Napoli are prepared to freeze Romelu Lukaku out after he refused to return from Belgium, as it’s reported both he and Kevin De Bruyne disagree with the club’s medical staff.

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The situation is at an impasse, as when Lukaku returned to Belgium for international duty and was told he wasn’t fully fit, he decided to remain there rather than come straight back to Italy.

This infuriated Napoli, who threatened to freeze him out if he was not back by the deadline.

He released a statement on social media, but that does not seem to have made much difference to the Partenopei.

Lukaku and De Bruyne frustrated with Napoli

Now Belgian media point out the concern with the Napoli medical staff is shared by both Lukaku and De Bruyne.

“Romelu and I followed a similar path after our injuries. I did a full rehabilitation [in Belgium], Romelu partially in Antwerp and partially in Naples,” commented De Bruyne.

“When there are two different views, it’s hard to work together. There have been differences, and this is not ideal if you aim to get back in shape.”

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Lukaku rushed his return in November because Napoli were struggling with an injury crisis, disobeyed the instructions given to him by his medical team in Antwerp, and suffered an immediate relapse.

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Napoli’s medical staff caused controversy, as they have had an epic run of serious setbacks that left Antonio Conte with a decimated squad this season.

This is why Lukaku would prefer to work with Lieven Maesschalck and Bert Driesen, physiotherapists they first met through the Belgium national team.

He is now determined to remain in Belgium until at least the end of this week, so it remains to be seen how Napoli will respond.

Italy seem inclined to use the same starting XI that beat Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off, but Bosnia are ready to launch a fresh talent.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

There had been suggestions that the Azzurri would make a couple of adjustments following the 2-0 semi-final victory against Northern Ireland.

Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito impressed off the bench, as did Cagliari winger Marco Palestra, but the latest indications from the training ground point to Mateo Retegui and Matteo Politano retaining their places.

Gennaro Gattuso also hinted that Manuel Locatelli would remain in the centre of midfield, despite mentioning several times that the Juventus man was positioned incorrectly during the first half against Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina are likely to make at least one change, as 18-year-old left-sided winger Kerim Alajbegovic made such a big impression off the bench against Wales in the semi-final, also converting the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

He would step in for Esmir Bajraktevic, in support of Edin Dzeko and Ermedin Demirovic.

Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac had been a slight doubt with injury, but has fully recovered and will be in the starting XI.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy probable line-ups

Bosnia: Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Memic, Sunjic, Tahirovic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko

Italy: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

Local media have accused an Italian of acting as a ‘spy’ during the Bosnia and Herzegovina training session ahead of the World Cup play-off.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

Bosnia and Italy face off for World Cup ticket

A place at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and USA is at stake, so every detail could be crucial ahead of the big match.

This is why local newspaper Klixba claimed that an Italian spy had been identified at the training ground to film the players even after the 15 minutes that were open to the public.

However, Sportmediaset explain that this was no spy, but rather an Italian soldier whose base is close by to the training ground, so he simply wandered over to observe the situation.

He was by no means affiliated with Gennaro Gattuso and the Italy squad, so did not pass along any valuable information on the plans of the Bosnia squad.

In a sudden turnaround, Italian reports suggest Milan have abandoned negotiations with Corinthians for midfielder André after a new offer was rejected.

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The situation has been confusing even for the Rossoneri themselves, who thought that an agreement had been reached with the Brazilian club worth €17m including add-ons.

However, Corinthians President Osmar Stabile rejected it outright, demanding considerably more.

Milan frustrated by André situation

According to ESPN Brasil, a new offer was made today worth €18m plus another €4m in performance-related bonuses, taking the total fee to €22m.

Within hours of that story breaking, MilanNews claimed that the response was so negative that the Rossoneri decided to scrap the whole move.

The directors have been frustrated with the chaotic way that Corinthians have been dealing with this, having believed they already had an agreement in place weeks ago.

The 19-year-old midfielder has been compared to current Atalanta star Ederson and was so eager to come to San Siro that he was prepared to forego the 30 per cent of the transfer he would’ve been owed.

Mattia Zaccagni showed significant progress in his injury and Lazio hope the captain will be available for the Coppa Italia semi-final against Atalanta.

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The 30-year-old contributed four goals and one assist in 25 competitive games so far this season, but picked up a serious thigh strain a couple of weeks ago.

It forced him to withdraw from international duty ahead of the 2026 World Cup play-offs, and he was expected to be out for at least a month.

Zaccagni eager to rush Lazio return

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso confirmed that Zaccagni was meant to travel with the group to Bosnia and Herzegovina as moral support, along with fellow injury cases Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Guglielmo Vicario.

However, he had to remain in Rome for a scheduled medical test with Lazio staff, and it provided some positive news.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, the tests showed the muscle in the right thigh is healing quicker than expected.

He is now hoping to recover in time to feature in the Coppa Italia semi-final against Atalanta on April 22.

The first leg ended 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico, so it is all up for grabs.

Bernardo Silva has reportedly decided to leave Manchester City as a free agent, with Juventus and Barcelona the main contenders for his signature.

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According to Portuguese website A Bola, the midfielder has made up his mind and will not sign a new contract when the current deal expires on June 30.

He will then celebrate his 32^nd birthday in August, so is still in good shape and able to play on for many more years.

Bernardo Silva has no shortage of options

After a career at Benfica, AS Monaco and since 2017 at Manchester City, Bernardo Silva is eager to experience a different league.

A Bola claim that while Barcelona remain the favourites for his next club, Juventus are certainly not out of the running.

The Bianconeri are said to be proposing a salary worth up to €8m per season.

Although that is nothing compared to the wages on offer from the Saudi Pro League or Major League Soccer, it is reported that Bernardo Silva would much prefer to remain in Europe.

Benfica and Galatasaray are also contenders, but the battle would largely seem to be behind Barcelona and Juventus.

Gennaro Gattuso assures Italy ‘see no difference between Wales and Bosnia’ with high praise for ‘good friend’ Edin Dzeko, as he sees some poker mind games for the World Cup play-off.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

The Azzurri squeezed past Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo on Thursday, while Bosnia needed penalties to defeat Wales after a 1-1 draw in Cardiff.

Their original plan had been to fly in earlier, but the state of the pitch amid rain and snow prompted them to have today’s training session in Italy instead, not arriving in Zenica until this evening.

Gattuso not underestimating Bosnia

“Anyone who is in football lives for moments like this,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia following a pitch inspection.

“Personally, I feel the tingle of tension, there’s nothing better than that. If you don’t feel it, then you have to hang your boots up, or as a coach just go home. We know there is a lot at stake, we’re well aware that Italy have not participated in the last two World Cups, but we also must reserve all that energy for the pitch tomorrow and not waste it beforehand.”

Gattuso was already part of the 2006 squad that won the World Cup and had an entire nation celebrating, so now he can provide a different type of gift to the country by qualifying as a coach.

“I do feel great responsibility from the first day I took the Nazionale job, but I cannot think about what happens if there’s something positive or negative. I have to look into my players’ eyes and give them confidence. That’s not because I want to gift them something, but because I believe we can achieve this target.

“In the last seven months, the team has improved a great deal. We might not be particularly pretty, but that’s fine. Our history says that with mentality, hunger, and the ability to suffer through difficulty, so many of us were able to achieve amazing and entirely unexpected things wearing this shirt. So that is something we cannot do without.”

It is widely reported that Gattuso is not planning on making any changes to the starting XI that played against Northern Ireland, despite calls for Francesco Pio Esposito and Marco Palestra to step in for Mateo Retegui and Matteo Politano.

That was a slog until Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock, then he provided the assist for Moise Kean to make it 2-0.

“I was speaking to my staff and we knew there could be difficulties. I say thank goodness Northern Ireland tried to pass it around more, because if they had just done the usual and pumped balls into the box, we could’ve struggled more,” replied Gattuso.

“Tomorrow will be a different type of game, as Bosnia have two very fast wingers with quality, two strikers who move very well to reach balls pulled back from the by-line. We need to have courage on the ball, because Bosnia are a real team who know what they want to do.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez said in his pre-match press conference that he’s ready to ‘park the bus’ if they take the lead over Italy, but Gattuso isn’t buying it.

“I know Sergej is a great poker player, so I don’t believe this is a team that wants to park the bus. They have a lot of quality and respect their opponents, so we need to do the same.

“Despite what happened the other day, we know the truth of the matter is there isn’t a difference between Wales and Bosnia. That controversy emerged, Federico did very well to comment, but it’s honestly not a cliché to admit this is a tough match and we respect them.”

This was in reference to the clip showing Federico Dimarco, Guglielmo Vicario and other Italy players celebrating when Bosnia beat Wales on penalties, suggesting they preferred not to go to Cardiff for the play-off final.

Edin Dzeko also commented on that situation, confirming his love for Italy after so many years in Serie A.

“I am glad you asked me this question,” replied Gattuso.

“I made many mistakes in life, but when it comes to football, I rarely get it wrong. I was talking to Dzeko for two months last year when I was at Hajduk Split and wanted to sign him from Fenerbahce, but the club didn’t have the resources to agree a deal.

“An incredible rapport still developed, he is light years ahead of so many as a professional, so it’s no fluke that he still gets the ball in the net at age 40 and says things that are not to be taken for granted.

“It’s proof that he is a great champion, a great man, and I am not surprised by any of that. We’ve formed a strong friendship, and I compliment him as a player and a person.”

Finally, does Gattuso have a message for the Italian fans back home?

“I saw that there were 10 million television viewers when we played Northern Ireland, and going around Italy the last few months, I know it’s up to us to give them that joy.”

Gianluigi Donnarumma admits ‘there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension’ as Italy prepare for the World Cup play-off final with Bosnia. ‘We mustn’t repeat the mistakes against Northern Ireland.’

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

The Nazionale reached this final thanks to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday, sealed by Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean goals.

Bosnia also played that day, needing extra time and a penalty shoot-out to get the better of Wales in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw.

Donnarumma confession as Italy fired up

“We are human beings, there’s no point saying we don’t feel the tension, we all want to do well and go to the World Cup, but it’s the right kind of tension,” assured Donnarumma on Sky Sport Italia.

“We’re ready, we need to do what we prepared in training, focus on what we are capable of, and the rest will come as a consequence.”

The pressure is palpable in the Azzurri camp, as they lost the World Cup play-offs for the tournaments in both 2018 and 2022.

They had been the favourites in both those ties, losing to Sweden and North Macedonia.

“Everything adds up to valuable experience. We are a young squad, it’s only natural there is some anxiety and the adrenaline is racing, but that’s part of the sport,” added Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma.

“Tomorrow is a very important match we need to approach in the right way. We mustn’t repeat the mistakes we made in the first half against Northern Ireland.

“The team is ready and fired up to put in a great performance so we can achieve this target.”

Donnarumma is the captain of the Azzurri squad, as he is the player with by far the most senior caps, despite being still relatively young.

“I am truly proud of everything I’ve done so far with the Nazionale. There has been joy and pain, I missed out on two World Cups, and we want to bring Italy back where it deserves to be.

“Only we know how much we suffered at not getting to the World Cup, so we need to learn from that ugly experience and put it all onto the pitch tomorrow. We want to bring joy to all Italians, but also to ourselves, because I feel we deserve it for all that we’ve been doing.”

Giovanni Di Lorenzo is injured, but he has joined Guglielmo Vicario in flying to Zenica with their Italy teammates for the World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday at 19.45 UK time and a winner will be decided after 90 minutes, extra time or even a penalty shoot-out.

Italy players stick together in crucial play-off

Vicario was spotted in the stands and stayed at the training camp with his teammates for the semi-final 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland last week, despite undergoing surgery only a few days ago.

The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper wanted to be involved in the process of earning a spot at the 2026 World Cup, and he isn’t the only one.

Napoli defender Di Lorenzo was spotted with Vicario during the pitch inspection this evening as the Italy squad arrived at the Stadion Bilino Polje.

They were both wearing bright blue coats, to differentiate them from the players who are part of the official training camp and match squad.

Reports in Brazil claim Milan have made a new and improved offer worth €22m for midfielder André after Corinthians had internal disagreements.

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The 19-year-old is considered one of the most promising young talents in Brazilian football and is eager to join the Rossoneri.

He hopes to help the move go through by giving up his 30 per cent stake in the deal, but even then, President Osmar Stabile blocked the transfer when a €17m move had been seemingly agreed.

André a firm target for Milan

That was a few weeks ago, and according to ESPN Brasil, Milan came back with a new and improved bid now worth €22m including add-ons.

That is represented by €18m plus another €4m in bonuses.

It remains to be seen if that will be sufficient, but the player is under contract with Corinthians until December 2029.

Since he was promoted to the senior squad, he has contributed four goals in 28 competitive games.

There is competition from other clubs for André, including Atletico Madrid, who see him as an alternative to Atalanta’s Ederson.

The Italian media is warning Gennaro Gattuso and his Italy players that while Bosnia do have strengths, the biggest thing they have to fear in the World Cup play-off is fear itself.

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Having struggled to see off Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, the Azzurri go head-to-head with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

The tension is palpable, as is perhaps inevitable for a nation that missed out on the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022 by losing these play-offs.

Anxiety is Italy’s worst enemy

This double-edged sword is something the Gazzetta dello Sport warns about in its opinion page, where Sebastiano Vernazza notes “the primary enemy is anxiety.”

In this situation, and having been spotted celebrating the Bosnian victory over Wales in a penalty shoot-out, the biggest risk is that the Nazionale are under-estimating their rivals.

On the other hand, that can go too far the other way and create a sense of panic within the group that hinders their performance.

To quote Franklin D Roosevelt, the only thing Italy “have to fear is fear itself. Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” The Nazionale are scared of their own shadow, which takes the form of two consecutive World Cup play-off failures.

When taking on Bosnia, the Gazzetta warns “it’d be a mistake to underestimate them and a mistake to overestimate them, to believe they are the most difficult of obstacles.” The risk is that too much focus on the pressure will just add more of it to a team already struggling with the weight of a nation’s expectations.

There is going to be a fiery atmosphere in Zenica, but no less than they would’ve faced in Cardiff. Wales are 35^th in the FIFA world ranking, compared to Bosnia in 71^st place, remarkably two places lower than Northern Ireland.

The pitch is going to be a mess and there are reports of more snow, which could make losing the ball cheaply to spark a counter-attack very likely indeed. “But the rest is the terror of not making it for a third time in a row, so anxiety will be the most insidious opponent.”

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti has sent his best wishes to the Italy side ahead of their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening and has given even more praise to his former Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, now at Milan: ‘There’s nobody like him on the world market’. 

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Ancelotti: ‘I hope Italy qualify, but I won’t be able to watch’

Italy will be in World Cup play-off final action away against Bosnia and Herzegovina at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening, while Brazil, who have already qualified for the 2026 tournament, will take on Croatia in a friendly in Florida, USA, later on in the same night, kicking off at 1.00 BST in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Ancelotti told reporters: “I hope Italy qualify for the World Cup, but I won’t be able to watch the national team tomorrow. We have to prepare for our match against Croatia.” (via ANSA).

Among the opposition for Ancelotti’s Brazil in their upcoming friendly will be former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, who has excelled in Serie A at the age of 40 this season. 

“Modric can play in every position in the midfield, because he is a complete and modern player, one of the best players I have ever coached and a spectacular professional with an extraordinary passion for football,” Ancelotti said ahead of his reunion with the Rossoneri veteran. 

He concluded: “There is nobody like Modric on the world market.” 

There is mixed news for Fiorentina, as while Dodo picked up an injury in training, tests showed no serious damage.

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The Brazilian was forced to leave the training session early on Saturday after feeling pain in his right thigh, and there were fears of a strain.

Dodo still a doubt for this weekend

A formal statement from the club today confirms that tests were performed and showed no lesions to the flexor in the right leg.

This means that a lengthy lay-off will not be required, but Dodo will continue to train separately from the group and work on a full recovery.

It makes him a major doubt to feature in the relegation battle with Hellas Verona at the Stadio Bentegodi on Saturday evening.

