Posts

Showing posts with the label Italy

Italy: Inter are Serie A champions

Image
 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

UEL: Liverpool shocked by Italian side

Image
 Liverpool 0 - 3 Atalanta A few weeks ago, Liverpool fans were dreaming of 4 trophies. This time next week, there's every chance that they will only be fighting to add the Premier League to their Carabao Cup.  The Anfield side faces a huge battle to stay in the Europa League after suffering a home defeat to Atalanta in the quarter-final first leg.  Let's explore what happened.  The former West Ham United forward Gianluca Scamacca scored in each half. Ex-Chelsea player Mario Pasalic added a late third goal to ensure the Italians start strong favourites to reach the semi-finals when the sides meet in the return leg in Bergamo.  After a fairly open first 30 minutes or so, Scamacca managed to break the deadlock in the 38th minute after Caoimhin Kelleher allowed his low drive to creep under him. On a deeply frustrating night for below-par Liverpool, Darwin Nunez missed two big chances to give Liverpool a foothold in the match. Harvey Elliott's curling attempt somehow managed

Italy: Inter move closer to Serie A title

Image
 Udinese 1 - 2 Inter Milan Inter Milan extended their lead to 14 points at the top of Serie A after a 2-1 victory against Udinese at Stadio Friuli. Substitute Davide Frattesi scored in the 95th minute after Lautaro Martinez's strike hit the post from close range. Lazar Samardzic had previously opened the scoring late in the first half, capitalising on a defensive mix-up by Yann Sommer and Denzel Dumfries. Hakan Calhanoglu scored from the penalty spot. This opportunity arrived after Marcus Thuram was fouled by goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. More news from across Italy Inter Milan's end to the season will be covered on European Super Football The league leaders thought they had scored in the 48th minute through Carlos Augusto but the goal was ruled out for offside. Simone Inzaghi's side secured the win with a second goal in stoppage time. This victory was probably too close, even though they dominated most of the match with 77% possession and 23 shots. Udinese remain 15th in S

Iconic Euros moments: Throwback to England v Italy (2021)

Image
Ahead of Euro 2024, we will start looking back at some iconic moments from previous competitions.  First up is a recap of the final of the last tournament.  You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. What were your memories of that memorable night?  HIGHLIGHTS | More penalty pain for England as Italy win Euro 2020 (youtube.com) England's hopes of ending a 55-year wait for a major trophy were crushed heartbreakingly as they lost 3-2 on penalties to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.  On a night of incredible tension played in a feverish atmosphere, England looked on course for their most joyous day since the 1966 World Cup final when Luke Shaw gave them the dream start after only two minutes. Italy eventually edged their way back into the game and were level in the 67th minute when Leonardo Bonucci pounced after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford turned Marco Verratti's header onto the post. More news from across Italy England look ahead to Euro

UCL: Bayern progress against Lazio

Image
 Bayern Munich 3 - 0 Lazio (Bayern Munich win 3-1 on aggregate) FC Bayern clinched a resounding 3-0 victory over Lazio, securing their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.  Harry Kane and Thomas Müller led the charge, overturning Lazio's 1-0 first-leg lead in the opening half, with Kane sealing his brace in the second half for a 3-1 aggregate triumph. Footage from  COMEBACK COMPLETE! Quarter-finals, here we come | FC Bayern vs. Lazio Rome 3-0 | Highlights & more (youtube.com) The Bavarians fielded a formidable lineup, with Manuel Neuer guarding the goal and Joshua Kimmich, Matthijs de Ligt, Eric Dier, and Raphaël Guerreiro forming the defensive wall. In midfield, Aleksandar Pavlović and Leon Goretzka provided stability, while Leroy Sané, Müller, and Jamal Musiala orchestrated the attack alongside Kane.  Alphonso Davies, Mathys Tel, Konrad Laimer, and Serge Gnabry made late appearances in the second half, replacing Guerreio, Müller, Sané, and Musiala respectively. U

Champions League: Results and reaction as the competition returns

Image
Let's explore the key results and stories as the Champions League returned this week Lazio 1 - 0 Bayern Munich Ciro Immobile scored a penalty to give Lazio a surprising victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. The penalty was scored from the spot midway through the second half after Dayot Upamecano was sent off for a foul on Gustav Isaksen. Bayern featured the likes of Harry Kane but they were unable to respond in an underwhelming display. This was another low point in a bad few days for Bayern after their poor result and performance against Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Highlights below from TNT Sports:  Immobile Sinks 10-Man Bayern 😳 | Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich | Champions League Round Of 16 Highlights - YouTube Paris Saint Germain 2 - 0 Real Sociedad  Kylian Mbappe put in a great performance for PSG as his side took control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad. Mbappe, who has reportedly requested a move to

