas Verona in November, their 2-1 win away against Genoa in December and most recently, the 2-2 draw with Napoli in January. 

Doveri showed yellow cards to Yann Bisseck against Verona, and to Manuel Akanji, Bisseck again and Nicolo Barella against Genoa. 

This will not be Doveri’s first Derby della Madonnina either: He has taken charge of four in his career to date: The 2-0 win for Inter in 2019, the 3-0 Nerazzurri victory in 2021, the 1-1 draw later that same year and Milan’s 3-0 win over Inter in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final last season. 

Doveri has refereed Milan 34 times, resulting in 19 wins, nine draws and six defeats for the Rossoneri. He has taken charge of 39 Inter matches, resulting in 16 wins, 10 draws and 13 losses.

Scotland international Billy Gilmour will return to the Napoli XI for the first time since the end of October against Torino, while André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Kevin De Bruyne could be back in the squad and available on the bench.

Napoli host Torino at the Stadio Maradona tomorrow, and the Partenopei coach, Antonio Conte, is still forced to cope without several players, especially in central midfield.

Gilmour to start in Napoli vs. Torino

Scotland international Gilmour has made two substitute appearances since returning from a groin injury that required surgery at the end of November.

Tomorrow, he’ll be the only fit central midfielder available alongside Eljif Elmas as Napoli are still without Scott McTominay and Stanislav Lobotka.

Gilmour hasn’t started a Serie A match since October 28,  away at Lecce. He returned in mid-February in a home Serie A match against Roma, then remained on the bench against Atalanta and was introduced again as a substitute against Verona.

According to Gazzetta, Anguissa and De Bruyne could be available tomorrow against Torino, for the first time in four months.

Both sustained a high-degree injury in their femoral biceps between October and November 2025. De Bruyne opted to undergo surgery, while Anguissa followed conservative treatment.

Source: Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, March 5, 2026, page 16.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus’ hopes of signing Sandro Tonali, Bernardo Silva, or Leon Goretzka next summer largely depend on whether the Bianconeri qualify for the Champions League.

Juventus sit sixth in the Serie A table and have not won any of their last four league games. Fourth-placed Roma, however, are just four points above in the standings.

Juventus need Champions League money for transfer boost

With 11 games left, the Bianconeri’s only remaining target is to secure Champions League qualification, which would boost their finances by €60m to €70m and increase their chances of making a big signing in the summer.

According to Gazzetta, Tonali is still the Old Lady’s top target, but Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) and Goretzka (Bayern Munich), who are available as free agents, are also on the Old Lady’s agenda.

According to the report, preliminary talks have begun with all three, but Juventus are aware that they’ll need at least €70m-75m to sign Tonali, a sum that they could raise through Champions League qualification and the sales of Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners.

Marcos Senesi, a Bournemouth centre-back, has also opened talks with the Old Lady and is reportedly tempted to move to Turin on a free transfer at the end of his contract in June, but Roma remain interested too.

Marco Verratti is increasingly likely to be called up to the Italy national team squad for the upcoming World Cup play-off campaign at the end of March, but what role will the 33-year-old Al-Duhail midfielder have to play in Gennaro Gattuso’s side? 

According to various reports over the last few weeks, Gattuso has been considering calling Verratti back into the national team fold for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on March 26.

Should the Azzurri win that fixture, they will then have to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-legged decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament. 

How does Verratti fit into Italy’s World Cup play-off plans?

According to updates on Thursday, Verratti is on Gattuso’s preliminary squad list and according to Tuttosport, he will be part of the squad at the end of the month. Federico Chiesa and Federico Gatti are among the other players who could return to the squad. 

For Verratti, if he is called up, it would be his first involvement with the Italy squad since the Nations League third place play-off against the Netherlands in June 2023. 

It remains to be seen whether Verratti will play if he is called up to the squad. According to Thursday’s report, he is seen as an alternative option to Juventus’s Manuel Locatelli at the base of the Azzurri midfield. Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are unlikely to be dropped from their starting spots in Italy’s strongest XI. 

If Verratti is to play, it is most likely that he would be a second half substitute: An experienced player capable of helping Italy get things over the line with his ability to read play and control the tempo of the game from the middle of the park. 

Strahinja Pavlovic has revealed that he spoke to Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic and former Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic before deciding to join Milan from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2024 and claims that Serie A is the best league he’s played in: ‘In these two short years, I’ve learned more than the last six of my career’. 

The Rossoneri defender spoke in-depth to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the Derby della Madonnina between Milan and Inter coming up in Serie A on Sunday evening. 

• Read more: Kaka picks one Inter player he’d steal for Milan and picks derby MVP 

Pavlovic on joining Milan, talks with Vlahovic and improving under Allegri 

Pavlovic claims that he has learned more from playing in Serie A than he had done across six years of his career across Serbia, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria. Being at Milan and playing under Massimiliano Allegri specifically has played a major role in his development. 

“You just have to walk around Milanello to understand how many legends have played here, there are pictures everywhere: In the dining room, in the gym … It makes me happy to wear the same shirt that they wore. It’s a great feeling, it’s hard to describe.” 

Pavlovic revealed which of his Serbian teammates he spoke to before joining Milan: “I called Luka Jovic who was here last season, but I also spoke with Milenkovic and Vlahovic to find out more about the Italian division.” 

He insists that moving to Serie A has been the most insightful step of his career: “Milan is the biggest club I’ve played for so far and Serie A is stronger than Austria, France and Serbia. Everything is different here, there are no easy games. And in these two short years, I’ve learned more than the last six of my career. For a defender, it’s the perfect league to grow.

“The coach puts a lot of attention on the defence and we’ve made a lot of progress. The credit is not only due to the defenders, though, because we need everyone’s help. The forwards and midfielders lend us a big hand as well.

“(I’ve learned) so many little things. I’ve started paying attention to little details that I hadn’t even considered before, which makes the difference.” 

After a difficult 2024-25 season in which Milan finished in eighth place, missing out on European football altogether for 2025-26, the Rossoneri now find themselves in second, albeit 10 points off their city rivals, Inter. 

Are Milan ‘happy’ with their season so far?
“It’s a difficult question,” Pavlovic pondered. “We’re happy compared to last year, the goal at the beginning of the season was to get into the top four and we are in the running to achieve that. But looking at our performance, we could have had more points, so there is a bit of regret. 

“There are still 11 games to go and we will do everything we can to get the most out of them.” 

Click here to read the full interview with Pavlovic

Former Juventus winger Massimo Mauro feels that boos against Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni are ‘ridiculous’ as even if the Italian centre-back made a mistake, he ‘can’t pay for the rest of his life.’

Inter defender Bastoni remains a target of fans across Italy after an incident in February that led to a red card for Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu.

Bastoni not only deceived the referee by going down too easily to earn his opponent a red card, but also celebrated when the referee gave Kalulu his marching orders.

Bastoni ‘can’t pay for the rest of his life’ after Inter vs. Juventus

Bastoni was greeted with boos at the following away games at Lecce and Como, but ex-Juventus winger Mauro feels the reactions have been excessive, especially since the incident happened almost a month ago.

“The fact that Bastoni gets booed everywhere is a bit ridiculous. At this point, you’d have to boo 60-70% of footballers,” Mauro told Gazzetta.

“Right now, I can’t take the boos against him seriously.”

Mauro concedes that Bastoni made a mistake, but this doesn’t justify the angry reaction from fans in Italy.

“The issue got blown out of proportion because Kalulu was sent off. Then Bastoni celebrated, and you shouldn’t do that, of course, but you can’t pay for it for the rest of your life either. That’s ridiculous,” insisted Mauro.

“I still maintain that the real mistake was not immediately admitting that a serious error had been made. I’m referring to Chivu’s words in the post-match interview. I used to admire Chivu as a coach and communicator because, from the beginning, he tried to take a different approach to what happens on the pitch. He tried to be sporting even when the refereeing decisions went against him, but in the Bastoni incident, he didn’t manage to do so. I was disappointed when I heard him say that the problem was Kalulu putting his hands on his player.”

The problem, according to Mauro, is not solely with Bastoni’s simulation against Juventus, but with the attitude of the majority of Serie A players, as the ex-winger sees more divers than in the past.

“Much more than before. In the past, it was done to try to win a penalty,” he concluded.

“Now players simulate for everything. And because any contact can look like a foul on video review. Players know this, so it almost becomes instinctive for them to try it. Of course, it’d be condemnable, but when you play, your thinking isn’t clear.”

• Read more – Why Bastoni should not face Italy punishment after Inter vs. Juventus chaos

Donyell Malen is only the last player to shine in Serie A after a move from the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay.

With six goals scored in his opening seven Serie A matches, ex-Aston Villa striker Malen has had a tremendous impact at Roma, becoming the second-best European top-scorer after Harry Kane since his move to the Olimpico.

His impact in the Serie A title race has given Roma a boost on “Anglia Bet“ as the Giallorossi fight for a top-four finish.

Malen’sbig Roma impact

After Round 27, the Giallorossi sit 4th in the standings, with a three-point lead over Como and four points more than Juventus.

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini recently explained how he convinced Malen to join the team from Aston Villa during the winter transfer window.

“He played for Aston Villa and the national team. The way I convinced him to come and play for Roma was by telling him, ‘You’ll play.’ He often ended up on the wing, but for me, he’s a striker, and he wanted this. A striker doesn’t have to be 1,90m tall,” said the Giallorossi boss.

“I think we are already on a good level, but everything can improve. If you lose strikers for one and a half months, it becomes more difficult for everyone.” 

Malen is the last player to have had an immediate impact on Serie A after a move from the Premier League.

One of the most notable examples is McTominay at Napoli. The Scotland star won the Scudetto in his first year at the Stadio Maradona and was named the best player in the league in 2024-25.

One year after his move to Naples, another Manchester United player followed him as the Partenopei signed Hojlund from Old Trafford.

The Dane has grabbed 13 goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances under Antonio Conte so far this season.

Back in 2019-20, Romelu Lukaku made the difference for Inter after a move from Manchester United, helping the club win the Scudetto in his second season at the Stadio Meazza, also under Conte.

Danilo, a former Manchester City defender, is another player who has won the Serie A title, lifting the trophy with Juventus in 2019-20.

Fikayo Tomori won the domestic title with Milan in his second season in 2021-22 after completing a permanent move from Chelsea.

Talking about Milan and Chelsea, how can we not mention Christian Pulisic, another player who has surely improved his game since moving from Stamford Bridge to San Siro?

Captain America has only won one Supercoppa at Milan, but has scored 42 goals in 124 games with the Rossoneri, justifying his €20m price tag.

Fabio Capello notes that Inter ‘have become a bit slow’ in defence, so Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao can ’cause problems’ for the Nerazzurri in the derby, but also tells Leao to ‘show real fighting spirit.’

The Derby della Madonnina is just around the corner as Milan and Inter will meet at San Siro this coming Sunday.

The Nerazzurri are the table leaders with a 10-point advantage over their city rivals who sit second in the standings.

Inter played Como away on Tuesday in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals, but both sides’ focus seemed to be elsewhere.

Capello previews Milan vs. Inter derby

“Inter were already thinking a lot about Sunday’s Derby. The Coppa Italia semifinal was undeniably disappointing, played at a very slow pace by both teams, including Como, which seemed more focused on qualifying for the Champions League,” Capello wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.

Leao is expected to lead the Milan attack on Sunday after scoring a goal in a 2-0 win over Cremonese on Sunday.

“I heard the Portuguese speaking with grit and determination. Well, I would like to see him just as determined on the pitch, showing real fighting spirit and all of his undeniable qualities,” wrote Capello.

“Many times, he ends up disappearing for certain stretches of the match, and for him, it’s to make an important leap.

“Milan certainly won’t be able to avoid lapses in concentration, as Inter’s quality is much higher,” the ex-Rossoneri coach continued.

“Allegri will have to be careful not to give Inter space, especially when Calhanoglu is on the field, as he is extremely skilled at switching the play out to the wings, where Inter are strong.

“That said, Inter have recently been giving away something in defence, they’ve become a bit slow, and therefore Leao and Pulisic, with their qualities, could also cause problems for the league leaders.”

Milan have only lost two Serie A games this season, but their city rivals have been far more consistent, winning 22 league matches out of 27.

“Milan’s victory would keep the title race more alive, but for the good of our football, the neutral fan should, above all, hope for a match that is enjoyable, played at a high tempo, competitive, well refereed, with the game allowed to flow and without continuous interruptions,” concluded Capello.

“After all, we’re talking about first and second place in the standings, facing each other in a match broadcast in many countries abroad. It would be important to show that Italian football is high-quality and not boring to watch.”

Newspapers in Italy claim that Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri would want to bring both Adrien Rabiot and Luka Modric with him to Real Madrid if he were to accept an offer from Florentino Perez in the near future. 

Could Allegri take Modric and Rabiot to Real Madrid?

Reports earlier this week claimed that Real Madrid are considering appointing Allegri as their next permanent head coach. The LaLiga giants cut short their agreement with the highly-rated Xabi Alonso and are currently under the interim stewardship of Alvaro Arbeloa, who is unlikely to take on the job on a permanent basis. 

According to Tuttosport, Real Madrid and club President Perez have courted Allegri at various stages of the last seven years, dating back to his time with Juventus. 

Los Blancos  could reportedly  be inclined to make another offer for the current Milan boss as they look to turn to a more experienced figure in the Carlo Ancelotti mould for their next head coach. 

According to Tuttosport’s front page and reports from Calciomercato.com on Thursday morning, Allegri would want to bring both Rabiot and Modric with him if he were to accept an offer from Real Madrid. 

Rabiot, like he has done at Milan, would serve as a trusted midfield reinforcement, while Modric is someone that Allegri would like to bring on in some sort of dressing room role, potentially as an assistant coach should the 40-year-old former Ballon d’Or winner decide to hang up his boots in the near future. 

Reports on Thursday claim that Federico Chiesa and Marco Verratti are in a chance of featuring for the Italy national team during the World Cup play-off campaign at the end of the month, and that they have both been included on Gennaro Gattuso’s preliminary squad list. 

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

If they fail to beat Northern Ireland and either Wales or Bosnia, it will be the third consecutive World Cup that Italy have missed out on. The Azzurri last qualified for the World Cup group stages in 2014. 

Verratti and Chiesa on Italy preliminary squad list

According to reports from Tuttosport, Gattuso is highly likely to call up Verratti for the first time in almost three years. 

The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, currently with Al-Duhail in Qatar, last featured for the national team in the Nations League third place play-off against the Netherlands in June 2023. 

Thursday’s report claims that Chiesa, who has not featured for Italy since the miserable Euro 2024 campaign, is also part of Gattuso’s preliminary squad. He was one of the players that Gattuso spoke to over a dinner in London over the last few weeks according to Thursday’s report. 

The Chiesa case is an exceptional one, and according to Tuttosport, a final decision on his call-up will be made around 10 days before the squad meets up. 

Among the fringe players in with a chance of being called up for the World Cup play-offs at the end of the month are Marco Palestra and Federico Gatti. Nicolo Zaniolo is not expected to be part of the squad.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Pavlovic exclusive 

A hardman’s derby 

‘Leao said the right thing: It’s a game of life or feath/ Milan are ready to do well. Allegri has improved me. 

Gattuso keeps Bastoni 

A case of boos for the Inter defender 

The CT has already spoken: He will be called up for the World Cup play-offs 

With goals

Coppa Italia: Semi-final first leg

Lazio-Atalanta, what a reaction, it’s a thrilling draw (2-2)

Juve making moves 

Silva and Tonali: Luxury reinforcements for Spalletti

Corriere dello Sport 

A centre-forward for Juve 

Vlahovic surprise | Training in the group since yesterday: Wants to be on the benign against Pisa 

Dusan returns: From the renewal to the Champions League 

He’s been out for 96 days after the adductor surgery. Last goal in Serie A on October 29. Lucio considers him decisive for the race for fourth place. And Comolli is working on the contract 

Lazio frustrate La Dea 

Coppa Italia, semi-final first leg: Finishes 2-2 in a deserted Olimpico 

Heart and pride: Sarri very nearly gets the win with a high-level second half. Magic from Dele-Bashiru after a through-ball from  Maldini. Pasalic finds the 1-1. Dia puts Mau ahead at the end. Musah restores the  balance. Thousands of Laziali not in the Curva Nord. Return leg in Bergamo on April 22 

Napoli, gold on the bench 

Anguissa and De Bruyne called up for Toro 

Tomorrow, Conte finds two of his fab four again. Lobotka out, McTominay doubtful. Gilmour with Elmas in midfield 

Real Madrid, Allegri solution 

Florentino Pereez courting him for seven years 

They need experience after the flop of Xabi Alonso and the interim Arbeloa

Tuttosport 

Juve-Spalletti cont(r)act 

Talks over the coach’s future have begun. Comolli at training yesterday … 

They’ve started talking about the basis of a renewal in recent days: Now discussing the length and they say that Lucio wants in transfer decisions, regardless of  budget constraints. Interview with the son of Sal Da Vinci, who has met the coach: ‘He’s a Napoli idol, like my dad. I hope he’s not at Juve forever’. And, Vlahovic returns to the group: Already called up against Pisa? 

