Antonio Conte admits that his players were ‘too worried, too fearful’ and that they have to improve on their record on the road after slipping to their seventh away defeat of the season in a 1-0 Serie A loss against Udinese on Sunday afternoon. 

A lone goal from Udinese’s Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was enough to defeat the reigning Serie A champions, who are now sat in third place and could be two points off the lead of the table by the end of Sunday evening. 

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

Conte: Udinese loss, Napoli injuries and improving away form

Napoli have had a tough time of it with injuries over the last few weeks, with Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, Romelu Lukaku, Juan Jesus and Alex Meret all having spent time on the treatment table over the last few weeks, and months in some cases.

Aside from swapping Leonardo Spinazzola for Mathias Olivera on Sunday, Conte has named the same starting XI for three games in a row, within the space of seven days. 

“We didn’t concede any shots on goal in the first half, we could have made better of the chances we had. We struggled at the beginning of the second half, and you could tell there was a bit of fear from there on,” Conte told DAZN while reviewing his side’s performance against Udinese. 

“Two disallowed goals and a crossbar at the start of the second half,” he continued. “We were too worried and too fearful, we needed to work hard. We have to play well, even in the difficult moments. We have to manage situations and we definitely have to improve.

“We have to be better at managing these moments, we have to tackle them with experience. We can’t lose courage or become overwhelmed. If you play like that, you run the risk of conceding, and we conceded. 

“I have nothing negative to say about the guys who are giving their all in this emergency. We have to be better at managing games and bringing out more character away from home. On a psychological level, we try to work on it and find the right way. We can grow, we have great guys here.” 

Conte was asked if he is worried about injuries derailing his side’s season. 

He replied: “I sounded the alarm even after we were winning. There’s not much to say. 

“At the beginning of the season, when you’re playing in a lot of competitions, you worry about building a squad that is up to scratch. (What can you do) when the squad is weakened because of external factors? 

“This year won’t be easy for us. The important thing is to be united and compact, facing challenges while sticking together. The whole club needs to stand together, this year won’t be easy. We want to work and fight. We’ve lost seven away games, we have to improve that a bit.”

Napoli rode their luck for two disallowed goals, but were eventually undone by a Jurgen Ekkelenkamp stunner for Udinese.

The Partenopei looked exhausted in their midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, but had few alternatives available, as Juan Jesus joined Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table. Stanislav Lobotka and Miguel Gutierrez were back on the bench. The Friulani lost Jordan Zemura in the surprise 2-1 home defeat to Genoa, with Arthur Atta and Hassane Kamara already out.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Nicolò Bertola risked an own goal with his decisive interception, as Leonardo Spinazzola got down the left and rolled across for a Noa Lang tap-in. Lang then fired over on the resulting corner.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic pushed away a Jurgen Ekkelenkamp strike from the edge of the area, with the Nicolò Zaniolo follow-up charged down, while Jakub Piotrowski nodded wide.

Udinese came out more aggressive for the restart and had the ball in the net when Milinkovic-Savic’s weak parry on Bertola’s strike from the edge of the box was tapped in by Keinan Davis, but the forward was offside.

The hosts threatened again soon after when Piotrowski smashed his finish onto the underside of the crossbar down the right flank.

Zaniolo really should’ve opened the scoring when firing wide at the end of a well-worked move at the back post. He did get the ball in the net moments later, but it was disallowed when VAR spotted Karlstrom’s foul on Lobotka in the build-up.

Udinese finally scored a goal that counted when Jurgen Ekkelenkamp bent a sensational right-foot finish into the far top corner from the edge of the box, giving Milinkovic-Savic no chance.

Napoli wasted an astonishing opportunity to equalise on 88 minutes when Lorenzo Lucca got down the right and rolled across, but Hojlund off balance stumbled and somehow prodded it off target from a couple of yards.

Lucca went for it himself in stoppages and came sliding in to meet the David Neres cross, volleying it onto the base of the back post.

Udinese 1-0 Napoli

Ekkelenkamp 73 (U)

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Napoli

1 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Nicolò Zaniolo

33'

2nd half

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Keinan Davis)

73'

Match statistic

38

Possession %

62

18

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

6

Shots off target

6

7

Blocked shots

1

1

Corners

3

1

Offsides

1

16

Fouls

9

Udinese

Napoli

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

Alessandro Zanoli

Defender

90'

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

84'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

83'

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

75'

13

Amir Rrahmani

Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

82'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

61'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

82'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

61'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

4

Sandi Lovric

Midfielder

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

16

Matteo Palma

Defender

77

Rui Modesto

Midfielder

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

83'

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

84'

17

Iker Bravo

Attacker

90'

2

Saba Goglichidze

Defender

90'

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

61'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

61'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

75'

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

82'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

82'

Napoli director Giovanni Manna insists they must remain ‘positive’ during an injury crisis after Champions League setbacks, but demands ‘more determination’ from Lorenzo Lucca.

