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
Paul Pogba has expressed his desire to emulate Juventus legends upon his return to the club, following a six-year stint with Manchester United.
The French World Cup winner returned to Turin ahead of the 2022-23 season but is yet to feature in his second spell at the club due to injury.
Pogba has hopes of becoming a club legend like Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon and Georgio Chiellini, who he played with in his previous stint with Juventus.
He also conceded the final half of his spell with United was not up to scratch and believes the stars aligned to present him and Juve with a fresh challenge together once again.
“I like to think and say that it is my heart that made the choice. It was also perhaps the right time to come back here. The last three years in Manchester, affected by injuries, did not go as I wanted,” he told GQ Italia.
“Add this to the fact that Juve have come from two years in which they did not win the Scudetto, it was a good challenge for both of us. Maybe it was the right time to meet again, try to take back the place we deserve, and above all get back to winning.
“I always want to play and I want to give my best. I know that this shirt is special, it brings out my best. We have built a good story, which I never forgot even when I left Juve. I never had any doubt that this was my place.
“The first time here I was younger, I did not have the experience I have now. I grew up in my personal life, I have two children, a wife, and also as a footballer. I won the World Cup with France, the Europa League with United, I played with great players and a great team.
“I learnt so much, it was totally different from my previous experience. I had to take on more responsibility than I had a Juve when I was young and I had experienced players close to me.
“Now, I look at myself and I think I’ve become like these players, like Pirlo, Buffon, Chiellini. And now it’s up to me to do at Juve what they did.”
Pogba made it clear he retained a soft spot for the Juventus supporters and the encouragement he received from them, even when he departed.
“When I left, they were very grateful for the years together. I was young and they really always pushed me in the stadium, they were always behind me,” he added.
“I always felt the love of these fans, that’s the truth. I’ve never heard fans so loud, not even at Manchester United.”
Antonio Conte described reports linking him with a return to Juventus as “disrespectful” ahead of Tottenham’s North London Derby clash with Arsenal.
Spurs are unbeaten in their seven Premier League games this season and trail the Gunners by just one point ahead of Saturday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Should Tottenham avoid defeat at the home of their local rivals, it will be just the second time they have gone unbeaten through their first eight games of a Premier League season, having previously done so in 2016-17.
Conte’s work with Tottenham has seen him linked with a return to Juventus, who he led to three consecutive Serie A titles between 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri is under pressure after they recorded just two wins in their opening seven Serie A matches this season, but Conte has rubbished speculation he would be tempted by a return to Turin.
“This is incredible. In this period I think this is disrespectful for the coach that works in Juventus and for me working in Tottenham,” Conte said on Thursday.
“We have just started the season. Many times I have spoken about this topic and I’ve always said I’m happy and enjoying my time with Tottenham.
“We have the whole season to find the best solution for the club and for me, and for sure I’m enjoying my time at Tottenham. I have a great relationship with the owner [Daniel Levy] and [sporting director Fabio] Paratici.
“I don’t see any problems at the moment in the future. We both signed the contract. I don’t want to listen to someone speaking about this.”
Tottenham overcame Arsenal in a tense battle for Champions League qualification last season, going on to claim fourth place after beating the Gunners 3-0 in May.
Conte, however, believes Mikel Arteta’s side have improved since then, adding: “For sure Arsenal had a fantastic start, they lost only one game against [Manchester] United. They are showing to be a really good team.
“In the summer they made good signings and improved the team that, don’t forget, before the last three games of last season, were four points up on us.
“We are talking about a really good team that, last season, we did a really good job to overcome in the last three games.
“At the same time, I know the quality of this team, that they are working with Arteta for many years. For me, he’s a really good coach. He can have in front of him a great career.”
Both Hugo Lloris and Dejan Kulusevski are reportedly doubtful for the trip to Arsenal with minor injuries, and Conte believes the punishing nature of the schedule between now and the World Cup will reveal which sides are genuine title contenders.
“I have seen that many clubs are having big problems with players that played these two games [in the international break], and for sure Tottenham is one of these clubs,” he added.
“You have to understand this was the last game [for the players] to show they deserve to play the World Cup, also for the coaches it was the last period to call the players.
England goal number 51 for Harry and 90 minutes for Eric 🦁
“For sure, to play so many games before the international break, and then again now to play 13 games in 43 days, it’s crazy, it’s crazy.
“For sure, we have to face it with injuries. In this period, you understand which are the really competitive squads.
“This is the moment in which you understand who are the title contenders and the teams that are competitive for Champions League.”
Saturday’s match will be the first North London Derby since December 2007 to begin with one of the sides sitting top of the Premier League.
Should Spurs win, it would be the first time in top-flight history that either of the teams has beaten the other to replace them at the top of the table.
Arsenal are reportedly plotting a double raid on Juventus for star striker Dusan Vlahovic and playmaker Fabio Miretti.
The Gunners have started the season superbly thanks to a summer spending spree, with Mikel Arteta’s side entering the international break top of the Premier League.
And Calciomercato claim the Spaniard is ready to splash out £100million to bring in two of the Old Lady’s brightest talents.
Vlahovic, 22, only arrived in Turin in January and has 13 strikes in 27 outings for his new employers after bursting onto the scene with Fiorentina.
He would add extra firepower to a Gunners frontline that added Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos in the last window and also includes the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
The report adds that Arteta is also keen on 19-year-old central midfield prospect Miretti, who has been a key figure in Juve’s engine room this season.
He is an Italy Under-21s international and would provide depth in an area where Arsenal are short of bodies.
Convincing Juve to sell their main goal threat and a rising star could prove difficult, however, as they try to restore their status as Serie A’s dominant side.
The Daily Mail claim Emirates chiefs have also opened talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a £17m move for Denmark winger Jesper Lindstrom.
Fabio Miretti is an Italian youth international with bags of potential
In other news
Reports in Italy claim Roma boss Jose Mourinho is keen to raid former club Chelsea to sign Trevoh Chalobah, 23, in January.
Newcastle have not given up on James Maddison and will renew their attempts to prise him from Leicester in January, according to the Leicester Mercury.
Chelsea and Manchester City are set to battle for the signature of £100m-rated AC Milan star Rafael Leao, claim the Manchester Evening News.
Juventus are keeping Chelsea wingerChristian Pulisic on their radar amid uncertainty over the American’s future in England.
Pulisic, 24, has been a rare sight for fans of the West London club this season, having played just 156 minutes in the Premier League.
The USA international was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, with Manchester United reportedly keen to take him on loan.
According to Tuttosport, Juve are closely monitoring Pulisic’s situation as they eye improvements to their frontline.
With Pulisic’s contract expiring in 2024, he may be on the market for a reduced fee should he decide to leave Graham Potter’s outfit.
In the 2019-20 season, the 51-cap international recorded 13 goal contributions in a campaign that saw Chelsea finish fourth in the Premier League but has struggled to hit those heights since.
The former Borussia Dortmund man admitted he had a strained relationship with former head coach Thomas Tuchel and was frustrated at broken promises.
Talking about the second leg of the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid last season, he said: “I honestly was dumbfounded and very disappointed.
“I thought that I’d earned a start and, most importantly, he had assured me previously I was going to start.
“So by the time he brought me on with about 25 minutes left, I was just so wound up.”
In other news
Sergio Busquets has been a loyal servant to Barcelona
Sergio Busquets is ready to leave Barcelona at the end of the season, with a move to Inter Miami on the cards, report SPORT.
According to Marca, Barcelona are plotting a swoop for Ruben Neves should Busquets depart the Catalan giants next summer.
Calciomercato suggest that Juventus are considering Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, 23, as a long-term solution to their defensive woes.
Uefahas opened an investigation into alleged racist behaviour of Juventus fans during Tuesday’s Champions League game at Paris Saint-Germain.
Social media footage shared by anti-discrimination network Fare appears to show some Juve supporters making monkey noises and Nazi salutes.
French police say four individuals have been identified and arrested for “provocation to racial hatred within the framework of a sports arena”.
PSG won the opening Group H game 2-1.
“A Uefa ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding allegations of discriminatory behaviour by Juventus supporters,” European football’s governing body said in a statement.
“Information on this matter will be made available in due course.”
Gabon striker Aubameyang, 33, scored 13 goals in 24 appearances for Barca after joining the Spanishclub in February from Arsenal.
Left-back Marcos Alonso has left Chelsea by mutual consent and is expected to sign for Barcelona.
Chelsea have the option to sign Zakaria on a permanent deal.
The 25-year-old Switzerland international only joined Juve from Borussia Monchengladbach in January.
