After the first day of training and with quite a few injuries still to be dealt with, the first signs are emerging of a possible Italy starting XI against Northern Ireland.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The World Cup play-off semi-final kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

Whoever wins will then face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final on Tuesday March 31.

Italy side still taking shape in Gattuso’s mind

Gennaro Gattuso has already been forced to make some changes to his squad due to injuries, sending Federico Chiesa back home to Liverpool and calling in Bologna’s Nicolò Cambiaghi.

There are others who are not fully fit and still in doubt, such as Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Sandro Tonali and Gianluca Mancini.

It is widely reported Gattuso will set Italy out in a 3-5-2 formation, with Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal and wearing the captain’s armband.

If Bastoni or Arsenal’s Calafiori cannot make it, then Federico Gatti is more likely to step in.

For the midfield, Davide Frattesi is the first alternative to Tonali, with Matteo Politano expected to start even after he was spotted with a large bandage on his shin today.

Manuel Locatelli, Nicolò Barella and Federico Dimarco are all confident of a place in the XI.

Gianluca Scamacca is definitely not fit for the semi-final, so Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui should retain their places upfront.

The splendid recent form of Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito is not yet enough to get him into the starting XI.

Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Politano, Locatelli, Tonali, Barella, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

Northern Ireland will be without Dan Ballard and Conor Bradley for the 2026 World Cup play-off against Italy, as coach Michael O’Neill notes they can ‘use pressure to our advantage.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The semi-final kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET), with the winners going on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final.

O’Neill has faith in Northern Ireland against Italy

It goes without saying that Italy are the favourites going into this semi-final, and that is something that particularly weighs on the Azzurri’s shoulders after missing the 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup.

“The pressure is for them to deal with,” O’Neill told the Press Association.

“We can add to that with how we play the game, how we approach the game. The game’s not going to be won in the media or in the lead-up to it, by us continually saying Italy are under pressure.

“The game will be won if we make the game difficult for Italy, and then that pressure becomes prevalent in the 90 minutes. That’s how we use it to our advantage.”

There is bad news for Northern Ireland, because Sunderland defender Ballard has been ruled out and forced to return back home.

He suffered a hamstring injury during the Premier League defeat to Brighton on March 14, missed Sunday’s local derby against Newcastle United, and cannot recover in time.

Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson has been called up in his place.

This is the second defensive absentee, as Liverpool player Bradley had already been ruled out, although Ali McCann is back in training.

The Charles brothers, goalkeeper Pierce and midfielder Shea, are both available again for Northern Ireland after missing recent matches.

Northern Ireland have not qualified for the World Cup since 1986.

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Blackpool, on loan from Birmingham City), Conor Hazard (Plymouth Argyle), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Josh Clarke (Partick Thistle).

Defenders: Paddy McNair (Hull City, on loan from San Diego), Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Brodie Spencer (Oxford United), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth).

Midfielders: George Saville (Luton Town), Ali McCann (Preston), Shea Charles (Southampton), Isaac Price (West Brom), Paul Smyth (Queen’s Park Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Jamie Donley (Oxford United, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Kieran Morrison (Liverpool).

Forwards: Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Dion Charles (Huddersfield Town), Callum Marshall (VfL Bochum, on loan from West Ham), Jamie Reid (Stevenage)

Lecce have announced that the season is over for Medon Berisha after a serious injury, and the Albania international could require surgery.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

This is a bitter blow for the Salentini and their hopes of avoiding relegation into Serie B, as he is one of their most talented players.

He had been out of action since December 12, when stretchered off 11 minutes into the win over Pisa.

Just as Berisha was preparing to make his comeback, he suffered another injury in training on Saturday.

Berisha suffers fresh injury blow

A statement from the club confirms that today’s tests showed a lesion to the tendon in the rectus femoris in the right leg.

This is in a different area to the previous injury, albeit on the same leg, and he will fly to Finland on Wednesday for a specialist consultation with Professor Lempainem.

Surgery is a likely solution to this latest problem, and the statement warns that in any case, he will not be back on the pitch again during this season.

Berisha had only managed to make 14 competitive appearances for Lecce this season, contributing two goals and three assists.

The 22-year-old has four senior caps for Albania.

Hassane Kamara has explained his controversial reaction during Udinese’s win over Genoa, as their club condemns racist abuse received by Kamara and Keinan Davis.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Davis scored during the 2-0 win at Marassi on Friday evening, but it was a fiery and intense Serie A match that became increasingly heated in the final minutes.

With the score at 1-0, Kamara was substituted at the 84^th minute, pulling faces at the Genoa fans as he walked off.

This infuriated Genoa striker Lorenzo Colombo, who reacted angrily and was booked.

What sparked Kamara controversy

Kamara explained the situation today with a post on Instagram.

“Quick clarification: if on Friday I left the field sticking my tongue out at the Genoa fans, it was only because I received insults and middle fingers. It was my way, joking and without violence, of responding.

“In 12 years of career, I have never provoked anyone, and I won’t start now. Colombo got angry, that can happen. Thanks to his coach, his teammates, also my own, for calming the situation.

“Football is a sport that brings people together, and it must remain like that.

“P.S. And for some who are using this opportunity to send racist insults via social media, the internet has a long memory, and this will not go unpunished.”

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by HK (@hassane_kamara)

On his Instagram Stories, Kamara put together a compilation of the racist abuse he received in response, not hiding any of the usernames of those responsible.

Davis reposted this message on his Instagram Stories, and it was followed by Udinese releasing a statement of their own.

“Udinese Calcio condemn the disgraceful behaviour against players Keinan Davis and Hassane Kamara, who were subjected to racist insults on their social media profiles.

“Similar shameful incidents are beyond all logic of civilised society, they are unacceptable, and Udinese will always fight to combat them.”

It is bitterly ironic that this occurred during the week of the Lega Serie A’s ‘Keep Racism Out’ media campaign.

Italy Under-21 coach Silvio Baldini prepares for games against North Macedonia and Sweden, hailing the ‘success’ of Marco Palestra and Niccolò Pisilli graduating to the senior squad.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Azzurrini are back in action after a four-month hiatus, ready to continue the qualifying campaign for the 2027 European Under-21 Championship.

They will host North Macedonia at the Stadio Castellani in Empoli on Thursday and then visit Sweden at the Boras Arena on Tuesday March 31.

Players who are not involved in this training camp are Cagliari full-back Palestra and Roma midfielder Pisilli, who have been called up by Gennaro Gattuso for the World Cup play-offs.

Baldini has faith in Italy future

“It is a success for us that they have been promoted to the senior squad, because it means we contributed to their growth process,” said coach Baldini in his press conference.

“Few would’ve expected in September 2025 that these two players would be ready for the play-offs. It makes us proud, as it shows we are on the right track.”

Italy will host Northern Ireland on Thursday in the semi-final, then if victorious will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 31 for a spot at the World Cup.

“I spoke to Gattuso and Gigi Buffon over the last few days, they are accustomed to this kind of stress, having played in the biggest tournaments. They know there is a big responsibility on their shoulders, but we are all behind them and I don’t think there’s anyone better with which to achieve qualification,” added Baldini.

“I am super convinced that Italy will be at the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, the Under-21 side has brought in Honest Ahanor after he impressed with Atalanta, and Lazio’s new goalkeeper Edoardo Motta, fresh from saving a penalty in only his third Serie A appearance.

“Players like Lipani, Bartesaghi and Venturino have had minutes in Serie A, showing that they can have their say in the football that really matters.

“We have a strong group and mustn’t lose our positive energy. We mustn’t forget our main job is to get as many players as possible promoted to the senior Italy squad.”

Italy Under-21 squad

Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Avellino), Edoardo Motta (Lazio), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone)

Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Atalanta), Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia M’gladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Fiorentina), Costantino Favasuli (Catanzaro), Gabriele Guarino (Empoli), Mattia Mannini (Juve Stabia); Brando Moruzzi (Empoli)

Midfielders: Tommaso Berti (Cesena), Matteo Dagasso (Venezia), Giacomo Faticanti (Juventus), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Venturino (Roma)

Forwards: Alessio Cacciamani (Juve Stabia), Luigi Cherubini (Sampdoria), Jeff Ekhator (Genoa), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Luca Koleosho (Paris FC), Antonio Raimondo (Frosinone)

Juventus and Lazio are among the clubs to have sent their condolences to former coach Igor Tudor, currently at Tottenham Hotspur, following a family bereavement.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The 47-year-old spent most of his career in Italian football, first as a player and then as a coach, so considers this to be his second home.

He did not speak to the media following last night’s 3-0 Premier League home defeat to Nottingham Forest, officially so that he could deal with a family matter.

It was later revealed he had received news of the death of his father, Marco.

Italy is a second home for Croatian Tudor

Tudor had started the season at Juventus until his dismissal on October 27, then went on to take the Tottenham job on February 14.

Juve were the first club to send out a statement of condolence this afternoon to their former coach.

“Juventus stands with Igor Tudor and his family at this difficult time. Juventus joins in mourning the passing of his father.”

Juventus stands with Igor Tudor and his family at this difficult time. Juventus joins in mourning the passing of his father.

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 23, 2026

His bond with Juve goes back a long way, as he was a player there from 1998 to 2007, then returned as assistant manager to Andrea Pirlo in the 2020-21 campaign.

He was called in as interim coach in March 2025 and given the job with a longer contract that summer, but was dismissed in October 2025 after 24 games in charge.

Lazio also sent a message, as Tudor was their coach from March to June 2024, when replacing Maurizio Sarri.

“S.S. Lazio express their profound condolences to ex-Biancocelesti coach Igor Tudor for the passing of his father.”

La S.S. Lazio esprime il proprio profondo cordoglio all'ex allenatore biancoceleste Igor Tudor per la scomparsa del padre

— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) March 23, 2026

He was also the coach of Udinese during two different spells from 2018 to 2019 and Hellas Verona in 2021-22.

L’Hellas Verona FC esprime il proprio profondo cordoglio all’ex allenatore della formazione gialloblù nella stagione 2021/22 Igor Tudor e alla sua famiglia per la scomparsa del padre.

— Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) March 23, 2026

Andriy Shevchenko believes ‘anything can happen’ in the Scudetto race for Milan, but warns Rafael Leao ‘is not a striker’ and must not have ‘the wrong attitude.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Rossoneri squeezed past Torino 3-2 at the weekend to pile pressure on leaders Inter, cutting the gap at the top of the Serie A table to just six points.

With eight rounds to go, and Napoli also only seven points behind the top spot, the Scudetto race is suddenly opened up again.

Shevchenko gives Leao verdict for Milan

“Inter have a much deeper squad and the advantage on points, but Milan are having a very good season,” club legend Shevchenko told reporters as he attended an event for the Legends Trophy tour.

“The win over Torino was an important step forward, and Allegri fired up the team after their defeat to Lazio. I think Milan will win the next few matches and put pressure on Inter. If they are up there, anything can happen. It will all be decided in the next few weeks.”

Milan lost to Lazio and the result was overshadowed by controversy when Rafael Leao threw a tantrum at being substituted, resisting a hug from coach Max Allegri, and then reportedly arguing with teammate Christian Pulisic too.

The Portuguese talent has struggled with the new role of centre-forward created for him by Allegri, preferring to start out wide left.

“Rafa is not a striker,” warned Shevchenko, a man who knows plenty about getting goals in the Rossoneri jersey.

“He has been asked to be a centre-forward, doing well in some games, less well in others. We need to see if he really wants to help the team, and he is the only one who can play that role right now.”

Although Leao certainly is not lacking in talent, his attitude has often been the cause of problems, and Milan are reportedly losing patience.

“You can get a game wrong, but must not have the wrong attitude,” added Shevchenko.

“There are moments when you can get angry with a teammate or the coach, but the important thing is to clear the air straight away.”

Leao was out injured for the 3-2 victory against Torino, so the last image was of him resisting a substitution with Lazio.

The Lega Serie A met today and laid down the foundations for a new code of ethics, which could include fines for simulation and insulting statements.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

During the break for international duty, representatives from the 20 Serie A clubs came together to discuss various issues at the headquarters in Milan today.

President Ezio Simonelli outlined the start of a new Serie A code of ethics, which will apply to all players, coaches, directors, and members of staff.

Serie A code of ethics ideas

Although this is still in the early stages of planning, Calcio e Finanza suggest it will assign specific fines for all violations, without leaving them all to the disciplinary commission.

Among the main focus points will be combating simulation on the pitch, especially in the wake of the Alessandro Bastoni controversy to get Pierre Kalulu sent off during Inter vs. Juventus.

Other targets for a clampdown are insulting or damaging statements made during post-match interviews.

This could involve creating a new and independent body to impose the fines, working alongside the FIGC and disciplinary commission.

Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni was spotted running today after an ankle injury, but remains a major doubt for Italy’s World Cup play-off campaign, while Matteo Politano has a problem too.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Nazionale came together this morning at the Coverciano camp to prepare for the semi-final against Northern Ireland, which will be held in Bergamo on Thursday evening.

If they win that fixture, then the Azzurri will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final for a spot at the 2026 World Cup.

