To add salt into the wounds of their Europa League exit on Thursday evening, Roma have since learned that midfielder Manu Kone has suffered a second-degree hamstring strain and will be sidelined for at least a month of action according to the latest reports.
Roma lose Kone for at least a month after Bologna injury
The Giallorossi were eliminated from the Europa League at the round of 16 stage after a 5-4 aggregate defeat against Serie A opposition in Bologna. The first leg ended level at 1-1, the second ended at 3-3 after 90 minutes and was eventually settled by Bologna’s Nicolo Cambiaghi in the 111th minute of Thursday’s decider.
The tie was particularly disappointing for Roma’s Kone, who was ruled out of the first leg with muscular fatigue, having recovered from a hamstring injury in February. Kone’s involvement in the second leg was then cut short after just 18 minutes as he went off with another hamstring injury.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 19: Santiago Castro of Bologna is challenged by Manu Kone of AS Roma during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma have learned that Kone has suffered a second-degree strain to his hamstring, which is likely to keep him out of action for at least a month.
If there is a slight silver cloud for the Giallorossi, it is that there will be no domestic fixtures for a fortnight after this weekend due to the international break. However, Kone is still expected to miss out on Sunday’s match against Pisa, and potentially crucial matches against Pisa, Atalanta and Bologna once Serie A action resumes.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 19: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
The Atalanta and Bologna fixtures are particularly important for Roma and their quest to land a Champions League position, given that they have recently slipped to sixth place in the table and are now just one position above Atalanta and two above Bologna.
Antonio Conte says that Napoli have ‘put a bit of pressure on the teams at the top’ after their 1-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Friday evening, their fourth win in as many matches, which has temporarily sent them above Milan and into second place in the league table.
A goal from Scott McTominay after just over a minute was enough for the Partenopei to hold onto at the Unipol Domus, as Conte’s side prevented their hosts from having any shots on target across the 90 minutes.
This was also the first clean sheet that Napoli have managed to keep in 11 matches.
Conte reviews Napoli’s 1-0 victory over Cagliari: ‘Nobody should stop us from looking ahead’
Despite their victory, Conte feels that there is still room for improvement in terms of Napoli’s performance. He feels that getting key players like McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka back to ‘100%’ will be key, though.
“We made too many mistakes. We could have done better and commanded the game more given that Cagliari didn’t come to press,” Conte told DAZN after full-time.
“We looked for the second goal in the second half, anything can happen in these sorts of games. Now we go into the (international) break with three points, waiting on the others.
“Three points further into the Champions League spots, we’ve been extraordinary over the last seven months to stay in the top positions. We’re looking at those in front of us, but we’re not making any empty promises. It doesn’t take much to get dragged back by those behind us.”
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Scott Francis Mctominay of Napoli scores his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Before Friday, Napoli had not kept a clean sheet in any competition since their 2-0 win away against Lazio on January 4, their first game of the calendar year.
“It’s important to record a clean sheet after 11 games,” said Conte. “Cagliari didn’t have a shot on goal today. Being able to defend well requires everyone. There was great application and desire. The guys understood the importance of the match, even if we struggled to materialise that.”
Napoli’s defence of their 2024-25 Scudetto was completely obliterated by injuries. At certain stages, Conte had a full starting XI unavailable through injury. But, today, De Bruyne and McTominay were able to start alongside each other for the first time in almost five months, dating back to a 3-1 win over Inter back in October .
“Obviously having some players back is important, but what counts is them being at 100%,” Conte explained.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Scott Francis Mctominay of Napoli celebrates his goal 0-1 with the team-mates during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
“Anguissa and McTominay aren’t ‘brilliant’ again yet, Kevin (De Bruyne) I thought was doing well. Lobotka struggled a little bit more, and we still have to get Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo back. Neres is difficult, I think.
“We’ve held our own over the last seven months, now we have to qualify for the Champions League, but we know that other teams want that too. Nobody should stop us from looking ahead. Today we’ve put a bit of pressure on the teams at the top.”
Scott McTominay’s strike during Napoli’s 1-0 win over Cagliari on Friday evening means that he has now matched his seven-year Premier League goal tally in less than two full seasons in Serie A.
McTominay, back in the Napoli starting line-up for the first time since the beginning of February, took just over a minute to find the back of the net in Napoli’s 1-0 win away against Cagliari at the Unipol Domus.
That goal was his sixth in Serie A for the season, and his 19th overall in Serie A since joining Napoli from Manchester United in the summer of 2024.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Scott Francis Mctominay of Napoli celebrates his goal 0-1 with the team-mates during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
McTominay has scored 19 goals in 59 Serie A appearances in a period of less than two years. He also has 19 Premier League goals on his CV, which he scored in 178 outings across a seven-year period.
McTominay is also the reigning Serie A MVP and is also the division’s all-time highest-scoring Scotland international, beating the likes of Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams and Denis Law.
He and teammate Billy Gilmour are the only two Scotland internationals to hae ever won the Serie A title.
An early strike from Scott McTominay was enough for Napoli to hold onto as Antonio Conte and his team picked up a 1-0 victory away against Cagliari in Serie A on Friday evening; their fourth win on the spin and a result that has sent them into second place in the league table.
McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne were able to start alongside each other for the first time in almost five months, dating back to a 3-1 victory over league leaders Inter in October. The 15th-placed Cagliari boasted two recently called-up Italy internationals in Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra. Napoli had four in their camp: Alex Meret, Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola and Matteo Politano.
