As negotiations for a new contract for the in-demand forward continue, AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni is “calm” about Rafael Leao’s future.
For the Rossoneri, Leao has been a revelation who significantly contributed to their Serie A championship win in the previous campaign.
Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpoolhave all been mentioned as potential destinations for the Portugal international.
Scaroni is hopeful that Leao, 23, would prolong his stay at the San Siro once his contract with Milan expires in June 2024.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I am told that he feels good in Milan and that he is motivated.
“I know that [Milan technical director Paolo] Maldini is negotiating with him and as far as I just said if he negotiates, I’m calm.”
Leao scored against Ghana and Switzerland in the World Cup before Portugal were knocked out by surprise package Morocco at the quarter-final stage in Qatar.
There was only one big story circling before France’s game with Denmark. Would Olivier Giroud become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer?
But fellow frontman Kylian Mbappe had other ideas.
The man described as a “superstar” stole the show with both goals as defending champions France won 2-1 to become the first team team into the World Cup knockout stage.
“Kylian, what can I say?” said France boss Didier Deschamps. “An exceptional player. He has the ability to be decisive, stand up from the crowd and make the difference.
“Opponents have to rethink their structure and formation. Kylian is supported by other players who are as dangerous as him, but free him up to play his game.
“He had the objective of playing at the World Cup and France needs Kylian.”
‘He’s got it all, a very special talent’
Brilliant and pure box office, Paris St-Germain forward Mbappe again proved why he is tipped to be the game’s best player.
His number 10 shirts were everywhere you looked outside and inside Stadium 974, while his name got the loudest cheer when the line-up was read out before kick-off.
Lightning quick, skilful and coolness personified in front of goal, supporters and journalists are left drooling every time Mbappe gets the ball at his feet.
He gave Denmark a warning of his pace in the first half when, out of shot, he suddenly darted in behind looking to latch onto Antoine Griezmann’s through-ball.
As he looked to break clear, he was hauled down by Andreas Christensen, who only got a yellow card as two Danish team-mates were in a supporting position. It was doubtful, though, that either would have got near Mbappe as he burst away.
He did get his reward just after the hour mark, playing a delightful one-two with Theo Hernandez to convert, before bundling in the winner on 86 minutes from Griezmann’s cross.
“What a player, what a superstar,” former England striker Alan Shearer said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “He made the difference tonight.
“When you’ve got that guy in your team, in the form that he’s in, he looks so comfortable and confident in front of goal, you’ve got a chance. He won the game for them.
“Whatever you have to have as a forward, Kylian Mbappe’s got it all. The timing of his runs, the understanding of when and how to go. He’s a very special talent.
“Because of him, that is France’s chance [of winning the World Cup again]. If he keeps on performing and he’s in that mood, France have got a chance.
“He looks like a kid in the playground – he just looks like he’s enjoying it. As soon as he gets the ball you can hear the roar and he’s feeding off that, there’s no doubt about that. He loves that – and rightly so.”
Silent, but deadly
Giroud and the great Thierry Henry are tied on 51 international goals, with the AC Milan striker having looked to go out on his own against Denmark.
But Giroud may now be looking over his shoulder as Mbappecloses in on the record mark with every game in a Les Bleus shirt.
The 23-year-old is now on 31 goals, seventh on the all-time list alongside arguably France’s greatest-ever player in Zinedine Zidane.
Henry played in four World Cups and scored seven goals, but Mbappe has already equalled that number, which is also one fewer than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite it only being his second tournament, Mbappe is now France’s second-highest scorer at a World Cup.
He is behind Just Fontaine, who only played at one tournament in 1958, but scored a remarkable 13 goals in six games.
With Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema ruled out of the tournament with injury, Mbappe may have to shoulder more of the responsibility in the attacking third.
Asked if Mbappe is a team leader despite his young age, Deschamps added: “He is a leader, yes. There are three types of leaders; physical, technical and mental leaders. Leadership does not have one pace.
“Mbappe does not talk much, but is like a steam train on the pitch and gets the crowd up and wants to do everything for the team. There are natural-born leaders on the pitch.”
AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini is still confident his side can mount a challenge for the Serie A title after cutting Napoli’s lead at the summit.
A last-gasp own goal from Nikola Milenkovic handed Milan a 2-1 victory against Fiorentina at San Siro on Sunday in the final game before the World Cup, reducing Napoli’s advantage to eight points.
While that tally is still significant, victory against La Viola was a crucial one as a draw would have seen the deficit in double figures.
With 11 consecutive wins, dethroning an in-form Napoli side when the season resumes in January is a stern test but Maldini feels the race is far from over.
“Absolutely, we believe in it. Last year in the derby we were seven points from Inter, then we won,” he told DAZN.
“It is not easy to keep this pace until the end, we have to grow. Maybe at this moment we are a little empty of energy.
“The standings speak for themselves; we have two points fewer than last year. Napoli have done incredible things.
AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini is still confident his side can mount a challenge for the Serie A title after cutting Napoli’s lead at the summit.
A last-gasp own goal from Nikola Milenkovic handed Milan a 2-1 victory against Fiorentina at San Siro on Sunday in the final game before the World Cup, reducing Napoli’s advantage to eight points.
While that tally is still significant, victory against La Viola was a crucial one as a draw would have seen the deficit in double figures.
With 11 consecutive wins, dethroning an in-form Napoli side when the season resumes in January is a stern test but Maldini feels the race is far from over.
Pierre Kalulu has signed a two-year extension to his previous deal at San Siro which will ensure his stay at AC Milan until 2027.
The 22-year-old, who arrived just over two years ago from Lyon’s reserve team, has emerged as a regular fixture in the Rossoneri’s back-line and has been rewarded for his fine form.
Kalulu was originally contracted to Milan until 2025, but he has become the latest key man to commit his long-term future to the Serie A champions.
“Milan is pleased to announce the extension of Pierre Kalulu’s contract until 30 June 2027,” read a brief club statement.
“Pierre joined AC Milan in the summer of 2020 and has since made 75 appearances, carving out an important space in the Rossoneri defence.”
Fikayo Tomori, Kalulu’s defensive partner, and Sandro Tonali have also both signed new deals since the start of the season, as has coach Stefano Pioli. Theo Hernandez agreed an extension back in February.
Kalulu played 28 games and scored one goal in Serie A last season. He has featured 14 times in the league this term, as well as starting all six of Milan’s Champions League matches.
Stefano Pioli was left frustrated as his AC Milan side were held to a 0-0 draw by winless Cremonese in Serie A on Tuesday.
An impressive performance from Cremonese goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi saw him deny the likes of Divock Origi and Junior Messias as Milan dominated the first half.
Origi thought he had broken the deadlock soon after the break, but a VAR check ruled him offside before Cremonese saw out the remaining minutes to pick up a valuable point and prevent Milan from keeping pace with leaders Napoli, who beat Empoli2-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Attempting to win their second straight league title, Pioli’s men now sit eight points Napoli, and the Milan head coach was disappointed in their display as they failed to pick up all three points on the road for the fourth game in seven to start this season, having only dropped points away from San Siro five times last campaign.
“We could have done more tonight,” Pioli told DAZN. “We played a decent first half, but the second was not up to par.
“We did not create enough to be really dangerous. With our quality we could do more, despite the few spaces granted by Cremonese.
