Paolo Vanoli took Moise Kean’s angry reaction to being substituted during Fiorentina’s 2-1 Conference League win over Rakow as a positive sign rather than a disciplinary concern, insisting the striker’s frustration simply reflected how desperately he wanted to help his side reach the quarter-finals.

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“I am happy because he is an important player,” Vanoli told Sky Sport after the match, with quotes via CalcioMercato.

“When there is that anger and that desire to play, it means he wanted to be there and to help. But I am the coach, and I also have to understand that he is a key player and that we still have nine finals and a passage through the round to think about.”

Vanoli concedes tough game for Fiorentina at Rakow but focuses on challenges ahead

Vanoli was also candid about a difficult first half in which Fiorentina struggled to find their rhythm on a heavy pitch.

“We wanted to play but the surface did not allow it, we were arriving late to second balls and were slow to understand how to get the qualification over the line,” he admitted.

The second half, however, told a very different story, with the Viola coming from behind to seal the win. “This team now has a plus, they know how to react.”

On Kean’s broader value, Vanoli was unequivocal, and his words carry obvious relevance for Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso ahead of the World Cup playoffs.

“The national team coach is better than me, he knows perfectly well that Moise is an important player who wants to help both Fiorentina and the national team. He is a player Italy will need.”

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and England left-back Ashley Cole has said his first words as the new head coach of Serie B side Cesena.

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Speaking at his unveiling, the Englishman said:

“The values aligned together and I was very enthusiastic when I got the call and the opportunity to come to, as I mentioned, a very good, honest respectful club and I still am enthusiastic for the future.”

Ashley Cole – First words as Cesena head coach

Ashley Cole was announced as the Serie B side’s head coach earlier this week, in what is his first job in a managerial capacity.

It comes as a surprise to many but reports indicated that the Italian club wanted a recognisable figure from world football and Cole is familiar with club co-owner Mike Melby, from their time at LA Galaxy.

“More importantly, for me, my background, my beginning is just like the Cesena fans: very humble, good values, good loyalty and at the moment they’re giving everything for the club and I need to give something back.”

For Cole, it is a surprise opportunity to jump start a managerial career that looked as though it was never destined to arrive. He seems enthusiastic about the challenge, but once again stressed the most important thing is to reflect the fans.

“The minute I heard about this opportunity, I jumped at the chance to come here. My team needs to reflect not me, always, it needs to reflect the club, its fans and the values of these fans.”

Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio has hailed the ‘wonderful journey’ his side have taken through the Europa League as they prepare for a vital second leg against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Di Vaio also singled out experienced forward Federico Bernardeschi as a source of inspiration for his younger teammates in what promises to be an exciting contest.

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

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Rakow vs. Fiorentina on the Liveblog.

Di Vaio: ‘Bernardeschi can inspire Bologna’

Speaking about Italian winger Bernardeschi, Di Vaio said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb:

“He has experience with Juventus in these types of matches, where he performed very well, and so he can inspire his teammates in the crucial moments of the game. Those who have played in them, like him and Freuler, can help the younger players handle the pressure. Roma are a strong team.”

The first leg ended 1-1 at the Stadio Dall’Ara, so a place in the Europa League quarter-final will all be decided this evening.

Whoever wins will go through to face either Aston Villa or Lille.

The Stadio Olimpico holds fond memories for Bologna, because this is where they beat Milan last season to win the Coppa Italia. It was the club’s first piece of silverware for 51 years and allowed them to qualify for the Europa League too.

Commenting on that match, Di Vaio said “We know it’s a completely different match, we have wonderful memories and we hope to relive them tonight.”

Bologna are coming off a morale-boosting 1-0 Serie A victory away to local rivals Sassuolo, but in that game lost goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski to injury. It means Federico Ravaglia steps in to take the gloves this evening.

Giuseppe Marotta has acknowledged the growing pressure of Milan’s pursuit in the Serie A title race while insisting Inter remain fully confident of holding on to claim the Scudetto.

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Speaking via video link at the Motore Italia event in Milan, with quotes via FCInter1908, the Inter president used a vivid metaphor to describe his club’s position at the top of the table.

“We are the hare that has to be stopped, it is the most difficult position to be in,” he said, when asked whether he felt Milan breathing down his neck.