Modric and Rabiot at Real with Max 

Allegri’s conditions for saying yes to Florentino 

Arbeloa destined to leave and Perez tries again with the Milan coach, who would want to bring the Ballon d’Or winner with him as an assistant and the Frenchman as a reinforcement 

‘Napoli-Toro? 11 shields on the pitch’ 

D’Aversa uses his pride as leverage 

The tecnico demands a big leap in quality tomorrow evening: ‘More concentration, more application, more continuity’. The set-piece trouble 

Verratti in Italy for the World Cup 

Gattuso’s choice heading towards the play-offs 

He would alternate with Locatelli in deep midfield. Among the preliminary call-ups is also Chiesa. Definite call-up for Palestra and Gatti could also return. Zaniolo remains out 

Immovable Atalanta, hit back twice against Lazio 

Coppa Italia semi-final first leg: 2-2

Mattia Zaccagni and Boulaye Dia insist they ‘respect’ the decision of Lazio ultras to boycott games, after a surreal Coppa Italia semi-final with Atalanta. ‘They made us feel their presence.’

It was a very entertaining match in the end, despite the rather strange atmosphere of playing in a stadium with just 5,000 fans in the stands, many more gathered outside the Stadio Olimpico in protest against Lazio President Claudio Lotito.

They had marched from the meeting point of Ponte Milvio all the way to the stadium before kick-off.

Throughout the match, they could be heard singing, cheering, and letting off fireworks, as they kept up with what was going on inside listening to the radio and watching on their phones.

Prosegue la contestazione in casa #Lazio prima della semifinale di andata di Coppa Italia contro l’Atalanta#Sportitalia #Lotito pic.twitter.com/dexzcLgwDx

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) March 4, 2026

The hosts took the lead twice with a Fisayo Dele-Bashiru lob and Dia pouncing on the Mario Pasalic error, but both times it lasted only a few minutes before Atalanta hit back with Pasalic and Yunus Musah for the 2-2 draw.

Lazio players felt support of the fans anyway

“It was a good performance, the right attitude, perhaps we just need to improve in our concentration, because we twice conceded straight after scoring. That should not happen,” Zaccagni told Sport Mediaset.

“The fans made us feel their presence in their own way. We respect their decision, it’s not easy to be without them, but it is their choice and we have to respect that.”

The Lazio supporters held a banner outside, declaring this was their ‘sacrifice’ for the good of the club, as most are season ticket holders and already had access to the match.

The Coppa Italia semi-final will therefore be decided in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, to see who goes through to face either Inter or Como in the Final.

“It was a very important goal for me, I hadn’t scored for a long time, but the disappointment is that we didn’t win. That really hurts,” Dia told Sport Mediaset.

“When the team works together, we do really well, we scored two goals and played a good game.”

Maurizio Sarri feels that if Lazio’s fans had been inside the Stadio Olimpico rather than protesting outside, ‘we could’ve taken the win home’ after the 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final with Atalanta.

The Biancocelesti had twice taken the lead this evening, through a Fisayo Dele-Bashiru dinked finish and Boulaye Dia pouncing on the Mario Pasalic error.

However, both times Atalanta equalised within a few minutes, with Pasalic and the late Yunus Musah strike.

Sarri has Lazio regrets after first leg

“We are satisfied with the performance, because we played at a high level against a strong team during what has been a difficult period,” Sarri told Sport Mediaset.

“On the other hand, we have regrets over the results, although we know it would’ve been a battle in Bergamo even going there with a one-goal advantage.”

It all goes down to the second leg, which will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, to decide who goes through to face either Inter or Como in the Coppa Italia Final.

“We will go and fight for qualification there. If we play the way we did this evening, then we can do it.”

It was a surreal atmosphere in the practically deserted Stadio Olimpico, with only circa 5,000 tickets sold, but most of the Lazio fans still audible as they stood outside the arena, singing and letting off fireworks.

“The Serie A table is what it is due to a year where we suffered the absence of many players. We couldn’t really expect much more in these circumstances,” noted Sarri.

“Nonetheless, the team is showing signs that it can be competitive. The issue is doing that more consistently. Hopefully, from here to the end of the season we can keep almost all the players fit and healthy. It’s tough when you are constantly without six or seven players.”

The protest against President Claudio Lotito drags on and is certainly not helping the situation, as this Coppa Italia semi-final is their best chance of salvaging the season.

“Unfortunately, and I mean unfortunately, the team is getting used to this situation inside the stadium. It’s horrible to say, because this is a truly sad situation. Once again tonight we felt that if there were 45,000 in the stands, we could’ve maybe taken the win home.”

Daniel Maldini was used as a False 9, but also dropped deeper to create the space and provided the excellent assist for that Dele-Bashiru goal.

“Dele-Bashiru can run at 35km/h when he gets up a head of steam, so he can cause problems for anyone when making that run through the middle. Kenneth Taylor has different characteristics, he is better on the ball, but has less pace,” explained Sarri.

“In order to be more consistent, we’d need a set of strikers who can guarantee more goals. Unfortunately, we’ve been lacking there for various reasons this term, which means all it takes is one mistake and the lead is wiped out.

“We have also been down to the bare bones at times, especially in certain roles where injuries piled up at the same time. It is a squad that needs to be rebalanced, in my view.”

Raffaele Palladino relished the ‘entertaining’ 2-2 draw with Lazio that leaves Atalanta within reach of the Coppa Italia Final. ‘It’s wonderful to be in three competitions, but very tiring.’

La Dea are being stretched increasingly thin, as the only Italian representative left in the Champions League, also participating in the Coppa Italia semi-final, and pushing for a top four finish in Serie A.

They certainly do not lack determination, though, fighting back twice from a goal down to earn a 2-2 first leg semi-final draw away to Lazio.

Mario Pasalic cancelled out the Fisayo Dele-Bashiru dinked finish, then Yunus Musah responded immediately to Boulaye Dia pouncing on a Pasalic howler.

Palladino’s Atalanta never give in

“I think we had a very good game against a strong opponent. It was balanced, entertaining to watch, and when you face Sarri’s teams it is always enjoyable, as they have quality and can cause problems at any moment,” Palladino told Sport Mediaset.

“We had chances early on, a disallowed goal and hit the crossbar, we should’ve been more incisive in the final third. After the break, we went behind twice, but the team did well to get back into a deserved draw, one we believed in to the end.

“It was only the first half of this semi-final, the second will be on our turf.”

It all goes down to the second leg, which will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, the winners of that tie will go on to face either Inter or Como in the Final in May.

“The tie is open, it’s 50-50 and we want to reach the Final. We’re in front of our own fans, but that is a while away, so we’ll gain confidence from this performance,” continued Palladino.

Atalanta have shown they refuse to give in, turning around the 2-0 first leg defeat with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League to beat them 4-1 in the second leg.

“Being in three competitions in March is something to be very proud of, in the Champions League Round of 16, Coppa Italia semi-final and Serie A, it’s wonderful, but also very tiring.”

This was the second consecutive game on target for Musah, as the USMNT midfielder had struggled to make an impact following his arrival from Milan.

“Musah is a player who hadn’t played much when I arrived, as he had Ederson and De Roon ahead of him, but undoubtedly he’s had more space with Ederson out injured. I told the lads that I need all of them to step up, especially off the bench, as Musah did it well against Sassuolo and again today,” confirmed the Atalanta coach.

“I really like Lazar Samardzic, he gets between the lines and has quality, but the problem is he needs to improve the level of choices and shots in the final third. He has what it takes, we need him to step up a level in his finishing, as he has goals and assists in his capabilities.”

Lazio twice took the lead in the Coppa Italia semi-final, only to be clawed back by Atalanta in a 2-2 thriller, as qualification goes down to the second leg in Bergamo.

These sides met in the 2019 Coppa Italia Final, with the Aquile winning 2-0, while La Dea returned the favour in Serie A only last month. It was the last chance for Maurizio Sarri to salvage the season, but while Pedro and Mario Gila returned, he was still missing Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot. Atalanta were in the race for the top four, the only Italian team left in the Champions League, and looking for a fourth Coppa Italia Final in eight seasons. Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori remained on the treatment table.

It was a bizarre atmosphere, as only 5,000 fans were inside the stadium, with thousands of Lazio ultras gathered outside in protest at President Claudio Lotito. Atalanta fans were also limited to just over 100 by restrictions.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Atalanta had the ball in the net after eight minutes with a sensational Davide Zappacosta control on a long Giorgio Scalvini ball, then his cross was nodded into the far bottom corner by Nikola Krstovic from 14 yards. However, Zappacosta was narrowly offside and the goal was disallowed by VAR.

Mario Pasalic’s header was just wide from a Lazar Samardzic free kick, but Zappacosta came so close when his acrobatic volley into the ground on a Lorenzo Bernasconi cross bounced off the crossbar with Ivan Provedel beaten.

Instead, Lazio took the lead within 60 seconds of the restart. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru sprinted through the middle, completing an inspired give and go with Daniel Maldini and dinking the finish over on-rushing Marco Carnesecchi. It was his first goal of the season and one of the best of his entire career.

It didn’t last long, as Provedel only parried a ferocious Samardzic strike into the path of Pasalic to turn in the rebound at the back post and draw Atalanta level.

Mario Pasalic brings Atalanta level!

His goal cancels out Dele-Bashiru's opener for Lazio pic.twitter.com/G8e79uCzkv

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) March 4, 2026

Maldini squirmed away for a dangerous pull-back from the by-line, then Carnesecchi palmed a Kenneth Taylor strike round the upright after great work from Gustav Isaksen to ride two tackles.

Giorgio Scalvini limped off with a knee problem, but Pasalic went from hero to villain by gifting Lazio a goal. He tried to chest down the Nuno Tavares cross inside the area, the control was not what he had intended and it allowed Boulaye Dia to pounce on the loose ball, turning in from seven yards.

Boulaye Dia with a big goal for Lazio!

Not an easy night for the Biancocelesti with their fans boycotting, but their players have put in a performance pic.twitter.com/WTlCZk2F2Z

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) March 4, 2026

However, once again the lead did not last long, because moments later Kamaldeen Sulemana managed to pull back from the left despite Adam Marusic marking, finding Yunus Musah to fire in first-time from 14 yards.

Lazio 2-2 Atalanta

Dele-Bashiru 47 (L), Pasalic 51 (A), Dia 87 (L), Musah 90 (A)

04-03-2026 20:00

1/2 Final

Stadio Olimpico

Lazio

Atalanta

2 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

23'

Marten de Roon

2nd half

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Assist: Daniel Maldini)		47'
		51'		Mario Pasalic
		69'		Mario Pasalic
Boulaye Dia		87'
		89'		Yunus Musah (Assist: Kamaldeen Sulemana)
		90+5'		Isak Hien

Match statistic

49

Possession %

51

6

Total shots

10

3

Shots on target

3

2

Shots off target

5

1

Blocked shots

2

1

Corners

3

1

Offsides

2

5

Fouls

13

Lazio

Atalanta

Starting lineups

94

Ivan Provedel

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

34

Mario Gila

Defender

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

27

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

76'

32

Danilo Cataldi

Midfielder

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

24

Kenneth Taylor

Midfielder

83'

18

Gustav Isaksen

Attacker

64'

10

Mattia Zaccagni

Attacker

76'

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

64'

4

Isak Hien

Defender

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

76'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

76'

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

64'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

85'

Substitutes

9

Pedro

Attacker

4

Patric

Defender

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

23

Elseid Hysaj

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

40

Edoardo Motta

Goalkeeper

20

Petar Ratkov

Attacker

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

28

Adrian Przyborek

Attacker

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

64'

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

76'

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

76'

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

83'

16

Raoul Bellanova

Defender

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

5

Mitchel Bakker

Defender

45

Dominic Vavassori

Midfielder

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

64'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

64'

7

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

76'

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

76'

9

Gianluca Scamacca

Attacker

85'

Atalanta are concerned after Italy international Giorgio Scalvini limped off with a knee injury during the Coppa Italia semi-final against Lazio.

The central defender had been in the starting XI and made some decisive blocks, but he was hurt during a collision with Lazio full-back Nuno Tavares.

He tried to carry on after an initial period of treatment, but was continuing to struggle, and it was decided after a few minutes in agreement with the medical staff that he should come off.

Atalanta already dealing with injuries

It is a worry for Atalanta, who have a packed fixture list as the only Italian team remaining in the Champions League, preparing for next Tuesday’s Round of 16 showdown with Bayern Munich.

La Dea are already missing Ederson, Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere due to various injury problems.

It is also concerning for Scalvini, who has been so unlucky with injuries in his short career so far.

The 22-year-old already had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee that forced him to miss Italy’s EURO 2024 campaign, then dislocated his shoulder and was ruled out for several months in December 2024.

Paulo Dybala will always have a special bond with Juventus, and his mother-in-law reveals a goal in the game against Roma sent wife Oriana into labour.

The happy couple welcomed their first child on Monday morning, a daughter who has been named Gia.

However, the birth was a little earlier than scheduled, and the fault may well be the dramatic finale of Roma’s 3-3 draw with Juventus.

Dybala Junior moved by Roma 3-3 Juventus drama

Oriana Sabatini’s mother, Catherine Fulop, spoke to Teleshow in Argentina and revealed the singer and television presenter went into labour straight after a strike at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday evening.

“On Sunday, she started having contractions in the stadium, right after the third goal,” said Fulop.

Roma had taken a 3-1 lead on the night, only to concede two goals late on with a last-gasp Federico Gatti equaliser.

“Initially, they were every five minutes and they hurt, but not that much. Oriana said she wanted to go home, relax in a hot bath, but the contractions were getting more intense and more frequent.”

Dybala was on the bench and did not play, but once he had accompanied his wife home, they realised the baby was in a hurry.

“They initially wanted to go to the Gemelli hospital, but it was around 50 minutes away and Ori was already in a lot of pain, so we went to a clinic nearer to us instead at about 3am, as she was already at an advanced stage.”

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Paulo Dybala (@paulodybala)

It was a dramatic match at the Stadio Olimpico, but fortunately Dybala’s child waited until they had left the stadium before making her introduction to the world.

Lazio director Angelo Maria Fabbiani won’t be drawn into the latest Claudio Lotito controversy, but is ‘disappointed’ fans boycotted tonight’s Coppa Italia semi-final with Atalanta.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, with the winner going on to face either Inter or Como in the Final.

There were only a pitiful 5,000 tickets sold for this match, because thousands of Lazio fans have gathered outside the stadium to cheer on their team, protesting against President Lotito.

The situation has deteriorated in recent weeks after a series of leaked phone calls where Lotito insulted and criticised Lazio fans, also making disparaging remarks about coach Maurizio Sarri.

Lazio facing revolt from supporters

“I won’t get into the telephone interceptions. It is our duty to honour this season to the end, despite everything and everyone,” director Fabbiani told Sport Mediaset.

“It is disappointing, we would’ve liked to see a full stadium tonight, not so much for us as for the players. We must respect the decision of the supporters, naturally. It is nothing new.”

This is the last chance for the Biancocelesti to salvage their season, as just qualifying for the Coppa Italia Final would guarantee a place in the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four, while winning the trophy means Europa League qualification.

“The lads need to step onto the field for a very important game, important for them, for the club, for those fans who didn’t enter the stadium. Reaching the Coppa Italia semi-final is nothing to be sniffed at. These lads eliminated the two teams who played in the Final last season.”

Can anything be done to break the boycott and win back the support of the Lazio fans?

“I don’t want to get into this issue, I respect everyone. I think everyone needs a little common sense. A semi-final is important, regardless of the result, and it is not to be taken for granted.”

"They want to believe in something better. They want to see a project to take them to the next level."@IFTVMarco shares what Lazio fans are hoping for amid protests against ownership ahead of the Coppa Italia semi-final pic.twitter.com/zRndTJIGY7

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 4, 2026

These teams met only last month in Serie A, with Atalanta emerging 2-0 winners at the Stadio Olimpico.

However, Lazio won by that same scoreline when they faced off in the 2019 Coppa Italia Final.

Luca Percassi warns Atalanta need ‘the best version of ourselves’ to beat Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final. ‘We are in three competitions and cannot afford to think we’ve achieved anything.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, with the winner going on to face either Inter or Como in the Final.

There was a hiccup at the weekend, as the Champions League hangover from the 4-1 comeback win over Borussia Dortmund saw them beaten 2-1 by on-form Sassuolo.

Atalanta competing in three tournaments

“Last Wednesday was a unique match in our history, but Serie A immediately showed us how delicate every game is, so tonight Atalanta will have to be the best version of ourselves to seek a good result. We also realise this is only the first half and the tie will be decided in the second leg,” CEO Percassi told Sport Mediaset.