That game is planned for March 31 outside of Italian soil.

Italy gearing up for play-offs

There have been quite a few injury problems for coach Gennaro Gattuso, who today was forced to send Federico Chiesa back home to Liverpool and called up Bologna’s Nicolò Cambiaghi instead.

Bastoni had missed Inter’s last Serie A match against Fiorentina due to a left ankle problem and remains in doubt to feature against Northern Ireland.

However, there was positive news today when Bastoni was spotted running along the pitch.

It was not the same training routine as his teammates, and therefore continues the work he was doing at Inter over the last few days.

Sky Sport Italia report Gattuso asked Bastoni how he was feeling, and the reply was: “I can handle it.”

The same cannot be said of Napoli winger Politano, who was spotted sitting on the side of the turf with a large bandage on his left shin.

Gattuso set the teams out in a five-a-side match with Marco Palestra, Mateo Retegui, Alessandro Buongiorno, Andrea Cambiaso and Manuel Locatelli on one team, Leonardo Spinazzola, Davide Frattesi, Cambiaghi and Federico Gatti on the other.

The three goalkeepers alternated during the game.

Players who did not participate due to fitness issues are Gianluca Mancini, Sandro Tonali, Riccardo Calafiori and Gianluca Scamacca.

There are reports Fulham have decided to activate their purchase option for Samuel Chukwueze, bringing €24m to the Milan coffers.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The wide striker had been a €21.1m plus up to €7m add-ons signing from Villarreal in 2023, but flopped badly and failed to make an impact at San Siro.

Chukwueze scored just eight goals and assisted six more in 70 official appearances for the Rossoneri.

Fulham happy with Chukwueze

He was loaned to Fulham in September 2025 with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Despite a not particularly impressive contribution of three goals and four assists in 19 competitive games, La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Fulham have decided to buy Chukwueze outright.

That could represent a significant boost for Milan’s finances, as although not quite the €30m that was rumoured initially, this should provide €24m in fresh funds.

The highlight of the Nigeria international’s Fulham career so far is the brace scored in the Premier League against Manchester City.

Cesc Fabregas and Como look as if they could qualify for the Champions League, but the club might face stadium issues and UEFA Financial Fair Play penalties.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Lariani were in Serie B only two seasons ago, but are currently flying high in fourth place, well ahead of Roma and Juventus in the hunt for Champions League qualification.

It would be an astounding achievement for the minnows, who have not participated in European competition since the Mitropa Cup in 1980-81, when it allowed entry from winners of the Serie B title.

Como not yet equipped for Champions League

If Como were to enter the Champions League, it could create some significant problems, starting with the Stadio Sinigaglia.

Reconstruction work would be required to bring the arena up to code for UEFA competitions, and if that was not completed by September 2026, then they’d have to play their home fixtures elsewhere.

This isn’t entirely new, so Calcio e Finanza report they have asked Sassuolo to use the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia instead.

They already did this favour for Atalanta when they first entered the Champions League too.

Another problem is represented by Como’s finances, as the club was picked up post-bankruptcy in Serie D by rich Indonesians the Hartono family.

Their strong investment has allowed the team to go from strength to strength, but it also means they closed the financial year in June 2025 at a loss of €105m.

Calcio e Finanza report that UEFA would give the Serie A side some grace for the first season, but after that they’d require a Settlement Agreement until balancing the books.

It is not dissimilar to the situation faced by Aston Villa when returning to Europe in 2023.

Telegraph Sport claim Tottenham Hotspur have already held talks with Italian Roberto De Zerbi to take over next season, if they stay in the Premier League, but ex-Juventus boss Igor Tudor could be sacked imminently.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It is hardly the first time that Italian tactician De Zerbi has been linked with the Spurs job, but he has been adamant that he won’t accept a role mid-season after departing Olympique Marseille.

According to today’s reporting from Telegraph Sport, Tottenham directors have asked him to become their new coach at the start of next term and he has agreed, but only if they are still in the Premier League.

De Zerbi open to Tottenham Hotspur job

That is by no means something to be taken for granted, because their form has gone from bad to disastrous since former Juventus coach Tudor took over.

The Croatian has overseen one irrelevant Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid, as they were still eliminated in the Round of 16, a draw and five defeats.

Multiple reports indicate he will be fired during the break for international duty after a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest left them hovering just above the relegation zone.

However, Spurs are expected to wait a few days, as Tudor learned that same day his father had died.

His former clubs in Serie A, Juventus and Lazio, both sent public messages of condolence.

Tudor had been on the Juventus bench from March to October 2025, sacked after failing to win any of his last eight competitive matches.

Fresh off a spectacular long-range goal, there are now reports Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic is attracting interest from Chelsea.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The tall and powerful centre-back has made his mark at both ends of the field, because as well as being a defender, he has scored four goals and provided one assist in 26 Serie A games so far this season.

That included an extraordinary strike off the underside of the crossbar in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Torino.

Pavlovic has flourished at Milan

The 24-year-old was a big investment from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2024, arriving for €18.5m plus bonuses.

According to Calciomercato, Pavlovic has caught the eye of Chelsea scouts, who believe he would be suited to the Premier League.

His contract runs to June 2028, although Milan do have an option to extend by another year.

The Serbia international has been compared to former Milan defender Jaap Stam for his playing style and physique.

Milan reportedly are in absolutely no rush to sell Pavlovic and would be prepared to resist the opening offer from Chelsea of circa €40m.

They are on track for Champions League qualification and that will further boost the Rossoneri coffers.

Diego Armando Maradona’s son gave the highest possible praise to Scott McTominay. ‘He is the most decisive Napoli player after my father. If Diego was God, then Scott is Jesus.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The midfielder has certainly made an impact since his arrival from Manchester United in 2024, including a place in the Ballon d’Or ranking, and named Serie A Player of the Year.

He picked up where he left off this season, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in 36 competitive games.

McTominay hailed by Maradona Junior

Following the decisive strike to beat Cagliari 1-0 on Friday, Diego Armando Maradona Junior made a remarkable comparison.

“After my father, McTominay is the most decisive player in the history of Napoli,” said the Neapolitan on Televomero.

“We had God at Napoli in the form of Diego, but for me McTominay is Jesus. He is a completely fundamental player.”

Maradona is such a legend at this club that within hours of his death from heart failure in November 2020, the Stadio San Paolo was renamed in his honour.

Although the Argentine was only at Napoli from 1984 to 1992, it was the most successful spell in the club’s history, leading to two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, one UEFA Cup and one Italian Supercup.

Murals with his image remain on the walls of Naples to this day and represent a shrine for football lovers around the world.

Reports suggest Zeki Celik is unlikely to agree a new contract with Roma, making him an appetising free agent for Juventus, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Turkish international can play as a right-back or a wing-back in a more advanced role, and has been known to work in central defence when required too.

His current deal with Roma only runs to June 30 and negotiations over an extension have hit significant problems.

Celik demands a long way off Roma bid

According to Tuttomercatoweb, the most recent proposal from the club is worth just €2.4m per season, a long way off his agent’s demand of a €4m salary.

With such a big gap between the two parties and time running out, Celik is far more likely to become a free agent in the summer.

This is one of the situations leading to friction behind the scenes between coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the club directors, as he wants Celik to be confirmed in his squad.

Juventus remain the favourites to snap the player up, but Premier League sides have also been heavily linked, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fulham and Manchester United.

Celik turned 29 last month and joined Roma from LOSC in the summer of 2022 for €7.4m.

He made 37 competitive appearances for the club so far this season, contributing one goal and four assists.

The Juventus penalty miss against Sassuolo continues to cause controversy, as it emerges Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz were over-ruled by Manuel Locatelli.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The spot-kick could’ve been decisive for the result over the weekend, but when Locatelli stepped up and saw his effort saved by Arijanet Muric, it meant the Serie A match ended 1-1.

This was the third consecutive penalty that Juve failed to convert in Serie A, with three different players, as Locatelli followed in the footsteps of Kenan Yildiz and Jonathan David.

Juventus confusion over penalty taker

“Locatelli came over and told me he felt ready to take it,” confirmed Spalletti to DAZN Italia.

“There were two or three players who wanted to step up, but Locatelli is the designated taker. It’s fine, anyone can miss a penalty, we are just disappointed about not bringing home the victory.”

While Yildiz was standing on the spot holding the ball, it is now reported that he was not the one pressuring Locatelli for the chance to step up.

Multiple sources claim Vlahovic had asked to take the penalty, just minutes into his first appearance since a serious thigh injury in late November 2025.

It would’ve been very risky indeed to have the Serbian take on that responsibility after such a long lay-off and when he was obviously still rusty.

Vlahovic did convert his only attempt this season, in a 3-1 win over Udinese.

However, Locatelli also had a positive record until now, converting both his spot-kicks in the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

The midfielder also scored a crucial penalty at the end of last season against Venezia to secure Champions League qualification.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso thanks FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon for allowing him to choose the venue for the World Cup semi-final play-off against Northern Ireland: ‘We hope to create a real cauldron-like atmosphere.’

Italy will host Northern Ireland in Bergamo in the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday, March 26.

Why Italy vs. Northern Ireland played in Bergamo, not San Siro

The match will be played at Atalanta’s New Balance Arena, a 25,000-seat stadium that already hosted Gattuso’s first game as Italy’s head coach against Estonia this past September.

“I chose the stadium. I want to thank the President and Buffon for letting me decide,” Gattuso said at a press conference attended by Football Italia on Monday.

“I believe that when you go to a 60,000-seat stadium like San Siro, there are Inter and Milan fans, and they might start booing after a few wrong passes. Playing in a smaller stadium will likely give us a better atmosphere.

“They did so in my first game as Italy’s coach, despite finishing the first half with a 0-0 draw. We hope to create a real cauldron-like atmosphere and that we haven’t messed things up.

“Thursday’s game is the only target. All the rest is the past, and I think we have a great chance.”

Click here to read the full Gattuso press conference.

Milan and Inter are set to duel with Arsenal over the summer for free agent Leon Goretzka when he leaves Bayern Munich, confirm German reports.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The midfielder only celebrated his 31^st birthday last month and has already confirmed he will not be signing a new contract with Bayern Munich, so will be available for free from June 30.

Arsenal have long been linked with his signature and remain possible favourites, but are facing stiff competition from Serie A.

Goretzka tempted by Italian experience

According to Bild reporter Christian Falk, Milan are pushing hard to secure Goretzka, who could form a fascinating midfield partnership with Luka Modric.

Inter are also strong contenders for the German international, though Juventus lag behind, as they are struggling to qualify for the Champions League.

This represents the end of an era for the player, who has been at Bayern Munich since 2018.

Modric sets the template for this transfer idea, as he too was a free agent after many years at Real Madrid, and eager to test himself out in a new environment.

Gennaro Gattuso explains why Federico Chiesa returned to Liverpool and didn’t remain in Coverciano like other injured Italian players and reveals Riccardo Calafiori felt ‘a little discomfort’ during Arsenal’s loss against Manchester City on Sunday.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Italy World Cup play-off: latest injury updates

Italy are preparing for Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland.

Gattuso held a press conference on Monday, before Italy’s first training session.

Gianluca Scamacca, Alessandro Bastoni and Gianluca Mancini are injured, while Sandro Tonali and Calafiori are not fully fit.

Bastoni has missed the last two games with Inter; Scamacca was absent from Atalanta’s 1-0 win over Verona on Sunday; and Mancini was subbed off during Roma’s victory against Lecce.

“Scamacca has an adductor problem; we evaluate him day by day, same as Bastoni,” Gattuso said at a press conference attended by Football Italia.

“Tonali will train with a low workload today. Mancini has fatigue; no issues were seen from exams. Calafiori felt a little discomfort yesterday, but we hope he’ll be there.

“Chiesa arrived yesterday. He had a few physical problems, and we decided it was useless for him to stay here.”

Contrary to his injured teammates, the Liverpool winger returned to his club on Monday morning, and Gattuso was asked to explain his decision.

“They are not all the same; the players’ heads are not the same,” the coach said.

“When I heard that he had problems and doubts, I had to make a decision. He didn’t feel up for it, so he decided to return home, and I had to accept it. Rapports are important, besides a game. I don’t have great medical knowledge, but I’ve understood that one can’t insist much. I don’t push. When one wants to return home, it’s right to let him do it.”

Italy will play Northern Ireland in Bergamo in the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday. If they progress to the Final, they’ll visit Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Inter President Beppe Marotta insists the team must be ‘stronger than refereeing errors’ in the Scudetto race and ‘able to handle the pressure’ of the chasing pack.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Nerazzurri are without a win in four consecutive games between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, and saw their lead at the top of the table closed to just six points from Milan, seven from Napoli.

With eight rounds to go, this opens up the title battle for a tense finale, but their President is not pressing the panic button.

Marotta confident of Inter title chances

“It is a particular moment of the season where we are deservedly six points clear at the top of the table, a result that perhaps nobody could’ve predicted, especially as we are also in the Coppa Italia semi-final,” Marotta told reporters while attending the Lega Serie A meeting.

“I’d say we have achieved two of our three targets so far. We could’ve done better in the Champions League, but one mustn’t forget the opponents at this level are talented and sometimes underrated.”

