Serie A

Subterms

    More stories

    • 238 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Criminally under-rated Olivier Giroud is proving that it’s madness to pension off footballers as soon as they hit 30

      by

      WATCHING Olivier Giroud score the goal which sent AC Milan into the Champions League semi-final this week, got me thinking a couple of things.Why are we so desperate to pension off footballers when they get into  their 30s?
      Olivier Giroud celebrates the goal that put AC Milan in the Champions League last four after a 2-1 aggregate triumph over Serie A leaders NapoliCredit: Rex
      At 36, Giroud still has the mobility as well as technical ability to shineCredit: Rex
      And was there ever a more under-rated Premier League footballer than Giroud, who is now 36 and playing as well as ever?
      With the age thing, I’m finding it myself. At 34, it feels like the young people want to retire me but despite some injuries this year — which I don’t really put down to age — I feel I can keep on playing for some time to come.
      Everyone looks after themselves  better these days. You can’t be a professional player without being in peak physical condition.
      We see so many players excelling in their mid to late 30s, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to James Milner and Giroud — and yet players get disrespected more than ever as they get older.
      READ MORE TOP STORIES
      The best way to describe recovering from a game of professional football when you’re in your 30s is by likening it to having a hangover.
      When you’re in your 20s, the hangovers aren’t as bad and you’re ready to go again the next night.
      But as you get older, you might think ‘I’ll have a few light beers on Friday, a session on Saturday and then sleep it off on Sunday’.
      “I’m not saying I drink like this, by the way, I’m just giving you an analogy!
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      Older pros train differently — like a boxer, you are trying to peak at the weekend. You can’t go full pelt on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
      Recovery sessions are more likely to be on the bike or in the pool rather than running out on the grass because you have to protect your joints, your knees especially.
      But the older you get, the more know-how you have. And if you have the right individually-tailored training programme, there’s no doubt you can go on playing late into your 30s,  perhaps even longer.
      Giroud is certainly looking after  himself — and what a couple of seasons he is having.
      After winning Serie A with Milan last year, he reached his second World Cup final in Qatar and he’s now got  a great chance of playing in the  Champions League final, with a semi-final derby against Inter to come.
      I mentioned before England played France in the World Cup quarter-final that I feared Giroud’s physicality — and he ended up heading their winner.
      We underestimate him badly in this country. Five years ago now, people were trying to pension him off when he was at Arsenal.We underestimated his pace, technical ability, strength and his finishing.
      His reputation seemed to suffer when Arsenal went through some difficult years — the same happened with Danny Welbeck, who is still tearing it up at Brighton, aged 32.
      But Giroud ended up playing a big part in Chelsea’s run to the Champions League in 2021 and now he’s having more success at Milan.
      Just look at his roll of honour — two World Cup finals and one win, a Champions League, a Europa League, four FA Cups, league titles in France and Italy and a Puskas Award for the best goal in world football in 2017.
      He’s good looking but not just a pretty face! His team-mates rated him very highly, as a player and a man. And his opponents too.
      You watch that goal for Arsenal against Crystal Palace and tell  me he isn’t supremely technically gifted and deceptively quick.
      As Arsenal break, he plays a brilliant back-heeled pass in his own half, out-sprints the Palace defence and scores with a flying back-heeled ‘scorpion kick’ at the near post.
      He’s a good looking lad, Olivier, but he’s not just a pretty face!
      Giroud often seemed to be derided in England and I never understood it.
      His team-mates certainly rated him very highly, as a player and a man.
      And his opponents, too. I still have his shirts he swapped with me after I played for Watford against both Arsenal and Chelsea.
      He is just a lovely geezer. He is into arts and culture, has done Hugo Boss adverts and he’s one of life’s good guys.
      A lot of people thought Olivier was on his way out when he left Arsenal in 2018 — that’s five years ago now.
      It seems to me that kids who play Fifa want to bin off any player over 30 who can’t do every trick on their video games.
      Of course we all love to see exciting young players emerging.