Antonio Conte’s side had won all three of their previous Serie A matches heading into tonight’s game, all by 2-1 margins, while the hosts were without a win across their last six.
It took just over 60 seconds for McTominay to find the net on his return to the starting line-up. The Scotland international got his side ahead from the first corner of the game, which went short to Politano and pinballed around the area before the Scotland international managed to tap in on the goalline.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Scott Francis Mctominay of Napoli scores his goal 0-1 during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
From there, the first half became a fairly evenly contested, albeit slightly scrappy affair. Conte was twice visibly annoyed by misplaced passes from Buongiorno and Gilmour out of the back, giving possession away far too cheaply.
Napoli’s only other shot on target of the first half came from a fairly tame Politano free-kick, while Cagliari came closest through Sebastiano Esposito, who flashed an effort across the face of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s goal from a tight angle.
De Bruyne almost got the better of Caprile with a low, driven effort from the edge of the area, but the recently called-up Italy international was able to parry and his defenders were able to clear in the end.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Alberto Dossena of Cagliari and Rasmus Højlund of Napoli fight for the ball during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Napoli saw a glimpse of what their star players are capable of when McTominay, De Bruyne and Politano linked up with some beautiful one-touch play in the Cagliari area, but Caprile did well to smother his compatriot when he found himself on the edge of the six-yard box.
Cagliari have not won any of their games this season when they have been trailing half-way, and that proved to be the case again despite their best efforts on Friday evening.
Fabio Piscane’s winless run has now been extended to seven matches, with just two points earned over that period, while Conte and his team have now won four in a row and currently find themselves in second place in the league table with Milan due to play on Saturday.
Cagliari 0-1 Napoli
McTominay 2’
CAGLIARI, ITALY – MARCH 20: Scott Francis Mctominay of Napoli celebrates his goal 0-1 with the team-mates during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SSC Napoli at Stadio Sant’Elia on March 20, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Gennaro Gattuso has named his Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March and has included three uncapped players among his selections.
Which uncapped players are in Gattuso’s latest Italy squad?
Gattuso has called up a squad of 28 players for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo coming up on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final on March 31: A one-match decider for a spot at the final World Cup tournament.
Given the importance of the occasion, Gattuso has understandably decided to stick with a core of trusted and experienced players.
The likes of Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella are expected to start against Northern Ireland. There has also been a return to the squad for Federico Chiesa for the first time since EURO 2024.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 04: Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta reacts during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at Olimpico Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Only three of the 28 players called up have not previously played for Italy. Two of them are goalkeepers in Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, neither of whom have yet been given an opportunity over Gianluigi Donnarumma or Guglielmo Vicario.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 16: Marco Palestra of Cagliari in action during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 16, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Cagliari right-back Marco Palestra, on loan from Atalanta, is the only uncapped outfield player to be selected in the latest Italy squad. The 21-year-old has impressed in his first real breakthrough season at Serie A level, and is also included in the Cagliari starting line-up to take on Napoli on Friday evening.
Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne finally start alongside each other in the Napoli midfield again as Antonio Conte’s side prepare to take on Cagliari away from home in Serie A on Friday evening.
Napoli have won their last three matches in succession heading into Friday night’s tie, all by 2-1 margins against Hellas Verona, Torino and Lecce.
Their run of form has brought them within one point of the second-placed Milan, and Antonio Conte’s side will overtake the Rossoneri with a victory this evening.
NAPLES, ITALY – MARCH 14: Antonio Conte before the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and US Lecce at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Cagliari, meanwhile, are without a win since the end of January, when they beat Verona 4-0, and have only picked up two points from their last six matches since then. They are currently in 15th place, six points above the relegation zone.
Napoli are without Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Antonio Vergara and David Neres through injury, but Conte’s ‘fab 4’ of Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are finally all back and available for selection.
McTominay, De Bruyne, Lobotka and Billy Gilmour are the chosen starters in midfield, supporting Rasmus Hojlund in the lone centre-forward role. Anguissa starts among the substitutes.
Tonight’s game involves six players who have been called up to Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-offs coming up at the end of the month. Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra are among the national team inclusions, as well as Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, Matteo Politano and Alex Meret from the Napoli camp.
Kick-off this evening is due at 17.30 GMT.
Cagliari vs. Napoli: Confirmed line-ups
FLORENCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Kevin De Bruyne and Rasmus Hojlund celebrate after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and SSC Napoli at Artemio Franchi on September 13, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery and will be ruled out of action for around a month, which is why he is not part of the 28-man Italy national team squad for the World Cup play-off, which kicks off next week.
Why is Vicario not in the latest Italy national team squad?
CT Gennaro Gattuso has confirmed his squad of 28 players to take on Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo on March 26. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-legged play-off final on March 31.
Among Gattuso’s selections are four goalkeepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Alex Meret (Napoli) and Elia Caprile (Cagliari), but there is no Vicario, who has been Italy’s regular second-choice for most of the last two years.
Initially, there had been speculation over Vicario’s form at Tottenham being the reason behind his absence from the Italy squad, however, Spurs have since confirmed that the former Empoli stopper requires surgery and will not be available for the play-offs.
Tottenham’s statement explains that Vicario has decided to have surgery now in order to minimise the impact on his season at club level. It is, and was always expected that Donnarumma will start in the play-off semi-final and the final should Italy qualify.
“We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery next week on a hernia,” read a statement from Tottenham on Friday.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur at City Ground on December 14, 2025 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
“The minor procedure for the Italy international goalkeeper has been timed to have as minimal impact on our season as possible.
