Serie A

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Liverpool ‘willing to fork out £43m on transfer for Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni’ to fix defensive woes

      by

      LIVERPOOL are willing to pay £43million for Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, according to reports.The Reds are desperately short at the back this season having been ravaged by injuries.
      Liverpool are interested in Inter Milan star Alessandro BastoniCredit: Getty
      Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are currently out injured, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who have filled in, also hurt.
      Inexperienced pair Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak have performed well recently.
      But Jurgen Klopp’s side are in the hunt for centre-backs in the summer and are willing to cough up serious cash for Inter star Bastoni, according to Gazzetta.
      The Italy centre-back is being eyed across Europe as he keeps Uruguay legend Diego Godin out of the Serie A giants’ side in a scintillating breakthrough season.
      Manchester City and Barcelona failed with bids in January.
      And Antonio Conte is determined to keep the 21-year-old after making him a regular in his first term as Inter boss.
      Italy boss Roberto Mancini has compared the youngster to Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
      His £25,000-a-week Inter contract expires in 2023.
      But in a blow to the Reds, Calciomercato report he is keen to stay at the San Siro and sign a bumper new deal.
      CHELTENHAM SPECIAL OFFER: BEST BETS OF DAY THREE
      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League

      Bastoni has made 32 Inter appearances in all competitions this season, with Antonio Conte’s side sitting nine points clear of second-placed AC Milan in Serie A.
      Inter signed the three-cap international from Atalanta for £26.5m in 2017.
      He was immediately loaned back before spending a further loan season at Parma.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      England boss Gareth Southgate says he hopes Jude Bellingham will join squad More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      On-loan Chelsea star Tomori reveals AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini talks to him before and after every game

      by

      CHELSEA loanee Fikayo Tomori revealed he speaks to AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini before and every game.The 23-year-old centre-back swapped Stamford Bridge for the San Siro in January to gain more game time after being overlooked by former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
      Fikayo Tomori has impressed onlookers in Serie ACredit: Getty
      The Chelsea loanee revealed he is in regular contact with Milan legend Paolo MaldiniCredit: Getty
      Tomori previously revealed he felt his axing by club legend Lampard was ‘personal’ but he has hit the ground running in Serie A and could make the move permanent with a purchase option worth £25million agreed between the sides.
      And Tomori has lifted the lid on the extent of the dialogue he has with Milan icon and technical director Maldini, 52, after the Italian revealed he had been tracking the defender since last summer.
      Tomori told The Times: “If I had gone on loan somewhere during the summer I wouldn’t be here.
      “Now, I have the chance to play for AC Milan, play in Serie A, learning something new and having the likes of [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, [Mario] Mandzukic, and Paolo Maldini, to learn from.
      “You feel his [Maldini’s] presence.
      “As much as I’m playing for myself and for the team and the manager, I want to impress him.
      “It’s like if you were an attacker and one day Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was your sporting director and saying these words for you. It’s crazy.
      “Before every game, he talks and says come on and says well done after. If I haven’t played well he’s still there saying well done.”
      CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY THREE OFFERS

      Tomori has made ten appearances for Milan, including the 1-1 draw in the Europa League last 16 first leg against Manchester United last week.
      He picked up plaudits for an incredible display against Roma where a last-ditch tackle saved his side.
      Maldini previously hinted he wants to make Tomori’s stay permanent after being impressed by his pace – but at less than the pre-agreed ‘expensive’ price.
      At the start of the month, he told Sky Sport Italia: “As for Fikayo, he has unique assets of speed, intensity, for us he was a possible reinforcement for the rest of the season.
      “There is a very high price of purchase, we will evaluate whether to exercise it or not.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori arrives in Italy for medical as AC Milan complete loan deal with £27million option to buy More