The 27-year-old has made 39 competitive appearances for Fiorentina so far this season, contributing two goals and three assists.

The Viola are currently 16^th in the Serie A table, just two points clear of the drop zone.

Juventus had already been linked with Raphael Guerreiro for January, and it’s now confirmed he will be a free agent when his Bayern Munich contract expires on June 30.

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The Portugal international left-back joined Bayern Munich for free from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 and his current deal only runs to the end of the season.

This afternoon there was a formal announcement on the Bayern Munich website confirming that the club and player have mutually agreed not to extend his contract.

Juventus target Guerreiro will leave Bayern Munich

“We would like to express our sincere thanks to Rapha for the time he has spent with us,” wrote board member Max Eberl on the club website.

“We could always rely on Rapha on the pitch, and he is one of those characters who enriches any dressing room. Our discussions with him were constructive and based on trust and mutual understanding.

“We are now focusing, alongside him, on our goals for the rest of the season – there’s still a lot we want to achieve together.”

Guerreiro has so far made 89 competitive appearances for Bayern Munich, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists.

Although primarily a full-back, he can also play in central midfield.

Juventus had already been linked with a possible swoop for the 32-year-old in January, where he would effectively replace Filip Kostic, another player who will be a free agent in July.

The highly sought-after Nicolo Tresoldi still has three senior national team options available to him, but reports in Germany claim that Argentina are making attempts to pin down the talented 21-year-old, who was born in and is eligible to represent Italy. 

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Could Italy and Germany miss out on Tresoldi?

Tresoldi, who has 13 goals from 30 appearances to his name in the Belgian Pro League with Club Brugge this season, is eligible to represent Italy, Germany and Argentina at senior international level. 

The 21-year-old centre-forward was born in Italy to an Italian father, Emmanuele, who played for Atalanta, and an Argentine mother, but moved to Hanover with his family at the age of 11 and has since gone on to represent Germany at U19 and U21 level. He has 12 goals from 23 Germany U21 caps. 

According to BILD, who describe Tresoldi as Germany’s ‘greatest striking talent’, Argentina are in contact with the player’s entourage and are hoping to secure his services for their senior national team. 

There have, however, also been calls in Germany for Julian Nagelsmann to give the youngster an opportunity in their senior national side, calls that resurfaced after the 21-year-old netted a brace in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland’s U21s on Friday. 

Speaking in an interview in October, Tresoldi confirmed that he had not received any calls from the Italy set-up: “I’m not surprised Italy didn’t call me. Italy already has many great strikers, so there is a lot of competition for places there,” Tresoldi said in an interview with Il Messaggero. 

“Seeing as my mother is from Argentina, I even have the possibility of playing for them, but I have not made a decision yet.”

Former Milan, Roma and Juventus coach Fabio Capello saw the ‘usual flows’ of Italian football in the Azzurri’s 2-0 win over Northern Ireland, but enjoyed the ‘reaction’ and the contribution of Francesco Pio Esposito.

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Italy are off to Zenica today, on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Azzurri trained at Coverciano on Monday morning, before taking a private flight to Bosnia. Later today, coach Gennaro Gattuso and captain Gigio Donnarumma will preview the Final during a pre-match press conference.

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo last week with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in the second half.

“Having overcome that obstacle with a shy first half and a second half in which we found ourselves again was psychologically very important,” Capello told Gazzetta.

“It certainly helped the players understand our real value, and I believe that Gattuso, ahead of the match with Bosnia, will also work on this.”

The Azzurri were not let down by a mediocre first-half performance in Bergamo last week and, after the break, created several goal-scoring opportunities, securing a deserved victory.

Capello examined the positives and negatives of the latest Azzurri performance.

“Starting with the negatives, I’d say the usual flaws we often see in Italian football. Sideway passing, slowness, little vertical play and a lack of personality when in possession,” he said.

“As for the positives, the reaction was important, and I also liked the introduction of Pio Esposito, who brought a certain balance. All three attacking options are good, but Retegui and Kean are a bit too similar. Pio, on the other hand, especially in key moments, has that strength and aerial ability that can become fundamental, along with excellent vision.”

Capello: ‘Italy have good defenders, but…’

The Azzurri will likely face a hostile environment, but Capello is more worried about what might happen on the pitch.

“I’m concerned about corner kicks and free kicks, particularly how we’ll defend inside the penalty area,” he said.

“We have very good defenders with the ball at their feet, but they are less suited to marking. Bosnia relies heavily on this, and just on Thursday night, Dzeko managed to get the better of players strong in the air, like those from Wales. We’ll be facing a national team with quality and personality, starting with that 18-year-old who took the last penalty, Alajbegovic.”

Surely, the ex-Italian tactician will follow the match with the same passion he had as a coach: “I suffer for the national team. I suffer too much…I scream,” he said. Just as an ordinary fan.

Italy Under-21 coach Silvio Baldini took the unusual step of announcing his starting XI ahead of tomorrow’s European qualifier in Sweden. ‘We are making just one change.’

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The fixture kicks off in Boras on Tuesday at 17.30 UK time.

The Azzurrini are currently second in Group E on 18 points compared to Poland’s 21, while Sweden picked up 10 points from their seven matches so far.

Italy are fresh off a 4-0 victory over North Macedonia and Baldini is keeping his team largely intact.

Baldini puts faith in Italy U21 team

“The only change we’ll make is bringing in Seydou Fini, because Luigi Cherubini has a slight back ache, but will be available off the bench,” said the coach in his press conference.

“We can’t kid around with Sweden, who are physically strong, and we’ve got to make sure that we press them back, not the other way around.

“To achieve that, we need a high tempo, intensity, and be sure to win it back quickly when we lose the ball. I think Sweden will be set out in a 4-4-2 in possession, and a 4-3-1-2 off the ball, alternating with the 3-4-3 option.”

The Italy Under-21 side won all its games in the European Championship qualifiers, except for the 2-1 in Poland when down to 10 men.

As Poland have a 100 per cent record, that is the difference between the two teams so far going for top spot in the group.

“The lads understood they need to be a team, to have a clear idea of the approach and how to develop it. They’ve improved so much since I first saw them in September, also thanks to more playing time for their respective clubs.

“They must improve every day with what they do in training, remembering it is only thanks to good performances that you can achieve victories. Everyone tracks back to help, starting with the strikers.

“This also helps create the spaces for attacks from midfield, which is why so many of them have been on target.”

When Italy beat North Macedonia 4-0 last week, the goals came from Cher Ndour, Luca Lipani, Jeff Ekhator and Fini.

Italy U21: Palmisani; Favasuli, Comuzzo, Charodia, Bartesaghi; Ndour, Lipani, Dagasso; Fini, Ekhator, Koleosho

Nicolò Zaniolo’s  Claudio Vigorelli admits his client hoped for an Italy call-up, but ‘appreciates the transparency and the words of Gennaro Gattuso.’

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Udinese ‘ideal’ for Zaniolo

Zaniolo’s ten-goal contributions for Udinese (five goals and five assists) in 26 Serie A games this season have not been enough to earn a spot in the Azzurri squad for the World Cup play-off.

“We’ve always been convinced that Udine would be an ideal place to help him revive his career,” his agent Vigorelli told Gazzettino del Friuli via TMW.

“The context has granted the utmost stability and tranquillity, and that has been the result of collaboration between director Nanni and President Pozzo on a matter that was not simple. It’s no coincidence that we reached an agreement on the very final day. Nicolò strongly wanted this move, and he was right.”

Italy coach Gattuso has admitted that Zaniolo deserved an Italy call-up, but ultimately chose to rely on the team’s established core.

“It’s useless to deny that he hoped for it [a call-up]; the national team is an objective for all footballers,” concluded Vigorelli.

“We’ve accepted it, but it doesn’t mean he won’t get a call-up sooner or later. We appreciate the transparency and the words of Gattuso; in the future, we’ll see.”

A bizarre row has erupted around Milan’s deal to sign Andrej Kostic for up to €8m including add-ons, as Partizan Belgrade directors publicly argue over the agreement.

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The Rossoneri are investing for the future and shook hands with the Serbian club to buy striker Kostic for €3.5m plus up to a further €4.5m in various add-ons and performance-related bonuses.

He turned 19 in January and already has two senior caps for Montenegro, with medical tests expected this week before signing the contract.

Partizan Belgrade battle over Milan deal

All this would appear to be news to Partizan Belgrade vice president Pedrag Mijatovic, who released a furious statement denouncing the transfer.

“I wish to tell the Partizan fans, and the whole sporting world, that I am clearly and completely distancing myself from this decision.

“I confirm that I have not been consulted in any way regarding the Andrej Kostic transfer to Milan, and have never even seen the Milan offer.

“I underline that if I had been involved in the decision-making process, I would’ve made very clear to all the members of the Board that I am totally against accepting such an insultingly low offer.

“Is this how the club intends to operate in future, selling its most promising players practically for free? You made this decision despite the rest of the Board knowing that in recent months I had intense talks with representatives of various clubs in Europe’s top five leagues, that I told them all our players have big release clauses.

“I believe this sale has set a dangerous precedent, which will have an extremely negative impact on the perceived value of our players on the transfer market.”

Partizan Belgrade’s other directors released their own statement in a newsletter, insisting that on Wednesday night they will give a clear and detailed response to all the accusations.

It is the second time in just a few weeks that Milan have been involved in a transfer that proved complicated, as they had agreed a deal with Corinthians for midfielder Andre, only for it to be ripped up by their President.

Italy boast, by far, the more valuable set of players compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of Tuesday night’s World Cup play-off final, and studies show that Gennaro Gattuso’s squad is worth 6.5x as much as the players available to Sergej Barbarez. 

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Italy will travel to Zenica this evening ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup play-off decider against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The Azzurri are ranked 12th in the world and are the highest-rated nation not to have a spot at the World Cup wrapped up. They beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in order to qualify for Tuesday’s play-off final, while Bosnia took Wales to penalties and came through victorious after the shoot-out in Cardiff on Thursday evening. 

As was the case against Northern Ireland, Italy have the most valuable squad of the two sides competing in this play-off tie. The 28-man Azzurri squad is worth a combined €833.5m according to the latest information from transfermarkt.com, while Bosnia’s roster of 24 players comes out to €127.1m. 

The average market value of the Italy players in Gattuso’s squad is just shy of €30m, €29.77m to be precise, while Bosnia’s average equals €5.3m. 

Tonali is currently the most valuable player in the Italy camp, valued at €80m, followed by Alessandro Bastoni at €70m and then Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco all at €50m. 

According to transfermarkt, VfB Stuttgart centre-forward Ermedin Demirovic is the most valuable player in the Bosnia side with a market  value of €22m, closely followed by Sassuolo’s Tariq Muharemovic at €20m, and then teenage talent Kerim Alajbegovic and Benfica full-back Amar Dedic, both at €15m. 

Top 10 most valuable Italy squad members

1. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United) – €80m

2. Alessandro Bastoni (Inter) – €70m

3. Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) – €50m

3. Nicolo Barella (Inter) – €50m

3. Federico Dimarco (Inter) – €50m

6. Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter) – €45m

6. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City) – €45m

8. Moise Kean (Fiorentina) – €40m

9. Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah) – €35m

9. Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli) – €35m

Top 10 most valuable Bosnia squad members

1. Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart) – €22m

2. Tariq Muharemovic (Sassuolo) – €20m

3. Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg) – €15m

3. Amar Dedic (Benfica) – €15m

5. Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta) – €6m

6. Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven) – €5m

7. Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli) – €4.5m

7. Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby) – €4.5m

7. Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen) – €4.5m

10. Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City) – €4.2m

The Azzurri are ready to fly to Bosnia for the World Cup play-off Final, while the two line-ups that Gennaro Gattuso tested during a morning training session have been revealed.

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Italy trained at Coverciano on Monday morning before leaving for Bosnia and Herzegovina, where tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, they’ll play in the World Cup play-off Final.

The opening 15 minutes of today’s training session were open to the media, and, as reported by TMW, the Azzurri warmed up with a rondo before a test match.

Italy line-ups before World Cup play-off

Gattuso rotated the goalkeepers, and the line-ups at Coverciano were the following:

White team: Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Cristante, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui.

Yellow team: Mancini, Gatti, Buongiorno; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Pisilli, Spinazzola; Raspadori, Esposito.

The white team, with Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean in attack, seems the most likely to start, although there should be a few tweaks: Gianluca Mancini in place of Giorgio Scalvini, Matteo Politano for Andrea Cambiaso, Manuel Locatelli for Bryan Cristante, and Nicolò Barella for Davide Frattesi.

According to several sources, in fact, Gattuso seems unwilling to change the XI that beat Northern Ireland in the semis last week.

All the players trained on the pitch today, so Gattuso will have a full squad available for the game against Bosnia on Tuesday.

Yet, the Azzurri boss will name five players who will go to the stands on the morning of the game.

For last week’s semis against Northern Ireland, the likes of Elia Caprile, Diego Coppola, Andrea Cambiaso, Gianluca Scamacca and Nicolò Cambiaghi were not part of the squad list and didn’t even go to the bench.

• Read more – World Cup play-off Final: Italy’s plan on eve of Bosnia clash

Tottenham fans are urging their club to boycott Roberto De Zerbi over comments he made about Mason Greenwood at Olympique Marseille, but the translation and context are worth looking at.

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The Italian coach has emerged as the hot favourite to take over from ex-Juventus boss Igor Tudor, although the appointment is fraught with difficulty.

Not only is he resistant to accepting a role so close to the end of the season and with Premier League relegation a very real possibility, but he is also facing pushback from a group of Spurs supporters.

The Proud Lilywhites group released a statement condemning his possible hiring, noting “when someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation, but in what it signals.”

De Zerbi criticised by some Tottenham fans

The comments that De Zerbi made were in November 2025 during a press conference ahead of the Champions League match between Marseille and Newcastle United.

Many of the versions published were translated from Italian to French and then to English, so it is important to go back and see precisely what De Zerbi said.

The question from the British media was: “This is the first time Mason Greenwood has played against an English team since he moved away from England and we don’t see much of him in the UK. Can you give us an idea how his life is developing, how are things for him off the pitch since he moved?”

His response therefore needs to take that question into account.

“I don’t want to get involved in anyone’s private life, I don’t even get into the private lives of my children, because I want to give everyone their freedom,” De Zerbi said in the press conference.

“All I can see is that Mason seems a good lad, he paid in a strong way for what happened, and he has probably here found the right environment for him, which gave him affection, and held out its hand to him.

“He has behaved well since being here. He has an introverted, rather closed character, but I met his family and they are good people.

“When I look at him as a person, I don’t see… I feel sad for what happened in his life, without getting into the details. Because the person I know here is very different to the one that has been described, especially in England.”

Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 on suspicion of rape, assault, sexual assault and threats to kill.

The charges were dropped in April 2022 when the accuser requested police drop the investigation.

He got back together with the same partner and they had a child in July 2023.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham have issued an ultimatum to Roberto De Zerbi, giving the Italian tactician two days to respond to their offer.

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Tottenham are in a hurry to reach an agreement with De Zerbi, who is available on the market after his contract with Marseille was terminated by mutual agreement in February.

Tottenham in a hurry for agreement with De Zerbi

De Zerbi is Tottenham’s leading target to replace Igor Tudor, who won just one of his seven games in charge, before leaving by mutual consent on Sunday.

Sky Sport’s Gianluca Di Marzio claimed the “next few hours” would be decisive in determining whether De Zerbi accepts Tottenham’s offer, while Gazzetta offers a more precise time frame.

According to the report, Tottenham have given De Zerbi 24-48 hours of time to respond to their offer.

Just a few days ago, the Italian tactician seemed willing to wait until the start of the new season for a new club, but Tottenham’s persistence has made the ex-Sassuolo boss reconsider their offer.

• Read more – Tottenham fans already boycotted Gattuso, but De Zerbi situation differs

Mateo Retegui is the Italy outfield player with the most minutes under Gennaro Gattuso, which helps explain why the coach is not expected to change the Azzurri’s attack in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Italy will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final on Tuesday, March 31.

Retegui a regular Italy starter under Gattuso

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Gattuso won’t change the XI that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semis last week. This means Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui will get the nod up front.

