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      Chelsea keeping tabs on Napoli financial problems with Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens eyed in cheap transfers

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      CHELSEA reportedly have their eye on Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens with Napoli reportedly facing a cashflow crisis. 
      Italian football journalist Ciro Venerato claims staff and players at the Naples giants have not received any pay since July. 

      Dries Mertens and Kalidou Koulibaly are both linked with a move to ChelseaCredit: AFP or licensors

      Gennaro Gattuso’s side, who are currently sixth in Serie A, are among the division’s teams whose finances have taken a hit following the Covid crisis. 
      And earlier this year it is thought the Napoli boss took a wage reduction in order to help Napoli save the jobs of club staff.
      Football.London believes Napoli, who will play Roma on Sunday, could look to shift some players off their wage bill, should Venerato’s claims prove true. 

      Kalidou Koulibaly (right) is also thought to be a target for Manchester and LiverpoolCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      And it is thought Chelsea, who strengthened their backline with the summer signing of veteran Thiago Silva, could consider a swoop for Koulibaly – if Napoli are open to a cut-price sale. 

      Koulibaly, who has also been heavily linked with a move to Prem champions Liverpool, was reportedly a top target for Frank Lampard’s side with the player valued around £63million. 
      And club director Marina Granovskaia reportedly made previous contact with the defender’s agent over a possible summer switch.
      The Serie A star, 29, is widely seen as one of Europe’s best central defenders. 
      With Silva turning 37 next year, the Blues could look to revive their interest in the Senegal international. 

      Reports suggest Chelsea, who face Tottenham next in the league, could also be in the market for an older winger as back up to their promising young attackers. 
      It is thought Mertens, 33,  who has scored three goals and provided three assists in seven Serie A games this term, could fit the bill following Pedro’s and Willian’s departures.
      The club came close to adding Belgium ace Mertens to their ranks in the summer until the winger reportedly decided to turn his back on a move.
      ⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

      Chelsea fans in hysterics as Joe Cole tells Frank Lampard to give players a ‘smacked bum’ at half-time vs Rennes More

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      Juventus vs Benevento paused after 10 minutes to pay tribute to Serie A icon Diego Maradona with minute’s applause

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      JUVENTUS and Benevento players paused after ten minutes of their Serie A clash to pay tribute to Diego Maradona.
      The Argentina legend, who led Napoli to two Scudetti during a prestigious career, died on Tuesday from heart failure.

      Juventus and Benevento players paused to honour the life of Diego MaradonaCredit: AFP

      The teams applauded the Argentine’s achievements in the first-half of Saturday’s gameCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ahead of Saturday night’s Serie A clash, both teams took part in a minute’s silence in honour of the icon.
      And, ten minutes into the game, they applauded the career of a superstar who wore the No10 shirt.
      A graphic in the blue of Napoli was overlaid onto the empty Stadio Ciro Vigorito stands, featuring the phrase ‘AD10S DIEGO’.
      Juventus went toe-to-toe with Maradona throughout his seven years in Italy.

      It was the Bianconeri who finished just three points behind the midfielder’s Napoli in 1987 as he led the Partenopei to their first-ever Serie A title.
      On Wednesday, Juventus posted a clip of Maradona scoring a stunning indirect free-kick against them.

      Football fans worldwide have come together to commemorate the life of the special talent, who died at the age of 60.
      Emotional scenes in Buenos Aires saw thousands of well-wishers line the streets ahead of Maradona’s funeral on Friday.

      On Saturday, Juve missed the chance to make up serious ground on leaders AC Milan with a 1-1 draw at Benevento.
      Alvaro Morata put Andrea Pirlo’s side ahead before a Gaetano Letizia leveller in first-half stoppage time.

      Before the game, both teams held a moment’s silence for the legendCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for the trip to Campania after his boss described the veteran winger as ‘tired’.
      Morata was sent off late on and the defending champions sit fifth in Serie A, three points back from Milan ahead of their encounter with Fiorentina.
      Since Pirlo took over, Juventus have drawn five of their nine league games – but remain undefeated.

