Stefano Pioli
Lazio confirm Simone Inzaghi’s exit
Lazio released a terse statement confirming Simone Inzaghi ‘changed his mind’ and is heading to Inter. Inzaghi’s contract with the Aquile is due to expire on June 30 and last night he had seemingly agreed to extend it until June 2024. However, Inter came back with a new proposal to practically double the wages on offer and lead the Serie A Champions. It was reported President Claudio Lotito tried and failed to change his mind, even telling Il Messaggero this afternoon that they would announce the new contract later. Lazio finally accepted they had lost Inzaghi and released a terse statement in which they never even said his name. “We respect the change of mind of a coach and, before that, of a player who for many years tied his name to the Lazio family and the many Biancocelesti successes....
Paolo Maldini: Gianluigi Donnarumma to leave AC Milan as free agent
Gianluigi Donnarumma will leave AC Milan this summer, club director Paolo Maldini announced on Wednesday, with the Italy goalkeeper set to pick his new club as a free agent. Donnarumma’s Milan contract expires at the end of the month and he has been linked with moves to La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, Manchester United and even bitter Serie A rivals Juventus. “We need to show respect for someone who has given a lot to Milan, he has never disrespected us. We’re going our separate ways but I can only wish him the very best,” Milan legend Maldini said on social media platform Twitch. Seven-time European champions Milan finished second in Serie A last weekend, securing Champions League football for the first time since the 2013-2014 season. Donnarumma was a near ever-present in Stefa...
AC Milan ready to pay €30 million for Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz
AC Milan are willing to pay as much as €30 million (£26m/$36m) to land Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz, with the 21-year-old having made a positive impact during his loan spell with the Serie A side. Goal can reveal that Milan bosses are keen to make the loan move permanent and, although they do not have a purchase option, they are keen to discuss a transfer with Madrid. While Brahim has always wanted to succeed at the Bernabeu, Madrid will now weigh up whether to keep him beyond the end of the 2020-21 campaign or sell for what would be a significant amount amid the coronavirus crisis. Following his loan switch to Milan in September 2020, Brahim immediately took to life in Italy and has become an important member of Stefano Pioli’s first-team squad. He has made 25 appearances in all compet...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic denies using racist language in on-field spat with Romelu Lukaku in derby clash
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has denied all allegations of using racist abuse during his on-field clash with Romelu Lukaku in the Coppa Italia match between Inter and AC Milan on Tuesday evening. The attackers squared up to each other at half-time, trading verbal blows and ultimately being cautioned by referee Paolo Valeri. Lukaku came out on top in the end, scoring the equaliser in a 2-1 win for the Nerazzurri, while Ibrahimovic was shown a second yellow in the second half and was given his marching orders. The dust has far from settled in the wake of the spat, however, as pitch-side microphones picked up the heated conversation between Lukaku and Ibrahimovic, with the latter reportedly calling the former a “donkey” and telling him to go do his “voodoo sh*t”, among other things. The voodoo referenc...
AC Milan close to signing Fikayo Tomori on loan with buy option
Serie A leaders AC Milan are aiming to secure the loan signing of Fikayo Tomori from Chelsea with a buy option in the next few days, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano reports. The England international has hardly played for the west London giants this term and he has made only four appearances in all competitions. Blues boss Frank Lampard recently said that Tomori could be loaned out and the Rossoneri are currently the leading candidates to sign him. However, the Serie A leaders want to keep hold of Tomori for the long-term and they are hopeful of negotiating a buy option for the centre-back worth €30m. The Blues are yet to given the go-ahead for the proposed deal, but Romano reports that the 23-year-old is prioritising a move to Stefano Pioli’s side. Tomori had a bright breakthrough seas...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic overhead kick seals AC Milan win at Udinese
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an acrobatic late winner as AC Milan consolidated top spot in Serie A with a 2-1 win over Udinese on Udinese. The 39-year-old has scored seven goals in four league games played having missed the other two after contracting coronavirus. Stefano Pioli’s side are top of the table with 16 points from six games, four points ahead of Atalanta. Champions Juventus are sixth — seven points behind AC Milan — before Sunday’s game against promoted Spezia where Cristiano Ronaldo starts on the bench after testing negative for Covid-19. Magic from Zlatan Ibrahimović! 🙌 Just when his team needed it, he came up with an acrobatic finish which will likely seal the win for Milan 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oNPtU0KCdo — Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) November 1, 202...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic ‘always wants to play’ – Milan coach
Zlatan Ibrahimovic always wants to play, AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli said on Wednesday, before their Europa League game against Sparta Prague. “I won’t ask Zlatan if he wants to play, because I already know the answer,” said Pioli amid a tight schedule of games every three days. “There will be changes, but I don’t like talking about turnover, I have many starters and I will field the best team. “If I ask Ibra if he feels like it, he will always tell me yes.” AC Milan are top of the Serie A table after five games as the 18-times champions target a first league title since 2011 when Ibrahimovic last played for the club. Pioli’s side won their Europa League opener 3-1 at Celtic and next travel to Sparta Prague before a home tie against French club Lille next week. “We have a lot of games so ...
Inter Milan hits two late goals to beat Fiorentina 4-3
Inter Milan fought back with two goals in the last five minutes as they began their Serie A campaign with a 4-3 win over Fiorentina on Saturday. Runners-up last season and seen as the main challengers to the dominance of Juventus this term, Inter suffered one of their familiar slumps as they fell 3-2 behind to a Fiorentina side inspired by 37-year-old Franck Ribery. But an 87th-minute equaliser from Romelu Lukaku followed by Danilo D’Ambrosio’s header two minutes later gave them the points – and possibly spared them one of coach Antonio Conte’s infamous dressing-downs after the game. Inter could not have made a worse start as they gifted Fiorentina the lead in the third minute with a goal worthy of a playground kickabout. Cristiano Biraghi floated the ball into the area, the Inter defence ...
Stefano Pioli: Zlatan Ibrahimovic not ready for Roma
AC Milan coach, Stefano Pioli, has said that Zlatan Ibrahimovic won’t be in the squad for today’s meeting with AS Roma.’ Pioli concedes Milan need victory to keep their European hopes alive. He said, “Every game is different. It also depends on the attitude of our opponents. In this end of the season, it’ll be important to understand the moments of the match. “It’ll be hot tomorrow, so we’ll have to pace ourselves. We’ll have to be aggressive but also careful. “We did well at Lecce and we must also do that against Roma. They know how to defend but could give us space to work in. “Our attackers have always moved around. With Ibra up top, we have different characteristics, but even he likes to come deep for the ball. “Now, we must insist on mobility in attack. We need to make the most of the...