After losing the Derby della Madonnina, Inter were held to back-to-back 1-1 draws by Atalanta and Fiorentina.

“It is a difficult situation and we are taking some steps back, perhaps due to injuries or fatigue, but that’s inevitable for all teams at this stage of the season. I am not here to seek alibis, but to reaffirm that we’ll battle to the end,” added Marotta.

The word that is used repeatedly in the Italian media to describe the Nerazzurri struggling to win the Scudetto is ‘psychodrama’ in reference to the fear of failure.

“This is definitely not a psychodrama, it is merely a difficult situation, the kind you often get in sport. It was unthinkable that we’d have a six-point advantage with eight rounds to go, it is always easier to be the hunter than the prey.

“We must face this moment of transition with the right attitude and rediscover the path we momentarily strayed from.”

In both the draws against Atalanta and Fiorentina, there were complaints from Inter about potential penalties not awarded to them.

“I read various pundits and experts who said the Marin Pongracic handling offence was a penalty,” insisted Marotta.

“We don’t want to act like victims here, we just want there to be uniformity in refereeing and evaluation, for the good of football as a whole.

“I generally believe that all clubs complain during the season, and overall errors balance each other out. I don’t want this to become an alibi, because this is sport and errors are always around the corner. We must be stronger than the refereeing errors.”

Inter have widely been considered the strongest squad in Italy for several years, yet have only won the Scudetto twice in that time, so can the fear set in again?

“I would hope not. I think the mental aspect is more important now for an athlete than it was in the past, because there is pressure, so the coach and modern player must be able to handle that,” concluded Marotta.

Antonio Conte is continuing his tradition of taking time off during the break for international duty, leaving Napoli training to assistant Cristian Stellini.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The coach had started doing this in November 2025 and felt it was beneficial for him to decompress, but also to give his players some time without his notoriously intense presence.

“It is commonplace in England, Chelsea and Tottenham both allowed me to do this,” Conte had said earlier this season.

“Seeing as for four months we play non-stop, I had this agreement with the club to take the pressure off. It is a breather both for me and those who remain behind at Castelvolturno.”

Conte takes time out from Napoli

During the break for international duty and with so much of the squad therefore off around the world, Conte has returned to his family’s base in Turin for a few days.

He has left Napoli training for those who are still present in the capable hands of his long-term assistant Stellini.

Napoli have sent Alex Meret, Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola and Matteo Politano to the Italy squad for the World Cup play-offs, starting against Northern Ireland on March 26.

Also absent to represent their countries are Rasmus Hojlund, Stanislav Lobotka, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Mathias Olivera.

New reports suggest that Barcelona have set their sights on Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso for next season.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

There had already been reports over the last few days that the Blaugrana were keeping an eye on Serie A to strengthen their defence, targeting Inter centre-back Alessandro Bastoni.

Now Sportitalia, backed up by Sport in Spain and Calciomercato.com in Italy, claim that Cambiaso has also been added to their list of transfer options.

Cambiaso had been close to Manchester City

It is hardly the first time that the Italy international has caught the attention of a top club, as he had been very close to joining Manchester City last year.

The versatile figure just celebrated his 26^th birthday last month and is primarily a left-back, but can also play on the right.

He can work in defence or in a more advanced role as a wingback, making him an important tactical Joker in the pack for coaches.

Cambiaso scored three goals and provided four assists in 39 competitive appearances for Juventus so far this season.

Italy international Riccardo Calafiori reacted to Arsenal’s 2-0 loss against Manchester City on Sunday with a three-word message on social media: ‘We go again.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Calafiori’s Arsenal lost the EFL Cup Final against Manchester City on Sunday, seeing Italy captain Gigio Donnarumma lift his first trophy with the Citizens.

Calafiori was also chasing his first trophy in England, but he still has a chance to lift his first piece of silverware with the Gunners, as Arsenal are still involved in the Champions League and the FA Cup and are the Premier League table leaders.

Calafiori reacted to Arsenal‘s loss with a social media message on Monday morning: “We go again,” wrote the Italian defender.

Calafiori is now at Coverciano preparing for Italy’s World Cup play-off semifinal against Northern Ireland.

• Read more – Calafiori: I ‘probably disappointed’ Mourinho, but I ‘need to win’ at Arsenal

{rsn-live-v2}

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Gian Piero Gasperini ‘raised his voice’ in the dressing room after a 1-0 win over Lecce on Sunday, yet the Italian tactician refused to speak to the media, allegedly because he had lost his voice.

Roma coach Gasperini didn’t hold a post-match interview after a 1-0 win against Lecce yesterday, officially because he had lost his voice during the match.

Gasperini’s outburst after Roma 1-0 Lecce

According to Gazzetta, however, the Italian tactician did make his voice heard in the dressing room at full-time, but was in no mood to face questions from the media afterwards.

Previous reports in Italy claimed that Gasperini’s future at Roma is uncertain as the Giallorossi have lost 14 games across all competitions this season and are once again struggling to secure a top-four finish.

There was a confrontation with co-owner Ryan Friedkin, director Frederic Massara and advisor Claudio Ranieri on Friday, in the aftermath of the Europa League exit to Bologna, and, according to various sources, either Massara, Ranieri or Gasp will leave at the end of the season.

Italy’s Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon admits the Azzurri feel ‘people’s scepticism’ but is confident that players are ‘used to handling every kind of pressure.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Italy begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup play-off in Coverciano today.

Buffon: Italy must respect Northern Ireland

Gennaro Gattuso’s men will face Northern Ireland in Bergamo on March 26, and if they progress to the final, they’ll visit Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Buffon spoke to Domenica Sportiva on Sunday night: “Now it’s the moment of the verdict. These 120 days have been an ordeal, but they have also helped bring something extra, a deep spirit and understanding that will be needed,” he said via TMW.

Italy have not qualified for the last two editions of the World Cup and have not played a knockout game in the tournament since 2006 when they went on to lift the trophy.

“It’s true, we can feel people’s scepticism, but I’m convinced that even the harshest critics will support Italy when the whistle blows,” Buffon said.

“Right now, above all, we need to send ourselves a message to make them change their minds.

“They are all very solid guys, used to handling every kind of pressure. The magic that the Italian national team can create goes beyond the current difficulties.

“We must respect Northern Ireland, but I also believe that our team giving 100% will be enough to reach the Final. The players must be aware of their qualities,” Buffon concluded.

Alessandro Bastoni, Gianluca Mancini and Gianluca Scamacca will be assessed by Italian doctors today, while Federico Chiesa has already pulled out of the team as he was “deemed unavailable for the next two matches.”

The Liverpool winger has not played for Italy for almost two years, making his last international appearance in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 against Switzerland.

Rafael Leao won’t fly to Portugal to be assessed by the national team doctors as he remains in Milan to recover from an adductor injury.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Milan star Leao will remain in Italy during the March break to recover from an adductor injury.

The Portuguese winger missed Saturday’s 3-2 win over Torino but was still expected to join his national team to be assessed by the national team doctors.

However, Italian sources, including Calciomercato.com, claim that his trip to Portugal has been cancelled, so the 26-year-old will remain at Milanello to continue his recovery.

Leao underwent medical tests on Saturday, which ruled out a lesion.

The Portugal international has been dealing with an adductor injury since the reverse fixture against Torino on December 8, when he was forced to be subbed off.

According to Calciomercato.com, Leao also has discomfort in the pubic area.

Milan will return to the pitch after the break in a crucial Serie A match against third-placed Napoli.

The FIGC explains that Federico Chiesa ‘has been deemed unavailable for the next two matches’ following an assessment of his physical condition, so the 28-year-old has already returned to Liverpool.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Chiesa left Italy’s training centre Coverciano on Monday to return to Liverpool and won’t be available for the World Cup play-off this week.

Official: Why Chiesa pulled out of Italy squad for 2026 World Cup play-off

The Italian FA explained Gennaro Gattuso’s decision with an official statement on Monday morning: “Federico Chiesa, after his physical condition was assessed upon arrival at the federal technical centre, has been deemed unavailable for the next two matches and, in agreement with his club, has left the national team training camp.”

The FIGC confirmed that Bologna’s Nicolò Cambiaghi was included in the Azzurri squad to replace Chiesa.

The Liverpool winger had not featured for the Italy national team since the 2024 Euros and had previously rejected the chance to play for the Azzurri under Gattuso.

A Euro 2020 winner, Chiesa has scored seven goals in 51 appearances with the Italy national team.

He has made 32 appearances across all competitions with Liverpool this season, scoring three goals and providing three assists, but has only played 673 minutes with the Reds in 2025-26.

Cambiaghi, 25, has only played once for the Azzurri but has four goals and six assists in 37 Bologna games this term.

The 25-year-old has played over 2,000 minutes with the Rossoblu in 2025-26.

Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa has already left Italy’s training ground and won’t be available for the World Cup play-off, being replaced by Bologna’s Nicolò Cambiaghi.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Chiesa unavailable for Italy’s World Cup play-off

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Liverpool winger Chiesa won’t be available for Italy’s World Cup play-off this week as the 28-year-old has already left the Azzurri’s training ground in Coverciano, Florence.

Chiesa was included in the Italy squad for the first time in nearly two years, but according to the report, he left Coverciano on Monday morning and will be replaced by Bologna’s Cambiaghi.

It remains unclear whether Chiesa has suffered an injury or pulled out of the squad for other reasons, especially given that he had previously declined the chance to play for the Azzurri under Gennaro Gattuso.

There are more injury concerns in the Azzurri squad. Roma’s Gianluca Mancini suffered an injury during a Serie A match against Lecce on Sunday.

Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni has missed the last two matches at a club level due to a bruised fibula, while Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca has suffered an adductor injury and was not available for La Dea’s Serie A match against Verona on Sunday.

Contrary to Chiesa, however, all three players are still in Coverciano to be assessed by the national team doctors.

Today, Gattuso will hold a press conference at 14:00 CET (13:00 GMT).

• JUST IN: FIGC explains Chiesa’s omission from Italy squad

Fabio Capello believes Juventus are right to extend Luciano Spalletti’s contract regardless of Champions League qualification, but argues that ‘it won’t be easy’ to catch Cesc Fabregas’ Como and finish in the top four.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Juventus’ 1-1 draw against Sassuolo over the weekend pushed the Bianconeri three points below fourth-placed Como, who secured a comfortable 5-0 win against Pisa.

Capello examined the Bianconeri’s performance in his latest interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, highlighting what didn’t work for the Old Lady.

“First of all, Yildiz. He scored okay, but he lacked consistency, especially in the second half,” said the ex-coach.

“Unlike usual, he didn’t take responsibility for getting the team out of trouble. Juventus attacked more on the right, where Conceiçao did have a good game, but it wasn’t enough to win.”

Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik were introduced in the dying minutes, while Lois Openda and Jonathan David spent the whole game on the bench.

“The false nine is fashionable. Anyway, the first two were coming back from long injuries, while evidently, the other two are not considered up to the level required by the coach at the moment,” Capello said.

Juventus are expected to offer Spalletti a contract extension before the end of the season, regardless of whether they qualify for the Champions League.

“Obviously, it’s more complicated. There’s no denying that Luciano has given something to Juve, despite a few unlucky results, and for this reason, the club has decided to continue with him without waiting for the end of the season,” noted Capello.

“In my opinion, it’s the right choice, even if there’s no signature yet. Not finishing in the top four, however, would limit possibilities in the transfer market and have repercussions on the whole environment.”

Juventus are level on 54 points with Roma, three points behind Como, but Atalanta are also still in the race for the top four despite sitting 7th with 50 points.

“Como are riding a wave of enthusiasm. They win, play well, and score easily. Fabregas is very good, but sometimes overcomplicates things with some overly elaborate ideas,” concluded Capello.

“However, it won’t be easy to catch them, especially since they have the advantage over Juve in head-to-head matches, and that +3 is practically a +4. Roma are not in great form, and against Lecce, you could see they were still feeling the effects of their Europa League elimination. They’re also paying for absences, especially those of quality players such as Soulé and Dybala. They struggled, but still managed to take all three points and remain in contention for a Champions League spot. Atalanta also won and are chasing from a bit further back. There are still many matches left; it’s too early to make predictions, but they all have the duty to believe.”

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Inter have lost themselves

Chivu can no longer win. Another draw in Florence

Milan -6, Napoli -7 and they believe

Pio right away, 1-1 scored by Ndour. Nerazzurri deflated. Thuram is a case.

The magician of sprints

Allegri and Conte, Scudetto specialists. Napoli-Milan the day after Easter

Paz & Vaz Eurogoal

Como scored five and ran away. Roma, one is enough.

Juve under accusation

-3 from Champions League, everyone guilty (including Spalletti).

Italy: Bastoni, Mancini and Scamacca. World Cup doubts

Corriere dello Sport

Faded

Inter’s anxiety

Viola comeback: Milan go -6, Napoli -7.

Immediate lead with Esposito (6th goal), but lost momentum in the second half. Sommer protagonist. Ndour scores the equaliser. Eight games to go: there’s Roma after the break.

