Juventus defender Lloyd Kelly received a straight red card at the beginning of the second half of a Champions League match against Galatasaray as he ‘endangered the safety of his opponent.’

English defender Kelly was shown a straight red card at minute 48 of a Champions League knockout play-off second leg.

Why was Kelly sent off in Juventus vs. Galatasaray?

The Bianconeri were one goal up, but needed two more to level the score after a 5-2 defeat in Turkey last week.

Kelly went for an aerial duel with Alper Yilmaz and appeared to accidentally land on his opponent’s ankle.

The Juventus defender was already on a yellow card and was shown a second one, but Portuguese referee, Pinheiro, was still urged to the pitchside monitor to review the incident and ultimately decided to show a straight red, infuriating Luciano Spalletti and Juventus players.

UEFA then explained: “Juventus player, No. 6, using his studs, made a strong, unfair contact with the opponent’s left ankle, which clearly endangered the safety of his opponent.”

Kelly stormed off the pitch in anger and kicked a wall as he headed towards the tunnel.

Football Italia is among the accredited media at the Allianz Stadium tonight. You can follow the live action as it happens on the Football Italia live blog.

Lloyd Kelly receives a straight red card after VAR review for a challenge on Yılmaz @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/9v1LiIvVJJ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

Atalanta star Gianluca Scamacca says La Dea ‘felt we could turn it around’ as their comeback against Borussia Dortmund was ‘unpredictable for those from the outside.’

Atalanta striker Scamacca spoke to Sky Sport Italia following an extraordinary 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, which sent La Dea to the Round of 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Scamacca scored the opening goal after just five minutes, and Lazar Samardzic netted the winner from the spot at minute 98.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – Scamacca’s post-match comments

“We had a strong start,  but we felt we could turn it around,” Scamacca told Sky Sport Italia.

“We believed until the end, and those who were introduced were just as good as the starters because they made the difference. This is a historic feat, one of the biggest ones in Atlanta’s history.

“We did something extraordinary. We had to make up for the poor performance in the first leg,” continued the Italian striker.

“Now the good part comes. Tomorrow there’s a day off, and then we’ll think, as always, game by game.”

The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 will take place on Friday, February 27, and Atalanta will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

“Perhaps it was unpredictable for those from the outside, but we know our worth,” Scamacca added.

“We know that, when we play our style of football together, we can get great satisfaction.”

Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino has transformed the team, winning 15 of 23 games since his appointment at the start of November.

“The coach has given us a lot. He has given us great energy and an important push,” said Scamacca.

“We have rediscovered ourselves and understood we were on the right track.

“Our fans were crucial. As Palladino had said, 23,000 pushed us. They are always our 12th man, home and away, and we thank them for this.”

Atalanta return to the pitch on Sunday, facing Sassuolo away in Serie A Round 27.

The Nerazzurri sit 7th in the standings, five points below a Champions League spot.

Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta admits he ‘didn’t believe’ in Atalanta’s comeback against Borussia Dortmund and draws a parallel between Mario Pasalic and Franco Baresi.

Atalanta shocked Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night, beating the Bundesliga side 4-1 in Bergamo to qualify for the Champions League Round of 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Costacurta compares Pasalic to Baresi

It was an epic night in Bergamo as La Dea scored the winner with a penalty kick at minute 98.

“It’s an extraordinary feat. I admit I didn’t believe in it, but they put in a fantastic performance, a feat,” ex-Italy and Milan defender Costacurta told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s not something every team can do. They’ve entered an elite, especially after such a performance,” the ex-defender continued.

“Pasalic has to be highlighted. It had been since the days of Franco Baresi in 1994 that I hadn’t seen a player take a team by the hand the way he did.”

Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini admits the Bianconeri’s task against Galatasaray is ‘almost impossible’, but the Bianconeri ‘need to score a goal, then we’ll see.’

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight.

They must recover from three goals down after losing 5-2 in the reverse fixture played in Turkey last week.

Football Italia is among the accredited media in Turin tonight. You can follow the build-up and live action as it happens on the live blog.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – Chiellini’s pre-match interview

“This is a game where we need balance above all else,” Chiellini told Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“The atmosphere in the stadium is electric; all it takes is a little spark to get something more out of these fans. There were some jeers after the Como defeat, but this crowd is behind us.