It kicks off at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine at 14.00 GMT.

See how all today’s five Serie A games unfold on the Liveblog.

The Partenopei are flying high in Serie A at the top of the table alongside AC Milan, but the lack of options for squad rotation are starting to take their toll.

They looked exhausted in the midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, which left them scrambling just to secure a place in the play-offs.

Napoli running out of steam

“Quite simply, we are playing with the same figures repeatedly, because there are few alternatives, it becomes difficult to rotate,” Manna told DAZN Italia.

“We proved that we were superior over our opponents with a series of head-to-head wins, it can happen that you feel fatigued and if you are not at 100 per cent in the Champions League, you will struggle.

“There are many matches, we hope to get as many players back as possible. It is a tough game today, a very physical one, so we must be positive.”

The injury list just keeps growing, as Juan Jesus has joined Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table.

At least Stanislav Lobotka and Miguel Gutierrez are back for a spot on the bench, while the only change to the starting XI is Leonardo Spinazzola.

Is there a reason why Napoli give their best in Serie A and yet are struggling so badly in the Champions League?

“If I analyse the Champions League games, the only one we got really badly wrong was in Eindhoven,” insisted Manna of that 6-1 loss.

“We were down to 10 men with Manchester City for over an hour, we deserved more against Eintracht, we beat Qarabag and Sporting. Our energy levels were depleted against Benfica, but we still created scoring opportunities.

“I remain very positive, I feel the work that the coach and players are doing is clear for all to see. Now we’ve got to keep focused and try to bring home the points.”

Despite the injury crisis, ex-Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca can barely get on the pitch, as Rasmus Hojlund is the first choice centre-forward.

There have also been reports that Napoli could try to sign Udinese midfielder Arthur Atta, although he is out of action today.

“I am hardly the first to notice Atta’s talent and everyone knows he’s destined for a great career,” replied the Napoli director when pushed on this player.

“Aside from the transfer gossip, he is a player beyond our range right now. Udinese always had a great scouting network to find talented young players with big prospects.

“As for Lucca, he needs to speed up the process of settling in and show more determination on the field. We are convinced he has the right characteristics to play for Napoli, but he must understand this is a different club to Udinese, he needs to show determination every single day in training and on the pitch.”

Check the official line-ups from this afternoon’s Serie A games, as Napoli have limited options against Nicolò Zaniolo’s Udinese, while Fiorentina vs. Verona is a huge relegation dogfight.

These two fixtures both kick off at 14.00 GMT.

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

Serie A Week 15 games

Udinese vs. Napoli team news

Napoli need a victory to ensure they stay top of the Serie A table, but after looking exhausted in the midweek Champions League defeat to Benfica, Antonio Conte has few alternatives for squad rotation.

Juan Jesus joins Billy Gilmour, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku on the treatment table.

Udinese lost Jordan Zemura with a muscular lesion, with Arthur Atta and Hassane Kamara already out of action following a surprise 2-1 home defeat to Genoa.

Udinese: Okoye; Kabasele, Kristensen, Solet; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Bertola; Zaniolo, Davis

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Elmas, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Lang; Hojlund

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Napoli

1 - 0

Udinese

Napoli

Starting lineups

40

Maduka Okoye

Goalkeeper

Alessandro Zanoli

Defender

90'

27

Christian Kabasele

Defender

13

Nicolò Bertola

Defender

84'

28

Oumar Solet

Defender

31

Thomas Kristensen

Defender

24

Jakub Piotrowski

Midfielder

8

Jesper Karlström

Midfielder

32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

Midfielder

83'

Nicolò Zaniolo

Midfielder

90'

9

Keinan Davis

Attacker

84'

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

75'

13

Amir Rrahmani

Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

82'

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

61'

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

82'

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

7

David Neres

Attacker

70

Noa Lang

Attacker

61'

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

Substitutes

93

Daniele Padelli

Goalkeeper

90

Răzvan Sava

Goalkeeper

4

Sandi Lovric

Midfielder

1

Alessandro Nunziante

Goalkeeper

16

Matteo Palma

Defender

77

Rui Modesto

Midfielder

38

Lennon Miller

Midfielder

29

Abdoulaye Camara

Midfielder

Idrissa Gueye

Attacker

6

Oier Zarraga

Midfielder

83'

18

Adam Buksa

Attacker

84'

19

Kingsley Ehizibue

Defender

84'

17

Iker Bravo

Attacker

90'

2

Saba Goglichidze

Defender

90'

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara

Midfielder

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

69

Giuseppe Ambrosino

Attacker

35

Luca Marianucci

Defender

25

Mathias Ferrante

Goalkeeper

68

Stanislav Lobotka

Midfielder

61'

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

61'

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

75'

27

Lorenzo Lucca

Attacker

82'

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

82'

Fiorentina vs. Verona team news

The bottom two face off in a potentially decisive match for relegation, as while Hellas earned their first victory of the campaign last week against Atalanta, Fiorentina are still without a single Serie A success.