    • 213 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Inter Milan on lockdown after Covid outbreak with Sassuolo game suspended and players banned from international duty

      by

      INTER MILAN have been forced into lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak at the club.Four players have tested positive for Covid-19 – keeper Samir Handanovic, defenders Danilo D’Ambrosio and Stefan de Vrij, and midfielder Matias Vecino.
      Inter have been forced to suspend their Serie A match this SaturdayCredit: Getty
      As a result, all first team activities have been suspended and they will not be able to play their match scheduled for Saturday against Sassuolo.
      It has not yet been confirmed whether Serie A will formally postpone the game.
      According to ESPN, all Inter players will also not be allowed to join up with their national teams during the international break.
      D’Ambrosio and Handanovic received their positive coronavirus tests on Wednesday.
      And that was shortly followed by De Vrij and Vecino also testing positive on Thursday.
      First team activities are scheduled to resume on Monday, but all players will have to take a coronavirus test before they are able to do so.
      This is the not the first time this season that Inter have suffered an outbreak.
      CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY THREE OFFERS

      Back in October, former Manchester United defender Ashley Young was forced to self-isolate after testing positive.
      And earlier this season when Napoli could not fulfill their fixture away against Juventus due to travel restrictions, Juve were initially awarded a victory by the league.
      But a successful appeal from Napoli eventually led to the match being re-scheduled.
      Inter currently sit top of Serie A, four points clear of local rivals AC Milan.
      Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum ‘reaches Inter Milan transfer agreement’ ahead of free switch amid Barcelona interest More

    • 238 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo ‘will always be welcome’ at Real Madrid, says Vinicius Jr despite facing axe if Juventus star returns

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO is ‘always welcome at Real Madrid’, according to Vincius Jr.The winger remained humble at the suggestion Ronnie might return to the Bernabeu despite it meaning he would likely be dropped.
      Cristiano Ronaldo will always be welcome at Real Madrid, according to Vinicius JrCredit: AFP
      The winger welcomed the suggestion the Juve star might return despite facing the axe if he doesCredit: Rex
      Portuguese icon Ronaldo has been linked with a stunning return to the Spanish capital three years after joining Juventus for £88million.
      The 36-year-old was recruited by the Old Lady with the aim of taking them over the line in the Champions League after a series of near misses.
      But speculation has mounted on the forward’s future in Turin after Juve’s latest exit from Europe’s top competition last week.
      Vinicius was asked for his thoughts on the potential return and rather than shirk the question as might be expected from the man whose starting XI spot might be at risk, he faced it head on.
      The 20-year-old said: “Cristiano is a legend at this club. He has achieved a lot.
      “I can’t say much because I don’t know what’s going on, but he will always be welcome.”
      Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has also admitted a stunning reunion could be on the cards.
      Asked about the rumours, he told Sky Sports: “Yes, it may be.
      “We know Cristiano, we know the person he is and everything he has done here.
      “But now he’s a Juventus player and we must respect this.
      “Now, let’s see what the future will be. I was lucky enough to coach him and he is very impressive. Right now, he’s helping Juventus.”
      CHELTENHAM SPECIAL OFFER: BEST BETS OF DAY THREE
      Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club

      SunSport previously reported that Ronaldo’s return to Real Madrid is possible and he reportedly could even leave Juventus for FREE.
      Ronaldo could walk away from the Old Lady for nothing with the cash-strapped Serie A champs struggling to make ends meet.
      A combination of having lost over £97m in the first six months of the season and crashing out to Porto in the Champions League last-16, has firmly put the brakes on spending in Turin.
      Their early exit from this season’s Champions league means they have failed to progress further than the quarter-finals in all three years Ronaldo has been at the club.
      Italian reports suggested a fee of just £25m would be enough to seal the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s Bernabeu return.
      However, despite claims Ronaldo could leave for free, Juventus CEO Fabio Paratici insisted he is the future of the club.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Cristiano Ronaldo shares video of his glittering career after beating Pele’s goal tally by scoring his 770th More

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo ‘more likely to return to Man Utd than Real Madrid’ as Spaniards eye Mbappe or Haaland transfer