“It is an almost impossible task tonight, but these games sometimes are needed to change the momentum of a season. They can change with just a spark, it’s up to us to stay in the match and try to light it,” Chiellini continued.

“I think we need the right energy, that extra bit of determination to win a tackle that can fire up the fans too. We are in a stadium that cannot wait to light up and it’s up to the players to try something incredible.

“The result of the first leg isn’t entirely accurate, there isn’t a three-goal gap between these teams, but they deserved it with that performance, and we’re curious to see if we can score and get this game on the right track early.

“Clearly, we need a performance beyond the norm to turn this around. If we want to win, I expect something special. We’ve got the players who can do it.

“The objective is to score a goal and then we’ll see. You mustn’t think about the 5-2 result, but about making it 1-0. It’s going to be about duels, about the challenges with Osimhen, fighting to get those situations that can turn it around.”
Juventus history

“I think we need to transform the disappointment of the first leg into something historic, because overturning a 5-2 defeat would be historic.”

Luciano Spalletti explains that Juventus’ absentees and Galatasaray’s quality on the wings prompted him to play Weston McKennie at left-back, and insists the whole team’s quality, not just a single player, might help the Old Lady recover from three goals down.

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight, following a 5-2 loss suffered in Turkey last week.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – Spalletti’s pre-match comments

Football Italia is among the accredited media in Turin tonight. You can follow the build-up and live action as it happens on the live blog.

Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are suspended, so Spalletti has picked Weston McKennie as a left-back.

“When he plays behind a centre forward, he can act where he prefers, but tonight we have a different need,” Spalletti told Prime Video Italia via TMW.

“They have strong wingers in one-on-one situations, and we have absentees that led us to play him there.

“Feats like those we’d need tonight are built on the quality of the whole team and the attitude as the game develops, not on an individual’s quality,” Spalletti concluded.

Kenan Yildiz is not fully fit, but starts as a left winger, while Gleison Bremer has recovered from a minor muscle injury but initially goes on the bench, making room for Federico Gatti and Lloyd Kelly in central defence.

Juventus have lost four of their last five games across all competitions, and next Sunday they’ll visit Roma in Serie A.

Atalanta directors have once again refused to meet their Borussia Dortmund counterparts for an institutional lunch organised by UEFA following a transfer dispute over Samuele Inacio, who joined the Germans from Bergamo in 2024.

Atalanta directors have once again snubbed a UEFA lunch with Borussia Dortmund executives today, hours before a second-leg Champions League knockout play-off, Sky Sport confirms.

Why Atalanta are upset with Borussia Dortmund

The same happened last week, before the first-leg tie in Germany, which the Bundesliga side eventually won 2-0.

There’s bad blood between the two clubs following the transfer of promising striker Samuele Inacio from Atalanta to Borussia Dortmund in 2024.

Inacio, now 17, is a product of the Atalanta academy. has scored nine goals in 21 games with Borussia Dortmund II this term.

Atalanta saw ‘lack of respect’ from Borussia Dortmund

Inacio is the son of former Atalanta striker Inacio Pia.

Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi explained last week that there had been a “serious lack of respect” from the German side, which prompted La Dea executives to snub their institutional meeting with their counterparts.

Today’s match kicks off at 18:45 CET (17:45 GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

Former Italian coach Fabio Capello feels Serie A clubs are ‘not accustomed’ to playing at a high pace domestically, so they struggle in the Champions League: ‘It’s hard to be dangerous.’

Serie A table leaders Inter were knocked out of the Champions League play-off on Tuesday, losing 2-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt.

The Nerazzurri had already lost 3-1 in Norway last week.

Capello comments on the state of Serie A

Capello, a former Milan, Juventus and Roma coach and a 1993-94 Champions League winner with the Rossoneri, examined issues of Italian clubs in Europe during Sky Sport Italia’s post-match show on Tuesday.

“Italian teams play at a slow pace. When they find teams that play press-and-run, they don’t have the quality, aren’t accustomed to playing at a high pace, and make mistakes,” Capello said.