      But there is a lot to be said for experience, on the pitch and in the dressing room.
      There’s still life in the old dogs yet — and Giroud is an  inspiration to all of us. More

    • 225 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Barcelona line up huge midfield swap transfer with Inter Milan as both clubs look to resolve financial woes

      by

      BARCELONA and Inter Milan are linked with an exchange deal involving midfielders Franck Kessie and Marcelo Brozovic, according to reports.The move was previously on the cards in January, but did not materialise, as Kessie did not want to leave the Nou Camp.
      Franck Kessie has played an instrumental role in Barcelona’s success this seasonCredit: Getty
      However, the club may have no option but to sell himCredit: Getty
      Brozovic is the Inter player linked with a move to BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      However, according to SPORT, the like-for-like swap in midfield still has substance, with specific factors making it an enticing possibility for both parties.
      Reports suggest that Inter Milan’s technical director met with Barcelona officials last week to discuss the possibility of a swap deal.
      The Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport claims that both midfielders are valued at around £28million, a factor which would make a potential exchange relatively easy.
      Brozovic, 30, joined Inter from Dinamo Zagreb in 2015 and has made 253 appearances for the club.
      READ MORE BARCELONA NEWS
      Despite some good performances this season, Brozovic has still looked likely to leave Inter in the summer amid growing tensions.
      This comes as the defensive midfielder had to be separated from team-mate Andre Onana in training this week.
      The Croatian star is considered a potential successor to Sergio Busquets in Barcelona’s midfield.
      Additionally, Kessie has been on Inter’s wish list since he moved to Barcelona from AC Milan on a free transfer last summer.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      And ex-Inter boss Antonio Conte wanted to bring him to Tottenham in January.
      Despite Kessie’s impressive form in the second half of this campaign, the club have refused to rule out his sale, due to the ongoing economic situation.
      The Catalans finances are in huge jeopardy, with sky-rocketing debts expected to reach £1.3billion.
      Cash-strapped Barca will need to shuffle their finances again this summer in order to refine Xavi’s squad and remain competitive next season. More

    • 163 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Juventus have 15-point penalty REVERSED and the Serie A table looks very different

      by

      JUVENTUS have seen their 15 point Serie A penalty revoked pending a new trial.The added points will see the Serie A giants jump from 7th place to 3rd ahead of Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
      Juventus’s 15 point deduction has been revokedCredit: Getty
      Juventus have jumped up to third place in Serie A
      Juventus received the news just hours ahead of their Europa League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon.
      The Italian outfit’s penalty was revoked pending a new trial to gain further clarity to the club’s capital gains controversy.
      This means that the FIGC Federal Court of Appeal will re-evaluate.
      The investigation will more than likely continue until after the current season ends.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      This would mean that any punishment that Juventus does receive could come into effect during the 2023/24 campaign.
      However, the College of Guarantee of Sport have rejected the appeal of Tottenham director Fabio Paratici
      The Spurs chief was included in the punishment to Juventus after it was previously found guilty of orchestrating a transfer scam over three seasons.
      Juventus were accused of inflating transfer fees in dealings with other Italian clubs over three seasons to create millions of pounds in “capital gains” for tax purposes.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      It was stated that Juve had manipulated the system to free up their spending powers in the market.
      Juve and eight clubs, including Sampdoria, Genoa and Parma, were initially acquitted in May.

      But that verdict was appealed to the Federal Appeals Court and Italian FA prosecutors asked the case to be reheard and for serious sanctions at a hearing in January.
      With the added 15 points, Juventus now boasts a total of 59 points, and have dropped AC Milan out of the Champions League places.
      However, the Turin-based side is still two points behind second-placed Lazio and 16 points behind runaway leaders Napoli. More

    • 238 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Lukaku set to return to Chelsea ‘against his will’ with Inter Milan ‘unable and unwilling to finance another transfer’

