SERIE A – Page 38 – Football Flame

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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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Don’t call my Inter team the ‘saviours’ of Italy, insists Conte

Head coach Antonio Conte of Internazionale Milan gestures during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Borussia Dortmund and Inter at Signal Iduna Park on November 5, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. Antonio Conte vowed Inter should not be portrayed as Italy's footballing "saviours" as they battle for UEFA Europa League glory. A semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk awaits coach Conte and his team on Tuesday (AEST) in Dusseldorf, with the prospect of ending the season with silverware.  Attentions have turned to Inter at home after Juventus fell to Lyon and Napoli lost to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League last-16, while Atalanta bowed out to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the same competition.  The Nerazzurri represent Italy's last hope for a Europea...
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AC Milan Gearing Up For Seven Departures This Summer

AC Milan's Spanish forward Samu Castillejo (L) and AC Milan's Italian defender Davide Calabria (C) celebrate as AC Milan's Danish defender Simon Kjaer (R) looks on after AC Milan opened the scoring during the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) semi-final first leg football match AC Milan vs Juventus Turin on February 13, 2020 at the San Siro stadium in Milan. Calcio Mercato are reporting that AC Milan have already registered a significant capital gain from the sale to Suso this summer but are looking to off load a lot more dead weight from the squad.  The report indicates that Milan could sell seven more players significantly trimming the club's massive wage bill.  The departures of Lucas Biglia, Giacomo Bonaventura, Ricardo Rodriguez and Pepe Reina will save Milan in excess of 20...
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Juventus ‘ready to offer’ Paulo Dybala to Man United in bid to seal Paul Pogba transfer

Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba applauds during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on July 4, 2020. Juventus have reportedly made Paul Pogba their top summer target and are ready to offer Paulo Dybala to Manchester United as part of the deal. Pogba rejoined United from the Old Lady for a world record fee of £89million in 2016 but has continually been linked with a return back to Turin. The Frenchman was rumoured to be keen to leave Old Trafford until recently but is now finding his feet under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The midfielder is forming a potent partnership alongside new signing Bruno Fernandes and the team as a whole is much improved. Argentina ace Dybala wa...
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Juventus contact Roma to sign Edin Dzeko

Edin Dzeko of AS Roma controls the ball during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio San Paolo on July 5, 2020 in Naples, Italy. Juventus has started negotiations with FC Roma about acquiring Roma's captain Edin Dzeko, local media reported on Thursday referring to the Sport Italia TV channel. The 34-year-old striker from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) recently said he would like to stay in Rome, but last week his club was sold for 591 million euros (about 698 million U.S. dollars) to the Friedkin Group, Inc., owned by the American billionaire Thomas Daniel Friedkin. On Wednesday evening, FC Roma has posted a six-minute-video showing all 106 goals that Dzeko scored since he came to Roma five years ago. Some commented that the Roma's Facebook post could be a farewel...
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Inter Miami signs Blaise Matuidi on free transfer after France World Cup winner’s Juventus exit

Blaise Matuidi of Juventus looks on during the UEFA Champions League group D match between Juventus and Atletico Madrid at Juventus Arena on November 26, 2019 in Turin, Italy. Inter Miami CF announced on Thursday morning it has signed former Juventus and France international midfielder Blaise Matuidi on a free transfer. The 33-year-old brings a winning pedigree to a side in need of midfield help, having been part of the France side that won the 2018 World Cup, as well as a total of 21 trophies at club level with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.  The midfielder was also named the 2015 French Player of the Year and selected to the Ligue 1 Team of the Year twice. Matuidi was signed with the help of Targeted Allocation Money, meaning he will not count as one of the...
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Roma prepare contract offer in bid to retain Pellegrini