Marin Pongracic returns from suspension, with Robin Gosens, Jacopo Fazzini, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Tariq Lamptey still out.

At least their mood was boosted by Thursday’s Conference League win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Verona get Roberto Gagliardini back from his ban, but Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Domagoj Bradaric and Tomas Suslov miss out.

Fiorentina: De Gea; Pongracic, Comuzzo, Ranieri; Dodò, Mandragora, Fagioli, Sohm, Parisi; Gudmundsson, Kean

Verona: Montipò; Unai Nunez, Nelsson, Bella-Kotchap; Belghali, Niasse, Al-Musrati, Bernede, Frese; Giovane, Mosquera

14-12-2025 14:00

MatchDay 15

Artemio Franchi Stadium

Fiorentina

Verona

1 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

		25'		Cheikh Niasse
		32'		Martin Frese
Albert Gudmundsson		36'
		39'		Moatasem Al-Musrati
		42'		Gift Orban (Assist: Moatasem Al-Musrati)

2nd half

Unai Núñez		69'
		85'		Rafik Belghali
		90+3'		Gift Orban (Assist: Antoine Bernede)
		90+5'		Unai Núñez

Match statistic

66

Possession %

34

20

Total shots

13

4

Shots on target

3

9

Shots off target

7

7

Blocked shots

3

9

Corners

4

1

Offsides

1

10

Fouls

22

Fiorentina

Verona

Starting lineups

43

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

2

Dodô

Defender

87'

65

Fabiano Parisi

Defender

6

Luca Ranieri

Defender

61'

5

Marin Pongracic

Defender

15

Pietro Comuzzo

Defender

44

Nicolò Fagioli

Midfielder

87'

8

Rolando Mandragora

Midfielder

61'

7

Simon Sohm

Midfielder

69'

10

Albert Gudmundsson

Attacker

20

Moise Kean

Attacker

1

Lorenzo Montipò

Goalkeeper

37

Armel Bella-Kotchap

Defender

3

Martin Frese

Defender

75'

7

Rafik Belghali

Defender

5

Unai Núñez

Defender

15

Victor Nelsson

Defender

24

Antoine Bernede

Midfielder

73

Moatasem Al-Musrati

Midfielder

75'

36

Cheikh Niasse

Attacker

46'

25

Daniel Mosquera

Attacker

61'

17

Giovane

Attacker

35'

Substitutes

91

Roberto Piccoli

Attacker

18

Pablo Marí

Defender

14

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia

Midfielder

1

Luca Lezzerini

Goalkeeper

Christian Kouamé

Attacker

30

Tommaso Martinelli

Goalkeeper

60

Eddy Kouadio

Defender

29

Niccolò Fortini

Midfielder

61'

24

Amir Richardson

Midfielder

61'

9

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

69'

26

Mattia Viti

Defender

87'

27

Cher Ndour

Midfielder

87'

21

Abdou Harroui

Midfielder

20

Grigoris Kastanos

Midfielder

34

Simone Perilli

Goalkeeper

23

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

94

Giacomo Toniolo

Goalkeeper

72

Junior Ajayi

Attacker

2

Daniel Oyegoke

Defender

19

Tobias Slotsager

Defender

4

Yellu Santiago

Midfielder

70

Fallou Cham

Defender

16

Gift Orban

Attacker

35'

63

Roberto Gagliardini

Midfielder

46'

9

Amin Sarr

Attacker

61'

8

Suat Serdar

Midfielder

75'

Nicolás Valentini

Defender

75'

{rsn-live-v2}

Antonio Conte will make little changes to his Napoli XI as they visit Udinese in Serie A Week 15.

It kicks off at 15:00 CET (14:00 GMT) at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.

The Partenopei are still without several key players, Romelu Lukaku, Alex Meret, Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour, but Stanislav Lobotka is back in the squad and is expected to start on the bench.

Napoli will face Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal next week, but Conte still can’t rotate much, so he’ll make just one change to the XI that lost 2-0 away at Benfica in the Champions League earlier this week.

According to several sources, including Corriere dello Sport, Leonardo Spinazzola is expected to start as a left midfielder in a 3-4-3 system, while David Neres and Noa Lang remain favourites to start up front alongside Rasmus Hojlund, leaving Matteo Politano on the bench.

Udinese are without Hassane Kamara, Arthur Atta and Jordan Zemura, but Nicolò Zaniolo is fit to start and will lead their attack today.

Udinese vs. Napoli – where to watch on TV

The match is available on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.