“In the second half there was little fluidity and clarity. We won a few offensive duels and so it is difficult to score.”
Pioli acknowledged the lead that Napoli now hold over his side, and spoke of his desire to see an improved display at the weekend as they look to bounce back against Fiorentina.
“Eight points are a lot,” Pioli added. “We don’t like this result, but on Sunday we have the opportunity to redeem ourselves.
“We didn’t want this gap. Congratulations to Napoli but we could have done more.”
Milan drew a blank despite Pioli introducing Rafael Leao with half an hour to play, but the head coach refused to criticise the substitute for the little impact he had.
Pioli explained: “I think it’s wrong to point the finger only at a single player [Leao]. If you don’t work well as a team, the results won’t come. The overall performance was not up to par.
“We expected this attitude from Cremonese. We had some opportunities to score goals, but if you don’t unlock them immediately then everything becomes more complicated.”
Defending Serie A winners, AC Milan, will be the opponent for Ghanaian forward Felix Afena Ohene-second Gyan’s league start since joining US Cremonese on Tuesday.
Afena Gyan, who was just included in Ghana’s 55-man preliminary World Cup squad, will begin against the Italian powerhouses to finish off an outstanding week.
The Ghanaian has played six Serie A games for Cremonese but has only started one of them; their 1-1 draw at Atalanta.
Sources close to the club state that Cremonese boss, Massimiliano Alvini, who had been gradually easing Gyan into his team, is finally convinced that the player has settled at the club and understands their philosophy.
Cremonese are currently 18th in Serie A, three points behind Spezia in 17th.
Afena Gyan is expected to named in the final Ghana squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which kicks off later this month.
Black Stars have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
Unbeaten league leaders Napoli could be set for their toughest test of the season — a trip to second-placed Atalanta.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s Roma host Lazio in the first Derby della Capitale of 2022-23.
Juventus face Inter Milan in yet another titanic clash as the pair look to maintain their recent strong form and climb up the table.
Elsewhere, reigning champions AC Milan host Spezia, while relegation-threatened Lecce travel to Udinese.
Game of the week: Atalanta vs Napoli (Saturday, 5pm)
Napoli are flying high and sit five points clear at Serie A’s summit.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have won eight league games in succession, including each of their last four away from home.
Additionally, the Partenopei have trailed for the fewest minutes of any team this term (46).
However, their next opponents Atalanta have only been behind for 84 minutes themselves — the fourth-best record in the division.
Furthermore, the Bergamo-based outfit have found the net in each of their last eight league games against Napoli, so will fancy their chances of getting on the scoresheet this Saturday.
Roma vs Lazio (Sunday, 5pm)
No Serie A player has registered more assists than Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s seven in 2022-23
Roma and Lazio head into this derby separated by just a point and a place in the table.
Encouragingly for the Giallorossi, they have only lost twice at home to their rivals in their last 24 Serie A meetings (14 wins, eight draws).
In the era of three points for a win, this fixture has produced more red cards than any other in Italy’s top tier (35). However, only one of those has come in the last six clashes.
Juventus vs Inter Milan (Sunday, 7.45pm)
Nicolo Barella has been a key creative figure for Inter Milan this term
Both these teams come into this heavyweight clash in excellent form after disappointing starts to their respective seasons.
Juventus have won each of their last three Serie A games without conceding, while Inter Milan are on a four-match league winning streak — scoring at least twice in each of those victories.
Sunday’s hosts have been much more solid at the back than their counterparts, though. In Europe’s top five leagues, only Barcelona have shipped fewer goals (four) than the Bianconeri’s seven, while the Nerazzurri have conceded 17 times.
However, Inter boss Simone Inzaghi has beaten Juventus seven times in 18 games as a manager since April 2016 (two draws, nine defeats) — more than any other head coach in that period.
AC Milan vs Spezia (Saturday, 7.45pm)
Spezia shocked AC Milan when they visited the San Siro last season
Third-placed AC Milan have made a solid start to their title defence.
In 2022, they have kept nine league clean sheets at home. Only Liverpool and Real Sociedad (both 10) have managed more in Europe’s top five leagues.
Spezia, meanwhile, have lost each of their six Serie A away games in 2022-23 without scoring — Sampdoria are the only other side in the competition who have failed to score in half their league outings this term.
Udinese vs Lecce (Friday, 7.45pm)
Udinese have failed to win any of their last four Serie A outings after a strong start to the campaign — though a clash with struggling Lecce offers a good chance to end that run.
Le Zebrette have won 11 of their 14 home league encounters with Friday’s opponents (three defeats) and the Giallorossi have taken fewer shots (101) than any other side in the division.
This fixture has a lower percentage of draws than any other Serie A clash to have been played at least 12 times (3.6% — one out of 28).
Stefano Pioli has signed a contract extension that will keep him at AC Milan until the end of the 2024-25 season.
The Rossoneri coach has been in position at San Siro since 2019, having previously taken charge of rivals Inter.
Pioli did not last long with the Nerazzurri, yet he has been a huge success with Milan, last season winning the Scudetto – their first since 2011.
The 57-year-old’s deal was due to expire at the end of this campaign, but the club confirmed a two-year extension on Monday.
“Having begun this virtuous path, which led to the 2021-22 Serie A title, AC Milan and Stefano shall continue to work on this ambitious project, which reflects the club’s history and values,” a short statement added.
Pioli has won 87 of his 153 matches as Milan coach, with that 56.9 per cent win rate his best at any club.
Milan finished sixth in Serie A in Pioli’s first season after he took over in the October, before jumping to second and then first in the subsequent campaigns.
Despite a shock defeat to Torino on Sunday, the Rossoneri are third this term.
Milan forward Ante Rebic has been left out of Croatia’s preliminary 34-man squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Rebic was a key part of the Croatia team who reached the World Cup final in Russia in 2018, opening the scoring in an impressive 3-0 group-stage win over Argentina in that tournament.
However, the Rossoneri man has only made three Serie A starts this season, and although he has hit the net three times in his seven total league appearances, it has not been enough to enter him into Zlatko Dalic’s thoughts.
Rebic last played for his country at last year’s Euro 2020.
Luka Modric briefly sparked concerns over his fitness when he missed Real Madrid’s Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig this month, but the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is included on the list, as are Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic and Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic.
Croatia will begin their Group F campaign against Morocco on November 23, before facing Canada and Belgium, and they will name their final 26-man squad on November 9.
Croatia preliminary squad in full: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivusic (Osijek), Ivo Grbic (Atletico Madrid), Dominik Kotarski (PAOK), Nediljko Labrovic (Rijeka); Domagoj Vida (AEK), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Duje Caleta-Car (Southampton), Josip Juranovic (Celtic), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Lecce), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Dinamo Zagreb); Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb), Lovro Majer (Rennes), Kristijan Jakic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Luka Sucic (Salzburg), Josip Misic (Dinamo Zagreb); Ivan Perisic (Tottenham), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk Split), Antonio Colak (Rangers).
AC Milan failed to move back within three points of Serie A leaders Napoli as goals from Koffi Djidji and Aleksey Miranchuk condemned the Rossoneri to a surprise 2-1 loss to Torino.
Miranchuk followed up Djidji’s glancing header with a cultured left-footed finish as Torino scored twice in two frantic first-half minutes to stun Milan at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
Stefano Pioli’s men travelled to Turin looking to stay within touching distance of the Serie A summit, but were uncharacteristically lethargic for long periods on Sunday.