“Guglielmo will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately, and it is hoped that he could return to action within the next month.”
We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario will undergo surgery next week on a hernia.
The minor procedure for the Italy international goalkeeper has been timed to have as minimal impact on our season as possible.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has made it clear that he wishes to return to his boyhood side Racing Club in Argentina once his time with the Nerazzurri comes to an end: ‘Obviously it depends on a lot of things, but my dream is to return’.
Lautaro has spent the last eight years of his career in Milan with Inter, for whom he has scored 129 goals from 262 Serie A outings and with his 171 goals across all competitions, he currently ranks as the club’s fourth all-time highest goalscorer and is only two away from tying third.
As things stand, Lautaro has over three years remaining on his current deal with the Nerazzurri, expiring in the summer of 2029, and at 28 years of age, he insists that he still has plenty to give at the highest level of the game.
But, once he is ready to leave Inter, a return home to Racing Club would be the ‘dream’ for El Toro.
Lautaro opens up on ‘dream’ return to Racing Club
SASSUOLO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates after scoring his team third goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on February 08, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“Returning to Racing is my desire,” Lautaro said in a recent interview (via La Gazzetta dello Sport).
“I’m trying to convince my wife and she supports me. Obviously it depends on a lot of things, family, but also how I’m doing physically. But my dream is to return to play for Racing for at least a year.
“I still have three years on my contract with Inter, I’d like to stay at the highest level for a long time. I feel good, I’m still young, but in the future I’d love for my children to see the love that the Racing supporters show me.”
Diego Milito is now the club President at Racing. During his playing days, he had a similar career trajectory to the one that Lautaro spoke about, starting at Racing, going on to star up front for Inter, before returning to Argentina to finish where it all began.
“I talk to him every week,” said Lautaro. “He’s always there for me and always was at the beginning of my career. He wrote to me after I got injured, we talked about Racing not doing so well, I also sent him a message of support for the club.”
Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are in contact with Jorge Mendes, the agent of Manchester City star Bernardo Silva, who remains a target for the Bianconeri on a free transfer this summer.
Reports Juventus in contact with Bernardo Silva’s agent
Reports from various outlets over the last few weeks claim that Juventus are interested in a free transfer for Manchester City’s Bernardo, who will be out of contract at the Etihad at the end of the 2025-26 season and is not currently expected to renew his deal.
According to the latest updates from Matteo Moretto via the YouTube channel Fabrizio Romano in Italiano, Juventus are actively pursuing a deal for Bernardo and are in contact with the player’s entourage, which includes super agent Mendes.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JUNE 30: Bernardo Silva #20 of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Manchester City and Al-Hilal at Camping World Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
As things stand, however, the ball is very much in the player’s court. And, Juventus will be made to wait as Bernardo is unlikely to make any major decisions on his future until the end of the 2025-26 season with Manchester City.
The Bianconeri are certainly not the only side interested in a potential free transfer for Bernardo this summer. The Portugal international is said to have suitors in and outside Europe – Inter Miami and Galatasaray had been mentioned as potential destinations in reports elsewhere.
What is clear, according to Calciomercato.com, is that Juventus will need to convince Bernardo to take a pay cut if he is to move to Turin, as the reported €10m net salary that he earns in Manchester would make him comfortably the highest-paid player in Serie A next season.
Lazio winger Mattia Zaccagni picked up a muscular injury during his side’s recent 1-0 win against Milan and is now expected to miss Italy’s crucial World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of the month according to the latest updates.
Zaccagni ruled out of crucial Italy and Lazio fixtures
Lazio have confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Zaccagni is due for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury in Serie A on Sunday evening.
“During the Lazio-Milan league match, Mattia Zaccagni suffered a medium-scale post-traumatic muscular injury to the vastus medialis and vastus intermedius of his right thigh. The player has already started the recovery protocol,” Lazio’s statement read.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 15: Mattia Zaccagni of SS Lazio competes for the ball with Fikayo Tomori of AC MIlan during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on March 15, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Zaccagni’s injury is expected to rule him out of Italy’s upcoming World Cup play-off campaign, which kicks off on March 26, according to Wednesday’s reports.
As per Calciomercato, Zaccagni is likely to miss around a month of action, which rules him out of the upcoming international break, plus potential club matches against Bologna, Parma, Fiorentina and Napoli.
It isn’t a case of his season being over, but Zaccagni is unlikely to return to the Bancocelesti starting line-up until the final few matches of the campaign.
Gian Piero Gasperini insists that there is ‘no clear difference’ between the two sides as Roma prepare to host Bologna for the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.
Gasperini previes Roma vs. Bologna second leg: ‘Attention is crucial’
The tie is level at the halfway stage after a 1-1 draw between the two sides at the Dall’Ara last Thursday. The winner of tomorrow’s decider will go on to face either Lille or Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.
Roma have been the stronger of the two sides over in Serie A this season, leading Bologna by nine points and two positions in the league table, but Vincenzo Italiano’s side boast the better form, with four wins from their last five league matches, while Roma have only won once in that period.
Concerningly for the Giallorossi, Manu Kone, who missed out on the first leg last week, is a doubt again ahead of the second leg.
“There’s a little risk and a bit of precaution, we’ll see. Kone’s doing a bit worse,” head coach Gasperini said during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
Gasperini went on to describe tomorrow’s match as: “A decisive game, different from the league. There’s no draw. There’s a possibility of going beyond the 90 minutes. These are different games that always fascinate me.”
