Serie A
Man Utd and PSG turned down chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, claims Italian journalist
Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain both rejected the opportunity to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus last summer, according to La Repubblica journalist Emanuele Gamba. The 36-year-old’s future has been at the centre of a lot of speculation in the last few days following Juventus’ early exit from the Champions League at the hands of Porto. Oliveira scored twice to eliminate Juventus This is the third year in a row that the Italian giants have suffered disappointment in Europe, having previously been knocked out by Ajax and Lyon. Given the current financial climate, Juventus’ failings on the pitch and Ronaldo’s ambition, it would not be surprising to see the Portuguese forward move on in the upcoming transfer window. Two clubs that have apparently already turned down Ronaldo once ...
Juventus’ €100m Cristiano Ronaldo gamble has failed – it’s time to cash in
Juventus have suffered their fair share of Champions League heartbreak. Having last won the tournament in 1996, they have since been defeated in five finals, most recently in 2017. In hopes of lifting the trophy once more, they signed the man dubbed ‘Mr. Champions League’ himself – that man, of course, being Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is the competition’s all-time top goalscorer and has lifted the trophy five times. Juventus themselves know better than anyone how much the forward relishes this competition: he bagged a brace against them in the 2017 final and scored three against them in the 2017/18 quarter-finals, including a stunning bicycle kick. Ronaldo’s stunning bicycle kick brought the Allianz Stadium to its feet Despite his supreme ability, however, the signing of Ronaldo was a huge...
Juventus legends slam Cristiano Ronaldo after Champions League exit
Juventus legends Fabio Capello and Alessandro Del Piero have hit out at Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo following the club’s exit in the Champions League round of 16 at Porto’s hands. The Old Lady lost the first leg 2-1, with Ronaldo performing well below his usual standards. He was expected to be the one to lead a second leg comeback, but was unable to prevent the game from going to extra-time while teammate Federico Chiesa struck twice. Then, with a penalty shoot-out looming, the 36-year-old turned his back on Sergio Oliveira’s low free-kick, resulting in Porto netting a crucial second to lead the tie on away goals. Adrien Rabiot’s late header two minutes later was not enough to salvage the tie, and the Italian giants were eliminated. Ronaldo was visibly frustrated in a quiet nigh...
‘It’s possible on a football level’: Key Chelsea star linked with summer move to Serie A club
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has been linked with a return to Napoli this summer. The Italy international joined the Blues from the Serie A club on a five-year deal in 2018. His move coincided with Maurizio Sarri’s appointment as manager at Stamford Bridge. The pair had previously worked together at Napoli, coming close to winning the Scudetto with an exciting brand of football. Sarri subsequently guided Chelsea to success in Europa League but left for Juventus after just one season in charge. He was sacked by Juve last August and has now been tipped to return to Napoli, sparking talk from Jorginho’s agent that his client could follow him. Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss, Napoli’s official radio station, Joao Santos said: “Sarri at Napoli with Jorginho is a wonderful idea. The player has two-an...
Juventus knocked out by Porto in enthralling Champions League tie
Porto progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals after a breathless second leg against Juventus. Both sides had glorious chances to open the scoring in the first ten minutes. Alvaro Morata was first, seeing his header well saved by Agustin Marchesin after Juan Cuadrado’s inch-perfect cross. Shortly afterwards, Mehdi Taremi had his close range effort blocked by Leonardo Bonucci, and proceeded to head the rebound against the crossbar. But it wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken, and it was the away side who found the net. Taremi won his side a penalty following Merih Demiral’s challenge. Sergio Oliveira stepped up and placed his spot kick into the bottom corner. There was little in the way of goalmouth action before the break, with Porto looking solid at the back. Marchesin deni...
Victor Osimhen returns to training ahead of Bologna clash
Victor Osimhen has returned to full training ahead of Napoli’s Serie A game against Bologna at Stadio San Paolo on Sunday. The 22-year-old suffered head trauma after landing awkwardly on the turf following a collision with Cristian Romero in his side’s defeat to Atalanta on February 21. The forward spent the night in the hospital and underwent several tests but has been cleared of any damage to his head. The Nigeria international missed Napoli’s clash against Granada in the Europa League as well as their league games against Benevento and Sassuolo. The Parthenopeans have now confirmed the Super Eagles forward has rejoined the rest of his teammate in preparation for their league game against Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men “Osimhen did the whole session with the team,” read a statement from the clu...