When Aubameyang signed for Barca he had a buyout clause of 100m euros (£83.4m) in his contract, but has only played eight minutes this season. Barcelona have been looking to offload players after spending almost £200m on new arrivals despite being more than £1bn in debt.
The deal for Aubameyang means Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly has spent £255.3m in his first transfer window since buying the club from Roman Abramovich – the highest amount any English club has spent in a single transfer window.
Aubameyang said: ‘I’m really happy. It’s an honour to be part of this team and I can’t wait to start. I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it’s good to be back and really exciting.’
He scored 92 goals in 163 games in all competitions for Arsenal, but left on a free transfer after falling out with manager Mikel Arteta.
That departure played a big part in the Gunners documentary All or Nothing.
Only four players have scored more Premier League goals than Aubameyang’s total of 68 in the period since 31 January 2018 – the date he joined Arsenal.
Aubameyang played under Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund between 2015 and 2017.
He scored 79 goals in 95 games in that time, 38 more than under any other manager.
Denis Zakaria, like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, had only joined his team earlier this year
This summer the Blues have brought in nine players, including Leicester’s French defender Wesley Fofana for a fee in the region of £70m, Spain left-back Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £62m, England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for £50m, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £34m and English midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa for £20m.
Boehly said: ‘Pierre-Emerick is an elite striker with a proven track record in the Premier League and his arrival strengthens our squad, giving us new attacking options. We are thrilled to have Pierre-Emerick on board with us in the new era at Chelsea and we’re really looking forward to working with him.’
Bayern Munich routinely bring the entertainment in the German Bundesliga, and they have some huge games in September and October that you won’t want to miss. Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
The American football season is easy by comparison. Your team has either 12 or 17 games — depending on if you most closely follow college football or the NFL — and at a glance you can piece together the season’s hardest stretches, most important games, et cetera. Whether you’re a writer or a fan, you can make sense of the calendar. You can craft a battle plan of sorts.
The European football season, on the other hand, is endless. It starts before the American football season and ends months after it. When Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonio Conte and Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel nearly came to blows after a wild and contentious derby match, there was no need to get excited and check the calendar for when the rematch occurs: It’s six months from now! Many things (including an entire World Cup) will happen between now and then!
Neither the matches nor the narrative machinations ever stop. Somehow, the transfer rumors never stop either. In other words, it’s a lot more difficult to craft a plan for the season, but you can at least create a set of guidelines to follow from week to week to get the most enjoyment out of the season. So, here are mine.
Each week I try to keep up with not only the biggest match-ups but also the most bitter match-ups, the most interesting players and the games involving teams that are either particularly fun, particularly weird or both. Here are the guiding principles I’m following this season.
Make sure your internal calendar doesn’t stop with the major rivalries
Each week indeed starts with some fence posts, so consider this a loose guide for the biggest and/or most intense matches of each week between now and the World Cup. It’s hard to pin particularly huge stakes to single games this early in a long season, but these matches will deliver plenty of bang regardless of the stakes.
Weekend of August 19-21: Liverpool at Manchester United (Aug. 22), AC Milan at Atalanta, PSG at Lille. The big match comes on Monday night, as Manchester United attempts to arrest its ridiculous and existentially awful start, but any Milan trip to Bergamo produces a wild atmosphere while PSG vs. Lille is a battle of the last two Ligue 1 champs.
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Weekend of August 26-28: Roma at Juventus, Marseille at Nice, Borussia Monchengladbach at Bayern Munich. Gladbach is Bayern’s perpetual bogey team — one Bayern win in their last five meetings — and we’ll get a great look at what Roma has to offer this weekend. But honestly, Nice vs. Marseille might be the headliner. Few matchups in Europe are more intense, for better or worse.
Weekend of September 2-4: Arsenal at Manchester United, Inter Milan at AC Milan, Barcelona at Sevilla. LaLiga’s slate is back-loaded a bit, with a lot of the biggest derbies of the first half of the season coming in January but Barca vs. Sevilla should deliver, and the Milan Derby always delivers.
– ESPN+ Viewer’s Guide: Bundesliga, LaLiga and more all season
Weekend of September 9-11: Tottenham Hotspur at Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund at RB Leipzig, Nottingham Forest at Leeds United (Sept. 12). Spurs vs. City and BVB vs. RBL are easy enough to explain, but if you want atmosphere, tune into the first Forest vs. Leeds Premier League match since 1999 and turn the volume up loud.
Weekend of September 16-18: Real Madrid at Atletico Madrid, Schalke 04 at Borussia Dortmund, Leeds United at Manchester United. Two of the most famous derbies in Europe plus, in Leeds vs. United, one of the most underrated (and, for most of the 2000s, dormant)? Yes, please.
play1:06Dawson: Unhappy Ronaldo adding to Ten Hag’s huge task
Rob Dawson explains why Cristiano Ronaldo is as big a problem as any for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
Weekend of October 7-9: Bayern Munich at Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool at Arsenal, Koln at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Juventus at AC Milan, Lens at Lille, Nantes at Rennes. Bayern vs. Dortmund has become the Bundesliga’s marquee match given that both teams end up at the top of the table, but Koln vs. Gladbach could be even more intense. We’ve got a couple of huge, regional French rivalries this weekend, too.
Weekend of October 14-16: Barcelona at Real Madrid, Manchester City at Liverpool, Juventus at Torino, Marseille at PSG. El Clasico and City vs. Liverpool in the same weekend? That automatically qualifies this as the biggest weekend of the early season.
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Weekend of October 21-23: Manchester United at Chelsea, Napoli at Roma, Sevilla at Real Madrid. By now, we should understand the stakes of the Serie A title race and whether Napoli or Roma, though intense, might or might not be a part of that. (We’ll also know what the stakes of United’s season are by now, too.)
Weekend of October 28-30: This is the one weekend of the early season that really doesn’t boast an obvious bellcow match.
Weekend of November 4-6: Arsenal at Chelsea, Sevilla at Real Betis, Bayer Leverkusen at Köln (Nov. 8), Lazio at Roma, Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Milan at Juventus, Lyon at Marseille. We finish up the pre-World Cup portion of the season with an absolutely massive set of matches. Goodness.
Understand the tightest races
It is folly to assign title significance to early matches: The season’s just too long, and we’ll wear ourselves out if we pay too much attention to the table too early. But we also head into each season with an understanding of which races might be tighter than others. It doesn’t hurt to acknowledge that.
AC Milan won Serie A last season in dramatic fashion last year over their cross-town rivals, Inter, and this year’s battle should prove to be just as entertaining from start to finish. Nicola Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Italian Serie A title (the Scudetto). Juventus’ nearly decade-long title streak ended a couple of years ago and Serie A’s balance of power has been pretty blurry since. That’s bad for fans of the Old Lady, but it’s great for us. Inter and AC Milan have split the last two titles, Juve have added some fun, creative pieces this offseason, and both Napoli and Roma bring quite a bit of optimism into the 2022-23 campaign. Inter is the betting favorite at the moment, but no major title race could feature more teams or more plot twists.
Third and fourth place in the Premier League. For now, we’ll ignore Liverpool’s slow start (two draws from two matches) and assume that the title race again comes down to the Reds and Manchester City. But three other members of England’s Big Six — Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and, of course, Chelsea — seem to very much have their acts together this season, and only two of them can snare Champions League berths.
Fourth place in the Bundesliga. It’s fair to assume that Bayern and Borussia Dortmund will snare two of Germany’s four Champions League spots, and despite a slow start, RB Leipzig remain a pretty solid favorite as well. But who finishes fourth? Will Bayer Leverkusen get going after a dreadfully slow start? Will defense-heavy (and intensely lovable) upstarts Freiburg and Union Berlin continue to thrive? Are Borussia Monchengladbach ready for a rebound? What about Koln or Eintracht Frankfurt? Right now, FiveThirtyEight gives 13 teams at least an 8% chance of securing a Champions League slot!
Premier League relegation. Two weeks into the season, nearly every team in the Premier League has shown at least a hint of promise. But three teams will go down, of course, and FiveThirtyEight gives 11 teams — more than half the league! — at least a 10% chance of doing so. Heck, Manchester United are at 8%! Someone with either a massive bank account or a very good plan will be playing second-division ball next year.
Second place in Ligue 1. PSG have been rampant out of the gate this year and might run away with the title once again. Fine. But the second-best team in the country could be almost literally anyone in the league. Monaco? Marseille? Lyon? Lille? Rennes? A promoted team like Toulouse (we’ll get to them in a bit)? You could convince me of any of these.