Napoli, another pause for Conte

Antonio won’t be with the team. A break to refresh.

Allegri cancels Fonseca and Conceiçao

In 30 games, he has already earned as many points as last season.

Bologna blackout: Lazio make the leap

Baby Motta saves Orso’s penalty: Double Taylor: 0-2 and 8th spot.

Roma, the reply

Reaction after the Europa League defeat and relaunch in the Champions League race. Robinio decides it. Hermoso avoids the 1-1 in the dying minutes. Gasp remains silent. Fabregas fourth, 5th consecutive win +3 on Spalletti and the Giallorossi.

Tuttosport

Spalletti’s future, champions needed

It’s the week of renewal and there are many things to be clarified

Anatomy of choices, common vision on the market and a team immediately able to compete at the top: these are the needs of the coach that come before the contract’s length. There’s a need to set misunderstandings aside, despite a limited budget, if they miss out on the top four. The cases Openda and David, too many wastes and the penalty issues.

Pio illusion, Inter tremble

Esposito scored a goal after 40 seconds, but it’s another lead not managed. Ndour scores the 1-1. Two points in three games, it’s all open again for the Scudetto. Napoli dream too.

Not only can Simeone leave the Granata

Vlasic causes concern for Torino.

FantaComo: 5 goals for the +3, Roma Vaz.

Inter’s 1-1 draw against Fiorentina leaves Milan six points behind the Nerazzurri with eight games to play, but it’s all left to play for in Serie A, from the race for a Champions League spot to the fight for survival.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Serie A Round 30 came to a close on Sunday night with Inter’s 1-1 draw against Fiorentina.

Milan and Napoli had beaten Torino and Cagliari earlier this weekend, so both sides have earned two points over the table leaders.

Inter are now winless in their last three league matches, and their advantage over second-placed Milan has been reduced to six points, while Napoli sit third, seven points below the Nerazzurri.

Como sit fourth in the standings following a commanding 5-0 win over Pisa. Juventus and Roma are level on 54 points, three below Cesc Fabregas’ side.

The race for survival also remains wide open with Lecce and Cremonese level on 27 points, Fiorentina sitting 16th with 29, and Cagliari in 15th with 30.

Updated Serie A table after Round 30

Francesco Pio Esposito has ‘regrets’ despite scoring in Inter’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina and sends a message to fans ahead of Italy’s World Cup play-off.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It was a chaotic and thrilling encounter at the Stadio Artemio Franchi this evening, getting off to the most remarkable start when Esposito scored within 40 seconds with a free header on Nicolò Barella’s cross.

Both teams had goals disallowed for offside before Cher Ndour was ready to turn in the rebound from a Yann Sommer save on Albert Gudmundsson.

Pio Esposito flourishing for Inter

“I do leave here with regrets, especially over the last opportunity,” Esposito told DAZN Italia, referring to the stoppage-time David De Gea save on his turn.

“De Gea did well to anticipate my movement, perhaps I could’ve done more, but that’s just how it went.”

There aren’t many centre-forwards with Esposito’s characteristics who are Italian, especially now Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca is injured.

“I think that getting into the box and getting my head to the ball is my main strength, so I am always happy when the team provides me with great crosses, like the one from Barella.”

This result means Milan are now within six points of leaders Inter, while Napoli are only seven points behind the Nerazzurri with eight rounds to go.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina are in 16^th place, but only two points clear of both Lecce and Cremonese in the drop zone.

Esposito is now going to make the very short trip, circa 2km from the Stadio Artemio Franchi, to the Coverciano training camp to join up with Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy squad.

Does he have a message for the fans ahead of the decisive 2026 World Cup play-off against Northern Ireland?

“I urge everyone to put club loyalty aside and unite for the good of Italy. The Nazionale play on Thursday, and that is the most important thing.”

If Italy win that game, they will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final.

Aleksandar Kolarov insists criticism of Inter’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina is unwarranted. ‘We are not in our best period, but we are six points clear, we must’ve done something good.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Nerazzurri had got off to the perfect start at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, as Francesco Pio Esposito opened the scoring within 40 seconds.

However, Cher Ndour was ready to tap in the rebound from Yann Sommer’s save on Albert Gudmundsson, giving Fiorentina a 1-1 result.

Kolarov stands up for stuttering Inter

Cristian Chivu was forced to watch from the stands due to a touchline ban, so his assistant manager Kolarov stood in on the bench and in the media room.

“We knew three points were fundamental, but Fiorentina deserve credit too for their performance,” the Inter assistant told DAZN Italia.

“It wasn’t our best game and we are not in our best period of the season, but we are still six points clear at the top of the table, so it is all in our hands.”

This is becoming a real issue, as Inter have fumbled 12 Serie A points from leading situations this season, more than any other club.

“We are lacking some determination and perhaps sharpness too, as fatigue is accumulated over the many games. It is not our best spell of the season, we are used to seeing Inter dominate matches, but we are still six points clear and it is up to us to kill off the title race,” added Kolarov.

“I want to point out that when it comes to Inter, people act as if we should take everything for granted. You can draw away from home against a strong Fiorentina side, they have been on good form recently, so I see a point here as relatively positive.

“If we are six points clear, it must mean we have done some good things over the course of the season. I understand criticism, but Inter are still the leaders.”

Inter are now without a win in four competitive games, scraping only two points from their last three Serie A matches.

It means Milan have closed the gap on the leaders to just six points, while Napoli are only seven behind, making it a potential three-horse race going into the last eight rounds.

After the break for international duty, Inter will be up against Roma and Como, two huge fixtures, but Milan going head-to-head with Napoli in Week 31 could also benefit them.

It is perhaps no coincidence that the difficulties started when Lautaro Martinez suffered his injury, so are the strikers doing the same job that their captain did?

“The forwards are fundamental for our style of play, we need them to hold up the ball, but I don’t just want to talk about the strikers. We also need better quality building out from the back, and to give the forwards the right service.”

The Italy camp is only 2km from the Stadio Franchi, so Inter and Fiorentina’s Azzurri players will go straight from here to join up with the Nazionale ahead of the World Cup play-offs.

“I think the players are on their way now, they are all healthy apart from Bastoni, but everyone else is at the disposal of coach Gattuso. I wish them all the best,” concluded Kolarov.

Paolo Vanoli thanked his ‘exceptional’ Fiorentina side after holding leaders Inter to a 1-1 draw. ‘Motivation and desire made the difference’ after a stressful week.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

This has been a remarkable week for the Viola, who beat Cremonese 4-1 on Monday to break clear of the relegation zone, then won 2-1 in Poland against Rakow on Thursday to reach the Conference League quarter-finals.

They had it all to do here tonight, going behind within 40 seconds to a Francesco Pio Esposito free header, but Cher Ndour was ready to meet the rebound from Yann Sommer’s save on Albert Gudmundsson to hold leaders Inter 1-1.

Vanoli proud of Fiorentina fightback

“I congratulated my lads, because it was the fifth game in 14 days, above all the third in a week. They were exceptional, so was my whole staff, because the fact we ended the game in crescendo shows how well we’re working,” Vanoli told DAZN Italia.

“Conceding the goal that early destabilised us, but we got back on track. We often struggled in the fifth game in a row, but this time the motivation and desire made the difference.”

This result means that Fiorentina are now in 16^th place, but only two points clear of both Lecce and Cremonese, so the battle to avoid joining doomed Verona and Pisa could go down to the wire.

“I’ve always said this team has to play football in order to save itself,” continued Vanoli.

“Changing objective to fighting relegation is tough to handle, especially in such a demanding environment as Florence. We’ve built up over time, now we have another very important game coming up against Verona.

“We are improving in our shape, I feel we can do better down the left flank with Gudmundsson, but where we have really done well now is to get shots and crosses from the edge of the area. I felt today where we really impressed was out of possession, not allowing those passes to reach the strikers.”

Fiorentina also have a Conference League quarter-final to prepare for against Crystal Palace, so it is going to be a busy end to the season, not to mention how many players are going off on international duty now.

“I wished Kean all the best, as he will represent Italy in these two very important matches. After 60 minutes on Thursday, he played almost the full 90 today, so his form is improving. I really liked him chasing the ball today, he put in the effort.”

Nicolò Fagioli and Francesco Pio Esposito are the highest-rated players in Fiorentina’s 1-1 draw against Inter at the Stadio Franchi.

Fiorentina 1-1 Inter – player ratings

Fiorentina: De Gea 6.5; Dodo 6.5, Pongracic 6, Ranieri 5, Gosens 5.5; Fagioli 7 (90′ Fabbian N/A); Parisi 6 (68′ Harrison 6), Brescianini 6, Ndour 6.5, Gudmundsson 6 (90′ Comuzzo N/A); Kean 5 (85′ Piccoli N/A). Coach: Vanoli 6.5.

Best Fiorentina player: Fagioli 7 – He always had clear ideas with the ball at his feet. His passing accuracy (per Sofascore) was above 90%. Not all his teammates were as quick or sharp, but every time Fagioli had the ball, the Tuscans felt in a safe place. 

Lowest Fiorentina ratings: Kean and Ranieri 5 –  Kean is supposed to be the added value in attack for Fiorentina, yet he even struggled to find the right position on the field tonight. He spent most of the second half wide on the left flank and missed the best chance for the Viola in the first half. Ranieri was caught out by Pio Esposito early on, with Inter’s most dangerous chances consistently coming down his flank.

Fiorentina coach: Vanoli 6.5 – The start was shocking, with a goal conceded after less than one minute, and Inter could even have scored more. However, the Tuscans reacted and had a few chances to score, especially with Kean, before the break. Solid performance in the second half and a deserved draw scored by Ndour.

Inter: Sommer 5.5; Bisseck 6.5, Akanji 6, Carlos Augusto 5.5 (46′ Acerbi 5.5); Dumfries 6 (85′ Luis Henrique N/A), Barella 6 (83′ Sucic), Calhanoglu 6 (68′ Frattesi 5.5), Zielinski 6, Dimarco 5.5; Thuram 5 (68′ Bonny 5.5), Esposito 7. Coach: Kolarov 5.5 (Chivu banned).

Best Inter player: Pio Esposito 7 – The 20-year-old made an immediate impact, opening the scoring inside the first minute and delivering far more throughout the match. He used his strength effectively to hold the ball and showed sharp awareness in his touches, helping drive the Nerazzurri’s attacks. Positive signs for the Italy national team as well. Based on his and Kean’s performances tonight, there’s no doubt about who should start for Italy in the play-off.

Lowest Inter rating: Thuram 5 – The Frenchman has now gone eight consecutive games across all competitions without scoring a goal. The difference with Pio Esposito was evident tonight. The Italian moved all over the final third; Thuram was quite static and never really dangerous. Another disappointing night.

Inter coach: Kolarov (Chivu banned) 5.5 – Another draw and another sloppy performance, aside from the opening 20 minutes. The Nerazzurri are not sharp enough to be consistent throughout the game, and tonight they lost control of the midfield when Calhanoglu was inevitably replaced (the Turkish star was returning from an injury). Now Milan are once again six points below the Nerazzurri.

Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma won his first title with Manchester City today, lifting the EFL Cup after a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Italy star Donnarumma has lifted another piece of silverware at Wembley Stadium after Euro 2020 with the Azzurri.

Today, his Manchester City side beat Arsenal 2-0 in the EFL Cup Final, giving Gigio his first trophy with the Premier League giants.

Gigio didn’t play as Pep Guardiola picked second-choice keeper James Trafford, who had featured in all previous games in the competition.

Donnarumma celebrated his first trophy with Manchester City on social media, showing himself holding the trophy and celebrating with his teammate.

The Italy captain added a simple one-word caption to his social media post: ‘Winners.’

Donnarumma is now heading to Italy’s training centre Coverciano, where he’ll prepare for the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off.

Donnarumma has made 79 appearances with the Italy national team.

On Thursday, March 26, Italy will host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semifinal.

He has kept 14 clean sheets in 36 appearances with Manchester City this season.

Donnarumma celebrates first trophy with Manchester City

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (@donnarumma)

Inter were held to another 1-1 draw by Fiorentina, as Cher Ndour cancelled out the early Francesco Pio Esposito header, so the lead at the top is cut to just six points.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Nerazzurri were feeling the pressure after Derby della Madonnina defeat and a 1-1 draw with Atalanta, as Milan and Napoli had already won this weekend. Alessandro Bastoni joined Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the treatment table, but Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries were finding fitness again. Aleksandar Kolarov stood in for suspended Cristian Chivu and Inter ultras were banned from travelling due to security concerns.

The Viola had a big week, crushing Cremonese 4-1 on Monday and winning 2-1 away to Rakow on Thursday to set up a Conference League quarter-final against Crystal Palace. Moise Kean was ready to shake off an ankle issue, but Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Tariq Lamptey were still out, with Rolando Mandragora carrying a calf twinge.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took just 40 seconds to break the deadlock, as a poor Robin Gosens clearance was put back into the box by Nicolò Barella from the right, finding Francesco Pio Esposito for a free header from six yards.