Udinese vs. Napoli – probable line-ups

Udinese (3-5-2): Okoye; Solet, Kabasele, Bertola; Zanoli, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Ehizibue; Davis, Zaniolo

Napoli (3-4-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Elmas, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Lang; Hojlund

La Gazzetta dello Sport

We play for the top spot

Sunday with the big sides: Napoli and Milan to remain at the top

Traps for the leaders: Allegri with Nkunku-Pulisic, Conte relies on Neres

Offer rejected

Elkann to Tether: ‘Juve are not for sale.’

‘History and value of the club are not for sale.’ The value is too low. Spalletti in Bologna (20.45), he must win to climb.

Inter idea, the two Thurams

Chivu at Genoa’s home, thinking of Pio and Lautaro

Golden Vlasic

Toro restart with a win. Cairo: ‘Fundamental victory.’

Lazio win down to ten men

Incredible: two players sent off, then Noslin scores.

Corriere dello Sport

Who gets it wrong goes down

Hot Sunday in the race for the title

Milan begin at lunchtime, then Napoli, Inter and Juve: 360 minutes waiting for the Supercoppa

Pulisic and Nkunku up front. Max: ‘Napoli and Inter still favourites.’

Conte chases the 11th win, Lobotka returns and goes to the bench. There’s Spinazzola.

Chivu hits back: ‘They said we were finished.’ Zielinski and Bisseck in.

Space for Dallinga. David with Yildiz. Lucio: ‘I told DeLa to get Italiano.’

‘History is not for sale.’

Elkann holds Juventus tight: ‘It’s a love lasting one century.’

Exor’s CEO says no to Tether’s offer: ‘Juventus have been my family’s club for 102 years. We’ll continue to support the team and look to a winning future.’

Lazio feat: victory down to nine men.

Tuttosport

Petrachi, happy debut as a director: Toro return to winning ways with Cremonese

Vlasic saves Baroni

Gobbo pride

Elkann strongly confirms he won’t sell Juve, Spalletti demands a performance in line with history

Exor’s CEO has rejected the offer from Tether. John: ‘Our values are not for sale.’ The coach: ‘I’m happy to feel his passion, now it’s up to us to honour the past and work to build the same or a better future.’ David towards the confirmation. Cautious with Bremer, but…

Frattesi for Thuram: Inter try the coup

Trap for Chivu in Genoa today after the defeat with Liverpool: ‘They said we were finished, but we’re still here. Too many labels, I don’t like it.’

Milan-Napoli: head-to-head with Ryiad on the horizon.

Allegri defends the leadership against Sassuolo without Leao. Conte still in emergency in Udine. On Thursday, the Supercoppa semifinal.

Nine-man Lazio beat Parma! Dea climb back with Scamacca

Lorenzo Lucca returns ‘home’ to face his old club Udinese, but even though he’s not going to get much playing time at Napoli, he is not on the transfer market yet.

The centre-forward first made his mark with the Friulani and will visit his former teammates wearing the Napoli jersey.

He’ll be on the bench, because the hierarchy is rock solid now and Rasmus Hojlund has taken over the role, leaving the Italian with only a handful of minutes per match.

Lucca depends on other players

All this is awaiting Romelu Lukaku, who as Antonio Conte pointed out recently, is not back yet and it’s not clear when he’s likely to be at 100 per cent.

Until that time comes, Lucca is going nowhere, because Napoli need someone to rely on in a campaign full of injury uncertainty.

They will discuss it over the next few weeks, and if the Belgian should be available for selection, then Lucca could start to look around for a different solution until June.

There’s no point talking about it right now, but at least Lorenzo will be back on familiar territory and perhaps find something to smile about during a disappointing season.

The Supercoppa Italiana Final Four is coming up next week, so check the location, kick-off times, and the prizes at stake for Napoli, Inter, AC Milan and Bologna.

The format of the tournament remains the same after last season, so rather than be a traditional clash between the winners of the Scudetto and the reigning Coppa Italia holders, it is expanded to four teams.

All the matches take place at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Supercoppa Italiana 2025 schedule

The trophy holders therefore face the runners-up of the other competition, then the winning teams take on each other for the Final.

That means Napoli face AC Milan in one semi-final on Thursday December 18, kicking off at 20.00 GMT.

Bologna then play against Inter in the other semi-final on Friday December 19, also at 20.00 GMT.

The winners of these two matches then go head-to-head on Monday December 22, again at 20.00 GMT.

There is no extra time, so if two teams are level after 90 minutes, they go straight to a penalty shoot-out.

According to Calcio e Finanza, the total prize pot for the tournament is €22.5m, with the winners getting €9.5m plus a further €1.5m to play a friendly against the team that takes the Saudi Super Cup.

The two losing semi-finalists should get €2.4m each, while the beaten Finalist can expect €6.7m.

AC Milan won it last season, beating Inter 3-2 in the Final.