Junior Messias was gifted a goal following a bizarre mix-up at the back, but Milan failed to build on that strike late on as Torino clung on for a huge win.
Rafael Leao missed two golden chances in the first six minutes, sending a wild volley over after breaking in behind before mishitting his shot after being teed up by Brahim Diaz.
Torino punished Milan for their wastefulness 10 minutes before the break, as Djidji nodded Valentino Lazaro’s deep free-kick in off the right-hand post.
Things quickly went from bad to worse for the champions as Miranchuk latched onto Nikola Vlasic’s knock-down before shifting the ball onto his left foot and finishing coolly across Ciprian Tatarusanu.
Sergino Dest fired over from range as Milan attempted to lift the tempo after the break, before Messias ensured a tense finish when he curled home following a clash between Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Perr Schuurs.
Torino boss Ivan Juric was dismissed for berating referee Rosario Abisso following that goal, but his team showed greater composure to see out the closing stages in relative comfort.
Although the likes of Napoli and Atalanta have made headlines in Serie A by emerging as surprise pacesetters, Milan had begun their title defence in solid fashion, stretching their unbeaten away run to 17 league games ahead of Sunday’s contest (W12 D5).
Milan had also kept five consecutive clean sheets in league meetings with Torino prior to this game, but they saw both of those records fall by the wayside after a quickfire double from their hosts, who richly deserved the win following a disciplined performance.
Djidji ends barren run
To say Torino have struggled against Milan in recent meetings would be an understatement: Djidji’s opener ended a 499-minute run in which Torino had failed to find the net against Milan in Serie A meetings.
Their previous goal against the Rossoneri in the competition was scored by Andrea Belotti in September 2019, and prior to Sunday’s game, no player in Torino’s current squad had scored a league goal against Milan.
Leao kept quiet
Leao has emerged as the most obvious goal threat in an exciting Milan team, having recorded nine league goal contributions (five goals, four assists) ahead of the trip to Turin.
However, the Portugal attacker was hauled off at the break after a disappointing first half in which he squandered chances amounting to 0.51 expected goals (xG) and failed to hit the target with any of his four attempts.
Key Opta facts
– Torino scored as many first-half goals in this match as they had scored in their previous seven full Serie A home games (two).
– Junior Messias has been involved in three goals in his last four Serie A games, after failing to record a goal contribution in the first five games of the Serie A season.
– After assisting against Udinese last time out, Aleksey Miranchuk has been involved in a goal in consecutive Serie A appearances for the second time (after two consecutive goals between April and May 2021 with Atalanta).
– Koffi Djidji’s goal was his first in Serie A since April 10, 2021, when he was playing for Crotone. It was also Torino’s first from a set-piece situation in the competition this season.
What’s next?
Milan host Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday, needing to avoid defeat to reach the last 16. Torino, meanwhile, go to Bologna in Serie A next Sunday.
The former AC Milan and Inter Milan star featured for the Phobians last season on a short-term deal.
Muntari won two trophies with the Phobians, the President’s Cup, and the MTN FA Cup in the 2021/22 season.
The former Black Stars midfielder left the club after his contract expired at the end of the season.
In an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV, Muntari stated emphatically that he does not want to play football anymore.
“[To play] outside (Europe), no more, I don’t want to play football anymore. I only wanted to help the local league gain ground because the local league gave us a lot when we were playing. So I wanted to give back to the local league”
“It’s not that I’m retired or not retired but I just don’t want to play [football], I’m tired but then with friends I train with them. If I decide to play, it will be the local league but it’s not my priority,”
Muntari capped 84 times for the Black Stars, scoring 20 goals between 2002 to 2014.
AC Milan will be looking to close the gap on table-toppers Napoli but face a tricky test at Torino this Sunday.
Stefano Pioli’s men will likely need to pick up all three points to stay in touch with their in-form rivals, who host Sassuolo at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
But Il Toro should be full of confidence after ending a run of five league games without victory by beating surprise package Udinese 2-1 last weekend.
Elsewhere, strugglers Lecce take on Juventus, Inter Milan face relegation-threatened Sampdoria and Roma head to Verona on Monday evening.
Game of the week: Torino vs AC Milan (Sunday, 7.45pm)
AC Milan should fancy their chances in Turin — they are unbeaten in 17 Serie A away matches (won 12, drawn five) and have not lost to Torino in their previous seven encounters.
Sunday’s hosts have failed to score a single Serie A goal against their upcoming opponents in 464 minutes after losing four league meetings in a row before registering a 0-0 draw last April.
The smart money might be on these teams sharing the points.
Torino have drawn seven of their last 11 home meetings with the Rossoneri — more than against any other team since 2006-07.
Napoli vs Sassuolo (Saturday, 2pm)
Napoli continue to steamroller all that come before them — and Sassuolo are next in the firing line.
The visitors will be hoping to avoid the 6-1 hammering they suffered at the hands of Luciano Spalletti’s side last season but the form guide certainly favours the Neapolitans.
They have won 18 of their last 20 matches in all competitions and have not tasted defeat since last April.
Another triumph would equal Napoli’s best start after 12 matches (32 points), as well as Spalletti’s longest winning streak in Serie A (eight games).
Victor Osimhen scored his fourth Serie A goal of the season against Roma last weekend
Lecce vs Juventus (Saturday, 5pm)
Lecce will not want to consult the history books before this fixture — they have only won four of 32 Serie A matches against Juventus.
A draw may be a more realistic outcome though, with the hosts registering a 1-1 scoreline in each of their last four home league games.
But Marco Baroni’s outfit will need to nullify Juve’s threat from corners and free-kicks to get a result.
The Old Lady have scored an impressive eight set-piece goals in 2022-23, while Lecce have conceded a league-high nine times from such scenarios.
Inter Milan vs Sampdoria (Saturday, 7.45pm)
Lautaro Martinez netted a brace in Inter Milan’s 4-3 triumph at Fiorentina on Matchday 11
Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko has gone seven home league games without scoring but should be confident of ending that run on Saturday.
The veteran striker bagged a brace against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday night and has scored six Serie A goals against Sampdoria in his career.
Dejan Stankovic’s team will be also need to be wary of in-form attacker Lautaro Martinez, who has been involved in four goals in his last two league appearances.
He has registered more shots (43) and efforts on target (15) than any other player in Italy’s top flight this term.
Verona vs Roma (Monday, 5.30pm)
Roma drew 2-2 with Verona when the two sides last met
Things could not be going much worse for Verona, who have lost six Serie A games in a row for just the third time in their history.
And it will be a challenge to stop that run against Roma, who have won three successive league matches away from home.
The Giallorossi are specialists when it comes to picking up points against struggling teams.
They have recorded five victories and two draws from their previous seven encounters with sides in the bottom three — though their last defeat to a club in the drop zone was against Verona in September 2021.
Unbeaten Serie A leaders Napoliare in irresistible form — but Jose Mourinho’s resurgent Roma will be aiming to stop the Partenopei in their tracks this Sunday.
Elsewhere, it is second versus fifth as Atalanta look to preserve their own unbeaten run against a dangerous Lazio side.
Meanwhile, reigning champions AC Milan can keep the pressure on at the top when they host mid-table Monza, who have put a little distance between themselves and the relegation zone.