Gasperini was also asked for his thoughts on Roma’s recent slump in Serie A results.
“Fans’ reactions must be accepted,” he said. “We have to work to our best, get results and bring happiness to the supporters. We have the complete commitment of the players and we are calm. What they’re doing is positive.
“We’ve also had some good games over these last 40 days. Of course, there have been games where we’ve gone under a little. We had some personnel difficulties, but these aren’t excuses. In Genoa and Como, there were also incidents that impacted the games.
“Now we’re not in our best moment, we’ve had to pay for injuries and various other situations, but we’ve never had the wrong attitude. We might have players who don’t play well at times, but there’s another game tomorrow and we want to do our best.”
Reverting his attention to the task at hand in the Europa League, Gasperini said: “These are games where incidents can be even more decisive.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – MARCH 12: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Roma at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on March 12, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“This is the second leg, so attention is crucial. It’s like a final, a one-off match. We have to be solid and connected. I think these are two teams that can bring a bit of pride to our (Italian) football in this situation.”
On the role that the Stadio Olimpico crowd will have to play tomorrow night, Gasperini said: “It’s always been red hot. There might be something even more tomorrow given the importance of the game.”
And on Stephan El Shaarawy, he added: “He was out for 40 days. He’s had a couple of weeks of recovery, he played on Sunday. We won’t be able to count on Venturino tomorrow either. We make choices based on who’s available. Stephan could be a crucial player.”
Lastly, Gasperini was asked what he makes of the opinions from the Bologna camp that Roma remain the favourites heading into Thursday’s second leg.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – MARCH 12: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, embraces Vincenzo Italiano, Head Coach of Bologna, prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Bologna FC 1909 and AS Roma at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on March 12, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“The ambition is the same for everyone,” he insisted. “Bologna are behind in the league but are recovering now. They were in the Champions League last year. There’s no clear difference between the two teams. We understand the importance of the game.”
Roma wing-back Wesley Franca insists that the incident that led to his sending off during Saturday’s Serie A defeat against Como ‘wasn’t a foul’, and says that the Giallorossi need ‘100% concentration’ if they are to overcome Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Wesley reacts to Como red and previews Bologna second leg
The Brazilian wideman joined head coach Gian Piero Gasperini for Wednesday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 tie between Roma and Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday night. The tie is currently level after a 1-1 draw at the Dall’Ara last week.
For Wesley, this was also an opportunity to review his most recent Serie A match. Roma were beaten 2-1 away against Como in a massive game in the race for the Champions League positions, and the Brazilian was controversially sent off just over an hour in with the scores still level at 1-1.
Wesley was sent off for a second bookable offence, but he insists that there was no foul in his clash with Como’s Assane Diao.
Like the incident that led to Pierre Kalulu’s wrongful sending off in the Derby d’Italia between Juventus and Inter in February, the incident could not be referred to VAR for review as it was a second yellow card offence and not a straight red. For the same reason, neither Kalulu nor Wesley’s suspensions were overturned either.
“It wasn’t a foul. I was aware I was on a booking and didn’t want a red,” Wesley protested (via TMW).
“I was on his side, leaning on him because he was falling on top of me. I was convinced afterwards that I hadn’t committed a foul, but for others, I did. It was a decisive incident which changed the game.”
Moving on from the Como incident, Wesley went on to explain why he has been able to hit the ground running so comfortably in Italy after joining Roma from Flamengo over the summer.
“Italian football is different to Brazilian football, but with a lot of concentration, it’s difficult for others to get past me, just as it’s easier for me to dribble against them,” he explained.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 01: Wesley of AS Roma during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Juventus FC at Stadio Olimpico on March 01, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“The coach asks me to attack, to not make mistakes and to make the right decisions. I’m improving and playing helps that.”
And looking ahead to Thursday’s clash against Bologna, he added: “For me, it’s a dream to play in Europe. We care a lot. Careers are built in these tournaments, it requires 100% concentration. We have to be ready tomorrow.”
And on his individual battle with Federico Bernardeschi during the first leg, Wesley said: “He’s very strong with some great characteristics. The duel was great. We’ve played against a lot of strong players, but he’s very good.”
Roma supporters were in attendance for Watford’s 3-1 victory over Wrexham in the EFL Championship to watch Edoardo Bove score his first goal since suffering a cardiac arrest on Wednesday night: ‘Even if you leave Rome, you won’t be alone’.
Bove back amongst the goals for the first time since 2024: ‘It wasn’t like that in my dreams!’
Bove is back to doing what he loves best after netting in the 94th minute to seal a 3-1 victory for his new club, Watford, over Championship promotion hopefuls Wrexham on Tuesday evening.
This was Bove’s first competitive goal since October 2024, when he scored in a thumping 5-1 victory for Fiorentina against his boyhood club, Roma.
Fiorentina’s midfielder Edoardo Bove celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match ACF Fiorentina vs AS Roma at Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, 27 October 2024. EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI
Not long after that, Bove collapsed on the pitch early on in a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter, and it was later confirmed that he had suffered a cardiac arrest. Bove later had an internal defibrillator device fitted, which prevents him from playing professionally in Italy, but does not prohibit him from playing in the UK.
This was a situation similar to the one that involved Christian Eriksen, who joined Brentford and later Manchester United after leaving Inter shortly after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at EURO 2020.
Despite spending over a year out of action, assessing his next steps after learning that a return to action in Serie A would not be possible, Bove joined Championship side Watford as a free agent in January.
He has since gone on to make six substitute appearances for the Hornets, and on Wednesday night, grabbed his first goal in England during a 3-1 victory over Wrexham at Vicarage Road.