Key players miss out for Roma, important pair sidelined for title-chasing AC Milan
The Serie A action concludes on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico, as Roma and AC Milan come face-to-face in a real clash of titans. A disappointing dip in form in 2021 has hampered Milan’s pursuit of their first Serie A title since 2010/11, allowing Inter Milan to build a four-point cushion at the summit. Roma are in contention for a top-four finish, but they have a fragile one-point advantage on fifth-placed Atalanta. It will go down to who wants to win it more, as neither team would benefit too much from a draw. Roma Preview Coming into this matchday, the Giallorossi have not surrendered the three points in 16 successive Serie A home matches (W13, D3) and remain one of only four sides in Europe’s top-five divisions yet to lose at home this league season. Only top-placed Inter (32) have nett...
Three Serie A clubs reportedly interested in signing Man Utd player
According to the Sun, three Serie A clubs are interested in signing Manchester United’s Juan Mata. The Spaniard has featured in just 12 matches across all competitions under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, scoring two goals with three assists. Mata’s current contract with United runs out in the summer, but the club has an option to extend it for a further 12 months. The 32-year-old is happy at Old Trafford but wants more first-team football. Inter Milan, Juventus and Roma are keen on signing the World Cup winner, with Antonio Conte’s side showing the most interest. The latter two would consider signing Mata if he became a free agent. SK View Mata has featured in 267 matches for United since joining them from Chelsea, scoring 50 goals while providing 44 assists. However, he has fallen dow...
Victor Osimhen likens his unconscious 30 minutes to a brain reset
Super Eagles and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has said his 30 minutes of unconsciousness Sunday, ‘felt like a brain reset’ Osimhen was discharged to return to Naples on Monday after spending the night under observation at a hospital in Bergamo following an alarming collapse towards the end of the club’s 4-2 Serie A defeat by Atalanta on Sunday. Osimhen was knocked unconscious in a scary incident during the final minutes of the game after a challenge with Cristian Romero; he was stretchered off the pitch and taken directly to hospital. A close adviser to the player told ESPN that a disoriented Osimhen was shocked when he saw the video of the incident. “He could not believe it when they showed him the video from the incident,” the adviser said. “He said it felt like a brain reset.” Multiple...
AC Milan vs Inter – Preview, Team News, Predicted Line-ups and Prediction
AC Milan are scheduled to host Inter in Sunday’s eagerly anticipated Serie A clash at San Siro. The game will be the 178th league meeting between the sides and it is the first time in a decade that the Milan giants are occupying the top two positions ahead of the derby. The Rossoneri recently suffered their second defeat in four league games after a surprise 1-0 loss at Spezia. The result saw them relinquish their top position to the Nerazzurri for the first time since October last year. The Nerazzurri are one point ahead of their fierce rivals following a three-match winning streak and the upcoming derby will be crucial for both teams. While Inter have the chance to extend the slender gap at the top, Milan will be aiming to reclaim the first spot. Key Stats: Milan and Inter have already f...
Leeds receive boost to sign 31-cap int’l star after Euro club make transfer decision
German giants Bayern Munich have no interest in keeping Douglas Costa beyond this season, according to reports from Kicker. Costa joined the Bundesliga champions on loan from Juventus this summer. However, Bayern have no intention to make his loan deal a permanent one. His decision to join Bayern came as a big surprise. Bayern already boast two of the finest young wingers in Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. On top of that, they also signed Leroy Sane from Manchester City on a big-money deal. Costa, who has made just three starts in Bundesliga, is unwanted at Turin and the Old Lady are looking to offload him in the summer. He is not in Andrea Pirlo’s first-team plans, with the club considering him surplus to requirements. Costa will enter the final year of his contract at the...
Chelsea linked with influential star, 23-year-old could be used as bait
Chelsea have been linked with a move for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie. According to ilmilanista.it, new manager Thomas Tuchel is a big admirer of the Ivory Coast international. The 24-year-old has been a standout performer for Milan in Serie A this season, scoring seven goals and assisting a further three in 21 appearances. SL View Kessie has emerged as a key figure under Milan boss Stefano Pioli, earning the nickname ‘The President’ due to his influence on the dressing room. However, his current contract expires in June 2022 and he is yet to agree a new deal with the club. Milan slapped a £45 million asking price on Kessie during December in a bid to ward off potential suitors and they will be keen to retain his services. While Chelsea may find it difficult to prise Kessie away from ...