Atalanta have been transformed since Palladino took over in mid-November, as they are the only Italian team left in the Champions League, are pushing for a top four Serie A finish, and here seeking their fourth Coppa Italia Final in eight years.

Did Percassi and the club expect such a complete turnaround in such a short space of time?

“Let’s say that after a change with the same coach for nine years, it was natural there might be difficulties. I can only thank Ivan Juric, who also had problems like missing players such as Scamacca, Scalvini, Ederson and more.

“There are moments when you have to make decisions that you wouldn’t want to make, Palladino and his staff brought a new wave of enthusiasm, the players responded very well to his approach.

“We are very proud to be here today, but also know that we are in the thick of three competitions where we cannot afford to think we’ve achieved anything. We’re happy to be here, but we know there is a long road ahead of us.”

Ederson is still out of action along with Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori, but the hope is to have at least some of them back for the Champions League Round of 16 against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Former Italy, Manchester United and Fiorentina star Giuseppe Rossi trusts Gennaro Gattuso can get players ‘pumped up’ for the World Cup play-offs. ‘He is the right coach.’

The Azzurri failed to earn their passage to the last two editions of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, so missing a third consecutive tournament would be a disaster for Calcio.

They must now go into the play-offs, first against Northern Ireland, then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina, to book a spot at the competition this summer in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Rossi has faith in Gattuso and Italy

Speaking to The Italian Football Podcast, Pepito Rossi was asked if he had belief that Italy would make it this time.

“Of course, I have big faith. Because we have the players, but we have the right coach for the right moment,” he insisted.

“Rino is someone who can motivate anybody and anything possible. Just having him and the energy that he brings every session.”

It is not just Gattuso who represents the winning past of Italian football, but also his staff members like Gigi Buffon and Leonardo Bonucci.

“With that staff that he has, the players are gonna be so pumped, the players will be fighting for that shirt, to get that position in the World Cup. And we can’t wait to cheer on the boys,” said Rossi.

The Nazionale failed to qualify for the World Cup since 2014, having won it in 2006, but they have since lifted the European Championship trophy in 2021.

Lazio try to salvage their season with the Coppa Italia semi-final, starting Daniel Maldini against his old club, while Atalanta aim for another Final with Nikola Krstovic and Lazar Samardzic.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, with the winner going on to face either Inter or Como in the Final

These sides met in Serie A only last month, with Atalanta emerging from the Stadio Olimpico as 2-0 victors.

They also famously played in the Coppa Italia Final in 2019, with Lazio taking the trophy 2-0.

Raffaele Palladino has completely transformed their fortunes since replacing Ivan Juric in mid-November, putting them right back into the hunt for a top four finish, the only remaining Italian team in the Champions League, and looking for a fourth Coppa Italia Final in eight years.

Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori are still out of action, as they suffered a Champions League hangover with Sunday’s 2-1 Serie A defeat to Sassuolo.

There is only very limited squad rotation, with Krstovic coming in for Gianluca Scamacca, supported by Samardzic and Nicola Zalewski.

Lazio’s season has been doomed from the start, first with the transfer embargo, then results failing to improve after a January reshuffle.

The fans also continue their protest against President Claudio Lotito, preferring to congregate outside the stadium rather than purchase tickets.

Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot are still on the treatment table, though Pedro and Mario Gila return to Maurizio Sarri’s squad.

Former Atalanta player Maldini faces his old club as a False 9, flanked by Gustav Isaksen and Mattia Zaccagni.

It is their last and best opportunity to salvage the campaign, as just reaching the Final would guarantee access to the Supercoppa Italiana next season, and winning provide a place in the Europa League.

Lazio vs. Atalanta line-ups

Lazio: Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Taylor, Cataldi, Dele-Bashiru; Isaksen, Maldini, Zaccagni

Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Krstovic

Ref: Manganiello

04-03-2026 20:00

1/2 Final

Stadio Olimpico

Lazio

Atalanta

2 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

23'

Marten de Roon

2nd half

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Assist: Daniel Maldini)		47'
		51'		Mario Pasalic
		69'		Mario Pasalic
Boulaye Dia		87'
		89'		Yunus Musah (Assist: Kamaldeen Sulemana)
		90+5'		Isak Hien

Match statistic

49

Possession %

51

6

Total shots

10

3

Shots on target

3

2

Shots off target

5

1

Blocked shots

2

1

Corners

3

1

Offsides

2

5

Fouls

13

Lazio

Atalanta

Starting lineups

94

Ivan Provedel

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

34

Mario Gila

Defender

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

27

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

76'

32

Danilo Cataldi

Midfielder

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

24

Kenneth Taylor

Midfielder

83'

18

Gustav Isaksen

Attacker

64'

10

Mattia Zaccagni

Attacker

76'

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

64'

4

Isak Hien

Defender

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

76'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

76'

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

64'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

85'

Substitutes

9

Pedro

Attacker

4

Patric

Defender

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

23

Elseid Hysaj

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

40

Edoardo Motta

Goalkeeper

20

Petar Ratkov

Attacker

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

28

Adrian Przyborek

Attacker

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

64'

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

76'

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

76'

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

83'

16

Raoul Bellanova

Defender

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

5

Mitchel Bakker

Defender

45

Dominic Vavassori

Midfielder

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

64'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

64'

7

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

76'

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

76'

9

Gianluca Scamacca

Attacker

85'

Lazio are hosting Atalanta in the Coppa Italia semi-final this evening, but only circa 5,000 tickets have been sold, as the local ultras are boycotting their matches in protest.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, with the winner going on to face either Inter or Como in the Final.

Lazio playing in an empty stadium

In theory, Lazio are supposed to make the most of home advantage in this game, but it certainly won’t feel like it when they take to the field in a practically empty stadium.

The Aquile supporters have been protesting against President Claudio Lotito and his running of the club for many months, even years, and the situation reached a head over the last couple of weeks.

They declared that they are boycotting home games and choose to sit outside the stadium walls rather than purchase a ticket.

So a march of thousands of fans will take place from Ponte Milvio to the Stadio Olimpico before kick-off, at which point they will sit outside the Curva Nord where they would usually take their seats, and cheer on the team from outside.

A shocking 5,000 tickets have reportedly been sold for tonight’s match, which is their last chance to salvage the season by reaching the Coppa Italia Final.

This is the third home fixture in a row the fans have boycotted, after the Serie A matches against Genoa and Atalanta.

Their fury was only intensified by another leaked phone call with a Lazio supporter this morning, when he hit back at criticism for choosing players not suited to Maurizio Sarri’s football.

“This club has one name only in charge and that is Claudio Lotito. It is not Sarri, if Sarri wants it, he can buy the club. The coach has to deal with the players he has at his disposal and make them play, otherwise he is not a good coach.”

{rsn-live-v2}

Como coach Cesc Fabregas and former Italy star Giuseppe Rossi urged fans around Serie A to stop jeering Alessandro Bastoni after the simulation controversy. ‘On the field, you do anything to win.’

The Inter defender was roundly criticised in the media after an obvious simulation got Pierre Kalulu sent off during their win over Juventus, and because it was a second yellow card, VAR could not intervene.

The incident was so controversial that it prompted IFAB to change the protocol from the World Cup this summer, allowing VAR to correct a clear and obvious error if a player is sent off for a second bookable offence.

Although Bastoni later apologised in public, he has not been forgiven, with loud jeers at his every touch in the games against Lecce and Como.

Bastoni still being jeered by other fans

“I don’t know him, but I think he is a top player and a great lad,” said Como coach Fabregas in a press conference after last night’s Coppa Italia semi-final.

“He has to be the future captain of the Italy squad, he is fundamental, and we must protect him. He got it wrong that day, certainly, it can happen to players, it happened to me too, as I made a mistake at San Siro.

“You apologise and you move forward. He is intelligent and he’ll get out of this.”

Support for Bastoni also came from former Italy, Fiorentina and Manchester United striker Rossi, who commented on the situation when speaking to The Italian Football Podcast.

“Listen, on the field you do anything to win. And if Bastoni thought that was the thing to do, then for him it was the thing to do,” noted Rossi.

. @GiuseppeRossi22 On Bastoni Azzurri Ban Talk  

full interview: https://t.co/VdkyqZc4f4 pic.twitter.com/DgUobKEFw0

— The Italian Football Podcast (@ItaFootPod) March 4, 2026

“It worked. They were able to have one guy more [on the pitch]. And ultimately win the game. Can you fault him? No. Do I like it? No I hate that type of stuff. But can you fault him? No, you can’t fault him. Unfortunately, it’s all part of the game. I fault the VAR and I fault whatever these damn rules regarding the VAR.”

The jeers from the fans of other clubs also follow appeals to have Bastoni excluded from international duty in the upcoming World Cup play-offs.

“And all this, saying that he not going to on the national team is BS. Everybody does something that’s on the limits of the rules in order to gain an advantage,” added Rossi.

“If that’s the case him not going on the national team, then we have no national team.”

Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram is attracting attention from two Premier League giants, as Liverpool are reportedly battling Manchester United with an asking price of €75m.

The son of former France international Lilian and brother of Inter striker Marcus, Khephren Thuram hails from a special football family.

He turns 25 later this month and made the move from OGC Nice to Juventus for €20.6m in the summer of 2024.

Thuram finding his feet at Juventus

With two goals and four assists in 35 competitive games so far this season, the France international has flourished and caught the eye of several Premier League clubs.

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are preparing to battle Manchester United on the transfer market this summer for the chance to snap up Thuram.

He is seen as the ideal replacement for Casemiro at Old Trafford, while the Reds want him to bring a more physical presence to their midfield.

Arsenal are also keeping a close eye on the situation, as his contract with Juventus is set to expire in June 2029.

While a proposal worth €45m plus add-ons was mentioned, Juve are far more likely to set the asking price at €65-75m including bonuses.

Former Ballon d’Or-winning Milan midfielder Kaka believes that his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric has the capacity to ‘go on for another two or three years’ despite turning 40 earlier this season: ‘His being there is good for all of Italian football’. 

Kaka spoke in-depth to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the highly-anticipated Derby della Madonnina between second-placed Milan and league leaders Inter coming up on Sunday evening. 

• Read more: Kaka names one Inter player he would steal for Milan and predicts derby MVP

Kaka praise for Modric: ‘He’s crazy, he could go on for another two or three years’

From one Ballon d’Or winner to another, Kaka had nothing but positive things to say about Rossoneri veteran Modric, who has excelled in his first season in Serie A despite turning 40 in September. 

“Lukita is a force of nature,” said Kaka. “It’s great to see what he’s doing in terms of his enthusiasm, leadership and of course, his technique. I played with him in Madrid and I know what his mentality is like.”

Kaka is unsurprised that Modric still has such a high level of motivation for the game despite his age and the trophies he has previously won in his career. 

“It’s human to lose a bit of motivation when you’ve already had it all. But he’s crazy,” said Kaka. “He still wants to pass on his knowledge, he calls his teammates, he’s always ready to fight. He has energy and personality. His contribution to Milan is important in games and in training and I believe that his being there is good for all of Italian football.” 

Kaka also believes that Modric will be among the star players in the upcoming derby against Inter: “Without a doubt. He’ll make the difference with his experience but also his class. I also like Pulisic a lot and there’s always Leao.” 

Modric joined Milan on a one-year contract at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, but has an option to extend that agreement by a further 12 months. ‘Will he stay or will he go’ was the question posed to Kaka. 

“Science helps athletes in every field, it extends your career, helps you improve recovery times. If we think about how important Luka is for the team now, I think he could go on for another two or three years, but who knows. 

“There’s fitness and then there’s the player’s decision, the needs of his family, the desire to go home. There are a lot of factors that push you to end a career, but as long as I see him on the pitch, I think that he can still play for a long time without any problems.”

Sandro Tonali says that he will ‘look for the positives’ heading into Italy’s World Cup play-off campaign at the end of March, and says that head coach Gennaro Gattuso is his biggest footballing inspiration, even before they started working together.

The Italy international sat down for a feature interview with Sky Sport Italia, discussing all things Italy and Newcastle ahead of a busy few weeks at club and international level. 

• Read more: Tonali sends message to Pickford after wonder save

Tonali on Italy hopes, dinner in London and Gattuso inspiration

It has been a season of ups and downs for Tonali’s Newcastle in the Premier League, sitting in 13th place after 28 matches. 

The season will only get more intense for Tonali and his teammates from here, as they face a daunting March schedule with fixtures against Manchester United, Chelsea and bitter rivals Sunderland in the Premier League, Manchester City in the FA Cup and Barcelona over two legs of the Champions League round of 16. 

Then, Italy face the World Cup play-offs, which will determine whether or not Italy will qualify for the 2026 tournament in North America or miss out for the third cycle in a row. 

“It’s going to be a busy month between the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. There’s also something quite important at the end of March that we’re eagerly awaiting,” Tonali told Sky Sport Italia.  

“It will be one of the biggest games for us, we have to play perfectly. There’s pressure, but I like to look for the positives, that’s the beauty of football,” he said, looking ahead to the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on March 26. 

The Italy national team were last in action against Norway in the World Cup qualifying group stage in November, which means that it will have been more than four months since the last time the squad met up by the time the Northern Ireland fixture rolls around. 

Gattuso had hoped to organise a sort-of emergency training camp for his players at some stage in between the Norway and Northern Ireland matches, but this was not possible for various reasons, scheduling in particular. 

Instead, Gattuso has been on a mini-tour of Italy and the UK, having a series of dinners with his players. 

“We had dinner in London,” said Tonali. “We had a great time because we hadn’t seen each other since November. It’s always nice to get together for a moment outside football. We had fun, we talked about a lot of different things. It was a different experience to usual.” 

Tonali also named Gattuso as his biggest footballing inspiration. 

“I’d say Gattuso. I think he’s been the person who’s instilled the most in me, even before I knew him. When he was playing, I took things from him that I liked. 

“After meeting him, I’ve been able to connect with a genuine person, someone who, if he needs to tell you something, will tell you in a split second. And that’s good for us, we need people who tell us things to our face and who will get in our faces when things aren’t going well. 

“We’ve got a coach who has given us so much, who is giving so much and will continue to give so much more. Not just him, but he and his staff will give everything they have to achieve this goal.” 

Roma injury problems persist for Matias Soulé and Mario Hermoso, while Evan Ferguson flew back to Brighton for a specialist consultation.

The Giallorossi are fresh off a 3-3 thriller against Juventus that saw them left in fourth place in Serie A.

Roma still struggling with injury problems

Their absentee list remains extensive, as Paulo Dybala had personalised training just hours after becoming a father for the first time.

Soulé and Hermoso missed the Juventus match, and were still not training with the rest of their teammates today, while Artem Dovbyk is another long-term absentee.

Ferguson was not at the Trigoria ground at all today, and the Corriere dello Sport report he has flown back to England for a specialist consultation.

It was arranged in co-ordination with his parent club, Brighton and Hove Albion, because it is now safe to say Roma have no intention of activating the €35m option to buy at the end of the season.

The Republic of Ireland international has struggled with a repeated ankle injury and has not played since January 10.

Ferguson skipped 11 games due to injury this season, playing in 22 matches for Roma, and rarely made a good impression.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac was full of praise for 17-year-old talent Samuele Inacio, who he describes as ‘not just the future of this club, but also of Italian football and of the Italy national team’. 

Kovac claims Inacio is ‘the future’ of Italy

The 17-year-old attacker has recently made his professional debut, coming off the bench at the end of Der Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Saturday evening. 

The teenager is also at the centre of an ongoing feud between Dortmund and his former club Atalanta. Inacio came through the academy in Bergamo, but left to join Dortmund as a 16-year-old in 2024 with no compensation changing hands between the clubs; a situation which has left La Dea bitterly frustrated. 

Atalanta’s loss is Dortmund’s gain, however, and head coach Kovac has nothing but positive things to say about the emerging teenage talent. 

“We’re happy. Samuele is 17 years old and will definitely do well,” said Kovac (via Kicker). “I was happy with his debut. Against Bayern Munich. Imagine that, not bad! 

Kovac is convinced that Inacio will go on to play a major role in the Italy national team set-up. 

“He’s a great footballer. If he stays fit, he will have a really great career. At just 17, I see a lot of the qualities that a very good player in the future will have. He’s not just the future of this club, but also of Italian football and of the Italy national team. 

“He’s making great progress, he has great heart. He’s a technically very clean player. Italians say ‘fantasista’. As a 10 or an 8, he sees things on the pitch at the age of 17 that others at 30 don’t see.”

Serie A has named Napoli talent Antonio Vergara as the Rising Star Of The Month for February 2026.

Napoli’s Vergara was the best U23 player in Serie A last month, Lega Serie A said in a statement on Wednesday.

Vergara is Serie A’s Rising Star Of The Month – official statement

“The Rising Star Of The Month award for February has been assigned to Napoli player Antonio Vergara. The trophy will be presented during the pre-match of Napoli vs Torino, scheduled for Friday, 6 March 2026 at 8.45 p.m. at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples,” the statement read.

“The winner of the trophy, reserved for Under-23 players (born starting from 1 January 2003), has been selected taking into account the advanced analysis of Kama Sport, created from the tracking data recorded with the Hawk-Eye system. The rating system considers not only statistical data and technical events, but also positional data. This makes it possible to analyse crucial aspects such as movement without the ball and thus optimal movements, game choices, and the contribution to the technical and physical efficiency of the team, which allow for an objective and qualitative evaluation of the performance.

“For the final calculation were considered the matchdays from 23 to 26 of Serie A 2025/2026.”

Another Napoli player, McTominay, won an award for February as he scored the best goal in Serie A last month.

Vergara has yet to make his Italy debut, but according to several reports, he could be called up for the first time later this month, when the Azzurri play in the World Cup play-off.

Youssouf Fofana could find himself on the chopping block if Milan are able to settle an ongoing dispute with Brazilian side Corinthians and complete the signing of 19-year-old talent Andre Luiz Santos Dias according to reports in Italy. 

Reports over the last few days claim that Milan are attempting to close a deal with the Corinthians board of directors for Brazilian talent Andre for a €17m package including bonuses. 

However, Corinthians President Osmar Stabile is reportedly attempting to stall the deal and according to Calciomercato.com, he is holding out for a fee in excess of €25m. Corinthians head coach Dorival Junior is also said to be against the move and that the player is worth more than the reported €17m price tag. 

That is despite the fact that the documents for Andre’s transfer had been exchanged according to reports in Italy. Milan feel that the deed had been done. 

Reports on Wednesday suggest that Milan could potentially appeal to FIFA given the claims that they already had the documents in place with Coritnthians’s own legal department. 

How do Milan’s dealings for Andre affect Fofana? 

This is a complicated situation and one that could potentially affect current Rossoneri midfielder Fofana as well. 

According to reports from Calciomercato.com, Milan could sacrifice the Frenchman in order to make way for Andre if the deal with Corinthians does come off. 

That is because Massimiliano Allegri would have an excess in his midfield department, which already contains Fofana, Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari. 

Reports in January claimed that Galatasaray were interested in a deal for Fofana, and Calciomercato claims that they and a number of unspecified Premier League clubs could be poised to make another attempt in the summer should he become available again on the market. 

Allegri is apparently a big fan of Fofana’s, though, and Wednesday’s report implies that the head coach is not particularly keen to lose a trusted first-team player in favour of an untested teenager, despite the occasional dip in the Frenchman’s form this season. 

Napoli star Scott McTominay scored the best goal of the month in Serie A in February, with a long-range shot in a 3-2 win over Genoa.

Scotland international McTominay’s goal in Genoa-Napoli on February 7 was voted the best in Serie A last month.

McTominay levelled the score for the Partenopei with an outstanding goal from distance, helping his side to secure an eventual 3-2 victory.

Just a few minutes after his goal, however, McTominay was forced to be subbed off due to an injury and has not returned to action since.

The former Manchester United midfielder has scored ten goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this term.

McTominay scores best Serie A goal in February 2026

Il gol di McTominay contro il Genoa vince l’Iliad Goal Of The Month di febbraio pic.twitter.com/afpbKn78GR

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) March 4, 2026

Dusan Vlahovic is finally back in training with Juventus after a long four months on the treatment table with an adductor injury, but he may have to wait a touch longer before making his competitive return to action. 

Vlahovic back in Juventus training and aiming for competitive return

Vlahovic has been out of action with an adductor injury since Juventus’s 2-1 win over Cagliari in November.

He had scored three goals and provided one assist in 13 Serie A appearances before suffering his setback. He also had three goals in four Champions League appearances before the end of November. 

The Serbia international elected to have surgery on the adductor issue in London at the beginning of December. He has since undergone a lengthy rehabilitation process and has taken a major step in his comeback journey on Wednesday. 

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vlahovic took part in some of Juventus’s training session on Wednesday afternoon, the first time that has happened in over three months. 

Vlahovic could potentially return to the Bianconeri matchday squad in time to face Pisa on Saturday evening, if not against Udinese in the same kick-off slot a week later.

Former Rossoneri star Kaka has named the one Inter player he would like to ‘steal’ for Milan and has no doubts as to who will have the biggest impact in the upcoming Derby della Madonnina: ‘Modric will make the difference’. 

Ahead of the Derby della Madonnina between Milan and Inter in San Siro this coming Sunday, Kaka sat down for an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, discussing all things Rossoneri, Brazil and the upcoming World Cup.

Ahead of Sunday’s highly-anticipated derby, Inter sit at the top of the Serie A table with a 10-point advantage over their next closest rivals, Milan. 

Kaka insists that with 11 league matches of the 2025-26 season left to play, Milan still have everything left to play for. 

“We’re 10 points off them, but I will say that it can be done, and in terms of the Scudetto as well. Of course it looks like a very difficult task looking at the standings, but I’ve seen a lot in football and I will repeat, I believe in it.” 

Which Inter player would Kaka steal for Milan?

Kaka was asked which Inter player he would pick to steal and have play for the Rossoneri instead. 

He said: “Lautaro, but since he’s injured I’ll go with Thuram.” 

And when asked which Milan player he thinks will have the biggest influence in this upcoming derby, Kaka said: “Modric, without a doubt. He’ll make the difference with his experience but also his class. I also like Pulisic a lot and there’s always Leao.”

Former Milan and Real Madrid star Kaka has shared his thoughts on his former head coach Carlo Ancelotti and the Brazil national team approaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup: ‘Given their history, they’re always amongst the favourites. And, Carlo is Carlo.” 

Kaka gave an in-depth interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday, sharing his thoughts on Milan, the upcoming Derby della Madonnina against Inter and the likes of Luka Modric, Lautaro Martinez and Carlo Ancelotti. 

Kaka on Ancelotti: ‘He’s the right person for Brazil at this moment’ 

Italian tactician Ancelotti is due to take part in his first ever World Cup as a head coach, having been placed in charge of the Brazil national team last May. 

No nation has won more World Cup titles than Brazil (five), with their most recent coming in Japan and South Korea in 2002. They have only gone further than the quarter-final stage once since then, though. 

Kaka believes that, with their history and a strong head coach like Ancelotti in charge, Brazil will always be among the contenders for the World Cup title, even if they are not currently ‘in the top three’. 

“Ancelotti is the right person at this moment for Brazil, which, given its history, is always considered amongst the favourites. Maybe not in the top three, but it’s a good team and Carlo is Carlo,” said Kaka. 

“I’m confident, I’ve been lucky enough to play at three World Cups and I know how exciting it can be. Having a good tournament after so many disappointments would be great for the country.” 

Former Juventus star Miralem Pjanic feels the Bianconeri should sign Bernardo Silva next summer if they can’t afford Sandro Tonali.

Former Roma and Juventus star Pjanic is currently in Dubai, working to become a qualified football agent. The 35-year-old released an interview with Gazzetta to discuss their former Serie A clubs after a spectacular 3-3 draw at the Stadio Olimpico last Sunday.

Pjanic on Roma and Juventus transfers

“Gasperini is doing a great job in Rome and what an impact Malen has had,” Pjanic said.

“But the other night, Juventus showed their DNA, the ‘until the end’ spirit. The race for the Champions League is still 11 matches long and Juve can qualify.”

Pjanic worked with Spalletti at Roma and is not surprised by the improvements the Bianconeri have shown under the Italian tactician, although the Old Lady still sits sixth in the standings, four points below fourth-placed Roma.

“No, because it’s the right move. In Rome, I was coached for six months by Luciano. He’s a top manager,” said the former midfielder.

“Spalletti has given the team a clear identity, and the club now needs stability to start winning again. Spalletti is the right man to begin a new cycle, but obviously, he’s not enough. At least three top-level signings will be needed, one for each department.”

Reports in January suggested Juventus had already begun preliminary talks with Bernardo Silva, whose contract at Manchester City expired in June.

“Locatelli has adapted very well to Spalletti’s style of play; now, he has to keep it up,” Pjanic noted.

“However, in the summer, if they can’t afford Tonali, then I’ll go for Bernardo. He’s the champion Juventus needs Quality, personality, experience and charisma. Bernardo makes you take the next step.”

Juventus also hope to extend Dusan Vlahovic’s contract, and Pjanic had some advice for the Serbian international.

“I would tell him: Are you sure you’ll find a better place than Juventus and Turin, an extraordinary club and city to play in? It’s not easy. I say from personal experience,” he said.

“I’m convinced Vlahovic can have a record-breaking season with Spalletti. Luciano has brought the best out of every striker. Dzeko, Icardi, Osimhen. I also have faith in David. Lille is not Juventus, but you don’t score 25 goals per season by chance. As Allegri would say, calm down…”

Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz have recently extended their contracts in Turin. Would the Turkish star have made it to the starting XI in Pjanic’s Juventus?

“He would certainly have been in the squad; then he would have to battle it out with Dybala, Douglas Costa and Ronaldo,” the ex-Bianconeri star replied.

“Yildiz is extremely strong; now it’s up to him to prove it: the future is his. He has fantastic skills.”

Former Juventus and Roma star Miralem Pjanic now lives in Dubai, where he sometimes ‘hears the sound of Iranian missiles being intercepted’ but feels ‘safe’ and ‘constantly reassured by the local authorities.’

The Middle East conflict has tragically escalated in recent days, involving many Europeans living in the area.

Among them is an ex-Juventus, Roma and Barcelona midfielder who lives in Dubai.

Pjanic ‘safe’ in Dubai despite Middle Eastern crisis

“I live near the city centre. Sometimes you can feel something strange in the air, and you can hear the sound of Iranian missiles being intercepted,” the ex-midfielder told Gazzetta.

“But we are safe and constantly reassured by the local authorities. I receive messages and notifications from friends living in Europe, and almost all of them are fake news.”

The 35-year-old retired after playing the 2024-25 season at CSKA Moscow and is preparing to become a qualified football agent.

“I’m learning the job by collaborating with my agent, Fali Ramadani,” he said.

“I put together experience, football knowledge and the many languages I speak.”

A former Bosnia and Herzegovina international, Pjanic won four Serie A titles at Juventus, two Coppa Italia titles, and one Supercoppa Italiana. He also reached the Champions League Final in 2016-17.

He was included in the Serie A Team of the Year for three seasons in a row, from 2015-16 to 2018-19.

He played 281 games in Serie A for Juventus and Roma, scoring 42 goals and providing 74 assists.

Arrigo Sacchi was critical of the way that Como and Inter approached the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday evening, a game which he felt lacked a ‘spark’. 

Como and Inter played out a 0-0 stalemate in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday evening. This means that the tie will be decided in San Siro when the teams meet for the return leg on April 22. 

Sacchi reacts to Como 0-0 Inter: ‘There were no sparks’

The first leg of the Como-Inter tie was not a thriller by any means: Cesc Fabregas’s side registered the game’s only shot on target across the 90 minutes. 

Sacchi, writing in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, was critical of the way that both sides approached the game. 

“Immediately, let’s get it clear that it isn’t a question of system or of players, they have nothing to do with it. The issue that should be under scrutiny is the approach.” 

Sacchi explained that neither Como nor Inter played to their usual strengths at the Stadio Sinigaglia last night. 

“First of all, it was a game where teams tried not to concede and to play on the counter attack. 

“I was amazed by Fabregas’s side, which so far, has been praised for its desire and determination to dominate the opponent. There were no sparks this time, though. 

“Inter, who practically have the Scudetto in their hands, and will only lose it if they fall asleep (they are 10 points clear of Milan), are a team that makes solidity and playing forwards two of its strengths. We saw that solidity, especially out of possession, even if Como did scare the goalkeeper Martinez a couple of times, but there was no forward play at all.” 

This Coppa Italia semi-final will not be settled for another six weeks. Inter will host the return leg in San Siro on April 22. 

“To be positive, let’s look at it this way: Como and Inter have saved themselves in view of the second leg,” wrote Sacchi. “Especially the Nerazzurri, who will head into the derby in San Siro on Sunday evening, when Milan will have to play their last card in an attempt to complicate Chivu’s plans.” 

Serie A side Atalanta aren’t only the only Italian club still involved in the Champions League, but also the biggest underdog to win the title.

Atalanta progressed to the Champions League Round of 16 by beating Borussia Dortmund in the knockout play-off.

La Dea came back from two goals down in the second leg to beat the Germans 4-3 on aggregate, thanks to a 4-1 win in the second leg in Bergamo.

Bettors using online casino platforms highlight that the Nerazzurri hold the longest to win the Champions League, making them the least likely contenders to lift Europe’s coveted trophy.

Atalanta will meet Bayern Munich in the Round of 16, and, on the other hand, the Bavarians are among the top three favourites to win the Champions League, alongside Arsenal and title holders PSG. Atalanta’s task is even harder, as they’ll face Manchester City or Real Madrid if they progress to the quarter-finals.

Atalanta understand the magnitude of the challenge they face, as their director, Umberto Marino, recently said.

“We’ll try to make life difficult for Bayern. We must be Atalanta as we’ve always been, facing them with courage, determination and the fans’ support,” Marino said after the Champions League Round of 16 draw in Nyon at the end of February.

“It’s a tough game, and we’ll need an extraordinary performance, but we play with Atalanta’s enthusiasm, which helped us reach the Champions League Round of 16, a unique objective.

“We’ll play it with the support of our fans, at home and away, because we need them. Then we’ll see what happens on the pitch.”

Atalanta might be the underdogs against Bayern, but La Dea has already shocked some German heavyweights, such as Borussia Dortmund in the previous Champions League round and Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League Final.

Atalanta look reborn under new coach Raffaele Palladino, who was appointed in November to replace the disappointing Ivan Juric.

“We achieved a comeback that will stay in the history books,” Palladino said after beating Borussia Dortmund.

“We’re so happy, I want to thank every single player, those who were on the field, on the bench, in the stands, my staff, the President Antonio Percassi, the directors, and all the fans.

“There were 23,000 people pushing us from start to finish this evening, they created a unique atmosphere in our stadium.

“It was probably the best game I ever experienced in my coaching career, and it will remain in my mind forever. This club deserves this incredible satisfaction.”

Moise Kean is working to recover from his latest fibula injury, but the Fiorentina and Italy striker has already targeted World Cup qualification with the Azzurri: ‘We are an excellent group.’

Fiorentina and Italy striker Kean was subbed off in the second half of the Tuscans’ 3-0 loss against Udinese on Monday and will undergo medical examinations today.

Kean recovering from latest injury

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Italy international will miss the next two matches against Parma and Rakov.

The striker, however, was more cautious about his fitness and told Repubblica he hopes to be available for the next league match.

“I try to improve day by day. I work with a great staff, and I’ll try to be there for the next game, he said.

Kean has been a regular starter for Italy under Gennaro Gattuso and hopes to bring the Azzurri to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

“I hope to break this taboo this summer. I was lucky; I experienced the triumph of 2006,” he said.

“I remember that night. I watched the final against France at the bar downstairs from my house, together with my brother. At the end of the match, you couldn’t understand anything with beers and chairs flying around in the little square. People were happy, and it was beautiful.

“There’s the right atmosphere, and we are an excellent group,” Kean continued.

“We are united and care about each other; we trust each other. We are friends beyond teammates. We needed this. I know we’ll play good games, I have good vibes.

“I have big targets. I continuously think about it. I work for it every day, and I hope to give my contribution.”

Gattuso has recently visited all Italy players for dinner, travelling to different cities and countries.

“It was nice to see him again. He always gives us a lot of energy, which is what we need,” Kean said.

“The coach and I often talk; we have a similar character. Every time I talk with him, I feel stronger.

“He really says what he thinks, and we like it. He’s a real one, and we’ll give everything for him.”

Milan are in the process of discussing a new contract extension with star attacker Rafael Leao according to reports in Italy. 

Gazzetta: Milan and Leao discussing new contract 

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, there have been discussions between Milan and Leao’s entourage over a potential renewal of his contract. 

The Portugal international joined the Rossoneri in 2019, signing a five-year deal, and then put pen to paper on a five-year contract extension in 2023. As things stand, Leao is tied to Milan until the summer of 2028. 

On his current contract, Leao earns a net salary believed to be in the region of €5.5m per season plus bonuses, which makes him one of the highest earners in San Siro. A new contract would likely see that salary increased as well. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, there is also Premier League and Saudi Pro League interest in Leao. 

Leao has recently scored in his ninth Serie A goal of the season, which means that he has already surpassed his league goal tally from last season (eight) in 14 fewer games. Experts suggest that Leao is becoming increasingly more of a leader in the Rossoneri ranks as well. 

He is expected to lead the line for Milan heading into the Derby della Madonnina against rivals and league leader Inter this coming weekend, a game that he has described as a matter of ‘life or death’.

Donyell Malen joined Roma from Aston Villa in the January transfer window, and only Harry Kane has scored more goals than the Dutchman in Europe’s top-five leagues since, reports Corriere dello Sport.