The Rossoneri’s city rivals Inter Milan travel to face Fiorentina, while inconsistent Juventus host Empoli.
Game of the week: Roma vs Napoli (Sunday, 7.45pm)
History appears to be in Napoli’s favour as they bid to extend their winning run in all competitions to 11 games in Rome.
The visitors have lost just one of their last eight meetings with Roma (four wins, three draws).
Additionally, Sunday’s hosts are winless in their last 12 at home in the league against opponents occupying a top-four spot at the beginning of the matchday (seven draws, five defeats).
However, Roma are on a three-game winning streak in Serie A — and Mourinho will be keen to claim four victories on the trot for the first time since arriving in the Italian capital.
These two sides are the league’s set-piece specialists, scoring more goals from dead-ball situations since the start of last season (35 for Napoli, 31 for Roma) than any other team.
Atalanta vs Lazio (Sunday, 5pm)
Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is the leading assist provider in Serie A
Atalanta also have an unbeaten run to protect — but Lazio will provide a stern test of their credentials.
The hosts boast a strong record in this fixture having lost just one of their last 10 league games against Lazio (four wins, five draws) and have only claimed more Serie A victories in their history against Bologna (37) than the Biancocelesti (36).
However, Atalanta have conceded more goals against Lazio since Gian Piero Gasperini took over (22) than they have against any other side — so expect another entertaining clash this time around.
These two outfits top the league’s charts for minutes spent in leading positions (402 for Lazio, 397 for Atalanta) and will be hoping to extend their respective records on Sunday.
AC Milan vs Monza (Saturday, 5pm)
AC Milan have been one of Serie A’s most dangerous teams going forward in 2022-23
AC Milan are third — three points off table-toppers Napoli — and will be keen to avoid a slip-up against Monza.
Encouragingly for the Rossoneri, they have won each of their last six Serie A games at home against promoted sides without conceding.
The last time Milan picked up seven wins from their first 10 league outings as reigning champions was 1992-93 — and they went on to retain the title that year.
Monza may not expect to beat the holders but they can be encouraged by their season so far, with 10 points after 10 games. Only four promoted teams have been relegated from Serie A from that position in the last 20 seasons.
Fiorentina vs Inter Milan (Saturday, 7.45pm)
Inter are enduring a disappointing campaign, sitting seventh after 10 games — but are beginning to inch their way back up the table.
The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 12 meetings with Saturday’s opponents Fiorentina (seven wins, five draws).
Additionally, La Viola are in poor form, having won just three of their last 14 outings (six draws, five defeats) and have only scored eight league goals this term.
Inter have both netted and conceded in each of their last nine Serie A away clashes though, with at least three goals scored in every match during that run (33 total).
Juventus vs Empoli (Friday, 7.45pm)
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is joint-top of the Serie A goalscoring charts
Juventus are also having a challenging season and will hope to elevate themselves above eighth by beating Empoli.
The Old Lady have lost just one of their last 18 Serie A meetings with their next opponents (15 wins, two draws).
This may be a low-scoring encounter, with Juventus managing five clean sheets this term — conceding only seven times — while Empoli have shipped just 11 goals.
Max Allegri’s men rank third in the league for set-piece strikes with six — but Empoli have only conceded once from such situations this term, the joint-lowest tally in the division.
AC Milan’s never-say-die attitude was the key to victory as Sandro Tonali’s late goal gave the reigning champions a 2-1 away victory over Hellas Verona in Serie A.
That is the view of head coach Stefano Pioli, whose team went ahead within nine minutes when Rafael Leao’s cross was turned into his own net by Miguel Veloso, but Verona were level soon after when Koray Gunter’s shot deflected in off Matteo Gabbia.
With time running out, it appeared Milan would take just a point from the game, until Tonali swept home to secure a fourth straight league win for Pioli’s side with eight minutes remaining.
Milan move up to third in Serie A, crucially remaining just three points behind early leaders Napoli as they look to secure a second successive league title.
“[It was a] difficult game, we started well,” said Pioli.
“Then we made a few mistakes too many, conceding too many chances. But as usual, the team was able to endure it and our qualities made us win the game.”
When asked how positive he was feeling about his side ahead of a busy spell of fixtures, Pioli replied: “We have managed for the first time to win three consecutive games in this championship.
“We are growing, maybe I could have changed something more at the beginning, but we know how important this phase of the season is, and starting with a victory is the best way to face this period.
“They induced some mistakes with the pressure, we made some mistakes.
“But winning these difficult games means that we are growing mentally and in awareness, and that we never give up. This is a quality that my team has inside and knows how to bring out in the important moments.”
Sunday’s victory followed a midweek 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League, and Pioli acknowledged his team may have been struggling with fatigue despite the win over Verona.
“I know we can play better,” Pioli added. “But the boys know it too.
“Character growth is important and allows us to overcome difficult obstacles like these.
“We hope to be able to recover some energy and even some players, an important period of competition awaits us. I’m not saying that they will be decisive for the whole season, but we are close.”
Fikayo Tomori was unlucky to be sent off and concede a penalty during Milan’s Champions League defeat to Chelsea, so says Mason Mount.
The Milan centre-back, a former Chelsea player, was given an 18th-minute red card after he was adjudged to have pulled Mount’s shirt in the penalty box as the midfielder went through on goal.
Jorginho converted the penalty before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 34th-minute strike wrapped up a comfortable 2-0 win for the Blues in Group E.
Mount, however, believes Chelsea were fortunate.
In an interview with Chelsea’s official website, Mount said: “I was probably a bit surprised [with the decision] at the time because I’ve still gone through and had a shot.
“I felt him [Tomori] trying to pull me back but I was running to goal so I wasn’t going to go down. I carried on going, didn’t score and then obviously the ref blew up and gave a pen straight away.”
Tomori and Mount are both products of Chelsea’s academy. The duo both spent time on loan at Derby County, under Frank Lampard, in the 2018-19 campaign and went on to play together for the Blues first team before the defender departed for Milan in 2021, helping the Rossoneri win the Serie A title last season.
“He’s obviously my mate, I’ve known Fik for a very long time, and I felt for him in that situation, I was gutted for him. I don’t think it was a sending-off,” Mount added.
“You still want to be playing 11 v 11 and going at it with two good teams, so it maybe ruined the game a bit. It was massive for us and we obviously wanted to win the game, which we did,” he added.
Tuesday’s game was poignant for striker Aubameyang, who played at San Siro for the first time. His half-brothers Willy and Catilina both played for Milan.
On Instagram, Aubameyang said: “Big dream achieved!! I used to come to this stadium to see my brothers playing and never had the chance to play at San Siro myself, now it’s done.”
Chelsea are top of Group E after four games with an away trip to Austrian side Salzburg next, as Graham Potter’s team look to secure qualification to the knockout stage.
Chelsea claimed their first Champions League win in Italy for 19 years by defeating 10-man Milan 2-0 at San Siro to move to the top of Group E.
A 4-0 victory over Lazio in November 2003 had represented the Blues’ last win on Italian soil in Europe’s elite club competition, but this was similarly routine following a contentious Fikayo Tomori red card.
Jorginho’s penalty gave the visitors a 21st-minute lead after former Chelsea defender Tomori was dismissed for fouling Mason Mount in the box.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then doubled the lead before half-time, with that enough to send Graham Potter’s side to the pool summit following Salzburg’s 1-1 draw with Dinamo Zagreb.