“It is easier to be the hunter. But we are competitive and convinced we can do it. I want to transmit optimism to the squad and to our supporters.”

Marotta calm as Inter look to wrap up Scudetto title

The comments come at a pivotal stage of the season, with Milan having closed the gap following their derby victory and now applying genuine pressure on Cristian Chivu’s side in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Marotta’s measured but confident tone suggests there is no panic at Viale della Liberazione, though the acknowledgement that leading from the front carries its own unique pressures was notably candid for a club president.

Marotta also touched briefly on the long-running new stadium project, describing it as a necessity for both Inter and Milan to meet international standards.

“It means creating employment, wellbeing and commercial activity,” he said. “Sport is an asset for our nation just like tourism, we must also thank the Olympic machinery for what it has generated.”

Alessandro Nesta has paid warm tribute to his former AC Milan teammates Paolo Maldini and Andrea Pirlo, while also offering a revealing assessment of Massimiliano Allegri’s evolution as a manager, speaking to Corriere della Sera to mark his 50th birthday.

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The former Italy international, who won two Champions League titles during his time at San Siro, was asked to reflect on the teammates who left the deepest impression on him.

On Pirlo, his admiration was immediate and genuine. “I knew he was good, but only when I was able to work with him did I realise he was a genius,” he said, with quotes via MilanNews.

Nesta full of praise for Milan teammates Maldini & Pirlo

For sheer professionalism, though, it was Maldini who set the standard that shaped Nesta’s understanding of what it meant to be a winner.

“When I arrived at Milan and saw that, despite not being a youngster anymore, he was always giving everything at full speed, I understood why Milan always won,” he said. “At Lazio we clung to a lot of excuses to justify our failures.”

His most cherished memory? The 2003 Champions League final in Manchester against Juventus. “It was my first. From that moment, reaching the final became an obligation.”

On Allegri, Nesta was candid about a rocky start to their relationship. The pair clashed over Pirlo’s role when Allegri arrived at Milan from Cagliari, Nesta found it inconceivable that his friend was not the fulcrum of the team.

“For Max, walking into a dressing room of champions who had won everything and were at the end of a cycle was not easy,” he said. The Nesta of today, however, sees a very different coach. “Now he is much more determined, stronger for all the experiences and victories he has accumulated.”

Inter forward Ange-Yoan Bonny has opened up on one of the most dramatic and emotionally charged moments of his young life, the day a failed medical at Juventus nearly ended his football career before it had truly begun.

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Speaking exclusively to L’Équipe, with quotes via Goal, the Inter forward recalled the moment at just 17 years old when doctors detected a cardiac irregularity during what should have been a routine pre-signing examination.

“I went from joining Juventus to nothing,” he said. “The doctors told me that, in their view, playing football would be complicated. It is a hard blow for a boy full of dreams.”

Bonny bounces back from Juventus snub to star for Inter years later

What followed was a moment of raw human connection that Bonny still treasures.

He returned home to Tours and went straight to a car park in the heart of his neighbourhood, an unglamorous but deeply meaningful meeting spot for him and his closest friends.

“My friends were in the same emotional state as I was, as if it had happened to them,” he said. “I understood who I could count on. I will never forget that.”

It is the same car park where, years later, he announced his signing for Inter. The symmetry was clearly not lost on him.

Bonny’s career subsequently took a different path, a spell in Serie B with Parma, promotion to the top flight, and eventually a move to Inter, but the Juventus episode remains a defining chapter.

His mother played her own pivotal role too, threatening to withhold her signature on his first professional contract unless he passed his school exams.

“She told me: if you don’t bring home that diploma, I promise the contract doesn’t get signed,” he laughed. He passed at the resit.

Now firmly established at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, Bonny’s journey from that car park in Tours to San Siro is quite the story.

Juventus are monitoring the situation of Leonardo Spinazzola as the experienced left winger approaches the end of his contract at Napoli.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, via IlNapolista, the Italian’s deal expires in June, and with negotiations over an extension yet to reach a conclusion, Juventus have made an approach to explore the possibility of signing him on a free transfer.

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It is a move that would represent a return to the club where Spinazzola began his career.

Juventus offer Spinazzola two-year deal but Italian gives priority to Napoli

The sticking point appears to be contract length.