The latter has been criticised for missing a big chance in the second half of the Northern Ireland match, just minutes before Sandro Tonali’s opener.

Francesco Pio Esposito, on the other hand, had a big impact as a substitute, so the Inter talent was expected to challenge Retegui for a starting spot.

As TWM highlights, Gattuso’s trust in Retegui is well-explained by the striker’s stats under the new Italy coach.

Retegui, in fact, is the outfield player with the most minutes played since September, when Gattuso made his debut as La Nazionale’s boss.

Since then, Retegui has played 525 minutes with the Azzurri, twice as many as Kean.

Retegui, a former Atalanta and Genoa star, has scored five goals and provided four assists in seven appearances under Gattuso.

Pio Esposito made his senior Italy debut under Gattuso this past September and has collected six appearances, two as a starter, and scored three goals.

Bosnia and Herzegovina national team captain Edin Dzeko has urged his nation’s supporters to ‘applaud’ Italy and the national anthem when the two sides meet in Tuesday’s World Cup play-off final: ‘Italy came to play friendly matches after the war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful’. 

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Dzeko: ‘Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war, we are always grateful’

The Azzurri will travel to the freezing Zenica to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina for a spot in the final 2026 World Cup tournament. Gennaro Gattuso’s side are the highest-ranked nation in the World that do not yet have a place at the World Cup wrapped up, and will need to beat Bosnia away from home to avoid missing out for a third tournament cycle in a row.

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in order to qualify for Tuesday’s play-off final, while Dzeko struck with an equaliser in the 86th minute, which sent Bosnia on their way to a penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in Cardiff on the same night. 

There has been plenty of talk from both camps ahead of the crucial play-off decider on Tuesday evening, but Dzeko has called for a show of respect towards Italy and its national team given its previous gestures of goodwill to Bosnia during times of adversity. 

“Everyone should stand up and applaud when the Italian anthem begins. Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful,” said Dzeko during his pre-match press conference. 

“Then in 90 minutes, it will be a battle. Friends afterwards, like before. Whatever happens, happens.” 

Click here to read Dzeko’s pre-match press conference in full.

Italy have played against Bosnia and Herzegovina on six previous occasions, winning four, drawing one and losing one. 

The loss came in the first ever meeting of the two sides back in 1996, when an Azzurri side led by Arrigo Sacchi travelled to Sarajevo to take part in a friendly shortly after the end of the Bosnian war. 

That team featured the likes of Paolo Maldini, Dino Baggio, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranzo Zola and Enrico Chiesa, the latter two combining for Italy’s only goal in an eventual 2-1 loss to the newly formed national side of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Every other meeting between Italy and Bosnia has come within the last seven years. They met twice in qualification for EURO 2020, both ending in victories for the Azzurri, twice in the 2020-21 Nations League campaign and once in an international friendly just before the start of EURO 2024.

Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez says that he has no issue with ‘parking the bus’ if Bosnia and Herzegovina take the lead against Italy in their World Cup play-off final on Tuesday night, but says that he expects the bus to be parked down at the other end of the pitch if the scores are reversed.

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Barbarez previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy play-off final

Bosnia will welcome Italy to Zenica for the decisive World Cup play-off final on Tuesday evening, kicking off at 19.45 BST. The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo to qualify on Thursday evening, while the hosts overcame Wales on penalties in Cardiff on the same night. 

Despite playing for an additional half hour on Thursday evening, Barbarez has confirmed that all of his players are fit and raring to go against Italy on Tuesday night. 

“Everyone is fine apart from the coach, who has lost his voice,” said Barbarez during his pre-match press conference. “We’ve had time to recover. The game was challenging but we’re happy. We hope to be able to hold on until the end.” 

• Read more: Dzeko warns: ‘If Italy are afraid to play in Wales, something isn’t working’

Reporters at Barbarez’s press conference asked him what he made of the suggestion that the Bosnia national team is ‘too slow’. 

He replied: “Preparing for the game includes analysing how to play. What matters is my players and how they play tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what others think or what others have said.” 

Reviewing his side’s penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in Cardiff last week, Barbarez added: “The game against Wales was full of emotions. We had a lot of energy and that was the biggest mistake. Now we feel smarter and we won’t make the same mistakes again. Tomorrow is another day, whatever happens, you have to live with it.

“There are so many feelings for Italy, it’s so important for them, but also for us. Given the situation in the country, it’s even more important.” 

And what has Barbarez made of the Italy national team from his analysis thus far. 

“We will have to have courage and pay attention to the details, play at our best,” he said. “We can’t create any panicked situations and might need a bit of luck to score a few goals.

“If we score and it’s 1-0 for us, we’ll park the bus at one end of the pitch, otherwise, we’ll park it at the other end. Let’s start the game first. I’m happy to have made it this far. I feel and see the love that comes from these players.” 

Lastly, Barbarez admitted that he is unlikely to make any surprise changes to his line-up or set-up approaching the Italy decider: “We’ve been playing with a consistent system for a year and a half, I don’t know if it’s the time for experiments.” 

Bologna are reportedly interested in Napoli-owned striker Lorenzo Lucca, who is expected to return to the Stadio Maradona from a six-month loan at Nottingham Forest.

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Bologna target Lucca for 2026-27

Bologna have resumed their interest in Italian striker Lucca, according to Gazzetta.

The Rossoblu already targeted the ex-Udinese striker four years ago, and during the January transfer window.

Back in 2022, Lucca joined Ajax from Pisa despite an offer from the Stadio Dall’Ara, while last January, Forest made the most convincing offer to bring him on loan from Napoli.

According to Gazzetta, Bologna will be listening to offers for Thijs Dallinga next summer, and Lucca is one of the Dutchman’s possible replacements.

Lucca has only scored one goal in seven appearances with Nottingham Forest since his loan move in the January window.

He had managed the same in 23 Napoli games in the first part of the campaign.

According to Gazzetta, Lucca’s future at Nottingham Forest remains uncertain, but previous reports claimed that the Premier League side would not make his move permanent at the end of the season.

Edin Dzeko says that he has taken no issue with the video clip of Federico Dimarco and Guglielmo Vicario celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory against Wales, but has warned that if Italy are ‘afraid’ to play away in Cardiff, then ‘something isn’t working’. 

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Dzeko ‘would have preferred to not play against Italy in this final’

Italy and Bosnia will meet in Zenica on Tuesday evening for a place at the 2026 World Cup tournament after wins for the against Northern Ireland and Wales in their respective semi-finals on Thursday evening. 

Italy is the highest ranked nation in the world that does not yet have a spot at the World Cup wrapped up, and will now have to take on the freezing temperatures and hostile atmosphere at the reduced-capacity Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday night. 

Minor off-pitch ‘controversies’ have cropped up for Italy in the days leading up to their play-off final, including a viral video clip of Dimarco, Vicario and a handful of their national team colleagues celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory over Wales on Thursday night. 

• Read more: Dimarco unwise to celebrate, but televising incident only hurts Italy

The video was met with mixed reactions, with some accusing the Azzurri stars of being too ‘arrogant’ or lacking respect for their upcoming opponents. 

“Thank goodness the focus has shifted to the other side,” said Dzeko when asked about the clip during his pre-match press conference in Sarajevo on Monday (via TMW). 

“Everyone has their own preferences, who they want to play against and who they don’t. You have to be smart, especially today with social media, because everything can slide in a different direction. But for me, this is all normal.” 

Dzeko was asked about the now infamous video clip for a second time during his press conference. He says that he ‘doesn’t know why’ Italy didn’t want to play against Wales, and says that something must be up if a side like the Azzurri fear the thought of having to play away in Cardiff. 

“We all saw what happened,” Dzeko said. “I’ll tell you honestly that it’s a very normal thing. Like I said before, we all have our preferences. Mine might have been to not play against Italy in this final. I can’t celebrate because I’m playing against them. 

“But obviously today we have to be careful. We saw it. Italy didn’t want to play in Wales, I don’t know why. We went there without fear and we won. I don’t know why Italy should be afraid of Wales or Bosnia. They have an incredible national team, which has won four World Cups. If they’re afraid to play in Wales, something isn’t working. 

“Maybe we have to see if they can suffer in this way in this game as well. A lot is at stake after missing two World Cups. It means that they’re afraid. Dimarco wrote to me saying that he didn’t want to offend anyone and I told him what we’re talking about now. There’s no problem.” 

And on his own country, Dzeko said: “What we want is to win, but we still have to prepare well and play to the maximum. Italians will have prepared well because it is important for them as well.

“I’m sure that Italy won’t underestimate us, especially not after the statements from Dimarco and Vicario. Nobody was happy with how things went. We have to show our quality, we play at home and we’re focusing a lot on the fans.” 

Dzeko spent close to a decade of his career playing in Serie A, but has since left Fiorentina to play for Schalke in the 2.Bundesliga, his first time back in Germany since leaving VfL Wolfsburg for Manchester City in 2011.

“German and Italian football have nothing in common,” Dzeko said. “With the former, intensity prevails. This is what is missing in the Italian game and it is also pointed out by journalists. Maybe they don’t do well for this reason. I expect a tactical game. Italy have also missed the last two World Cups.” 

Dzeko also spoke about the previous conversations he has had with Italy national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso. 

“I saw him at the match in Florence, Fiorentina vs. Milan,” Dzeko recalled. 

“I told him ‘Mister, I hope to see you in Bosnia’ and here we are. We’ll see each other in a very important game for both countries. I have a lot of friends in Italy, there will be a lot of respect before and after the game. 

“Everyone must stand up and applaud when the Italian anthem begins. Italy came to play friendly matches after the Bosnian war in 1996. For this, we are always grateful. Then in 90 minutes, it will be a battle. Friends afterwards, like before. Whatever happens, happens.” 

Italian sources claim that exams confirmed a muscle-tendon injury for Roma defender Wesley, who will be sidelined for one month.

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Roma will be forced to cope without their versatile wing-back Wesley for the next four weeks.

Roma star Wesley sidelined for a month after Brazil injury

The Brazilian was released early from international duty last week due to an injury.

According to Italian sources, including Sky Sport Italia and Rome-based ReteSport, exams conducted in Rome this morning have confirmed a muscle-tendon lesion that will sideline the Brazilian for four weeks.

Wesley is in his first season at the Stadio Olimpico, but has quickly become a key player for Gian Piero Gasperini, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.

Roma are fighting for a Champions League spot and are currently level on 54 points with Juventus, three behind fourth-placed Como.

After the break, Roma will visit table leaders Inter at the Stadio Meazza in Milan, but over the next month, they’ll also play against Atalanta, Bologna, Fiorentina and Pisa.

Sky Sport Italia reports that Roberto De Zerbi is open to taking the Tottenham job immediately following Igor Tudor’s departure, but some Spurs fans have already voiced their discontent at the Italian’s possible appointment.

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De Zerbi to Tottenham: latest updates

Former Sassuolo and Brighton coach De Zerbi is open to discussing a possible appointment with Tottenham to replace Igor Tudor.

The Croatian left the club by mutual consent on Sunday, and the North Londoners have made De Zerbi their primary target.

Tudor won just one of his seven games in charge at Tottenham, drawing once and losing five times.

Spurs are currently fighting for survival, being just one point above the drop zone in the Premier League.

According to Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Di Marzio, De Zerbi is open to talks with Tottenham, who have outlined their long-term project to the Italian coach, including top-level signings, provided they remain in the Premier League.

Di Marzio claims that the “next few hours will be decisive” to learn whether De Zerbi will accept the Tottenham offer.

De Zerbi’s possible appointment, however, has upset some Tottenham fans, who have urged the club to reconsider his hiring.

This was due to De Zerbi’s public defence of Mason Greenwood, whom he coached at Marseille from July 2024 until last February, when De Zerbi left the French club by mutual consent.

Tottenham fan groups, including Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane, and Spurs Reach, argued that De Zerbi minimised the severity of male violence, going against the club’s values.

Romelu Lukaku has explained himself after his absence from Napoli training during the international break, and has admitted that he hasn’t been at 100% for the majority of the 2025-26 season: ‘It took a toll mentally’. 

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Reports in Italy over the last week claim that Napoli were left angered after Lukaku took the decision to stay in Belgium to train individually during the international break, without the club’s permission. 

It has been a miserable season for Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer, who will go into April with just seven appearances and 64 minutes worth of club action to his name. 

He picked up an injury during Napoli’s final pre-season friendly of the summer, which kept him sidelined until January, and since then, ‘Big Rom’ has struggled to get himself back to full fitness and has failed to surpass Rasmus Hojlund in the Partenopei pecking order. 

What did Lukaku say about missing Napoli training?

Lukaku, who remains in Belgium and is expected to stay in his homeland for the rest of the international break, has since given his reasons in a post published to his Instagram story. 

“This season has been a lot for me from dealing with the injury and the personal loss. I know there has been a lot of noise about my situation in the last few days and it’s important to clarify the whole situation,” the statement read. 

“The truth is the last few weeks I wasn’t feeling right physically and I had it checked out while I was in Belgium and it showed me that there was an inflammation and liquid on my hip flexor muscle next to my scar tissue since it is the 2nd problem I had since coming back early November.

“I chose to do the rehab in Belgium so I can help the when called upon. I think most of you saw the interview I did in Verona. There’s nothing more I would love to do than play and win my team. But right now I have to male sure I am clinically 100% cause I haven’t been recently and it took a toll mentally. 

“It’s been a lot this year. But in the end I will get there and help Napoli and national team to their respective objectives when called upon. That’s all I want.”

We’re in for a potential FA Cup classic as Manchester City host Liverpool in Saturday’s quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium.

BUY MANCHESTER CITY VS. LIVERPOOL TICKETS

The international break is over and we’re preparing for club football again, but it won’t be straight back to Premier League football, with Man City vs Liverpool the most eye-catching of the next round of FA Cup ties.

Pep Guardiola’s side have just won the Carabao Cup, and they’ll no doubt be eager to add another domestic trophy to their collection, especially after losing last season’s FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, and one the year before that against Manchester United.

Can they make it past Liverpool in this tough tie? Here’s our ticket guide as we also look ahead to the game.

How to buy Manchester City tickets

For any Manchester City fans looking to make it to this game, their first stop may well be the club’s official tickets page here.

It’s worth exploring alternatives, however, as using the official route often means it’s season ticket holders and club members who will be ahead in the queue.

Instead, we highly recommend our link here as an easy-to-use alternative, without the extra cost and hassle of official club sites, and with a 150% money back guarantee if, for any reason, you’re not satisfied.

BUY MANCHESTER CITY VS. LIVERPOOL TICKETS

How to buy Liverpool tickets

Similarly, you can take a look at Liverpool’s official tickets page by following the link here, but be sure to keep other options in mind too.

For a quick, simple-to-use alternative that doesn’t come with hidden extra costs, be sure to make use of our resource by following the link here.

How Manchester City could line up vs Liverpool

Manchester City will have one eye on their ongoing Premier League title race with Arsenal, but such a big fixture surely means there won’t be a huge amount of rest or rotation.

James Trafford started the Carabao Cup final, so it seems likely to be selected again in this cup competition too, but apart from that, we’ll surely see something very close to Pep Guardiola’s strongest XI.

Man City predicted line-up: Trafford; Nunes, O’Reilly, Dias, Guehi; Rodri, Silva, Cherki; Doku, Semenyo, Haaland

How Liverpool could line up vs Manchester City

Liverpool could really do with a good FA Cup run, so they’ll likely put out their best line-up for this game.

The trouble is, however, that the Reds have a few injuries that will make it a bit tricky for them, with Mohamed Salah joining the likes of Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak, and Conor Bradley on the sidelines.

Liverpool predicted line-up: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Kerkez, Van Dijk, Konate; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike.

BUY MANCHESTER CITY VS. LIVERPOOL TICKETS

Manchester City vs Liverpool head-to-head record

Throughout this fixture’s history, it’s Liverpool who’ve had the upper hand, winning 110 times in total.

By contrast, MCFC have only come out on top 62 times, while the remaining 58 have ended in draws.