39 seconds in and Inter take lead

Brilliant header from Esposito and the league leaders are ahead

@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ajpdbnrsX0

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 22, 2026

Gosens nearly gave away another moments later, his clearance going straight up into the air from a Marcus Thuram run, allowing Esposito to test David De Gea from point-blank range.

Kean was offside when failing to tap in from a Gosens cross, as was Barella when finding the net on a Denzel Dumfries assist.

Inter had penalty appeals on eight minutes for a potential Marin Pongracic handling offence, but the referee and VAR considered the arm in a natural position.

Yann Sommer took the sting out of a Kean curler, then Esposito sprung the offside trap for an angled drive to skim the base of the far post.

Albert Gudmundsson’s glancing header on a Dodo cross also flashed inches wide, as it struck his shoulder on the way through.

Yann Bisseck’s desperate block prevented Kean tapping in the Gudmundsson roll across from six yards, then on the resulting corner Kean came sliding in at the back post just unable to get onto the Marco Brescianini assist from point-blank range.

Sommer came rushing out to deny Fabiano Parisi, then again as Kean had sent Cher Ndour through on goal.

Kean had the ball in the net with a volley, but was offside when Nicolò Fagioli’s effort from outside the area took a big deflection off Carlos Augusto to loop up into his path.

The tempo was less frantic after the restart, Manuel Akanji and Thuram unable to keep headers on target from set plays.

Fiorentina had a big chance to equalise on 71 minutes when Sommer got down to parry the first-time Ndour strike from the edge of the area, Bisseck crucial to prevent Brescianini tapping in the rebound.

Fagioli also scuffed a volley wide and Kean only grazed the Dodo cross with his head, as the pressure paid off when Sommer got down to only palm a Gudmundsson angled drive into the path of Ndour at the back post.

Jack Harrison also bent a left-foot strike just wide of the far post, while Akanji off balance could only prod into De Gea’s arms after a corner.

With the last kick of the game, Esposito managed to control the Acerbi cross with his back to goal and turn Luca Ranieri to shoot, but was denied by a great De Gea reaction save.

Fiorentina 1-1 Inter

Esposito 1 (I), Ndour 77 (F)

22-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Inter

1 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		1'		Pio Esposito (Assist: Nicolò Barella)
		42'		Federico Dimarco
		44'		Carlos Augusto

2nd half

Marco Brescianini		55'
Cher Ndour		60'
		62'		Nicolò Barella
Moise Kean		65'
Cher Ndour		77'

Match statistic

40

Possession %

60

16

Total shots

12

6

Shots on target

4

7

Shots off target

3

3

Blocked shots

5

3

Corners

5

5

Offsides

1

16

Fouls

12

Fiorentina

Inter

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

69'

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

4

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

90'

21

Robin Gosens

Midfielder

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

90'

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

86'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

46'

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

86'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

69'

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

83'

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

68'

Substitutes

22

Jacopo Fazzini

Midfielder

3

Daniele Rugani

Defender

53

Oliver Christensen

Goalkeeper

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

50

Pietro Leonardelli

Goalkeeper

62

Luis Balbo

Defender

17

Jack Harrison

Attacker

69'

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

86'

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

90'

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

90'

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

47

Matteo Spinaccè

Attacker

49

Yvan Maye

Defender

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

46'

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

68'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

69'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

83'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

86'

Italy international Jorginho alleges that security guards of pop singer Chappell Roan reduced his daughter to tears after a casual encounter in a hotel in Sao Paulo.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Former Napoli and Verona star Jorginho hit out at Chappell Roan on social media, saying that security guards of the pop singer reduced his daughter to tears in a hotel in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Jorginho’s family and the Pink Pony Club singer were having breakfast at the same hotel in the Brazilian city, and the midfielder’s daughter allegedly passed by Roan’s table and smiled at the singer without saying anything.

Jorginho hits out at pop singer Chappell Roan

“What happened next was completely disproportionate,” Jorginho wrote in an Instagram story, as quoted by the BBC.

“A large security guard came over to their table while they were still having breakfast and began speaking in an extremely aggressive manner to both my wife [Catherine Harding] and my daughter, saying that she shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.”

“He even said he would file a complaint against them with the hotel, while my 11-year-old daughter was sitting there in tears. My daughter was extremely shaken and cried a lot.

“I understand very well what respect and boundaries are. What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone.

“It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this.

“I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No one should have to go through this, especially not a child.

“WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.”

Roan responded to Jorginho’s claims, saying that she was “sad for the mother and child,” who “didn’t deserve” such treatment, but argued the incident did not involve her own personal security.

“I was just sitting at breakfast in my hotel…I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child,” she added.

“They did not come up to me. They weren’t doing anything. It’s unfair for security to just assume someone doesn’t have good intentions when they have no reason to believe that, because there is no action taken.

“I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children, that is crazy.

“I am sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something, that you were doing something. If you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.”

Jorginho is a former Napoli and Verona star, now playing for Brazilian side Flamengo.

The 34-year-old was born in Brazil but holds an Italian passport and has made 57 appearances for the Azzurri, scoring five goals and winning the 2020 European Championship.

Roma midfielder Nicolò Pisilli comments on a 1-0 win over Lecce and looks to Italy’s upcoming World Cup play-off: ‘We must not be afraid.’

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Pisilli had a goal disallowed against Lecce, but his Roma side still managed to secure a 1-0 win thanks to Robinio Vaz’s first goal with the club.

“It was a very difficult game,” Pisilli told Sky.

“We had lost a lot of mental energy on Thursday, but we were still good at taking the result home.”

Spanish full-back Angelino returned to action after several months today. He had been diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis at the beginning of the season and had not made a competitive appearance since September 28.

“We are all happy he’s back. He’s such a nice guy, and he’s always tried to work at his best,” Pisilli said.

“We are so happy he has returned, and we hope he can put more minutes in his legs in the final part of the campaign.”

Pisilli is part of the Italy squad playing in the World Cup play-off next week.

“We must be confident. We are Italy, and we must not be afraid,” said the 21-year-old midfielder.

“We deserve to play in the World Cup. I’m accustomed to seeing Italy at the World Cup, and I hope that happens this summer.”

Gian Piero Gasperini lost his voice during Roma’s win over Lecce, so the Giallorossi boss did not release any post-match interview.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Roma coach Gasperini won’t speak to the media about the Giallorossi’s win over Lecce on Sunday, having lost his voice during the game, according to Italian sources, including TMW.

Why Gasperini didn’t talk to the media after Roma 1-0 Lecce

Gasperini didn’t show up for interviews with DAZN and Sky Sport Italia and won’t even hold a post-match press conference.

Robinio Vaz’s first goal with Roma allowed Gasperini’s side to secure a much-needed win in the race for the top four.

Roma had collected two defeats and one draw in Serie A prior to today’s fixture.

Gasperini didn’t even hold a pre-match press conference on the eve of the game.

According to Italian sources, his future at the Stadio Olimpico is uncertain, due in part to disagreements with sporting director Frederic Massara.

Roma have lost 14 games across all competitions this season, but they are level on 54 points with Juventus in the Serie A table, three below fourth-placed Como.

Fiorentina director Fabio Paratici insists they will ‘be in the battle to the end’ for Serie A safety and Moise Kean is ‘ready to give his contribution’ against Inter as well as for Italy.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

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

The Viola have had quite the week so far, as on Monday they crushed Cremonese 4-1 to break away from the Serie A danger zone, then on Thursday came back from a goal down to beat Rakow 2-1.

That allowed them to set up a Conference League quarter-final against Crystal Palace.

Paratici leading new Fiorentina project

Although he just took over at Fiorentina in February, Paratici worked for many years with current Inter President Beppe Marotta.

“I haven’t run into Marotta yet, but I’m sure we will before kick-off,” Paratici told DAZN Italia.

“We shared a wonderful professional experience together, 14 years between Sampdoria and Juventus, he taught me a great deal, as did others at Juve and Tottenham.

“We took different paths, but we have two completely different roles and personalities, which is why we were complementary as a pair.”

With Cremonese beating Parma 2-0, plus home defeats for Cagliari and Genoa this weekend, the fight to avoid relegation is more uncertain than ever.

“We’re aware that we need to keep our heads inside the tank until the final day of the season, we know that is the situation and it won’t change. We had some wobbles, but also got through to the Conference League quarter-finals, picked up a lot of points, and will be in the battle to the end.

“So there is no fear, simply awareness of the situation.”

Kean was back in the starting XI on Thursday for the first time since March 2, and leads the line again today with Albert Gudmundsson.

Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Tariq Lamptey are still out of action, with Rolando Mandragora not even on the bench due to a calf twinge.

“Kean had two or three weeks where he couldn’t train, but he played 60 minutes on Thursday, is in the starting XI tonight, and we are all hoping he will do well with Italy. We must be united and optimistic, because we’ve got everything it takes to achieve our aim there.

“Kean is ready to give his contribution, to both Fiorentina and the Nazionale. Gudmundsson is a quality player too, we expect him to do what he is capable of, which is to bring that quality to the team.”

Inter assistant manager Aleksandar Kolarov has a new experience standing in for Cristian Chivu, but promises ‘an aggressive’ performance against Fiorentina.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

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

The pressure is building on the Nerazzurri, who were beaten in the Derby della Madonnina, then held in a contentious 1-1 draw by Atalanta.

As Milan and Napoli have both already won this weekend, the leaders risk seeing the gap closed to as little as five points unless they get a result in Florence.

Inter in safe hands with Kolarov

Coach Chivu is sitting out a touchline ban, so Kolarov has to take over both on the bench and the media room.

“It’s true this is the first time I’ve been on the bench by myself, but I’m relaxed and the squad looked good this week, so they reassured me too,” Kolarov told DAZN Italia.

“The team is doing well, we want to put in a great performance. Various things happened to us during the season, including against Atalanta, but that is in the past now and we want to have our say.”

Inter fans are banned from making this trip due to security concerns, so hundreds gathered at the training ground to see the squad off yesterday.

Alessandro Bastoni, Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan didn’t make the journey due to injuries, but Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries are getting back to full fitness.

“We haven’t been as sharp as usual over the last two games, but this is a big opportunity for us to pick up the form we had through most of the season. We intend to be very aggressive this evening.”

Robinio Vaz scored his first goal in the Roma jersey and it was just enough to defeat Lecce, thanks also to Mario Hermoso’s goal-line clearance.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Giallorossi had a disastrous couple of weeks, scraping one point from three Serie A rounds to slide down to sixth place, then on Thursday losing 4-3 to Bologna in extra time for Europa League Round of 16 elimination. Zeki Celik and Manu Koné joined long-term absentees Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson in the stands, with Wesley suspended after his controversial red card against Como. Lecce welcomed Lameck Banda back after breathing difficulties saw him stretchered off against Napoli, but Riccardo Sottil, Lassana Coulibaly, Medon Berisha, Francesco Camarda and Kialonda Gaspar missed out.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Wladimiro Falcone was tested at the near post in the opening minutes by a Lorenzo Pellegrini cross that took a double deflection, then made another save using his legs on Pellegrini’s angled drive.

Roma did have the ball in the net on 24 minutes when Nicolò Pisilli threaded an angled drive past Falcone into the far bottom corner, but Pellegrini was offside in the build-up.

Evan Ndicka nodded over from a corner, while Tiago Gabriel made a fantastic double tackle to first stop Malen inside the area, then block off the El Aynaoui follow-up effort.

Falcone fingertipped a Gianluca Mancini cross-shot over the bar, but the hosts lost Mancini at half-time to injury.

Lecce came out fighting for the restart, as Svilar struggled to parry a swerving long-range Ngom effort, and Tiago Gabriel nodded over from the resulting corner.

Robinio Vaz came off the bench and made an immediate impact with his first goal in the Roma jersey. Mario Hermoso got down the left and stood up a cross from the by-line for the ex-Olympique Marseille talent to nod in from a very tricky angle at the back post.

Sadik Fofana got into a good position only to scuff the finish wide under pressure from Ndicka, but Lecce had a huge double opportunity on 73 minutes.

First Konan N’Dri dribbled down the left and forced a save with Svilar’s leg at the near post, then the Santiago Pierotti diving follow-up header was desperately cleared off the line by Hermoso.

There was a huge cheer from the crowd as Angelino made his first Serie A appearance at the Stadio Olimpico since October, following a difficult battle with pneumonia.

Vaz also blasted over after a corner was knocked into his path, then Falcone made a sensational double reaction save from point-blank range, although it wouldn’t have counted due to offside.

