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Luis Suarez expected in Italy today

Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on August 14, 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal. Barcelona striker Luis Suarez is expected in Italy today to sit his Italian language B1 exam but there are still doubts over a move to Juventus. La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the Uruguayan is expected to visit the University of Perugia at some point this afternoon to sit the exam having studied intensively in recent days. According to Gazzetta, the university is one of the most recognized for its campus of non-Italian students and is an accredited institution where a foreigner can take the language exam required for an Italian passport (This is the CELI and...
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‘Shamrock Rovers game scares Milan a lot’ – Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini attends pre-match and athletic warm-up of the Partita del cuore 2020 charity match, for the first time ever behind closed doors due to Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, at Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium on September 03, 2020 in Verona, Italy. AC Milan supremo Paolo Maldini admits the Italian giants are "concerned" about Thursday's Europa League clash with Shamrock Rovers in Dublin due to their lack of match fitness against a fully-fit Hoops squad. While Rovers have their focus on the run-in to the 2020 league title - they are eight points clear with seven games to go - Milan are still in pre-season mode and Thursday's one-off game in Tallaght Stadium will be their first competitive game of the campaign, with their first league match next Monday. Milan are expected to pro...
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AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic on track to be fit for Shamrock Rovers clash

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan during the Club Friendly match between AC Milan v AC Monza at the San Siro on September 5, 2020 in Milan Italy. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on track to be fit for AC Milan's Europa League clash with Shamrock Rovers on Thursday. Reports from Football Italia say that Ibrahimovic is back in training today after missing two pre-season friendlies with a knock to his right leg. The Swede, who will turn 39 next month having signed a new contract until the end of the season, is said to be on track to line out at Tallaght Stadium. Rovers' reward for a dramatic penalty shootout win against Ilves in the first qualifying round was a glamour tie with the seven-time European Cup winners. And manager Stephen Bradley said after a 3-0 win over Cork City gave them a eig...
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Pirlo: As the Juventus coach, I know I have to win

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo during a training session at JTC on September 09, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Juventus brushed aside Serie C side Novara 5-0 in a preseason friendly played yesterday, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring first, Aaron Ramsey and Marko Pjaca adding one each and Manolo Portanova grabbing a brace later. Speaking to the media after the game, coach Andrea Pirlo talked about some of the tactical nuances we saw on the pitch. “We are trying various solutions. In the first half, we played with four at the back, it becomes three in the different phases. “In the second half, we stayed with three, preparing different solutions.” One of the things Pirlo has been stressing since his appointment is enthusiasm from the players. “The team must have it [enthusiasm], the lads a...
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Napoli Will Only Release Koulibaly If Asking Price Is Met

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli controls the ball during the Pre-Season Friendly match between SSC Napoli and Pescara at Stadio San Paolo on September 11, 2020 in Naples, Italy. Kalidou Koulibaly is hoping to join Manchester City, but the only way the 29-year-old football player can leave is if SSC Napoli’s asking price is met. Nothing has come close to that, which means the center-back could find himself staying at San Paolo Stadium for now. In the eyes of Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso, Koulibaly is likely to stay with them unless City or any other club can meet their asking price demands. Aside from the Sky Blues, other clubs that have been linked to the Senegal player include Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. "Koulibaly has a precise asking price, and if the club doesn't...
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Higuain arrives in Miami ahead of expected move to Inter Miami CF

Gonzalo Higuain of Juventus celebrates with the Scudetto following the Serie A match between Juventus and AS Roma on August 01, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain arrived in Miami on Friday ahead of an expected move to MLS side Inter Miami CF. The former Napoli and Real Madrid man was met at the airport by Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas. The two men snapped a photo that Mas posted on social media. "A warm welcome to Gonzalo Higuain, a world class striker and champion," the caption on the image read. Sources say Higuain, 32, is set to join the MLS side as a Designated Player, and will join Rodolfo Pizarro and Matias Pellegrini as the team's highest-paid squad members. The two sides agreed personal terms earlier this week, with sources confirming a report in ...
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Andrea Pirlo says there is a renewed enthusiasm among Juventus stars

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo during a training session at JTC on August 29, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Andrea Pirlo says there is renewed enthusiasm among his Juventus squad as the new boss revealed the players have been receptive to new training methods since he took over at the Old Lady.  Pirlo sensationally took over as Juventus boss last month following the sacking of Maurizio Sarri after the club's Champions League exit to Lyon, and the former midfielder has had a chance to get to know the players in pre-season training. The 41-year-old had been the club's under-23 boss for just a week before receiving the call up to take over as head coach of the senior squad, and has provided an assessment of pre-season preparations so far. “We will give all of ourselves, we will certainly ...
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Alexis Sanchez: I wanted to quit Manchester United after first training session and return to Arsenal

