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    Ex-Man Utd trio Lukaku, Sanchez and Darmian score to fire Inter Milan seven points clear at top of Serie A

    INTER MILAN strolled to a 3-0 victory over Genoa this afternoon, inspired by a trio of Manchester United old boys.
    Antonio Conte’s men went into the clash looking to go seven points clear of rivals AC Milan, after beating their city rivals last weekend.

    Romelu Lukaku fired Inter to the perfect startCredit: EPA

    Matteo Darmian made it 2-0 in the second halfCredit: EPA

    Things got off to the perfect start, with Romelu Lukaku’s bobbling right-footed strike giving his team the lead after just 33 seconds.
    The Belgian then turned provider in the second half, by teeing up a rare strike for full-back Matteo Darmian.
    The Italian drilled a finish past goalkeeper Mattia Perin that Lukaku himself would have been proud of to make it 2-0.
    Substitute Alexis Sanchez then nodded a scrappy goal past Perin with 13 minutes remaining to hand Inter an unassailable lead.

    In addition to the three goalscorers, another Old Trafford alumnus in Ashley Young also featured from the bench.
    After the game, Lukaku claimed that his side are ‘growing’ as the title race heats up in Italy.
    The 27-year-old told Sky Sport Italia: “We are growing, we are in first place and it is a good feeling.
    “We must not give up, last year we lost some matches in this period.

    Romelu Lukaku puts Inter in front after just 32 SECONDS! ⚡The Belgian’s incredible run of form is showing no signs of slowing down 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gfEyuZmhJB
    — Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) February 28, 2021

    Alexis Sanchez craned his neck muscles to make it 3-0Credit: Getty Images – Getty

    The former Man United team-mates embraced during the 3-0 winCredit: AP:Associated Press
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    “We are growing, I am happy but now we are thinking about Parma because it will not be easy.”
    Lukaku then added: “These matches are opportunities to give signals to everyone but the season is long, we have to look from match to match.
    “Today was a good test to understand where we are, after two wins in a row we could have lost.
    “We won and we didn’t concede any goals, it’s good for the future.”
    Asked about his own performances, he concluded: “Many of us are growing and we have room for improvement.
    “Every day we work to get better and win these matches.”

    Antonio Conte celebrates his side going seven points clear at the top of Serie ACredit: Getty Images – Getty
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

    Romelu Lukaku shows off his striking skills in Belgium team training More

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    Lautaro Martinez commits future to Inter Milan and says Barcelona transfer links ‘belong in the past’ after failed move

    STRIKER Lautaro Martinez has pledged his future to Inter Milan after his move to Barcelona fell through.
    The 23-year-old forward was in talks with the Spanish giants at the end of 2020, but a deal was not agreed.

    Martinez and Lukaku have already scored 30 Serie A goals between them this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    And the Argentinian has now quashed any doubts over where his future lies by insisting he will remain with the Italian club.
    Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, he said: “It’s true, I was in negotiations with Barcelona.
    “I was clear with [Antonio] Conte, I told him: ‘I am only thinking about Inter, this is not going to affect me’.
    “However, it all belongs in the past. I am going to sign a contract extension with Inter.

    “I don’t know when there will be an official announcement. Meanwhile, I play. My future is here, I see myself in Milan for a long time.
    “I like everything about this city. The food, the fans, the team. I only have positive feelings.”
    Inter are currently top of Serie A, four points clear of rivals AC Milan as they look to clinch their first league title in 11 years.
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    And Martinez has played a pivotal role in their title tilt, scoring 13 goals and assisting another six.
    His partnership with former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has been a major success, with the Belgian netting 17 times in Serie A so far this season, just one less than top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Meanwhile, reigning Italian champions Juventus are well off the pace as they seek a tenth successive scudetto, eight points behind Inter.

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    Alvaro Morata’s wife Alice Campello and son also have lifelong virus but Wag says Juventus star is ‘recovering’

    ALVARO Morata’s wife revealed she also has the lifelong virus that hit the Juventus star.
    Alice Campello also said that Morata was passed the virus by their son Alessandro.

    Alvaro Morata celebrates his 28th birthday with wife Alice Campello, twin sons Leonardo, Alessandro and new arrival EduardoCredit: Instagram / @alvaromorata

    Alice Campello gave an update on Alvaro Morata’s conditionCredit: Instagram

    Morata, 28, was diagnosed with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) which stays in the body for the duration of your life.
    However, it is common and usually harmless and can cause flu-like symptoms – similar to those the Spaniard was exhibiting.
    Morata’s diagnosis came after feeling faint and needing to lie down after Juventus’ loss to Porto in the Champions League.
    And model Alice, 25, gave on update on the striker’s condition.