      Napoli fans bid farewell to Diego Maradona with incredible ‘train’ of fire as they light flares in honour of their greatest ever player More

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      Christian Eriksen will ask to leave Inter Milan in January if he’s still frozen out, admits Serie A club chief

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      INTER MILAN admit Christian Eriksen is “almost sure” to ask for a January transfer unless he regains his place.
      The Italian giants reportedly offered the Denmark midfielder to Arsenal but are said to value him at £27million, £10m more than they paid Tottenham for the 28-year-old 11 months ago.

      Prem clubs have reportedly been alerted to the availability of ex-Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen, who could be heading out of Inter Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Christian Eriksen only came on for the last five minutes as Inter Milan won 3-0 at Sassuolo in Serie A on Saturday afternoonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And Inter CEO Beppe Marotta gave a stark assessment of Eriksen’s situation under manager Antonio Conte.
      Marotta told Sky Sports Italia: “If he’ll not play until January, it’s almost sure that he’ll ask to leave the club.
      “We decided to sign him one year ago for €20m. It was a good deal – possible he’s not fit with our way of playing.”
      “The important term is ‘functional’. Football is full of these situations, where players are signed who are then not functional to the tactical system or team that they’re placed into.

      “Naturally the coach has to make his evaluations and has the right to choose his players.
      “If we reach January and the player does not play regularly, and asks to be sold, we will deal with the situation… without the slightest bit of controversy.
      “Naturally, we always try to improve and make the most of opportunities on the transfer market.

      “But the problem is finding players who fit the team and genuinely would improve us.”

      Ex-Ajax hero Eriksen has yet to notch a goal or assist for Inter this term and was just an 85th-minute sub in Saturday’s 3-0 Serie A win at Sassuolo.
      But the title challengers would still expect a sizeable fee for the 103-cap star as he arrived in January on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

      Christian Eriksen shows off his goal scoring skills in Inter Milan training More

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      Benevento vs Juventus LIVE: Stream, TV channel, team news, kick-off time for vital Serie A clash – latest updates

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      JUVENTUS travel to Benevento as they look to chase down Serie A leaders AC Milan.
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s side sit in fourth place, behind top-of-the-pile AC Milan, so a win today would move them a step closer to where they want to be.

      Start time: 5pm GMTTV/Live stream: LiveScoreBenevento XI: To followJuventus XI: Szczesny, Frabotta, De Ligt, Danilo, Cuadrado, Athur, Rabiot, Chiesa, Ramsey, Dybala, Morata
      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

      Cristiano Ronaldo and co will be expected to win as they visit BeneventoCredit: AFP or licensors
      What time does Benevento vs Juventus kick off?
      Benevento take on Juventus on Saturday, November 28.
      The match kicks off at 5pm UK time – 6pm in Italy.
      It will be played at Benevento’s Stadio Ciro Vigorito.

      TEAMS ARE IN!
      Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo has decided to rest star man Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even travel to Benevento.
      But Juve will also be missing key defenders Merih Demiral and Giorgo Chiellini to injury. Leonardo Bonucci, however, will be on the bench.
      Matthijs De Ligtis thus set to start next to Danilo at centre-back.
      Juventus XI: Szczesny; Frabotta, De Ligt, Danilo, Cuadrado; Ramsey, Rabiot, Arthur, Chiesa; Morata, Dybala.
      Bench: Pinsoglio, Garofani, Alex Sandro, Bonucci, Dragusin, McKennie, Bentancur, Portanova, Bernardeschi, Kulusevski.

      JUVE STATS
      Juventus are fourth in the Serie A table with four wins and four draws in eight league matches – Pirlo’s men have yet to lose.
      Juve have beaten Sampdoria, Napoli, Spezia as well as Cagliari and drew with Roma, Crotone, Verona and Lazio.
      The Turin outfit will hope to return to winning ways today at Benevento where they have just arrived.

      HEAD-TO-HEAD
      The two sides have faced off twice in the past with Juventus winning both Serie A fixtures in the 2017-2018 season.
      Juve defeated the Gli Stregoni 2-1 three years ago thanks to goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Juan Cuadrado whereas Amato Ciciretti netted the opener.
      A few months later the Italian giants prevailed again with a score of 4-2 in Campania.
      Cheikh Diabate scored a brace for the hosts but the visitors stood tall with a hat-trick by Paulo Dybala and a goal by Douglas Costa.