Roma 1-0 Lecce

Vaz 57 (R)

22-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 30

Stadio Olimpico

Roma

Lecce

1 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

Robinio Vaz (Assist: Mario Hermoso)		57'
Angeliño		77'
		81'		Santiago Pierotti
Niccolò Pisilli		89'
		90'		Danilo Veiga

Match statistic

67

Possession %

33

14

Total shots

8

2

Shots on target

3

7

Shots off target

3

5

Blocked shots

2

10

Corners

2

5

Offsides

14

Fouls

17

Roma

Lecce

Starting lineups

99

Mile Svilar

Goalkeeper

2

Devyne Rensch

Defender

5

Evan Ndicka

Defender

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

46'

12

Konstantinos Tsimikas

Defender

75'

22

Mario Hermoso

Defender

4

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

7

Lorenzo Pellegrini

Midfielder

80'

8

Neil El Aynaoui

Midfielder

51'

61

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

14

Donyell Malen

Attacker

75'

30

Wladimiro Falcone

Goalkeeper

25

Antonino Gallo

Defender

17

Danilo Veiga

Defender

5

Jamil Siebert

Defender

44

Tiago Gabriel

Defender

16

Omri Gandelman

Midfielder

61'

79

Oumar Ngom

Midfielder

20

Ylber Ramadani

Midfielder

86'

19

Lameck Banda

Attacker

67'

9

Nikola Stulic

Attacker

61'

50

Santiago Pierotti

Attacker

85'

Substitutes

92

Stephan El Shaarawy

Attacker

95

Pierluigi Gollini

Goalkeeper

24

Jan Ziolkowski

Defender

97

Bryan Zaragoza

Attacker

70

Giorgio De Marzi

Goalkeeper

87

Daniele Ghilardi

Defender

46'

78

Robinio Vaz

Attacker

51'

3

Angeliño

Defender

75'

68

Antonio Arena

Attacker

75'

20

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

80'

32

Jasper Samooja

Goalkeeper

1

Christian Früchtl

Goalkeeper

36

Filip Marchwinski

Midfielder

18

Gaby Jean

Defender

13

Matías Pérez

Defender

3

Corrie Ndaba

Defender

99

Walid Cheddira

Attacker

61'

8

Sadik Fofana

Defender

61'

11

Konan N’Dri

Attacker

67'

14

Thórir Jóhann Helgason

Midfielder

85'

6

Álex Sala

Midfielder

86'

Inter have Hakan Calhanoglu back with Francesco Pio Esposito and Marcus Thuram for the trip to Moise Kean’s revitalised Fiorentina.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

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

The pressure is building on Cristian Chivu, because victories for Milan and Napoli temporarily closed their lead to just five points.

They stuttered recently, losing the Derby della Madonnina, then held to a contentious 1-1 draw by Atalanta.

Lautaro Martinez is still out of action, now joined on the treatment table by both Alessandro Bastoni and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

That means Carlos Augusto steps into the back three, with Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries starting to put injury problems behind them.

Esposito leads the attack and Marcus Thuram is looking for his first goal since February 8.

There are no Inter ultras present due to restrictions, so the fans gathered to see the team off at the train station on Saturday instead.

Fiorentina have had a busy week, as on Monday they beat Cremonese 4-1 to break away from the relegation zone, then fighting back from a goal down to beat Rakow in Poland on Thursday, setting up a Conference League quarter-final against Crystal Palace.

Kean had his first start there since March 2, as he hopes to shake off the recurring ankle injury for Italy’s World Cup play-offs.

Albert Gudmundsson too is finding his feet after a long lay-off.

Robin Gosens and Niccolò Fortini also return, though Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Tariq Lamptey are still sidelined.

Rolando Mandragora is not even on the bench due to a calf twinge.

Fiorentina vs. Inter line-ups

Fiorentina: De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Fagioli; Parisi, Brescianini, Ndour, Gudmundsson; Kean

Inter: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Carlos Augusto; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito

22-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 30

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Inter

1 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		1'		Pio Esposito (Assist: Nicolò Barella)
		42'		Federico Dimarco
		44'		Carlos Augusto

2nd half

Marco Brescianini		55'
Cher Ndour		60'
		62'		Nicolò Barella
Moise Kean		65'
Cher Ndour		77'

Match statistic

40

Possession %

60

16

Total shots

12

6

Shots on target

4

7

Shots off target

3

3

Blocked shots

5

3

Corners

5

5

Offsides

1

16

Fouls

12

Fiorentina

Inter

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

69'

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

4

Marco Brescianini

Midfielder

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

90'

21

Robin Gosens

Midfielder

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

90'

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

86'

1

Yann Sommer

Goalkeeper

32

Federico Dimarco

Defender

25

Manuel Akanji

Defender

31

Yann Bisseck

Defender

30

Carlos Augusto

Midfielder

46'

2

Denzel Dumfries

Midfielder

86'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu

Midfielder

69'

23

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

83'

7

Piotr Zielinski

Midfielder

94

Pio Esposito

Attacker

9

Marcus Thuram

Attacker

68'

Substitutes

22

Jacopo Fazzini

Midfielder

3

Daniele Rugani

Defender

53

Oliver Christensen

Goalkeeper

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

50

Pietro Leonardelli

Goalkeeper

62

Luis Balbo

Defender

17

Jack Harrison

Attacker

69'

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

86'

80

Giovanni Fabbian

Midfielder

90'

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

90'

36

Matteo Darmian

Defender

6

Stefan de Vrij

Defender

13

Josep Martínez

Goalkeeper

17

Andy Diouf

Attacker

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro

Goalkeeper

47

Matteo Spinaccè

Attacker

49

Yvan Maye

Defender

15

Francesco Acerbi

Defender

46'

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny

Defender

68'

16

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

69'

8

Petar Sucic

Defender

83'

11

Luis Henrique

Attacker

86'

There are more concerns for Italy ahead of the 2026 World Cup play-offs, as Roma substituted Gianluca Mancini today, while Alessandro Bastoni is already undergoing tests.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Azzurri are set to battle with Northern Ireland in the semi-final of the play-offs, then hopefully face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place in the tournament.

Coach Gennaro Gattuso is already forced to miss quite a few key players, so the last thing he wants is more injuries to be picked up during this weekend in Serie A.

Mancini and Bastoni awaiting Italy tests

It looks as if that might be the case, because Roma took defender Mancini off at half-time during their game against Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico.

Initial reports from Sky Sport Italia suggest there is a calf issue in the left leg for the centre-back, but it remains to be seen how serious it is.

Meanwhile, Bastoni was left out of the Inter squad travelling to Florence for tonight’s match against Fiorentina.

He remains a major doubt for Italy too, so has been spotted this evening already arriving at the Coverciano training ground.

This is where the Azzurri staff are based, so he can undergo tests there to decide if he should remain with the group, or if Gattuso ought to call in a replacement.

Vincenzo Italiano ‘was convinced’ Bologna would keep riding the wave of Europa League momentum, so was surprised by a 2-0 home defeat to Lazio.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The team was still buzzing from the thrill of reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, needing extra time to eventually push Roma aside 4-3 on Thursday night at the Stadio Olimpico.

Inevitably, there was some fatigue from that eventful clash, although they had the opportunity to go in front when Riccardo Orsolini’s penalty was saved by Edoardo Motta.

Instead, Kenneth Taylor struck twice late on to give Lazio the 2-0 victory at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

Italiano frustrated by Bologna setback

“It’s a pity we can’t seem to have a consistent run of results, because we wanted to end the week on three big wins in a row,” Italiano told DAZN Italia.

“Up until their opening goal, we were playing really well, hitting the woodwork and missing a penalty. We’ve got to learn how to stay in the game for 90 and more minutes, but we went behind at the first mistake.

“I was convinced the victory over Roma could give us the momentum we needed, but instead we lost to a team that believed in the result more than we did on the day.”

Bologna did have to play 120 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening, so did that take a lot out of them?

“We did well for 70-odd minutes, when so many games are close together, some mental fatigue can set in. It’s disappointing, because we were in a great spell of form and wanted to go into the break for international duty feeling positive.

“Instead, we need to get right back to work and recover lost ground.”

This result means that Lazio leapfrog Bologna into eighth place in the Serie A standings, further damaging their hopes of qualifying for Europe via this route.

Orsolini’s penalty was weak and central, saved by a goalkeeper who was on only his third career Serie A appearance.

“The team has great faith in Orsolini,” assured Italiano.

“Bernardeschi had taken the most recent penalties, but we wanted to see Orso be decisive again. It’s a pity, this could’ve been a confidence booster for him, but we all applauded him when he came off, and so did the crowd.”

Maurizio Sarri’s assistant manager Marco Ianni gives an injury update on Mario Gila and confirms Kenneth Taylor ‘just knows what to do on the pitch’ after Lazio beat Bologna 2-0.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Aquile are truly on a roll now, as this was their third consecutive Serie A victory, allowing them to leapfrog Bologna into eighth place.

Kenneth Taylor was the unexpected hero, as he bagged both goals in the second half, after Edoardo Motta managed to parry the Riccardo Orsolini penalty on only his third career Serie A appearance.

Lazio have finally found some form

Coach Sarri was forced to watch from the stands due to a touchline ban, so assistant Ianni was on the bench today and in the press room at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

“We wanted to give a sense of consistency to the last two victories, and it was another great performance against a strong opponent,” Ianni told DAZN Italia.

“It was the right approach, I saw character in an atmosphere that was fired up by the Europa League victory. Saving the penalty, where Motta did so well in that moment, gave us that extra boost we needed to go on and win the game.

“Overall, I think we did better at making the most of the incidents that went our way.”

There was bad news too, as Mario Gila limped off with muscular problems in the first half, adding to the absentee list that already includes Mattia Zaccagni, Ivan Provedel, Danilo Cataldi, Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot.

“Gila had been struggling with his knee for a while, we knew this might happen, because he’s been gritting his teeth for a few weeks now,” confirmed the Lazio assistant manager.

“He wanted to be there to help the team, hopefully it’s just an inflammation and we’ll have him back right after the break for international duty.”

However, the substitutes did make a positive impact, including Boulaye Dia and Tijjani Noslin.

“It’s true, the substitutions did influence the game. Those who started weren’t doing badly, but the players who came on gave fresh energy and depth to the attack.

“Pedro was not in great shape physically, but he had a very good first half.”

Although Lazio had limited transfer options in January, Taylor has been a great addition, thrown straight into the starting XI after arriving from Ajax and today scoring two goals.

“Taylor is a great player who comes from a very different league, but he settled in straight away,” continued Ianni.

“He’s one of those players who just knows what to do on the pitch. Off it too, he works really hard, has been studying Italian, and after two weeks could already understand quite a lot of our language.”

Marten de Roon is ‘so happy and proud’ to have made history as the player with the most Atalanta appearances, as the fans put on a show for his 436^th game.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

La Dea were without a victory in a month over all competition, held 2-2 by Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final, then eliminated 10-2 on aggregate from the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

It was a tough slog against rock bottom Verona too, as Davide Zappacosta’s finish squirmed through a sea of legs to nestle into the far bottom corner, while Marco Carnesecchi made some important saves.

De Roon becomes an Atalanta legend

“This was an emotional day from the very first minute, though I tried to focus on the game as much as I could,” confessed De Roon in his press conference.

This was a special day for De Roon, who made his 436^th appearance in the Atalanta jersey, beating Gianpaolo Bellini to become the club’s all-time record man.

A Bergamo pic.twitter.com/c38dNnod7p

— Marten de Roon (@Dirono) March 22, 2026

“I feel so close to Bergamo and to Atalanta, I felt at home from the first day. I still feel good and want to keep playing as long as I can.

“Bellini was a real gentleman about this record, and of course he was my captain when I arrived too.”

The fans put on a tifo in the stands before kick-off with an image of his celebrating face, then after the match a huge banner sent this message.

‘Adopted son of our city, a true symbol of Atalanta, 436 times thank you Marten!’

He toured the pitch with his family to salute them, holding up a banner depicting the chant in his honour that goes to the tune of the theme for Anime Goldrake.

There was also a banner from a young child declaring he wanted to ‘become a club icon just like you.’

“I am so happy and proud to be an example for younger people. This affection from the Atalanta fans is wonderful,” he replied.

“We are a very united group, I remember being welcomed by the old guard like Migliaccio, Bellini, Raimondi and Cigarini. The atmosphere within Atalanta is fundamental to our success.”

The victory pushes Atalanta up to seventh place, within four points of Juventus in fifth, and putting more pressure on Roma ahead of their game with Lecce this evening.

Roma director Ricky Massara wants them to ‘turn disappointment into positive energy’ against Lecce to revitalise their Serie A campaign after Europa League elimination.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

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

There is the very real risk that Roma’s campaign could fall apart, as after a Coppa Italia exit and one point from three Serie A rounds seeing them slide down to sixth place, they were knocked out of the Europa League Round of 16.

“We want to get straight back on track and turn that disappointment into positive energy, so we can end the season on a high,” Massara told Sky Sport Italia.

Roma losing momentum during campaign

The 4-3 home defeat to Bologna in extra time left a bitter taste in the mouth, and added another couple of names to the injury list, as Zeki Celik and Manu Koné are out of action, joining Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson.

Wesley also sits out a ban after his controversial red card in the defeat to Como, so Neil El Aynaoui and Nicolò Pisilli come in.

“El Aynaoui did very well at the start of the season, then was one of the best players at the Africa Cup of Nations. Pisilli had more playing time and opportunity during that period to prove himself, so both are midfielders we can rely on.”

While the attack is decimated, curiously the statistics show that Roma score more goals now than earlier in the season, but are leaking them at the back instead.