Safe to say Roma striker Malen has had a tremendous impact in the capital, having netted six goals in his first seven Serie A appearances.

Malen’s fantastic Roma impact

As reported by Corriere dello Sport, only one player in Europe’s top-five league has scored more goals since Malen’s debut with Roma, Bayern Munich ace Kane, who has netted nine times. Malen has six, like Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.

Roma have scored 13 goals in seven league games since Malen completed an initial loan move from Aston Villa, going from an average of 1.2 goals per game in the first part of the season to nearly two goals per game.

Only Abel Balbo (seven) and Gabriel Batistuta (nine) have scored more goals than Malen in their first seven Serie A matches with Roma.

Will Malen join Roma permanently?

Furthermore, Malen is the best Serie A player for total shots (36), shots on target (13), shots from inside the box (31, including 13 on target), touches inside the box (70) and expected goals (5.48).

According to reports, Roma have an option to make Malen’s move permanent for €25m in the summer. Their option to buy becomes mandatory if they qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League this season.

Daniel Maldini returns to Lazio’s starting XI for a Coppa Italia semifinal first leg against Atalanta at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

It kicks off at 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT).

Most Lazio fans will continue their protest against President Claudio Lotito, leaving the stadium practically empty even in such an important match.

The Biancocelesti must cope without Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot, but Mario Gila and Daniel Maldini have returned from injuries and are expected to return to the starting line-up.

On the other hand, Atalanta have travelled to the capital without Ederson, Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori.

Nikola Krstovic is expected to start up front, according to Gazzetta, while Corriere dello Sport claims that Gianluca Scamacca is the favourite to get the nod.

The other first-leg semifinal was played on Tuesday between Como and Inter, ending in a 0-0 draw.

The deciders will be played on April 21 and 22, but dates and kick-off time have not been established yet.

Lazio vs. Atalanta – where to watch on TV

The game will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1 in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.

Lazio vs. Atalanta – probable line-ups

Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Provstgaard, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares; Belahyane, Cataldi, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Zaccagni.

Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; Zalewski, Samardzic; Krstovic.

Il Corriere dello Sport reports that Real Madrid are considering hiring Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri for the 2026-27 season.

La Liga giants Real Madrid could make an attempt to hire Allegri next season, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Third Real Madrid attempt for Allegri?

The Merengues’ president, Florentino Perez, has already replaced Xabi Alonso with Alvaro Arbeloa this season, but the team’s results continue to disappoint, which will likely lead to a new managerial change in the summer.

Allegri already came close to becoming Real Madrid’s coach in 2019 and 2021.

According to the report, Allegri had even reached an agreement with Real Madrid in 2021, but he ultimately changed his mind after a meeting with the then Juventus President Andrea Agnelli, returning to the Allianz Stadium after two years.

Corriere dello Sport adds that Jürgen Klopp is another option for Real Madrid, but the ex-Liverpool coach seems unwilling to step down from his role as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull.

What Allegri said about his future at Milan

Sportitalia reported last week that Allegri was considering his future at Milan, where he’s contracted until 2027.

The Italian tactician, however, quickly played down exit rumours, saying: “There’s total harmony with the club regarding the rumours that came out this week.

“Of course, in any discussion, there can be different points of view. It’s important that everyone works for the good of Milan. I’m very happy to have returned to Milan after 15 years and to have started working with a wonderful group of players. The club is planning and structuring Milan’s future. To do that, we need to achieve the most important result. In March, we’re in a fairly good position. Now we have to see if we’re good enough to stay there or take the final step. There’s harmony between the club and me.”

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Inter go to the minimum

Chivu thinks about the derby: return leg on April 21 or 22 at San Siro. Lazio-Atalanta for the dream final at 21:00.

Heart of Leao

Rafa is more and more a devil. Contacts to extend to 2030. Top salary to beat Premier League competition.

Kaka: ‘Scudetto, it’s not over. Modric will decide it on Sunday.’

Lady Spalletti

Even Locatelli is ready to sign for the new Juve

Put Totti for dinner

Meeting with Gasp, Roma return really close.

Corriere dello Sport

Coppa Italia, semifinal first leg: it ends 0-0 in Como

Cesc blocks Inter

Vojvoda and Valle waste two big chances: Darmian hits the post, and boos for Bastoni. Chivu’s rotations for the derby. Return leg on April 22. Lazio challenges Atalanta (21:00). The Olimpico is empty due to the fans’ protest.

Allegri, Real try

Florentino’s target

Third attempt: the president already moved forward in 2019 and 2021.

Max trendy again in Madrid

From Xabi Alonso’s sacking to Arbeloa’s failure. In Champions, they risk elimination against Man City. Manoeuvres to reach the coach tied to Milan to 2027.

Fiorentina, what a blow. Kean is injured.

Still problems in his fibula: he must miss Parma and Rakov. Vanoli relies on Piccoli.

Napoli, Conte has closed the home

The point average at home is 2.33 points per game. Now seven games out of 11 away from home. Lobotka alarm.

Tuttosport

Como boos Bastoni too

Coppa Italia: 0-0 in the semifinal first leg. The defender continues to pay for Inter-Juve

Blasts of disapproval every time he touched the ball. Chivu, massive rotations with a view to the derby. Three chances for Vojvoda, Darmian hits the post, and the cautious prevail. Everything is postponed to April 22 or 23. Lazio-Atalanta tonight: Lotito attacks Sarri and Baroni.

Lucio deals with it

Vlahovic and Juve discuss the renewal: Spalletti pushes

The coach is convinced he can take Dusan to higher levels. It’s his first choice for the attack, to be strengthened by another big signing (Kolo Muani or… Malen). Behind the scenes: Juve view the father’s presence at the negotiating table positively. Locatelli 2030: contract ready. Club’s announcement on LinkedIn: seeking a figure specialised in injury prevention.

Simeone: it won’t be a Buongiorno in Naples

Cholito returns to the Maradona on Friday.

The love for the city, the duty of repeating himself and the duel with a granata heart. History and behind the scenes of a special match.

Matteo Gabbia confirms his surgery ‘went well’ and the Milan defender will be ‘the biggest fan’ cheering on his teammates during the time off the field.

The defender had pulled up during the warm-up of the defeat to Parma at San Siro and it did not seem to be particularly serious.

However, following a consultation with specialists in London, it was decided he should have an operation for a sports hernia.

That was performed today and he is expected to be out of action for circa one month.

Gabbia thanks Milan fans for support

“The operation went very well!!” wrote Gabbia on his Instagram.

“I wanted to thank all those close to me who have shown their support during this period, first and foremost my wife, who is always by my side. THANK you also for all your support.

“I am disappointed not to be there on the pitch to help the team at this important moment, but I will be their biggest fan.

“A special thank you to the club and all the medical staff for the incredible work and professionalism with which they resolved this problem in the best possible way.

“I particularly wish to thank Doctor Mazzoni. Thank you, because over the last two days you have been like a second father to me, and I cannot forget that. I care for you very much.

“Now my mind goes to the recovery. We’ll see each other soon!! Forza Milan always!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Matteo Gabbia (@matteo_gabbia19)

The 26-year-old defender is a product of the Milan youth academy and had some loan spells with Lucchese and Villarreal before truly flourishing at San Siro from 2024.

He had become a regular this season under Max Allegri, making 25 appearances between Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

There had also been a brief knee injury in December, but that was less serious than feared, so this sports hernia surgery was rather unexpected.

Cristian Chivu explains his surprising Inter tactical changes for the Coppa Italia semi-final with Como. ‘It’s the first time we played like this, we’ve got to make do with what we have.’

The Nerazzurri are flying high in Serie A with a 10-point lead at the top of the table, but seem to be struggling more with cup competitions.

They crashed out of the Champions League, losing both home and away to Bodo/Glimt, and struggled to create any chances in today’s 0-0 Coppa Italia semi-final draw away to Como.

It all therefore goes down to the second leg at San Siro, which will be on April 21 or 22.

Chivu transformed Inter against Como

“I had a few problems to deal with, we were forced into some changes. It’s the first time I played with a pair of creative midfielders supporting the striker,” confessed Chivu to Sport Mediaset.

“We also changed our way of defending, especially in our own half, we tried to attack them man for man, but were a bit slow with our wing-back closing on their left-back. There were two Como strikers who were not strikers, dropping a bit deeper, and causing problems for us.

“They are so good at keeping the ball, passing it around and drawing you out to then attack the space. We did well to understand what we needed to do, and were fortunate in a couple of situations.

“Considering we didn’t have much time to prepare, playing after 72 hours, the lads did well to understand the instructions quickly and give their best, knowing that at times we had to accept Como’s possession play.”

With Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny out of action, and Marcus Thuram not fully fit, Chivu opted for a system with Andy Diouf in a more advanced role to support Francesco Pio Esposito.

There was more squad rotation ahead of this Sunday’s Serie A clash with rivals Milan, which on top of the Derby della Madonnina is also a Scudetto showdown.

“We had two strikers available today, so we decided to share the playing time between them,” explained Chivu.

“We’ve got to make do with what we have, and the lads did well to recognise the difficulty of this match. They had the right approach, even if it wasn’t a real Inter type of game, and not admittedly very entertaining to watch either.”

Could this type of approach be replicated in the Derby against Milan in Serie A on Sunday, or will Inter go back to their usual 3-5-2?

“Both teams tonight were sitting back a bit to wait and see, because Como dropped Vojvoda down for a five-man defence at times, so it wasn’t entertaining because both teams struggled to find the right spaces,” added Chivu.

“They tried to attack our lines and we read those moves well to block them off. It was the first time we tried to build with two playmakers, and had two creative midfielders like Diouf and Frattesi behind the striker. That changes a lot.

“We’ve got four days before the derby, we’ll see who is available, and then decide what to do for that match.”

With former teammates Christian Panucci and Andrea Ranocchia in the studio, Chivu joked that they were being too kind.

“I think I prefer it when they insult me, I got so used to criticism lately,” smiled the Romanian.

Cesc Fabregas feels Como ‘deserved victory’ in the 0-0 Coppa Italia semi-final after Inter ‘changed’ to neutralise their strengths. ‘I cannot lie, the dream is to challenge for more.’

Both coaches made some surprising choices for this first leg stalemate, as while the Nerazzurri had just one centre-forward at a time, the Lariani opted to have a False 9 in the form of Nico Paz for most of the match.

The hosts had the best chances with Mergim Vojvoda and particularly an Alex Valle miss from five yards, while Matteo Darmian clipped the upright from a tight angle for Inter.

Fabregas thought Como deserved victory

“The result is what it is. Overall, I feel that perhaps we deserved to score a goal, or at least got closer to scoring one,” Fabregas told Sport Mediaset.

“It was a chess match, very tactical, where against the most dominant team in Serie A, we played the game we wanted to. We were solid, had two or three very good chances, with Alex Valle where it seemed harder to miss than to score, but these things happen.

“Inter have dominated Italian football in the last five years, but they had only one shot on goal today. It leaves a slightly bitter taste in our mouths, because we feel like we could’ve at least won this 1-0.”

Considering some recent criticism, also in the wake of Como’s 4-0 defeat to Inter at San Siro in Serie A in December, does this performance give Fabregas a sense of payback?

“No, payback is for losers. There are people who wait three or six months for you to slip up, they leap up from their beds and can’t wait to attack you. However, intelligent people, those who are hungry and eager to learn, we are humble and open to listening to people’s opinions.

“There are 12 games to go this season, hopefully 13, but we’ve got to keep pushing. Now we’ve again got a game on Saturday afternoon, whereas Inter are scheduled for Sunday evening, so we hope to get some rest in.”

The game ended goalless, so it will all be decided at San Siro in the second leg of this Coppa Italia semi-final.

A firm date has not been set, but it will be April 21 or 22.

“I don’t know if Inter are favourites now, I just know we are Como and they are Inter. There is certainly a different mentality between the clubs and teams right now, at least for the moment. We keep trying to raise the bar,” noted Fabregas.

“We are playing in a Coppa Italia semi-final, so if you had told a Como fan or even me that when we were in Serie B two years ago, I doubt anyone would’ve believed you. There is a long way to go before the second leg, we have a lot of Serie A games to play first, and we have to focus on those.

“I think the real question is for Cristian Chivu, because Inter came here and played differently to how they usually do. They dominate in Serie A, press hard, don’t leave you any spaces, and I think my players put in a great performance today.”

It was put to Fabregas that the project at Como was not dissimilar to the epic Sampdoria of the early 1990s, which won the Scudetto and reached the European Cup Final with a strong investor.

“These are strong words for the future. This is the idea we thought of from Day One, when we started this project, this dream two years ago. It was a team coming from Serie B, we made important changes in January, and after a year we saw great improvement.

“We can continue like this with our feet on the ground. I cannot lie that the dream is to continue growing, and maybe when we are better-prepared, to challenge for something more.

“We must also never forget where we came from, as it is only two years of this project, and we are slowly raising the bar. We’ll see where we end up one day,” concluded Fabregas.

Matteo Darmian confirms Inter ‘showed respect to Como’ with their tactical changes in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg. ‘These ties are played over 180 minutes.’

It was a very evenly-balanced match at the Stadio Sinigaglia on the shores of Lake Como, as the two coaches seemed to cancel each other out with tactical tweaks.

The hosts opted for Nico Paz as a False 9, while the Nerazzurri unusually also had only a single centre-forward, moving Andy Diouf into a more advanced support role.

The best chance for Inter fell to Darmian, whose cross-shot clipped the outside of the near post at the dawn of the second half.

Darmian content with Inter stalemate

“We knew Como’s strengths, the way they hold the ball and can play out from the press, but we had the right attitude,” Darmian told Sport Mediaset.

“We might’ve preferred to bring home a victory, but we have a very important game coming up on Sunday, and then we’ll prepare for the second leg when it comes.”

The Coppa Italia semi-final will go to the second leg at San Siro, which is going to be scheduled for April 21 or 22, to see who goes on to face either Lazio or Atalanta in the Final.

Before that, Inter have the Serie A showdown with rivals Milan on Sunday, in the Derby della Madonnina.

“The important thing was keeping a clean sheet today, we try to do our best both attacking and defending every week. It was good to not concede ahead of the second leg,” added Darmian.

“We showed respect to Como, we knew that these ties are played over 180 minutes, and it was important to leave here with a positive result. When you wear the Inter jersey, your responsibility is to always go for a win, but we didn’t manage it today, and have to look at the big picture.”

Como’s last victory over Inter was 1-0 in December 1985, managing two draws in the next 15 meetings, and they were beaten 4-0 at San Siro when these sides met most recently in December 2025.

Como had the best chances with Mergim Vojvoda and Alex Valle, while Inter’s Matteo Darmian clipped the upright, but the Coppa Italia semi-final will be decided in the second leg at San Siro.

The Stadio Sinigaglia was packed out for their first Coppa Italia semi-final in 40 years, with Cesc Fabregas’ side fifth in Serie A too. Nico Paz returned to the starting XI, but Marc-Oliver Kempf and Jayden Addai were injured, with Assane Diao and Edoardo Goldaniga only fit for the bench.

The Nerazzurri had to reshuffle with Lautaro Martinez, Ange-Yoan Bonny and Marcus Thuram all not fully fit, so Andy Diouf was moved to a more advanced role, along with other squad rotation. Como’s last victory over Inter was 1-0 in December 1985, managing two draws in the next 14 meetings, including a 4-0 defeat at San Siro in December 2025.

The second leg of this semi-final, the only stage of the tournament to be played home and away, will be on April 21 or 22.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Mergim Vojvoda pounced on a Yann Bisseck error to burst into the box, denied by a desperate Carlos Augusto block from eight yards, then moments later was offside when forcing a big Josep Martinez save.

Nico Paz juggled the ball with his back to goal, but Alessandro Bastoni wouldn’t let him turn, then got a shot away from outside the area for a very tricky Martinez push round the far post.

Vojvoda threatened again when sending Francesco Acerbi to ground with a shimmy, drilling the finish across the face of goal and just wide.

Straight after the restart, Inter had their first genuine chance when Darmian’s cross-shot from the tightest of angles clipped the near post.

Moments later, Como wasted the most incredible scoring opportunity when Ivan Smolcic rolled across from the right only for Alex Valle to somehow prod wide from five yards.

Thuram came off the bench and had a shot charged down by Diego Carlos, but neither team managed to find a breakthrough.

It will all be decided at San Siro next month, to see who will face either Lazio or Atalanta in the Final.

Como 0-0 Inter

03-03-2026 20:00

1/2 Final

Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia

Como

Inter

0 - 0

Como

Inter

Starting lineups

1

Jean Butez

Goalkeeper

3

Álex Valle

Defender

79'

34

Diego Carlos

Defender

28

Ivan Smolcic

Defender

14

Jacobo Ramón

Defender

31

Mërgim Vojvoda

Defender

79'

6

Maxence Caqueret

Midfielder

86'

23

Máximo Perrone

Midfielder

10

Nico Paz

Midfielder

86'

8

Sergi Roberto

Midfielder

70'

33

Lucas Da Cunha

Attacker

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

58'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

85'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

58'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

68'

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

58'

Substitutes

5

Edoardo Goldaniga

Defender

7

Álvaro Morata

Attacker

22

Mauro Vigorito

Goalkeeper

44

Nikola Cavlina

Goalkeeper

19

Nicolas Kühn

Attacker

17

Jesús Rodriguez

Attacker

21

Noel Törnqvist

Goalkeeper

Adrian Lahdo

Midfielder

38

Assane Diao

Attacker

70'

77

Ignace Van Der Brempt

Defender

79'

18

Alberto Moreno

Defender

79'

20

Martin Baturina

Midfielder

86'

11

Anastasios Douvikas

Attacker

86'

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

53

Matteo Lavelli

Attacker

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

58'

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

58'

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

58'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

68'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

85'

Milan will be without defender Matteo Gabbia for circa a month after his injury proved to be more serious, as he had surgery today in London.

The centre-back had pulled up during the warm-up of their defeat to Parma at San Siro.

It was believed to be an inflammation of the hip area, and Max Allegri said only three days ago that he would be back “as soon as possible.”

Milan lose Gabbia for at least four weeks

However, multiple sources this evening including Sky Sport Italia and MilanNews claim that the player underwent a specialist consultation in London.

That recommended a surgical option to resolve the sports hernia, performed by Professor Ernest Schilders at the Mayo Clinic in London.

Gabbia is expected to fly back to Italy tomorrow, as the surgery was a complete success, and begin the rehabilitation process.

His fully recovery is expected to require around a month on the sidelines.

That also means he will not be available for Italy’s World Cup play-off later this month either.

Galatasaray have been fined €40,000 and the club cannot have fans at their next Champions League away fixture as punishment for fan trouble against Juventus.

The fine and ban were both confirmed by a statement on the official Galatasaray website.

These incidents occurred in the second leg of the Champions League play-off, which was at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin on February 25.

Why Galatasaray fans banned after Juventus Stadium incidents

Local sources report circa 50 had tried to enter the stadium without a valid ticket, breaking down a barrier and damaging the buses that ferried them from the city centre to the arena.

Another incident saw fans throw a firework into the Curva Nord section, injuring a man and his daughter, who needed hospital treatment.

The fan responsible was identified and charged as he left the stadium at the final whistle.

Supporters clashed with local police before the match, which saw Juventus wipe out a 5-2 first leg deficit to force extra time even down to 10 men.

They eventually capitulated with a 3-2 victory on the night in extra time, going out 7-5 on aggregate.

Galatasaray therefore cannot have their supporters present for the away leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.

Serie A refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi finds some of the IFAB announcements about changes to the VAR protocol ‘irritating’ and warns this will lead to ‘greater use of technology.’

The AIA (Italian Referees Association) chief has been under fire of late from several different clubs who were infuriated by the lack of consistency in some decisions taken by referees and VAR.

They were also frustrated by a situation where VAR was banned from interfering in a clear and obvious error, specifically the Pierre Kalulu second yellow card for Juventus after Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni simulated much stronger contact than there was in reality.

VAR still adapting to the modern game

This is one of the moments that prompted the IFAB to change the protocol, starting from the 2026 World Cup this summer, so VAR can intervene on a second bookable offence.

“The change is a little irritating really, if we consider what happened recently and what might’ve happened if we had this rule change a couple of weeks ago,” shrugged Rocchi on DAZN’s Open VAR programme.

“A second yellow card can determine a game and if it is a mistake, then you must be able to fix that. At the same time, I also want to point out we didn’t have incidents in Roma-Juventus because the players focused on playing football, and therefore made life easier for the referee.”

The changes to the protocol also affect potentially revoking corner kicks if they are given incorrectly, while the idea of coaches being able to appeal decisions with a VAR review is going to be experimented.

Rocchi warns this all means a change to the role that VAR has in modern football.

“Our objective is to use technology as little as possible. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to use it, but it should only be used when necessary. The concept of ‘clear and obvious error’ was created so that VAR would have a minimal impact on the game. Some say we are using it too much now, others that we need to use it more.

“When VAR was introduced eight years ago, the game has advanced since then, and so should the protocol. You can’t tell people now ‘the decision is wrong, but VAR cannot intervene,’ because while they might’ve accepted it eight years ago, I fully understand they won’t now.

“If you look at the changes that are being introduced, it will mean greater use of technology. If the protocol bans you intervening, I understand fans asking well what is VAR for then?”

Refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi uses two Parma goals to explain the Serie A approach to impeding the goalkeeper. ‘I don’t want to see situations in other leagues with five players in the six-yard box.’

Every week, the most recent Serie A refereeing incidents are analysed in-depth with footage from the VAR booth as well as audio of their conversations with the officials on the pitch, during a regular programme called Open VAR.

This time, the under-fire designator Rocchi was the guest representing the AIA (Italian Referees Association) for yet more controversy in Week 27.

They included Milan complaints when Parma’s goal was allowed against them the week before, but a similar challenge on the goalkeeper was not penalised when Parma played Cagliari this weekend.

Rocchi rejects Premier League refereeing model

“I reiterate that the goal in Milan-Parma was valid, but I didn’t like the way it was communicated at all,” explained Rocchi.

“With Parma-Cagliari, however, referee Massimi explains the situation to the players before the corner. As long as players are standing still, we have nothing in the rules that forces us to intervene.

“In other leagues, we see up to five players just standing still inside the six-yard box. On the other hand, we should also protect the goalkeeper and allow him freedom of movement. There are some movements that impede the goalkeeper, in which case we can intervene.

“The referee did very well, because he spotted the contact between Valenti and Caprile, and awarded a foul in favour of Cagliari,” insisted Rocchi.

The reference to other leagues was primarily the Premier League, where Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has in particular struggled at Tottenham Hotspur dealing with the kind of set play crowding of the box that has traditionally not been allowed in Serie A.

That tactic is now creeping into Italian football too, and the referees are forced to explain what constitutes a foul on the goalkeeper.

“I don’t want to see situations that I see in other leagues, which would be critical situations for us,” continued Rocchi.

“I am speaking purely for Italian football here, and in my view, we cannot allow that a goalkeeper is not given the freedom to play. That does not take away from the fact that in the rulebook there’s nothing that says a player can’t stand there in the six-yard box. We will be very careful from now on evaluating these moves.”

Inter President Beppe Marotta hopes the Coppa Italia semi-final with Como can bring silverware, rules out Arsenal for Francesco Pio Esposito and hails ‘talent’ Nico Paz.

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is the only stage of the competition played home and away, with the second leg planned for April 21 or 22, although a firm date has not been set.

Marotta looks to Inter present and future

The Nerazzurri are flying high at the top of the Serie A table with a 10-point gap, but crashed out of the Champions League after losing both home and away to Bodo/Glimt.

“We turned the page in the Champions League, naturally with regret, but we see it as a valuable learning experience,” Marotta told Sport Mediaset.

“Challenging in various different competitions means there are dangers, you can’t win them all. So that left us with bitter disappointment, but we keep going.”

When Inter met Como in Serie A back in December, they ran out 4-0 winners at San Siro, but this is a different competition.

This is an intriguing clash for the transfer market too, as Inter have been linked with a bid for Como starlet Nico Paz.

“Nico Paz is certainly an interesting talent who has a great career ahead of him, but he is owned by Real Madrid, they have a buy-back option with Como. I doubt Real Madrid will let him slip through their fingers, and we’ll hear a lot about him in the years to come.”

There were also reports that Arsenal had made enquiries after Inter centre-forward Pio Esposito, who has flourished this season at age 20.

“Arsenal did not ask for Pio Esposito, but also Inter are not a selling club, we don’t make player trading our main activity. Pio Esposito is a product of our youth academy and we treasure him,” replied Marotta.

“Of course, anything can happen in future, but that would only be very far into the future.”

With the Derby della Madonnina against Milan coming up on Sunday evening, there is some squad rotation, resting Marcus Thuram who is not at 100 per cent, with Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny already out of action.

“It won’t be decisive, there are still many games to go, many dangers, many points still up for grabs. It is important to give consistency, but you can’t just drop points against the big clubs, as the small ones have their dangers too,” concluded the President.

Como director of sport Carlalberto Ludi insists they ‘believe we can win every game’ going into the Coppa Italia semi-final with Inter, and is reassuring on the return of Nico Paz.

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is the only stage of the competition played home and away, with the second leg planned for April 21 or 22, although a firm date has not been set.

Como have Coppa Italia ambition

“We believe that we can win every game, not that we want to be presumptuous, but that is what we believe,” director of sport Carlalberto Ludi told Sport Mediaset.

“This is our mentality. We won’t manage it every single game, obviously, but this has to be the approach from the club, the coach and the players, so we want to keep that going.”

There is some confusion over precisely how Como are setting out today, because there is no recognised centre-forward on the pitch, so either Nico Paz or Maxence Caqueret can play the False 9 role.

Martin Baturina is only fit for the bench, but Nico Paz returns after he was dropped against Lecce at the weekend, reportedly because he turned up late to a team meal.

“Everything is fine, Nico Paz is our little star, our reference point, our talent, so there’s no problem. He comes back stronger than ever.”

Como beat Juventus recently and held Milan to a draw, eliminating Napoli in the Coppa Italia quarter-final on penalties, but were crushed 4-0 by Inter in Serie A back in December 2025.

Inter are forced to reshuffle in attack with Andy Diouf and Francesco Pio Esposito, while Como bring back Nico Paz with Maxence Caqueret in the Coppa Italia semi-final.

It kicks off at the Stadio Sinigaglia at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is the only stage of the competition played home and away, with the second leg planned for April 21 or 22, although a firm date has not been set.

Cesc Fabregas has taken Como from Serie B to challenging for a Champions League spot this season, as well as this their first Coppa Italia semi-final for 40 years.

They eliminated Napoli on penalties in the quarter-final, and are coming off back-to-back wins against Juventus and Lecce to put them fifth in Serie A.

Marc-Oliver Kempf scored at the weekend, but is out with a hip injury, joining Jayden Addai in the stands.

Martin Baturina returns for a spot on the bench, with Edoardo Goldaniga and Assane Diao also recovering from injuries.

The big news is Nico Paz back in the starting XI after he was reportedly dropped against Lecce for turning up late to a team meal.

Diego Carlos steps into defence, but it remains to be seen if Nico Paz or Maxence Caqueret are acting as False 9, with both Lucas Da Cunha and Maxi Perrone potentially in a more advanced role too.

Inter are flying high at the top of the Serie A table, but crashed out of the Champions League to Bodo/Glimt, losing both home and away.

They are also down to the bare bones in attack, as after Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny injuries, Marcus Thuram is struggling too.

It means Pio Esposito is the only available striker, with Diouf moved into a more advanced role, although it’s entirely possible he can share that position with Davide Frattesi at different times of the match.

There is squad rotation for Matteo Darmian, Carlos Augusto, Francesco Acerbi and goalkeeper Josep Martinez.

Not counting the Champions League, Inter have won 12 of their last 13 games between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, drawing 2-2 with Napoli.

They also beat Como 4-0 the last time these sides met at San Siro on December 6.

The Lariani have not won this Lombardy Derby since a 1-0 home result in December 1985, managing two draws in 14 competitive meetings.

Como vs. Inter official line-ups

Como: Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Diego Carlos, Valle; Perrone, Sergi Roberto; Vojvoda, Da Cunha, Caqueret; Nico Paz

Como bench: Tornqvist, Vigorito, Cavlina, Goldaniga, Morata, Douvikas, Lahdo, Rodriguez, Moreno, Kuhn, Baturina, Diao, Van der Brempt

Inter: J Martinez; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi Sucic, Calhanoglu, Carlos Augusto; Diouf; Esposito

Inter bench: Sommer, Di Gennaro, Dumfries, De Vrij, Zielinski, Thuram, Luis Henrique, Mkhitaryan, Barella, Akanji, Dimarco, Lavelli

Ref: Di Bello

03-03-2026 20:00

1/2 Final

Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia

Como

Inter

0 - 0

Como

Inter

Starting lineups

1

Jean Butez

Goalkeeper

3

Álex Valle

Defender

79'

34

Diego Carlos

Defender

28

Ivan Smolcic

Defender

14

Jacobo Ramón

Defender

31

Mërgim Vojvoda

Defender

79'

6

Maxence Caqueret

Midfielder

86'

23

Máximo Perrone

Midfielder

10

Nico Paz

Midfielder

86'

8

Sergi Roberto

Midfielder

70'

33

Lucas Da Cunha

Attacker

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

58'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

85'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

58'

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

68'

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

58'

Substitutes

5

Edoardo Goldaniga

Defender

7

Álvaro Morata

Attacker

22

Mauro Vigorito

Goalkeeper

44

Nikola Cavlina

Goalkeeper

19

Nicolas Kühn

Attacker

17

Jesús Rodriguez

Attacker

21

Noel Törnqvist

Goalkeeper

Adrian Lahdo

Midfielder

38

Assane Diao

Attacker

70'

77

Ignace Van Der Brempt

Defender

79'

18

Alberto Moreno

Defender

79'

20

Martin Baturina

Midfielder

86'

11

Anastasios Douvikas

Attacker

86'

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

53

Matteo Lavelli

Attacker

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

58'

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

58'

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

58'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

68'

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder

85'

Raffaele Palladino insists Atalanta see the Coppa Italia semi-final with Lazio as both a chance ‘to lift a trophy, but also guaranteeing access to a European competition.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday at 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET).

The second leg date has not yet been set, but will be April 21 or 22 in Bergamo.

By a curious twist of fate, these teams met in Serie A at the Stadio Olimpico on February 14, with Atalanta emerging 2-0 winners thanks to an Ederson penalty and Nicola Zalewski strike.

Palladino and Atalanta want the Coppa Italia

“We are facing a Lazio side that we know well,” Palladino told Sport Mediaset.

“We only recently played against them in Serie A, we know they will be fired up and still bitter about that, so obviously they are highly-motivated to beat us this time.”

The semi-final is the only stage of the Coppa Italia to be played over two legs, home and away, as all the others are one-off matches.

“It is important to see it over the two legs, even if there is a large gap between the games,” continued the coach.

“This is a competition that we really care about in particular, because Atalanta reached the Coppa Italia Final three times in the last seven years, so we want to make it four and perhaps beyond that.

“This is our dream, the primary objective is for this club to lift a trophy, and I think this is also a way of guaranteeing access to a European competition for next season.

“It is a truly very, very important match, we believe in ourselves, and have the right attitude going in.”

Atalanta are currently pushing for a top four finish, but it is an increasingly tight battle including Roma, Juventus and Como.

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Former Italy star Mario Balotelli is having to reconsider his career path, as he cannot currently fly back to Dubai to play for Al-Ittifaq, so is training with Chievo Verona.

The 35-year-old had been a free agent when his contract with Genoa was allowed to expire, and decided to continue his career in the Middle East when signing for Al-Ittifaq on January 13.

It has been fraught with problems, as he reported receiving racist abuse during a friendly match, which are the only games he has been able to play, as the UAE league is currently on a break.

No Dubai return possible for Balotelli

Balotelli had reportedly been visiting his brother Enock in Italy last week, so was not in Dubai when it got dragged into the spreading unrest in the Middle East.

Now all flights to Dubai are suspended due to security concerns, so he is stuck in Italy.

According to L’Arena newspaper, Balotelli turned up this morning to train with Chievo Verona.

This is because the former Serie A club, which went bankrupt recently and had to start again from the amateur divisions, is also owned by the same patron as Al-Ittifaq.

He is now training with the squad, which includes former Juventus man Douglas Costa and ex-Milan player Alberto Paloschi, to stay in shape.

Balotelli could even be asked to participate in a friendly match on Saturday, but he cannot yet play for Chievo in competitive Serie D games without an official transfer.

Just as Napoli’s treatment room starts to empty out, they have a new problem to deal with, as Stanislav Lobotka was hurt in training today.

The Partenopei have been struggling with a massive injury crisis throughout the entire campaign, at times with an entire XI out of action.

Kevin De Bruyne resumed training yesterday, four months after sustaining a serious hamstring tear, and could be on the bench against Torino on Friday.

Lobotka setback in Napoli training

However, Lobotka picked up a muscular problem during today’s session and Sky Sport Italia report he is a major doubt to feature in the early Serie A Week 28 fixture.

It is a relapse for the Slovak midfielder, who has already been out with injury for quite a few games this term.

The good news is that Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa ought to be available again, although probably not from the start.

David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani are certainly going to be out of action for this round.

Arsenal and Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori has shared his account of the day that his ‘best friend’ Edoardo Bove suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a Serie A match for Fiorentina, and says that if he is allowed to ‘continue living his dream, then why not?’. 

Just over a year ago, at the beginning of December 2024, the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter was interrupted during the first-half as Bove, on loan from Roma at the time, collapsed on the pitch. 