Napoli have offered a one-year extension with an option for a second, while Juventus are prepared to guarantee two years outright, matching what Spinazzola is understood to be seeking.

It is a meaningful difference, and one that gives the Bianconeri a clear advantage in any potential tug of war.

For now, however, Spinazzola is keen to handle the situation with respect towards Napoli, and is giving the club the opportunity to match his demands before making any decision.

Whether Antonio Conte’s side are willing to improve their offer to meet the player’s terms remains to be seen.

Should Spinazzola ultimately opt for the Juventus move, it would be a shrewd piece of free transfer business by CEO Damien Comolli, adding an experienced and versatile wide option without a transfer fee at a time when the club are managing their finances carefully.

Paulo Dybala’s time at Roma appears to be drawing to a close, with Argentina’s leading sports newspaper Olè reporting that a return to his homeland with Boca Juniors is increasingly likely once his contract expires on 30 June.

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The Argentine has endured another injury-disrupted season at the Stadio Olimpico and is not expected to return to action until late April at the earliest, leaving him with only a handful of matches to make any case for a renewal.

That case, according to reports on both sides of the Atlantic, looks weaker by the day.

Contract extension talks have stalled to the point where they are now described as a distant prospect, with the gap between Dybala’s current €6 million salary and what Roma are willing to offer proving difficult to bridge.

Boca Juniors close in on Dybala move as Roma talks stall

Boca Juniors, meanwhile, are increasingly confident of securing his signature, via IlBianconero.

Olè went as far as splashing ‘Joya Libertadores’ across their front page, a headline that will set pulses racing among supporters of the club who have lifted the Copa Libertadores six times and are eager to add a seventh.

The Argentine giants are counting on Dybala’s yes, and the personal factors are working heavily in their favour.

Family considerations appear to be the driving force behind any potential move. A return to Argentina would allow Dybala to be closer to his parents, while his wife Oriana Sabatini, who has never concealed her desire to return home, has recently announced her involvement in an Argentine television programme.

The couple’s first child, Gia, adds another layer of personal motivation to what is becoming an increasingly compelling case for a homecoming.

FIGC president Gabriele Gravina has moved to ease concerns over Sandro Tonali’s fitness ahead of Italy’s World Cup playoff semi-final against Northern Ireland, while issuing a passionate rallying cry for the nation to get behind Gennaro Gattuso’s side.

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Speaking at a press conference following the federal council meeting, with quotes via the Corriere dello Sport, Gravina offered cautious but genuine optimism over the Newcastle midfielder’s condition after he was forced off during a recent club match.

“I am rather calm,” he said. “I am in close contact with Gattuso and last night I spoke with Sandro alongside the coach and our doctor De Carli. He was calmer than he was when he left the pitch, there is a concern, but it is at a very moderate level. This morning’s tests were reassuring. We will do everything possible to get him fit, working alongside Newcastle with whom we are in continuous contact.”

Gravina: ‘Italy must push these players to America… even if they have to swim!’

With a World Cup place on the line, Gravina drew explicit parallels with Italy’s triumphant Euro 2020 campaign, invoking the spirit of that summer to galvanise supporters ahead of what he described as a defining week for Italian football.

“Back then I described us as a normal team that could become special if we all felt the pride and belonging of the Azzurri shirt together,” he said. “Our fans helped those players overcome some formidable opponents. We need that same call to arms now, the push from this country must carry these players to America, even if they have to swim there.”

The FIGC president also revealed his own emotional investment in the coming days.

“I am tense, emotions feed me and it is impossible to be indifferent before an appointment this important,” he admitted.

“I will join the squad from the very first moment of their training camp and I will not leave their side for a second. The message will be: let us live this together, as a moment of freedom and serenity, knowing that if we are good the reward will be extraordinary.”

He ended on a note of genuine surprise and delight, confirming that tickets for the playoff had sold out within an hour, something he described as unprecedented in Italian football history.

Gianluigi Donnarumma played ninety minutes tonight as Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League, with a 5-1 defeat on aggregate but a modest 2-1 defeat on the night.

City went into the game as strong favourites, needing to overturn the 3-0 loss in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the visitors making a number of changes, including leaving a number of key personnel out of the team.