City have slightly edged it in recent times, though, winning both league fixtures this season, and losing just twice in their last eight games against LFC in all competitions.

Who do you see coming out on top this time? Let us know in the comments!

Sport.es reports that Barcelona are determined to retain Robert Lewandowski, a target for Juventus and Milan, for one season and will offer the Poland international a new contract.

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Barcelona ready to send contract offer to Lewandowski

Barcelona are set to offer their striker Lewandowski a new contract until 2027, according to Sport.es.

The 37-year-old’s current deal at the Camp Nou expires at the end of the season and the Spanish newspaper confirms he has attracted interest from Juventus and Milan in Serie A.

Reports from Italy last week claimed that Juventus had sent one of their representatives to watch the experienced centre-forward during the March break with the Poland national team.

Juventus are currently in talks to extend the contract of Dusan Vlahovic, but the Bianconeri will be looking for a new centre-forward regardless of the Serbian’s stay.

Milan signed Niclas Fullkrug on loan with an option to buy from West Ham in January, but are unsure on whether to make his move permanent at the end of the season. Yet again, the Rossoneri are expected to chase a new centre-forward for 2026-27.

According to Sport.es, Lewandowski is still uncertain about his future at Barcelona and has taken time to consider his options.

The striker’s representative has an excellent relationship with Barcelona, and so has Lewandowski.

Juventus and Milan aren’t the only clubs interested, as Lewandowski has also been targeted by Turkish clubs and Chicago Fire in the MLS, while the Barcelona star seems uninterested in a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus could target a move for Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer, and that the Old Lady will watch the Uruguayan in action against Algeria in an international friendly at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday evening. 

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Could Juventus make a summer move for United’s Ugarte?

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ugarte is a midfielder that Juventus have followed for several years, dating back to his time with Sporting CP. 

Monday’s report claims that the Bianconeri have since made several attempts to bring Ugarte to Turin, both during his time with Paris Saint-Germain and with Manchester United. 

The interest remains, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Juventus could make a move for the Uruguay international this summer, particularly in the event that Teun Koopmeiners is let go at some stage during the summer transfer window. 

Galatasaray are said to be interested in Koopmeiners, and are also potentially looking at Ugarte as a back-up option. 

Juventus will also have an opportunity to watch Ugarte up close for themselves when he and his international teammates step out onto the Allianz Stadium pitch for a friendly against Algeria on Tuesday evening. 

Bianconeri director Marco Ottolini is expected to attend and will be keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old, who cost Manchester United a fee of €50m two summers ago.

According to Opta, Como are favourites to qualify for the Champions League this season, ahead of Juventus and Roma, with a 60.87% chance of finishing in the top four.

Como sit fourth in the Serie A table with eight games remaining and are also the favourite to earn a Champions League spot, according to Opta.

The Opta algorithm confirms the scenario outlined by statistics and the betting calculator website, Winsports Online.

According to Opta, via Tuttosport, Cesc Fabregas’ side has a 60.87% chance of qualifying for the Champions League this season, against Juventus’ 24.48% and Roma’s 17.15%.

Bianconeri and Giallorossi are both three points below Como in the Serie A table.

Tension is running high at Roma, where Gian Piero Gasperini’s future seems uncertain, mostly due to disagreements with the club director, Frederic Massara.

Gasperini did not talk to the media after a 1-0 win over Lecce before the March international break. Officially, Gasp remained silent because he had lost his voice during the match, but according to Gazzetta and other Italian media outlets, the Giallorossi boss was in no mood to face reporters’ questions.

Juventus seem to have improved their playing style and appear to have a clearer identity under Luciano Spalletti, yet the Bianconeri are still struggling for consistency, as shown by a recent 1-1 home draw against Sassuolo.

Fabregas’ Como, on the other hand, have won each of their last five league games and have a decent fixture list ahead with a home game against Inter and an away match at Napoli emerging as the most difficult encounters in the final stretch of the campaign.

Opta has also made predictions for the title race, identifying a clear favourite for the Scudetto.

Inter have an 89.48% chance of lifting the title, compared to Milan’s 6.16% and Napoli’s 4.19%.

Cristian Chivu was suspended for a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina last week, so his assistant, Aleksandar Kolarov, led the team from the touchline and spoke to the media after the match.

“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,” said the former defender.

“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.”

Inter have collected only two points in their last three Serie A matches, but still have a six-point lead over second-placed Milan and seven points more than Napoli.

Rossoneri and Partenopei will meet at the Stadio Maradona after the March break.

Former Milan and Fiorentina midfielder Cristian Brocchi is happy with the attitude Italian players showed against Northern Ireland and feels the Azzurri won’t need ‘Baggio or Del Piero’ to qualify for the World Cup, regardless of a fiery atmosphere in Bosnia.

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Brocchi enjoyed Italy’s attitude in World Cup play-off semifinal

Italy will fly to Bosnia today on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final against Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brocchi, a two-time Champions League winner with Milan and a former teammate of Gennaro Gattuso, spoke about the upcoming Final in an interview with Sport Mediaset.

“I liked the personalities of the key players. They proved to be aware of the importance of the game. Hopefully, they can have the same attitude [in the Final],” he said via TMW.

“I think Gattuso has hit the right spots. I liked the press conference where he established the core values that became the foundations of success throughout our careers. Italy no longer has Baggio or Del Piero, but they have strong players for this match.”

The Azzurri expect a hostile reception in Zenica, even if FIFA cut the stadium’s capacity by 20% following incidents in Bosnia’s most recent home game in November 2025.

“Everywhere’s the same. Everywhere you go, you find passionate fans,” Brocchi concluded.

“There’s everything at stake for both them and us. In Bergamo, we had an added value: the home fans. Now we must endure difficulties.”

The Italy national team will train at Coverciano this morning and fly from Florence to Bosnia in the afternoon, before Gennaro Gattuso’s pre-match press conference.

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Italy are preparing for a massive World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be played at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday, March 31.

Italy’s plan on the eve of the World Cup play-off Final

As reported by Gazzetta, the Azzurri have slightly changed their plans on the eve of the game, as they’ll fly to Bosnia later than expected due to bad weather there.

Azzurri CT Gennaro Gattuso has decided to let his players train in Coverciano rather than on the heavy pitch at the Bilino Polje Stadium today.

Italy will train at their training centre on Monday morning, before leaving for Bosnia with a private flight at 16:30 CET (15:30 BST). The Nazionale is expected to arrive in Zenica at around 19:00 CET.

Once Gattuso and the players arrive at the venue for tomorrow’s match, they’ll undergo a pitch inspection, while the coach and captain, Gigio Donnarumma, will preview the Final at a pre-match press conference.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

The golden boys launch the national team

Kimi of Italy

It’s always super Sinner

Azzurri, now it’s only you missing

Corriere dello Sport

Italents

Waiting for the Azzurri, we are dominating in every other sport: tomorrow it’s Gattuso’s turn in Bosnia.

Kimi, Sinner and Bezzecchi, there’s an Italy that rules

Tuttosport

Who catches me?

Antonelli triumphs in Suzuka too and becomes the World Championship leader

Bezzecchi, magical tris!

‘Listen Lewa, go to Juve!’

Exclusive Douglas Costa: ‘I know Robert well, he’s the striker they need. He scores in every way, and if I had had a Yildiz in my team…’ Kolo, new Bianconeri signals. Waiting for Spalletti and Vlahovic.

Torino stadium, the City Council waits and hopes.

Bosnia-Italy, Turpin things

The Frenchman is a top referee, but is the same one as the infamous play-off against North Macedonia.

Marcus Thuram has been struggling with Inter, but above all in the France shirt, so scoring his first goal for Les Bleus since 2023 could be a turning point.

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The striker had only two goals at senior international level for France, failing to find the net for his country since the 14-0 victory over Gibraltar in November 2023.

That was followed by 17 consecutive matches without being on target, but that drought came to an end this evening.

Thuram finally finds net for France

Thuram scored the second goal to put France 2-0 up against Colombia in a friendly warming up for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Marcus Thuram, Kolombiya'nın ceza sahası içerisinde çok rahat. pic.twitter.com/dnQN4o67gH

— TRT Spor (@trtspor) March 29, 2026

Tikus has struggled for Inter too recently, scoring in only the first Champions League game of the season against Ajax in September 2025.

He had just one Serie A goal since January 11, firing blanks in 14 of his last 15 club games.

Dusan Vlahovic’s current contract is set to expire on June 30, but new talks with Juventus have reportedly slowed down the negotiation process.

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It had looked for a while as if there wasn’t any hope of a new agreement, but after his return to the field after four months out injured, the two parties got back to the negotiating table.

Vlahovic talks have stalled

There was progress after the first meeting, but the second during the break for international duty showed significant problems, according to Fabrizio Romano and Calciomercato.

The issues are not just the salary, which would need to be a significant drop from the current €12m per season including bonuses.

Another concern is the commission that his agent Darko Ristic would receive, along with the bonuses for signing an extension.

If there is no agreement, then Vlahovic has no shortage of other clubs interested in pouncing on the Serbia international as a free agent.

Milan would keep him in Serie A and reunite with former Juventus coach Max Allegri, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also keeping an eye on the situation.

Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac had limped off against Wales, but will reportedly be ready to start for Bosnia against Italy in Tuesday’s World Cup play-off.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

Bosnia and Herzegovina held Wales to a 1-1 draw on Thursday in Cardiff, eventually winning a penalty shoot-out after extra time.

Bosnia boosted by Kolasinac recovery

Kolasinac picked up an injury an hour into that game and was therefore in doubt for the play-off final against Italy.

However, reports from today’s training session suggests that he has recovered and is ready to start the big match.

It means that coach Sergej Barbarez will have a full squad at his disposal going into that encounter with Italy.

Kolasinac is one of the Bosnia and Herzegovina players who are currently plying their trade in Serie A at club level, as he joined Atalanta from Olympique Marseille in 2023.

Others in the group include Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic and former Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko.

San Marino faced Bosnia and Herzegovina recently, so coach Roberto Cevoli has a warning for Italy ahead of the World Cup play-off. ‘They are slow and predictable.’

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

The Azzurri struggled to get the better of Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, while Bosnia needed extra time and penalties to eliminate Wales in Cardiff after a 1-1 draw on Thursday.

There is some advice from Italian coach Cevoli, whose San Marino visited Bosnia in June 2025 and lost 1-0 during the World Cup qualifying group stage.

They were eventually beaten by an Edin Dzeko strike at the 66^th minute.

Italy getting ready for Bosnia

“We played in Bilino Polje on June 7, it was 32 degrees C and the heat was intense,” Cevoli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It’s a small stadium, falling apart at the seams. However, the stands are very close to the pitch and you can really feel the fans.”

Although San Marino eventually lost, their coach believes Bosnia won’t manage to stop Italy.

“We were still at 0-0 until 25 minutes from the end, Dzeko was on the bench wearing his sneakers, he wasn’t meant to come on, but then the coach changed his mind, and Dzeko ended up scoring the decisive goal.

“We nearly made it 1-1 at the last minute on the counter-attack. The whole stadium celebrated our mistake, but they were scared. They assumed they’d win easily at home to San Marino, but instead they ran a big risk.

“Bosnia are very slow in their movement, which is a positive for the Azzurri. We pressed them high in Zenica and doubled up on whoever had the ball.

“They are rather predictable, and don’t have anyone particularly fast, but watch out, don’t underestimate the environmental factors.”

Bosnia did learn from that experience, because they crushed San Marino 6-0 the second time in September 2025.

“Dzeko is evergreen and still decisive at age 40, but in that second game I was really impressed by Alajbegovic, who scored his first international goal against us. He runs, dribbles, is two-footed, so Italy have to keep an eye on him.”

Italy legend Marco Tardelli believes Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella is simply tired and gives him the same advice that he received from World Cup winning coach Enzo Bearzot.

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Barella is meant to be one of the core members of the Azzurri midfield, but has been struggling for form and confidence recently, both at club and international level.

He has received support from Calcio icon Tardelli, the man whose scream of celebration was the symbol of the 1982 World Cup triumph.

Tardelli recognises Barella struggle

“You can’t always be at 100 per cent, there are seasons and moments that are more difficult,” Tardelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It happened to me too. Physical and emotional fatigue, you never quite know why, but three negative months don’t change an entire career.

“You just need to have patience and remember what Bearzot told me in Argentina.”

While Bearzot was the coach who won the 1982 World Cup, he was already in charge for the 1978 tournament in Argentina, when Italy reached what was effectively the semi-final, albeit in an unusual format.

“I will never forget it, in May 1978 I was falling to bits, I couldn’t even manage the easiest things,” explained Tardelli.

“Bearzot substituted me during a friendly before the World Cup in Argentina. I was so depressed, told him I understood if he no longer had faith in me, so he should leave me out.

“Instead, he replied straight away: ‘Marco, don’t talk rubbish. If you can’t manage anything else, then pass it to your teammate.’ What he meant was, just do the simple things, don’t try to over-do it.

“It all went well, that team was perhaps better than the one that took the World Cup in 1982.”

Tardelli has more advice for Barella, a player who has often been compared to the Nazionale legend.

“If I was Inter, I’d give him a month of just pure vacation. That’s enough to recharge the batteries.”

Italy still need to get into the 2026 World Cup, via Tuesday’s play-off final with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I am sure we’ll get there, because Bosnia are not as good as Italy,” added Tardelli.

“Even if our team isn’t that strong, I get the feeling we’ll do well. I already felt it in 1982 and in 2006, because when there is pessimism and everything seems to be going against us, that’s when we react.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina international Edin Dzeko had ‘already agreed a move to Juventus’ in 2020, said his former agent, until Roma pulled the plug.

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The striker is still going strong just days after his 40^th birthday and scored the goal that took his country to a 1-1 draw with Wales on Thursday, beating them in a penalty shoot-out to set up the World Cup play-off final with Italy.

He spent a lot of his career in Serie A, representing Roma, Inter and Fiorentina before the move to Schalke 04 in January.

However, it could’ve been very different, as confirmed by his old agent Silvano Martina.

When Dzeko nearly joined Juventus

“Dzeko had already signed with Juventus,” Martina told La Stampa newspaper, via Tuttomercatoweb.

“It was all done with Fabio Paratici, but then Roma called to say they wouldn’t let him leave, because Arek Milik had failed a medical, so there was no replacement.

“He ended up going to Inter at the end of the season for free instead. Paratici couldn’t wait any longer, so he did a deal for Alvaro Morata instead.”

Dzeko is expected to start on Tuesday in the showdown for a place at the 2026 World Cup, despite the fatigue of the draw with Wales.

“He is still playing at this age because he is an incredible professional. He always runs so much, over 10km per game. Clearly, he’s lost a bit in terms of pace, but if he gets the right service, he’ll put it into the net. He’ll be particularly fired up for this match.”

Dzeko made 279 appearances in Serie A, scoring 107 goals and providing 50 assists.

He was Serie A Capocannoniere in 2017 with 29 goals, winning two Coppa Italia trophies and two editions of the Supercoppa Italiana, all with Inter.

Italy changed their schedule ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup play-off in Bosnia, but it seems as if Gennaro Gattuso is not inclined to change his starting XI.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

The Azzurri laboured to a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Thursday’s semi-final in Bergamo, with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

Italy preparing for Bosnia trip

They had been due to fly out on Monday morning, but UEFA asked them to delay that because the pitch in Zenica is so bad that they fear two teams training on it will only cause further damage.

The situation is made worse by the weather conditions, as there has been heavy rain and on Saturday even snow.

Gattuso’s men therefore remained at the Coverciano camp today and the indications from Sky Sport Italia suggest there will be no changes to the starting XI.

It means Mateo Retegui should again be preferred to Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito, and Matteo Politano chosen ahead of Marco Palestra.

Atalanta forward Gianluca Scamacca took part in training, having missed the semi-final with a muscular issue.

Alessandro Bastoni shook off that knock to his ankle that made him a doubt for the Northern Ireland match.

The only other possible change mentioned in the media was Bryan Cristante for Manuel Locatelli, who Gattuso had criticised for sitting too deep, but here too it looks as if the same XI is being tested out.