“This is the key. Right now, we are not accustomed to being aggressive. As soon as they increase the pace in Serie A, they are stopped because a challenge is too hard, a player’s ear is touched, and they go down. These are the results. We play at a slow pace, unfortunately, and when it happens, it’s hard to be dangerous.”

Napoli were eliminated in the Champions League group stage, while Juventus and Atalanta play today, but face tough tasks ahead.

The Bianconeri host Galatasaray at the Allianz Stadium in Turin after a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week, while Atalanta meet Borussia Dortmund in Bergamo following a 2-0 defeat in Germany.

Bologna and Roma are still involved in the Europa League, while Fiorentina are Serie A’s only representative in the Conference League.

Former Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio feels Kenan Yildiz is the only Bianconeri player who can turn the result around against Galatasaray tonight, but the Bianconeri must rebuild a strong core of Italian players in 2026-27: ‘Sandro Tonali would be excellent.’

Juventus host Galatasaray in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off tonight after suffering a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week.

“For a night like this, the ideal man would be Tevez. Spalletti would need his shake,” Marchisio, a former Juventus star, told Gazzetta.

“It will be tough to recover from three goals down without conceding, especially given the moment Spalletti’s team is going through, but Juventus must believe. It’s the Champions League.”

Juventus have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions, and tonight they’ll need to win by three goals to send the game to extra time.

This past Saturday, they suffered their first home defeat since March 2025, losing 2-0 against Como.

“On this Champions League night, the most important thing is to show Juventus’s soul and personality,” Marchisio said.

“I was at the Stadium on Saturday, and they lacked the fundamental qualities to wear the Bianconeri shirt: personality and an understanding of moments. I didn’t hear anyone shouting: ‘Wake up, there’s the season at stake.’ The collapse in Istanbul in the second half and the defeat against Como worried me. It’s about the mentality.

“Yildiz is the only one who can turn Galatasaray around,” Marchisio continued.

“Kenan is worth 50% of Juventus, and unfortunately, the opponents have understood it. McKennie’s late runs will also be important.”

Juventus are said to be interested in Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva as a free agent; would the Portuguese be a good acquisition for the Bianconeri?

Marchisio: Juventus should sign Tonali as Donnarumma ‘out of reach’

“Football changes, but the clubs’ DNA doesn’t. Juventus have always had a core of Italian players, and they must rebuild it,” noted Marchisio.

“Donnarumma seems out of reach, having just joined Manchester City. Tonali seems more feasible; he’d be an excellent starting point, but patience is needed.”

Giorgio Chiellini, a club legend and former teammate of Marchisio, is now a director at Juventus.

“He suffers because he loves Juventus, but Giorgio experienced even worse moments as a player,” concluded Marchisio.

“We finished seventh for two seasons in a row. Chiellini was fundamental on the pitch, and the same is true now to transmit personality and mentality to the team.”

According to Sportitalia, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is considering his future at the club beyond the summer, being unhappy with the transfer market and the management.

Sportitalia reports that Allegri’s future at Milan is uncertain, as the coach is assessing his future at the club.

Allegri considers leaving Milan at the end of the season

According to the report, there are many reasons behind Allegri’s discomfort, including confusion within the club and unsatisfying transfer campaigns.

Sportitalia editor Michele Criscitiello claims that the relationship between Allegri and Milan hit a new low after disappointing results against Como and Parma.

This, however, doesn’t mean that the coach has already decided to leave the club.

Allegri will reportedly make his assessments in the coming months before deciding whether to continue beyond the summer.

The Italian tactician is contracted with the Rossoneri until June 2027, but the agreement includes an option to extend for a further campaign.

Milan sit second in the Serie A table, 10 points behind their city rivals, Inter.

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu reveals he ‘turned off the phone’ after receiving a red card against Inter, but that defeat did not affect the Old Lady in the following match against Galatasaray: ‘It would look like we are looking for excuses…’

Juventus defender Kalulu reveals he turned off his phone after a 3-2 loss to Inter two weeks ago to avoid further controversy.

The Frenchman received a second yellow card and was sent off for a foul on Alessandro Bastoni, but replays showed that the Inter star had gone down too easily, prompting the red card for his opponent.

Kalulu: ‘I turned off the phone’ after red card vs. Inter

“I turned off the phone so as not to fuel controversy,” Kalulu told L’Equipe.