Milan were reduced to 10 men in the 18th minute when Tomori was controversially shown a straight red after tangling with Mount in the box when the Chelsea man was through on goal. Jorginho then calmly sent Ciprian Tatarusanu the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Olivier Giroud, another former Chelsea player, squandered a glorious opportunity to equalise for Milan in the 27th minute, heading Brahim Diaz’s inviting cross wide from eight yards out.
And the Rossoneri were to rue their wastefulness as Chelsea doubled their lead seven minutes later. As he had in a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge six days earlier, Aubameyang netted the second with a clinical finish from Mount’s neat lay-off.
Substitute Conor Gallagher went close to adding a third within four minutes of the restart but could only find the side-netting, while Aubameyang drew smart reflexes from Tatarusanu.
As Sergino Dest fired over at the other end and the Rossoneri fell to a fifth home defeat in six Champions League games against English opposition, the only dampener for Chelsea was an injury to England right-back Reece James.
What does it mean? Chelsea continue resurgence under Potter
Chelsea remain unbeaten in five matches under Potter, with four successive wins including clean sheets in each of the last three.
Milan, who themselves could have moved to the top of the standings, will be glad to see the back of the Blues, against whom they are without a win in six meetings after suffering consecutive defeats in this fixture for the first time.
Silva the centurion
Thiago Silva produced a typically assured performance at the heart of the Chelsea defence, with a game-high six clearances helping earn a clean sheet against his former club, where he spent three seasons.
The veteran centre-half also on Tuesday became the fifth Brazilian to make 100 Champions League appearances after Roberto Carlos (120), Dani Alves (111), Fernandinho (103) and Marcelo (102).
Nightmare reunion for Tomori
Tomori endured another day to forget against Chelsea, having been criticised for his role in a one-sided result at Stamford Bridge last week.
Worse was to come as Tomori got caught the wrong side of Mount, even if the Chelsea man stayed on his feet and got a shot away. The decision provoked debate and left Tomori’s team-mates playing catch-up.
What’s next?
Both sides are on their travels when they return to league action this weekend. Chelsea aim to build on their momentum in the Premier League when they travel to Aston Villa, while Milan head to Verona in Serie A.
Reece James handed England a World Cup injury scare as Chelsea went top of Champions League Group E with a 2-0 win over 10-man AC Milan.
James cut a dejected figure when trudging off midway through the second half with an apparent leg problem, adding to both Chelsea and England’s injury concerns.
Jorginho’s penalty and a fine Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finish sealed Chelsea’s fourth win in a row in all competitions under Graham Potter.
Former Blues defender Fikayo Tomori endured a night to forget at the San Siro with an 18th-minute red card that put his old club in the driving seat.
England arguably boast the most strength at right-back in world football, but manager Gareth Southgate’s options for Qatar are appearing more limited by the day.
Manchester City’s Kyle Walker is rated only 50-50 to make the World Cup that starts on November 20 after groin surgery.
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has an ankle problem, and now James has added to those worries.
Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier would seem the national side’s only fit established right-back at this moment, though club and country will hope for good news on James.
Tomori revealed his latent fury from Milan’s 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the build-up to this rematch.
If the 24-year-old came into the contest grinding his teeth, he left the San Siro pitch prematurely with steam coming out of his ears.
Tomori raged at referee Daniel Siebert, fourth official Daniel Schlager and a host of innocent bystanders too, refusing to leave the pitch after being sent off.
The Canada-born centre-back impeded Mason Mount in the area and suffered the full consequences.
As the last man Tomori could ultimately have few complaints, even if elements of the foul seemed soft.
Jorginho shut out the deafening cat-calls and ignored lasers shined into his eyes to convert the spot-kick after Tomori had eventually, and reluctantly, exited stage vexed.
The sending-off naturally changed the game, handing the Blues extra time and space, especially in attack.
Ex-Chelsea man Olivier Giroud nodded over when unmarked in the area, but beyond that Milan struggled for a first-half foothold.
And then Aubameyang stroked home first-time from Mount’s pass to double the visitors’ lead for a stylish goal.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri urged his under-fire team to manage their nerves ahead of Saturday’s trip to Serie A champions Milan.
Juve have only won three of their eight Serie Amatches this season, and Allegri has faced severe criticism with the Bianconeri already seven points behind leaders Napoli.
While Allegri’s team boosted their Champions League hopes by beating Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday, they go to San Siro having failed to win any of their three away league games this term.
Should they fail to beat the Rossoneri, it will be just the second time they have started a Serie A season with a four-match winless run on the road, having done so in 1993-94.
Allegri believes his team’s problems are primarily psychological, saying: “The other day I was reflecting, we made a mistake with Salernitana [in a 2-2 draw last month], regardless of what happened at the end.
“We got too nervous and it doesn’t have to happen any more, because the championship is long.
“We wasted a lot of energy and we arrived at Monza not in the ideal conditions to get the three points that would have changed the standings.
“The most important thing is to give continuity, tomorrow is a great game and we have to play it. We need a high level of performance.
“However, they have a strong team, with technical and very fast players. They have [Rafael] Leao who can shift the balance, then they play in front of their fans and San Siro pushes them when full.
“You need personality and clarity. It will be a good test.
“It is Milan-Juventus, we play against the Italian champions and it will be more difficult than usual because they come from a bad defeat [3-0 to Chelsea], and they will want to make up for it.”
Allegri led Milan to the Scudetto in the 2010-11 season, but Stefano Pioli ended the Rossoneri’s 11-year wait to replicate that triumph in May.
The Juventus boss heaped praise on his counterpart as he added: “He is doing better [than myself], because they have four points more than us.
“I can only congratulate Pioli for the work he is doing, for the championship he won last year, which they haven’t won since 2011. The numbers are all on his side.”
Milan have avoided defeat in four of their last five Serie A meetings with Juventus (W2 L2), having lost 13 of their previous 14 league games against them (W1).
AC Milanmanager Stefano Pioli rued his side’s poor play in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss against Chelsea, saying the kind of mistakes made by his team “cannot be committed in the Champions League”.
The scoring was opened by Chelsea’s big-money signing in the middle of defence, with Wesley Fofanascrapping home a loose ball in the box following a corner in the 24th minute.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Reece James then put the game to bed in the second half with goals in the 56th and 61st minutes respectively, and they were able to restrict the visiting Italians to one shot on target for the entire game.
Pioli lamented his side’s mistakes, saying teams in the Champions League will always punish you.
“Errors? It is true that they cannot be committed in the Champions League,” he told reporters. “We forced choices that weren’t forced. We have lost our distance. It is a pity because, beyond their qualities, we could have done something more.
“It has nothing to do with little experience, it has nothing to do with those who were not there. We had to be more lucid, in ball recovery and aggression, we had to do better.
“The second goal changed our attitude, our mentality. We weren’t able to stay as a team as we usually do. At these levels you pay dearly for these things.”
He added on Sky Sports: “We had to do better. It’s clear that when you make so many technical mistakes you allow opponents to put you in difficulty.
“I think the team was ready to play this type of match. There were spaces to be more precise and we gave too much field to the opponents.
“Defeats must help us grow. The locker room was rightly disappointed and angry, but this will give us great motivation and drive.”