Lorenzo Pellegrini of AS Roma controls the ball during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio San Paolo on July 5, 2020 in Naples, Italy. With their Dan Friedkin-led takeover nearing completion, Roma have already begun planning for the future and have ruled out selling Lorenzo Pellegrini. The midfielder had been linked with an exit from the Stadio Olimpico given the mounting debts at the capital club, as well as their failure to qualify for the Champions League, with fears his €30 million release clause would be triggered. However, La Gazzetta dello Sport report that Roma coach Paulo Fonseca, as well as the new ownership team, are determined to build around Pellegrini and will offer the academy graduate improved terms to tie him down. The Giallorossi are deter...
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Aaron Ramsey’s agents break silence on Juventus exit transfer reports

Aaron Ramsey of Juventus looks on during the UEFA Champions League group D match between Juventus and Atletico Madrid at Juventus Arena on November 26, 2019 in Turin, Italy. Aaron Ramsey's agents have reacted to the reports that Andrea Pirlo was trying to get rid of their client. The Italian legend took over from Maurizio Sarri as manager of Juventus last week. His only coaching experience was being in charge of the Under-23s - a role he held for nine days before his promotion. However, a number of reports emerged that he was ready to ruffle some feathers. It included a summer exodus - with a number of players in the firing line. Ramsey had been touted as one of them, despite only joining last summer on a free transfer from Arsenal. But it has not all gone the Welshman's...
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Pirlo ‘lucky’ to start as Juventus coach, admits Mancini

Andrea Pirlo during the signing of Andrea Pirlo as new U23 team coach at Allianz Stadium on July 31, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Andrea Pirlo is lucky to be starting his coaching career at Juventus, according to Roberto Mancini, but the Italy boss believes the club have made a good call. Pirlo was appointed as Juve's new head coach on Sunday (AEST), a matter of hours after Maurizio Sarri was relieved of his duties. Sarri led Juve to a ninth straight Serie A crown this season, but failed to improve their standing in the UEFA Champions League as they headed out on the away goals rule against Olympique Lyonnais in the last 16 on Saturday. The role is Pirlo's first as a coach and while Mancini feels the Italy great is fortunate to have landed such a high-profile job, he thinks it will prov...
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent ‘in PSG talks’ as transfer speculation ramps up

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo (7) celebrates after scoring his goal to make it 1-0 during the Serie A football match n.20 JUVENTUS - PARMA on January 19, 2020 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Piedmont, Italy. Cristiano Ronaldo's agent is reportedly in talks with Paris-Saint Germain as speculation ramps up of a shock summer transfer for the Juventus ace. Following Juve's Champions League exit at the hands of Lyon on Friday, Ronaldo issued a rallying cry to his teammates, urging them to "come back stronger" next season. But there is talk the Portuguese superstar may be considering a move away from Turin after it was reported that his agent is in talks with PSG sporting director Leonardo. Jorge Mendes is in discussions with Leonardo over a potential transfer for another his cli...
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Juventus hand Pirlo his first manager’s role

Andrea Pirlo during the press conference of the unveiling of Andrea Pirlo as new U23 team coach at Allianz Stadium on July 31, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Serie A champions Juventus stunned Italian football on Saturday by naming World Cup-winning midfielder Andrea Pirlo as manager on a two-year contract even though their former player has no previous experience in the role. Pirlo, 41, was promoted to the senior job one week after being named coach of Juve’s under-23 side, who play in the Italian third tier, and without having taken charge of a match. The decision came hours after the Turin club sacked coach Maurizio Sarri following their Champions League last-16 exit to Olympique Lyonnais on away goals on Friday. Former Chelsea manager Sarri had been in charge for one season and led Ju...
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Juventus fire Sarri after Champions League exit

Head coach Maurizio Sarri of Juventus looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus and ACF Fiorentina at Allianz Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Turin, Italy. Italian club Juventus sacked manager Maurizio Sarri on Saturday, a day after being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League.  “Juventus Football Club announces that Maurizio Sarri has been relieved of his post as coach of the First Team,” the Serie A champions said in a statement. The 61-year-old Italian took charge of Juventus last June and guided the team to their ninth consecutive Serie A title this season. “The club would like to thank the coach for having written a new page in Juventus’ history with the victory of the ninth-consecutive championship, the culmination of a personal journey that led him to cli...
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