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

Christian Pulisic admits he has been going through ‘a tough patch’ with both Milan and the USMNT, but ‘a ball will hit off my knee and go in, and then things will change.’

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The striker had been on stunning form in 2025, but has not found the net for the Rossoneri at all in this calendar year, adding to an international drought that has been going since 2024.

He suffered another frustrating night when the USA warmed up for their host duties at the World Cup this summer with a 5-2 home defeat at the hands of Belgium.

Pulisic recognises difficult spell

“For me it’s disappointing,” Pulisic told reporters. “I feel I can do better on one of the chances. I missed that, and then they go and they score, and it changes the game. It’s frustrating for me for sure.”

The chance was when he ballooned over the bar at 1-1, followed moments later by Belgium taking the lead 2-1.

Now the 27-year-old is trying to think positive, despite the difficulties he is encountering in front of goal both at club and international level.

“It’s been a tough patch, but I feel confident in the way I’m playing,” he insisted.

“I feel good and I’m creating chances. So I just have to stay positive and keep going. But yeah, I have to be more clinical in those moments.”

Pulisic hopes that the old adage about goals being like a bottle of ketchup, once the blockage is over and the flow starts, it doesn’t stop, will be true in his case.

All he needs is that little bit of luck that every striker requires at a certain point in their careers.

“I know a ball will hit off my knee and go in, and then things will change. So I’m not going to panic – better now than the summer. Things are going to change.”

He has nonetheless got 10 goals and three assists in 27 official matches for Milan this season, but they all came before New Year’s Day.

Pulisic hasn’t found the net in Serie A since the 3-0 victory over Hellas Verona on December 28.

Carlos Augusto is pushing for more playing time, so could reportedly leave Inter for another Serie A adventure with Roma or Juventus.

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The 27-year-old is a Joker in the pack for Cristian Chivu, able to play in a variety of roles in a back three or on the left wing.

His current contract runs to June 2028 and he was purchased from Monza in 2024 for €13.25m.

Carlos Augusto appreciated within Serie A

So far this season, Carlos Augusto has amassed 37 competitive appearances, with two goals and two assists, but only 20 of them were in the starting XI.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, the Brazilian is frustrated at the lack of playing time and would be open to a situation with greater consistency.

Juventus had already been mentioned in recent weeks, but Roma are emerging as very strong contenders for his signature.

This is because Gian Piero Gasperini’s style of football would be suited to his talents, and they are likely to lose Zeki Celik as a free agent at the end of the season, sending Kostas Tsimikas back to Liverpool too.

Inter are seeking a player they can include in an exchange to lower the cost of their bid for midfielder Manu Koné, so along with Davide Frattesi, Carlos Augusto could also be involved in that deal.

However, the Corriere dello Sport insists this would be a separate agreement, with Inter requesting €20m for the Brazilian.

Former Italy players Antonio Di Natale and Alberico Evani both encourage Gennaro Gattuso to start Francesco Pio Esposito in the World Cup play-off with Bosnia.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on Tuesday March 31 at 19.45 UK time.

Pio Esposito pushing for Italy start

There are likely to be changes from the side that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, the main one perhaps seeing Esposito preferred to Mateo Retegui.

“I would always put Pio Esposito in the starting XI,” former Udinese and Italy striker Di Natale told reporters at an event in Rome.

“The important thing is that Italy go back to the World Cup.”

The 20-year-old has flourished in the Inter senior squad this season with nine goals and six assists in 40 competitive games.

His Italy record is also impressive, finding the net three times in just six senior caps after being a stalwart for the Under-21 team.

“You can tell his potential and despite being very young, he is playing regularly for an important club like Inter without suffering from the pressure,” added Evani in Tuttosport and Tuttomercatoweb.

“He can become a player of the highest level.”

Italy faltered in the World Cup play-offs for 2018 and 2022, so Evani notes the biggest problem for coach Gattuso.

“The first opponent is time, because you just don’t have any. The players arrived on Sunday at the camp after club duty, so on Monday didn’t do any real training, and then had to play on Thursday.

“All you can do in that time is choose the players most suited to your ideas, but it’s not easy to unite results and entertainment. Talent makes the difference in those situations.”

Reports are growing that Milan and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Marcus Rashford if Barcelona don’t buy him outright from Manchester United.

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The 28-year-old is under contract with Manchester United until June 2028, but is on loan at Barcelona until the end of the season with a purchase option worth €30m.

He has revitalised his career with 10 goals and 13 assists in 39 competitive appearances for the Blaugrana, but that does not necessarily mean the club will make it a permanent move.

Rashford at a career crossroads

There are other alternatives if that doesn’t happen, as Mundo Deportivo in Spain and Caught Offside in England both point towards Milan and PSG.

The Rossoneri already have quite a few England internationals in their squad, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori.

They are also looking for a new striker, as Santiago Gimenez has disappointed, while Niclas Fullkrug probably won’t be purchased outright after his loan from West Ham United.

It is also not the first time that Rashford has been linked with a potential Serie A move to Milan.

There are concerns that Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo could be out for another month, as his injury is more serious than previously thought.

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The right-back has been out of action since suffering a knee injury on January 31 and was expected to return after the break for international duty.

Di Lorenzo missed by Napoli

However, Cronache di Napoli and Tuttomercatoweb both suggest that the recovery process is taking longer than previously believed.

He could be out of action until the end of April, forcing him to miss much of the remaining season with a Scudetto race in full swing.

Di Lorenzo has made 32 competitive appearances so far this term, contributing one goal and three assists for Antonio Conte’s side.

This isn’t the only concern for Napoli, who are also facing the rebellion of Romelu Lukaku, who is refusing to return from Belgium early after withdrawing from international duty.

Multiple reports suggest that if he is not back in Naples by Tuesday morning, the club will freeze him out as punishment.

Former Juventus coach Igor Tudor has officially left Tottenham Hotspur after just seven games in charge, meaning he has been dropped by two clubs in one season.

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The decision had been expected following one draw and four defeats in the Premier League, but was delayed by a week so that he could mourn the sudden death of his father.

Tottenham sack ex-Juventus boss Tudor

A formal statement on the Tottenham website confirms this was “mutually agreed” for him to leave, taking goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic and Physical Coach Riccardo Ragnacci with him.

He had only taken the job on February 14, overseeing one 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid, one draw and five losses in all competition.

Tudor had also been sacked by Juventus on October 27, the natural conclusion to a run of five draws and three consecutive defeats in all competition.

The Croatian spent most of his career in Italy, first as a player with Juventus and Siena from 1998 to 2007, then as a coach with experiences at Udinese, Verona, Lazio and Juve.

We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for Head Coach Igor Tudor to leave the Club with immediate effect.

Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of Goalkeeping Coach and Physical Coach.

We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their… pic.twitter.com/I6HUdLdewL

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 29, 2026

Former Bologna player Dan Ndoye is open to leaving Nottingham Forest for a return to Serie A for Inter or Napoli. ‘We’ll see what happens at the end of the season.’

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The Swiss international had made his mark with Bologna from 2023 to 2025, earning a €42m plus bonuses move to Nottingham Forest.

However, it didn’t quite go as planned, because although he has 34 competitive appearances for them this term, contributing two goals and two assists, his last Premier League start was in December.

Ndoye wants more playing time

“I am not getting many minutes at club level, but I proved for Switzerland that I have some quality,” Ndoye told RTS during international duty.

“When I get the opportunity to play, I always give my all.”

He also spoke to Sport Mediaset after scoring for Switzerland in a friendly against Germany, and was asked about the reported interest from Inter and Napoli.

“Right now I am focused only on Switzerland and Nottingham Forest, we’ll see what happens at the end of the season, because we don’t know what will happen in future.

“I made a choice to go to England, I’m pretty happy there, but we’ll see at the end of the season.”

If Italy get through the play-offs against Bosnia and Herzegovina, they will face Switzerland in the World Cup group stage.

“I have friends in the Italy side, like Calafiori and Cambiaghi. They are a great team, I watched the match against Northern Ireland.

“I have no preferences between Italy and Bosnia, but seeing Italy at the World Cup is always a positive,” concluded Ndoye.

Manuel Locatelli has become the target of criticism from some Juventus supporters on social media after going for dinner with a number of Inter first-team stars while away in camp with the Italy national team. 

Some Juventus fans angered by Locatelli dinner with Inter and Italy teammates

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in their World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on Thursday evening, and will now be tasked with an away match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night as they look to secure a place at the final 2026 tournament. 

The Azzurri players were given a night off on Friday, the day after the Northern Ireland victory, and a number of Gennaro Gattuso’s players were photographed having dinner together at the Ristorante Tullio near to Italy’s Coverciano training base in Florence. 

There were a core of Inter players in attendance: Pio Esposito, Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella and Alessandro Bastoni were photographed, along with Juventus captain Locatelli and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has been strongly linked with a move to join the Nerazzurri from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

However, the fact that Locatelli decided to sit down and agree to be photographed with a number of Inter players, Juventus’s fiercest rivals, has angered a number of Bianconeri supporters on social media. 

Tensions between the two clubs have been particularly intense over the last two months following the fiery Derby d’Italia between the two sides in February, when Alessandro Bastoni escaped punishment for diving, and instead passionately celebrated the incorrect decision to send off Juve’s Pierre Kalulu. 

One supporter on X wrote: “Today’s Juventus perfectly represented by its captain. After tough seasons, he was regaining his place in the hearts of the fans. Then, you see him in a photo with ‘those’ guys who took you for a ride just one month ago.” 

“What sort of a captain,” one supporter questioned. Another wrote: “And this is the captain of Juventus FC. Get out of here you piece of human s***.”

Another Juventus supporter labelled Locatelli’s association with the Inter players as a “crime of friendship.”

Unsurprisingly, some Inter supporters have taken the opportunity to goad some of their rival supporters, with comments such as “the worst player in the world surrounded by the strongest,” or, more kindly “Welcome to Inter 2026-27, Locatelli.” 

Not all Juventus supporters agree on the Locatelli photo, though. Some feel that the suggestion that their captain is some sort of ‘traitor’ because he went for dinner with some of his international teammates is ridiculous. 

“You know that supporters like you are the reason why we haven’t won anything for years,” one fan replied to one of the aforementioned posts.

“It’s difficult to find a stupider post than this one, but there you have it. Another example of how part of the Juventus fanbase has sunk even lower in these recent years without victories,” another added. 

“Next time they’re in camp, he’ll only talk to Cambiaso and Gatti to improve the vibe in the dressing room. Poor Kean, though, he’ll end up talking to the walls given that he doesn’t have any teammates from Fiorentina,” an Inter fan jokingly suggested.

If Inter do sell Alessandro Bastoni to Barcelona, then their primary target to replace him is reportedly Arsenal and Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori, with a price-tag mentioned.

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Multiple sources in Spain and Italy have confirmed that Bastoni is the first choice for Barcelona to reinforce their defence over the summer, and it will require circa €80m to prise him away from San Siro.

It could include a player in part-exchange, making it more likely to go through.

Calafiori candidate for Inter defence

Inter are therefore forced to consider replacing the core of their back three, and L’Interista maintain the ideal option is Calafiori.

He turns 24 in May and is an Italy international just like Bastoni, who similarly holds a hybrid role between centre-back and left-back.

Arsenal paid €43.7m plus up to €5m in bonuses to sign Calafiori from Bologna in the summer of 2024, but injury problems and strong competition has seen him make only 29 competitive appearances this season, with just 22 from the start.

According to this report, Arsenal would be prepared to sell the Italian for €50m, so still making a small profit.

Inter would also encourage Calafiori to play in the role he feels most comfortable in rather than as a pure left-back.

This is a very ambitious idea for the Nerazzurri, who generally try to keep costs low, but Bastoni’s sale would generate a huge profit.

Lorenzo Pellegrini will be a free agent from June 30, but there are reports he could agree a new Roma deal with a massive pay cut.

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The midfielder turns 30 in June, just a couple of weeks before his contract is due to expire and he’ll be free to choose his next destination.

Pellegrini spent a lifetime at Roma

It would be a wrench for him to leave the Stadio Olimpico, as he spent practically his entire career in the Giallorossi jersey, from their youth academy to wearing the captain’s armband, save for a spell at Sassuolo from 2015 to 2017.

Despite not initially being part of new coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s plans, Pellegrini managed to make 31 competitive appearances this season, scoring six goals with four assists.

According to Retesport, Pellegrini has not lost hope of a new contract with Roma, although it would require a significant cut from his current salary of €4.5m per season plus €2m in bonuses.

If he was to stay, then those wages would be cut down to at most €2.5m per season.

The player does have other alternatives, as Juventus and Inter have both been linked with a swoop for the free agent.

Lazio President Claudio Lotito has reportedly frozen all decisions on new contracts and the future of coach Maurizio Sarri until June.

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The next couple of months will decide what the budget and plans will be for the Biancocelesti, as their best hope for qualifying for a UEFA competition is via the Coppa Italia.

The first leg of the semi-final against Atalanta ended 2-2, while they are on impressive Serie A form to climb back up the table with three consecutive victories.

Lazio tension behind the scenes

However, the problems remain off the field, where Sarri never misses an opportunity to warn he only remained for the fans after being surprised with a transfer embargo in the summer.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Lotito is pulling the purse strings tight again, refusing to even discuss new contracts with the players whose deals expire in June 2027.

That includes Alessio Romagnoli, Mario Gila, Matteo Cancellieri, Danilo Cataldi, Luca Pellegrini, Manuel Lazzari, Ivan Provedel, Patric and Samuel Gigot.

There are also three who will be free agents this summer, and of those only Toma Basic has a chance of potentially agreeing an extension.

Pedro and Elseid Hysaj are all set to leave.

Meanwhile, the fans had suspended their protest for the showdown with Milan, with coach Sarri and the players assuring they played a big part in that 1-0 win.

It was only a one-off, because the boycott of the Stadio Olimpico will resume for the next Serie A home fixture with Parma on Saturday April 4.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, only 1,000 tickets have been sold and not many more are expected in the stadium.

Federico Gatti says that Italy have to block out distractions, keep the talking to a minimum and focus on themselves heading into Tuesday evening’s crucial World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina: ‘We will play for the nation’. 

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Italy are two days away from their decisive World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will determine whether the national team qualifies for the final tournament or misses out for the third cycle in a row. 

The Azzurri have not qualified for the World Cup since 2014 and have not played in a knock-out game at the tournament since beating France in the final to win the whole thing back in 2006. 

Gennaro Gattuso’s side finished second in their qualifying group behind Norway, which condemned them to the play-offs for the third time in a row. They have since beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo, while Bosnia beat Wales on penalties to set up Tuesday’s play-off final tie. 

“The most important thing was to win and to get through to the final. Now we’ll give everything in this match, on the pitch or off it, we’re preparing as best as we can,” said Gatti in an interview with Rai Sport ahead of Tuesday’s play-off decider (via TMW). 

Gatti on Italy pressure, Bosnia hostility and Dzeko challenge

Italy got the job done with second half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean against Northern Ireland, but the first half did not make for particularly comfortable viewing for Azzurri supporters. Many have suggested that the ‘ghosts’ of their previous play-off semi-final defeat against North Macedonia in 2022 was starting to creep into some of the players’ minds. 

“I didn’t experience them personally, but there was and still is a certain atmosphere, the weight of a country on your shoulders,” Gatti said. “But we also need some lightness. We play a lot, but we have to approach this as best as possible without wasting too much energy in the days before.

“Now we’ve got a fundamental match coming up and we need to find all the possible energy to put into it. I’m sure that there will be that spirit of wanting to die for our teammates, and with that, we’ll always get results. 

“Things will speak for themselves on the pitch, it will be a very tough game. I’ve never played in Bosnia before, but they tell me that the pitch is small, the fans are intense, it will be a real man’s challenge.” 

Gatti believes that the Italy team is in the right hands with Gennaro Gattuso in charge: “The coach has brought sparkle and energy. The results help to bring the group together. It has to be a journey.” 