This result leaves Chelsea and Milan both on four points in Group E, trailing undefeated Salzburg (one win, two draws).
The defeat marked the sixth time in the competition that Milan have lost by three goals or more and the first time since March 2014 against Atletico Madrid.
It’s Champions League time again. AC Milan, after the draw in Salzburg and the home win against Dinamo Zagreb, fly to London to face Graham Potter’s Chelsea. The date is set for Wednesday 5 October 21:00 CEST at Stamford Bridge, for the third match day of Group E. Coach Stefano Pioli and Olivier Giroud presented the match in a press conference the night before:
STEFANO PIOLI
TOMORROW’S CHALLENGE
“It’s a match between two teams that play offensive football, two formations that try to dictate the game. The quality of our opponents is high, so I certainly expect a difficult match. The team is growing, we have to use these experiences to continue on our path. I think this group has already shown that it is mature, every game will allow us to understand our level and to grow further”.
ON CHELSEA AND POTTER
“Chelsea will try to play the game with determination from the start and pace throughout the match. We will have to try to create problems for the opponent and we have the qualities to do that. I know Potter well because I followed Brighton last year, he offers offensive and quality football. They used two different set-ups in the two games with him in charge and that’s a rarity for a coach who has just arrived. We know Chelsea and their characteristics well.”
YOUTH AND INJURY EMERGENCY
“The club has made precise choices by building a young team but with the right blend of experienced players. With young people you need patience, having teammates like Olivier, Simon and Zlatan is a great support for them. The team has to play with its own qualities and give its best without thinking about the absentees. The packed schedule does not help in this situation, but I am accompanied by serious and capable professionals, we will look at how we can improve”.
ISMAËL BENNACER
“There are different types of leaders in a team. Isma leads through his technical ability and character because of the example he sets for his teammates, he always trains at 100 per cent”.
OLIVIER GIROUD
EMOTIONS AS A FORMER PLAYER
“I am very happy to return to this stadium, I have great memories at Stamford Bridge and with Chelsea, where I won the Champions League. We want to show our quality in this competition after winning the Scudetto last season, with humility but also awareness of our ability. I told my teammates that I am proud to come and play here with them”.
BETWEEN CHELSEA AND FORMER TEAMMATES
“The atmosphere will be fantastic and the pitch is flawless. I think we are ready, I expect a close game. I hope I will be welcomed by the fans, I had a good time here and I got on well with the club. I know our opponents having played with them but they have changed a lot tactically.”
SPECIAL MOMENTS AND GOALS
“The World Cup I won with France was crazy emotionally, unique for me, but the Scudetto celebrations with AC Milan were also incredible. We want to do well in the Champions League, I always aim to win and I’m proud of the trophies I’ve won so far, but I want even more”.
Two giants of the Italian game meet as Inter Milan host Roma at the San Siro with both looking to improve on inconsistent starts to their respective seasons.
Joint-league leaders Napoli and Atalanta are in action at home hoping to extend their unbeaten league starts against Torino and Fiorentina, respectively.
Reigning champions AC Milan will feel they have a point to prove as they visit Empoli having slipped out of the top four, sitting behind Lazio on goal difference.
Juventus, meanwhile, are down in eighth and need a win at home to Bologna to spark some life into their season.
Game of the week: Inter Milan vs Roma (Saturday, 5pm)
Both sides will be desperate for a big win to inject some positivity into their league campaigns — but Inter will fancy their chances.
The Nerazzurri have won more games (75) and scored more goals (290) in Serie A against Roma than any other opponent in their history.
Additionally, Inter have not lost any of the last 10 meetings between the pair in the competition (four wins, six draws), with Roma last triumphing in 2017.
While the hosts sit seventh in the table, they can rely on their strong home form having won each of their last seven league outings at San Siro — keeping four clean sheets in that period.
Roma will rely on striker Andrea Belotti to turn the tide in their favour — since 2016, no player has scored more away goals against Inter than he has (four).
Napoli vs Torino (Saturday, 2pm)
Napoli’s attacking numbers have made them Serie A contenders
Napoli are one of just two teams yet to lose in Serie A this season — and they will be intent on keeping it that way against Torino.
In fact, the Azzurri are unbeaten in their last 11 outings in the competition (nine wins, two draws) and also boast a 14-game unbeaten record (10 wins, four draws) against Saturday’s opponents.
The Partenopei may be forced to wait to score, however. Torino have only conceded one goal in the first half of matches — and five of the other six have come in the 80th minute or later.
Luciano Spalletti’s men can also expect plenty of set-piece situations to exploit, with Torino committing the second-most fouls in the division (108) while Napoli have won the second-most (99).
Empoli vs AC Milan (Saturday, 7.45pm)
Milan will be out to right some wrongs after losing their unbeaten status in a 2-1 defeat to title rivals Napoli last time out.
In Empoli, they face an opponent against whom they boast a strong record. The Rossoneri have won the last three league meetings in a row and have only lost one of the last 11 in the competition (six wins, four draws).
The 2021-22 champions will be wary of Empoli striker Mattia Destro, however, who has scored the joint-most Serie A goals against them of any player since 2019 (four).
Atalanta vs Fiorentina (Sunday, 5pm)
Atalanta come into this game unbeaten in Serie A this season and level on points with league leaders Napoli as they welcome Fiorentina.
Remarkably, though, most of their success has come on the road this term. In fact, Atalanta have only won one of their last nine Serie A games at home (five draws, three defeats).
Conversely, Fiorentina have not travelled well of late. They have lost five of their last six league games on the road (one draw), scoring just three times in that run. ]
La Viola have attempted the second-most crosses of any team in Europe’s top five leagues this term (138) but have failed to convert any of those into a goal.
They will need to be more creative if they are to break through the team with the best defensive record in Serie A this season (three goals conceded).
Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovskyi, meanwhile, has two goals and two assists in his last five league appearances against Fiorentina and will be keen to add to his tally.
Ruslan Malinovskyi is pulling all the strings for Atalanta
Juventus vs Bologna (Sunday, 7.45pm)
A glance at the history books makes it almost inconceivable that Juventus should slip to defeat against Bologna.
The Bianconeri have lost only once in the last 39 league meetings between the pair (28 wins, 10 draws) and Bologna have not drawn (49) or lost (78) more Serie A games against any other opponent.
Bologna’s recent away form in the Italian top flight leaves much to be desired, managing just one win in their last 13 matches on the road (five draws, seven defeats).
Additionally, Juventus boss Max Allegri has 15 wins against Bologna — the second-most of any coach against a team since the 1994-95 season.
Juventus are struggling to get the ball into their dangerous players
Ghana international, Kevin-Prince Boateng is finally set to have chances to play more minutes for Hertha Berlin in the German Bundesliga.
The veteran signed a contract extension deal with the Berlin-based club in the summer after helping the team to avoid relegation last season.
Since the start of the season, KP Boateng has struggled for playing time while battling with fitness as well.
After the September international break where Jean-Paul Boetius has been diagnosed with a testicular tumor, there is a chance for the former Black Stars attacker to be given the chance to play.
This week, the former AC Milan superstar has trained well and is likely to start for Hertha Berlin in the game against TSG Hoffenheim over the weekend.
His coach Sandro Schwarz is hoping that no injury will set in so that he counts on the quality and the experience of the player.