“Many spoke about it, but in the end, the ban was confirmed. It was better to leave everything behind, but I don’t think it affected the game against Galatasaray. It would look like we are looking for excuses, but we just had a bad game.”

Following their 3-2 loss against Inter, Juventus lost 5-2 in the Champions League knockout play-off against Galatasaray and then again 2-0 against Como in Serie A.

Kalulu, however, has been one of Juventus’ most consistent players this season, having already made 36 appearances.

“I want to continue like this. Only the pitch gives you credibility in front of your teammates,” he said.

“Opponents must be studied so they are pushed to do things they are not accustomed to. You have to know how to anticipate them by two or three moves, a bit like in chess. The goal is to be the best, not just to defend well.

“The national team is the ultimate level for a player,” Kalulu concluded.

“It’s a childhood dream and a privilege. I feel ready for the World Cup.”

A former Milan and Lyon defender, Kalulu is under contract with Juventus until June 2029.

Arrigo Sacchi feels ‘some questions need to be asked’ of Italian football after Inter, the strongest team in the country, were eliminated from the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt.

Inter were surprisingly knocked out of the Champions League knockout play-off last night, losing 2-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt. The Nerazzurri had also lost the first leg 3-1 in Norway last week.

Sacchi: I had a lot of confidence in Inter

“I admit I had a lot of confidence in Inter. I believed they could get through the round for three reasons: one, their technical superiority; two, the good form of Chivu’s team; and three, the push from the San Siro crowd,” Sacchi wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Instead, all these reasons, based on logic rather than just support for an Italian team, went up in smoke. Bodo/Glimt knocked Inter out, and the verdict is decidedly sensational considering the qualitative value, spending power and revenue of the two clubs.

“Italy’s strongest representative, the one that reached the final last season and has the most well-equipped squad to compete in a tournament like the Champions League, ends up being punished,” Sacchi continued.

“I remain convinced that Inter threw it away in the first phase, when, after a run of four consecutive victories, they made life difficult for themselves by losing three matches in a row and securing a play-off spot in the final round. The advantage built up at the start should have been managed better.

“The fact remains that a Norwegian side eliminated the strongest team in Italy: perhaps modern football has become more level (downward), but some questions need to be asked. How the Nerazzurri have a 10-point lead to defend in order to win the league. It does not seem like an especially demanding task, given the path of those chasing them, yet the bitterness of this elimination risks compromising the rest of their campaign.”

Serie A’s remaining representatives in the Champions League, Juventus and Atalanta, play today, but face challenging tasks.

La Dea need to come back from two goals down in a home match against Borussia Dortmund, while Juventus host Galatasaray in Turin following a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week.

Gianluca Scamacca is expected to lead the Atalanta attack against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off.

It kicks off at 18:45 CET (17:45 GMT) at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. Borussia beat La Dea 2-0 in the first leg played in Germany last week.

Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori are unavailable for the Nerazzurri, so Lazar Samardzic and Nicola Zalewski will start as attacking midfielders behind the sole striker, Scamacca.

According to Gazzetta and Sky Sport Italia, Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino will confirm the defence that beat Napoli last weekend with Giorgio Scalvini, Isak Hien and Sead Kolasinac starting in a three-man backline.

Davide Zappacosta and Lorenzo Bernasconi will start on the flanks with Marten De Roon and Ederson in the middle of the park.

Following their 2-0 loss in Germany last week, Atalanta will need a win by two goals to send the game to extra time.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will provide live updates via a liveblog.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund – probable line-ups

Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Scamacca.

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson; Brandt, Beier; Guirassy.

Juventus’ second-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin will replace Michele Di Gregorio for a Champions League match against Galatasaray, while Weston McKennie will start as a left-back.

It kicks off at 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT) at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. It’s the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off.

The Serie A giants lost the first leg 5-2 in Turkey, so they need a win by three goals to send the game to extra time.

Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik are injured, while Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are suspended, so McKennie will start as a left-back in a 4-3-3 system.

Kenan Yildiz is not fully fit, but according to Italian sources, including Gazzetta and Sky Sport, the Turkish talent is still expected to start.

Gleison Bremer has recovered from a minor muscle injury, but Federico Gatti remains the favourite for a starting spot at the back.