Sevilla will have to work hard to retain their top-four status in LaLiga this season. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
Fourth place in LaLiga. The top four leagues in Europe — Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A — command 16 of the current 32 bids in the Champions League. Of last year’s 16 qualifiers, no one feels more vulnerable to me than Sevilla.* They were awfully poor down the stretch last spring, and clubs like Real Betis, Villarreal and Real Sociedad are all hinting that they might have their respective acts together this season. Granted, they hinted at the same thing last year and couldn’t maintain form, but Sevilla should be preparing for a huge challenge here.
*Leverkusen is certainly making a case, too.
The “Fun, young-ish and making a spirited run at a Champions League spot (or better)” contenders
Each season features a set of clubs that might always have high expectations but manage to bring a lot of up-and-comer energy to the table. They are usually (but not always) pretty young and typically quite fun to watch. Here’s my best guess at this year’s batch:
Napoli. They scored the third-most goals in Serie A last season, allowed the second-fewest and finished with a better goal differential than champion AC Milan. Forward Victor Osimhen is one of the most fun players in Italy while newcomer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a 21-year old Georgia international winger acquired from Dinamo Batumi, made the best possible first impression this past week, recording both a goal and an assist in his club debut.
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WEDNESDAY, AUG. 17
• Sheffield United vs. Sunderland, 3 p.m. ET
• Chelsea vs. Olympique Lyon, 9 p.m. ET
FRIDAY, AUG. 19
• Espanyol vs. Rayo Vallecano, 1:50 p.m. ET
• Gladbach vs. Hertha BSC, 2:20 p.m. ET
• Norwich City vs. Millwall, 3 p.m. ET
• Sevilla vs. Valladolid, 3:50 p.m. ET
Whether or not they win their first Scudetto since 1990, you will never regret tuning into a Napoli match. They are intense and wonderfully optimistic. (To say the least, their 5-2 win over Hellas Verona on Monday was proof of concept in this regard. Man oh man, were they enjoying themselves.)
Arsenal. Yes, Arsenal. I’m honestly not sure how to respond to liking the moves the Gunners make in a given offseason, but adding Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko — a pair of seasoned Manchester City title winners who are each somehow still just 25 years old — to one of the Premier League’s youngest and most high-upside rosters was fantastic business. Jesus has exploded for two goals and two assists in Arsenal’s first two matches (both wins), and the team is playing at a high level despite getting little from Bukayo Saka thus far.
This was the third-best team in England last season after a dreadful first three matches, and there’s legitimate reason to be optimistic that their five-season streak of Champions League absences might end soon, even if they’re going to have to beat out one similarly rich and organized team to get there.
Arsenal brought in Jesus, left, and Zinchenko, right, this summer and the Gunners are one to watch this season as a result. Xinhua via Getty Images
Real Betis. There’s nothing particularly young about this Betis squad — only one player under 25 started in Los Verdiblancos’ debut romp over 10-man Elche — but Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, led in attack by Juanmi, Nabil Fekir and Borja Iglesias, was maybe LaLiga’s most optimistic and exciting last year, and the Betis crowd is one of Spain’s best. Only a slow start kept them out of the top four last season.
Lyon. Like Arsenal, Lyon bring history and expectations to the table, but they’ve been stuck outside the top three for three straight years. Adding veterans Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Tagliafico and Corentin Tolisso to a lineup that features younger talents like winger Tete (22), midfielder Lucas Paqueta (24) and another newcomer, Johann Lepenant (19), could reap dividends. Tete looked particularly inspired in a season-opening win.
Basically everyone in Belgium. Do you enjoy the Bundesliga, but think its matches somehow aren’t chaotic enough? Say hello to the Jupiler Pro League! It featured easily the best title race of any of Europe’s top leagues, with Union Saint-Gilloise making a shocking post-promotion run to the regular season crown, but narrowly losing the playoff to heavyweight Club Brugge. It also features goals, goals, goals and more goals.
Through four matchdays, seven teams are averaging at least 1.8 goals per match, while Genk average 3.3. Royal Antwerp have raced out to 12 points, but Brugge, Genk, Gent and Anderlecht are all well-positioned for title runs. This is going to be absolute, wonderful nonsense from start to finish… and ESPN+ airs a selection of matches each weekend!).
Teams doing weird stuff
There is, at any moment, a dominant style of play in any sport. We’re heavy on three-pointers and layups in basketball at the moment, while the strikeouts-and-homers era in baseball is full-go. Soccer has been trending toward a modern combination of slow buildup, possession play and counter-pressing for a while now, but in an environment in which only the richest club teams can acquire the most possession-friendly pieces. That leaves everyone else to either try to win without the ball or piece together a more unique approach.
Among these five teams, only one has decent odds of a top-tier finish, but they are “Trying Things” and are worth watching because of it.
Brighton flummoxed Manchester United in their season opener, but you’ll enjoy watching how Potter’s side frustrate bigger-budgeted teams this season. Michael Regan/Getty Images
Brighton: possession without firepower. For two straight seasons, Graham Potter’s Seagulls have done as well as any mid-level team when it comes to crafting a possession-friendly approach without a heavyweight budget. They’ve lacked the high-quality finishing required to snare one of England’s European berths, but they notched top 10 finishes in both years, and their level of organization is maddening for most opponents.
Athletic Club: just impossibly annoying, year after year. Both Freiburg and Union Berlin nearly snared Champions League bids last year by deploying a defense-heavy style antithetical to our assumptions of “Bundesliga ball,” But let’s pay homage to a team that has been doing that forever. Athletic recorded yet another top-10 finish last season by allowing less than a goal per match. They almost never offer opponents good looks at goal, and while they aren’t as physical as they were in the “Butcher of Bilbao” days of the 1980s, they still don’t mind some bruises. They continue to execute this cup-friendly style as well as anyone, even if they never score nearly enough for a top-four finish.
Bayer Leverkusen: possession and counterattacks, simultaneously. Granted, the balance has been off so far this season — their defensive spacing has been woeful — but Gerardo Seoane’s squad crafted a particularly attractive style of play last year by combining elements of possession with a propensity for luring opponents into their half of the field in order to open up huge counterattacking opportunities. I assume they get back to a high level at some point soon. (For Seoane’s sake, they better.)
Udinese: haymakers, all the time. Twelfth place is just about the most forgettable spot in the table, but Udinese achieved 12th in memorable fashion last season, both scoring and allowing over a goal and a half per match. They were excellent at creating scoring chances in transition, and terrible at preventing opponents from doing the same. From a “styles make fights” perspective, they could suck anyone into a track meet. And despite a new manager (Andrea Sottil), their opening match — a wide-open 4-2 loss at defending champs Milan — suggests they’re still pretty open to such a style this season. That’s good news for us, at least.
Toulouse: NERRRRRDS. Looking for a Moneyball soccer team to adopt? Well, how about one associated with Moneyball godfather Billy Beane himself? In 2020, American investment firm RedBird Capital, with which Beane is associated, acquired this recently-relegated club and set about restoring it to glory through the power of analytics.
So far, so good. Toulouse handily earned promotion last season, hitting all the notes of a strong possession-and-pressing team, and while there’s only so much you can learn from one match, they controlled the field and held their own against likely top-10 French side Nice in a 1-1 draw to start the season. We’ll see if they have the depth to do any sustained damage, but if you’re looking to see where nerds want to take this sport, watch this club.
Teams with tantalizing new signings
The Transfer Industrial Complex never stops humming and cranking out rumors, even when transfer windows are closed and big matches are on the horizon. It occasionally produces thrilling results, too!
These five teams are particularly worth following this season, in part because of what the transfer market brought to town.
play1:42Gomez warns Dest against ‘career derailing’ Man Utd move
Herculez Gomez says a switch to Man Utd would be even worse for Sergino Dest than staying on the bench at Barcelona.
Barcelona. Watching this storied club attempt to work its way out of debt by spending more, by mortgaging away future earnings in service of the present tense, has not been particularly appealing, especially considering the base of young talent Barca boasts and how good they could have pretty quickly become by building around that talent. That said, while adding attackers Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, midfielder Franck Kessie and defenders Jules Kounde (who still isn’t registered) and Andreas Christensen doesn’t give them a starting XI that can compete with that of Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern or probably Real Madrid, it probably makes them better. It definitely makes them worth watching.
Borussia Dortmund. This was the offseason in which BVB fully reinvested the funds from the transfers of both Jadon Sancho last summer and Erling Haaland this summer. New arrival Sebastien Haller is out for the foreseeable future as he deals with what turned out to be a malignant tumor — the club acquired 34-year old Anthony Modeste from Koln to fill that gap — but two young German internationals, forward Karim Adeyemi and defender Nico Schlotterbeck, have both already made a difference, with the former scoring in the DFB-Pokal and the latter already putting out many fires in the back.
