European Super Football

Pervis Estupinan has joined Italian side AC Milan from Brighton & Hove Albion  This is a deal worth £17m, including add-ons. The deal will reportedly last until 2030. Author | Ajay Estupinan back in 2023 The Ecuadorian international defender has been a regular for Brighton since joining the club from Villarreal in 2022, scoring five goals in 104 games. Estupinan was part of the squad that qualified for European football for the first time in their history in 2023, before they were knocked out of the Europa League by Roma in the last 16. Last season, the left-back made 34 appearances as the Seagulls finished eighth in the Premier League . The 27-year-old first came to England in 2016, signing for Watford, but never made a senior appearance. He went on to make his name at Villarreal and was part of the squad that beat Manchester United in the 2021 Europa League final before his move to the south coast. A summary of his career so far Pervis Estupiñán has carved out a reputatio...

An interesting bit of confirmed news from the San Siro Luka Modric has joined AC Milan on a free transfer, bringing to an end a glittering 13-year spell at Real Madrid. Author | Josh D The 39-year-old midfielder has agreed a deal that runs until June 2026, with Milan holding an option to extend it by a further year. Modric confirmed in May that he would depart Real Madrid following the Club World Cup in the United States. His move reunites him with Massimiliano Allegri, who returned to Milan this summer for a second spell as manager, replacing Sergio Conceição. Allegri described the Croatian captain as an “extraordinary player” when news of the deal first emerged. A Ballon d’Or winner in 2018, Modric departs the Bernabéu as the most decorated player in the club’s history, having collected 28 major trophies, including six Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns, since joining from Tottenham in 2012. He scored 43 goals in 597 appearances for the Spanish side, with his final o...

Napoli 2 - 1 AC Milan Napoli kept their Serie A title hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over AC Milan, staying within three points of league leaders Inter. Author - Jack L Stadium - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona Napoli took control early on against AC Milan, with first-half goals from Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku leaving the Rossoneri with too much to do. Milan had a golden chance to claw their way back when Santiago Gimenez won a penalty, but the substitute failed to convert, meaning Luka Jovic’s late strike was nothing more than a consolation. As the full-time whistle blew, you could sense the relief amongst the Napoli fans and players. This was an important win for them.  READ MORE: Can Napoli win the title? The defeat leaves Milan stuck in ninth place, now nine points adrift of fourth. Their hopes of Champions League football are all but over, with only a looming Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter offering a shot at redemption. A closer look at what happened ...

From Crystal Palace to AC Milan? AC Milan are weighing up a summer move for Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell as they brace themselves for the potential departure of Theo Hernandez. Author - Jack L Playing for Palace in 2023 Mitchell, who has earned two caps for England, has been a mainstay in Palace’s defence this season, starting all 28 of their Premier League matches. His consistency and defensive reliability have reportedly caught the eye of Milan’s hierarchy, who are beginning to prepare for life without Hernandez. The Rossoneri are widely expected to part ways with Hernandez this summer, with both Real Madrid and Manchester City expressing strong interest in the French international. While Milan have opened talks with Hernandez over extending his contract, which runs until 2026, negotiations have reached an impasse, making a transfer increasingly likely. Should Hernandez depart, Milan manager Sergio Conceicao is understood to have identified signing a new left-back as...

Liverpool are considering an approach for AC Milan’s Rafael Leao It has been reported that AC Milan set an enticing price tag for him. Author - William G Leao at Milan. Source | AC Milan YouTube  Back in December, AC Milan received one official approach from a major European side, believed to be Barcelona, that communicated a desore to open negotiations with Leao for the summer. With AC Milan’s hopes of Champions League football fading, the club are looking at offloading key players to fund their summer transfer business. As previously reported, Theo Hernández is expected to move on, with Manchester City , Real Madrid, and several Premier League clubs showing interest. But he might not be the only big name heading for the exit. Milan’s need to generate funds could also see them consider selling Rafael Leão. Despite a €175m release clause coming into effect this summer, the Rossoneri are reportedly willing to listen to offers in the region of €100m for the Portuguese forward. B...