Gatti is well aware that Italy will be met by a hostile atmosphere when they travel to Zenica: “Yes, but we have to focus on ourselves,” he said. 

“I don’t like to talk before games, nowadays everyone is able to judge for themselves. This is a match that could change our future. We have to look at it from that perspective and that’s it. Let’s leave the talking to others.” 

And on the conditions that awaits the Italy players in Bosnia, he said:  “I’ve played on worse pitches. I don’t know what the conditions will be like, but we have to be ready for anything. The match is so important and what will be will be, but we have to give it 110%.” 

Lastly, Gatti was asked about the prospect of a challenge with the legendary Edin Dzeko on Tuesday night. 

“I played against him at Juventus in his first year at Inter,” he said. “He’s a very strong striker, his career speaks for itself. We will look for the energy we need to bring home a result that could change all of our futures, and we will play for the nation.” 

Roma are increasingly concerned that the injury Wesley sustained on international duty with Brazil could be serious, while Zeki Celik’s condition is more reassuring.

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The Giallorossi were already struggling with an injury crisis going into the break for international duty, but with a huge game against leaders Inter coming up, the situation has deteriorated further.

Roma crisis intensifies with Wesley blow

Wesley had started in Brazil’s friendly defeat to France, but was sent home early with a muscular injury in his right thigh.

More tests are required for a clearer picture, but the Corriere dello Sport warns the wing-back will certainly miss the Inter clash, and could be out for a while longer too.

There are reports of a lesion to the thigh muscle, which would mean several weeks on the treatment table.

It’d be particularly poor timing, because Wesley risks missing Roma’s big matches against Atalanta and Bologna, which could be decisive for Champions League qualification.

Meanwhile, Celik pulled out of Turkiye’s match against Romania, but tests showed no lesions, so he is already back in training ahead of the World Cup play-off final with Kosovo.

Transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano reassures that Scott McTominay is totally focused on Napoli, despite rumours he was talking to Saudi Pro League clubs.

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The midfielder has already become a legend since joining the club in the summer of 2024 from Manchester United, winning the Serie A title and Supercoppa Italiana.

He has continued that extraordinary form this season, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in 36 competitive games.

Napoli only priority for McTominay

McTominay’s current contract runs to June 2028, so there were rumours circulating of interest from Premier League sides, including a potential return to Manchester United, as well as the Saudi Pro League.

However, transfer pundit Romano points out there are no discussions currently taking place with the Saudi teams, and his “focus remains on Napoli.”

The Scotland international turned 29 in December and is preparing for the World Cup this summer in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

In a concerning update for Milan, France national team head coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Adrien Rabiot will not feature against Colombia on Sunday evening after missing training with a knee issue. 

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Rabiot to miss France friendly with knock to knee

Rabiot was named as a starter for France’s 2-1 victory over Brazil in an international friendly on Thursday evening, but will not feature when Les Bleues take on Colombia at 20.00 BST on Sunday. 

Deschamps has confirmed that Rabiot has suffered a knock to his knee in training and that he was not involved in his national side’s final session ahead of the Colombia friendly on Sunday evening. 

“As a precaution, Rabiot didn’t participate in training because he suffered a blow to his knee,” Deschamps confirmed. 

According to Calciomercato.com, Rabiot’s absence from the France squad is on precautionary grounds, however, this was also the case when he came back from international duty with a calf problem in October. 

Rabot started and scored in France’s first game of the international break in October, but then missed the second on precautionary grounds due to a problem with his calf. However, once he returned to Milan, he then went on to miss five league fixtures as a result of the calf issue. 

It remains to be seen whether the 30-year-old will be forced to miss any action at club level as a result of the latest knock to his knee.

1982 World Cup winner and former CT Dino Zoff is one of the latest stars to condemn the viral video clip that showed a handful of Italy players celebrating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s penalty shoot-out victory against Wales in their World Cup play-off semi-final, but says that he is ‘optimistic’ that the Azzurri will still qualify for the final tournament. 

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Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo in Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final, while Bosnia defeated Wales after a penalty shoot-out in Cardiff just over half an hour later. 

As Italy got the job done in regular time, the players were already back inside and watching along on screens as Kerim Alajbegovic converted the winning spot kick at the Cardiff City stadium. 

Footage of the Italy players’ reactions, focusing on Federico Dimarco, Guglielmo Vicario and Pio Esposito, were shown on Rai’s live TV broadcast in Italy and the clip has since been shared thousands of times on social media. 

Dimarco and Vicario were seen pumping their fists and patting each other on the backs as Bosnia eliminated Wales, and while their exact motivation remains unclear, there were accusations of ‘disrespect’ and ‘arrogance’ and concerns that the footage has only served as an additional bit of motivation for the Bosnia squad heading into Tuesday’s play-off final. 

Dimarco has since come out in a press conference and has insisted that he meant no disrespect by his actions, and claimed that he and his teammates can’t be arrogant given that Italy haven’t qualified for the World Cup for 12 years. 

• Read more: Dimarco unwise to celebrate, but televising incident only harms Italy

Zoff on Italy’s celebration video and chances of qualifying for the World Cup

“I’m optimistic: Italy will get to the World Cup,” said legendary former Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Zoff in an interview with Il Giornale. “It was important to win against Northern Ireland. Two goals were enough, even if they didn’t shine.” 

Zoff was asked for his opinions on the now infamous clip of Dimarco and Vicario celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory. 

He said: “It’s an attitude that I didn’t like. It wasn’t a positive given that it will fire up the opponents even more ahead of the challenge against us. I would have behaved differently.” 

Zoff went on to express his excitement at the qualities that Inter forward Pio Esposito has to offer. 

“I like him a lot. He has great potential and could play for the national team for many years. He’s impressed me a lot, not only from a technical point of view, but from every angle. Pio’s a strong player and his behaviour on the pitch is already very mature as well, despite his age.”

But, there is another striker that Zoff thinks will score the goal that takes Italy to the World Cup. 

“I’d say Kean. I thought he did very well against Northern Ireland and scored a very good goal.”

Matteo Politano insists that Italy ‘deserve’ to get to the 2026 World Cup but says that he and his teammates have to prove their worth on the pitch first, and has emplored supporters to ‘stay with’ the national team and to cheer them on through their final challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night. 

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Politano previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy World Cup play-off final

Italy is the highest-ranked nation in the world not to have a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped up. They finished second behind Norway in their qualification group, which condemned them to the play-offs for the third tournament cycle in a row. 

Since then, Italy have beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo in order to qualify for Tuesday’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who beat Wales on penalties in Cardiff on Thursday night to complete the tie. This match will be played in Zenica on Tuesday evening at 19.45 BST.

“The guys are focussed, we’re happy after achieving this first goal, now we have a couple of days to recover our strength and prepare as best as we can for this battle,” said Politano in an interview with Vivo Azzurro TV (via TMW). 

Italy looked a touch nervous during their first half against Northern Ireland on Thursday evening, but the pressure seemed to lift the second that Sandro Tonali’s second-half strike hit the back of the net. 

“It was essential for us to free ourselves from the weight we had on us during that game,” the Napoli winger said. “There was fear and we saw some ghosts in the first half. But we broke the deadlock after we scored, we did it the right way.” 

He continued: “We’re doing well. We’re calm even though we’re aware of what we’re playing for. Especially for me and some of the others who are no longer young guys, it’s the last opportunity we have and we’re particularly keen to take advantage of it.” 

Tuesday’s opponents, Bosnia, have a core of Serie A-experienced players at their disposal including the likes of Edin Dzeko, Sead Kolasinac and Tariq Muharemovic. 

“It has a bit of an effect,” Politano admitted. “Someone like Dzeko is experienced but we have to focus on ourselves and our game more than on the opponent.” 

Politano was asked what he thinks Italy need to do in order to overcome Bosnia on Tuesday night. He said: “To start strong from the first minute, without being affected by the opponent or the environment. We have to think about giving our best and do our talking on the pitch.” 

The current Italy squad is led by Politano’s former Napoli head coach, Gennaro Gattuso. 

“Rino cares a lot about the group and the fact that we all have to be heading in the same direction, that everyone thinks in the same, healthy way. He’s a motivator and asks the best from everyone in training and in matches. I think he’s even more fired up than he was at Napoli.” 

And on the pressure that is on the national team’s shoulders heading into Tuesday’s play-off final, Politano said: “We’ve had it for a couple of months. We deserve to go to the World Cup, but we have to prove it on the pitch by giving 100%. I’m sure that we will succeed.” 

And when asked if he has a final message for the Italy national team supporters ahead of the crucial play-off final, Politano said: “To stay with us, we will give our best. Cheer us and push us on.” 

Sunday’s reports claim that at least seven Juventus players will be put up for sale during the upcoming summer transfer window, including three signings that were brought in at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign. 

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Which players are expected to leave Juventus this summer?

The Bianconeri still have a long way to go in Serie A this season, sitting in fifth place, three points behind Como in the top four positions. The Old Lady have eight games remaining to secure their goal of Champions League qualification.

Juventus also have plenty of work to do behind the scenes, including arranging new contracts for head coach Luciano Spalletti and for striker Dusan Vlahovic, whose hefty €12m-per-season contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

As well as looking at potential incomings, Juventus are also hoping to sell a number of first-team players during the off-season after a somewhat underwhelming season. 

The goalkeeping department is an area that the Bianconeri will look to address this summer after a series of unconvincing performances from Michele Di Gregorio, who will almost certainly be sold if an appropriate offer comes in. As per Corriere dello Sport, the former Monza stopper is more likely to be moved on than Mattia Perin, but his long-term future in Turin is not exactly guaranteed either. 

Centre-forward is the other area of the Juventus side that is due a complete overhaul. Summer signings Jonathan David and Lois Openda have not lived up to expectations and it seems like their careers at the Allianz Arena are already over. 

The sale of David is less likely to cause an issue for the Old Lady. Recent reports claim that he has suitors back in Ligue 1, and recouping a fee for the Canada international should be less of an issue given that he arrived on a free transfer last summer. 

The situation surrounding Openda is more complicated, however, as Juventus signed him on loan with a €42m obligation to buy last summer, and finding a new buyer at those prices after a disappointing 2025-26 season will be a tough task. 

Elsewhere, full-back Joao Mario, currently on loan with Bologna, is expected to leave the club this summer. Reports from Corriere dello Sport claim that Juventus will also sell Italy international Andrea Cambiaso should an enticing offer come in. 

Filip Kostic’s contract is expiring and he will also be allowed to leave on a free transfer once the current season comes to an end. 

Lastly, Corriere dello Sport claims that Juventus will entertain offers for a third summer signing in Edon Zhegrova, who has struggled to put injury and fitness issues behind him during his first season in Serie A. Sunday’s report claims that there is interest in him in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.

Antonio Conte has taken a fine but has avoided any form of suspension after the controversial comments he made towards referee Gianluca Manganiello during Napoli’s Coppa Italia exit at the hands of Como in February. 

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Conte escapes suspension after calling referee a d***head

Napoli were eliminated on penalties after a 1-1 Coppa Italia quarter-final draw against Como last month in a game that saw Conte lose his head towards fourth official Giovanni Ayroldi after a series of decisions that he thought to be errors from referee Manganiello. 

The Partenopei head coach was left enraged after a foul on Rasmus Hojlund by Como centre-back Jacobo Ramon, which he felt warranted a VAR check at the very least. The Spaniard made a similar challenge again towards the end of the first half, but escaped a booking.

Conte was caught on camera calling referee Manganiello a ‘d***head’ in a heated confrontation with fourth official Ayroldi, and also claimed that the official ‘does it on purpose with me’. 

The coach’s comments led to an investigation from FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Chinè, and according to article 36 of the sporting code of justice, Conte was at risk of a minimum four-match suspension as a result of the ‘abuse’ that he gave the officials. 

According to Corriere dello Sport, Conte was questioned in a private interrogation with the prosecutor’s office a few days after the Napoli vs. Como match took place. 

Given Conte’s co-operation with the investigation, his legal representative has been able to reach an agreement with the authorities that will see him handed a €6,000 fine instead of any matchday suspensions.

In a worryingly bad omen for the Italy national team, the same referee that took charge of the infamous 2022 World Cup play-off semi-final defeat against North Macedonia will be tasked with officiating Tuesday’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

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Why is the refereeing appointment for Bosnia play-off not a good sign for Italy?

Clement Turpin has been chosen as the referee for Italy’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which kicks off at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening. Turpin will be joined by assistants Nicolas Dagos and Benjamin Pages and fourth official Jose Maria Sanchez from Spain. Jerom Brisard and Willy Delajod will be the Video Assistant Referees. 

Alarmingly for the Azzurri, Turpin was also chosen as the referee for the infamous 1-0 loss against North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup play-off semi-final, which cost Roberto Mancini and his players, who were the reigning European champions at the time, a spot at the final tournament later that year. 

That game ended in heartbreak for Italy, as former Palermo striker Alesandar Trajkovski netted in the 92nd minute to prevent the Azzurri from qualifying for the World Cup for the second cycle in a row. 

Italy have not qualified for the final World Cup tournament for 12 years now, dating back to the 2014 tournament in Brazil. They have not featured in a knock-out game at the World Cup in 20 years, since beating France in the final to claim the trophy back in 2006. 

This time around, Gennaro Gattuso and his squad will have to travel to a currently frozen-over Zenica to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina for a spot at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. 

The Nazional finished second behind Norway in their World Cup qualifying group, which condemned them to the play-offs for the third tournament cycle in a row. They have since beaten Northern Ireland by two goals to nil thanks to second-half strikes from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in Thursday’s evening’s play-off semi-final in Bergamo. 

Bosnia, meanwhile, eliminated Wales on penalties in Cardiff in order to qualify.

An almost entirely French officiating team led by referee Clement Turpin will take charge of the upcoming World Cup play-off final between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy coming up on Tuesday evening. 

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The Azzurri will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening for a spot at the final 2026 World Cup tournament. 

Gennaro Gattuso’s side beat Northern Ireland 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in order to qualify, while Bosnia and Herzegovina required penalties to get past Wales in Cardiff on Thursday night. 

Referees appointed for Italy’s World Cup play-off final 

43-year-old Turpin will be the man with the whistle for Italy’s World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Turpin will be joined by assistant referees Nicolas Dagos and Benjamin Pages, also from France, plus fourth official Jose Maria Sanchez from Spain. Frenchmen Jerom Brisard and Willy Delajod will assist from the VAR booth. 

In a slightly alarming precedent for Italy, Turpin was also the referee for their infamous 1-0 loss against North Macedonia during the World Cup play-off semi-final in 2022, which cost the Azzurri their place at the final tournament later that year. 

The North Macedonia match was one of five previous Italy matches that Turpin has been involved in. He also took charge of a 3-0 win against Uruguay in a 2017 friendly, a 2-0 win over Poland in the Nations League in 2020, a 3-1 loss against England in qualification for EURO 2024, and the 3-0 win over Israel in World Cup qualifying earlier this season. 

Turpin has refereed 12 matches in Ligue 1 so far this season, plus six in the Champions League, two in Champions League qualification, 2 in the UAE Pro League, one in the Saudi Pro League and one in the Coupe De France. 

Napoli’s 3-2 Champions League defeat against Chelsea is Turpin’s only match involving an Italian side so far this season.

Alessandro Bastoni continues to be linked with a potential summer transfer to Barcelona, and the latest reports in Italy claim that Inter will target a replacement already playing in Serie A if the Italy international does decide to leave in the coming months. 

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According to recent reports in both Italy and Spain, Barcelona are becoming increasingly keen on the idea of signing Bastoni from Inter this summer. 

The Nerazzurri star won’t come cheaply, though, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that it will take an offer in the region of €80m, or at least €70m with significant bonuses in order to convince Beppe Marotta’s side into selling. 

Negotiations are not formally underway just yet, but the latest reports in Spain claim that Bastoni is Barca’s ‘top target’ ahead of the 2026-27 campaign and that the Italy stay is open to a move to Camp Nou. 

Who could Inter sign if Bastoni leaves for Barcelona?