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO returning to Manchester United is looking more likely than a move to Real Madrid, according to reports.The Spanish side have given up on bringing Ronaldo back, it’s claimed, and instead are focusing their attentions on landing Kylian Mbappe.
      Cristiano Ronaldo could be forced to leave Juventus with the club facing financial troubleCredit: Getty
      He spent six years at Manchester United – where he won three Premier League titles and the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      And Tuttosport in Italy report that Man Utd is looking a more viable option than Real Madrid.
      Ronaldo, 36, spent six years at Old Trafford before nine seasons in the Spanish capital.
      He joined Serie A champions Juventus in 2018 but could be forced to leave this summer with the club facing a financial crisis.
      Ronaldo has long been linked with a sensational return to Manchester United, and it appears this season he could be on the move once more.
      Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane suggested at the weekend that Ronaldo returning to the Spanish giants could be on the cards.
      However, Real are among the Euro giants trailing 22-year-old French striker Mbappe.
      World Cup winner Mbappe had been Zidane’s dream transfer this summer.
      But despite his contract ending in 2022, PSG are reportedly reluctant to sell him and will gamble on keeping the youngster for one more year in order to hand him an extension.
      So Real are also now ready to enter the war for Erling Haaland and could dig deep to find the reported £150million required for his coveted signature.
      CHELTENHAM SPECIAL OFFER: GET CHACUN POUR SOI AT 50/1 IN THE CHAMPION CHASE
      Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club

      Should Haaland end up at the Bernabeu, it could spell the end of Karim Benzema’s 12 seasons in the Spanish capital.
      And it would also make a move for Ronaldo financially impossible.
      That would open the door for Ronaldo to rejoin Manchester United, where he won three Premier League titles and the Champions League.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Real Madrid are focussing their attentions on Kylian Mbappe, reports claimCredit: AFP
      Cristiano Ronaldo talks to UFC star Khabib ‘almost every day’ More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Watch Luis Muriel score stunning free-kick after Atalanta team-mates built a ‘moving wall’ against Real Madrid

      by

      ATALANTA pulled off an outrageous ‘moving wall’ free-kick routine in their loss to Real Madrid last night.Luis Muriel buried his strike from 25 yards past Thibaut Courtois in the Champions League last 16 tie.
      Atalanta’s brilliant free-kick routine caught Real Madrid by surpriseCredit: BT Sport
      Atalanta tried out something different for their free-kick routine vs. Real Madrid.They built their own moving wall, too! 😂It worked, as Luis Muriel found the back of the net with a dipping effort 💥 pic.twitter.com/VJQXkyXJfJ— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 16, 2021

      And he was helped by his team-mates’ brilliant plan to distract the Real Madrid goalkeeper.
      Muriel, 29, lined up to take the free-kick seven minutes before the end in the Spanish capital.
      Courtois built a four-man wall and had another Real team-mate lay on the floor to prevent Muriel from going low.
      But the Serie A side had their own clever ideas too.
      Three of Muriel’s team-mates lined up halfway between the free-kick taker and the Real Madrid wall.
      And when the referee blew his whistle for the kick to be taken, they ran off in different directions.
      Muriel’s strike went up and over the wall before beating a despairing Courtois, who couldn’t prevent it from finding the top corner.
      CHELTENHAM SPECIAL OFFER: GET CHACUN POUR SOI AT 50/1 IN THE CHAMPION CHASE
      One of the best free kicks ive seen, well played by atalanta #RMAATA— FC Forever (@fcforever1177) March 16, 2021

      Luis Muriel found the top corner with his free-kickCredit: Getty
      One social media user said: “Great free kick for Atalanta but also one of the strangest pre free kick routines I’ve ever seen.”
      Another tweeted: “One of the best free kicks I’ve seen, well played by Atalanta.”