Combined with the presence of teenagers Jude Bellingham, Youssoufa Moukoko and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, BVB remain one of the most exciting and youth-dependent teams on the continent.
Dortmund said goodbye to Haaland this summer, but have an abundance of exciting young talent to enjoy all season long. Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images
AS Roma. I’m including Roma more because of “vibes” than a volume of new talent. After winning the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League last season, the club and its fans celebrated like they’d won the Champions League. Jose Mourinho even got another tattoo! Then they signed Paulo Dybala from Juventus and celebrated like they had signed prime Leo Messi. (They added Mourinho-friendly veteran midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Nemanja Matic, too.)
The attacking foursome of Dybala, Tammy Abraham, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Nicolo Zaniolo certainly looked the part in a season-opening 1-0 win over Salernitana that was much closer to 2-0 or 3-0 than 1-1. There’s still a hill to climb if Roma wants to join the crowded Scudetto race, but again, the vibes are strong.
Nottingham Forest. It was incredible watching the former European champions qualify for their first Premier League season since 1999. It’s been even more incredible watching them attempt to spend their way into staying there. After earning promotion with a lineup heavy on loan acquisitions, Forest have signed 15 players and counting this summer, though they’re on this list not because of the volume of signings; it’s about who they’ve signed.
Taiwo Awoniyi is one of the most positive and exciting young(ish) attackers in Europe. Emmanuel Dennis was too good for Watford and could pair beautifully with Awoniyi and holdover Brennan Johnson. Jesse Lingard is finally free of Manchester United, while Neco Williams, Omar Richards and Giulian Biancone are all exciting young fullbacks, too.
Forest have spent over $130 million and counting on roster upgrades, and you could see how this high-wire act could pay off. If they can survive this season and avoid relegation, they will have a roster loaded with upside players in a similar age range (21-25) who can grow in future seasons. But Steve Cooper’s got an incredible chemistry experiment to deal with in the meantime.
Fiorentina. Luka Jovic was one of the best goalscorers in Germany before what turned out to be an ill-fated move to Real Madrid. Fullback Dodo was one of Shakhtar Donetsk’s most exciting young players. They both join a team that finished ahead of Atalanta last season and was only two points out of fifth place in Serie A. The team wasn’t particularly impressive in a season-opening win over freshly promoted Cremonese — they needed a shaky stoppage-time goal to win, 3-2, despite a man advantage — but both Jovic and another newcomer, Rolando Mandragora, scored to save the day.
Make no mistake: This is an exciting team.
The players you’re going to be obsessed with after the World Cup
Just call them the “James Rodriguez All Stars.” The Colombian forward was coming off a decent, nine-goal season with AS Monaco in 2013-14 when he won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup, scoring six goals and tossing in two assists. Within days, Real Madrid was spending big to acquire him.
Every major tournament produces breakout stars, and this one will be no different (even though pretty much everything else about this tournament is different). Here are 10 players I could see becoming highly sought if their respective national teams enjoy stronger-than-expected runs in Qatar.
Jonathan David, FW, Canada (Lille). He’s scored 28 league goals in the last two years, and Canada’s style suits him perfectly. It’s honestly somewhat surprising he’s still at Lille.
Jonathan David is in brilliant form for Lille and Canada will be expecting it to carry over to this winter’s World Cup, too. FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI/AFP via Getty Images
Mikkel Damsgaard, MF, Denmark (Brentford). I’m doubling down! Damsgaard was one of my favorites in last summer’s Euros and while he did not follow that success up with a standout club season, he’s got another chance after signing with the Bees.
Luka Sucic, MF, Croatia (Salzburg). The 19-year-old midfielder is already on the radar of clubs like Liverpool and played well in last year’s Champions League; he could do some serious damage next to Luka Modric & Co. in Qatar.
Ismaila Sarr, FW, Senegal (Watford). He couldn’t save Watford from relegation last year, but Senegal have a manageable World Cup group (with the Netherlands, Ecuador and hosts Qatar) and Sarr could be a major reason they advance to the knockout rounds.
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Piero Hincapie, DF, Ecuador (Bayer Leverkusen). The 20-year-old is asked to do a lot in defense for Leverkusen — arguably too much of late — but he could be Premier League-bound by next season… or in January if he does well in the World Cup.
Takefusa Kubo, MF, Japan (Real Sociedad). A product of Barcelona’s La Masia, Kubo signed with Real Madrid at 18 years old, but couldn’t break through. Now the winger is in a potentially excellent spot in San Sebastian: In his debut for La Real, he scored and created two chances from the right wing.
Takuma Asano, FW, Japan (Bochum). One reason to think Kubo might have a lovely World Cup: He’s got some veteran creators, like the 27-year-old Asano, around him. Asano is relentless up front, pressing well and constantly trying to stretch opponents’ back line. He’s perfect for Bochum… and could be perfect for your club next!
Luka Jovic, FW, Serbia (Fiorentina). Another promising youngster who couldn’t find his way at Real Madrid, Jovic scored in his Fiorentina debut last weekend. He’s scored more than 60 career goals, he’s already played for Crvena Zvezda, Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and Madrid, and he’s somehow still only 24.
Brennan Johnson is a gem for Forest on the wing and should complement Gareth Bale nicely out wide for Wales in Qatar this winter. Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images
Brennan Johnson, MF, Wales (Nottingham Forest). A rare holdover in a sea of Forest newcomers, the 21-year old led a promoted team in scoring in the not-particularly-youth-friendly Championship. He could be a difference-maker for both Forest and an otherwise veteran-heavy Wales squad.
Mohammed Kudus, MF, Ghana (Ajax). Injuries and club depth have hampered the 22-year old since he joined Ajax two years ago, but he has been a difference-maker for Ghana in that same time period, and his club career could take off soon enough, be it with Ajax or another team.
The last step to maximum enjoyment: Adopt a Champions League underdog
It’s pretty easy to find people complaining about how, as Europe’s richest teams have gotten richer, the early stages of the Champions League have grown more predictable, too. And to be sure, the complaints are pretty well-based in fact. But if we know that the sport’s heavyweights are going to advance mostly incident-free to the next rounds, then we can spend most of our early focus on the fun underdog stories.
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Be it up-and-comers from power leagues (RB Leipzig, Atalanta and Lyon in 2019-20, for instance) or champs from lesser leagues (Ajax making the semis in 2018-19, FC Sheriff upsetting Real Madrid and nearly making the knockouts in 2021-22), they’re always out there. And they offer an element of discovery — fun, young players and coaches, interesting back stories, weird stadiums — to the event.
We’re midway through the final round of qualification, so we don’t yet know for sure who will be in the Champions League field of 32. The impeccably organized Bodo/Glimt — the team best known for beating Mourinho’s Roma twice last season and nearly wrecking their Conference League plans — might get there if they can finish off Dinamo Zagreb next week. And the winner of the PSV Eindhoven-Rangers tie will be very much worth your time and investment. We know that an increasingly impressive Celtic will be in the group stage for the first time since 2018. So will the recklessly optimistic Napoli. Oh, and Eintracht Frankfurt is worth the time investment for its obsessed and loyal fan base alone. Pick someone and follow their journey.
Adopt a Europa League and Conference League team, too
The stories are even richer here. The Europa League is where the next chapter of the Union Saint-Gilloise story might be written. Union Berlin, too. It’s where Bodo/Glimt might end up. The loser of PSV Eindhoven-Rangers will be playing its intensely watchable football there, as will AS Monaco.
While the Conference League group stage is a lot to take in, by the time of the knockout rounds we’ll have filtered out both the teams that don’t really want to be there as well as the teams that aren’t good enough to be there. Last year’s knockout rounds gave us outstanding ties like Leicester City vs. PSV, Roma vs. Leicester, Roma vs. Bodo/Glimt II and Feyenoord vs. Slavia Prague. It was quite rewarding, and you won’t regret following along.
are set to sign defender Bremer from Torino in a deal up to €47 million (£40m/$48m) as they aim to replace Bayern Munich-bound Matthijs de Ligt. The Brazil international had been linked with a move to Juve’s Serie A rivals Inter, but GOAL can confirm that it is the Bianconeri who have won the race to land him.
Bremer has already bid farewell to his Torino teammates and will complete his switch to the Bianconeri either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
How much will Juventus pay to sign Bremer?
Massimiliano Allegri’s side will pay an initial €42m (£36m/$43m) to land the 25-year-old centre-back. Torino could receive another €5m (£4m/$5m) in add-ons.
He will sign a contract that will net him a salary of around €5m per season.