Sunday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Lazio’s Mario Gila would be Inter’s top target to replace Bastoni should he leave this coming transfer window. 

Gila, 25, already has 113 appearances from his time in Italy in Lazio and has 83 outings in Serie A to his name. The Spaniard is also of interest to Inter’s city rivals Milan, given the connection between the player and former Lazio director Igli Tare, who currently serves as the sporting director for the Rossoneri. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport warns that it will not be easy to negotiate with the Biancocelesti, even though Gila will be heading into the final year of his contract this summer, expiring in 2027. 

Other options for the Nerazzurri reportedly include Sassuolo’s Tariq Muharemovic, Udinese’s Oumar Solet and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez, all of whom are expected to be worth around €20m-€30m.

Italy are preparing to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final on Tuesday evening, but aside from the threats posed by Edin Dzeko, his teammates, and the viral video clip of Federico Dimarco mid-celebration, the weather could also now come into play. 

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Three issues facing Italy ahead of World Cup play-off final

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo in Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, which set up a final date with Bosnia and Herzegovina, who beat Wales on penalties in Cardiff. 

It took just a matter of minutes after Thursday’s semi-finals came to an end for controversy to cloud over the Italy national team, when Rai decided to broadcast a video of Dimarco and a handful of his colleagues celebrating Bosnia’s penalty shoot-out victory over Wales. 

• Read more: Dimarco unwise to celebrate, but televising incident only harms Italy

The video has caused mixed reactions, many negative, particularly in Bosnia, for whom the clip has only served as additional motivation heading into Tuesday’s play-off final. 

Dimarco has since come out and insisted that he was filmed in a private setting, did not mean to cause any disrespect and has hushed claims that he and his teammates were arrogant by pointing to the fact that Italy have not qualified for the World Cup for the last 12 years. 

Of course, it would be a sign of disrespect in itself to suggest that the now infamous video clip is the only threat posed against Italy heading into Tuesday’s World Cup decider.

Bosnia have qualified by attaining a similar set of results to Italy over the World Cup qualifying campaign and have players of their own that can threaten the Azzurri, from the legendary Dzeko to the Serie A-accustomed Tariq Muharmovic and Sead Kolasinac, to the exciting talent of Kerim Alajbegovic. 

And now, according to the latest updates, the weather in a freezing Zenica, where rain and snow continues to fall, is the latest issue heading into the World Cup play-off final. 

According to meridiansport.ba, heaters are being used on the pitch for the first ever time in Bosnia in an attempt to clear the snow and ice from the pitch in time for the play-off decider, which kicks off at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Mission no.1s 

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Jannik: Final against Lehecka (20.00). If he wins in Miami and then in Monte Carlo, he will become the king of tennis again 

I’ll take you to the World Cup 

Gattuso growls and does it for Italy 

The CT between a desire to remain unchanged and the Cristante and Pio options. His dad: ‘My Rino is loved by the country’ 

Bosnia-Italy: Play-off final on Tuesday

Dimarco and that video: ‘No arrogance, we haven’t qualified for 12 years’

Bastoni leaving? There’s Gila 

Wanted by Barca. Inter, battle with Milan for the Laziale

Corriere dello Sport 

We believe in Pio 

World Cup at stake in a freezing Zenica: Esposito temptation

A battle with Retegui: Gattuso thinks about it. Dimarco: ‘The celebration after Bosnia beat Wales on penalties? No lack of respect towards Dzeko’s national side. But Alajbegovic warns the Azzurri: ‘It will be a brutal match’

Rain and snow | Play-off final in Bosnia on Tuesday evening: The challenges for Italy are Dzeko, an 8,000-capacity stadium and the climate 

Conte admits and pays: He won’t be suspended 

Fine of €6,000 after the insults to Manganiello 

The Napoli coach, with the help of lawyer Grassani, has reached an agreement that avoids further sanction. He was at risk of missing four games 

Roma look for Carlos Augusto 

Ausilio works on Kone: Massara wants the Brazilian 

Bastoni, Barca get to work 

Laporta’s club contacts the agent: Inter don’t make any discounts 

Juve study Bernardo Silva 

The Portuguese to leave on a free: Serie A is an idea 

Milan wait for Modric’s signature 

Contract expiring, but Luka is at the centre of Allegri’s plans 

Tuttosport

Bosnia raise the tension

Italy, World Cup decider in Zenica on Tuesday

Our rivals ride off the good-for-nothing video of certain Azzurri players celebrating their beating Wales on penalties. Dimarco: ‘It was a private moment, it’s disrespectful. Us arrogant? But we haven’t qualified for 12 years’. Here’s how Muharemovic awaits them: ‘We fear only God, let us feast on the Italians’. Snow in Bosnia, finishing in Coverciano

With Spalletti, the market is easier 

The Super agent d’Amico and his Juve future 

‘Now with Luciano here, the players know where they’re going and why. His renewal is not just a signing, it’s a signal. All offers will be listened to, apart from for Yildiz’. From Alisson to Rudiger, Kolo to Silva, the effects of the coach’s renewal

Toro, the dossier of the sale 

A trail opens up in the USA: A report about the Bank of America is circulating

The rumour from Sole 24 Ore is shaking up more than just the Torino world. The second-largest banking giant in the USA is implicated, and is said to have begun pitching the ‘Torino deal’ to potential investors

Milan have moved quickly to secure one of the Balkans’ most promising young forwards, with Partizan teenager Andrej Kostic set to undergo his medical on Friday ahead of completing a permanent move to the club.

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The 2007-born Montenegrin will join at the end of the current season for a fee of around €3 million, according to TMW, and will initially be integrated into Milan Futuro, the club’s reserve team setup, as part of a carefully planned development pathway.

Milan have been tracking Kostic for several months and decided to act now to beat rival clubs to his signature.

Kostic next in Milan hunt for younger talent

The move reflects the club’s broader strategy of identifying and securing young talent from emerging markets before competition drives up prices, with the forward considered one of the most exciting prospects currently playing in the region.

The intention is to nurture Kostic gradually through Milan’s system, with the long-term aim of eventually integrating him into the first-team setup.

At just 19, he has plenty of time on his side, and the club are in no rush to accelerate his development beyond what is appropriate for his age.

It is a measured but forward-thinking piece of business from sporting director Igli Tare, low risk, high potential, and exactly the kind of deal that can pay significant dividends further down the line.

Former Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has expressed concern about the mental state of Gennaro Gattuso’s squad ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup playoff final against Bosnia, calling on the players to approach the match with freedom rather than anxiety.

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Speaking to Sky Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Montolivo pointed to Italy’s nervy start against Northern Ireland as a warning sign.

“I am a little concerned about the morale of our players,” he said.

“The team must not start as tense as they did against Northern Ireland, they need to be loose. That is the key issue, and we are also playing away from home. The manager will have to work on the players’ mindset.”

Montolivo: ‘I’d like to see Pio Esposito start for Italy’

On potential selection changes, Montolivo backed Pio Esposito for a starting role.

“I would like to see him from the first minute,” he said, though he acknowledged the value of an impact substitute, noting that those who come off the bench are often more decisive than those who start.

In midfield, Montolivo saw no reason to change personnel, defending Manuel Locatelli despite some early difficulties in the Northern Ireland match.

“He is having an excellent season and deserves his place in the national team,” he said.

“The other night he had some early difficulties but it was purely a tactical issue to adjust, nothing more.” He suggested any tweaks should be positional rather than involving personnel changes.

Tuesday’s World Cup playoff final against Bosnia in Zenica carries enormous consequences beyond the pitch, with prominent journalist Giancarlo Padovan warning that a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup could trigger a complete overhaul of the FIGC’s senior leadership.

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Speaking on Radio Radio, via CalcioMercato, Padovan was unequivocal.

“I think that if Italy fail to qualify for the World Cup, the federation would be placed under external administration for a year with the current leadership wiped out,” he said.

FIGC boss Gravina in trouble if Italy miss out on World Cup

FIGC president Gabriele Gravina is the most prominent figure under threat.

Despite overseeing back-to-back World Cup absences, he was re-elected recently, running unopposed, and has so far survived significant pressure to step down.

A third consecutive failure to reach the tournament would make his position almost certainly untenable, according to Padovan, with other senior officials around him also at risk.

Italy face Bosnia knowing that only a victory will secure their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Gennaro Gattuso’s side won their semi-final against Northern Ireland and now stand one match away from ending a painful absence from the global stage.

Defeat, however, would set in motion what Padovan describes as a fundamental reset of Italian football’s governing structures.

Mario Giuffredi, one of Italian football’s most prominent agents, has spoken at length about several of his clients ahead of Italy’s World Cup playoff final against Bosnia, touching on Pio Esposito’s potential starting role, Matteo Politano’s remarkable evolution and Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s injury timeline.

On the question of whether Pio Esposito should start in Bosnia, Giuffredi was careful not to overstep, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Gattuso will know how to make the right choices for the good of the national team, he does not need advice from anyone,” he said. “Pio Esposito is a boy with great personality. If he is called upon from the first minute, he will approach this match the same way he approaches every game, with simplicity. That is one of his qualities.”

After Pio Esposito comments, Giuffredi talks Napoli contingent

Politano, who impressed alongside Tonali in the win over Northern Ireland, drew particularly enthusiastic praise from his agent.

“When he was at Inter he was not mentally ready for the sacrifice his current role demands,” Giuffredi said. “Now he is more predisposed, mature, and he has accepted playing as a complete wide midfielder. He and Tonali were the best players on the pitch against Northern Ireland. The longer time goes on, the stronger he becomes, which is unusual, because most players’ performances start to decline.”

Di Lorenzo will not travel to Bosnia, having already made a significant personal sacrifice to attend the Northern Ireland match in Bergamo while managing a serious injury.

“He left after his afternoon therapy sessions and returned to Naples at 6am the next day,” Giuffredi revealed. The agent expressed hope that his client could return to action in the final week of April.

On Antonio Vergara, another Napoli client who has broken into Conte’s plans this season, Giuffredi expressed frustration that injury had struck at precisely the wrong moment. “He could have received a national team call-up. The timing of the injury is particularly unfortunate.” A contract renewal is expected to be discussed at the end of the season.

Giuffredi also reserved special praise for Torino loanee Luca Marianucci, a former Napoli academy product. “I believe he will be part of Italy’s future,” he said firmly. “I have said the same about Hysaj, Mario Rui, Di Lorenzo and Politano over the years, and I have rarely been wrong about players from Napoli.”

Ardon Jashari has opened up on his settling-in period at Milan since arriving from Club Brugge in January, paying warm tribute to Massimiliano Allegri’s influence while outlining his personal ambitions at San Siro.

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The Swiss midfielder, who has been gradually integrating into Allegri’s squad since his winter move, was effusive in his praise for the Milan head coach in an interview with Il Foglio.

“He is a master for me, I try to learn as much as possible from him,” Jashari said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“He has great experience and speaks to me often. He tells me to get forward more, to play with intensity and to shoot when the opportunity arrives. He pushes me to improve even in training.”

Jashari: ‘I’m at Milan to win – for myself, the team and the fans’

The midfielder also acknowledged that his positional role has evolved significantly in recent years, suggesting Allegri’s guidance has been particularly valuable in helping him adapt.

His ambitions at the club are refreshingly straightforward.

“I am here to win, for myself, for the team, for the supporters,” he said. “I want to give my maximum every day, with enthusiasm and professionalism. I hope to wear this shirt for many more years.”

On the immediate priorities, Jashari was equally clear. Milan currently sit second in Serie A, six points behind Inter with eight games remaining, and the Swiss international knows what the minimum requirement looks like.

“We must think game by game, our objective is to return to the Champions League among the most important clubs in Europe,” he said. “We know we have to work hard, but that does not scare us.”

Manuel Akanji has delivered a confident and unambiguous message to Inter’s title rivals as the season enters its final stretch, insisting the Nerazzurri are focused solely on themselves and fear nobody in the race for both the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia.

The Swiss defender spoke to Sportmediaset, via CalcioMercato, following Switzerland’s thrilling 4-3 friendly defeat to Germany, a result that raised eyebrows despite the loss, but his mind is clearly already fixed on the decisive weeks ahead with Inter.

Cristian Chivu’s side sit six points clear at the top of Serie A with their nearest rivals closing in, and face a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Como at San Siro that could book their place in the final at the Stadio Olimpico.

Akanji: ‘Inter are not afraid of anyone’

Akanji was refreshingly direct when asked about the pressure of leading the title race.

“We are focused only on ourselves,” he said. “We don’t look at our opponents and above all we are not afraid of anyone, we just have to win our matches and if we do, we will be champions.”

He laughed as he delivered the line, but the conviction behind it was unmistakable.

On the Coppa Italia, Akanji was equally bullish.

“We want to win both competitions that remain, the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia,” he said. “In Serie A we are first with a six-point lead and we want to stay there until the end. The same goes for the cup. We have a home game against Como and we hope to win there too and lift the trophy.”

For a squad that has been dominant for much of the campaign, the confidence feels entirely earned. Whether it translates into silverware over the coming weeks remains to be seen, but Inter are clearly in no mood to let either prize slip from their grasp.

Milan are set to allow Niclas Fullkrug to return to West Ham at the end of the season, with the club already scouting for a replacement striker despite the German’s buyout clause sitting at just €5 million.

The striker joined on loan in January as an emergency measure with Milan’s attack badly depleted, but has failed to make the impact the club hoped for.

A foot injury has hampered his progress throughout, and a single goal in 14 appearances, covering just 429 minutes of football, has done little to change minds at senior level.

Milan unlikely to trigger Fullkrug option after disappointing loan

According to transfer journalist Matteo Moretto, via CalcioMercato, Milan viewed the deal as a straightforward loan from the outset, with the purchase option only ever intended to be triggered in the event of an exceptional contribution.

That contribution has not materialised, and despite the remarkably low buyout fee, unusually modest given Fullkrug’s contract with West Ham runs until June 2028, the club are not prepared to exercise it.

The Rossoneri have already instructed their scouting network to identify a striker with similar physical characteristics for the summer window.

As for Fullkrug himself, a return to London looks the most likely immediate outcome, though a move back to Germany, particularly if former club Schalke earn promotion to the Bundesliga, has not been ruled out as a longer-term possibility.

His brief spell in Serie A will be remembered as one that never truly got off the ground.

Juventus and Dusan Vlahovic are edging closer to a contract renewal, but a formal meeting between all parties has yet to take place, and one is needed before any deal can be signed.

According to CalcioMercato, Vlahovic’s father Milos visited his son in Turin this week, but the timing did not align for a summit with the club, with CEO Damien Comolli abroad on scouting trips and international engagements.

Contract discussions therefore remained within the family circle, with a fresh meeting between all parties now expected before Easter.

The broad parameters of a deal are already understood by both sides.

Juventus will not go beyond the salary structure agreed with Kenan Yildiz in his recent renewal, meaning Vlahovic would need to accept a reduction to €6-7 million net per season, roughly half his current earnings.

In return, his entourage are pushing for a substantial signing-on bonus to offset the pay cut.

Juventus willing to give Vlahovic three-year extension

On contract length, there is agreement, a maximum of three years, potentially with an option in the club’s favour, replacing the five-year deal originally signed.

Vlahovic himself is understood to be genuinely open to staying.

A candid conversation with Luciano Spalletti, who has assured the Serbian striker of his central role in the attack going forward, has been pivotal in shifting his thinking.

Meanwhile, reported approaches from Barcelona and Premier League clubs have never materialised into concrete offers, with only Milan maintaining a communication channel without ever submitting a real proposal.

That lack of genuine alternatives strengthens Juventus’ hand in negotiations and could prove decisive.

Securing Vlahovic’s renewal would also free up what is expected to be a limited summer transfer budget for reinforcements in other positions, a practical consideration that makes the deal as important strategically as it is sporting.

A potential crisis is brewing at Napoli after Romelu Lukaku failed to return to the club following the international break with Belgium, opening what La Gazzetta dello Sport describes as a growing rift between the Belgian striker and the club.

For those with long memories, the situation carries uncomfortable echoes of previous episodes in Lukaku’s turbulent career, and Gazzetta has drawn the comparison explicitly, via CalcioNapoli, highlighting a pattern of behaviour that has surfaced at multiple clubs over the years.