      Sadly for Atalanta it didn’t matter as they lost 3-1 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate.
      Karim Benzema opened the scoring last night before Sergio Ramos tucked home the second from the penalty spot.
      Marco Asensio rounded off the victory five minutes from time to seal a spot in Friday’s quarter-final draw.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Kevin De Bruyne reacts to Man City win as they cruise into last eight of Champions League More

    • 225 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Brazil star Adriano ‘looked like an alien’ in first Inter Milan training session and left team-mate Materazzi stunned

      by

      ADRIANO ‘looked like an alien’ in his first Inter Milan training session, according to former team-mate Marco Materazzi.The Brazilian first arrived at San Siro to relatively little fanfare from Flamengo in 2001.
      Adriano was a popular superstar at Inter MilanCredit: Getty
      Marco Materazzi played alongside Adriano at InterCredit: PA:Press Association
      But Materazzi has revealed that excitement quickly grew among his team-mates.
      He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “He was a boy we didn’t know anything about, but he showed the strength and technique he had in the first training session.
      “He looked like an alien.
      “We were used to Ronaldo and Christian Vieri but he immediately impressed us.”
      The ex-defender also recalled Adriano’s first proper outing in an Inter shirt.
      He continued: “We saw him the day before the match when he tried free-kicks.
      “Against Real Madrid there was Luigi Di Biagio, Clarence Seedorf and myself over the ball.
      “Hector Cuper wanted Adriano to take it though, and he fired in a missile. Di Biagio and I could not believe our eyes.
      Adriano bagged 74 goals for InterCredit: AP:Associated Press
      CHELTENHAM SPECIAL OFFER – GET HONEYSUCKLE AT HUGE 80/1

      “He ran to the bench while we stopped because we did not think he could hit the ball that hard. There was the moment that the star of Adriano was born.”
      Adriano scored a dramatic 90th minute winner against Venezia on just his second Serie A appearance, but would take a roundabout route to stardom in Milan.
      After a loan spell at Fiorentina, the forward spent 18 months at Parma, before eventually returning to Inter in January 2004.
      He went on to win four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias, scoring 74 goals for the club before returning to Flamengo in 2009.
      Following brief spells with AS Roma, Corinthians, Atletico Paranaense and Miami United, Adriano hung up his boots in 2016.
      He’d struggled to find his best form following the tragic passing of his father, with his application in football waning and form declining.
      Now 39, the popular ex-forward recently sold his £1.2million mansion and moved into a luxury £10,000-a-month hotel room – only bringing his trophies with him.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Brazilian football hero Adriano breaks down in tears as he is given painting of him and his dad More

    • 175 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo mourns death of his uncle as sisters pay emotional tribute on Instagram

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO is mourning the death of an uncle.The Juventus superstar’s sisters Katia and Elma Aveiro both paid tribute to their late family member in emotional statements on Instagram.
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s sisters have revealed the family is mourning the death of an uncleCredit: Instagram @katiaaveirooficial
      The unnamed uncle has been described as a brother of Cristiano’s mum Dolores (right)

      Katia, who lives in Brazil, wrote: “I didn’t expect news like this. Today my heart is in mourning and now just memories are left.
      “Rest in peace my dear uncle. I will remember our good moments together.
      “I thought I was going to see you again, to laugh with you, to give you a hug again.”
      The unnamed uncle has been described as a brother of Cristiano’s mum Dolores Aveiro – who suffered her own health scare last year.
      The 66-year-old was rushed to hospital on March 3, 2020, in her native island of Madeira after suffering an ischemic stroke.
      CR7’s mum Dolores has since posted a photo of her brother.
      The message alongside it said: “My brother. God wanted you to depart. To be with our parents. Another star looking over us. Rest in peace.”
      Meanwhile, the Juventus forward’s dad Dinis Aveiro died from liver failure in 2005.
      Cristiano has yet to make any comment.
      Elma wrote alongside a black rose on her Instagram: “It’s always sad to receive this news.

      “I know we all have to depart some time, some soon than others.
      “Rest in peace uncle.”
      It is not yet clear how old their uncle was and what he died from.
      Ronaldo’s mum Dolores suffered her own health scare last year
      Cristiano Ronaldo talks to UFC star Khabib ‘almost every day’ More