Bremer to replace De Ligt at Juventus
The Serie A side has made the move to sign Bremer to succeed De Ligt in the heart of their defence, with Bayern set to pay around €80m (£68m) to land the Netherlands international this summer.
Juventus had their eye on several options to take De Ligt’s place in the squad, with the likes of Villarreal’s Pau Torres, Nikola Milenkovic of Fiorentina and Arsenal defender Gabriel among the candidates.
Last season’s Serie A Player of the Year, Bremer appeared to be one of the tougher options for Juve to sign, as Inter seemed set to complete a move for him instead, while Liverpool had also been linked earlier this year.
Bremer made the move to Torino from Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in 2018 and made 110 appearances in all competitions.
He flew in to Turin on Friday for his medical before the announcement on Monday.
Pogba had not featured for United since April after struggling with injury and sporadic form.
Juventus said: “When we say goodbye after an intense adventure shared together, there is always a glimmer of hope that we will see each other again, sooner or later.
“He left as a boy and returns as a man and a champion, but there is one thing that has not changed – the desire to write unforgettable pages of club history together once more. Pogba is back and we couldn’t be happier.”
United and Pogba were unable to agree on a new contract and the club confirmed at the start of June that he would leave as a free agent this summer.
Pogba, who joined the United academy from Le Havre as a 16-year-old in 2009, helped them to win the EFL Cup and Europa League in his first season back at the club, but they would prove to be the only trophies he won in his second spell.
A disagreement with then United manager Jose Mourinho saw him lose the vice-captaincy in 2018, before injuries and patchy form reduced his impact.
Pogba, who has 91 international caps, was influential as France won the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
He went on to score 16 goals for United in the 2018-19 campaign, but over the last three seasons scored just eight goals from 91 appearances, with one from 27 last term.
Pogba scored 39 goals in 233 appearances across his two spells at the club, but his final home appearance against Norwich City in April saw him jeered by United supporters as he was substituted.
Juventus finished fourth in Serie A for the second straight season, 16 points behind champions AC Milan.
They had been Italian champions for the preceding nine seasons, with Pogba playing a key role in their title wins from 2012-13 to 2015-16.
Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey’s representatives have hit back at reports claiming new boss Andrea Pirlo doesn’t want the Welshman at the club, calling them “nonsense.”
Pirlo was named the new head coach of the Italian champions on Saturday, just hours after the club sacked Maurizio Sarri following just one season in charge.
The 41-year-old’s appointment came as a surprise after he was only named the head coach of Juve’s U23 side at the end of July.
Despite having no managerial experience, the former Italian international midfielder will take over from Sarri after Juventus surprisingly fell to Lyon in the Champions League last 16.
As Pirlo quickly makes plans for the 2020-21 season, reports emerged that he is hoping to sell Ramsey just one year after the Wales midfielder joined the club on a free transfer from Arsenal.
However, Avid Sports and Entertainment Group, the 29-year-old’s agency, took to Twitter to dismiss those reports, indicating Ramsey will be staying put this summer.
Following 11 years in north London, Ramsey scored four goals in 35 appearances in his first season with the Bianconeri.
The midfielder, however, made only 11 starts in Serie A as he failed to lock down a regular role with the club in a season where they won their ninth consecutive Serie A title.
Hearts of Oak midfielder Benjamin Afutu says it would be a dream for him to play for Italian giants Juventus and represent them in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old has big dreams and he is on the right path to achieving them. After a successful debut season with the Phobians, Afutu has been tipped to reach the top in his career.
According to him, he draws inspiration from Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey and is working hard so he can get to play for his dream club, Juventus.
He adds that playing in the most coveted club competition (UEFA Champions League) is something that he also aspires and that, he believe Juventus can help him achieve his dream.
“The player I admire most is Thomas Partey. My dream is to play for Juventus and participate in the UEFA Champions League,†he told Angel FM in Accra.
Juventus have a good relationship with Ghana football, having worked with former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah and Kwadwo Asamoah.
Juventus have appointed legendary former midfielder Andrea Pirlo as their new Under-23 manager.
The 41-year-old, regarded as one of the finest players of his generation, has been out of the game since retiring as a player in 2017.
Pirlo won 116 caps for Italy, helping them to win the World Cup in 2006.
He won Serie A four times with Juventus after joining from AC Milan, with whom he spent most of his career and won two Champions League and two league titles.
Pirlo left Juventus in 2015, finishing his playing career in Major League Soccer at New York City FC.
Juventus has appointed legendary former midfielder Andrea Pirlo as their new Under-23 manager.
The 41-year-old, regarded as one of the finest players of his generation, has been out of the game since retiring as a player in 2017.
Pirlo won 116 caps for Italy, helping them to win the World Cup in 2006.
He won Serie A four times with Juventus after joining from AC Milan, with whom he spent most of his career and won two Champions League and two league titles.
Pirlo left Juventus in 2015, finishing his playing career in Major League Soccer at New York City FC.
Last night, Juventus strengthen their grab on their ninth successive scuddeto title after defeating challenger Lazio by two goals to one, with striker Cristiano Ronaldo scoring both goals – one via penalty spot, two a tap in from Dybala pass. Ciro Immobile scored the lone goal for Lazio via another penalty. Making both forward level on 30 goals each on Serie A scoring chart.
Anyways that’s not the news, the news is to set some facts and figures straight about the news ongoing throughout the world concerning Ronaldo’s new record. He broke many records last night but his 50 goals in three different leagues is what’s trending.
Last night, Juventus strengthen their grab on their ninth successive scuddeto title after defeating challenger Lazio by two goals to one, with striker Cristiano Ronaldo scoring both goals – one via penalty spot, two a tap in from Dybala pass. Ciro Immobile scored the lone goal for Lazio via another penalty. Making both forward level on 30 goals each on Serie A scoring chart.
Anyways that’s not the news, the news is to set some facts and figures straight about the news ongoing throughout the world concerning Ronaldo’s new record. He broke many records last night but his 50 goals in three different leagues is what’s trending.
Ronaldo did his in the English Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, while Edin Dzeko scored his own in the Bundesliga, English Premier League and Serie A. That is to say, Ronaldo only equalled the Bosnian record.
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo overtook Rui Costa to become the leading Portuguese scorer in Serie A history on Monday.
Ronaldo slotted the first-half penalty down the middle in Juve’s 2-0 win over Bologna, a result that saw the Bianconeri move four points clear at the top of the table.
The goal was Ronaldo’s 22nd in Serie A this season, one more than the 21 he managed in his debut campaign in Turin following his move from Real Madrid in 2018.
In reaching 43 goals, the 35-year-old also moved beyond Rui Costa as the Portuguese player with the most goals in Italy’s top flight.
Rui Costa spent eight years in Serie A, playing for Fiorentina and then Milan between 1994 and 2006.
Former Manchester United star Ronaldo remains the top Portuguese scorer in Premier League history having scored 84 times in 196 appearances.
He is the also the leading Portuguese scorer in La Liga history having registered 311 goals in 292 appearances for Real Madrid, where he is the all-time leading scorer.
Only Ronaldo’s great personal rival Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has scored more La Liga goals.
Ronaldo has been criticised recently after missing a penalty against Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-final and struggling to have an impact in the final versus Napoli.
Former Italy international Luca Toni described Ronaldo’s performance in the last four of the Coppa Italia as ‘average’.
“I saw the whole Juventus team in difficulty, even Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked like an average player in what was a very slow match,†Toni told Rai Sport after the Milan clash.
“You expect a big performance from him but he looked like he was experiencing physical difficulties he couldn’t even dribble past a man.”
Ronaldo’s sister took to Instagram after the match to stick up for her brother, stating that he can’t always be expected to win matches on his own.
She said: “What else can you do? It is what it is and my darling can’t work miracles alone. I can’t understand how they played like that. Anyway, keep your head up. You can’t do more, my king.â€
The Coppa Italia final loss marks the only time in Ronaldo’s career that he has lost two successive finals, having been defeated by Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana at the tail end of 2019.
Former Ghana hero Stephen Appiah has recounted how former France international Lilian Thuram played a role in his move to Juventus.
Appiah was an instrumental figure during his three-year stay at Italian side Parma.
The 39-year-old’s success at Ennio Tardini Stadium prompted defending Serie A champions Juventus to pay €2 million in the summer of 2003 to secure his services on loan, with an option to a permanent €6 million transfer in 2004.
Appiah went on to enjoy a good first season for Juventus, playing in 30 Serie A games and appearing in the Coppa Italia final.
He also made his debut in the UEFA Champions League. In his second season at Juventus, Appiah played in 18 Serie A games.