    She explained: “Ale was the first to be unwell. Then he passed it on to Alvaro and we discovered that it was a virus.
    “He is recovering and he really wants to play again. It is a virus that many people have passed through (me too).”
    CMV is related to the herpes virus that causes cold sores and chickenpox but many people will carry it without realising.

    The couple have three sons togetherCredit: Instagram / @alicecampello

    Alice revealed she initially ignored Alvaro’s messages but they were engaged less than a year laterCredit: Instagram / @alvaromorata
    It is transmitted via close contact but can only be passed on when it is ‘active’ – usually when you first contract the virus.

    Morata came on in the 76th minute of Monday night’s 3-0 win over Crotone in Serie A.
    Juve chief football officer Fabio Paratici told Sky Sport in Italy: “We play a lot, it is difficult to keep a constant performance in a normal season, let alone this one.
    “They also had a lot of small problems. First he had flu, now an intestinal disorder.
    “This has prevented him from training constantly and he has lost his condition a bit.
    “He is a top-level player and an extraordinary guy. Now he will be back in a position where he will be able to give us a hand in the season finale.”

    What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)?

    Information provided by the NHS website.

    It is is a common virus that is usually harmless.
    Sometimes it causes problems in babies if you get it during pregnancy.
    CMV is related to the herpes virus that causes cold sores and chickenpox.
    Once you have the virus, it stays in your body for the rest of your life.
    Your immune system usually controls the virus and most people do not realise they have it.
    But CMV can cause serious health problems in some babies who get the virus before birth, and in people who have a weakened immune system.
    Symptoms
    CMV does not usually cause symptoms.Some people get flu-like symptoms the first time they get CMV, including:
    a high temperature
    aching muscles
    tiredness
    skin rash
    feeling sick
    sore throat
    swollen glands
    If you do have symptoms, they usually get better without treatment within about 3 weeks.
    Spread
    Through close contact with an infected person.Virus only spread when it is ‘active’.
    It is active when:
    you get CMV for the first time – young children often get CMV for the first time at nursery
    the virus has “re-activated” – because you have a weakened immune system
    you’ve been re-infected – with a different type (strain) of CMV

    Alvaro Morata in action during Juventus’ clash with Crotone on Monday nightCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Morata and his wife Alice have three boys – Leonardo, Alessandro and Eduardo.
    They married in 2017 after Alice admitted she initially IGNORED the former Chelsea man… only to end up engaged less than a year later.
    In an interview with the weekly, Alice, 25, said: “He had seen a picture of me and asked many people if they knew me, to introduce us, but we had no friends in common.
    “So he wrote to me (on Instagram). I answered him after a long time and, in the end, we met.
    “When I met him, he struck me because I immediately knew he was very serious.
    “For example, two weeks after our first date, he drove eight hours to meet my family, and returned to Turin very late, even though he had to train early the next day.
    “This and a thousand other gestures.”

    She continued: “His friends and family had never seen him like this and he kept telling me he wanted to marry me: in the end, he asked me eight months after we started dating.
    “It’s been almost five years and three children.
    “I think it is like this when you really fall in love: you change priorities and you just want to build something with the person you love.
    “For me it was the same.”

    Juventus star Alvaro Morata diagnosed with lifelong virus after feeling faint following defeat to Porto More

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    Zlatan Ibrahimovic picks Brazilian Ronaldo ahead of Cristiano and Lionel Messi as GOAT as he hits out at Lebron James

    ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC has awarded Ronaldo Nazario his title of the world’s best-ever footballer.
    The debate over the game’s greatest of all time, or GOAT, has ramped up in recent years amid the stunning longevity of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Zlatan Ibrahimovic named his pick for best player of all timeCredit: Reuters

    Ronaldo Nazario battled injuries to become a star of the 1990s and 2000sCredit: AP:Associated Press

    While Diego Maradona and Pele are also often named as candidates, former Brazil forward Ronaldo has also earned a high number of nominations.
    AC Milan star Ibrahimovic made the case for the double World Cup winner.
    The 39-year-old told the Discovery+ Sweden: “Ronaldo, El Fenomeno, he’s the best of all time.
    “For me, that Ronaldo is football, the way he moved. He’s the greatest player in history, without a doubt.”

    Ronaldo, 44, is often considered the most expensive player of all time, when taking inflation into account for his 1997 move to Inter Milan.
    Incredible goalscoring runs at PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona sadly gave way to an injury-plagued spell at Inter, although he found form again at Real Madrid.

    Ronaldo Nazario was named in the Ballon d’Or all-time best XI
    Scoring twice in the 2002 World Cup final, he remained at the top of his game for a number of years before injury struck again, proving terminal for his career.
    A number of figures within the game consider Ronaldo to be the best ever, including Jose Mourinho and Roberto Carlos, while he was an idol to Mason Greenwood, Mohamed Salah and many more.