“I had a lot of time to think about my first goal when I was coming back. To be honest, it wasn’t like this, as it was an easy one! In my dreams it was in the top corner,” Bove joked after full-time.
“But the celebration was unbelievable. I went directly to the fans and I’m so happy for the team who have supported me, and all the staff, physios and doctors who have been watching my situation carefully and trying to do their best to get me on the pitch.
“I’m so happy this happened today and I’m looking forward to what’s next.
To make the occasion extra special for Bove, he was being cheered on by a large section of UK-based Roma supporters, who held up Giallorossi scarfs and a banner that read: ‘Even if you leave Rome, you won’t be alone’.
Former Fiorentina and Salernitana star Franck Ribery has explained why Atalanta found it quite so difficult to play against his beloved Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie last week, and says that he ‘hopes’ to coach in Italy himself one day.
Ribery reflects on Atalanta vs. Bayern first leg
Atalanta were demolished 6-1 in their own back yard by Bayern Munich in last Tuesday’s Champions League round of 16 first leg. The two teams will meet again at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Wednesday evening, but with such a big deficit in the scoreline, this feels like more of a formality than anything for La Dea.
Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ribery explained why Atalanta found it quite so difficult against Bayern last week.
“Bayern are not just strong, but they’re also doing really well at the moment. For me, they’re the favourites to win the Champions League,” said Ribery.
“They win because they have a great culture. There’s a lot of professionalism and at the same time, it feels like a family. I’m happy to be considered a legend to their supporters. We made history with everything we won. We did it together.”
MUNICH, GERMANY – MAY 28: Franck Ribery poses for a picture with the Bundesliga trophy and the DFB cup during an event at FCB Erlebniswelt on May 28, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Despite being a team that tends to dominate possession, Ribery believes that the work Bayern did off the ball is what made life so difficult for Atalanta last week.
“I watched the first leg carefully. Atalanta found a lot of difficulties, Bayern also had a lot of experience on their side. They’re a team that’s used to controlling possession and even out of possession, they press very high and never leave their opponents any time or space to play out. That’s how it was in Bergamo too. Atalanta didn’t have the time or space to play.
“I have one thing to say about them, though. Well done to the Atalanta fans for supporting their team in a beautiful, sporting way. That gives an important image for all of Italian football.”
After calling it a day on his playing career in 2022, Ribery returned to Italy to do his UEFA A coaching license at Italy’s Coverciano.
“My goal is to become a coach, and in the meantime, study,” said Ribery. “Coverciano is the ideal place. I’m happy to be there, I feel at ease. I’ve met a lot of good people to share my journey with.”
EMPOLI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 27: Frank Ribery of US Salernitana looks on during the Serie A TIM match between Empoli FC and US Salernitana at Stadio Carlo Castellani on September 27, 2023 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Ribery hasn’t yet decided where exactly he wants to begin his coaching career, but he says that he would always be open to opportunities in Italy.
“I don’t know where yet, let’s hope for Italy, a country that I love,” he said. “But, I would also accept the opportunity to get involved in other countries.”
Reports in Italy claim that any tensions between Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic following Milan’s 1-0 loss against Lazio over the weekend have been put to bed after a handshake and in-depth video analysis session in training on Wednesday.
Milan put Leao and Pulisic issue to bed
Leao cut a frustrated figure after being taken off during the second half of Milan’s 1-0 loss against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday with 25 minutes of regular time left to play and with his side 1-0 down at the time, in need of a goal.
The Portugal international rejected a hug on the touchline from head coach Massimiliano Allegri after being hauled off, but many have suggested that Leao was also annoyed with teammate Pulisic, who had failed to slip him in on goal just a moment before the substitution was called.
Despite being Milan’s two leading goalscorers this season, Leao with nine Serie A goals from 22 appearances and Pulisic with eight from the same number of outings, they have only managed to score a combined two goals from 595 minutes while playing alongside each other.
Leao is currently on his longest goalscoring drought since joining Milan in 2023, still without a goal in 2026, and Leao has only recorded two from his last 10 outings.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 15: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan shoots whilst under pressure from Patric and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru of Lazio during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on March 15, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Milan squad had an in-depth video analysis session when they returned to training on Tuesday, which is normal procedure after a win, loss or draw, but there was a particular focus on the attacks involving the two star forwards.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Milan players reflected upon the Lazio match with a sense of calm, Leao is said to have apologised to his teammates for his behaviour on the sidelines and he and Pulisic are reported to have symbolically shook hands on the pitch.
Reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport indicate that Michele Di Gregorio has lost his no.1 status for the remainder of the season and that Mattia Perin is expected to be Juventus’s go-to shot stopper until the 2026-27 season.
Di Gregorio has made a series of high-profile errors between the sticks for Juventus in 2025-26, which led to his being dropped for the last four matches between Serie A and the Champions League play-off second leg against Galatasaray.
Head coach Luciano Spalletti had hinted that he would give Perin a run of two or three games in an attempt to take some of the pressure off Di Gregorio, but that run has now extended to four matches, and La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the situation is unlikely to change between now and the end of the 2025-26 season.
After that, there is a possibility that neither Di Gregorio nor Perin stay on with Juventus after the summer transfer window according to Tuesday’s report.
The Pink Paper claims that Juventus need to raise around €11m to avoid making a capital loss on Di Gregorio, who joined on loan with an obligation to buy from Monza for a reported €18m in the summer of 2024.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that there are still options for Di Gregorio elsewhere in Serie A, and that it is not out of the question that another side picks him up this summer.