According to Appiah, former France World Cup winning defender Lilian Thuram had a hand in his move to the Turin-based giants.
“After the season I came to Ghana for holiday and [Lilian] Thuram called me. I played with him, [Fabio] Canavaro, [Gigi] Buffon, [Alain] Boghossian at Parma so I was in Ghana and Thuram called and asked, do you want to play for Juventus? and I said my friend, why ask me such a question and he replied that he is serious, so I asked why and he said the Juventus Director [Luciano Moggi] will call me in twenty (20) minutes time and he indeed called me in twenty minutes time,” Appiah told Carol Tshabalala which was monitored by GHANASoccernet.com
“I was so shocked because he [Moggi] was so powerful when it comes to Italian football so for him to call me was an honour. We spoke and he asked me what I was doing and I told him I was with my family on holiday, and he said I should come to Turin the following week so I asked him, director why…and he said you have to come and do your medical because we want to sign you. I was lost for words but I told him to expect me. I flew to Torino and did my medical and I became a Juventus player.”
Appiah spent two years with the Bianconeri before moving to Turkish giants Fenerbahce in 2005.
Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of backend.theindependentghana.com. Our outfit will hereby not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article.â€
The midfield sensation who models his game in midfield with his ability to play in front of the defence, as the anchor between defence and attack joined Tema Youth from Kotoko Babies a youth in Kumasi.
Since joining the former Ghana Premier League club, he has played 13 times and scored five goals to highlight a stellar debut season with the Zone Three club.
In an interview with Kumasi-based local station Sikka FM, the young midfielder tagged the Juventus star as an inspiration
“Miralem Pjanic,†when asked about his role model.
Explaining the reason why he chose the Barcelona target, Darko said:
“Because, he is calm with the ball, tactically he is discipline and also he is passionate with his Job above all his passes is what I like a lot†he added.
Former Barcelona technical director Robert Fernandez says it would be a “mistake’ for Arthur to leave the club amid links to Juventus.
Fernandez was responsible for bringing Arthur to the club in 2018 as Barcelona signed the Brazilian midfielder from Gremio.
The 23-year-old has made 67 appearances for Barcelona so far, but Goal can confirm that Juventus are keen on signing Arthur, and would be willing to explore a swap deal with the Catalan club.
Arthur has insisted that he wants to stay with the club amid interest from the Serie A champions, despite being “flattered” by the prospect of an offer.
And Fernandez, who was also responsible for the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, says it would be a mistake for the midfielder to leave.
“I don’t think Arthur is leaving. We are going through a particular moment where a lot of news is not checked well enough,” Fernandez told Goal .
“I sincerely think it would be a mistake if he is sold because he is a young player. When we signed him we paid a large amount due to his qualities, age and projection. We thought he was going to have big growth at Barca and now I think he deserves a better status.
“His first season was good but, after that, he hasn’t been driven towards favourable situations. In addition, he suffered some small injuries which probably made it harder to have continuity in the starting line-up but we are still speaking about a player with huge individual skill, with Barcelona DNA even if he didn’t grow in La Masia.
“He is a player who has everything to become an important player.”
Arthur made 44 appearances last campaign, helping Barcelona claim La Liga in his first season in Spain.
This season, though, Arthur has been limited to just 23 appearances, although he has added four goals to his tally after failing to score in his first season with Barca.
Fernandez says that the midfielder is in need of more continuity and more games if he is to find the comfort needed to be at his best.
Arthur Melo Barcelona
“He must find the coach able to bring out the football he has inside,” he said.
“He did great with Valverde in his first season, the coach found the ideal role for him next to Busquets but he hasn’t had continuity in this season. The first season is used to be the adaptation one and he did great. He played very well at a high level and we were all delighted with him.
“I can’t understand discussing a player who not long ago made you happy. I think when something was working and is now not at his best, it is important to keep the same perception and style.
“If he played well in the first season, why didn’t he reach that level in the second one? I’ve seen he doesn’t finish the games and this is a big mistake, it brings you to an uncomfortable situation. You can think about a player that he is not in a good physical rhythm but to increase it, you must make him suffer and to play 90 minutes.
“I hope he gets brought in more in the next season and he can become the important player he must be because he has an extraordinary quality and pure FCB DNA.”
When playing at a club like Barcelona, rumours will always be something you have to deal with as the club are often linked with big transfer moves.
And, with rumours surrounding Arthur continuing to swirl, Fernandez hopes that the midfielder looks to Ivan Rakitic as an example on how to deal with exit reports.
“I hope it doesn’t affect Arthur. The people around him should help him to remember the important things in life, as Rakitic did last season,” he said.
“Ivan is a player with a great personality and is used to playing in very difficult situations but nobody likes to read in the newspapers the club is thinking of selling you. It is not easy at all for a player in such a situation and such an experience.
“Players must be protected so it would be good if these things could be quickly denied because it is not good for them. It can only make the player angry and to lower his concentration and performances.”
Former Barcelona technical director Robert Fernandez says it would be a “mistake’ for Arthur to leave the club amid links to Juventus.
Fernandez was responsible for bringing Arthur to the club in 2018 as Barcelona signed the Brazilian midfielder from Gremio.
The 23-year-old has made 67 appearances for Barcelona so far, but Goal can confirm that Juventus are keen on signing Arthur, and would be willing to explore a swap deal with the Catalan club.
Arthur has insisted that he wants to stay with the club amid interest from the Serie A champions, despite being “flattered” by the prospect of an offer.
And Fernandez, who was also responsible for the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, says it would be a mistake for the midfielder to leave.
“I don’t think Arthur is leaving. We are going through a particular moment where a lot of news is not checked well enough,” Fernandez told Goal .
“I sincerely think it would be a mistake if he is sold because he is a young player. When we signed him we paid a large amount due to his qualities, age and projection. We thought he was going to have big growth at Barca and now I think he deserves a better status.
“His first season was good but, after that, he hasn’t been driven towards favourable situations. In addition, he suffered some small injuries which probably made it harder to have continuity in the starting line-up but we are still speaking about a player with huge individual skill, with Barcelona DNA even if he didn’t grow in La Masia.
“He is a player who has everything to become an important player.”
Arthur made 44 appearances last campaign, helping Barcelona claim La Liga in his first season in Spain.
This season, though, Arthur has been limited to just 23 appearances, although he has added four goals to his tally after failing to score in his first season with Barca.
Fernandez says that the midfielder is in need of more continuity and more games if he is to find the comfort needed to be at his best.
Arthur Melo Barcelona
“He must find the coach able to bring out the football he has inside,” he said.
“He did great with Valverde in his first season, the coach found the ideal role for him next to Busquets but he hasn’t had continuity in this season. The first season is used to be the adaptation one and he did great. He played very well at a high level and we were all delighted with him.
“I can’t understand discussing a player who not long ago made you happy. I think when something was working and is now not at his best, it is important to keep the same perception and style.
“If he played well in the first season, why didn’t he reach that level in the second one? I’ve seen he doesn’t finish the games and this is a big mistake, it brings you to an uncomfortable situation. You can think about a player that he is not in a good physical rhythm but to increase it, you must make him suffer and to play 90 minutes.
“I hope he gets brought in more in the next season and he can become the important player he must be because he has an extraordinary quality and pure FCB DNA.”
When playing at a club like Barcelona, rumours will always be something you have to deal with as the club are often linked with big transfer moves.
And, with rumours surrounding Arthur continuing to swirl, Fernandez hopes that the midfielder looks to Ivan Rakitic as an example on how to deal with exit reports.
“I hope it doesn’t affect Arthur. The people around him should help him to remember the important things in life, as Rakitic did last season,” he said.
“Ivan is a player with a great personality and is used to playing in very difficult situations but nobody likes to read in the newspapers the club is thinking of selling you. It is not easy at all for a player in such a situation and such an experience.
“Players must be protected so it would be good if these things could be quickly denied because it is not good for them. It can only make the player angry and to lower his concentration and performances.”
Reigning Italian champions Juventus are now reportedly ready to cut players wages by up to 30 percent in which Cristiano Ronaldo will lose the sum of £8.4 million.
This latest development comes following the outbreak of deadly coronavirus which has been threatening the lives of all humans on earth since December 2019.
Coronavirus has forced all businesses not to work well in the world with all the League games in Europe suspended until when the crisis of the virus is over.
And according to the report by Mundo Deportivo, they claimed that Juventus chiefs will soon slash the wages of all their players since they are not currently playing in any competition.
And should the Old Lady come out with such plan, then Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lose £8.4 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to be on £510,000 per week at Juventus and he is not expected to be affected that much should the pay cut comes.