    Ibrahimovic has never played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo but did join Messi in Barcelona for a disappointing spell in 2009-10, later describing the Argentine as a ‘unique talent’.
    In the interview, he also criticised LeBron James for taking public political stances.
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    The 36-year-old NBA hero campaigned for Joe Biden in last year’s US election, alongside his growing voice as an anti-racism campaigner.
    But the veteran striker prefers the rich and famous to keep their political views private, and added: “He’s phenomenal, but I don’t like when people with a ‘status’ speak about politics.
    “Do what you’re good doing. I play football because I’m the best at playing football. I’m no politician. If I’d been a politician, I would be doing politics.
    “This is the first mistake famous people make when they become famous. For me it is better to avoid certain topics and do what you’re good doing, otherwise you risk doing something wrongly.”
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

    LeBron James was criticised by Ibrahimovic for taking political stancesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Ex-Man Utd stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku clash in fiery Milan derby More

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    Arsenal and Chelsea tracking Inter Milan wonderkid Martin Satriano as star admits he’s ‘flattered’ by Prem transfer talk

    INTER MILAN youngster Martin Satriano has ‘admitted’ that he’s ‘flattered’ by rumoured interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.
    The striker, who has benefited from training with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, also admitted that the Premier League is the ‘No1 league in the world’.

    Martin Satriano has scored five goals in his last four games for Inter’s Under-19sCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Satriano, 20, is yet to make his senior debut for Antonio Conte’s side – although he has featured on the Italian’s bench three times in Serie A this season.
    And while a breakthrough appears close, he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
    On rumoured interest, he told the Mail: “It is always flattering, yes, it is a sign that I am doing things well and that I have to continue down that path.
    “I try to use it as an incentive to keep working and be better every day.

    “The Premier League is the No1 league in the world in terms of competition, that I think all the players want to play, I think all the teams are very good.
    “It is a very competitive league where any team can beat anyone. But for now I am totally focused on Inter and to do the best with them.”
    It’s been a whirlwind year for Satriano, as he has adapted to life in another continent largely in a pandemic, following his transfer from Nacional in January 2020.
    Reflecting on his transfer he feels great pride, gushing: “My move to Inter was a very nice moment that I will never forget.

    Satriano recently notched a brace against AC Milan for the development squadCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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    “It was like from one day to the next, although I spoke with my representative throughout January about emigrating to Europe, in the last days everything was decided.
    “On January 29 at noon, my representative Nick [Maytum] called me, telling me I had to fly to Milan to join Inter and I couldn’t believe it.
    “I remember he was very happy for me and within three hours he was already flying to Italy to do the transfer. It was all very fast.”
    Breaking through as a striker at Inter isn’t an easy task, given that the likes of Lukaku and Martinez stand in your way.
    But Satriano sees this competition as a learning opportunity.

    Sharing the pitch with players like Lautaro and Romelu is something very good as today they are the best forwards in Serie A
    Martin Satriano

    He added: “The truth is that training with the first team is something that I really enjoy.
    “Training with top-level players every day is something very nice, which helps me a lot to improve my game, since I train at a very high intensity and with great players.
    “Sharing the pitch with players like Lautaro and Romelu is something very good as today they are the best forwards in Serie A and among the best in the world.
    “I always try to look at them, listen to them and try to do all the good things they do on the pitch.”
    For now, Satriano is going from strength to strength for Inter’s Under-19s, scoring five times in his last four games – including a brace against rivals AC Milan.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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    Man Utd ‘in talks over Nikola Milenkovic transfer’ and told Fiorentina defender will cost just £30m

    MANCHESTER UNITED have opened talks over a deal for Fiorentina star Nikola Milenkovic, according to reports.
    The Serbian centre-back has been a star in Tuscany since signing from Partizan Belgrade in 2017, drawing interest from a number of clubs.

    Nikola Milenkovic has impressed a number of clubs with his Fiorentina performancesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Manchester City, Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool have all been named in reports on the 23-year-old.

    According to transfer journalist Constantin Eckner, Milenkovic’s representatives are in talks with the Red Devils over a summer move.
    However, a number of teams are also said to be in contact to gauge a bid.
    Fiorentina would demand a fee of £30million for the player, it is reported.

    A defender has been high on United’s wish list for some time, particularly amid criticism of Victor Lindelof.
    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have made a better fist of a title fight this season but the backline has been an issue, conceding the eighth-highest number of goals in the Premier League.
    Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde has been linked as well as Milenkovic, but like the Serb he will attract wide-ranging interest this summer.
    Fiorentina have remained lodged in mid-table for much of the season, of which the defender has played 24 games and kept five clean sheets.

