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We play for the top spot

AC Milan are taking on Sassuolo in the early game today and as highlighted by the newspapers, they need to win to put pressure on their Scudetto rivals. 

Manchester United’s highly-rated young midfielder, Kobbie Mainoo, has become a key player in the rumour mill due to a lack of consistent game time at Old Trafford.

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s astonishing 65-yard strike against Ipswich Town has officially become the longest-range goal ever recorded in the Championship since Opta began compiling data.The Ghanaian winger produced a moment of remarkable ingenuity during Leicester City’s 3-1 win at the King Power Stadium, catching goalkeeper Christian Walton off his line with a sensational effort from well inside his own half.Opta confirmed that Fatawu’s strike, measured at around 65 yards, surpasses all previous long-range goals documented in the league’s statistical archives. The 21-year-old won possession, slipped the ball through Jack Taylor’s legs and unleashed a stunning left-footed shot that sailed over Walton, leaving the stadium in disbelief.The record-breaking goal arrived moments before half-time and added to an earlier free-kick that Walton had done well to keep out. Leicester, who had struggled for home wins in recent months, capitalised on the momentum as Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Jordan Ayew also found the net to secure a much-needed victory.Manager Marti Cifuentes described Fatawu’s strike as “very special,” praising the winger’s rapid development and growing influence within the squad.Fatawu’s 65-yard effort has drawn widespread acclaim and is already regarded as a leading contender for Goal of the Season.

Ghana’s Black Galaxies have left Accra for South Africa ahead of their international friendly against Bafana Bafana, set for Tuesday at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.The contingent, made up of players, technical staff and management, departed on Saturday, 13 December, aboard Ethiopian Airlines.The fixture forms part of the team’s preparations for the upcoming CHAN qualifiers. Coach Kassim Mingle Ocansey has named a 20-man squad for the trip, with the players engaged in intensive training in recent weeks as they work to build cohesion and match fitness.For South Africa, the match provides an opportunity to continue their build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. However, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has suggested the contest may not offer the level of challenge he anticipated. He noted that Ghana will not field their strongest squad due to the match falling outside the FIFA international window.“The West African team will not field its strongest lineup. Ghana’s international stars play in competitive leagues across Europe,” Broos said.Even so, the fixture gives both sides a chance to assess local talent and fine-tune tactical plans ahead of their forthcoming competitive engagements.

Igor Thiago has become one of the standout names of the winter transfer window. His strong performances for Brentford have put him firmly on the radar of Premier League giants.

Basake Holy Stars will be hoping to continue their recent run of good form when they host former champions FC Samartex on matchday 14 of the Ghana Premier League at AAK II Sports Arena.Holy Stars head into the game beaming with confidence after beating giants Asante Kotoko and picking a valuable point against league leaders Aduana Stars last week. They are the most in-form side in the league at the moment, having lost only one of their last five games, which includes three victories.Meanwhile, Samartex have not fared bad in the same run, having also lost only a game in the last five matches, but drawn two and won two.Despite Holy Stars' good run, they are just a point away from the drop zone, sitting 15th while FC Smaartex are seventh on the league log.Ahead of Sunday's clash, Holy Stars will look for inspiration in their star man Prince Tweneboah, who has already netted five goals in the ongoing campaign.Meanwhile, Samartex will rely on Kwaku Owusu and forward Emmanuel Mamah if they are to pick a positive result in Basake.The two sides have met twice in the Ghana Premier League with both teams recording a win each.Holy Stars desperately need a win to stay clear away from the drop zone while victory for Samartex could catapult them into top 4 places.

Juventus fans might’ve forgotten that he still plays for them, but Arkadiusz Milik today returned to training with the full squad for the first time in 550 days.

Quick take: Big picture: the update fits broader trends across the league with schedule pressure and tight tables. Supporters will watch for clarity from training ground reports and official briefings. We’ll keep an eye on confirmed details as the story develops from official sources.

Maurizio Sarri joked Lazio might just ‘start with 10 men’ next time after beating Parma with two players sent off. ‘We won with 8 against 10 once…’

Lorenzo Lucca returns ‘home’ to face his old club Udinese, but even though he’s not going to get much playing time at Napoli, he is not on the transfer market yet.

AC Milan are expected to stick with a standard XI for the game against Sassuolo, despite the Supercoppa Italiana being around the corner. 

Atalanta director Luca Percassi acknowledges the win over Chelsea was their third greatest European night, but now they must ‘battle for every point’ against Cagliari.

Rui Costa is one of Serie A’s greatest ever players, and having starred for Fiorentina and AC Milan, he is synonymous with silverware.

Lazio managed to grab a rare away victory with Tijjani Noslin’s late goal against Parma despite being down to nine men, with Mattia Zaccagni and Toma Basic sent off.