      GOOD AFTERNOON FROM BENEVENTO
      Welcome to our live coverage of the Serie A clash between Juventus and Benevento at the Ciro Vigorito stadium.
      It’s been four days since Juve sealed Champions League qualification to the last 16 when Alvaro Morata’s late strike marked a 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros at the Juventus Stadium.
      The Italian champions are now set to battle Barcelona for first place, which would lead to a smoother draw for the knockout stages.
      But Barca will have to wait as the Bianconeri will look to catch up to table toppers AC Milan who lead by four points in the Serie A.
      Juventus are undefeated in the league but their four draws in eight matches have sunk them to fourth place behind Milan, Sassuolo and Roma.
      But today’s encounter won’t be a walk in the park as Pirlo is facing a defensive crisis with Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Merih Demiral all likely to be unavailable.
      That means Matthijs de Ligt may be the only recognised centre-back available on the pitch against Benevento, who are not without problems as Bryan Dabo has tested positive for coronavirus.
      Benevento manager, and Juventus legend, Filippo Inzaghi will also be without the injured Gaetano Letizia, Massimo Volta and Alessandrio Tuia whereas Iago Falque and Daam Foulon are facing a late fitness test.

      Load more entries… More

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      Roma call in Italian army bomb squad after Second World War devices found at club’s TRAINING GROUND

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      AS ROMA received a scare this week after unexploded World War Two bombs were discovered at their training ground.
      The Italian army and their bomb squad were called to Trigoria to remove the devices which were found buried in the turf during work to build new pitches at the complex.

      Well, this doesn’t happen every day… 😅A big thank you to the Italian army and their bomb squad, after they safely and successfully removed a number of devices dating back to the Second World War from the club’s training centre at Trigoria this week! 👏 #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/8HDiURbxTe
      — AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) November 28, 2020

      Italian outlet Il Messagero reported there were around 20 of the foot-long bombs unearthed as Roma’s Twitter account shared pictures of soldiers safely removing the World War Two relics.
      A club statement on Saturday said: “Well, this doesn’t happen every day…
      “A big thank you to the Italian army and their bomb squad, after they safely and successfully removed a number of devices dating back to the Second World War from the club’s training centre at Trigoria this week!”
      Fortunately no one was hurt during the removal of the bombs.

      Roma themselves have been in some explosive form this season, sitting third in Serie A and currently 11 games unbeaten in all competitions.
      Paulo Fonseca’s side travel to Napoli on Sunday night in what is sure to be an emotional evening following the passing of Napoli legend Diego Maradona this week.
      Maradona played for Napoli between 1984 and 1991, winning two league titles with the club.

      Following the match, Napoli’s Stadio San Paolo will be renamed after the Argentine icon.

      Napoli played at home against Rijeka in the Europa League on Thursday, with all 11 players wearing Maradona’s famous No10 shirt.
      Fans also gathered outside the stadium with flares to celebrate their idol.

      Napoli fans bid farewell to Diego Maradona with incredible ‘train’ of fire as they light flares in honour of their greatest ever player More

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      Benevento vs Juventus FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Serie A match

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      JUVENTUS travel to Benevento as they look to chase down Serie A leaders AC Milan
      Cristiano Ronaldo and co currently sit fourth in the table, four points behind the Rossoneri.

      Cristiano Ronaldo and co will be expected to win as they visit BeneventoCredit: AFP or licensors

      Benevento have had a fruitful start to life in the top flight, picking up nine points from eight games and sitting three points above the drop zone.
      What time does Benevento vs Juventus kick off?
      Benevento take on Juventus on Saturday, November 28.
      The match kicks off at 5pm UK time – 6pm in Italy.
      It will be played at Benevento’s Stadio Ciro Vigorito.
      What TV channel is Benevento vs Juventus on and can I live stream it?
      Benevento vs Juventus is live on FreeSports.
      As the name suggests, the channel is free for all UK viewers.
      To stream the game live, head to the LiveScore app.
      This app is also free to download.