“It’s true that we are reflecting on the number of injuries in attack, yet have become more prolific upfront with the arrival of Malen, and have lost some of the solidity we had in defence. The coach is working on trying to rediscover that strength that we counted on for so much of the season,” confessed the director.

Como crushed Pisa 5-0 earlier today, but Juventus were held 1-1 by Sassuolo last night, so at least Roma could leapfrog the Old Lady to recapture fifth place.

Italy are gearing up for the 2026 World Cup play-off against Northern Ireland, but clubs were unable to find any extra time for CT Gennaro Gattuso to prepare.

“The calendar is a critical issue, as we all agree it is crucial for Italy to qualify for the World Cup, but the fixture list is so packed that it is impossible to find room for anything else. This is something we’ve been discussing for years now and cannot seem to find a solution,” concluded Massara.

Roma’s season is threatening to fall apart as they look to Donyell Malen and Lorenzo Pellegrini against a Lecce side getting dragged back into the relegation zone.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

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

The Giallorossi have had a disastrous few weeks, crashing out of the Coppa Italia, on Thursday eliminated from the Europa League Round of 16 in extra time by Bologna, and with one point from the last three Serie A rounds sliding down to sixth place.

Not all of it can be attributed to the injury crisis, but they are still missing Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson.

Manu Koné sustained a thigh strain during that 4-3 extra time loss to Bologna and will be out for a month.

Zeki Celik was a late addition to the absentee list, as he too has a muscular issue.

Wesley is suspended following his controversial red card in the defeat to Como, though at least Evan Ndicka returns from his ban.

Malen remains the only bright spark, scoring eight goals in 11 competitive games since his January arrival from Aston Villa.

Lorenzo Pellegrini and Nicolo Pisilli provide support.

Lecce have plenty of problems too, as losing three of their last four Serie A games means they are perilously close to the drop zone, especially after Cremonese’s surprise victory away to Parma yesterday.

The best news comes from Lameck Banda, who was stretchered off struggling to breathe during their 2-1 defeat at Napoli, but given the all-clear and back in the starting XI already.

However, Riccardo Sottil joins Lassana Coulibaly, Medon Berisha, Francesco Camarda and Kialonda Gaspar on the treatment table.

It’s always a special game for Eusebio Di Francesco, former Roma midfielder and coach.

Roma vs. Lecce line-ups

Roma: Svilar, Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, El Aynaoui, Cristante, Tsimikas; Pisilli, Pellegrini; Malen

Lecce: Falcone; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Gallo; Ramadani, Ngom; Pierotti, Gandelman, Banda; Stulic

22-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 30

Stadio Olimpico

Roma

Lecce

1 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

Robinio Vaz (Assist: Mario Hermoso)		57'
Angeliño		77'
		81'		Santiago Pierotti
Niccolò Pisilli		89'
		90'		Danilo Veiga

Match statistic

67

Possession %

33

14

Total shots

8

2

Shots on target

3

7

Shots off target

3

5

Blocked shots

2

10

Corners

2

5

Offsides

14

Fouls

17

Roma

Lecce

Starting lineups

99

Mile Svilar

Goalkeeper

2

Devyne Rensch

Defender

5

Evan Ndicka

Defender

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

46'

12

Konstantinos Tsimikas

Defender

75'

22

Mario Hermoso

Defender

4

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

7

Lorenzo Pellegrini

Midfielder

80'

8

Neil El Aynaoui

Midfielder

51'

61

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

14

Donyell Malen

Attacker

75'

30

Wladimiro Falcone

Goalkeeper

25

Antonino Gallo

Defender

17

Danilo Veiga

Defender

5

Jamil Siebert

Defender

44

Tiago Gabriel

Defender

16

Omri Gandelman

Midfielder

61'

79

Oumar Ngom

Midfielder

20

Ylber Ramadani

Midfielder

86'

19

Lameck Banda

Attacker

67'

9

Nikola Stulic

Attacker

61'

50

Santiago Pierotti

Attacker

85'

Substitutes

92

Stephan El Shaarawy

Attacker

95

Pierluigi Gollini

Goalkeeper

24

Jan Ziolkowski

Defender

97

Bryan Zaragoza

Attacker

70

Giorgio De Marzi

Goalkeeper

87

Daniele Ghilardi

Defender

46'

78

Robinio Vaz

Attacker

51'

3

Angeliño

Defender

75'

68

Antonio Arena

Attacker

75'

20

Lorenzo Venturino

Attacker

80'

32

Jasper Samooja

Goalkeeper

1

Christian Früchtl

Goalkeeper

36

Filip Marchwinski

Midfielder

18

Gaby Jean

Defender

13

Matías Pérez

Defender

3

Corrie Ndaba

Defender

99

Walid Cheddira

Attacker

61'

8

Sadik Fofana

Defender

61'

11

Konan N’Dri

Attacker

67'

14

Thórir Jóhann Helgason

Midfielder

85'

6

Álex Sala

Midfielder

86'

Kenneth Taylor struck twice late on after Edoardo Motta saved Riccardo Orsolini’s penalty, giving Lazio a third straight Serie A win to leapfrog Bologna into eighth place.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

The Rossoblu were buzzing after their extra time victory over Roma on Thursday to reach the Europa League quarter-finals, but it came at a cost, losing Jens Odgaard and Tommaso Pobega to injury, with Lukasz Skorupski and Lorenzo De Silvestri already out. Lazio were also enthusiastic after back-to-back wins over Sassuolo and Milan, but the absentee list included Mattia Zaccagni, Ivan Provedel, Danilo Cataldi, Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot, with Alessio Romagnoli returning. Maurizio Sarri sat out a touchline ban.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Adam Marusic got down the right and forced Federico Ravaglia to rush off his line, while Daniel Maldini couldn’t keep his volley on target after a poor clearance.

Bologna came so close with a ferocious long-range Nikola Moro strike that beat Edoardo Motta only to smack against the frame of the goal on 21 minutes.

Lazio’s injury crisis intensified further after just 25 minutes when Mario Gila hobbled off.

Marusic again got into a promising position only to fire over when he had better options, while Federico Bernardeschi charged down a Gustav Isaksen effort.

Bologna pounced on a double error, as Santiago Castro intercepted the poor Fisayo Dele-Bashiru backpass and was brought down by Motta. However, Motta made up for his mistake by saving the Riccardo Orsolini penalty in only his third career Serie A appearance.

Motta was also ready for an Orsolini angled drive, but it was Lazio who took the lead instead when Boulaye Dia’s effort from the edge of the area was charged down, the ricochet turning into an accidental assist for Kenneth Taylor to sweep in at the near post.

Matteo Cancellieri had two chances in quick succession to bolster Lazio’s advantage, first a cross-shot cleared in the six-yard box, then Ravaglia using his body to parry at the near post.

It was only a warning, as Dia combined with Noslin to send Taylor into the box down the left, the midfielder dribbled around Ravaglia and deposited into an empty net for his second goal of the game.

Bologna thought they’d snatched one back in stoppages when Motta fumbled a Martin Vitik attempt, but it was cleared off the line.

Bologna 0-2 Lazio

Taylor 72, 82 (L)

Saved penalty: Orsolini 51 (B)

22-03-2026 14:00

MatchDay 30

Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Lazio

0 - 2

Player statistic

2nd half

Riccardo Orsolini		51'
Santiago Castro		65'
		72'		Kenneth Taylor
		77'		Kenneth Taylor
		82'		Kenneth Taylor (Assist: Boulaye Dia)

Match statistic

54

Possession %

46

15

Total shots

9

4

Shots on target

5

9

Shots off target

1

2

Blocked shots

3

2

Corners

1

3

Offsides

1

13

Fouls

8

Bologna

Lazio

Starting lineups

13

Federico Ravaglia

Goalkeeper

33

Juan Miranda

Defender

41

Martin Vitik

Defender

20

Nadir Zortea

Defender

89'

14

Torbjørn Heggem

Defender

75'

11

Jonathan Rowe

Midfielder

62'

6

Nikola Moro

Midfielder

23

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

10

Federico Bernardeschi

Attacker

75'

7

Riccardo Orsolini

Attacker

62'

9

Santiago Castro

Attacker

40

Edoardo Motta

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

34

Mario Gila

Defender

26'

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

4

Patric

Defender

27

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

62'

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

24

Kenneth Taylor

Midfielder

18

Gustav Isaksen

Attacker

61'

9

Pedro

Attacker

46'

Substitutes

22

Charalampos Lykogiannis

Defender

8

Remo Freuler

Midfielder

16

Nicolò Casale

Defender

17

João Mário

Defender

25

Massimo Pessina

Goalkeeper

5

Eivind Helland

Defender

82

Matteo Franceschelli

Goalkeeper

28

Nicolò Cambiaghi

Attacker

62'

30

Benja Domínguez

Attacker

62'

26

Jhon Lucumí

Defender

75'

24

Thijs Dallinga

Attacker

75'

19

Lewis Ferguson

Midfielder

89'

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

23

Elseid Hysaj

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

20

Petar Ratkov

Attacker

71

Valerio Farcomeni

Midfielder

28

Adrian Przyborek

Attacker

99

Giacomo Giacomone

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

26'

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

46'

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

61'

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

62'

Davide Zappacosta’s strike proved enough for Atalanta to get the better of Verona on a special day for club legend Marten de Roon.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

La Dea were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich midweek, and losing ground in Serie A after just two points from three rounds. Gianluca Scamacca also suffered a fresh injury blow, but Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori were finding fitness again. Hellas missed Armel Bella-Kotchap, Domagoj Bradaric, Sandi Lovric and Suat Serdar.

It was a special day for Marten de Roon, who became Atalanta’s all-time record man with 436 appearances.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Lorenzo Montipò flew to palm away the towering Nikola Krstovic header, but he was beaten when Davide Zappacosta rolled across the six-yard box, saved by a sensational Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro block to prevent the Ederson tap-in.

Atalanta did take the lead when Davide Zappacosta drilled hard and low from the edge of the area through a sea of legs, taking a deflection on the way through and bending back the goalkeeper’s gloves into the far bottom corner.

It should’ve been 1-1 at the dawn of the second half when Kieron Bowie just flicked on the Rafik Belghali cross from six yards, but was denied by an astonishing Marco Carnesecchi reaction save.

De Ketelaere sent Krstovic clear on goal after intercepting a wayward Gift Orban pass, but the striker’s lob bounced off the top of the crossbar as Montipò came rushing out.

The Verona goalkeeper had to be alert on a Mario Pasalic cross-shot, but Hellas really should’ve equalised on 77 minutes when Orban had time and space to control a knockdown only to fire over from 12 yards.

Orban also tested Carnesecchi from the edge of the area, while Belghali lost his balance when dribbling into the area and his finish was charged down by Isak Hien.

Atalanta 1-0 Verona

Zappacosta 37 (A)

22-03-2026 14:00

MatchDay 30

Gewiss Stadium (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)

Atalanta

Verona

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

		16'		Andrias Edmundsson
Davide Zappacosta		37'

2nd half

		54'		Nicolás Valentini
		63'		Roberto Gagliardini
Isak Hien		83'

Match statistic

60

Possession %

40

12

Total shots

12

3

Shots on target

3

7

Shots off target

6

2

Blocked shots

3

2

Corners

4

Offsides

1

12

Fouls

16

Atalanta

Verona

Starting lineups

29

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

19

Berat Djimsiti

Defender

77

Davide Zappacosta

Defender

42

Giorgio Scalvini

Defender

47

Lorenzo Bernasconi

Defender

23

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

76'

13

Éderson

Midfielder

63'

15

Marten de Roon

Midfielder

88'

59

Nicola Zalewski

Midfielder

63'

17

Charles De Ketelaere

Attacker

76'

90

Nikola Krstovic

Attacker

1

Lorenzo Montipò

Goalkeeper

5

Andrias Edmundsson

Defender

3

Martin Frese

Defender

46'

6

Nicolás Valentini

Defender

7

Rafik Belghali

Defender

15

Victor Nelsson

Defender

21

Abdou Harroui

Midfielder

66'

11

Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro

Midfielder

85'

63

Roberto Gagliardini

Midfielder

66'

16

Gift Orban

Attacker

18

Kieron Bowie

Attacker

78'

Substitutes

16

Raoul Bellanova

Defender

31

Francesco Rossi

Goalkeeper

57

Marco Sportiello

Goalkeeper

5

Mitchel Bakker

Defender

3

Odilon Kossounou

Defender

7

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

69

Honest Ahanor

Defender

8

Mario Pasalic

Midfielder

63'

18

Giacomo Raspadori

Attacker

63'

4

Isak Hien

Defender

76'

6

Yunus Musah

Midfielder

76'

10

Lazar Samardžić

Midfielder

88'

34

Simone Perilli

Goalkeeper

14

Pol Lirola

Defender

36

Cheikh Niasse

Attacker

94

Giacomo Toniolo

Goalkeeper

25

Daniel Mosquera

Attacker

19

Tobias Slotsager

Defender

70

Fallou Cham

Defender

41

Isaac

Attacker

2

Daniel Oyegoke

Defender

46'

10

Tomas Suslov

Attacker

66'

73

Moatasem Al-Musrati

Midfielder

66'

9

Amin Sarr

Attacker

78'

24

Antoine Bernede

Midfielder

85'

Reports in Italy claim that Inter are keen on a potential deal for Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the table-topping Nerazzurri. 