It was later confirmed that his heart had briefly stopped beating. Bove was rushed to hospital, was admitted to intensive care and was discharged 12 days later. 

Bove later had a removable defibrillator device fitted. In Italy, players are not permitted to play with a defibrillator, but that is not the case in various other countries across the world, including in England. 

After a long year with no football, Bove has recently joined EFL Championship side Watford, where he is legally allowed to play, and has recently made his first competitive appearance since the unsettling scenes at the Stadio Franchi back in December 2024. 

Calafiori recalls Bove collapse: ‘My mother called me in tears’

Next door to Watford’s training ground is Arsenal’s facility, where Calafiori, one of Bove’s closest friends, is based. 

Calafiori recently appeared on the Supernova podcast, where he discussed the beginning of his career, his move to the Premier League and his daily life living in London. 

Calafiori also discussed his experience of watching the Bove incident unfold. 

“Edo is one of my best friends here. I mean within the football industry.  (We know each other) from Roma, I joined at nine years old, he joined at 10. We’re the same age, actually he was born three days before me,” Calafiori said. 

“I wasn’t watching the game, I remember my mum called me in tears. I turned on the TV and saw that the game had stopped. My mum called me: ‘I think it’s Edo, I think it’s Edo’. My mum wasn’t exactly clear-headed in that moment. It was horrible. 

“I can imagine that for Tanya, his mother, and for his family it was much tougher.” 

Bove is now back in professional football in the English second division with Watford. 

“I have to say that I’ve seen him doing a lot better,” said Calafiori. “Obviously from the outside, you think for the first 10 days you’re just happy to be alive. But I also imagine for him, this was the first time that he was doing really, really well at Fiorentina and was starting to feel like a real player, his first time away from Roma. 

“In the end, we live for football. If you can play football, then why wouldn’t you do it. I’ve seen him looking well, obviously he has to do a lot of tests and everything like that. His whole life changed, obviously, but if he can continue living his dream, then why not? He can play here.” 

Milan legend Demetrio Albertini has praised current Rossoneri star for his stance on the upcoming Derby della Madonnina against rivals and league leaders Inter, suggesting that the Portugal international is beginning to talk and act ‘like a veteran’. 

Albertini praises Leao and warns Milan about Inter clash: ‘Definitely the last call’

The Rossoneri will be the home side for the upcoming derby against Inter in Serie A on Sunday evening. Massimiliano Allegri’s side beat the Nerazzurri 1-0 in the reverse fixture back in November. 

Inter are the current runaway leaders at the top of the Serie A table after 27 matches, with a 10-point advantage over Milan, their next closest challengers. 

Despite the difference between the two sides in the league table, Leao was keen to express the importance of Sunday’s match during his post-match interview following Milan’s 2-0 win over Cremonese in the weekend just gone. The Portugal star described the derby as a matter of ‘life or death’. 

Albertini has since praised Leao for the importance that he has given the derby, and claims that after seven years in San Siro, he is beginning to talk and act like an experienced leader. 

“In my time, there was no need for reminders,” Albertini told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “On one hand, we had Maldini, Baresi, Costacurta, on the other, they had Berhome, Ferri, Berti just to name a few. Those guys didn’t need the meaning of the derby explained to them in public statements. 

“Today, with so many more foreign players and with so much changing in squads, I think Leao wanted to warn his teammates, especially the latest arrivals, about the importance of a game like this. Rafa has been at Milan for nearly seven years and is now rightly speaking like a veteran.” 

Leao also advised his teammates to not go out this week, to stay at home and prepare for the derby as best as possible. 

“Oh, well for a professional, that should always be the case,” Albertini laughed. “Maybe Leao didn’t have the right words, but I endorse the basis of his message.” 

Albertini was asked if the week leading up to the Derby della Madonnina is always a ‘special’ one. 

He said: “For me in training, it wasn’t. But that’s because as a professional, out of respect for your coach and teammates as well, you always maintain a certain standard, week after week. What is different is the fans, the city, you really feel it.

“If we’re talking about tactics and training sessions at Milanello, I really don’t think Allegri will treat the derby any differently to how, for example, he did last week preparing for Cremonese. Or how he will do before going up against Napoli or Juventus. 

Albertini was again asked if Leao was right to label the derby a matter of life or death. 

He said: “Well, it’s definitely the last call. If Inter win on Sunday, they’ll already be able to start sewing the Scudetto on their shirts and prepare for the celebrations. That’s why I think the game is much more important for Milan than for Chivu’s team.” 

Still, even if Milan do win on Sunday, Albertinin feels that it is one step too far to ask them to catch Inter and steal the Scudetto from their grip. 

“For me, now, because seven points is still a lot to make up, especially with this Inter side that is going at 1,000 mph in Serie A. 

“But, the Nerazzurri have to be careful not to have any slip-ups. And in football, never say never. I won a Scudetto from -7 with seven games to go in 1998-99, coming back against a great Lazio side. We won them all, they lost two in a row to Roma and Juventus, and then on the penultimate day of the season, we pulled off the decisive overtake.” 

Inter have no interest in letting go of centre-forward Pio Esposito according to Tuesday’s reports, despite contact between Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and his Nerazzurro counterpart Piero Ausilio. 

Where Inter and Arsenal stand with Italy talent Esposito

Esposito is enjoying an impressive break-out campaign with the table-topping Inter in 2025-26, and has already established himself as an option in attack for Gennaro Gattuso and the Italy national team at just 20 years of age. 

The Nerazzurro academy graduate has been given an increasingly involved role at club level as well, despite the presence of Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and summer signing Ange-Yoan Bonny in Cristian Chivu’s squad. 

Esposito’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of top clubs across Europe, among whom are Arsenal. 

The 20-year-old left a strong impression on the Gunners supporters following their trip to San Siro in the Champions League earlier this season: “How much do Inter want for Esposito?,” some fans pondered on social media after his impressive showing off the bench that night. 

It is not just the Arsenal supporters who were impressed by Esposito that night. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Mikel Arteta is also a fan and has reportedly discussed the Nerazzurro youngster with Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, who is also from Italy. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Berta has also been in contact with Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio to inquire after Esposito’s availability and to ask how much it would cost to lure him away from San Siro. 

According to Tuesday’s report, Inter remain firm in their stance that Esposito is a key player in the club’s long-term project, that he is still under contract until 2030, and that ultimately, he is not up for sale to any club. 

Esposito has been handed an even bigger role within the Inter squad over the last few weeks following an injury to captain Martinez and the drop-off in Thuram’s form. 

Bonny has also picked up a minor muscular injury, which means that the attacking reins will be handed over to Esposito when the Nerazzurri take on Como in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday night.

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri feels that there is a lot to learn from Wednesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final opponents, Atalanta, and suggests that La Dea are the clear favourites heading into the midweek cup tie. 

Sarri sat down for his pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final between Lazio and Atalanta. 

Lazio have already defeated Milan and Bologna in order to qualify for the Coppa Italia semi-final, and will now have to take on an in-form Atalanta, who beat them 2-0 in Serie A just over two weeks ago, in order to claim a place in the final. 

Sarri on Lazio vs. Atalanta, need for investment and taking inspiration from La Dea

During his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Sarri was keen to make it clear that there is a level in quality between the two Coppa Italia semi-final opponents. 

At the beginning of the season, Sarri described this campaign as being ‘year zero’ for Lazio.

Asked if he still thinks that is the case, Sarri said: “It was clear from the beginning that this is how the situation would be. We have to be patient, on everyone’s part. I’ve done that, it would be nice if everyone did the same.” 

And when asked how important tomorrow’s cup clash against Atalanta is, Sarri said: “It’s not massively important in terms of our future. Next year will have to be ‘year one’ and not ‘year zero’. 

“Tomorrow, we will have to play a very difficult game against a strong, Champions League team. We have to have pride, we’ve reached the semi-finals by eliminating last year’s finalists.” 

Asked what needs to change in order for Lazio to see significant improvement next season, Sarri said: “I spoke with the sporting director just half an hour ago. The decisions are made by the club, but nothing changes. We will have to make investments for ‘year one’. It’s difficult to understand which players will be on the market in a few months’ time, so it’s not easy to plan.” 

Sarri was also asked where the differences between Lazio and Atalanta lie, given that Atalanta seem to perform consistently well year-on-year, while Lazio seem to struggle in that respect. 

“Atalanta has been on a long journey that began 10 years ago, which has led to them conquering Europe and making different levels of investment compared to 10 years ago” said Sarri. 

“Now they can afford players of a certain level and the gap increases. Lazio have to take this path and make investments to return to Europe, with consistency, and have a better economic picture.” 

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus will sit down to discuss a new contract for head coach Luciano Spalletti within the next week, and that his future in Turin is not dependent on qualification for next season’s Champions League. 

Spalletti and Juventus set for new contract talks

Spalletti joined Juventus following the departure of Igor Tudor earlier this season and put pen to paper on an initial contract until the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Ever since, Spalletti has insisted that sorting out a longer-term deal is not one of his priorities, especially with the season still underway, however, reports from Corriere dello Sport claim that the coach and the club could sit down to discuss a new deal within the next week: Potentially at the beginning of next week, if not before. 

Corriere dello Sport claims that qualification for next season’s Champions League is not a necessity for Juventus to extend Spalletti’s contract. Instead, the Bianconeri would prefer to have a settled coach and hopefully a settled squad as a result. 

Spalletti and Juventus are reportedly set to negotiate over an annual salary in the region of €4m-€5m.

AFC Bournemouth full-back Alex Jimenez has refused to rule out a potential return to Milan at some stage in the future, despite revealing his frustration at being denied the Rossoneri no.2 shirt during the end of his time in San Siro. 

Jimenez joined Milan on an initial loan deal from Real Madrid in 2023 before having that move made permanent in 2024. The Spaniard made a decent impression during his time in the Rossoneri first-team in 2024-25, but was then sold to AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League during the summer transfer window that followed. 

Jimenez has sat down to give an honest account of his Milan departure in an in-depth interview with Gianluca Di Marzio, released on Tuesday. 

• Read more: Jimenez apologises for calling Allegri a ‘sh** coach’

Jimenez open to Milan return despite shirt number snub

During his talk with Di Marzio, Jimenez revealed that there were several reasons why he decided to leave Milan in the summer of 2025. Among them was the fact that he had asked to wear the no.2 shirt for the 2025-26 but was refused and told that he was not yet mature enough. 

“At the beginning of the season, I asked for the no.2 shirt. I wanted it because of the tradition of great full-backs,” said Jimenez. “They told me no, that I wasn’t ready and that I was too immature. They were wrong. From there, it’s true, I lost concentration and arrived late a few times.” 

Jimenez claims that there were ‘various situations that I didn’t appreciate’ during the end of his Milan spell, and says that he wasn’t given enough ‘responsibility’. 

There was also an unfortunate incident when a screenshot of a text message that Jimenez had sent was leaked online, appearing to show him calling Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri a ‘sh** coach’. 

“It was rubbish, I don’t think Allegri is a ‘sh** coach’ and his history proves that. I was coming out of a game, I hadn’t played and I was angry, I chose the wrong person to send that message to,” Jimenez admitted. 

“From day one, I apologised to Allegri, I didn’t think about what I was writing. He accepted my apology.” 

Still, despite these unfortunate incidents, Jimenez has not ruled out a potential return to San Siro at some stage in the future. 

“I’m focused on Bournemouth now, I’m happy and I’m playing well. But of course, I loved Milan and I will never close the doors to a club that gave me everything. My being here and playing in the Premier League is also thanks to Milan. Only time will tell.” 

Former Milan full-back Alex Jimenez has confirmed that he did send a text message calling Massimiliano Allegri a ‘sh**’ coach’ towards the end of his time with the Rossoneri, has apologised for the incident and has also revealed the reason why he decided to leave San Siro to join Bournemouth in the Premier League over the summer. 

Jimenez sat down for an in-depth interview with Gianluca Di Marzio and Sky Sport Italia, released on Tuesday, discussing his start to life in the Premier League and his turbulent exit from Milan during the summer transfer window. 

Jimenez came through the youth system at Real Madrid before being loaned and later signed permanently by Milan in 2023 and 2024 respectively. 

He made 22 appearances in Milan’s final 24 matches of the 2024-25 season, despite the club’s signing of Kyle Walker that January, and had made a solid impression during his time in the Rossoneri first-team, but was then sold to Bournemouth at the end of the following transfer window. 

“It’s a dream for me to play in the Premier League. I’m happy with how things are going at the moment,” Jimenez told Gianluca Di Marzio.  

“It’s true that the Premier League is more physical than Serie A and LaLiga, but I feel good here. My main quality is my speed and this is the right environment to show that.

“I grew up at the two biggest clubs in the world. Life is more calm here in Bournemouth, there’s less pressure. The fans are always by our side, for better or for worse.

“My relationship with Andoni Iraola is excellent, I’m very happy to have a leader like him and I hope to play under him for a long time.” 

Jimenez on Milan departure: ‘There were various situations I didn’t appreciate, I’ll give you an example’ 

Jimenez was asked what he would say if he could say one thing to the Milan supporters, to which he replied: “Thank you.”

He continued: “It’s the club that launched me in the first team, a team that I loved and still love. I had a great time at Milan, I didn’t want to leave. But when the season started I realised that I wouldn’t be a key player, there were various situations that I didn’t appreciate.” 

When asked to elaborate, Jimenez said: “I wasn’t given the responsibility I thought I deserved, they needed to believe in me more. 

“I’ll give you an example. At the beginning of the season, I asked for the no.2 shirt. I wanted it because of the tradition of great full-backs. They told me no, that I wasn’t ready and that I was too immature. They were wrong. From there, it’s true, I lost concentration and arrived late a few times.” 

Towards the end of the summer transfer window, images circulated on social media that appeared to show Jimenez criticising Milan head coach Allegri. The image in question appeared to show Jimenez calling Allegri a ‘sh** coach’ over a text message. 

Six months down the line, Jimenez has accepted full responsibility for that error in judgement. 

“It was rubbish, I don’t think Allegri is a ‘sh** coach’ and his history proves that. I was coming out of a game, I hadn’t played and I was angry, I chose the wrong person to send that message to. 

“From day one, I apologised to Allegri, I didn’t think about what I was writing. He accepted my apology. 

“All these situations took away from my sense of serenity, and I was the one who told the club to look for solutions (on the transfer market). Milan is a club that I love and I didn’t want to feel bad or negatively impact the team with my bad phase.” 

Jimenez played under three different coaches in just over a year during the end of his Milan spell: Stefano Pioli, Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao. The 2024-25 campaign was a turbulent one for the Rossoneri, and the team ultimately finished the season in eighth place, missing out on European football altogether for 2025-26. 

“I don’t think it was ever a problem with the coaches, it was a team problem” Jimenez said. “We needed to have more confidence in ourselves. 

“That’s how it is in football, one year you do badly and the next you do well. Look how it is now.” 

The Lega Serie A have confirmed that Roma wing-back Wesley Franca is among the players to be suspended following the conclusion of the 27th round of 2025-26 league fixtures over the weekend just gone. 

Six players have picked up one-match suspensions following the 27th round of Serie A fixtures, including Roma’s Wesley, Fiorentina’s Fabiano Parisi and Bologna’s Remo Freuler. 

Serie A confirm Wesley, Parisi, Freuler, Terracciano, Valenti and Pinamonti bans

Sassuolo striker Andrea Pinamonti was the only player to be shown a straight red card over the weekend, and will now have to serve a one-match ban. That rules him out of Sassuolo’s away trip to face Lazio on Monday night. 

Roma star Wesley picked up his fifth yellow card of the season during Roma’s 3-3 draw with Juventus over the weekend, and will now have to serve a one-match ban when the Giallorossi go up against Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa on Sunday. 

Bologna’s Freuler, Fiorentina’s Parisi, Cremonese’s Filippo Terracciano and Parma’s Lautaro Valenti were also shown their fifth yellow cards of the season over the weekend, and like Wesley, have also picked up one-match bans. 

Freuler will be suspended for Bologna vs. Verona, Parisi and Valenti will both be unavailable for the meeting of Fiorentina and Parma on Sunday, while Terracciano will miss out on a key relegation six-pointer between Lecce and Cremonese.

Tuesday’s reports indicate that Juventus are hoping to hand a new and improved contract extension to captain Manuel Locatelli, following the renewal of Weston McKennie, whose new contract was announced on Monday afternoon. 

The Bianconeri have handed new contracts to two of their ‘priority’ players over the last few weeks: First to posterboy Kenan Yildiz, whose wages have more than tripled from €1.7m to around €6m per season, reflecting his star status within the Bianconeri squad. 

McKennie was also into the final year of his contract this season but has since signed a new deal until the summer of 2030, which was announced on Monday. 

Contract extensions continue to be a hot topic of conversation in Juventus circles, as head coach Luciano Spalletti still needs to settle his long-term future and the club’s highest earner, Dusan Vlahovic, will walk away from the club for free at the end of the season unless an agreement over a new deal is found before then. 

Veteran goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio has also been sounded out for an extension to his contract. 