      Former Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi is at the helm for BeneventoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Team news
      Former Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi has a number of injuries to contend with as his Benevento team take on his old club.
      Bryan Dabo is out with Covid while Gaetano Letizia has picked up an injury.
      Iago Falque and Daam Foulon will face late fitness tests ahead of the match.

      For Juventus, Leonardo Bonucci, Merih Demiral and Giorgio Chiellini are all doubts, leaving Matthijs De Ligt as potentially the only recognised centre-back.
      Latest odds
      Benevento 13/2
      Draw 15/4
      Juventus 2/5

      *Odds from Ladbrokes correct as of Friday, November 27 More

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      Christian Eriksen made available for £27m transfer fee by Inter Milan after being left humiliated by Real Madrid cameo

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      INTER MILAN have slapped a £27million price tag on Christian Eriksen, according to reports.
      The Dane has fallen out of favour under Antonio Conte and was humiliated by his six minute cameo against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

      Christian Eriksen is available for just £27mCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Eriksen, 28, only joined Inter from Tottenham in a £17m move in January but has struggled for game time since.
      He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at the Serie A club but is yet to register a goal or assist in seven outings this season.
      Manchester United and Arsenal have both been linked with moves for the playmaker.
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

      And Inter will let him go for just £10m more than they paid for him, according to Italian outlet TuttoSport.
      And Denmark international Eriksen is said to be keen on a move after suffering his ‘final humiliation’ against Real in the Champions League.
      Eriksen came on with just six minutes remaining, his team down to ten men and trailing 2-0.
      The loss means Inter cannot qualify for the knockout stage.

      On Wednesday, it emerged Arsenal were reportedly offered the chance to sign the midfielder for just £12m.

      Eriksen’s availability has been made aware to Premier League clubs, and one of them is the Gunners.
      Arsenal have been told the Dane will consider moving to the red side of north London despite seven years in Spurs white.
      Inter have previously admitted they will not stand in Eriksen’s way if he wants to leave.
      And SunSport explored how Arsenal could line-up with the former Tottenham man in the team.

      Jose Mourinho reveals Diego Maradona used to call him with words of encouragement after he lost matches More

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      Arturo Vidal’s X-rated rant at Anthony Taylor which saw Inter Milan star sent off revealed with ace set to be fined

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      ARTURO VIDAL fumed at Anthony Taylor for not going to the VAR screen as he was sent off against Real Madrid.
      Los Blancos walked away from the Giuseppe Meazza with a 2-0 win on Wednesday, thanks in part to the Chilean’s dismissal.

      Arturo Vidal reacted angrily to not winning a penalty against Real MadridCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The former Barcelona star told Anthony Taylor to check VAR in a furious tiradeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      After half an hour of the Champions League tie, and with Real a goal up, Vidal claimed a penalty.
      Raphael Varane felled the midfielder but replays suggested he had successfully nicked the ball with his tackle.
      The Premier League referee remained unmoved and was swamped by Inter players as the ball soon went out of play, before Vidal arrived on the scene.
      According to Gol TV, via Marca, Vidal exclaimed: “You have the s*** on VAR to look at and still nothing.”

      Taylor, 42, waved his finger at the six stars in his face and booked Vidal.
      The 33-year-old initially appeared surprised by the card before pushing aside two team-mates to square up to the official.

      Premier League ref Taylor booked the midfielder twice in ten secondsCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Vidal shot the official a dirty look as he left the pitch – before Inter lost 2-0Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      In amazing scenes, Taylor stepped back and stared the player down before brandishing the yellow again, sending him off.
      La Gazzetta dello Sport report on Inter planning to fine Vidal for the incident.

      The club are said to be increasingly concerned with the veteran’s performances since his summer arrival from Barcelona.

      And it is not only Vidal under pressure, with a strong eye also on Antonio Conte.
      The coach takes his side to high-flying Sassuolo on Sunday with Inter sat fifth in a seemingly open title race.
      After the defeat to Madrid, the Nerazzurri are also on the brink in Europe – stuck five points back from Real in Group B’s final qualification spot.

      Christian Eriksen shows off his goal scoring skills in Inter Milan training More