However, Donnarumma’s side had a nightmare start when Bernardo Silva was given a straight red card for preventing a goal with his hand just 21 minutes into the match, and Vinicius Jr scoring the resulting penalty.

Donnarumma makes huge save but can’t stop City exit

Erling Haaland scored in the 41st minute to give the hosts a lifeline but, a man down, the task became much more difficult.

In the second half, City pushed, despite their man disadvantage.

Real Madrid had their fair share of chances too and Italian Donnarumma pulled off an impressive save to deny Tchouameni with twenty minutes to play.

After a whipped corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tchouameni got his head to it, forcing an acrobat save out of the Azzurri shot-stopper.

City’s remaining efforts were in vain and Vinicius Jr doubled his tally to put the icing on the cake in stoppage time.

Donnarumma will be disappointed to exit the tournament he won less than twelve months ago with PSG but must recover his focus ahead of an important month for club and country.

Inter Milan and AC Milan sit jointly at the top of Serie A’s shirt sponsorship earnings table, but the gap between the division’s biggest clubs and the rest remains stark, and for one club, the commercial silence is deafening.

Both Milan clubs currently earn €30 million per season from their respective shirt partners, according to reports gathered by CalcioMercato.

Inter receive their fee from Bettson, whose logo appears as Bettson.sport on the jersey, a workaround required under Italian laws prohibiting direct betting sponsorship.

Milan’s deal with Emirates is worth the same figure this season, though a recently signed renewal will see that rise to €35 million from 2026/27 onwards.

Serie A shirt sponsors: Juventus, Napoli & Roma rise as Lazio go sponsorless

Juventus, meanwhile, have seen a dramatic fall in commercial income in this area.

Having gone a full season without a shirt sponsor, Save the Children carried no financial value, the club have returned Jeep to their jersey, but through an internal Exor arrangement worth just €19 million this season, rising to €23 million next year.

It is a far cry from the €45 million the previous Jeep deal delivered at its peak. Napoli’s MSC Crociere deal is worth €9 million this season and is also set to increase in the coming campaign.

Roma have just unveiled a new shirt partner of their own, Eurobet.live, another betting-adjacent workaround, worth €8 million this season and €13 million from next.

Across the city, however, Lazio remain the only club in Serie A without a shirt sponsor, with Claudio Lotito yet to secure any commercial partnership for the jersey.

Some of the most eye-catching figures come from family-owned clubs with internal sponsorship arrangements. Fiorentina receive €25 million from Mediacom, a company connected to the late Rocco Commisso’s family, while Sassuolo’s Mapei deal is worth €18 million.

At the other end of the scale, the numbers are considerably more modest. Bologna receive €3 million from owner Joey Saputo’s business, Atalanta earn €5 million from Lete, and Cagliari pick up €3.6 million from the Sardinian regional government.

Torino (Suzuki, €2.35m), Parma (Prometeon, €1.5m), Udinese (Friuli Venezia Giulia region, €1.5m) and Genoa (Pulsee, €1.2m) follow, with Verona, Lecce and Como all on €1 million.

Pisa bring up the rear with €700,000 from Cetilar, who also sponsor the stadium.

Raffaele Palladino has called on Atalanta to produce a performance worthy of their remarkable journey as they prepare to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16 second leg at the Allianz Arena, knowing that overturning a 6-1 first-leg deficit represents one of the most daunting tasks in European football.

The occasion carries additional historical significance. Tomorrow’s match will be Atalanta’s 100th game in UEFA competition, and also the fixture in which Marten De Roon could equal a club appearance record.

Palladino confirmed the Dutchman will be involved, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, adding with a smile that the milestone is “a great satisfaction, a historic result for him and for Atalanta.”

Atalanta boss Palladino gives updates on Raspadori & De Ketelaere

The head coach was also able to deliver positive team news, confirming that Giacomo Raspadori trained with the squad on Tuesday and will be available, while Charles De Ketelaere and Ederson have also returned to fitness after injury absences.

“We have missed these players enormously and we are delighted to have them back,” Palladino said. “We will try to build up their minutes carefully.”

On the match itself, Palladino’s message was simple and unambiguous.

“Tomorrow the team must play with pride,” he said.

“We have nothing to lose and everything to prove. We must be focused on ourselves, as we showed in the first leg, the details make the difference.”