Former Napoli star Victor Osimhen will start up front for Galatasaray.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – where to watch on TV

The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports 5 in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will be among the accredited media at the Allianz Stadium and will provide live updates via a live blog.

Juventus vs. Galatasaray – probable line-ups

Juventus (4-3-3): Perin; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly, McKennie; Koopmeiners, Locatelli, K. Thuram; Conceiçao, David, Yildiz.

Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Sara, Lang; Osimhen.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Juve need a miracle

Mission (im)possible

Stadium: h21 against Galatasaray to turn around a heady 5-2 loss.

Dea try

All on Scamacca: he’s the anti-Borussia

No excuses

Inter, farewell to the Champions League: Bodo win at San Siro too

The Nerazzurri make a bad impression. Predictable and hardy dangerous team

The Norwegians go to the Round of 16. Chivu’s disappointment: ‘We were never competitive.’

Cairo launches D’Aversa: ‘The situation must be turned around.’

Jashari close to Modric: Milan’s move, double playmaker.

Corriere dello Sport

Inter disaster

Champions, enormous disappointment. Bodo win at San Siro too (2-1).

Faded

Chivu out in the play-off: forget the comeback

Akanji’s mess: the ex-Milanista Hauge hits again. The Swiss hits the post. Useless siege. Evjen doubles the lead. Bastoni narrows the gap. From two finals in three years to a disastrous collapse.

Juve, it’s worth 15m

Spalletti chases the Round of 16: ‘We ask for help from our fans, it’s a difficult moment.’ Yildiz and Bremer recover. Osi: ‘Here in the future? Who knows…’

Assault Scamacca, Ederson surprise

Mou’s silence agitates the Bernabeu

Max changes Milan’s direction

Just two points less than Pioli in the Scudetto year. Fullkrug’s future at stake in 12 games

Conte in 12 points: Champions to be tied down

Verona, Lecce, Torino and Cagliari before the break to book the qualification. Hojlund chases goals. He has scored in just 5 Serie A games so far.

Tuttosport

Club, stadium, team: Cairo is cornered now

Remember, you are Juventus

Tonight against Galatasaray for a three-goal comeback

Chasing a rare feat to qualify for the Round of 16. Spalletti picks a 4-3-3 system with McKennie as a left-back. ‘It’s a difficult moment, but with our fans, we can make it.’ For Vlahovic,, there’s a Yildiz-style contract ready.

Inter’s humiliation: 20m vanish

An incredible mistake from Akanji paves the way to Hauge, who then provides the assist for the 2-0. The comeback attempt is stopped after Bastoni’s goal. Farewell to the Champions League before the Round of 16 comes with a high cost.

Osimhen calls: ‘Playing for Juve would be a privilege.’

Bergamo pushes Atalanta

Fans blame the referees: ‘And Inter are helped.’

Referee chief Dino Tommasi admits Napoli’s second goal against Atalanta should have stood, but it was correct to revoke a penalty kick for the Partenopei following a VAR check.

Dino Tommasi, a member of the Italian referee-appointing committee, has issued a verdict on the controversial incidents that occurred during Napoli’s 2-1 loss against Atalanta on Sunday.

Referee chief gives verdict on Atalanta vs. Napoli incidents

The Partenopei had a penalty kick revoked in the first half following a VAR check, and referee Daniele Chiffi also ruled out their second goal scored by Miguel Gutierrez after the break.

The referee’s decision infuriated the Partenopei, who sent director Giovanni Manna in front of the media to complain.

Tommasi, however, believes that the penalty kick in the first half was rightfully revoked.

“It’s a correct decision; it’s not a foul. Hojlund goes for the contact while Hien stands still,” Tommasi told DAZN via Gianluca Di Marzio.

“Chiffi was very well positioned but had the wrong feeling. Then he corrected himself with the review. Aureliano and Di Paolo at VAR worked well.”

On the other hand, the decision to rule out Napoli’s second goal for Hojlund’s foul on Hien was deemed incorrect.

“Hojlund steals a march on Hien; it’s too little to consider it a foul,” Tommasi said via ANSA.

