AC Milan and Inter have officially completed the €197 million purchase of the iconic San Siro stadium from the City of Milan, paving the way for a new joint stadium project. But as both clubs celebrate a historic milestone, prosecutors have opened an investigation into alleged 'bid-rigging' around the sale, casting a shadow over the landmark deal.
Italian side Fiorentina have announced the sacking of Stefano Pioli as head coach. The decision comes amid a dismal 10-game winless run that has left the club rooted to the bottom of the Serie A table. Pioli joined Fiorentina following successful spells with AC Milan and Al-Nassr, having won the Scudetto with the Rossoneri.
Napoli star Kevin De Bruyne says the surgery on his thigh went "perfectly," but admitted he will be out for a lengthy spell. The 34-year-old sustained the injury while scoring a penalty against Inter Milan late last month and went under the knife shortly after. The Belgian playmaker is staying positive but it may be quite some time before he is back playing for the Italian champions.
Outspoken Mario Balotelli appears to have taken an X-rated swipe at Patrick Vieira after seeing the Arsenal legend relieved of his duties as manager of Genoa. Italy international Balotelli had found himself frozen out by a one-time team-mate and has taken aim at those that he considers to have acted in a “selfish” manner, with the enigmatic striker pointing out that “Karma is a b*tch”.
Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has shared his thoughts on the ideal role for rising star Kenan Yildiz, praising the Turkish international’s versatility and ability to excel in multiple positions. Spalletti even revealed that he personally asked the 20-year-old where he feels most comfortable playing, adding fresh insight to the ongoing debate over Yildiz’s best spot on the pitch.
Serie A outfit Fiorentina are set to part ways with Italian head coach Stefano Pioli after their defeat to Lecce. The Viola are currently navigating profiles who could be potential replacements for Pioli and are assessing the financial impact of removing their head coach.
Napoli are reportedly plotting another transfer raid on Manchester, with United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo registering on their recruitment radar once more. The reigning Serie A champions were able to acquire Kevin De Bruyne over the summer, after seeing him leave City as a free agent, but the Belgian midfielder is currently ruled out with a thigh injury.
The latest round of action across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues has predictably produced a plethora of talking points, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all in fine form. The Gunners are six points clear at the top of the Premier League after scoring yet another set-piece goal, and keeping another clean sheet, in their 2-0 victory at Burnley. Meanwhile, both Bayern and Real have five-point leads in Germany and Spain, respectively, after comfortable wins over the weekend.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their home comforts in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
Serie A giants AS Roma have initiated contact over a possible move for Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch forward, who was once a menace at Bologna, has not been the same character in the Premier League, and reportedly has fallen out of favour in Ruben Amorim's setup, resulting in a lack of playing time. Hence, he is now seeking a move out of Old Trafford.
Juventus are reportedly ready to sell star forward Jonathan David in January, just months after his summer arrival, according to Sky Sports. The Canadian has scored just once in 11 games, with his team now contacting major clubs like Tottenham and Bayern Munich. With new boss Luciano Spalletti snubbing him, a "quick exit" is now being considered by the Bianconeri.
Argentina forward and AS Roma talisman Paulo Dybala appeared to suffer a thigh injury over the weekend, as the ace missed a penalty against AC Milan. Boss Gian Piero Gasperini has now shared a worrying update on the 31-year-old's thigh injury, labelling it as a major setback for the side.
Jamie Vardy rolled back the years with a superb solo goal for Cremonese against Juventus - something that sent the home fans in the Stadio Giovanni Zini into a 'frenzy'. The 38-year-old scored his second goal in three Serie A games, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from falling to a 2-1 defeat. However, the veteran still showed he can deliver at the highest level with his clinical effort.
Patrick Vieira’s turbulent tenure at Genoa has come to an end as the Serie A club announced that the Arsenal legend has left his role as head coach with immediate effect. The decision comes amid a disastrous start to the campaign as Genoa find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Italian top flight and staring down the relegation barrel.
New Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has urged his players to be ambitious and set their sights on winning the Scudetto this season. The Italian tactician, who replaced Igor Tudor at the helm, emphasised that the players will be the driving force behind any potential turnaround, insisting that their mentality and commitment will determine how far the team can go.
New Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti was subject to hateful banners and social media posts from Napoli supporters, who labelled the former coach as a "disgraceful man" and "a traitor." The reaction from the Partenopei fans comes after Spalletti joined their Serie A rivals in a deal until the end of the season, although the ex-Italy boss clarified that Naples will always be in his heart.
Belgian club Lokeren have staunchly defended former Belgium and Inter midfielder Radja Nainggolan following reports he faces prosecution over allegations of money laundering. Chairman Hans Van Duysen maintained that Nainggolan is innocent until proven guilty, as the case has yet to go to trial. He also expressed frustration over the negative attention the situation has drawn due to Nainggolan’s high-profile career and decorated past.
AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot have recovered from their respective injuries but are expected to be rested for Sunday’s clash against Roma as a precautionary measure. The club’s medical team and coach Massimiliano Allegri are keen to ensure both players regain full match fitness before returning to action, with their comeback likely to take place in next week’s fixture against Parma instead.
Former Manchester United team-mates Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay showed how well they are getting on away from Old Trafford at Napoli as they attended a Halloween party together. The pair were reunited when the Serie A champions signed Hojlund on loan in the summer. And McTominay poked fun at the striker's choice of white socks during their night out.
Lazio forward Pedro has announced that he will leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season. The former Barcelona and Chelsea star expressed his desire to help Lazio return to European competitions, aiming to finish his time at the club on a high. Pedro, however, hinted that he could consider continuing his playing career even after his contract concludes.
Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri went off on a furious rant after his side drew against newly-promoted Pisa on Thursday, lamenting the absence of several first-team players. The former Chelsea and Juventus boss criticised Serie A for not handing the two teams equal rest ahead of the game, but claimed that he remains determined to navigate through the ongoing injury crisis.
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has called for introspection following the sacking of Croatian coach Igor Tudor. The Serbian forward admitted that it would be counterproductive to blame one person for the club’s poor run of form as Tudor became the third coach to be dismissed in a year and a half, stressing the onus is on the players to make sure they turn things around.
Santiago Gimenez’s goal drought in Serie A has forced AC Milan to consider reinforcements ahead of the January window. The Mexico international hasn't been able to find the net in any of the opening nine games of the tournament, prompting CEO Giorgio Furlani and sporting director Igli Tare to start scouting alternatives. Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee has re-emerged as a prime target, while Roma’s Artem Dovbyk remains a fallback option if talks stall.
Cristian Chivu is "starting to enjoy" his job as a coach following a mixed start to his tenure in charge of Inter. The Romanian oversaw a crucial victory against Fiorentina on Wednesday, which saw them climb to third place on the Serie A table. It was a brilliant performance from Chivu's men, who gave a strong response following their loss to Napoli last weekend.
Italian refereeing chief Gianluca Rocchi has defended his decision to suspend Maurizio Mariani and Daniele Bindoni following the chaotic clash between Napoli and Inter that saw a controversial penalty reshape the game. Rocchi was left angry at the mistakes made by the referee and his assistant, branding the episode a procedural failure.
Benjamin Cremaschi, the 20-year-old American midfielder on loan from Inter Miami, made his long-awaited Serie A debut for Parma on Oct. 29, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute in a 2-1 defeat to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. He replaced Adrián Bernabé as part of a triple change by coach Fabio Pecchia with Parma trailing 1-0.
Juventus are on the lookout for a new manager following Igor Tudor's sacking this week with Luciano Spalletti expected to take over. However, Enzo Maresca, who was on the Juventus books between 2000 and 2004, has been linked with the vacant managerial role in Turin. Chelsea, though, won't sanction his exit at this stage of the season as the Blues look to add to their recent silverware under the Italian.
Scotland international Scott McTominay has moved to quell talk of him moving away from Napoli and returning to the Premier League or making a remarkable switch to Catalan giants Barcelona. McTominay has impressed in Naples since joining from Manchester United for £30 million ($39.6m) last summer, landing the Serie A title in his first season and becoming a cult hero.
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