SERIE A – Page 37 – Football Flame

SERIE A

No Comments
SERIE A

Morata: Happy to be here at Juventus playing for Pirlo

Juventus Unveils New Signing Alvaro Morata at Allianz Stadium on September 25, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Juventus officially unveiled Alvaro Morata as a Bianconeri player for at least this season after completing his loan move to Turin from Atletico Madrid. Speaking to the media, the striker talked about how happy he was to return to the side he played for two years earlier this decade. “Being back here is great. I’m now a more experienced person and player. This is the chance of a lifetime. “Seeing Andrea Pirlo as a coach has been great. I saw it coming because he was made to be one. Juve need him and I’m happy to be here with him. “After the first two training sessions, I was already impressed with how he managed the group. He knows how to get us to play well with the ball. “...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Ibrahimovic: ‘COVID had the courage to challenge me. Bad idea’

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A football match between AC Milan and Bologna FC. AC Milan won 2-0 over Bologna FC. Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the highest-profile Serie A player to contract COVID-19 since play in Italy resumed in June following a three-month hiatus because of the pandemic. The 38-year-old AC Milan striker was placed in quarantine at home following the test carried out ahead of the team’s Europa League tie against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, the Italian club said. The announcement came a day after his Brazilian team-mate Leo Duarte also returned a positive test. “All other team members and staff have tested negative,” the club said in a statement on its website. The vet...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Suarez facing police investigation over Italian test

Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona drinks mate during the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Elche CF at Camp Nou on September 19, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Italian financial police and the Perugia public prosecutor's office have opened an investigation into allegations of irregularities regarding Luis Suarez's Italian citizenship exam last week. Suarez flew into Perugia to take the test amid reports he was set to join Juventus from Barcelona. In order to complete the move, the 33-year-old Uruguayan would have needed to have acquired Italian citizenship as Juventus have no available space in their squad for non-EU players. However, it is alleged that Suarez was aware of the contents of the exam before taking it, and that his score was pre-assigned. A statement from the...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Pirlo ‘gives us more freedom to be aggressive’, says Bonucci

Leonardo Bonucci of Juventus celebrates after scoring to give the side a 2-0 lead during the Serie A match between Juventus and UC Sampdoria at on September 20, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Andrea Pirlo has unleashed the shackles and given Juventus' players a lot more freedom to attack opponents, according to veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci. Juve replaced Maurizio Sarri with first-time coach Pirlo last month and the legendary midfielder kicked off his tenure with a 3-0 win over Sampdoria in Juve's 2020-21 Serie A opener on Sunday. Reigning champions Juve registered 20 shots at Allianz Stadium and scored from three of them, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Bonucci and debutant Dejan Kulusevski finding the back of the net. And after a largely disappointing campaign last time out under Sarri, Bon...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Serie A: Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores twice as AC Milan begin season with 2-0 Bologna win

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring the goal during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan v Bologna at the San Siro on September 21, 2020 in Milan Italy. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice to help AC Milan beat Bologna 2-0 in Serie A on Monday and keep the Rossoneri optimism alive at the start of the new season. Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock 10 minutes from halftime with a powerful header on a Theo Hernandez cross. The veteran forward doubled his tally from the penalty spot five minutes into the second half after Ismael Bennacer was brought down on the edge of the area by Bologna defender Riccardo Orsolini. Ibrahimovic, who turns 39 in less than two weeks, also had chances for a hat trick. "If I was 20 years old, I would have scored two more goals, but l...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Juventus 3-0 Sampdoria: Pirlo wins first game in charge

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus battles for the ball with Omar Colley of UC Sampdoria (C) and Albin Ekdal of UC Sampdoria (R) during the Serie A match between Juventus and UC Sampdoria at Allianz Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Andrea Pirlo started his coaching career in Turin with a comprehensive victory, as defending champions Juventus opened their 2020-21 Serie A season by whitewashing Sampdoria 3-0 on Sunday. Pirlo replaced Maurizio Sarri to become the head coach of Juve's senior squad in August, just 10 days after the maestro took charge of the U-23 team. In Sunday's game, Pirlo started new arrivals Dejan Kulusevski and Weston McKennie, with talisman Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attacking line. Kulusevski put Juve in charge in the first half, while Leonardo Bon...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Luis Suarez to Juventus ‘very difficult’, says Pirlo

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo during a press conference at Allianz Stadium on September 19, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Andrea Pirlo has admitted that it will be 'very difficult' to secure the transfer of Luis Suarez from Barcelona, as a issue with his Italian passport application looks set to scupper any deal. The Uruguayan has been made surplus to requirements in Catalunya this season, with the Spanish giants making public that they are keen to offload his sizeable £14m salary. Suarez had already turned down a move to MLS with Inter Miami in a deal which would have made him the highest-paid player in the history of US soccer. And a move to Turin looked to be close to completion, with Suarez travelling to complete an interview in order to be granted an Italian passport and allow Juve to...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Serie A: Gaetano Castrovilli’s lone goal headlines Fiorentina’s win over Torino; Roma held by Hellas Verona

Gaetano Castrovilli of ACF Fiorentina and Simone Zaza of Torino FC battle for the ball during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Torino FC at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 19, 2020 in Florence, Italy. Roma played out a goalless draw in their Serie A opener at Hellas Verona on Saturday while Gaetano Castrovilli scored in a 1-0 win for Fiorentina against Torino behind closed doors before the return of a limited number of fans to stadiums 24 hours later. Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora has agreed that up to 1,000 spectators will be allowed at open-air sports events in Italy from Sunday. And nine-time reigning Serie A champions Juventus said they would kick off their season against Sampdoria "in the presence of a 1,000 guests" in Turin. "No tickets will be sold for...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

Conte’s Inter on a ‘mission’ to kill off Juve domination

Internazionale coach Antonio Conte looks on during the Pre-Season Friendly match between FC Internazionale and Lugano at the club's training ground Suning Training Center in memory of Angelo Moratti on September 15, 2020 in Como, Italy. Antonio Conte begins his second season as Inter Milan coach with a mission to stop his former club Juventus winning a 10th consecutive Serie A title. Conte led Juve to the first three of their current run of nine straight league crowns starting in 2012 before moving on to coach Italy and Chelsea, taking over Inter in May last year. The 51-year-old’s turbulent first season with Inter was played out against a backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic which caused havoc in northern Italy before spreading across Europe. The fiery Italian looked poised to l...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

‘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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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 ...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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 ...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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...
Read More
No Comments
SERIE A

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. ...
Read More
Blogarama - Blog Directory