“It’s an on-field mistake, but the referee’s central role is important. With a correct decision on the pitch, everything would have been different. In this match, Chiffi maintained a very high technical threshold, blowing the whistle very little, even on significant challenges. He let the play continue, whereas he noticed that in the first stance, the penalty incident and this one, he lowered the threshold considerably.”

Napoli’s loss to Atalanta leaves the Partenopei in third position in Serie A, level on 50 points with Roma.

Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan reportedly turned down an offer from Juventus, despite the Bianconeri proposing a higher salary than Milan.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto reports that Juventus opened talks with Milan goalkeeper Maignan at the end of 2025 to sound out a possible free transfer in the summer.

Maignan prioritised Milan over Juventus

According to the report, Juventus directors contacted Maignan’s entourage between November and December and were ready to offer a salary slightly higher than the one he earns at Milan.

Maignan, however, took his time, reiterating that his priority was to stay with Milan, and ultimately signed a new deal through 2031.

According to Moretto, the new Maignan deal is technically valid until 2030, with an option for a further campaign that Milan can activate.

Bayern Munich contacted Maignan between September and October, but didn’t make another attempt afterwards, while Chelsea had held talks in the summer.

It remains to be seen whether Juventus will make changes between the sticks next season, as Michele Di Gregorio has been highly criticised in recent weeks.

The Bianconeri have suffered 13 goals this season from the first shot on target.

Second-choice goalkeeper Mattia Perin was very close to returning to Genoa in January, but Juventus refused to let him go, also because there was a gap between their demand and Genoa’s offer.

Perin has remained in Turin until the end of the season, but there are “concrete” chances to see him leave the club at the end of the season, Moretto said.

Matteo Moretto reports that Paulo Dybala’s entourage is in talks with Boca Juniors, as Roma haven’t yet offered the Argentine a new deal, while Marcos Senesi’s free transfer to the Olimpico from Bournemouth appears unlikely.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto reports that Roma star Dybala is in talks with Boca Juniors through his entourage.

Roma’s uncertain Roma future

La Joya’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Roma have yet to decide whether to offer the Argentine a new deal.

According to the report, Roma are considering a contract extension at a lower salary, but the two parties haven’t yet begun talks. Both sides are taking time to assess future options.

Dybala’s future at the club is highly uncertain, with an exit more likely than an extension at this stage, according to Moretto.

The player’s camp has been in talks with Boca Juniors directors for several weeks, and the feeling is that the Argentine has entered the final months of his spell at Roma with a return to Argentina on the cards.

Senesi’s Roma move unlikely

Roma and Dybala will meet in the coming weeks to make a mutual decision about the future.

There’s also an update on Bournemouth defender Senesi, who is available for a free transfer at the end of his contract in June.

Roma are among the clubs interested, but according to Moretto, there is “no chance” of the Giallorossi signing Senesi, who has received offers from other clubs as well.

Kevin De Bruyne has returned to Naples to continue his recovery and told Napoli fans he’d return to action ‘soon.’

Napoli star De Bruyne returned to Naples on Sunday, February 22, after spending the last few months abroad, where he completed the initial phase of his rehabilitation from a severe muscle injury.

De Bruyne returns to Naples

The Belgium internatinal underwent surgery in Antwerp at the end of October after suffering a high-grade tear of the biceps femoris in the right thigh.

As reported by CalcioNapoli24, De Bruyne landed at Naples’ Capodichino Airport on Sunday.

Napoli confirmed De Bruyne’s return to the training centre on Monday “to continue and complete his recovery.”

Upon arriving in Naples yesterday, De Bruyne reportedly told Napoli fans that he felt “well” and that he would “be back soon.”

When will De Bruyne return to action?

The 34-year-old will now continue his recovery in Naples, but is not expected to return to action before April.

The former Manchester City star has scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances across all competitions this season.

Bodo/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen ignores Inter’s complaints about the Norwegian side’s home turf: ‘Manchester City didn’t even mention it.’

Bodo/Glimt have travelled to Milan for the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off against Inter.

The Norwegian side earned a 3-1 win over the Nerazzurri last week, so they’ve come to Milan to defend a two-goal lead in the decider.

Inter had complained about Bodo/Glimt’s artificial turf even before last week’s match. The Serie A table leaders not only lost their game last week but also saw their captain and top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, suffer a muscle injury that will sideline him for a month.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. We must only focus on what we can control,” Knutsen said at a pre-match press conference on Monday via TMW.