AC Milanwithstood Rafael Leao’s red card early in the second half to beat Sampdoria 2-1 and maintain their unbeaten start to the Serie A season.
Stefano Pioli’s champions were dominant in the first half at Stadio Luigi Ferraris and went in at the break a goal up thanks to Junior Messias’ early strike his first of the season.
However, Leao received a second yellow card two minutes after half-time for a high foot, giving Samp the impetus to level through Filip Djuricic shortly before the hour mark.
Rather than concede again, though, Milan snatched all three points in the 67th minute when Olivier Giroud slammed in from the penalty spot after Gonzalo Villar had handled in the area.
The Rossoneri went ahead in the sixth minute when Messias finished from 12 yards following a flowing move involving Giroud and Leao, although goalkeeper Emil Audero will feel he should have done more.
Djuricic whipped against the crossbar from 20 yards soon after, before Charles de Ketelaere was denied a first Milan goal when his bundled effort was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR review.
Milan were dealt a blow immediately after the break when Leao received a second booking after he struck Alex Ferrari in the face when attempting an overhead kick.
And Samp capitalised on their numerical advantage in the 57th minute when Djuricic headed home Tommaso Augello’s cross inside the six-yard box.
But Milan had the final word as Giroud hit the roof of the net from 12 yards after the VAR had spotted a handball by Villar, prompting a pitchside review from referee Michael Fabbri.
Samp still came agonisingly close to rescuing a point in a late scramble as Mike Maignan twice denied Manolo Gabbiadini either side of a Fabio Quagliarella effort that struck the post.
Instead, a frustrating defeat ended with coach Marco Giampaolo sent off for remonstrating with Fabbri.
Serie A champions AC Milan and PUMA come together once again to unveil the brand new 2022-23 away kit, inspired by the Rossoneri’s seven champions league titles and iconic white kits.
Synonymous with the club’s biggest titles and finals, the all-white away kit holds its icon status within the club’s identity.
Since becoming the first Italian team to lift the European Champions Club’s Cup back in 1963, doing so in an all-white strip, AC Milan channelthis energy into their 2022-23 kit.
AC Milan Chief Revenue Officer, Casper Stylsvig, comments on this season’s away kit: “It is a jersey rich in symbolism, with the white kit being an iconic part of who we are and the seven stripes representing the Club’s incredible success in Europe.”
AC Milan
This season the club look back to a fan-favourite kit; the 1984-85 away kit. Keeping with tradition but inserting a fresh take on the 1984-85 kit, the shirt’s white base features seven red horizontal stripes across the middle of the jersey – representative of the club’s seven Champions League triumphs.
PUMA’s Senior Head of product line management teamsport apparel, Marco Mueller, adds, “AC Milan is steeped in history, so we looked to the 1984/85 season Away kit as an inspiration. We wanted to bring a fresh energy to that kit and celebrate iconic all-white kits of the past.”
AC Milan
The jersey itself features black and red trims on the sleeve cuffs and the collar, alongside the Milan coat of arms on the upper back.
A symbol of global success for the club, the white jersey embraces the solidified union between AC Milan and PUMA as they once again utilize the style, fashion and culture of Milan to develop kits that work just as well on the pitch as they do off it.
AC Milan won their 19th Serie A title but the first for 11 years by cruising to victory at Sassuolo.
Olivier Giroud scored twice with Franck Kessie also on target for the visitors.
The title triumph vindicates Milan’s decision to appoint Stefano Pioli as manager in 2019 – a move that was initially unpopular with Pioli having led city rivals Inter for six months.
Inter finished two points back, a final-day 3-0 victory over Sampdoria ultimately in vain.
Napoli were third after a 3-0 win at Spezia while Juventus ended their disappointing season under Massimiliano Allegri – who won the title with Milan in 2010-11 – by finishing fourth but qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
England international Fikayo Tomori was part of Milan’s title-winning team in his first full season since his permanent move from Chelsea last summer.
Milan have suffered more than a decade of disappointment since the title for Allegri in 2011 but Italian Pioli has brought back the glory days.
Former Serie A players such as Clarence Seedorf, Filippo Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Vincenzo Montella and Gennaro Gattuso have all since tried and failed to revive the former European champions.
Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was part of that last Milan side that won Serie A and at the age of 40 he lifted the trophy with the club for a second time.
By winning the title, midfielder Daniel Maldini follows in the footsteps of his father Paolo Maldini, who won seven league titles with Milan, and grandfather Cesare Maldini with four.
But Pioli left the title celebrations empty-handed after having his winner’s medal stolen.
“They snatched my medal in the celebrations: if you can make an appeal I thank you, it is the only one I have,” he said.
Thankfully, Serie A heard his appeal and have promised to give him another medal on Monday.
Serie A leaders AC Milan have been offered Ghanaian forward Brian Brobbey ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window, Footballghana.com understands.
Brobbey is on the radar of several clubs including Real Madrid as well as the Rossoneri following his impressive performance for the Dutch champions.
The 18-year-old has scored nine goals and provided two assists in 15 games for his side so far this season.
His current contract with Ajax will expire in June 2021 and the club is keen on extending his deal and Brobbey wants to stay, but Mino Raiola is reportedly offering his client to clubs in Italy.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Brobbey has been offered to AC Milan with Raiola indicating he could be signed for €2-3 million. AC Milan is said to be considering an offer.
The highly-rated forward is still eligible to play for Ghana despite featuring for the Netherlands national youth teams.
Dutch-born Ghanaian forward Myron Boadu has shot down reports linking him away from AZ Alkmaar, saying he will remain at the club beyond the summer window.
Boadu, 19, was in lethal form for AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie last season.
The forward notched up 14 goals in the league, adding another eight assists along the way.
His form has caught the attention of several elite European clubs including Napoli, AC Milan, Arsenal and Barcelona.
However, Boadu says he will stay with the Red and White lads for next season though he desires to play in the Premier League.
“I think I will also play for AZ next season. “I’m just focusing on AZ right now,” he says. “I don’t know anything about interest yet,” he said as quoted by NOS.
“AZ knows what my ambitions are. Becoming a champion here and I also aspire a step to the Premier League. But whether that is next year or not, that will have to show the future. I still have a contract until 2023, so I think I’m just playing at AZ.”
Former AC Milan star Kevin Prince Boateng has revealed that it was the idea of the Marketing Manger of the club for him to perform the moon walk after the Rosenerri’s scudetto triumph in 2010.
The Besiktas attacker disclosed the interesting story behind his iconic Michael Jackson dance celebration to France legend Thierry Henry in an Instagram live interview for Puma Football.
“It was funny you know, two months before we won the league there was an interview with Gazetto dello Sport, the Bible of Football, they asked Thiago Silva who is the funniest player in the dressing room, and he said Prince Boateng because he likes to dance and sing,” Boateng recalls to Henry.
“So in my interview they asked you like to do the moon walk, if you win the league will you do the moon walk and I yea I will,” he added.
But Boateng did not know he would end up performing on a stage in full glance of the fans and his teammate.
“You know it’s like two months when I had the interview so you never know,” he said. “But the day before we won the league the marketing manager came to me with the program line up and I see on the top Prince Boateng- the moon walk, five minutes, And I was like what,” he exclaimed.