But for now, the issue of pay cut is not expected to worry Cristiano Ronaldo after flying away from Italy to Portugal with his family where they have been since.
The former Manchester United star has also made it clear that he will not return to Italy until when the threat of coronavirus goes down.
Italy are the most affected country in Europe with thousands of people recorded to have died while many are in the hospitals receiving treatments.
Earlier, YEN.com.gh had reported how reigning Italian champions Juventus have confirmed that their attacking midfielder Blaise Matuidi has contracted the deadly coronavirus and has been quarantined in the hospital.
The France international now becomes the second Juventus player to be tested positive to the virus after Danieli Rugani whose status was confirmed after win over Inter Milan.
Italy has become one of the worst hit places where coronavirus is really operating considering the number of sufferers carrying the disease.
Juventus confirmed on their official website that all the necessary procedure will be followed so as to help Blaise Matuidi well in his recovery.
Close to 32,000 people have been reported to have contracted the coronavirus in Italy with more than 2,000 already dead.
The situation also forced the Italian football governing body to postpone all games in the country until further notice because of coronavirus.
The second leg of Manchester City’s last-16 second leg Champions League tie against Real Madrid, scheduled for Tuesday 17 March, has been postponed.
The decision, confirmed by Uefa, comes after the Real Madrid squad went into quarantine because of coronavirus.
The second leg of Juventus’ last-16 tie against Lyon has also been postponed on the same date.
Juve’s squad will spend two weeks in quarantine after defender Daniele Rugani tested positive for the virus.
A Uefa statement said: “Following the quarantine imposed on players of Juventus and Real Madrid, the matches will not take place as scheduled.”
City’s Premier League game with Arsenal was postponed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.
Pep Guardiola’s side hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg against Real in Spain on 26 February, while Juventus trail Lyon 1-0 after the first leg in France.
Aaron Ramsey’s opening goal helped Juventus beat Inter Milan and claim top spot in Serie A in an empty Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
The Derby d’Italia, played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus emergency in Italy, endured a cagey first half despite Matthijs De Ligt and Marcelo Brozovic going close for both sides.
But Ramsey broke the deadlock with close-range finish for his third league goal of the season (54) and Paulo Dybala sealed the three points for the hosts with a delightful finish with the outside of the boot (67).
Inter went close in the final stages via a Christian Eriksen shot which flew past the crossbar but Antonio Conte’s side failed to test the Serie A champions with a lacklustre second-half performance.
The win lifts Maurizio Sarri’s side back into top spot in Serie A, one point ahead of Lazio, leaving Inter’s title dreams in tatters as the Milan club now sit nine points off their rivals.
Despite the deserted atmosphere in Turin both sides made a lively start to the game, with Juventus matching Inter’s early pressure as Samir Handanovic showed quick reflexes to deny De Ligt’s goal-bound header from a corner.
The Inter goalkeeper, who returned after a lengthy injury spell, was back at it again minutes later when he got down to make a crucial one-hand save to keep out a fizzing drive from Blaise Matuidi.
Inter worked the ball around well and showed promising signs but tested Wojciech Szczesny very rarely, their biggest chance coming with a low strike from Brozovic parried away by the Juve ‘keeper.
The hosts came quick out of the blocks in the second half and took the lead when Ramsey collected a loose ball in the box and fired in from close range with the help of a slight deflection off Stefan De Vrij.
From there onwards, Inter were second best and moments after Eriksen entered the fray to give them a much-needed boost in quality, Juventus found the all-important second goal to kill off their rivals with a piece of magic.
Sub Dybala latched onto a long ball and combined with Ramsey before he entered the box, dummied Ashley Young and placed a delightful shot off the outside of his left boot into the bottom corner.
Eriksen could have set up a tense finale after Alexis Sanchez, subbed on for an uninspiring Romelu Lukaku, teed him up inside the box but the former Tottenham playmaker failed to test Szczesny as he saw his shot fly inches over the crossbar.
Inter lost confidence rapidly while Cristiano Ronaldo looked for a goal to mark his 1000th game in professional football and went close to adding a third twice in stoppage time, but his efforts fizzed just wide of Handanovic’s goal.
The Serie A title race now heats up as Juventus and Lazio are set for a head-to-head run-in while Inter lose further ground from the top of the table, although they could cut the gap back down to six points should they win their postponed game against Sampdoria.
Lucas Tousart’s first-half goal saw a superb Lyon stun Juventus 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Tousart turned in Houssem Aouar’s cross 14 minutes before the break with Juve momentarily reduced to 10 men while Matthijs De Ligt was treated for a head injury, but the victory was no less than Rudi Garcia’s side deserved.
Their first win over Juventus in their history was underpinned by a textbook defensive performance, which denied the Serie A club a single shot on target across 90 minutes.
It was the hosts who enjoyed the better of the chances for most of the game, with Karl Toko-Ekambi rattling the bar from a corner before Tousart’s opener. Juventus substitute Gonzalo Higuain shot wide from close-range with time running out to ensure Lyon travel to Turin on March 13 enjoying a valuable first-leg lead.
Starting on the front foot, Cristiano Ronaldo almost found Juan Cuadrado at the far post inside four minutes, but that hardly provided an insight into how the half would pan out.
Just as they had at this stage 12 months ago against Barcelona, Lyon looked to be compact without the ball and spring on the break. When one such attack led to their first corner of the game, Toko-Ekambi left the crossbar shaking after meeting Aouar’s excellent corner at the near post.
Ten minutes later, with De Ligt forced off by a cut to the head, an improvised backline was breached when Aouar beat Cuadrado down the left before crossing. With the visitors unsure who was marking who, Tousart ghosted in. His top-corner effort was untidy but it beat Wojciech Szczesny.
Back to their full line-up, Juventus nearly crumbled before the break. A lazy pass back to Leonardo Bonucci was picked off by Toko-Ekambi, who went for power from a tight angle and fired over the crossbar, while the same man was again off target from 25 yards minutes later.
There was always an expectation Juventus would improve – especially with Ronaldo entering the game on the back of scoring in 11 Serie A games in succession – but little changed after half-time, in a second period which lacked goalmouth action but was a display of raw determination from Garcia’s superbly organised hosts.
It took until the 68th minute for a chance of note to drop either way, and it was one Juventus badly needed to take. Paulo Dybala arrived late to sweep Rodrigo Betancur’s cross goalwards, but missed the near post by a matter of inches.
With eight to go, it was a similar story for substitute Higuain. Receiving a perfect pass inside from Dybala, he struggled to get the ball out of his feet and clumsily fired wide from eight yards.
In added time, the visitors had a shout for a penalty when Dybala went to ground with Bruno Guimaraes grabbing a handful of his shirt, but referee Jesus Manzano waved away his protests – and with it, Juventus’ hopes of a first-leg comeback.
Six Nations games featuring Italy are under threat with organisers “monitoring very closely” the coronavirus situation.
This weekend five Serie A matches will be played behind closed doors – including Juventus’ match at home to Inter – because of the outbreak.
Seven people have died in Italy and 229 tested positive for the virus, while 11 towns in the north are in lockdown.
Ferrari says it has taken measures to limit the impact of the outbreak.
The Formula 1 giants, which are based in northern Italy, said in a statement that it had “restricted access to the factory for employees that are resident in or have visited the affected municipalities”.
Italy’s men’s and women’s teams play in Ireland in two weeks before hosting England in the final round. Those games are now all under threat.
Scotland women’s match in Italy on Sunday was cancelled and is yet to be rearranged.
“Six Nations is monitoring this situation very closely and is in regular contact with the FIR [Italian Rugby Federation] and all other unions and federations as well as the relevant local authorities and health organisations,” a statement from the organisers said.
An FIR spokesperson said that if government advice changes they would consider moving the women’s team’s next training camp, which is scheduled to take place in Parma, just south of the at-risk Lombardy and Veneto regions.
The Serie A schedule this weekend has been disrupted because of coronavirus.
Matches at Udinese, AC Milan, Parma and Sassuolo will take place without fans.
Games at Lazio, Napoli, Lecce and Cagliari will go ahead with supporters as normal, but Sampdoria’s match on Monday is yet to be decided upon.
Inter’s Europa League last-32 home match against Ludogorets on Thursday will also be played behind closed doors because of fears about the possible spread of the virus.
Inter were one of four Serie A clubs to postpone their games last weekend.