European football summary

Image
 Let's travel across Europe for some talking points Spain: Bellingham shines for Madrid The former Borussia Dortmund midfielde r again proved Real Madrid’s match-winner, scoring in injury time to snatch a 2-1 La Liga victory over Getafe. Real Madrid played their first home game at the Bernabéu this season. Liam is a Manchester United fan, and watched the game on TV: "Bellingham is a special player. I really wish he was playing for Manchester United." You can see some highlights in the video below. Footage from  LaLiga - YouTube Italy: Napoli lost at home to Lazio The Italian champions, Napoli, faced their first loss of the season when they were defeated 2-1 at their home ground by Lazio. It was a surprising turn of events as Lazio's Luis Alberto scored the opening goal with a clever backheel after 30 minutes, despite Napoli dominating the game. Napoli, now under the management of Rudi Garcia, who took over from Luciano Spalletti in June, quickly levelled the score

Italy: Ruben Loftus-Cheek joins AC Milan

Image
 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

UECL: West Ham win Conference League

Image
 Fiorentina 1 - 2 West Ham It has been 43 long years since West Ham United last lifted major silverware. That wait has now come to the most sensational of endings. Every single final has its hero. After Saïd Benrahma’s penalty on 62 minutes had been cancelled out by Giacomo Bonaventura’s well-taken finish just five minutes later. It would be Jarrod Bowen who would write his name into Hammers history forever. Bowen made no mistake when it mattered most, latching onto Paquetá's clever pass through the ACF Fiorentina defence and smartly scoring. The manner of victory was rather sweet for West Ham and all their fans. The celebrations of the Premier League team were something to behold. Click here for more West Ham news and stories. The victory ends a wait of more than forty years for major silverware. It also means they have won a European trophy for the second time in their history following the club's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup triumph in 1965. The victory also guarantees the

UEL: Sevilla win Europa League

Image
 Sevilla 1 - 1 Roma (Sevilla won 4-1 on penalties) Sevilla claimed a record-extending seventh Europa League title as they beat Roma on penalties at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty for the Spanish side following a 1-1 draw. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. Footage from BT Sport.  Sevilla v Roma (1-1) (Sevilla win 4-1 on penalties) | Mourinho Heartbreak | Europa League Highlights - YouTube   The Spanish side have now won all seven of the finals they have played in the competition since 2006. This most recent success sees them qualify for next season's Champions League despite finishing outside the top four in La Liga. There will be a feeling that it could have been so different for Roma and their manager Jose Mourinho, who had won all five of the previous European finals he had been involved in and guided the club to inaugural Europa Conference League success last term. 🗣️ Mendilibar: "I thank the playe

UEL: Roma to face Sevilla in final

Image
 Let's explore all the key moments from a dramatic night in the Europa League Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - 1 Roma (Roma won 1-0 on aggregate) Jose Mourinho's Roma reached the Europa League final after holding Bayer Leverkusen to a goalless draw in the second leg of the semi-final. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen side could not find the breakthrough as Jose Mourinho delivered a tactical masterclass.  You can hear what Mourinho had to say in the video below. Footage:  JOSÉ MOURINHO | POST MATCH INTERVIEW | BAYER-ROMA - YouTube Is he still the Special One? Click here to read the latest Mourinho news stories. Can the iconic manager win yet another European trophy? His side can look forward to a second European final in as many years having not reached one for 31 years before last season. Who would they be facing though? They would have to wait another 30 minutes before finding out. UECL: Roma win Europa Conference League (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Sevilla 2 - 1 Juventus (Sevill

UCL: Inter progress to the final

Image
 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

Icons: Rivaldo

Image
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

Transfer Rumours: Could Tammy Abraham be returning to England?

Image
 Could Tammy Abraham be moving back to the Premier League? Let's see what the latest rumours are saying. The eyes of two giants of European football are reportedly on Tammy Abraham. Last night to watch the match between Rome and Milan at the Olimpico, there were also some representatives of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.  Both clubs are looking for a striker to reinforce their offensive department and, for different reasons, the former Chelsea could be the right person. At Old Trafford, they are looking for a long-term option to try and help them compete for the Premier League and Champions League next season. For PSG, their failure in the Champions League could see them look to start something of a rebuild. There are rumours that PSG  might see both Lionel Messi and Neymar depart. Could a shock move to Spurs be on the cards? It was rumoured back in October 2022 that Spurs were interested in Abraham. One of their issues over the years has been their inability to bri

Serie A: How Napoli soared to the top once again

Image
The Napoli fans have always been a passionate group of people.  This season, that passion has only increased. Occasionally, this passion is rewarded with a successful football team. Their dreams of watching a vibrant team with flair and skill have become a reality once again. They overcome their rich northern rivals to reach the summit of Italian football once again. From March onwards, their city has become a scene of constant celebration. The Champions League defeat against AC Milan was annoying but they quickly got over that. The story is one that is discussed by fans across Europe  Lilly is a Manchester United fan but she moved to Naples in 2014 and has become obsessed with the local fan culture. She said: Almost every neighbourhood is adorned with sky blue and white streamers, flags bearing the faces of Napoli players. This current team means more to them. They feel it represents them in a way that has only been replicated once." Shaun is from Inverness in Scotland. H