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    Milenkovic’s contract runs only to 2022 and Viola sporting director Daniele Prade claimed earlier this month that renewal discussions are underway.
    He told reporters: “We are talking about it, these are situations that we will face but right now we have to think only of the pitch.
    “The team is responding, some results have been excellent, others less so. We just think about playing.”
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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    AC Milan vs Crvena Zvezda FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Europa League match

    AC MILAN are looking to complete the job against Red Star after being pegged back in Belgrade.
    The Rossoneri were 2-1 up against ten-man Zvezda before a last gasp Milan Pavkov header gave the Serbs hope.

    Milan Pavkov scored a last minute winner for Red Star in SerbiaCredit: AP:Associated Press

    That goal from Pavkov was the beginning of a difficult week for Stefano Pioli’s side as they were hammered 3-0 by Inter in a huge derby on Sunday.
    What time does AC Milan vs Crvena Zvezda kick off?
    AC Milan take on Crvena Zvezda on Thursday, February 25.
    The match kicks off at 8pm UK time – 9pm in Italy and Serbia.
    It takes place at the San Siro.
    What TV channel is AC Milan vs Crvena Zvezda on and can I live stream it?
    AC Milan vs Crvena Zvezda is a BT Sport Digital exclusive.
    To stream it live, head to the BT Sport website or app.
    Sky Sport and TV8 have the Europa League rights in Italy while RTS and Arena Sport are the broadcasters in Serbia.

    Can I watch AC Milan vs Crvena Zvezda for free?
    EE customers can get BT Sport INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits – simply log in to EE and choose BT Sport app.
    And then get it on the big screen by texting SPORT to 150 to get a FREE three-month trial of Large Screen so you can cast all the action on your TV.
    At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £5 per month BT Sport Large Screen subscription unless cancelled.
    Team news
    Team news to follow shortly…
    Latest odds
    AC Milan 2/5
    Draw 7/2

    Crvena Zvezda 13/2 More

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    Juventus star Alvaro Morata diagnosed with lifelong virus after feeling faint following defeat to Porto

    JUVENTUS striker Alvaro Morata has been diagnosed with a lifelong virus after feeling faint and needing to lie down after the loss to Porto.
    Old Lady boss Andrea Pirlo revealed the Chelsea flop complained of feeling ill after the 2-1 Champions League defeat on Wednesday.

    Alvaro Morata complained of feeling faint after Juventus’ loss to PortoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Morata has been diagnosed with a lifelong but usually harmless virusCredit: Getty – Contributor

    Morata has now been diagnosed with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) which stays in the body for the duration of your life.
    However, it is common and usually harmless and can cause flu-like symptoms – similar to those the Spaniard was exhibiting.
    CMV is related to the herpes virus that causes cold sores and chickenpox but many people will carry it without realising.
    It is transmitted via close contact but can only be passed on when it is ‘active’ – usually when you first contract the virus.

    Morata only played 27 minutes off the bench in midweek but had just come back after suffering a bout of flu.
    Juve chief football officer Fabio Paratici told Sky Sport in Italy: “We play a lot, it is difficult to keep a constant performance in a normal season, let alone this one.
    “They also had a lot of small problems. First he had flu, now an intestinal disorder.
    “This has prevented him from training constantly and he has lost his condition a bit.

    “He is a top-level player and an extraordinary guy. Now he will be back in a position where he will be able to give us a hand in the season finale.”

    What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)?

    Information provided by the NHS website.

    It is is a common virus that is usually harmless. Sometimes it causes problems in babies if you get it during pregnancy.
    CMV is related to the herpes virus that causes cold sores and chickenpox.
    Once you have the virus, it stays in your body for the rest of your life.
    Your immune system usually controls the virus and most people do not realise they have it.
    But CMV can cause serious health problems in some babies who get the virus before birth, and in people who have a weakened immune system.
    Symptoms
    CMV does not usually cause symptoms.
    Some people get flu-like symptoms the first time they get CMV, including:
    a high temperature
    aching muscles
    tiredness
    skin rash
    feeling sick
    sore throat
    swollen glands
    If you do have symptoms, they usually get better without treatment within about 3 weeks.
    Spread
    Through close contact with an infected person.
    Virus only spread when it is ‘active’.
    It is active when:
    you get CMV for the first time – young children often get CMV for the first time at nursery
    the virus has “re-activated” – because you have a weakened immune system
    you’ve been re-infected – with a different type (strain) of CMV

    Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club

    Juventus beat Crotone 3-0 on Monday and Morata was subbed on in the 76th minute.
    On Sunday, Pirlo said: “Alvaro Morata is getting better, he has an intestinal virus. 
    “We hope that he can play tomorrow.”
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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