Rumours regarding Manchester City's rebuild are starting to increase  It has been reported that Theo Hernandez’s contract talks with AC Milan are at a standstill and Manchester City are considering a summer move for the left-back.  Author - Macca Experts believe that left-back is a position Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen and Hernandez is one of the players that has been shortlisted His contract with Milan expires in 2026 and an extension is unlikely. This allegedly means that the Italian giants are looking to sell him this summer and get a decent transfer fee whilst they can.  City's position is now believed to be one of concrete interest. This is expected to be the start of a busy summer with five or six players expected to arrive as Guardiola looks to get his club back to to the top of English and European football?  Would this be a good signing for Manchester City? It has been a poor season by their standards Hernandez is one of the most attacking ful...

 AC Milan 1 - 1 Feyenoord (Feyenoord won 2-1 on aggregate) AC Milan’s Champions League campaign came to a crushing end as they were held to a draw by Feyenoord in the second leg of their knockout play-off at the San Siro. Author - Jack L Stadium - San Siro The Rossoneri had the perfect start, overturning their 1-0 first-leg deficit within just 36 seconds. Santiago Giménez, facing his former club, scored the fastest goal of this season’s Champions League, reigniting Milan’s hopes of progression. However, their chances took a major hit when Theo Hernández was sent off in the 51st minute after picking up a second yellow card. Feyenoord capitalised on their numerical advantage, with substitute Julián Carranza heading in the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Dutch side. The last-16 draw on Friday will determine whether Feyenoord will face Inter Milan or Arsenal next month. Champions League: 2024/2025 More news from Feyenoord can be found here ...

Chelsea forward João Félix has joined AC Milan on loan until the end of the season. The Italian giants have paid a £5m loan fee for the 25-year-old Portugal international, but there’s no obligation to make the move permanent in the summer. Author - Lauren W Felix on his first spell for Chelsea in 2023 Although the deal was only officially announced on Tuesday, all the necessary paperwork had been submitted ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline for both Serie A and the Premier League. Félix signed a seven-year contract with Chelsea last August when he completed a £45m permanent switch from Atletico Madrid, following a loan spell at Stamford Bridge during the second half of the 2022-23 season. His move came about in unusual circumstances, as Chelsea and Atletico effectively swapped players—academy graduate Conor Gallagher heading to Spain in a £33m deal. Click here for more February 2025 Deadline Day news Chelsea had initially been in talks to sign Atletico striker Samu Omorodion, but ...

AC Milan 1 - 0 Girona Rafael Leão's first-half strike secured AC Milan a vital win over Girona, moving the Italian side closer to automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16. Stadium - San Siro Author - Jack L The Portuguese forward expertly controlled Ismaël Bennacer's precise through ball, weaved his way into the box, and unleashed a thunderous shot into the top corner – the only goal of the match. Girona thought they had equalised just before the hour mark when Bryan Gil fired in a stunning effort from the edge of the area, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Leão had a chance to double his tally in the 65th minute, but his curling effort drifted wide of Paulo Gazzaniga’s post. Milan now sit sixth in the table with 15 points, occupying one of the eight automatic qualification spots for the knockout stage. They face Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia next week. Meanwhile, Girona remain on three points and are out of contention for the play-off stage. A closer look ...

AC Milan 3 - 1 Club Brugge Tijjani Reijnders netted two impressive second-half goals as AC Milan overcame a shaky start to defeat a 10-man Club Brugge. Author - Katrine Jonnson  The Belgian side began brightly, with Christos Tzolis nearly putting them ahead, only for a superb save by Mike Maignan to deny him. Milan, needing a victory after defeats against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, took the lead when former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic's   inswinging corner flew directly into the net. Referee Felix Zwayer showed a red card to Raphael Onyedika for a high tackle on Reijnders following a VAR review, leaving Brugge with what eventually proved to be a significant disadvantage. Despite the setback, Brugge managed to level the score with a well-crafted goal. Substitute Kyriani Sabbe finished off a slick team move, slotting the ball into the far corner. At 19, Sabbe became only the fourth teenager to score against Milan in the Champions League. Champions League: 2024/20...