He also pointed to the growth his side have shown since that heavy defeat, arguing that Atalanta’s response against Inter demonstrated a resilience that bodes well.

“Despite conceding six goals we managed to mature and react like a great team.”

Palladino was equally clear that the result is secondary to the performance.

“Recovering five goals is always a mountain to climb,” he acknowledged.

“But I want a match worthy of this club and this occasion. We are proud to be the last Italian side standing in the Champions League, and tomorrow we will fight until the very end.”

Francesco Pio Esposito’s agent has moved to dismiss speculation linking the young Inter striker with a move to the Premier League, insisting the Italian starlet is fully committed to his future at San Siro despite reported interest from Arsenal and Newcastle.

Mario Giuffredi, speaking on Radio CRC, was emphatic on his client’s stance, with quotes via Nico Schira on X.

“Pio Esposito is happy at Inter and will be the club’s future for the next ten years,” he said. “The boy is in love with Inter right now.”

He also pushed back on comparisons being made between Esposito and former Inter striker Christian Vieri, arguing that such parallels only create unnecessary pressure for a player still finding his own identity.

“He needs to develop his own way of playing, comparisons like that serve no purpose.”

The agent’s words come amid growing interest from England, with both Arsenal and Newcastle understood to be monitoring Esposito’s situation ahead of the summer.

Inter & Pio Esposito destined for one another as parties shrug off Arsenal & Newcastle interest

Inter, however, are not believed to be open to a sale unless a truly extraordinary offer arrives, and Giuffredi’s comments suggest the player himself has no desire to leave, with his contract running until June 2030.

The numbers back up the excitement surrounding him.

Esposito has already made 39 appearances across all competitions this season, contributing eight goals and six assists, a remarkable return for a player of his age operating at the highest level.

He has also caught the eye of Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, who is expected to call on him for the World Cup playoff semi-final against Northern Ireland and a potential final on 31 March.

It has been a rapid rise for a player who came through Inter’s academy alongside brothers Salvatore and Sebastiano, before a standout loan season at Spezia, where he scored 20 goals and helped the club reach the Serie B playoff final, convinced Inter he was ready for the first team.

Gianluigi Donnarumma haș been named in the starting lineup for Manchester City this evening, as they welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad Stadium with a 3-goal deficit to overturn from the first leg.

The Italian shot-stopper has been Pep Guardiola’s number one since he arrived last summer from Paris Saint-Germain.

He will need to be at his best tonight, with every goal the Premier League giants conceding tonight having a massive impact on their potential comeback.

Donnarumma starts, Calafiori on the bench in UCL action

Meanwhile, Arsenal host Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium after the first leg finished all square at 1-1 in Germany.

Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is not included in Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup, with former Leverkusen man Piero Hincapie playing at left-back.

Calafiori received praise in the Premier League at the weekend after a tremendous scorpion block to deny Everton a first half opener.

The former Bologna man is, however, on the bench for the Gunners and may be deployed by Arteta later in the match.

Roma’s attempt to overturn Wesley’s red card suspension has failed, with the sporting judge rejecting their appeal and confirming the Brazilian will miss the club’s next Serie A fixture against Lecce.

Roma had argued the second yellow card shown to Wesley during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Como was the result of mistaken identity, claiming the foul on Diao had actually been committed by Rensch rather than Wesley.

Under VAR protocol, a case of mistaken identity would be grounds for intervention, but the sporting judge ruled that no such error had occurred, stating there were no grounds to apply the relevant article of the regulations, according to CalcioMercato.

Blow for Roma as no grounds for Wesley suspension being overturned

The VAR analysis, as detailed on DAZN’s Open VAR programme, supports that conclusion.

Officials Fabbri and Gariglio reviewed the incident immediately and confirmed without doubt that Wesley, not Rensch, made the challenge, with his right leg clearly making contact.

The on-field referee also clarified that he had initially played advantage following a separate Pellegrini challenge before whistling for Wesley’s foul, which VAR confirmed was not on the ball.

The 2-1 result stands, Wesley’s suspension is upheld, and Gasperini will be without the wide man for the Lecce game.

The silver lining for Roma is that he will be able to give his all in the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Bologna, a match that carries enormous importance with the tie level at 1-1, with Tsimikas likely to cover against Lecce when the Brazilian takes his place in the stands.