Luciano Spalletti says Juventus will no longer go into a training retreat before games and confirms he has suggested ‘everyone’ to hire Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano, ‘not just to President Aurelio De Laurentiis.’

Spalletti’s Juventus will visit Bologna at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Sunday, meeting a direct rival in the race for the top four.

Bologna, in fact, are three points above the Old Lady, who ranks 7th in the Serie A table.

Spalletti previewed tomorrow’s match at a press conference, starting with team news.

Bologna-Juventus: Spalletti’s press conference

“Daniele Rugani can already be deployed. As for Bremer, because of his previous injury, he still needs time, and we must be cautious even if he’s available and wants to be there,” Spalletti told reporters via Ilbianconero.com.

Asked whether he’ll have more time next week to test a four-man defence in training, Spalletti replied: “I’m still surprised when I hear about systems in the field. In today’s football, it has changed a little. You don’t win by occupying positions, but spaces, deciding where you want to bring the game. We are going towards one-on-one across the pitch, and we have to adapt. It’s true that I want to use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, trying to do something different, but it’s just the starting point because the game forces you to use other systems during the match.”

Francisco Conceiçao made a substitute appearance in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Pafos, contributing to a 2-0 win, but Spalletti expects a further step forward from the Portuguese.

“His development lies in becoming more decisive. He needs to increase the chances of scoring and be more determined in the attacking phase,” said the Juventus boss.

“He has this lethal outburst of pace that puts you in real trouble when he accelerates. Let’s also add some defensive phases, some duels, but I’ve seen great willingness to track back and help out, so we’re on the right path.”

The Juventus tactician was full of praise for Bologna and their coach, Italiano, confirming he had suggested Napoli hire the Bologna boss in 2023.

Spalletti on Italiano

“There are certainly things you can learn from Italiano. For me, he’s one of the best young coaches we have, and I’ve told everyone to get Italiano, not just President De Laurentiis.

“Credit goes to the coach and those who built the team. They have great quality and know exactly where they want to go,” continued Spalletti.

“They fear nothing and force you into a huge number of duels; they don’t care about how much space they leave behind. We have to break down these fences, not go man against man, but beyond the man. If we are not ready for this, it will be a complicated evening for us to talk about.

“Personality is a fundamental aspect of football. In the past, it only belonged to those who dared a risky play; today, is about accepting a full-pitch battle, pushing the opponents into the spaces you want, beyond the technical gesture,” Spalletti added.

“One single play might be enough to get a passing grade [from the media], but to play like a champion, you have to be in the heart of the team for 90 minutes and close to the ball.

“No one will convince me not to expect great things from these lads; no one will convince me that they aren’t good. A coach has to be obsessed with the idea of improving the team.”

Last but not least, Spalletti said the team would no longer go into a training retreat before matches, which means they won’t travel to Bologna until tomorrow morning.

“A training retreat isn’t a place, but a mental condition,” concluded Spalletti.

“We won’t do it anymore because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s an extra burden. If you are dealing with a group of players with the right mental condition, like those at Juventus, you don’t go into a training retreat. Whoever plays for Juventus is always in this mindset, so we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

• More from the press conference – Spalletti reacts to Elkann claims after offer to buy Juventus: ‘It’s up to us’

Football Italia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà provides the latest transfer updates on Serie A-linked Mauro Icardi, Joshua Zirkzee, Kobbie Mainoo and Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca.

Milan will be looking for a new striker in the January transfer window, and Pedullà argued in his latest YouTube video for Football Italia that the Rossoneri should sign another striker next month, regardless of Santiago Gimenez and Christopher Nkunku, who have failed to match expectations this season.

Other media have linked Mauro Icardi, a former Inter captain, with a move to Milan. Pedullà says that the Argentine, whose Galatasaray contract expires in June 2026, was not offered to Milan through official sources, but perhaps other intermediaries held informal talks with the Rossoneri.

Icardi has offers from four countries

Icardi has important offers from Mexico, Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Icardi isn’t yet 36, but he wants to wait. The request is a €10m salary.

As for Zirkzee, the Dutchman is a priority target for Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini, but Manchester United must sign another striker because Zirkzee has had more playing time recently, and the Red Devils are only open to selling the player for an appropriate transfer formula, which means not a loan with an option to buy.

Mainoo’s situation is different because he’s younger than Zirkzee and is not getting much playing time at Old Trafford. The English midfielder is Napoli’s priority target in midfield for the January window.

Last but not least, the Partenopei won’t give away Lucca in the January window; they might allow him to leave on loan, but it will also depend on Romelu Lukaku’s fitness once he returns to action.

Reports in Italy claim that Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is considering the possibility of a move away from San Siro during the January transfer window to boost his chances of being selected in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. 

Could Loftus-Cheek leave Milan in January?