Could Juventus replace both Di Gregorio and Perin this summer?
TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 16: Mattia Perin of Juventus looks on during the Serie A TIM match between Juventus and US Sassuolo – Serie A TIM at on January 16, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Perin, meanwhile, is now 33, has never been Juventus’s first choice, and is unlikely to claim the no.1 spot if the Bianconeri are to bring in another stopper this summer, which reports elsewhere claim is likely to happen.
Perin had been linked with a move to Genoa during the January transfer window, and La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that it is not out of the question that he again seeks a move away for a sort-of ‘last dance’ as a no.1 in Serie A with just over a year remaining on his current Juventus contract.
Meanwhile, several other goalkeepers have been linked with moves to Juventus in recent weeks, including Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Alisson Becker of Liverpool celebrates after Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool (not pictured) scores his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at City Ground on February 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Atalanta’s Marco Carnsecchi would be the ‘dream’ option for Juventus, but the 25-year-old is not expected to come cheap.
If Juventus are to bring in another goalkeeper this summer to serve as an understudy, La Gazzetta dello Sport has recommended a list that includes Lazio’s Ivan Provedel, Verona’s Lorenzo Montipo, Lecce’s Wladimiro Falcone, Cremonese’s Emil Audero and Bologna’s Federico Ravaglia.
Various reports suggest that Republic of Ireland international Troy Parrott is a potential option for Milan approaching the 2026 summer transfer window.
Reports Milan plotting move for AZ Alkmaar’s Parrott
Miguel Delaney of the Independent reports that Milan are ‘actively’ looking to sign a new striker this summer, that Parrott is a potential option for the Rossoneri and that his current club, AZ Alkmaar, are open to the idea of a sale this summer.
It is understood that Alkmaar will seek a fee in the region of around €30m (reported as £25m by outlets in the UK) to sell the Republic of Ireland international this summer.
Milan are not the only interested party. In fact, there are several sides across Europe keen on a potential deal for Parrott, including Fulham in the Premier League, Real Betis in LaLiga and VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.
Parrot has come up with 28 league goals from 52 appearances in the Eredivisie since joining AZ Alkmaar from Tottenham Hotspur, where he began his professional career. The 24-year-old has 14 goals from 22 league appearances this season, plus four from four outings in the cup and nine from 13 appearances in the UEFA Conference League.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – NOVEMBER 16: Players of Republic of Ireland celebrate their sides third goal scored by Troy Parrott of Republic of Ireland during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Hungary and Republic of Ireland at on November 16, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
Parrott also made history with the Republic of Ireland national team earlier this season. Back in November, he netted a brace in a shock 2-0 win over Portugal, and then provided a hat-trick in an eventual 3-2 win away against Hungary a few days later to secure his nation a surprise spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In doing so, he became the first ever player to score an away hat-trick for the Republic of Ireland side in a competitive fixture and also the first player to score a hat-trick for the Republic of Ireland since Robbie Keane 11 years prior.
The Lega Serie A have confirmed that Roma wing-back Wesley Franca will be suspended for one match and that Inter and Lazio head coaches Cristian Chivu and Maurizio Sarri are among those who picked up bans during the 29th round of 2025-26 fixtures.
Official: Wesley, Chivu and Sarri decisions confirmed after Serie A week 29
Three red cards were dished out by the officials during the 29th round of Serie A fixtures. The harshest of those punishments has been handed to Pisa’s Rafiu Durosinmi, who has earned a two-game ban for having kicked out at an opponent in an off the ball incident during his side’s 3-1 win over Cagliari.
Adam Obert was also shown a red card during Cagliari’s 3-1 loss against Pisa and has picked up a one-match suspension as a result.
Wesley was also sent off during Roma’s 2-1 defeat away against top-four rivals Como for what many feel was a harsh second yellow card offence. His ban has been upheld, and he will be suspended for Roma’s upcoming Serie A test against Lecce.
Parma’s Enrico Delprato, Pisa’s Michel Aebischer and Cremonese’s Warren Bondo have all now picked up five yellow cards for the season and will all be suspended for Serie A week 30.
Chivu has also been suspended for Inter’s upcoming trip to Fiorentina after being shown two yellow cards against Atalanta on Saturday, and Lazio’s Sarri has also been suspended for one match after leaving his technical area and making disrespectful comments towards the match officials against Milan.
Italy national team striker Mateo Retegui is back in Florence and is reportedly working individually one week early ahead of Italy’s World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of the month.
Retegui’s Italy training camp has already begun
Retegui currently plays for Al-Qadsiah, who sit in fourth place in the Saudi Pro League standings. The Argentine-born Italy international has provided 15 goals from 25 league outings so far this season.
Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, there will be no Saudi Pro League matches this coming weekend, which means that compared to the rest of his Italy teammates, Retegui has an extra week off ahead of the World Cup play-offs, which kick off on March 26.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Retegui has already arrived in Florence, where Italy’s Coverciano training base is located, has rented an apartment nearby and is expecting to train individually every day until the rest of the squad reports for duty after their league fixtures this coming weekend.
According to the Pink Paper, Retegui was concerned about the long pause that he would have had between matches, and decided to return to Italy a week early after phone calls with the FIGC and CT Gennaro Gattuso.
UDINE – OCTOBER 14: Mateo Retegui celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between against Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Tuesday’s report states that Retegui’s training camp ‘has already begun’.