A new Juventus contract for Locatelli?

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus will also seek to agree a new contract with captain Locatelli in the near future. 

Locatelli is currently under contract until the summer of 2028, having penned a five-year extension in 2023. He reportedly earns a net salary of around €3.5m per season on his current deal. 

Locatelli has become an increasingly key player for Juventus this season, particularly following the appointment of Spalletti as head coach, which initially came as a surprise given that Locatelli was regularly overlooked when Spalletti was in charge of the Italy national team

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the relationship between Spalletti and Locatelli is said to be in a great place, and both seem keen to extend their long-term futures to Juventus.

Milan are in an uncomfortable state of limbo over the proposed transfer of teenage midfielder André from Corinthians, with a deal that appeared to be done now hanging in the balance due to a sudden change of heart from the Brazilian club’s president.

According to Sky Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Milan and Corinthians had reached a full agreement on the transfer of the 19-year-old, with the fee structured at €15 million plus €2 million in bonuses, covering 70% of the player’s economic rights.

André himself had given his blessing to the move, even agreeing to waive his personal entitlement to the remaining 30% of his own rights, a significant concession that underlined his eagerness to make the switch.

However, after documents had been exchanged and signatures obtained, Corinthians president Osmar Stabile has since asked for more time to consider whether to proceed, throwing the entire operation into doubt.

Milan left frustrated by Corinthians antics over Andre

It is an awkward and frustrating situation for Milan, who believed the deal to be concluded.

The Rossoneri are now monitoring developments closely and awaiting a definitive answer in the coming days.

Should Stabile ultimately decide to pull the plug, Milan are understood to be considering referring the matter to FIFA, given that the club are believed to hold signed documentation from Corinthians’ own legal department.

That route would be pursued not to force the transfer through, but to seek financial compensation should the deal collapse entirely.

For now, Milan wait, with patience running thin.

Inter travel to Como for the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final this evening, with Cristian Chivu facing the delicate task of balancing cup ambition with one eye firmly on Sunday’s Milan derby.

Chivu will rotate, but not excessively. The bigger selection headache is in attack, where both Lautaro Martinez and Bonny are unavailable through injury.

The Argentine is targeting a return for the Fiorentina fixture, while Bonny is hoped to be fit in time for the derby. In their absence, Thuram and Francesco Pio Esposito are expected to lead the line, though a lone striker option has not been ruled out.

Calhanoglu returns to the starting XI alongside Sucic and either Mkhitaryan or Frattesi in midfield, with Barella and Zielinski among those given a rest.

At the back, Acerbi and Bastoni come back in after suspension, while Carlos Augusto deputises for the rested Dimarco on the left flank.

Fabregas, by contrast, has no desire to rotate.

Nico Paz is expected to return to the starting lineup after being left out against Lecce.

Morata and Addai remain unavailable through injury, while Baturina is expected to feature from the bench after a lengthy absence. Diao is another attacking option in reserve.

Como Vs Inter – Probable Lineups & Where To Watch

Como (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Diego Carlos, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Vojvoda, Nico Paz, Jesus Rodriguez; Douvikas.
Inter (3-5-2): Martinez; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Carlos Augusto; Thuram, Esposito.

How to watch: Live on Premier Sports Player in the UK.

Massimiliano Allegri is considering handing Christopher Nkunku a surprise start in Sunday evening’s Milan derby, with Christian Pulisic’s ongoing physical struggles opening the door for the Frenchman to make his mark in one of the season’s biggest fixtures.

The latest news comes via Goal, as preparations continue ahead of Sunday’s huge derby clash.

Pulisic has been hampered by bursitis for several weeks, and the numbers tell a difficult story, the American has not scored since December, is yet to find the net in 2026, and has not completed a full 90 minutes since January.

His appearance at Cremonese left onlookers concerned, with the former Chelsea man visibly drained and deflated as he returned to the bench.

Nkunku, by contrast, has been sharper whenever called upon recently.

Allegri weighs up Milan derby start for Nkunku as form improves

His assist for Rafael Leao’s second goal at Cremonese, a moment of composure and quality that arrived in just a few minutes off the bench, has accelerated Allegri’s thinking considerably.

The Frenchman has grown notably in form and sharpness since the turn of the year, and his developing chemistry with Leao is another factor working in his favour.

Their shared celebration at Cremona was widely read as a symbol of a growing on-pitch connection that could prove significant against Inter.

Allegri will retain his trusted 3-5-2 for the derby, with Modric and Rabiot expected to be central figures in midfield.

There is also positive news from the treatment room, with Davide Bartesaghi’s muscular injury proving less serious than feared, leaving the young defender in contention to start.

Inter Milan have emerged as the leading Italian club in the race to sign Leon Goretzka on a free transfer this summer, though Arsenal are applying significant pressure from the Premier League and could yet complicate the pursuit.

The experienced Bayern Munich midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club. January saw him come close to joining Atletico Madrid before those talks collapsed, and his availability has since attracted interest from across Europe.

According to TuttoSport, Milan had been monitoring the situation but have shifted their focus toward Brazilian midfielder André of Corinthians, while Napoli and Juventus are considered interested but not as advanced as Inter in their pursuit.

The move would represent a notable shift in strategy for Oaktree, who had previously mandated a focus on under-23 signings. But the ownership has been persuaded that a different approach is necessary, and the reason is straightforward.

Inter could sign veteran Goretzka to reinforce midfield in summer overhaul

Inter are set to lose between four and five senior players at the end of the season, with Sommer, Acerbi, De Vrij, Darmian and Mkhitaryan all out of contract.

Rebuilding entirely with young prospects risks undermining the squad’s spine, and the club’s sporting directors have made that case convincingly to Oaktree.

The signs of a softening stance were already visible, first in the Pavard-Akanji transition last August, then in January’s attempted moves for Cancelo and Perisic.

Goretzka would address a midfield that faces considerable upheaval.

Frattesi remains eager for a bigger role elsewhere, Calhanoglu is being pursued by Galatasaray with his contract expiring in 2027, and Mkhitaryan’s departure looks certain. Inter have already signed 23-year-old Massolin from Modena, while the buyback of Aleksander Stankovic for €23 million is considered virtually done.

But Goretzka offers something none of those profiles can match: immediate physicality, Champions League pedigree and genuine leadership.

He is seeking a three-year contract worth €6-6.5 million per season, comparable to what Barella, Calhanoglu and Thuram currently earn. His agency, Roof, has an established relationship with Inter, having offered Lookman to the club last summer. Whether this time the deal reaches its conclusion remains to be seen, but the foundations are in place.

Juventus are preparing to make another move for Randal Kolo Muani this summer, with the French striker remaining a firm target despite previous attempts to secure his signature ending in frustration.

The Frenchman made a significant impression during his loan spell in Turin last season, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in January on a temporary deal worth €3.6 million.

That form convinced the club’s hierarchy that he is the right profile to lead their attack, and according to Tuttosport, PSG’s asking price of under €50 million is considered achievable, particularly given the improved relationship between the two clubs.

Kolo Muani is currently on loan at Tottenham, where he has managed four goals in 29 appearances and is currently coached by Igor Tudor, the same coach who led him at Juventus after Thiago Motta’s dismissal.

Juventus could cut ties with David & Openda to pursue Kolo Muani deal

His output at Spurs has been modest, but Juventus appear undeterred, with Luciano Spalletti understood to want two quality central strikers at his disposal next season.

That ambition sits alongside the ongoing renewal talks with Dusan Vlahovic, whose contract expires in June.

Rather than viewing the two pursuits as contradictory, Juventus see them as complementary, with Kolo Muani and a renewed Vlahovic potentially forming a potent attacking partnership.

The flip side of that plan, however, is the futures of Jonathan David and Lois Openda, both of whom arrived last summer and have failed to meet expectations.

The Belgian forward in particular has disappointed, and Tuttosport reports that Juventus have no intention of building around either player next season. Finding buyers for two high-profile attacking signings who have underdelivered will be among the club’s most pressing summer challenges.

Tuesday’s Italian sports papers focus on Weston McKennie’s future at Juventus, and Inter’s stance over Arsenal interest in Pio Esposito.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

“Pio not for sale”
Inter say no to Arsenal
Esposito at the centre of the Nerazzurri market and attack
Coppa Italia semi-final at 21:00 against Como: Chivu considering eight changes

The pink paper leads with Inter’s firm stance over young striker Francesco Pio Esposito, insisting the club have rejected interest from Arsenal. The focus remains on the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Como, with Cristian Chivu expected to rotate heavily.

“Allegri’s tricks”
How Milan will try to keep the Scudetto race alive
From De Winter’s height to Nkunku’s creativity

“The most beautiful goal”
Conceição’s strike (100 km/h from 17 metres) goes around the world

“Nightmare Viola”
Fiorentina overwhelmed in Udine
Three goals conceded in the opening 30 minutes

Tuttosport

“Taremi: I’m going to war”
Sport increasingly halted in the Middle East amid the conflict with Iran
The former Inter striker reportedly told Olympiacos he wants to return home: “My country needs me”

In Turin, the spotlight is firmly on Juventus.

“Okoli or Gatti”
And talks underway with Vlahovic
Juventus playing for their future without a true centre-forward

The paper underlines how hopes of a top-four finish – crucial for the market and the club’s ambitions – rely heavily on defensive solidity and Federico Gatti’s leadership. Dusan Vlahovic’s contract situation remains unresolved.

Also featured:

“Inter want the double, and Goretzka”
Coppa Italia semi-final, first leg: Chivu chasing history
The German midfielder could become a summer target

Corriere dello Sport

“Como stir up Inter”
Coppa Italia semi-final first leg: Como seek the upset (21:00)
Fabregas once in Marotta’s plans, now he could deny Chivu the dream of the double
Peace between the clubs over Esposito: special duel

The Rome-based daily previews the Coppa Italia clash, framing it as a potential banana skin for Inter against an ambitious Como side led by Cesc Fabregas.

“Juve, stand firm”
McKennie until 2030
Lucio key to the renewal talks
Turning point in negotiations: the coach wants to stay, but four or five top signings are needed to win
Further contact with Dusan: a €6m salary proposal made, decision imminent

Juventus are reportedly pushing to extend Weston McKennie’s contract until 2030, while discussions continue over Vlahovic’s future.

Elsewhere:

“Bologna magic: Odgaard sinks Pisa”
A stunning strike gives Italiano his fifth straight win

“Viola nightmare continues”
Udinese dominant, defensive collapse costly

Paolo Vanoli hit out at Fiorentina after their 3-0 defeat to Udinese, warning it ‘felt like a continuation’ of their Conference League play-off with Jagiellonia.

The Viola had been on a strong run of form, but lost twice in the space of a few days, even if on Thursday they still scraped into the Conference League Round of 16 past Jagiellonia in extra time, despite fumbling a 3-0 first leg advantage.

That match already showed signs of trouble, which were confirmed in Udine with a 3-0 defeat.

Vanoli sees old Fiorentina problems return

“Udinese are a very physical team, so if we are always late to the knockdowns, we are making life easier for them,” Vanoli told DAZN Italia.

“It felt like a continuation of the game in the Conference League, the mentality was all wrong again. The players need to take a good, hard look at themselves, because it takes a long time to build something up, and a mere moment to destroy it.”

Daniele Rugani was thrown straight into the starting XI for his Fiorentina debut and it was disastrous, because he slipped for the Christian Kabasele free header, gave away the Keinan Davis penalty, and was shrugged off by Adam Buksa for the third goal.

“I knew Rugani would struggle to last 90 minutes after so long out of action, but he did well to get to the end. He can’t find form or fitness if he doesn’t play. I am convinced he will give a strong contribution in the coming weeks,” noted Vanoli.

Instead, the coach turned his ire towards other Fiorentina players and the overall attitude of the squad.

“We never ran into the spaces, we passed the ball around too slowly, and this is not good enough.

“The statistics showed we didn’t have a single shot on target, plus we suffered defending on set plays and showed a lack of concentration.

“We will get nowhere without determination, and clearly in that sense we have not progressed, because we must increase our desire to not concede goals.”

There was also an additional injury concern, as Vanoli confirmed Moise Kean asked to be substituted after a knock to the tibia.

This is the first Fiorentina defeat in Serie A since their 2-1 loss at Napoli on January 31, and it leaves them level on 24 points with Cremonese and Lecce.

The only teams behind them in the table are Pisa and Verona, joint rock bottom on 15 points, so it looks as if there is one more relegation spot still to be assigned.

“The table is tightening up, games are coming along where the mentality is going to make the difference.”

Pisa and Verona look doomed to relegation from Serie A, but it’s wide open for the third slot, as Fiorentina, Cremonese, Lecce and Genoa are crammed into a three-point radius.

The Week 27 fixtures were completed this evening and the results have a big knock-on effect for the fight to avoid relegation.

Serie A has three spots going down out of 20, and it will take a miracle now for Pisa and Hellas Verona to avoid the slide into Serie B.

They are stuck together on just 15 points out of 27 rounds, already nine adrift of the others in this race.

Torino’s win over Lazio might’ve done enough to keep them out of the running, leaving only Genoa on 27 points, then Fiorentina, Cremonese and Lecce all crammed together on 24.

The Viola had broken clear in recent weeks, but are now back in the quagmire, out of the bottom three purely on goal difference.

If two teams are tied at the end of the season for relegation, then they will face off in a specially arranged play-off.

If three or more sides have the same points, then a mini-table is drawn up of their head-to-head results, with the bottom two going into the play-off.

Serie A Table

Kevin De Bruyne was all smiles as he had his first training session with Napoli teammates today, four months after the devastating injury.

The former Manchester City midfielder has not played since suffering a serious hamstring tear while converting a penalty against Inter on October 25, 2025.

It was so damaging that surgery was required, and De Bruyne spent most of that recovery time in his native Belgium.

De Bruyne back for Napoli

He flew back to Italy last week with his family, and today was the first time he had returned to first-team training with his teammates, after 128 days away.

The 34-year-old thoroughly enjoyed the experience and shared his joy with the fans, posting pictures of his smile during the session on social media.

 

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A post shared by Kevin De Bruyne (@kevindebruyne)

Napoli fans responded with numerous comments celebrating his return, as the Belgian had scored four goals with two assists in 11 competitive games before that injury.

It is also possible that he will be on the bench for this Friday’s Serie A match against Torino.

Udinese ended their negative streak with a badly-needed 3-0 victory sealed by Christian Kabasele, Keinan Davis and Adam Buksa, as Daniele Rugani had a disastrous Fiorentina debut.

The Viola had been transformed in recent weeks with three consecutive victories in all competition, but threw away a 3-0 first leg advantage in the Conference League play-off with Jagiellonia on Thursday, only scraping through in extra time. Dodo was suspended here, but Rolando Mandragora returned from his ban. Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Robin Gosens sustained injuries against Jagiellonia, so Daniele Rugani made his debut. Udinese were collapsing after three straight defeats, missing Arthur Atta, Oumar Solet and Alessandro Zanoli, but Keinan Davis returned after a month out.

There was a musical performance before kick-off, as this week is eight years since the death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, in a hotel in Udine in March 2018. Free cardiac checks are also organised in the stadium this month.

See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took just 10 minutes to open the scoring, as Nicolò Zaniolo whipped a corner into the six-yard box and Christian Kabasele was allowed a free header, because Rugani had slipped.

Mandragora smashed a free kick over the bar, then blasted over from just inside the area, while Albert Gudmundsson hit a fresh-air volley on the dinked Niccolò Fagioli pass over the top.

Davis combined with Zaniolo and cut inside to shoot hard and low from 13 yards, forcing David De Gea to parry with his legs.

After the restart, Jack Harrison’s cross only grazed the head of Moise Kean at the back stick, and De Gea again denied Davis after a run from the centre-circle.

Another strong Davis run from his own half concluded with the Zaniolo effort deflected wide off Fabiano Parisi, and the striker was wrestled to the ground by Rugani as he tried to get on the end of an inspired Jordan Zemura pass. It was an inevitable penalty, which Davis converted himself.

Bertola ran back for a brave block on Kean, spraining his ankle in the process, and Cher Ndour’s header whistled wide on the resulting corner.

Rugani completed his truly disastrous debut by allowing Adam Buksa to shrug off his attempt at a challenge when running onto the Lennon Miller knockdown, curling a left-foot finish into the far corner.

Udinese 3-0 Fiorentina

Kabasele 10 (U), Davis pen 64 (U), Buksa 94 (U)

02-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 27

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Fiorentina

3 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Christian Kabasele (Assist: Nicolò Zaniolo)		10'
		28'		Marin Pongracic
Kingsley Ehizibue		32'
		32'		Fabiano Parisi

2nd half

		61'		Daniele Rugani
Keinan Davis		63'
		80'		Luca Ranieri
Adam Buksa (Assist: Lennon Miller)		90+4'

Match statistic

35

Possession %

65

10

Total shots

10

7

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

6

2

Blocked shots

4

5

Corners

2

16

Fouls

12