The former Chelsea midfielder has been a valuable role player under Massimiliano Allegri this season, featuring in a number of different roles including a brief stint in the attacking line of a 3-5-2 in the absence of Rafael Leao earlier this season. 

But, despite being called up to the England national team squad in October, Loftus-Cheek has struggled for opportunities as a starter in Milan following the signings of Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and Samuele Ricci over the summer. 

The Englishman started all of Milan’s first three league matches of the season, but has only started one of their 11 league games since then. 

With Milan not involved in European competition this season, and having also been knocked out of the Coppa Italia, Serie A is currently Loftus-Cheek’s only chance of minutes in the Milan line-up. 

Now, according to reports from Calciomercato.com, Loftus-Cheek is considering the possibility of leaving Milan in January in order to increase his game time ahead of the World Cup in the summer. 

There have been suggestions that Napoli could be poised to offer a temporary solution, given that they are in the midst of a midfield injury crisis with Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour all currently unavailable. 

There had been reports over the summer that Lazio were also interested, but it remains to be seen whether they will make an approach during the winter window. 

Calciomercato claims that there have also been enquiries from a number of unspecified Premier League clubs, and that there could also be potential opportunities for Loftus-Cheek in the Bundesliga. 

Football Italia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà insists Kobbie Mainoo is the player Napoli ‘appreciate the most’ in view of the 2026 January transfer window.

Napoli will be looking for midfield reinforcements next month, given that several key players will be forced to the sidelines with injuries for several weeks.

Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Frank Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka are currently on the treatment table and are expected to miss many games for the Partenopei.

Latest Mainoo updates for Napoli

In his latest YouTube video for Football Italia, transfer expert Pedullà noted that Napoli director Giovanni Manna recently confirmed what we’ve been reporting for over a month about the Partenopei’s interest in Manchester United midfielder Mainoo.

“Mainoo’s name emerged from England in August, but there was no room to negotiate in the summer,” Pedullà said.

“Mainoo is the player Napoli are following more closely and appreciate the most.”

Mainoo, 20, has only made 11 appearances across all competitions this season, providing one assist. The England international has only collected 273 minutes of football on the pitch.

Currently, Eljif Elmas, Scott McTominay and Antonio Vergara are the only three central midfielders available for Napoli.

The Partenopei will visit Udinese in their next Serie A match on Sunday.

Fabio Capello argues that Antonio Conte is unable to convey ‘strength’ and ‘calmness’ to his Napoli team in the Champions League: ‘It’s a psychological issue.’

Napoli are the Serie A table leaders, level on 31 points with Milan, but the Partenopei are the lowest-ranked Serie A club in the Champions League.

The Partenopei have lost three games from three away from home in Europe this season, conceding 10 goals far from the Stadio Maradona.

Their latest loss came against José Mourinho’s Benfica on Wednesday.

“Maybe Conte isn’t able to transmit that calmness and strength to the players the way he does in the league,” Capello told Gazzetta.

Capello on Conte and Napoli’s ‘psychological issue’

The former Italian coach feels that Napoli’s poor results in the Champions League are not determined by tactical problems.

“I don’t think so. If you dominate in Italy or England, leagues where Conte has won, it means you’re providing something positive in terms of your playing system,” he argued.

“In my opinion, it’s more of a psychological issue.

“When you play in European competitions, you have to be convinced of your strength, find a certain calmness and take risks without being afraid to be bold,” he continued.

“Maybe, Antonio, judging by the results he gets in Europe, isn’t able to transmit this to the team.”

Napoli will visit Copenhagen and host Chelsea in the last two league phase games in January 2026.

The Partenopei will need at least one victory to secure a spot in the knockout playoff.

In the last Champions League round, Inter lost to Liverpool at home, while Juventus and Atalanta beat Pafos and Chelsea, respectively.

Capello: Easier to recover for Premier League teams

“In the last matchday, I saw that we struggled to cope with the opponents’ intensity. Inter, for example, had difficulties against Liverpool in terms of aggression, even if they would have deserved a draw,” Capello concluded.

“Also, maybe other teams have more well-equipped squads than ours. Manchester City, for example, replaced Haaland and Foden within 20 minutes, introducing players of equal quality (Reijnders and Marmoush).

“Above all, Premier League teams are more accustomed than ours to handling a double schedule, and they find it less tiring to recover because they are used to always playing at a very high pace, so when they play at a slightly lower tempo, they are already at the level of our maximum.”

Italy have stepped even further clear of Spain, but are still locked in a battle with Germany for an additional spot in next season’s Champions League after the conclusion of Thursday night’s Europa and Conference League ties. 

It was a step in the right direction for Italy’s hopes of securing an additional Champions League spot for 2026-27, as all the Serie A representatives secured victories on Thursday night.

Fiorentina beat Dynamo Kyiv 2-1 in the Conference League early kick-off, before Roma’s 3-0 victory away against Celtic and Bologna’s 2-1 comeback victory against Celta Vigo in the Europa League. 