Alexis Sanchez of Inter Milan looks dejected as he walks past the UEFA Europa League Trophy with his runners up medal following the UEFA Europa League Final between Seville and FC Internazionale at RheinEnergieStadion on August 21, 2020 in Cologne, Germany. Alexis Sanchez has sensationally claimed he wanted to tear up his Manchester United contract and return to Arsenal after just one training sessions at Carrington. In January 2018, United reportedly paid Sanchez more than £500,000-a-week to prise him away from the Gunners in a straight swap deal which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go the other way.  However, the Chile international's dream move to his boyhood club quickly turned into a nightmare as he made just 21 starts across his first two full seasons at Old Trafford, having arri...
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AC Milan Getting Closer To Loan Young Defender To Ascoli

Gabriele Bellodi of Italy U18 in action during the U18 match between Italy and Hungary on April 18, 2018 in Abano Terme near Padova, Italy. Calcio Mercato are reporting that AC Milan are looking to loan the former Primavera centre back Gabriele Bellodi.  The report notes that the youngster is very close to joining Acoli on loan in Serie B. The youngster played in the friendly match against Novara yesterday and seemed to hold up well.  Bellodi surprisingly looked better than Leo Duarte but the defensive outfit struggled letting in two easy goals in the first period. The 20 year old defender spent the previous season on loan at Crotone as they gained promotion to the Serie A.  The defender will be spending his third consecutive loan spell away after Olbia and Crot...
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Inter talk Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Arturo Vidal rumors

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio has been talking about the latest rumors and says his team aren’t interested in Lionel Messi and believes there’s nothing happening with Lautaro Martinez either. The Nerazzurri are one of several clubs to have been linked with Messi since the Barcelona captain told the Catalan giants he wanted to leave. A move to the San Siro always looked unlikely, and Ausilio now admits it really isn’t happening. “There’s nothing about Messi, I don’t even know where these ideas come from,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “There’s no one in football who wouldn’t want Messi. But then ther...
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Bayern Munich offer Inter Milan £11m for Ivan Perisic to make his stay in Germany permanent after starring on one-year loan deal

Ivan Perisic of Bayern Muenchen looks on during a training session at Saebener Strasse training ground on July 26, 2020 in Munich, Germany. Bayern Munich have offered Inter Milan £11million for Ivan Perisic after he impressed at the Allianz Arena on loan this season. The Bavarian giants previously moved for Perisic, spending £4.6m on his loan deal, after failing to seal transfers for top targets Callum Hudson-Odoi and Leroy Sane.  The European champions now want to sign the 31-year-old permanently this summer but the Italian giants are likely to reject their offer as it is believed they are demanding at least £13m for the Croatia International.   According to Sky Sport Italia, an initial £11m deal has been tabled as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge leads the negotiations. ...
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Ibrahimovic ready to sign new contract at AC Milan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan reacts during the football match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan. Internazionale won over AC Milan 4-2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back in Italy and ready to sign a new contract with AC Milan. “Finally everything is in place and finally I can return to where I feel at home,” Ibrahimovic said upon his arrival at Milan’s Linate airport late Saturday. The 38-year-old Ibrahimovic is expected to sign a one-season deal worth 7 million euros ($8.3 million). Ibrahimovic began his second stint with Milan in January on a six-month contract and helped turn the Rossoneri’s season around with 10 goals in 18 Serie A matches. Seven-time European champion Milan finished sixth in the Italian league and earned a Europa League spot. “As I’ve always said, I’m n...
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Borja Valero Confirms Inter Departure: “An Honor To Wear This Shirt”

Borja Valero of FC Internazionale in action during a FC Internazionale training session on August 11, 2020 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Inter have decided not to extent Spanish midfielder Borja Valero’s contract and the player has confirmed that he has left the club in a post on his Instagram page today. The 35-year-old Spaniard, who joined the club in 2017, was one of coach Antonio Conte’s heroes in the season restart, often being the first choice to play behind the strikers in a 3-4-1-2, starting ahead of former Tottenham man Christian Eriksen.  Rumours suggested that the Milanese club were happy to offer the player a one-year extension due to his strong season finish, but it never materialised. Valero made 25 appearances across all competitions last season for the Nerazzurri, ...
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Juventus ‘make contact’ with Lionel Messi as they eye stunning Cristiano Ronaldo link-up