      by

      ROMELU LUKAKU will reportedly have to reluctantly return to Chelsea at the end of his Inter Milan loan despite wanting to stay in Italy.The 29-year-old striker helped the Serie A giants to title glory in 2021 before heading back to the Blues in a £98.5m move.
      Romelu Lukaku is set for heartbreak this summer according to a new report in ItalyCredit: Rex
      But his second stint at Chelsea failed to turn into the dream he envisioned and he returned to Inter on loan last summer.
      However, the Belgian striker has endured a frustrating campaign on the injury front and has scored just seven goals in 24 games.
      Even though he has endured those difficulties, he wants to remain with Inter, but he appears to be set for disappointment, according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport.
      They claim that Lukaku will return to West London “against his will” as his loan club is not able to afford the potential cost of another move.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      They recently announced losses of £694m over the past decade along with an annual operating loss of around £133m.
      That means that chiefs will be forced into trying to make savings this summer along with the prospect that they may miss out on qualification for the Champions League and the financial rewards that would bring.
      This update states that they feel they have not received enough in return from Lukaku this term to justify the £6.9m loan fee plus the cost of covering a significant part of his £325,000-a-week wages.
      And now Inter are planning ahead for a future without the ex-Everton and Manchester United man in attack.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      The report also stresses that Lukaku wants to stay so that he is prepared to take a wage cut.
      He has also scored some vital goals in recent weeks, especially in the Champions League, as he netted the winner against Porto in the last-16 as well as getting one in last week’s 2-0 first-leg quarter final win over Benfica.
      But now it seems that he will have to go on a red-hot streak until the end of the season in order to try and change Inter’s minds.
      It also leaves Chelsea with a potential dilemma as they will need to balance the books after Todd Boehly’s huge outlay on new signings.
      And the striker will no doubt have been viewed as one of the players that the club could sell in order to recoup funds. More

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Antonio Conte lined up for new job as he targets return to management after Tottenham sacking

      by

      ANTONIO CONTE could replace Jose Mourinho at Roma this summer, according to reports.The Italian, 53, was dismissed by Tottenham in March after 16 months in charge.
      Antonio Conte is available after being sacked by SpursCredit: Reuters
      Jose Mourinho could leave Roma for Paris Saint-Germain in the summerCredit: Getty
      His exit came following a scathing rant about his players and the club in the wake of a 3-3 draw with Southampton.
      And he was expected to leave Tottenham at the end of the season anyway as his contract was set to run out.
      Now Calcio Mercato are reporting he could be employed by Roma in the coming months.
      However, that is dependent on whether Mourinho remains in charge in the Italian capital.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The Portuguese head coach, 60, is being mooted as a candidate to take over at Paris Saint-Germain.
      It comes after a two-year period at Roma during which he has lifted the Europa Conference League trophy.
      Roma also sit third in Serie A and will look to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Feyenoord in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday.
      PSG boss Christophe Galtier is set to lead the French giants to another Ligue 1 title, but their Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Bayern Munich means his future is in doubt.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      And Mourinho’s switch to PSG would leave the door open for Conte to assume control at Roma.
      It is understood he would be handed funds in the transfer market as the Italians seek to claim a first scudetto since 2001.
      Conte has won four Serie A titles as a manager – three with Juventus and one with Inter Milan.
      Both Juve and Inter are also thought to be interested in bringing him back to their clubs, but their financial positions make that an unlikely move. More

    • 225 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans heartbroken as Juventus starlet Fagioli left in tears on bench after being subbed following costly Sassuolo mistake

      by

      JUVENTUS starlet Nicolo Fagioli was overcome with tears on the bench after being hauled off straight after his error handed Sassuolo victory.Fans were split over boss Max Allegri’s “too ruthless” treatment of Fagioli as team-mates tried to console the Italy midfielder.
      Old Lady midfielder Nicolo Fagioli is comforted by bench colleagues but still found his blunder and resulting substitution hard to take