The end of an era in French football  Olivier Giroud has announced his intention to step down from international duty with France after Euro 2024. The AC Milan striker is that nation's all-time top scorer, with 57 goals in 131 appearances and won the World Cup in 2018. The former Arsenal and Chelsea forward has been named in Didier Deschamps' provisional squad for the Euros, which start next month in Germany. A key player for this golden generation of French football? Despite playing 465 minutes at the 2018 World Cup, Giroud did not score or have a shot on target. However, many of those around him have spoken about the massive impact he had. He scored four at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This included a late winner against England in the quarter-finals. France went on to reach the final, where they were beaten on penalties by Argentina. Giroud is out of contract at AC Milan next month and has agreed to join American Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC after this summer...

 AC Milan 1 - 2 Inter Milan Inter Milan secured their 20th Serie A title by beating Milan in a fiery derby showdown at San Siro. This victory propelled Simone Inzaghi’s squad to an insurmountable lead in the league standings. Goals from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram in each half were enough to seal Inter’s win, with Fikayo Tomori finding the net late in the game to narrow the scoreline. The match was marked by three players receiving red cards in stoppage time, leading to Milan finishing the game with only nine players due to escalating tensions. Theo Hernández and Davide Calabria were sent off alongside Inter’s Denzel Dumfries. With five league matches now left, Inter holds a commanding 17-point lead over second-placed Milan . The San Siro was full of fans from both teams, with Inter supporters proudly displaying two stars to signify their imminent 20th Scudetto triumph, sending a clear message to their rivals: "Our destiny, your nightmare." The game got off t...

 AC Milan 0 - 0 Newcastle United With a 0-0 draw at the San Siro, Newcastle earned what could prove to be a vital point after holding a dominant AC Milan to their first Champions League match in over twenty years. Eddie Howe's side qualified for the group stages for the first time since the 2002/03 season, joining Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, as well as Milan, last year's semifinalists. In such a daunting draw, any points gained away from St James' Park should be cherished - even if theis was mainly earned through gritty defending and opposition wastefulness. Newcastle were fortunate to go into half-time level with the hosts after Rafael Leao fluffed a backheel after a fine solo run. In the second half, the game became much more even. The visitors' Sandro Tonali had a shot blocked, while Tijjani Reijnders forced Pope into a decent save. More AC Milan news In the closing stages, Leao should have won it with a header after getting between Newcastle def...

 AC Milan have completed the signing of Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea on a four-year contract. The two clubs did not disclose the fee involved. However, it has been reported that Milan will pay £15m plus add-ons. The 27-year-old had been at Stamford Bridge since he was a youth player. He has scored seven goals in 155 club appearances, winning two Premier League titles, the Europa League and the Uefa Super Cup. The midfielder has also had loans at Crystal Palace and Fulham where he made an additional 54 Premier League appearances. It has already been a busy summer of outgoings for Chelsea. They have sold Kai Havertz to Arsenal and Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City. Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli, and N'Golo Kante has agreed a deal with fellow Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. What are people saying about the move?  Lauren, a Chelsea fan, was sad to see him go. She said: "When he played for Sarri he looked like the real deal. He su...

 It's time for you to read about another football icon. Jaap Stam is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. As a player, he played as a centre-back and is regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation. A brief introduction Stam played for several European clubs including PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Lazio, Milan and Ajax. More icons The start of a fantastic career On August 15th 1992, Stam made his professional debut for FC Zwolle in a 1–1 draw against SC Heracles in the Eerste Divisie. He became a first-team regular right away and moved to Eredivisie club Cambuur Leeuwarden for the following season, but relegated in his first season which brought him back into the Eerste Divisie.  Two seasons performing well at Cambuur earned him a transfer to Eredivisie club Willem II. At Willem II, he immediately impressed at the Eredivisie level and earned a transfer to PSV Eindhoven despite only making 19 appearances. Icons: Henrik Larsson (eurosuperfoot...