Retegui is one of several strikers expected to be called up to the Azzurri squad for this month’s World Cup deciders against Northern Ireland and either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, Inter’s Pio Esposito and Atalanta’s Giacomo Raspadori are also expected to be included among Gattuso’s selections.
Retegui is Italy’s leading goalscorer since Gattuso was called in to replace Luciano Spalletti as CT last summer. The national team has scored 19 goals from six matches since then: Retegui with five, Kean with four, Esposito with three and Raspadori and Gianluca Mancini with two apiece. Matteo Politano, Sandro Tonali and Alessandro Bastoni have one each.
Northern Ireland head coach Michael O’Neill insists that Italy are ‘the team with everything to lose’ ahead of the meeting of the two nations in the World Cup play-off semi-final next Thursday, and believes that playing the match in Bergamo benefits the Green and White Army.
Italy will host Northern Ireland at Atalanta’s New Balance Arena in Bergamo for the World Cup play-off semi-final coming up on March 26. The winner of that match will progress to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a one-legged play-off final on March 31 for a spot at the final tournament.
Italy have not yet announced their squad for the March international break, but are expected to by the end of this week. Northern Ireland confirmed their selections on Monday night, and O’Neill has given his verdict in front of the media at his press conference in Belfast.
O’Neill on Italy pressure, Tonali quality and a venue that ‘suits’ Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland head coach admits that there is a clear difference in quality between the two sides.
Italy are expected to name a full squad of top-flight players, most of whom will have played in the Champions League at some stage this season, while Northern Ireland are only able to offer four Premier League players, 13 from the EFL Championship and eight from England’s third tier. They also have representatives from the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship and the 2. Bundesliga.
“I mean, they’ve got a bunch of players who play in Serie A, play for Inter Milan, Lazio, Roma, Napoli,” said O’Neill during his press conference on Monday night (via The Irish News).
“They also have players that play in the Premier League at top clubs as well. You know, Tonali is arguably as good a midfield player as there is in the Premier League. Calafiori at Arsenal as well. So, it’s going to be a very, very tough game. There’s no doubt about that.
“We’re going to have to step up. If you look at our squad there, there’s 13 players in the Championship. There’s four at Premier League clubs and the rest are League One or playing their football elsewhere.
“So, it is a big step up for us. But it’s a step up we’ve made in the past. I think we made it in the Germany game, albeit we didn’t get the results that we felt we maybe could have done. We have to try and make that step up again.”
Given the difference in personnel available, O’Neill believes that Italy are the ones with more pressure heading into the World Cup play-offs.
“If you look at this game, we’re the team with everything to gain. They’re the team with everything to lose,” he said.
“They have a lot of expectation as a football nation. Their players will have to deal with that. But that’s for them, we can’t really use it.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Players of Italy sing the national anthem prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“We’ve just got to make the game as difficult for the opposition as possible and then those types of things will, I think, become factors in the game in terms of their mentality to the game and how we try and obviously make it more prevalent for them to think about things like that.”
Italy have won five of their first six matches since Gennaro Gattuso replaced Luciano Spalletti as CT, but fell to defeat against Norway on home soil in their most recent test, which sent them to the play-offs instead of the final World Cup tournament.
“If you look at this group, they’ve had a change of manager after two games. Gennaro Gattuso’s been in for six games. They lost their last game 4-1 at San Siro against Norway. A game where they played well in the first half to be honest, and led 1-0, but they would have been disappointed with how the game finished in the second half as well,” said O’Neill.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“I personally went to a game in Bergamo on the 27th of December. I saw Inter and Atalanta play, so I know what the atmosphere is like.That was a good atmosphere at the game because, obviously it’s not a derby but they’re very close by, Bergamo and Milan, so there was a big Inter Milan away support there as well.”
O’Neill believes that Italy selected Bergamo as the host city for this play-off semi-final due to their ghosts at other venues, but insists that the New Balance Arena will make the Northern Ireland squad feel more comfortable compared to San Siro or the Stadio Olimpico.
“I think that possibly their history has made them make that decision. They’ve lost play-offs I think in the San Siro and as I touched on, their last game in San Siro against Norway. The outcome wouldn’t have been what they’d hoped for. So maybe they feel the smaller stadium brings less pressure. I don’t know.”
“For us the venue is fine. Most of our players play their club football weekly in venues of that size. They’re not running out in front of 80,000, 90,000 people every week. So I think the venue suits us.”
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND – NOVEMBER 17: Players of Northern Ireland pose for a team photograph prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Northern Ireland and Luxembourg at Windsor Park on November 17, 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Northern Ireland have officially announced their squad to take on Italy and either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the crucial World Cup play-off campaign coming up at the end of March.
Italy will host Northern Ireland on March 26 in Bergamo for the World Cup play-off semi-final. The winner of that tie will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the play-off final on March 31, which will be a one-legged decider for a spot at the final tournament.
The losing semi-finalists are due to play a friendly against each other on March 31 as well.
Northern Ireland head coach Michael O’Neill has named a bumper squad of 28 players for the upcoming play-off semi-final against Italy. The major absentee for the Green and White Army is Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season with a serious knee injury.
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND – NOVEMBER 17: Conor Bradley of Northern Ireland runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Northern Ireland and Luxembourg at Windsor Park on November 17, 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Italy are the clear favourites heading into the semi-final given their home advantage and the clear gulf in quality between the two squads.
Italy are yet to announce their squad, but it is expected that all of the players included will play for top-flight sides, and the majority of them for clubs who have participated in the Champions League in 2025-26.