These add to Juventus’s 2-0 win over Pafos and Atalanta’s surprise 2-1 win over Club World Cup victors Chelsea in the Champions League earlier this week. Inter were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool in San Siro, while Napoli fell to a 2-0 defeat away against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica. 

Where Italy stands in race for extra Champions League spot

The situation leaves Italy in third place in the UEFA seasonal association coefficient rankings. This is what is used to determine which two nations receive an additional Champions League spot. 

The UEFA tables are expected to be officially updated on Friday, but figures provided by Sky Sport Italia show that Italy will be in third place on 11.071 points, behind Germany in second on 11.660 points and England in first with 13.166 points. 

Spain are in fourth with 10.609 points, with Portugal slightly behind them in fifth on 10.600 points. 

José Mourinho admits he would even ‘go to the Circo Massimo’ to celebrate the Serie A title with Roma, but ‘unfortunately’, only Milan, Inter and Napoli will fight for the Scudetto.

Benfica coach Mourinho admits he’d return to Italy to celebrate the Serie A title with Roma fans.

The former Inter and Roma boss was asked his thoughts on the Scudetto race at a post-match press conference last night, after a 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League, and, as usual, his reply was very honest.

Mourinho’s Serie A title prediction

“It’s tough. Inter have a top team and great potential, same as Napoli. Milan play once a week. They have a fantastic coach like Max [Allegri], who can coach in a way that Antonio [Conte] and Cristian [Chivu] can’t because they have many games to play,” Mourinho argued.

“Unfortunately, I think it will be among these three.”

Mourinho has made history with Inter, winning the treble in 2010 with Chivu in his team, so he felt he had to explain why he said ‘unfortunately.’

Mourinho supports Roma in Serie A title race

“I’d love it, and I’d even go to the Circo Massimo, but I don’t think so.”

The Circo Massimo is the place where Roma fans usually gather every time the team wins a trophy.

Mourinho knows how it feels to win for the Giallorossi, having lifted the Conference League in 2022.

• More from Mourinho’s press conference – Mourinho reveals McTominay’s gift: ‘The least he could do’

The Champions League Round 6 is in the history books, and we take a look at how many points Atalanta, Inter, Juventus and Napoli need to qualify for the next phase.

Juventus and Atalanta beat Pafos and Chelsea, respectively, in the latest round of the league phase of the Champions League, while Inter lost at home against Liverpool and Napoli were beaten by Benfica.

Currently, the best-ranked Serie A club in the Champions League table is Atalanta with 13 points, one more than Inter.

Champions League: Atalanta, Inter, Juventus and Napoli overview

Oddly, La Dea are the lowest-ranked in Serie A among the clubs competing in this season’s Champions League, as they sit 5th in the European competition and 12th domestically.

As reported by Gazzetta, Atalanta are already qualified for the knockout playoff, but with 13 points in six games, they have the destiny in their hands. With two wins in the remaining matches against Athletic Club (home) and Union Saint-Gilloise (away), Atalanta will surely qualify for the Round of 16, finishing in the top eight.

Inter, on the other hand, have 12 points, they sit sixth, but still need one point to have the certainty to qualify for the knockout playoff. Their next two games are against Arsenal (at home) and Borussia Dortmund (away), and the Nerazzurri would need to win both, possibly increasing their goal difference, to qualify for the Round of 16.

Juventus have won two consecutive matches against Bodo/Glimt and Pafos. They need one more against Benfica (at home) or Monaco (away) in January 2026 to be mathematically certain to be in the knockout playoff. Juventus currently sit 17th, and even if the top eight is just three points away, the Bianconeri would need two wins in the remaining matches and negative results from most of the teams above them in the table, so their destiny is not entirely in their hands.

Lastly, Napoli, the Serie A table leaders, but the lowest-ranked Italian team in the Champions League. The Partenopei have lost three European games from three away, conceding ten goals. They are currently ranked 23rd, and their next opponents are Copenhagen away and Chelsea at home. Copenhagen also have seven points, so a win would boost the Partenopei’s hopes to qualify for the knockout playoff, but won’t necessarily grant them a spot in the next phase with a game to spare, given that 11 points were necessary to qualify for the knockout playoff in 2024-25.

Champions League standings after Round 6

Scott McTominay gave José Mourinho his Napoli shirt after Benfica’s 2-0 Champions League win last night: ‘I benched Paul Pogba [at Manchester United], it’s the least he could do,’ said the Portuguese coach.

Benfica coach Mourinho reveals Napoli star McTominay, one of his former players at Manchester United, gifted him his Napoli shirt after last night’s Champions League encounter, won 2-0 by the Portuguese side.

What Mourinho said about McTominay

“I gave him his debut; I put Pogba on the bench for him. The least he could do was give me his shirt,” Mourinho said at a post-match press conference via TMW.