 Let's explore some of the best Champions League and European Cup finals. There have been some truly memorable encounters in the final of the competition since it started in the 1950s. Real Madrid 4 - 3 Stade de Reims: 1956 A football match that you have probably never heard of. This was actually the first final of the European Cup. Real Madrid triumphed in what would prove to be the first of five consecutive title in the competition. On this night, the Spanish giants came back from behind to win 4–3. This was thanks to goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano and Marquitos, as well as two goals from Héctor Rial. Benfica 1 - 4 Manchester United: 1968 A memorable night where Man United became the first English side to win Europe's premier competition.  United took the lead from Bobby Charlton's header eight minutes into the second half. Jaime Graça's 79th-minute equaliser meant the match went into extra time. United scored three times in seven minutes in the first extra tim...

 Juventus 0 - 1 AC Milan Olivier Giroud scored the winner as AC Milan qualified for next season's Champions League with a narrow win against Juventus. The defeat ended Juve's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. The home side started the match aggressively, knowing that only a win was good enough to maintain their slim hopes of securing a top-four finish. Massimiliano Allegri made enforced changes to his team as their star striker and top scorer Dusan Vlahovic was sidelined.  Davide Calabria crossed from the right for the France striker to head in the winner for the Rossoneri. Alexis Saelemaekers had a low shot saved by Wojciech Szczesny as Milan probed for a second goal. Click here to find more AC Milan news and stories. Milan have now completed a league double against Juventus for just the third time in the last 50 years. They are now secure in fourth place, with Inter, Lazio and champions Napoli having already qualified for next season's Champions League. Aft...

 Inter Milan 1 - 0 AC Milan (Inter won 3-0 on aggregate) Inter Milan reached the Champions League final as Lautaro Martinez's goal sealed victory over fierce rivals AC Milan. The 'home side' qualified for the final in Istanbul on the 10th of June after a disciplined second-leg display ensured progress. They were made to absorb early pressure as a determined start by Milan ensured the match began at a frenetic pace. Theo Hernandez fired marginally over with a ferocious strike and Brahim Diaz was denied by Andre Onana as Stefano Pioli's side attempted to undo the damage done by conceding two goals inside 11 minutes last week. Click here for more Champions League news:  UCL and UEL (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The talented Rafael Leao displayed flashes of inspiration on his return but shot agonisingly wide of the far post after driving in from the left. Inter asserted themselves as the first half progressed, and the tie would have been effectively over before the i...

This player might be Brazilian, but like his friend Ronaldo, his impact across Europe was huge.  Icons: Ronaldo (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Let's explore Rivaldo's fantastic career A brief introduction Rivaldo played mainly as an attacking midfielder. However, he was also used as a second striker and occasionally as a wide midfielder or a winger. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, and powerful ball striking from a distance. Rivaldo also had the ability to both score and create goals. In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. With his huge success, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. Early career  He started his career in 1991 with Brazilian club Santa Cruz, moving on to spells at Mogi Mirim, a loan spell at Corinthians, and Palmeiras. People across the major European leagues were impressed, and it was inevitable that a move was...

Let's take a look at some of the greatest Champions League semi-finals.  With the 2023 Champions League semi-finals just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look back at some legendary matches at this stage of the competition.  From AC Milan to Manchester United and Didier Drogba to Zinedine Zidane, iconic clubs and players have come of age and built their modern mythology in these matches. However, which games were the best?  AC Milan v Monaco - 1994 The Champions League was still a very different competition when it officially changed its name from the European Cup in the earlier part of the 1990s.  In this game against Monaco, Milan went up early through Marcel Desailly but suffered a significant setback when Alessandro Costacurta was sent off after 40 minutes. However, they were determined not to let their advantage slip. In the end, they only held their lead but also added to it with further strikes in the second half. The season would only get bet...