Serie A fixtures to be played behind closed doors: Juventus v Inter (Sun, 19:45 GMT); Udinese v Fiorentina (Sat, 17:00 GMT); AC Milan v Genoa (Sun, 11:30 GMT); Parma v Spal (Sun, 14:00 GMT); Sassuolo v Brescia (Sun, 14:00 GMT)
Serie A matches to be played with fans: Lazio v Bologna (Sat, 14:00 GMT); Napoli v Torino (Sat, 19:45 GMT); Lecce v Atalanta (Sun, 14:00 GMT); Cagliari v Roma (Sun, 17:00 GMT)
Still to be decided: Sampdoria v Hellas Verona (Mon, 19:45 GMT)
Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic admits he would like to play with Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as doubts remain over his future at Camp Nou.
Rakitic was heavily linked to Serie A duo Juventus and Inter before the transfer window closed, while Premier League giants Manchester United were also reportedly interested.
It came as Rakitic was reportedly offered to Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain as part of a deal to prise Neymar back to Camp Nou at the start of the season.
Rakitic continues to be linked with Italian champions Juve and when asked if he would like to play alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, the 31-year-old told Bleacher Report Football he’s very much open to the prospect.
“Of course I would. He is also one of the greatest players in history,” Rakitic replied. “You enjoy watching him play and he’s doing well at Juventus.”
Rakitic is currently team-mates with Barca captain and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who he declared is the greatest of all time.
“It’s amazing to play with him – he’s special. There have been great players in every era, but I’m sure he’s been the best in the last 15 years,” Rakitic said.
“In my opinion, I think he’s the best of all time. Being with him for six years has been incredible.”
Rakitic previously vented his frustration with how head coach Ernesto Valverde and his staff were treated upon their sacking in January, admitting he considered leaving Barcelona.
“It’s a part of football,” Rakitic said. “You have to understand that and be ready [to potentially leave] in January.
“You have to be happy, you have to think about your family, and if I play for Barcelona I am happy.”
The Croatia star was also asked to weigh in on the future of Neymar and admitted he’d welcome the Brazilian back to Camp Nou with open arms.
“First of all I would like to have Neymar in my team for sure, he needs to decide what’s best for him as he’s my big friend,” he said.
“I want to see him happy and for sure when he is happy he is one of the best players in the world.”
Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri appears to have upset the Italian postal service by saying if he wanted to avoid pressure he “would’ve taken a job at the post office”.
The ex-Chelsea boss made the comments in a press conference on Wednesday, following successive away defeats.
Poste Italiane has invited Sarri to experience a working day with them.
“Contrary to what Mr Sarri claims, pressure does exist at the Post Office,” the company said.
“It is responsible to citizens, businesses and public administrations.
“Poste Italiane invites Mr Sarri to spend a few minutes of his precious time discovering that the Post Office is the largest company in the country, chosen by young graduates as one of the most attractive companies, recognised as one of 500 of the world’s first companies for quality of life at work.
“We are waiting for him in one of our 15,000 centres so that he can see our daily work in person.”
Sarri, a 61-year-old former banker, took over from Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus at the start of this season.
However, the champions are facing a battle to retain their title as they sit second in Serie A, behind Inter Milan on goal difference.
Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has signed a three-year contract extension until 2024, the Italian champions announced on Tuesday.
The Polish international joined Juve in 2017 from Arsenal as back-up to club legend Gianluigi Buffon.
The 29-year-old took over as number one after Buffon’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain and has held on to the role despite the veteran Italian’s return to Turin this season.
“This renewal is a demonstration of the club’s trust in me,” Szczesny told Juventus TV.
“I’m very happy and I’ll try to give my best. I’ll be here for another four years and I want more titles, I want to win everything.
“You have to sweat, run and sacrifice yourself to achieve this goal that is mine but also that of the club.”
Szczesny joined the club following a two-year loan spell at Roma and has played 84 matches, winning two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup.
Juve’s reign as eight-time Serie A champions is under threat this season as they sit in second place in Serie A behind leaders Inter Milan on goal difference.
Third-placed Lazio trail the pair by a point.
Juve play AC Milan in the Italian Cup semi-final first leg on Thursday, and are through to the Champions League last 16 where they will play Lyon later this month.
Cristiano Ronaldo stretched his scoring streak to nine consecutive league games with a penalty double on Sunday as Juventus bounced back from last weekend’s defeat to Napoli with a 3-0 win over Fiorentina.
The Portuguese striker slotted in both his goals from the spot in either half in Turin with Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt heading in a third in injury time.
Maurizio Sarri’s side open up a six-point lead on top of the Serie A table on second-placed Inter Milan, who travel to lowly Udinese later on Sunday.
Juventus had fallen to just their second defeat of the season last weekend at Sarri’s former club Napoli, despite Ronaldo scoring.
Fiorentina, in 14th position, have had a resurgence in form since Giuseppe Iachini took over on December 24, and had been unbeaten in the league this year.
They tested Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny early with the Pole getting his hand to deny Federicio Chiesa’s back-heel kick and a Pol Lirola effort.
Fellow Pole Bart?omiej Dragowski denied Rodrigo Bentancur at the other end before a VAR viewing confirmed Fiorentina’s German Pezzella had handled the ball in the area.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo made no mistake, slotting in five minutes before the break.
His second came ten minutes from time after Federico Ceccherini brought down Rodrigo Bentancur.
Ronaldo made it 14 goals in nine games to bring his tally to 19 this season, including seven penalties.
The former Real Madrid player has now scored 50 goals in 70 games since moving to Juventus in 2018.
The 34-year-old also becomes the first Juventus player to achieve a run of goals in nine consecutive league games since David Trezeguet in December 2005.
De Ligt nodded in a Paulo Dybala cross after 91 minutes to hand Iachini his first league defeat with the Tuscany side.
Third-placed Lazio will try to close the gap on Juventus against struggling SPAL later on Sunday.
Roma’s fourth position however is now at risk after losing 4-2 to Sassuolo on Saturday.
Atalanta are just a point behind in fifth before they play relegation-candidates Genoa looking to move into the final Champions League berth.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli on Thursday asked the club’s shareholders to approve a 300 million euro ($333 million) capital increase to help expand the Italian club’s global ambitions.
Despite losses of 39.9 million euros ($44m) last season, Agnelli asked shareholders for a major investment as part of a five-year plan to keep pace with European rivals such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.
“Today, we ask you, the Shareholders to approve a 300 million capital increase for our 2019/2024 development plan,” Agnelli said at the club’s Allianz Stadium in Turin.
“The objective of this capital increase is the future development in a wide-ranging horizon,” he continued.
“We must imagine this season as a new year zero, with the desire and determination to think big.
“We must be extremely proud of our development and our growth rates, but we must keep with the pace.
“These numbers seem enormous when compared to the Italian reality, but our point of reference is the great European clubs.”
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing in 2018 was central to Juventus’s ambitions to expand their brand globally.
And Agnelli said that he hoped the 34-year-old would lift a sixth Ballon d’Or title this year.
“I hope that Cristiano can win the Ballon d’Or because he deserves it,” said Agnelli.
Despite their domination in Italy, winning the last eight Serie A titles, Juventus have not lifted the Champions League trophy since 1996.
“Juve is the biggest football club in Italy but only one of the big ones in Europe,” he said.
“If we look at the big names of England, Spain and Germany, their turnover is between 500 million and a billion,” said Agnelli.
The recapitalisation would be part of a five-year development plan from 2019-24.
“The vision of the new plan must be to make Juventus prosper as a global brand, recognized by all stakeholders and future generations as a modern, innovative and iconic brand,” he said.
Club revenues up to June 30 last were 494.4 million euros, a 20 percent increase on the previous year, Agnelli said.
However, the financial year to June 30 closed in the red with losses of 39.9 million euros, nearly double the 19.2 million euro deficit in 2018.
After ditching their iconic black and white striped jersey last season, the club also have a new ‘J’ logo, and on the pitch are looking for a new eye-catching style of football under new coach Maurizio Sarri.
In addition the team have invested heavily in their new “J-Hotel,” 300 metres from their Turin stadium and the “J-Medical”, the private clinic of the club.
“We have allocated around 400 million euros to direct and indirect investments in real estate development,” said Agnelli.
“Our growth is confirmed by our UEFA ranking: We are currently fifth but we have reasonable grounds to think about finishing fourth,” said Agnelli.
“We have become the fourth fan base club in Europe. Furthermore, our new office in Hong Kong will allow us to grow further in that part of the world.”
Agnelli said women’s football was an area of growth with their Juventus women’s team winning the last two Italian league titles.
Meanwhile, Juventus announced on Thursday that US car manufacturer Jeep had agreed to increase its sponsorship from 25 million euros to 42 million euros a year for the next two seasons.
Jeep are owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which belongs to Juventus’s majority shareholder Exor.
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