European Super Football

 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...

 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...

Inter Milan 1 - 0 Arsenal Arsenal's unbeaten run in this season’s Champions League came to a frustrating end at the San Siro, as a contentious first-half penalty handed Inter Milan a narrow victory. Author - DJ Just before half-time, Inter were awarded a penalty when Mikel Merino was judged to have handled the ball following a flick-on from Mehdi Taremi. While there seemed little Merino could do to avoid it, VAR upheld the decision, and Hakan Calhanoglu confidently slotted the penalty down the middle. This marked Arsenal’s first goal conceded in Europe this season , yet they had ample time to respond. They came close in the second half, with Gabriel’s header from a corner cleared off the line by Denzel Dumfries. Arsenal kept the pressure on, with Inter’s keeper, Yann Sommer, making an outstanding one-handed save to deny Kai Havertz’s curling effort. Havertz nearly found the net again, only to have his shot expertly blocked by Yann Bisseck. Despite their dominance in the second ...

 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 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur Spurs suffered a narrow first-leg defeat in the San Siro Diaz nodded in early on after Spurs goalkeeper Fraser Forster had saved a Theo Hernandez shot and then superbly got a hand on the scorer's initial follow-up attempt. Antonio Conte's side looked relatively comfortable for long periods of the contest against the seven-time European champions. A young midfield pairing of Pape Sarr and Oliver Skipp deputised confidently for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (suspended) and Rodrigo Bentancur (injured). Not much attacking threat from the away side They were rarely able to build any attacking momentum with their front three of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski. They were all well-shackled by an AC Milan side that was well-disciplined. Will Milan have regrets? Mian's only regret will be not to have put the tie beyond this depleted Spurs side. Can they get at least a draw in North London to see them qualify for the last eight of the compe...

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, commonly known as Ronaldo, is our latest football icon.  He played for some of the world's biggest clubs and was a huge icon during the 1990's and 2000's. A brief introduction to 'The Phenomenon'. Nicknamed The Phenomenon and R9, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo had a huge impact on a generation of forwards and attacking players that followed him. His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning the Ballon d'Or twice. <More football icons> The start of his career. He started at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then-world record transfer fee, and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. Despite being a fan favourite and developing an affinity with the clu...

It's time to have a look at another football icon.  This is a slightly altered version of an article first published here on Greater Manchester Football. (Gullit played for Sampdoria between 1993 and 1995) Ruud Gullit is a Dutch legend who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. Early career In 1978, Gullit signed professionally for HFC Haarlem. He made 91 league appearances for Haarlem and scored 32 goals. He made his debut for the club at just 16 years old, becoming at the time the youngest player in the history of the Eredivisie. In his first season at the club, they finished bottom of the Eredivisie, but bounced back the following season winning the Eerste Divisie. Gullit was named as the best player in the Eerste Divisie that season. Click here to read about more football icons In the 1981–82 season, Gullit was in fine form as Haarlem finished fourth and qualified for Europe for the only time in their history.  First two transfers The young Gullit was considered ...

The UEFA Nations League group stage involves all 55 Uefa countries and was brought in to replace international friendlies with more meaningful games, involving promotion and relegation. The finals of the competition are considered a proper tournament, with the winner getting a sterling silver, 7.5kg, 71cm tall trophy.  Italy 1-2 Spain post match reaction Two first-half goals from Manchester City ’s Ferran Torres set Spain on course for a win at the legendary and iconic San Siro stadium. This earned then a place in the Nations League final. Italy rallied in the second-half but an 83rd minute goal from Lorenzo Pellegrini wasn't enough to extend their long unbeaten run.  It was a superb game and a great showcase for the competition. This was two international sides that were close to their best and putting on a show for the fans. It has given the Spanish side an opportunity to start a relatively new era with a trophy and provides them with a boost ahead of next year's Worl...

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 ...

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 ...

The £47.2m signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan has been completed by Manchester United. The 27-year-old Cameroon international has agreed to a five-year contract with a 12-month extension option. Picture from  Football Pictures | Flickr The deal is worth an initial £43.8m plus a possible £3.4m in add-ons, and the former Ajax keeper will now join up with the United squad on their pre-season tour of the United States. Why have United signed him? Ten Hag's desire to bring his former Ajax goalkeeper to Manchester United increased after his excellent performance in Inter Milan's Champions League final defeat. A distribution like Onana's isn't risk-free, but it comes from the modern school of goalkeeping, where the last line of defence is now the first line of defence. Goalkeepers are now expected to be comfortable with the ball at their feet, be able to play short and long passes accurately, and provide angles from which sides who dominate possession can a...

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 Scotlan...

 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...

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Divock Origi will leave the club in the summer. The 27-year-old Belgium striker is out of contract at the end of the season, having not played enough games this term to trigger a one-year extension to the deal. Origi has been linked with AC Milan and a number of other clubs across Europe.  This Guardian report seems to indicate that he has agreed a move to the San Siro.  Divock Origi agrees to join Milan when Liverpool contract expires this summer | Liverpool | The Guardian This video from YouTube user  Luke Galea  explores some of his best moments at the Anfield club. Despite scoring some memorable goals for the club, he has been unable to hold a regular place. This has been exemplified by the fact he has only featured in 35 matches over the last two seasons. He could still play a part in Liverpool's dramatic end to the season. He could add another Premier League and Champions League winners medal to the one's listed...

Manchester United have announced that Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard will leave the club once their contracts expire Both players drew widespread attention as part of United's Youth Cup winning side of 2011. Pogba departs again.  A statement on United's website reads: "The club can announce that Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United at the end of June, upon the expiry of his contract." The Frenchman has enjoyed a long association with United, having joined the club's Academy from Le Havre at the age of just 16. Pogba quickly progressed through the ranks, first impressing in the Under-18s and then swiftly moving upwards to the Reserves. In the 2011/2012 season, he made a few appearances. However, in the summer of 2012, due to strong competition for places at Old Trafford, Pogba joined Italian giants Juventus. He quickly became a success at Juve as he helped them lift four consecutive Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias. However, in 2016, he made the emotion...