“‘We’ve built the stage, we brought the gloves’ and I was like are you crazy?. He said you gonna perform but luckily I was suspended because I had yellow cards so I had 90 minutes to think about it and in the end had to perform, and this funny thing came out, it was fun,” he concluded.
The celebrations remains one of the unforgettable moments of the nomadic forward’s career.
Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng claims AC Milan is his favourite team amongst all the other clubs he has played for in his career.
Currently playing on loan at Besiktas JK from Italian side Fiorentina, Boateng was responding to a question during an Instagram live video session with fans and followers.
Boateng thus answered the question “Which is your favourite team?”:
“AC Milan has always been my favourite team, but I have also played in other teams where I felt very good.” He said.
The 32-year-old chose the Italian giants over FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Hertha Berlin where he started his footballing career.
Boateng has also had spells at Portsmouth FC, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, US Sassuolo, Genoa CFC, FC Schalke O4 and UD Las Palmas.
Boateng joined AC Milan in 2010 after excelling at the World Cup in South Africa with Ghana where he netted one goal and helped the Black Stars reach the quarterfinals stage.
Ghana forward Kevin Prince Boateng has fond memories of his days at Italian giants AC Milan.
The Besiktas attacker reveals AC Milan gave him the fondest memories of his career and admits he still has affection for the Rosenerris.
“It is the team that I remember most fondly . The atmosphere that had been created there in those three years was beautiful. When I return to Milan I still feel this affection,” he told Sky Sports.
The 32-year old remembers his sumptuous goal for AC Milan against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, insisting that was the best goal of his career.
“It’s easy, the one against Barcelona when I was at Milan. Playing in the Champions League and making a goal like this … It is certainly the best one so far,” said Boateng.
Eventhough he scored the best goal of his career against the catalans, the former Sassuolo striker describes the comeback win against Lecce as the best game of his career.
“They told me I wasn’t professional and they put me on the bench. Braida was probably right too. I was very angry. Lecce made the 3-0 at the end of the first half and then I warm up with Aquilani and he tells me that a miracle was needed , and I jokingly told him that I would take care of it,” he said.
“Then we won 4-3 and I scored a hat trick , he told me I’m crazy. In Braida I didn’t say anything, the answer came on the field: it’s always more beautiful when you answer like this “.
Italian giants AC Milan are interested in signing Belgium born Ghanaian youngster Jeremy Doku in the transfer window.
The Rosenerri’s are the latest club to show interest in the high flying youngster following his incredible performances this season with Anderlecht.
AC Milan have been monitoring the teen sensation and sent scouts to Belgium in the past to watch him play.
The 17-year old has made 21 appearances in the Belgium Jupiler Pro League this season, netting three times to prompt interest from top clubs including Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Despite interest from several clubs, Anderlecht are set to hold the player down with an improved offer and a release clause that will fend off teams.
The player himself wants to stay for another year as he continues with his development in Belgium.
Jeremy Doku is valued from 6 million to 10 million Euros, according to transfer market.
Trabzonspor forward Caleb Ekuban could return to Italy as Seria A giants AC Milan are reportedly keeping tabs on him.
The 26-year-old is on loan at Trabzonspor and a report by Turkey’s prestigious “Fanatik” newspaper indicates Milan have already made their intentions known to Leeds United who own the player.
This season, Ekuba is showing good form, scoring 8 goals in 25 games, with six assists. While in five Europa League appearances this season, Ekuban has scored four goals.
Now, Ekuban’s market value has shot up to 9 million euros.
He joined Leeds in the summer of 2017 from Chievo Verona, playing 21 times for the Championship club.
He is a product of Chievo’s youth system, and before he joined Leeds, he played on loan in Albania with FK Partizani, where he scored 18 goals during the 2016-17 season in both the the the Champions League and Europa League preliminary rounds
Italian giants AC Milan have joined the chase for in-form Ghana forward Caleb Ekuban, GHANASoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.
The 25-year old has been in top form since returning from injury, helping the Black Sea Storms to the top of the table before the league was suspended following the spread of the coronavirus.
Ekuban has also been on the radar of Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers with the latter’s manager, Steven Gerard looking at the Ghanaian as replacement for Colombian for Apfredo Morelos.
The ex-Leeds attacker is valued at 10 million Euros and Milan would have to cough up that amount to sign him.
Ekuban previously played for Chievo Verona in Italy before moving to Albania to join Partizani Tirana.
It looks like Mubarak Wakaso performs a lot of fatherly duties away from the pitch as the Ghana International posted a lovely picture of his family on social media.
The former Deportivo Alaves midfielder in the photo has his five children wearing the jersey of his former side.
Wakaso recently completed a move to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning, having spent the last two and half years at Alaves.
The Black Stars midfielder is currently on holidays due to the delay start of the Chinese Super League as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.
Ghanaian Midfielder Alfred Duncan could land at AC Milan following a move by the Italian giant sign the Sassuolo star.
Milan are said to be considering a swap with their defender Frank Kessie.
According report by Italian website Pedullà , the former European champions stand are in pole position to snatch Duncan but much will depend on an intended swap with their Ivorian defender Frank Kessie.
The move by Milan comes as a cross to Fiorentina, had written to Sassuolo and were in waiting for the reopening of the January transfer window.
“Milan, have kept an eye on Alfred Duncan,” the report said.
“The pedulla player has an offer from Fiorentina but is waiting foor the Devil. It all depends on Frank Kessie.”
Alfred Duncan expects Milan , but everything will depend on Frank Kessie
Because if the positions of Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek and Suso would seem rather defined, the situation of the former Atalanta defender will be different.
In fact, as Alfredo Pedullà reports through the CorSport columns, the club has not yet completely dissolved its reservations regarding the Ivorian midfielder.
It is theoretically among the few players who could secure a treasure for the club, but at the same time the management would not have really decided on what to do. Owner in Cagliari, the company would certainly have expected more from him in Sardinia and in general so far. But not to the point of liquidating it immediately and planning a sale without thinking about it.
So after having touched Wolverhampton in the summer, there is now Inter in the background for the 23 year old from Ouragahio. The player likes the Nerazzurri who evaluate him as an alternative to Arturo Vidal and continues to tease some English clubs. The footballer, for his part, seems not to have foreseen a departure, at least not until June even if the situation is still in progress.
In fact, Milan really likes Duncan del Sassuolo and already since last July when concrete steps were taken in this direction. In the end the Emilian club decided to sacrifice Stefano Sensi and to keep the 26-year-old Ghanaian, promising to satisfy him in the next session. Or this.
And now here is the great opportunity. The player is followed by Fiorentina where he would like to go, but first – ensures Pedullà – he wants to understand what Milan will decide to do.
Should Kessie really come out, he could therefore land the median on display at the Mapei Stadium in the last 3 and a half years.
But it now appears Fiorentina are not alone now as sleeping giants Milan have joined the suitors for the all action midfielder.
Duncan can leave Sassuolo, the midfielder, back from a slight injury, had been selected by De Zerbi for Genoa-Sassuolo, only to then suffer a small muscle problem.
The midfielder has a contract due to expire in 2022, Sassuolo usually does not give in January but in this case it could make an exception.
The news of the last few hours is that Milan has also moved with great curiosity for Duncan after the concrete attempts of last summer. Possible situation, Fiorentina is at the wheel. But Milan has entered the race for a player they trailed all summer .
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