“He was sad because he had lost, but this is Scott; this is the nature of winning players. He spoke to me for five minutes, but he was down in the dumps. He’s very happy at Napoli; he’s having a good moment. We have a strong bond; he’ll still remember me when he’s 70.”

Mourinho mentioned McTominay even during his post-match interview with Prime Video Italia.

“I told the kids I introduced in the final minutes will be the next McTominay,” said the Portuguese.

“I had many in Rome, from Bove to Volpato and others. This kid, Neto, is 17, and I had to be the first one to play him because this guy will make history, trust me.”

McTominay’s Champions League debut under Mourinho

McTominay made his Champions League debut under Mourinho in 2017 in an away 1-0 win over Benfica.

The Scotland international made 31 appearances under the Special One at Manchester United.

Last night’s defeat in Lisbon leaves Napoli 23rd in the standings with seven points. Their last two games in the league phase will be against Copenhagen and Chelsea.

Napoli’s results have been much better in Serie A as they are the joint-table leaders with Milan, having won the last three matches.

Futbol üzrə İtaliya A Seriyasının 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün qalibi “Napoli” 38 ildən sonra özünə məxsus rekordu təkrarlayıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, Antonio Kontenin baş məşqçisi olduğu kollektiv 2025-ci ildə İtaliya A Seriyasında keçirdiyi ev matçlarını məğlubiyyətsiz başa vurub.

Komanda son olaraq İtaliya A Seriyasının 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 14-cü turunda “Yuventus”u 2:1 hesabı ilə üstələyib. Bu, Neapol təmsilçisinin cari ildə doğma meydanda sonuncu matçı olub.

Son olaraq 38 ilə əvvəl, 1987-ci ildə belə hal yaşanıb.

Xatırladaq ki, “Napoli” hazırda 31 xalla İtaliya A Seriyasının yarış cədvəlinə liderlik edir. Antonio Kontenin komandası keçirdiyi 14 oyunda 10 qələbə qazanıb, 1 heç-heçə edib, 3 məğlubiyyətə üzülüb.

Futbol üzrə İtaliya çempionu “Napoli” daha bir futbolçusunun – yarımmüdafiəçi Stanislav Lobotkanın da xidmətindən məhrum olub.

Arena.az bu barədə İtaliya mətbuatına istinadən xəbər verir.

Bildirilir ki, slovakiyalı futbolçu zədə səbəbindən sıradan çıxıb. O, komandanın zədəlilər siyahısında yer almış Andre-Frank Zambo Anqissa və Kevin de Bröyneyə qoşulub.

Lobotka İtaliya Kubokunun 1/8 final mərhələsi çərçivəsində “Kalyari”yə qarşı keçirdikləri matçda xəsarət alıb. Zədənin çox ciddi olmamasına baxmayaraq, onun qarşıdakı həftəsonu “Yuventus”la baş tutacaq görüşü buraxacağı demək olar ki, dəqiqdir.

Daha uzunmüddətli vəziyyətlə bağlı isə hələlik dəqiq proqnoz vermək çətindir. Lobotkanın agenti bir müddət əvvəl futbolçunun Konte ilə işləməyin çətin olduğuna işarə edən açıqlamalar da vermişdi.

Xatırladaq ki, “Napoli” “Kalyari” ilə oyunda penaltilər seriyasında qalib gələrək 1/4 finala vəsiqə qazanıb.

Futbol üzrə Şotlandiya millisinin və “Napoli”nin yarımmüdafiəçisi Skott Maktominey 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün ən yaxşısı seçilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, İtaliya Futbolçular Assosiasiyası A Seriyasında 2024/2025-ci illər mövsümünün laureatlarını açıqlayıb.

Mövsümün ən yaxşı futbolçusu “Napoli”nin yarımmüdafiəçisi Maktominey seçilib. Neapol təmsilçisi həm də “mövsümün ən yaxşı komandası” mükafatına layiq görülüb. Komandanın baş məşqçisi Antonio Konte isə ən yaxşı baş məşqçi olub.

Assosiasiya mövsümün rəmzi komandasını da açıqlayıb. İlk “11-lik” aşağıdakı kimidir:

Qapıçı: Mile Sviler (“Roma”);

Müdafiəçilər: Denzel Dumfris (“İnter”), Amir Rrahmani (“Napoli”), Alessandro Bastoni (“İnter”), Federiko Dimarko (“İnter”);

Yarımmüdafiəçilər: Skott Maktominey (“Napoli”), Nikolo Barella (“İnter”), Ticani Reynders (“Milan”/“Mançester Siti”);

Hücumçular: Lautaro Martines (“İnter”), Moyze Kin (“Fiorentina”), Matteo Reteqi (“Atalanta”/“Əl-Kadisiya”).