      The 22-year-old’s poor clearance led to Sassuolo sub Gregoire Defrel swivelling to fire the only goal on 64 minutes.
      Having been docked 15 points for illicit transfer dealings, Juve are now four points adrift of the top six.
      And one-club man Fagioli had his head in his hands crying after Allegri’s swift action.
      One fan posted: “I look at this and think, this is why Allegri has won 5 Serie A Titles. I rate Fagioli but NO ONE should be overprotected, NO ONE.”
      READ MORE TOP STORIES
      Another wrote: “Fagioli in tears on the bench after coming off. Yes, he made a mistake, but this isn’t on him. He’s been brilliant for so much of the season. Can’t let this rest on his head.”
      And a third claimed: “Some managers are too ruthless to youngsters.”
      But many supporters backed the one-cap ace to bounce back as a linchpin player for the Old Lady.
      Such views included: “Fagioli made a mistake but he’s one of the few players that you can see genuinely cares about the shirt and our club. I actually love him.”
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      But maybe one post spoke for most.
      It read: “Fagioli crying is so heartbreaking. Even the best make mistakes. It was an accident as he gave the ball away for Sassuolo to score. Still the same player everyone wants to see in midfield everyday for Juventus.”
      Filip Kostic was taken off at the same time as Fagiolo, with Allegri bringing on Fabio Miretti and Federico Chiesa in a failed attempt to rescue at least a point.
      And Allegri refused to blame Fagioli for the defeat despite hauling him off.
      The boss said after the game: “His tears mean he is a responsible boy.
      “He made a mistake but he is not guilty of the loss, we are all responsible.”
      Meanwhile, Napoli remain 14 points clear in the Italian top-flight.
      But Tammy Abraham’s stoppage-time goal helped Jose Mourinho’s Roma move clear in third with Sunday’s 3-0 home win over Udinese. More

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Barcelona and Inter Milan in talks over transfer swap deal involving two of their top midfield stars

      by

      BARCELONA and Inter Milan have discussed a swap deal involving midfielders Franck Kessie and Marcelo Brozovic, according to reports. Kessie joined Barcelona from Inter’s rivals AC Milan on a free transfer last summer but has consistently been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp.
      Kessie only joined Barcelona last summer but has been linked with a move away from Nou CampCredit: Rex
      Brozovic is reportedly seen as an ideal replacement for Sergio BusquetsCredit: Rex
      Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that a swap deal with Kessie and Inter midfielder Brozovic still has legs with specific factors making it an attractive option for both clubs.
      Brozovic has been at Inter since joining from Dinamo Zagreb in 2015 and has made 253 appearances for the club.
      The report adds that Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio met with his Barcelona counterpart Mateu Alemany on Thursday with the midfield pair part of their discussions.
      The idea of a swap deal was first mooted in January with nothing happening but Gazzetta have reported that the deal is still alive.
      Read more football
      According to the report both midfielders are valued at about £26million which would make any potential swap relatively straight forward.
      It is also noted that both clubs would stand to benefit financially from the potential swap.
      Despite having a contract to 2026 there is ongoing tension between the Croatian and Inter with the report adding that Xavi likes his playmaking abilities.
      They report that the Catalan’s view the Croatian star as an ideal successor to Sergio Busquets.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      The Ivory Coast international has reportedly been on Inter’s radar from long before he joined Barcelona. More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd in Victor Osimhen transfer blow as Napoli striker claims ‘I’m already at one of the biggest clubs’

      by

      NAPOLI hitman Victor Osimhen has dealt his suitors a blow by declaring: I am already at one of the biggest clubs.The Nigeria international has caught the eye of several teams over the last 18 months with a string of scintillating displays for the Italian giants – who are on the brink of winning the Scudetto.
      Victor Osimhen has caught the eye of several teams – including Manchester UnitedCredit: GETTY
      But the Nigeria international seemingly has no intention of leaving NapoliCredit: GETTY
      Manchester United are among the teams interested in acquiring Osimhen’s services, although they’ll seemingly be hard-pressed to following his public recommittal to the Neopolitans.
      The 24-year-old told TG5: “‘I’m at a great club and my career is growing constantly.
      “I am already at one of the biggest clubs and I could not ask for more. Forza Napoli always!”
      Osimhen’s comments just over a month after he admitted he dreams of playing in the Prem.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      He said: “I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world (Serie A) is an amazing feeling for me.
      “A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league but now I’m in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.
      “I’m working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League someday.
      “But like I said, it’s a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well.”
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Napoli are 14 points clear of second-placed Lazio and are on the brink of winning their first Serie A title in 33 years.
      Osimhen said: “We are close to the objective and cannot wait to make our dream come true, to make it a reality.
      “The players always believed, we always thought we could do something exceptional, even when nobody else believed we could.
      “The affection from the city is extraordinary, I have never received so much love. I can’t wait to celebrate with them at the stadium.”
      Osihmen and his Napoli team-mates will be back in action on Tuesday night, facing fellow Italians AC Milan in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. More