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Atalanta captain Marten de Roon admits they ‘collapsed and lost our focus completely’ in the incredible 3-2 defeat to Athletic Club. ‘We showed immaturity, we got scared.’ La Dea were dominating in Bergamo and leading 1-0 through Gianluca Scamacca’s header, so at half-time they were in third place in the big Champions League table, an extraordinary result for this club. …

Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli praise Luciano Spalletti after Juventus’ 2-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League: ‘He gives a lot of energy from the touchline.’ Juventus secured a crucial 2-0 win over Benfica on Wednesday, which allowed Luciano Spalletti’s side to qualify for the Champions League knockout-playoff with a game to spare. The Bianconeri still have a chance …

Raffaele Palladino finds it ‘difficult to explain’ how Atalanta went from dominating Athletic Club to losing 3-2 in the Champions League. ‘The first half was perfect, we had a blackout.’ It was a bizarre night in Bergamo, because La Dea had won four of their last five Champions League games, and were leading 1-0 at half-time tonight with a dominant …

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks. The Brazilian is keen to return to his homeland, and Flamengo are hoping to bring him back to the club. However, a deal has not been agreed upon between the two clubs. West Ham United are reportedly demanding £50 million for …

Dominik Szoboszlai delivered a moment of pure intelligence on Wednesday night, scoring a brilliantly executed free-kick just before half-time to hand Liverpool the lead against Marseille and etch his name into the club’s recent history. The goal was a masterclass in tactical awareness. Noticing that the Marseille wall was prone to jumping, Szoboszlai opted against a traditional strike over the …

Weston McKennie is Football Italia’s MOTM for Juventus’ 2-0 win over Benfica. Di Gregorio 6.5 – One big save in the first half, which proved to be vital. Kalulu 5.5 – Lost possession a couple of times in dangerous zones and won just two duels. A bit tired, probably, having played every minute under Spalletti. Bremer 5.5 – A resolute …

Sunderland attacker Simon Adingra has been linked with a move away from the club, and Juventus is interested in securing his signature. Meanwhile, a report via JuveFC claims that Real Madrid is also monitoring his situation. The Ivorian has done quite well for the newly promoted club, and his consistent performances have attracted the attention of some of the world’s …

The end of the league phase of the Champions League is just around the corner, and Italian clubs who qualify for the knockout play-off draw will know their opponents by the end of the month. Only the top eight teams in the Champions League standings will earn a direct spot in the Round of 16, while those finishing from ninth …

Atalanta were totally dominating Athletic Club, only to crumble in the second half to a shock 3-1 defeat, putting Champions League top eight qualification in doubt. La Dea were in a very strong position after four wins and a draw, including victories over Chelsea and Olympique Marseille. Scamacca was back to full fitness, with Ademola Lookman on the bench for …

Juventus thanked midfielders Khephren Thuram and Weston McKennie when beating Jose Mourinho’s Benfica, and a Vangelis Pavlidis penalty miss, to keep Champions League ambitions alive. The Bianconeri managed only three draws in the first four games of the Champions League, but were revitalised by back-to-back victories over Bodo/Glimt and Pafos. However, Serie A form took a hit at the weekend …

Amazon Prime Video reports that Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti argued with a Bianconeri fan during tonight’s home Champions League match against Benfica: ‘Next time, stay home.’ Juventus coach Spalletti argued with a fan who had been loudly criticising the team in the opening 50 minutes of a home Champions League match against Benfica. The Portuguese side, coached by José Mourinho, …

Yisa Alao has been linked with a move away from Sheffield Wednesday in recent months. The 17-year-old youngster is highly rated across the country, and several top clubs are monitoring his progress. Liverpool and Manchester United have Alao on their radar. A report from The Star, the player is now in on a January transfer to Chelsea. Sheffield Wednesday will …

Dominik Szoboszlai has given Liverpool the lead right before half-time with a fantastic freekick. The goal, coming in first-half stoppage time, was a moment of pure brilliance from the Hungarian midfielder. Having studied their opponents carefully, Szoboszlai knew Marseille’s wall would all jump, and he exploited it perfectly. Positioned with precision, he struck the ball under the wall and into …

Donyell Malen. (Reuters/Andrew Couldridge) Aston Villa are on the hunt for firepower after saying goodbye to Donyell Malen, and they may have found their next target. The Dutchman left a gap in Villa’s attack after a strong season, scoring seven goals across all competitions and proving a reliable backup to Ollie Watkins. Now, with Malen hitting the ground running at …

Arsenal are interested in selling the Real Madrid defender, Victor Valdepenas. According to TEAMtalk, a move in January is unlikely, but Arsenal are targeting the 19-year-old defender and could make a move in the future. The towering defender is naturally a central defender, but he can also play as a left back. He has the tools to develop into a top-class …