Reports Inter keen on Chelsea’s Andrey Santos

According to reports from Fabrizio Romano and Calciomercato.com, Inter are interested in a deal for 21-year-old Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, who has recently been called up to Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil national team squad. 

It is expected to be a busy summer for Inter, who are likely to part company with a number of senior players who will be out of contract, while recent reports claim that the Nerazzurri are not opposed to selling a ‘big’ first-team name during the next window. 

Andrey Santos is reportedly among the midfielders who could make the move to San Siro this summer. Inter have previously discussed a potential deal for the Brazilian in the summer of 2025 according to Sunday’s reports. 

The Nerazzurri have reportedly met ‘on several occasions’ with agents and intermediaries Giuliano Bertolucci and Kia Joorabchian.

Chelsea’s valuation could be an issue for Cristian Chivu’s side, though. Calciomercato claims that Chelsea rejected a proposal in the region of €50m from the Saudi Pro League for Andrey Santos last summer.

However, given that the youngster is not a guaranteed first-choice at Stamford Bridge and has been limited to just 13 starts between the Premier League and Champions League this season, the Nerazzurri are hoping that Chelsea will have lowered their demands for the 21-year-old. 

Andrey Santos is not the only name on Inter’s transfer wishlist, as many reports in Italy claim that they are also keen on a deal for Roma’s Manu Kone. 

Cesc Fabregas says that it is ‘difficult not to fall in love’ with Como and their talented group of young players after moving three points clear of Juventus in the Champions League positions thanks to their 5-0 win over Pisa on Sunday. 

Como swept away their relegation-threatened opposition in Serie A on Sunday evening thanks to goals from Assane Diao, Anastasios Douvikas, Martin Baturina, Nico Paz and Maxi Perrone. 

They now head into the international break in fourth place with a three-point buffer between themselves and Juventus in fifth. Roma are in sixth and will play later on Sunday evening. 

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

Fabregas reacts to Como 5-0 Pisa: ‘An important victory’

Fabregas insists that Sunday’s victory was particularly special, not because of the implications on the Champions League race, but to honour the club’s late co-owner Michael Bambang Hartono, who died last week. 

“Today was an important victory because we lost an important person in the Como World,” Fabregas told DAZN after full-time (via TMW). 

“Today we send a big hug to the Hartono family. It’s because of them that we all get to live like this. Today’s victory is more important in this respect.” 

Fabregas insists that he was not expecting such a dominant scoreline from his side before kick-off. 

“We told ourselves over the last few days that this would be a difficult game. We attacked the space well for the first two goals. The team was intelligent, it’s another experience for their growth. 

“Now there’s a bit of time to rest. Let’s see how Jesus and Ramon are doing, but for us, it’s a source of pride to see them get called up for their national teams.” 

Fabregas was also asked about the feeling in the city of Como as the team creep closer to securing their first ever spot in the Champions League. 

“We take in a beautiful atmosphere, the supporters are satisfied. We all want more, but we’re enjoying the journey. Six or seven years ago, we were a provincial team in Serie D, now we’re making real progress. 

“It’s difficult to not fall in love with these young players. We’re achieving what we set out to do two years ago. We know where we want to get to and how we want to get there, which is fundamental for me.” 

Fabregas was also asked about the condition of Jesus Rodriguez, who was forced off with a knee issue during the first half against Pisa. 

“He took two blows, one at the start and another after 25 minutes. He couldn’t continue. He’s an explosive player and that conditions him a lot as well. It’s a shame, because it was a game suited to his characteristics. But that’s football and we have to look forwards.” 

Italy international Guglielmo Vicario has been named as a starter for Tottenham’s Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, despite recently turning down a call-up to the national team due to an operation he is due to have next week. 

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Why is Vicario starting for Tottenham but is not part of the Italy squad?

Vicario was not named in Gennaro Gattuso’s 28-player Italy squad for the World Cup play-offs coming up this international break. The Azzurri will host Northern Ireland on Thursday evening in the semi-final and the winner of that match will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home for a spot at the final tournament. 

Tottenham confirmed that the reason behind Vicario’s absence from the Italy squad was due to the fact that he is due to have surgery on a sports hernia.

This procedure is expected to take place next week, and is likely to rule the stopper out for around a month. 

Tottenham confirmed that Vicario decided to have the procedure done now in order to minimise the impact on his availability at club level.

The decision to skip the play-offs was understandable given that Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to start in both matches, assuming that Italy get past Northern Ireland in the semi-final. 

However, it does come as a slight surprise to see vicario still in the starting line-up for Tottenham’s Premier League relegation clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, given that he is due to have an operation in the coming days. 

Problems are piling up for Roma ahead of today’s Serie A match against Lecce, because Zeki Celik and Manu Koné are added to the absentee list.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

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

The wheels risk falling off the Giallorossi wagon after a tough run of results, as they are out of the Coppa Italia, scraped one point from three Serie A matches to slide down to sixth place, and were eliminated from the Europa League by Bologna.

Thursday’s 4-3 defeat in extra time proved particularly costly, because there are two fresh injuries for Gian Piero Gasperini to deal with.

Roma injury crisis keeps getting worse

Midfielder Manu Koné limped off in the opening minutes of that Round of 16 tie and is expected to be out of action for a month.

Now Zeki Celik is also left off the squad list to face Lecce, reportedly due to a calf issue, although there do not seem to be any lesions.

Roma are already missing Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson.

Wesley is suspended following his controversial red card in the defeat to Como, though at least Evan Ndicka returns from his ban.

Sandro Tonali was not risked for the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, as the Italy international hopes to be fit enough to start for the Azzurri in Thursday evening’s World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland. 

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Why did Italy international Tonali not feature in Newcastle vs. Sunderland?

Tonali was taken off midway through Newcastle’s recent Champions League exit against Barcelona, raising concerns surrounding his fitness ahead of Italy’s crucial World Cup play-off campaign coming up this international break. 

Fortunately, reports in Italy suggest that Tonali will be available for Gennaro Gattuso, but the former Milan midfielder was not risked for Newcastle’s Premier League match against bitter rivals Sunderland on Sunday. 

Tonali was not even named among the substitutes at St. James’s Park. He was still present in the stands, and according to the latest updates, the decision to leave him out of the squad was purely on precautionary grounds. 

Tonali is expected to be part of the Italy side that hosts Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on Thursday evening. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final, which will be a one-legged decider for a spot in the final tournament. 

Italy must win both fixtures if they are to avoid missing out on the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row.

Como have strengthened their spot in the Champions League positions heading into the international break as Cesc Fabregas’s side moved three points clear of Juventus thanks to goals from Assane Diao, Anastasios Douvikas, Martin Baturina, Nico Paz and Maxi Perrone in a 5-0 win over Pisa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

Como came into today’s game off the back of a four-game winning streak in Serie A and a six-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Diao, Jesus Rodriguez and Douvikas returned to the attack alongside Nico Paz. Pisa also made a series of personnel changes despite picking up just their second win of the season last weekend. 

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

Both sides dangerously gifted each other possession in their own halves in the early stages, but it was Pisa who were made to pay for Stefano Moreo’s slip, as Assane Diao picked up the ball, raced in on goal, shifted it onto his left foot and slipped it past goalkeeper Nicolas for 1-0 after just seven minutes. 

The Senegal international was involved again as Douvikas made it two just before the half-hour mark.

He cut in off the right flank and onto his left foot, delivered the ball into the middle of the area where Douvikas applied an instinctive first-touch finish to double his side’s advantage. 

Como made it three within three minutes of the second half. Baturina, who had come on to replace the injured Jesus Rodriguez in the first half, with a smart, low finish from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner of the net. That was his sixth goal of the season, five of which have come in 2026. 

Pisa were not without their chances. They had two strikes ruled out in the second half, in fact. Substitute Filip Stojilkovic had an effort in the back of the net but was flagged for offside. He then dummied a cross while in an offside position a few minutes later, which led to Henrik Meister’s effort being ruled out as well. 

Paz then found the back of the net for the first time at the Stadio Sinigaglia since October as he swept home Alberto Moreno’s cross in from the left-hand side of the penalty area for 4-0. 

Substitute Nicolas Kuhn made it all the way to the right byline on the stroke of 80 minutes, and was also able to find the cut-back for Perrone to tap home from point-blank range in the middle of the six-yard box. 

Como 5-0 Pisa 

Diao 7, Douvikas 29’, Baturina 48’, Paz 75’, Perrone 81′.

22-03-2026 11:30

MatchDay 30

Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia

Como

Pisa

5 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Assane Diao		7'
Anastasios Douvikas (Assist: Assane Diao)		29'
		35'		Simone Canestrelli

2nd half

Martin Baturina		48'
		51'		Samuele Angori
Nico Paz (Assist: Alberto Moreno)		75'
Máximo Perrone (Assist: Nicolas Kühn)		81'

Match statistic

73

Possession %

27

14

Total shots

7

7

Shots on target

6

Shots off target

3

1

Blocked shots

4

7

Corners

1

2

Offsides

3

5

Fouls

6

Como

Pisa

Starting lineups

1

Jean Butez

Goalkeeper

18

Alberto Moreno

Defender

34

Diego Carlos

Defender

77'

77

Ignace Van Der Brempt

Defender

2

Marc Oliver Kempf

Defender

23

Máximo Perrone

Midfielder

10

Nico Paz

Midfielder

11

Anastasios Douvikas

Attacker

59'

38

Assane Diao

Attacker

77'

17

Jesús Rodriguez

Attacker

38'

33

Lucas Da Cunha

Attacker

59'

12

Nicolas

Goalkeeper

4

Antonio Caracciolo

Defender

35

Felipe Loyola

Defender

64'

39

Raúl Albiol

Defender

3

Samuele Angori

Defender

5

Simone Canestrelli

Defender

77'

14

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro

Midfielder

46'

8

Malthe Höjholt

Midfielder

10

Matteo Tramoni

Midfielder

78'

7

Mehdi Léris

Attacker

32

Stefano Moreo

Attacker

51'

Substitutes

31

Mërgim Vojvoda

Defender

22

Mauro Vigorito

Goalkeeper

8

Sergi Roberto

Midfielder

44

Nikola Cavlina

Goalkeeper

3

Álex Valle

Defender

28

Ivan Smolcic

Defender

21

Noel Törnqvist

Goalkeeper

56

Cristiano De Paoli

Defender

Adrian Lahdo

Midfielder

20

Martin Baturina

Midfielder

38'

7

Álvaro Morata

Attacker

59'

6

Maxence Caqueret

Midfielder

59'

5

Edoardo Goldaniga

Defender

77'

19

Nicolas Kühn

Attacker

77'

1

Adrian Šemper

Goalkeeper

33

Arturo Calabresi

Defender

15

Idrissa Touré

Midfielder

26

Francesco Coppola

Defender

99

Lorran

Midfielder

2

Rosen Bozhinov

Defender

42

Brando Bettazzi

Midfielder

31

Matteo Luppichini

Goalkeeper

9

Henrik Meister

Attacker

46'

81

Filip Stojilkovic

Attacker

51'

23

Calvin Stengs

Attacker

64'

19

Samuel Iling-Junior

Attacker

77'

36

Gabriele Piccinini

Attacker

78'

Bologna want to ride the wave of Europa League quarter-final qualification against on-form Lazio, while Atalanta try to shake off their Champions League exit by hosting Hellas Verona.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here

These two games both kick off at 14.00 GMT (15.00 CET).

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

There hasn’t been much time to recover after European commitments midweek, but the pressure is already on to deliver in Serie A.

Atalanta vs. Verona

La Dea were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich midweek, and losing ground in Serie A after just two points from three rounds. Gianluca Scamacca also suffered a fresh injury blow, but Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori are on their way back to full fitness.

It is a special day for Marten de Roon, who becomes Atalanta’s all-time record man with 436 appearances.

Hellas miss Armel Bella-Kotchap, Domagoj Bradaric, Sandi Lovric and Suat Serdar, remaining rock bottom after defeat to Genoa.

Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Zalewski; Krstovic

Verona: Montipò; Nelsson, Edmundsson, Valentini; Belghali, Akpa Akpro, Gagliardini, Harroui, Frese; Bowie, Orban

Bologna vs. Lazio

The Rossoblu are buzzing after their extra time victory over Roma on Thursday to reach the Europa League quarter-finals, but it came at a cost, losing Jens Odgaard and Tommaso Pobega to injury, with Lukasz Skorupski and Lorenzo De Silvestri already out.

Lazio are also enthusiastic after back-to-back wins over Sassuolo and Milan, but the absentee list includes Mattia Zaccagni, Ivan Provedel, Danilo Cataldi, Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot, with Alessio Romagnoli returning.

Bologna: Ravaglia; Zortea, Vitik, Heggem, Miranda; Moro, Sohm; Orsolini, Bernardeschi, Rowe; Castro

Lazio: Motta; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro