Serie A news

Antonio Conte and Lautaro Martinez were embroiled in an ugly spat as the manager and the striker exchanged insults during an explosive Serie A clash between Napoli and Inter on Saturday. The reigning champions emerged victorious 3-1 in a closely fought encounter as they climbed back to the top of the table and now enjoy a one-point lead over AC Milan at the summit.

There were worrying scenes in Naples after Kevin De Bruyne appeared to suffer a serious hamstring injury while scoring a penalty for Napoli in their Serie A match against Inter. De Bruyne has been impressive since linking up with Antonio Conte in Italy, but was in tears and had to be helped by a number of medical staff as he made his way around the pitch.

Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho cited the likes of Scott McTominay and Raphael Varane as proof of his "history" of working with young players and developing them into great sportsmen. The Special One, in a press conference on Friday, claimed that Benfica "will surely add one or two players who can help strengthen the squad", before adding that "if there's someone who likes to promote young players, I'm one of them."

Antonio Cassano has jumped to the defence of Juventus boss Igor Tudor after their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, insisting the Croatian shouldn’t be blamed for the team’s poor run. The outspoken former striker instead called out the Bianconeri’s squad quality, warning the club that sacking Tudor would be a huge mistake.

Carlo Ancelotti's daughter has revealed the ongoing feud between the Brazil coach and Gennaro Gattuso, which took place after the former was sacked by Napoli and the latter replaced him in charge. Ancelotti is labelled as a calm man by his daughter, but she says he was upset with the current Italy manager due to his decision to succeed him in that role.

Inter are prepared to spend heavily to sign Nico Paz, the 21-year-old Argentine sensation lighting up Serie A with Como. The Nerazzurri are reportedly ready to table a €58 million bid for the Real Madrid academy graduate, but Los Blancos’ €9m buy-back clause and 50% sell-on stake could derail the deal before it begins.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has decided not to get carried away with the club’s hopes of winning the Serie A title this season. He believes that Milan’s main objective remains finishing in the top four and securing a place in next season's Champions League. The Italian tactician has set a target of at least 74 points for the season and aims to restrict goals conceded to between 20 and 25.

AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez shared an interesting story about veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who bought iPhones for everyone in the team after his arrival from Real Madrid. Modric did this to avoid taking part in a dressing room tradition where every new player has to sing a song in front of the rest of the squad. The Croatian midfielder has been one of the standout performers in Serie A this season, inspiring Milan to the top of the league table.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic is being backed by AC Milan legend Marcel Desailly to become a “leader” for the Serie A heavyweights. An unfortunate injury is keeping the American forward sidelined at present, but he has offered enough across his time in Italy to convince a World Cup winner that he can put his “amazing talent” to good use on a regular basis.

AC Milan midfielder Ardon Jashari is aiming to return from injury in the first week of November, ahead of the international break. The Swiss international suffered a fibula injury following a collision with Santiago Gimenez in training, causing a massive setback shortly after Jashari's arrival from Club Brugge after a prolonged transfer saga.

Former Italy striker Antonio Cassano has criticised the quality of Serie A, claiming that only the passion of the supporters is keeping the league alive while the level of football in Italy has stagnated. He believes there is a lack of rhythm and flow in the game, with excessive time-wasting making some matches a “chore” to watch. Cassano also feels that the drop in quality has been reflected in the poor performances of Italian clubs in Europe.

Jamie Vardy described his first home start for Cremonese as a “special feeling” but admitted frustration after being held to a 1-1 draw by Udinese. The former Leicester City striker, who completed a shock move to Italy this summer, came close to scoring in a lively full debut but couldn’t prevent his side from dropping points at Stadio Giovanni Zini.

Noa Lang has expressed frustration over his lack of playing time at Napoli, revealing he has only spoken to Antonio Conte once since joining in the summer. After being benched in a humiliating 6-2 defeat to former club PSV, the Dutch winger admitted he “has to accept” his situation while Conte warned he must avoid being “selfish” and focus on the team.

Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard raised questions over AC Milan’s reluctance to release Christian Pulisic for the upcoming November international break following his injury. He suggested that the club’s handling of Pulisic’s hamstring injury could be a strategic move to limit the forward's availability for Mauricio Pochettino's next camp.

Cristiano Ronaldo's former Juventus team-mate has undergone a remarkable career change, with a new selfie showing that he is now working on a building site. A former youth international, the construction professional is now making a living with his hands, having previously rubbed shoulders with the ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United star in Turin.

Former Juventus defender Danilo believes the club’s clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday could serve as the catalyst for the Bianconeri to turn their season around. Currently sitting seventh in the Serie A table and still winless in the Champions League, Juventus find themselves in a difficult spell. However, Danilo noted that there is a growing chemistry within the squad that hadn’t been seen before, and urged patience as the team continues to develop.

AC Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta has praised midfielder Luka Modric for the leadership and charisma he has brought to a team that needed revitalisation and lacked personality. Costacurta believes players like Modric and Adrien Rabiot don’t just play football but teach it, and their leadership has added a vital dimension to a Milan team already rich in technical quality.