The most striking parallel is with his departure from Manchester United in 2019.

Lukaku had been so determined to join Antonio Conte’s Inter that he engineered a dramatic exit from Old Trafford, making no secret of his desire to work with the Salento-born coach whom he has long regarded as a father figure.

That partnership delivered the Serie A title in 2020-21, albeit in the eerie silence of stadiums emptied by the Covid pandemic.

Lukaku & Conte relationship tense at Napoli

Now, with Conte once again his manager, this time at Napoli, the relationship that has defined Lukaku’s career appears to be under strain for the first time.

The Belgian’s decision to remain isolated in his homeland rather than report back to the club is being interpreted as a significant signal, particularly given that transfer windows are approaching and Lukaku has historically timed his periods of withdrawal to coincide with contract uncertainty.

Gazzetta’s verdict is blunt, Lukaku is a player capable of forming intense bonds with clubs and managers before abruptly reversing course when new opportunities arise.

Whether Conte can smooth things over with one of his most trusted attacking weapons remains to be seen, but the situation is one Napoli will need to resolve quickly with the season entering its decisive phase.

According to Marca, Inter star Alessandro Bastoni is open to joining Barcelona in the summer, yet club-to-club negotiations have not begun.

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Bastoni’s green light to Barcelona move

Inter defender Bastoni is reportedly open to discussing a summer move to Barcelona, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

Bastoni is said to have already informed Barcelona that he’d consider a move to Camp Nou in 2026-27.

According to the report, even Inter are open to offers for their star defender, but Barcelona have not yet made a formal approach to the Serie A table leaders.

Bastoni has been linked with a summer move to Barcelona for several weeks. This past February, the Italian received praise from the Catalans’ defender, Pau Cubarsì, who described Bastoni as a “spectacular centre-back.”

Marca adds that Barcelona will be looking for a left-footed central defender who is dominant in the air for next season and that Bastoni is their primary target for 2026-27.

Inter, however, are unwilling to negotiate a sale for less than €70m.

Bastoni, 26, has proved his ability on both ends, scoring two goals and providing six assists in 35 appearances with Inter this season.

• More Inter transfers – Tottenham’s Vicario joins Inter and Juventus stars for Italy dinner amid transfer speculation

Italy players enjoyed an evening off on Friday, and Inter target Guglielmo Vicario, who has joined the national team despite a recent surgery, was spotted at dinner with four Nerazzurri stars.

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Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gave his players a Friday evening off after a day of training at Coverciano, the day after a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final.

As reported by Gazzetta, a group of Azzurri players, including Inter’s Federico Dimarco, Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni, and Francesco Pio Esposito, went out for dinner at a restaurant not too far from the Azzurri training centre.

Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli and Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario were also at the table and posed for photos with the restaurant owner, who later shared them on social media.

Several sources have been reporting for weeks that Vicario is Inter’s top goalkeeping target for next season, so his private dinner with some of the most influential Nerazzurri players has fuelled transfer speculation in Italy.

Tuttosport reported earlier this month that even Juventus had begun preliminary talks with the goalkeeper’s entourage.

Vicario recently underwent hernia surgery, so he’s not available for the World Cup play-off, but he still joined his teammates in Coverciano last week.

Italy players enjoy an evening out in Florence

Miralem Pjanic, a former Juventus and Roma star, says he doesn’t understand why Italy celebrated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s win over Wales: ‘They’ll need personality in Zenica.’

Ex-Serie A star Pjanic commented on Italy’s celebration of Bosnia’s victory against Wales in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

Pjanic: ‘I don’t understand’ Italy’s celebration

“I don’t understand why,” said the ex-midfielder.

“Bosnia is waiting for them with open arms,” he added, smiling.

“We’ll see how it ends, anyway. Italy is Italy, and we have the utmost respect, but who knows?

“They’ll have to be good at playing a game in a terrible environment. They’ll need personality to leave Zenica with a victory.”

Pjanic also spoke to Sky Sport Italia, warning the Azzurri that the atmosphere in his country will be far from friendly on Tuesday.

Italy secured a home 2-0 win over Northern Ireland on Thursday to qualify for the World Cup play-off Final, while Bosnia and Herzegovina needed penalties to beat Wales away.

Some Italian players, including Federico Dimarco, were caught on camera celebrating Bosnia’s victory, and the video has quickly gone viral on social media.

Dimarco explained his reaction at a press conference on Saturday, insisting that he was not arrogant and that it was “disrespectful” to show the Azzurri’s celebration on live TV.

Pjanic scored 42 goals in 281 Serie A appearances with Roma and Juventus.

He won four Serie A titles with the Bianconeri and retired last year.

The World Cup play-off Final between Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be played in Zenica on Tuesday, March 31 at 20:45 CET.

Italy have an allocation of 500 tickets for the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday.

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Sky Sport Italia reports that only 500 Italian fans will be allowed in the away sector at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday for the World Cup play-off Final between the Azzurri and the home side, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A draw determined the home side in December.

The stadium has a capacity of 15,600, which, however, has been reduced by 2,100 seats by FIFA following incidents during Bosnia’s most recent home match against Romania in November 2025.

The Bosnian Football Federation has already confirmed that all the tickets available for the Final against Italy were sold just a few hours after their victory on penalties against Wales in the semis on Thursday.

Date and time for World Cup play-off final

On the same day, Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

The World Cup play-off Final will be next Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT).

Kevin De Bruyne admits Romelu Lukaku is ‘not in a good situation’ but feels that whatever happens at Napoli ‘gets amplified.’

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Belgium star De Bruyne commented on the latest incident involving his compatriot and Napoli teammate Lukaku during a press conference on Saturday.

De Bruyne comments on Lukaku’s Napoli row

Lukaku has remained in Belgium without Napoli’s consent as he aims to train individually to regain full fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The Partenopei are furious with the 32-year-old and will freeze him out of the team if he fails to return to the club’s training centre by next Tuesday.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia sided with Lukaku and said he hopes the striker will get more playing time at Napoli after the break.

“There’s always a lot of noise around Napoli. If something happens, it gets amplified. I don’t know the details or what exactly happened,” De Bruyne added, via Gazzetta, while on Belgium international duty.

“But it’s not a good situation for Romelu. There was a long-lasting injury, and I just hope he returns as soon as possible.”

Lukaku is currently in Antwerp, training at the same clinic where De Bruyne was treated for a high-degree muscle injury over the last few months.

De Bruyne has recently returned to action for the Partenopei, while Lukaku has only made seven appearances across all competitions, playing barely 60 minutes and scoring one goal.

“Romelu and I followed a similar path after our injuries. I did a full rehabilitation [in Belgium], Romelu partially in Antwerp and partially in Naples,” concluded De Bruyne.

“When there are two different views, it’s hard to work together. There have been differences, and this is not ideal if you aim to get back in shape.”

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia sides with Romelu Lukaku, who has to follow a ‘specific program’ to get back in shape and hopes the 32-year-old will get ‘more playing time’ when he returns to Napoli.

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Belgium coach Garcia, a former Napoli tactician, appeared to back Lukaku despite the striker’s decision to cancel his return to Naples to train individually in Belgium during the break.

Belgium coach defends Lukaku after Napoli row

Lukaku broke the internal rules at Napoli and will be fined by the club. According to several sources, the Partenopei will even freeze him out of the team if he fails to return by next Tuesday.

Lukaku initially joined the Belgian national team during the March break, but was soon left out because of his poor form.

“Lukaku was not 100% fit, and he had to follow a specific program to recover,” Garcia explained at a press conference on Saturday, via Gazzetta.

“It’s normal for him to want to be at the top. When you are not, the mental aspect plays a significant role because there’s a fear of getting injured again. We understand him. Totti had the same injury, and we know it takes time to recover from something like that.”

Lukaku sustained a severe muscle injury during the pre-season and has played barely 60 minutes across all competitions this season, scoring one goal in seven appearances.

“I hope Lukaku can return to Napoli soon and get more playing time there,” continued Garcia.

“It’s important for the club and for us that he returns to full fitness as soon as possible. We must convince everyone that Romelu needs to do what he thinks is best to get in his best shape, physically and mentally.”

A former Napoli coach, Garcia, is not on good terms with President Aurelio De Laurentiis. Last year, the coach said he had enjoyed “everything” of his time at the club, except for the owner.

Read more – De Bruyne admits: ‘Not a good situation’ for Lukaku at Napoli

During his press conference at Coverciano today, Italy star Federico Dimarco said the Azzurri would mostly need ‘mental strength’ in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina next week.

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Dimarco met reporters at Coverciano on Saturday, three days before the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dimarco’s Italy press conference ahead of World Cup play-off Final

“We expect a fiery atmosphere and a team that has the same desire to qualify for the World Cup,” said the Inter defender via TMW.

“We need a bit of everything. We’ve been missing at the World Cup for too long, and we absolutely want to earn qualification because we deserve it.

“This is a group that has fun together. We must take it. We must be mentally strong. We know the environment, but if we stay in the game for the full 95 minutes, I believe we’ll take it home.”

When asked about the “best quality” the Azzurri will need to show in Zenica on Tuesday, Dimarco replied: “Mental strength. After a somewhat tense first half and Retegui’s missed opportunity, we didn’t get discouraged.

“One might have started seeing the ghosts, but instead, we stayed there; we scored the first goal and then killed it off with Moise. We remained focused for the whole 90 minutes.

“In the end, it’s the head that controls the legs; we know we’ll face a strong team,” he continued.

“They have a few players from our league, and we’ll have to be good in every aspect. They’ll attack strongly, and we’ll have to hit back.”

During his press conference, Dimarco explained his reaction to Bosnia’s win over Wales on Thursday, saying it was disrespectful to show it live on TV.

Dimarco also confirmed that he texted his former Inter teammate and Bosnia captain, Edin Dzeko, after the video went viral.

“He’s such a great person; you had to provide assists to him to make him happy,” Dimarco said.

“I also met him on holiday last summer, and I know him really well.”

Dimarco has contributed to 22 Inter goals in 38 appearances this season, and one of his Nerazzurri teammates, Francesco Pio Esposito, is tipped to start against Bosnia next week.

“I’m having a good season, but as I’ve always said, personal achievements count little. The results are what matter; otherwise, numbers are meaningless,” Dimarco concluded.

“Pio is in this group because he deserves it; but the coach decides whether he plays or not.

“He’s truly a special lad because, despite his age, he’s ahead mentally. It’s really hard to get angry with him because he always gives 100% in games and training sessions. This explains his growth in the last six or seven months. There is little advice to give him, because it’s useless to put more pressure on him.”

Dimarco, 28, has scored three goals in 37 appearances with the Italy national team, making his senior debut in June 2022.

Italy defender Federico Dimarco insists he respects Bosnia and Herzegovina and confirms he texted Edin Dzeko, but believes it was ‘disrespectful’ to show his celebration on TV.

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Dimarco made headlines following Italy’s win over Northern Ireland on Thursday as he and other Italy players were caught on camera while celebrating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s win on penalties against Wales.

The Azzurri had just beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 and were following the outcome of the penalty shootout in the other World Cup play-off semifinal on their phones.

Dimarco spoke for the first time about the incident during a press conference in Coveciano on Saturday: “I’m here, given that after the game against Northern Ireland, I was the protagonist of an incident. I respect every club and every country; it was an instinctive reaction,” the Inter star explained via TMW.

“I was simply watching the penalty shootout with my teammates. Dzeko also plays for Bosnia. I played with him for two years, and I texted him. He replied to me, and I’m happy to see him in the final.”

Dzeko is the Bosnia and Herzegovina captain, and his late goal against Wales on Thursday night forced the game to extra time and then penalties.

Two other Serie A players, Tarik Muharemovic of Sassuolo and Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta, are part of the Bosnia squad and are expected to start against Italy next Tuesday.

“I didn’t lack respect for Bosnia or the Bosnian people,” concluded Dimarco.

“It was said I was arrogant; with what right, since we haven’t been at the World Cup since 2014? How could I be arrogant? That said, I believe it was disrespectful to be filmed in a context where there were also friends, family, and children present.”

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma’s Manu Koné remains a top Inter target for next season, and the Nerazzurri could offer Davide Frattesi in a player-plus-cash swap deal.

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Inter will make a new attempt to sign Roma midfielder Koné next summer, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Inter’s new attempt for Koné next summer

The Serie A leaders already tempted the Giallorossi and the France international with a formal offer last summer, but the Roma owners blocked the midfielder’s exit.

According to Gazzetta, the Nerazzurri are determined to add physical strength to their midfield in 2026-27, so Koné remains very high on their summer agenda.

The Pink Paper claims that Inter would even be ready to invest up to €50m to sign the Frenchman, but one way to potentially reduce costs would be to include Italy international Frattesi in the deal.

Roma will face strong interest in Koné next summer, and the Giallorossi might be forced to sell one of their stars for financial reasons if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.

Frattesi has been struggling for playing time under Cristian Chivu this season, and he has already played in Roma’s youth sector from 2014 to 2017.

The Italian midfielder has provided only three assists in 29 appearances across all competitions with Inter this season, without scoring.

The capacity of Zenica’s Bilino Polje Stadium, the venue of the World Cup play-off Final between Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was reduced by 20% by a FIFA ruling this past January, so over 2,100 seats will be unavailable for the match against the Azzurri.

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Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina will meet in the World Cup play-off Final on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Why World Cup play-off Stadium final has limited capacity

The stadium chosen by the Bosnian federation is Bilino Polje in Zenica, with a capacity of 15,600. 

The World Cup play-off Final against Italy, however, will be played with fewer fans in the stands due to a FIFA decision dating back to this past January.

FIFA reported several incidents during the most recent Bosnia and Herzegovina home match against Romania on November 15, 2025, so the Bosnian federation received a fine and a warning, and was ordered to play the following home match with a reduced capacity.

FIFA reported “Team misconduct, discrimination and racist abuse, lighting of fireworks or any other objects causing a disturbance during national anthems and a lack of order or discipline in or around the stadium.”

The Bosnian federation confirmed FIFA’s decision in a statement in January: “Due to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decision (No. FDD-26056) dated January 9 2026, ordering partial stadium closure for the next qualifying match, FFBiH must reduce the number of commercial tickets for the playoff in Zenica on March 31 2026.

“The sanction was imposed following incidents at the FIFA World Cup qualifier Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Romania match. The ruling requires closure of at least 20% of available seats, primarily behind the goals. As a result, the South stand blocks B, C, and D will be fully closed (1508 seats), along with part of the West stand (first three rows, 592 seats), totalling 2100 seats unavailable for this crucial match.”

The Bosnian Federation announced on Friday that all tickets for the World Cup final against Italy had sold out just hours after a penalty shootout victory over Wales in the semis.

Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, believes that the Azzurri’s celebration of Bosnia’s victory over Wales has been overemphasised: ‘There doesn’t seem to be anything provocative.’

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Minister for Sport: No ‘excessive enthusiasm’ in Italy’s celebration

A group of Italian players was caught on camera on Thursday night while briefly celebrating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s penalty shootout win over Wales in the World Cup play-off semifinal.

The victory sent Bosnia to the Final against Italy as the Azzurri had beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo.

The celebration by Italian players upset a few fans on social media and even prompted one of the players involved, Federico Dimarco, to text his former Inter teammate and Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko, according to Gazzetta.

Italy’s Minister for Sport Abodi, however, defended the Azzurri, arguing that the players did not want to provoke or mock their next opponents.

“It doesn’t seem to me that there was excessive enthusiasm,” Abodi told Gazzetta.

“I don’t even know what they were thinking at that moment. I don’t understand why that celebration was given so much importance. We’re talking about guys who had just finished a match, and there doesn’t seem to be anything provocative. Let’s try to move on. We already have plenty of objectively complicated things, and this is a controversy that doesn’t make any sense.”

Italy have returned to Florence to prepare for the World Cup play-off Final, which will be played at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, on Tuesday, March 31.

• Read more – Dimarco unwise to celebrate, but televising incident only harms Italy