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona warms up prior to the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Juventus have reportedly made contact with Lionel Messi in a bid to try and lure the Argentine to Turin and form a stunning strike partnership with great rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo have battled for the coveted status as the world's best footballer for more than a decade and had some titanic Clasico tussles during the Portuguese's time at Real Madrid. Ronaldo left Los Blancos to move to the Old Lady two summers ago, and the Italian champions and new boss Andrea Pirlo now want Messi to join him, according to L'Equipe. The report says the Bianconeri have made a 'discreet approach' to Messi's father to so...
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Higuain, Bale, Ozil, and the high-earning players who simply won’t move on

In a recent interview with Fox Sports, Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain was asked about the possibility of closing the circle on his career by moving back to River Plate this summer. He was rather dismissive of such romantic inclinations: “I don’t miss it [the Argentine league], but I like watching it. “I started young and many players hesitate to come back, especially for the future of their families. The USA, China or Saudi Arabia are preferred.” Reports from Italy suggest Juve are finding it increasingly difficult to shift Higuain on this summer, just as they did last. Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo landed on Piedmont tarmac in July 2018, the club has desperately tried to rid themselves of the Argentine striker. Initially they succeeded, sending him on loan to Milan, and later...
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Inter Wing-Back Victor Moses: “We Gave Everything But It Just Wasn’t To Be”

Victor Moses of FC Internazionale controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League Quarter Final between Inter and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Merkur Spiel-Arena on August 10, 2020 in Duesseldorf, Germany. Inter wing-back Victor Moses has taken to social media platform Instagram to share his thoughts on Inter’s Europa League final loss to Sevilla on Friday and also thanked fans for their support during the 2019/20 season. The Nigerian national team player joined Inter on loan with an option to buy from Premier League club Chelsea back in the January transfer window. The former Wigan Athletic player made 20 appearances across all competitions during his loan spell, in which he provided five assists for his teammates. He posted: “Devastated to lose the final on Friday. We gave everything...
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Photo – Diego Godin: “I Hope Inter Fans Are Proud Of What We’ve Done This Season”

Diego Godin of Internazionale Milan controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Borussia Dortmund and Inter at Signal Iduna Park on November 5, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. Inter defender Diego Godin discussed the 2019/20 season and how the team will continue to grow for the future in a post on his Instagram page yesterday. The 34-year-old Uruguayan defender, who is contracted to the Nerazzurri until 2022, joined the club on a free transfer last summer and was expected to impress under coach Antonio Conte, but he struggled to adapt to playing in a back-three and often was dropped in favour of young talent Alessandro Bastoni. Godin discussed the season, saying: “An intense and different season in football has ended, with everything that has happened in the ...
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Fiorentina showing interest in Davide Zappacosta

Davide Zappacosta of AS Roma looks on during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and AS Roma. AS Roma won 3-1 over Juventus FC. Davide Zappacosta spent most of last season dealing with an ACL injury while on loan at AS Roma, which limited him to just 9 appearances even with the season delayed by three months in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite those setbacks, AS Roma looked set to make his loan permanent for much of the season ... until the very end, when they didn’t.  And so Zappacosta bid his goodbye to the Italian capital and set about finding his next assignment, which remains as unlikely to be at Stamford Bridge as last summer. There hasn’t been much interest in the 28-year-old however, but a report last night from Gianluca Di Marzio claims th...
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Conte’s focused on Sevilla challenge and not his future

Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Inter Milan looks on prior to a training session ahead of their UEFA Europa League match against Sevilla at RheinEnergieStadion on August 20, 2020 in Cologne, Germany. Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte dismissed questions about his future ahead of tonight's Europa League final against Sevilla, by insisting he has learnt to "live in the moment". Uncertainty surrounds Conte's position with the Serie A runners-up after he complained publicly of a lack of protection from the club and his work not being recognised. The former Chelsea manager is on the cusp of guiding Inter to their first European trophy since they won the Champions League under Jose Mourinho a decade ago. Conte has already expressed a desire to discuss his concerns with club president Steven ...
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Roma can be ‘one of the world’s greatest clubs’, claims new owners The Friedkin Group

Leonardo Spinazzola of AS Roma, Bruno Peres of AS Roma, Henrikh Mkhitaryan of AS Roma and Lorenzo Pellegrini of AS Roma celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with team mates during the Serie A match between AS Roma and FC Internazionale at Stadio Olimpico on July 19, 2020 in Rome, Italy. The Serie A club's new owners have proclaimed a bright future for their acquisition. Roma have been acquired by The Friedkin Group and the new owner wants to make the Serie A club one of the "greatest names in world football". The Friedkin Group completed its takeover from president James Pallotta on Monday, acquiring an 86.6 per cent majority stake in the Italian team. The Houston-based ownership group will launch a mandatory tender offer upon the publicly held ordinary shares, represe...
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