For comparison, the Northern Ireland squad has just four Premier League-affiliated players: Sunderland duo Daniel Ballard and Trai Hume, Crystal Palace’s Justin Devenny, who has five league starts to his name this season, and Liverpool youngster Kieran Morrsion, who has only ever played 71 minutes of senior football at club level; his two appearances coming in domestic cup competitions.
Otherwise, the Northern Ireland squad features 13 players from the EFL Championship, eight players from EFL League One, and one apiece from the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship and 2. Bundesliga.
Confirmed Northern Ireland squad to face Italy and either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND – NOVEMBER 17: Jamie Donley of Northern Ireland celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Northern Ireland and Luxembourg at Windsor Park on November 17, 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Roma’s Neil El Aynaoui and his family were the victims of a terrifying robbery at the midfielder’s home in the capital in the early hours of Tuesday morning according to various reports in Italy.
El Aynaoui and family victims of terrifying break-in
According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport and others, a gang of six armed individuals broke into El Aynaoui’s home in Castel Fusano, where several Roma and Lazio players live, at around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning.
The robbers entered through a living room window after breaking off the grated covers and proceeded to confront El Aynaoui and his family with guns.
WALSALL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Boubacar Kamara of Aston Villa during the pre-season friendly match between Aston Villa and AS Roma at Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium on August 06, 2025 in Walsall, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
El Aynaoui was reportedly the first person in the house to be woken during the incident. He along with his mother, brother and their respective partners were locked in a room as the robbers proceeded to steal jewellery reported to be worth €10,000, a Rolex watch and a collection of designer handbags.
Unfortunately, El Aynaoui is not the first Roma or Lazio player to be affected by an incident like this. In recent years, Wesley, Mario Gila and Mario Vecino have also been victims of robberies of burglaries, as have Mattia Zaccagni, Toma Basic, Chris Smalling, Phillipe Mexes and Christian Panucci in years gone by.
El Aynaoui immediately informed his club of the incident, and he will not be involved in training with Roma on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s Europa League round of 16 decider against Bologna.
Youssouf Fofana admits that having to adapt to a new role at Milan has been a big challenge, insists that he is still dreaming of a World Cup call-up despite being omitted from the France squad since 2024, and says that he is ‘divided’ as to whether or not he has had a ‘good’ season in 2025-26.
Fofana ‘unsure’ on Milan role, 2025-26 season ‘not good enough’
The Rossoneri midfielder sat down for an in-depth interview with l’Equipe, during which he discussed his preferred position, his tactical development since moving to Italy and the difficulties of standing out amongst a talented pool of French midfielders.
Fofana says that he had been used to playing just in front of the defence before he joined Milan back in the summer of 2024, but now, he features in more of a box-to-box role on the right of a midfield three.
“At first I had to learn on a tactical level,” Fofana told l’Equipe. “As we all know, Italy puts a big emphasis on that, it’s not a cliché at all. I thought I was coming with a good tactical background, but they really pay attention to everything.
“It took me a while to understand that you can play a very good 90 minutes here and in the end, it ends up 1-0 in favour of the opponent. That’s because you’ve been beaten tactically. It took me a while to get that efficiency and tactical discipline.”
Fofana says that there has been ‘two phases’ of his development since moving to Serie A: “I’m living (the second one) now. It’s a change of position,” Fofana said. “It’s as if for five years I’d looked at football in a certain way and now my perception is changing.
“I don’t see the pitch from the same angle. I don’t really have the same benchmarks. For example, when I played in front of the defence, I always knew there were two players behind me, another diagonally on the right and another on the left. I could make passes into those areas without looking.
“Now it’s completely different. I play on the right. When we don’t have the ball, I’m really high up, almost like a striker. When we have it, I’m between the lines. I used to go and get after these players.”
Fofana was asked what it is like to have to learn a new position at the age of 27.
He said: “When you’re told you’re going to play higher up, you’re happy at first. In the end, I learned that that’s not necessarily what I want. I do it for the team. I like to be at the start of the action, to control everything: the speed of my team’s play, the tempo, the ball recovery.”
And what has Fofana learned from this tactical repositioning?
“That I needed to play much faster. When I played in front of the defence, the player marking me was often a striker, who didn’t necessarily defend very well. Whereas here, the player who marks me is usually a defender, usually a tougher opponent. I have to be stronger, to take in more information than before.”
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 02: Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Neil El Aynaoui of AS Roma during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Fofana says that he is unsure whether he would describe the 2025-26 season as a ‘good’ one on a personal level.
“It’s a very good question,” he said. “I agree to learn, but am I doing well for the season? Not good enough, I think. In the position where I play, there’s more focus on statistics, and I think I could have been more efficient.
“I could have had six goals this season and more assists, and then I might have told you that my season’s been good. Aside from that, I’m looking at the medium term. There’s the World Cup and I’m not sure that I’m expected to play in this position.”
Fofana was asked whether that is frustrating for him with the 2026 World Cup quickly approaching.
“At club level, I do it.. Especially when you’re in the mix to win a trophy. But will it help me in the future? I’m divided about that.”
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan competes for the ball with Nicolo’ Barella of Inter during the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Fofana has not been called up to the France national team squad since October 2024.
“At first it wasn’t a great experience. I wondered why I wasn’t getting called up. Then I started watching the matches and said to myself ‘okay Youssouf, there are other midfielders that are just as strong as you. Whether you’re there or not, the France team gets the same results, so you have to work and wait’.”
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Our squad for our World Cup play-off is here 