UCL: Inter Milan in control of quarter-final

Image
Benfica 0 - 2 Inter Milan Romelu Lukaku scored an 82nd-minute penalty as Inter Milan put themselves in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League after a deserved win away to Benfica. Nicolo Barella's downward header gave Inter the lead in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon. Benfica struggled to dictate play in front of their own fans as Inter produced a defensive masterclass in Lisbon. This was almost reminiscent of their 2010 triumph with Jose Mourinho.  <Click here to find more news and stories from across Italy> Rafa Silva was denied by Andre Onana's first-half save before Inter's Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries produced a crucial block from close range as Benfica pushed for an equaliser. The Italian visitors wrapped up their win when substitute Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, scored from the spot after former Inter player Joao Mario handled. Premier League referee Michael Oliver awarded the penalty after watching the incide

ECQ: Kane breaks England record in Italy

Image
 Italy 1 - 2 England Harry Kane became England's record goalscorer as they opened their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with an away win against Italy. Kane wrote his name into the history books in the 44th minute when he beat Gianluigi Donnarumma from the penalty spot for his 54th England goal. Declan Rice had earlier given England an early lead when he scored from close range after Kane's shot was blocked before the captain put his name in the record books. Italy whistled off at half-time in their first international in Naples for a decade, improved as England became sloppy. England dominated the first half but struggled in the second. Southgate's side were in total control during the first 45 minutes. The only negative was a dreadful miss by Jack Grealish that would have made it 3-0. It would have allowed England to avoid the anxious second half.  The away side then conceded control after the break and Italy looked like more of the side that had become European champio

UCL: Inter hold out against Porto

Image
 FC Porto 0 - 0 Inter Milan (Aggregate: 0 - 1 ) Inter Milan fans are dreaming of Champions League success once again. The Italian side reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in more than a decade after surviving a late barrage of pressure at Porto to escape with a 0-0 draw which took them through 1-0 on aggregate. It was a disappointing night for the home fans at a sold-out Dragao stadium as the Portuguese champions tried in vain to wipe out the narrow deficit from the first leg in Italy. A disciplined Inter side seemed content to hold onto their lead and did not face a serious threat until added time.  Defender Pepe was then dismissed for a second yellow card and Inter joined city rivals AC Milan in the quarterfinal draw. This is the first time they have both reached the last eight since 2006. Click here for more news from across Italy>>> Porto fans will have been very disappointed that they didn't progress to the next round. This would have bee

UCL: Milan progress against disappointing Tottenham

Image
 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0  AC Milan (Aggregate 0 - 1) Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League campaign ended in disappointing fashion as they failed to overturn a first-leg deficit against AC Milan. Our write-up of a brilliant night in London 👉 https://t.co/ACYqFrO5iG Il nostro racconto di una splendida notte londinese 👉 https://t.co/LyRQnQbeei #TOTACM #UCL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/Xks6RzSEzZ — AC Milan (@acmilan) March 8, 2023 The home side paid the price for another passive start that allowed Milan to settle into their task. This misery for Spurs was complete when Cristian Romero was sent off late on after receiving a second yellow card for a wild challenge on Theo Hernandez. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg tested AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan with a powerful second-half shot and Harry Kane headed wide, but Spurs failed to mount sustained pressure on the Italian defence. Lads, it's Spurs news from European Super Football>>> There wasn't much in the way of late

Serie A: Napoli extend lead at the top

Image
 Empoli 0 - 2 Napoli Napoli's impressive form carries on A goal by striker Victor Osimhen and an own goal by Empoli defender Ardian Ismajli earned Napoli a 2-0 away win in Serie A on Saturday. This extended their lead over second-placed Inter Milan to an incredible 18 points. The league leaders dominated the clash from kick-off and pushed mid-table Empoli enough to pressure Ismajli into opening the scoring with an own goal in the 17th minute. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sent a lofted pass from the edge of the box to midfielder Piotr Zielinski who saw Osimhen in front of goal but before his cross could reach the striker, Ismajli put the ball in. It was then 2-0 around eleven minutes ater. Osimhen tapped in a rebound from close range after Empoli keeper Guglielmo Vicario had parried a strike by Kvaratskhelia right into the Nigerian's path. 𝓩𝓲𝓮𝓵𝓸 🤹‍♂️ #EmpoliNapoli 0-1 pic.twitter.com/0z02RONHe8 — Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) February 25, 2023 Fan reaction  We managed t