“City didn’t even mention the field, and neither are we accustomed to the San Siro turf. I keep the focus on something else. To me, it’s not smart to talk about other contexts that don’t concern football, but what others do is not important to me.”

Back in January, Gigio Donnarumma’s Manchester City had lost 3-1 away to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League group stage.

Bodo/Glimt also beat Atletico Madrid in the previous stage of the competition and recently received praise from ex-Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp.

“Klopp is a great man and coach, I’m happy with his compliments, but I think about Bodo/Glimt,” said Knutsen.

“I want the players to focus on the game, and I must do the same.”

Federico Dimarco feels ‘obliged’ to help Inter qualify for the Champions League Round of 16, but he’d prefer to qualify for the World Cup with Italy rather than win the European Cup with the Nerazzurri.

Inter host Bodo/Glimt at San Siro in the second leg of the Champions League knockout play-off on Tuesday.

The Nerazzurri must come back from two goals down, having suffered a 3-1 away loss in Norway last week.

Inter vs. Bodo/Glimt – Dimarco’s pre-match interviews

During his pre-match press conference (via FcInter1908), Dimarco discussed Inter’s tactical approach for tomorrow’s match.

“Obviously, quite attacking,” he said.

“We are down two goals. We must pay attention to their counterattacks as they’ve been lethal in other Champions League games this season.

“First of all, we must think about scoring, then we’ll see how the game goes. The first thought will be to make the comeback as soon as possible.”

Dimarco has contributed to 21 goals across all competitions this season, scoring six times and providing 15 assists and praised his coach Cristian Chivu: “He’s given me a lot of advice since the start of the year.

“We must try, we are Inter. We must play this match as we have in other Champions League matches we’ve played in recent years,” Dimarco continued.

“The same goes for the national team. We’ve missed the last two World Cups, and we are obliged to try.”

The national team was also mentioned during Dimarco’s interview with Sky Sport Italia when the Italy star was asked to choose between winning the Scudetto or the Champions League with Inter or qualifying for the World Cup with the Azzurri.

The left wing-back smiled and replied: “Please, let me pick two: Scudetto and qualification for the World Cup.”

Inter coach Cristian Chivu hit back at a Norwegian journalist during a pre-match press conference today: ‘We respect Bodo/Glimt, you don’t respect us.’

Inter coach Chivu was not happy with the attitude of a Norwegian reporter who asked him whether Inter should feel ashamed if they are eliminated by Bodo/Glimt from the Champions League knockout play-off.

Chivu appeared irritated as he quickly responded to the journalist, removing his headphones to hear the translation.

Chivu hits back at Norwegian reporter

“Yeah, you even laugh. Congratulations,” Chivu said.

“Nothing is shameful in football. In football, there’s work from a club and a team, on one side and the other, and we have to accept and respect the opponent, given that you don’t respect us by calling us this way, saying that we must be ashamed to lose against such a team, against a city with 50,000 citizens.

“We have great respect for what Bodo has done against us, but also in Madrid and against City and Dortmund. We respect our opponents and congratulate them on the good things they’ve built in recent times.

“When you have clear ideas, you can bring something nice forward. But we are not ashamed, because we tried to be the best version of ourselves last week, when they were better than us, and we congratulated them.”

Chivu already said during his pre-match interview with Sky Sport Italia that his players should not feel pressured to score more than two goals tomorrow.

The Nerazzurri lost 3-1 away in Norway last week and will be looking to turn the result around on Tuesday at San Siro.

During his press conference, Chivu also spoke about Alessandro Bastoni’s state of mind following recent controversies.

“We had a bad week, but I’m proud of what the lad did on the pitch,” said the Inter coach.

“It was not easy to play that game without being influenced. Now we are focused on the future and on the next match.”

Asked whether Inter players would need extra motivation for tomorrow’s match, Chivu replied: “I didn’t listen to my coaches, neither before nor after a game. I relied on my thoughts, my sense of responsibility, and my confidence. I was more worried about not letting my teammates down. Had I listened to my coaches more, I’d have earned something more. There’s no need to motivate them; they know how important this game is.”