║ Serie A Season 2014-15 ║

[Vidal]

Being Inter is not enough to end form slump - Mancini

10 April 2015

Roberto Mancini insists that "simply being Inter" is not enough to guarantee the Italian giants success, but says he feels no pressure from president Erick Thohir.

Inter sit ninth in Serie A and are without a win in seven matches in all competitions.

"Despite recent results, the team is putting in a lot of hard work," said Mancini. "I've been a bit harder on them this week to make them understand that often you only get the result if you put in more effort than your opponents on the pitch.

"We need to remember that simply being Inter is not enough to win football matches. We need some success in the next nine matches to set ourselves up well for next season."

The club's recent form places added expectation on Saturday's trip to Verona, but Mancini is not feeling the heat from Thohir, who is not based in Milan.

"The president is always very positive," he added. "Having said that, like everyone, he doesn't like it when things don't go so well. But that's a natural, human reaction.

"The club is working hard to change things. With Thohir, [chief executive Michael] Bolingbroke and [director general Marco] Fassone we're building for the future and there's no problem with the president being a distance away.

"You don't lose matches because the president lives elsewhere."

 

[Klose]

Maradona, Ronaldo & Zidane my toughest opponents - Maldini

By Peter McVitie
Apr 11, 2015 12:46:07

The AC Milan icon says the former Argentina, Brazil and France stars were the hardest he faced during his storied career - but Cristiano Ronaldo did not make his cut

Paolo Maldini thinks Diego Maradona, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane were the toughest opponents he ever faced in his career.

The former AC Milan defender spent 24 years at San Siro, winning seven Serie A titles and five European Cups, while he has a runners-up medal from the 1994 World Cup with Italy.

Reflecting on his storied career, Maldini said the former Argentina, Brazil and France stars were the most potent adversaries he came across. However, he did not mention Cristiano Ronaldo, who he faced against Manchester United in the Champions League.

“My toughest oppnents would be Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, who was phenomenal in his two years at Inter, and Zinedine Zidane," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 46-year-old touched on Milan's current situation, with Filippo Inzaghi's men stuck in eighth place in Serie A, with their hopes of qualifying for next season's Europa League hanging by a thread.

"Times have changed compared to how things were many years ago," said Maldini.

"It was easier to bring together a group, the players spent a lot more time together.

"One of the sources of strength for a club like Milan, and for the few other clubs that are similar to Milan, is tradition. Nowadays the real values of Milan are not being paid attention to.

"I remember when I just started playing for the team and I took those who spoke little and worked hard on the pitch as an example - Franco Baresi above all others."

Maldini played in four World Cups, finishing second in 1994 and third in 1990, and he says the competition in 2002 was the most underwhelming one of them all.

“I was not at my best condition when I reached the World Cup, as I'd been injured for four months," he said.

“It's a shame, because that was a great team. That World Cup wasn't handled well, it was too broken up and there wasn't much warmth from the supporters.

“It was an sterile World Cup - my last, and I did not play it well. The season after that everybody thought I was done for, but it was my best campaign ever. At least in terms of strength.

“In that year's Champions League we started with the preliminary rounds and I played every game. We won it, and it let us send a great message.”

 

[Mancini]

Juventus lose for first time in over five months

By Tony Mahoney
Apr 11, 2015 20:10:00

The Bianconeri fell to a shock defeat at rock-bottom Parma and saw two outstanding Serie A runs come to an end

Juventus suffered their first league loss in over five months and conceded after 431 minutes of Serie A football as they fell to a shock 1-0 defeat against bottom-of-the-table Parma.

The Bianconeri had conceded only 14 goals in the league all season going into the game and were on an incredible run of six games in all competitions without conceding.

However, Jose Mauri's second-half winner for Parma at the Ennio Tardini saw this trend come to an end.

It was a huge shock as Parma were declared bankrupt last month and are almost certain to be relegated at the end of the season as they are still 10 points from safety.

However, Roberto Donadoni's men are not going down without a fight and have now won two matches in the space of a week, having defeated Udinese 1-0 on Wednesday.

Juventus also saw another record tumble on Saturday as they lost their first Serie A game since October 29 and only their second of the entire campaign. It was the best run of form of a club in a major league this season.

The Bianconeri will be hoping this defeat won't have an impact on their Champions League chances as they host Monaco in the quarter final first leg in Turin on Tuesday.

 

[LAZIO]

Milan 1 Sampdoria 1: De Jong spares hosts´ blushes

12 April 2015

Milan's late surge for a UEFA Europa League place suffered a blow with a 1-1 draw with Sampdoria amid fan protests against Silvio Berlusconi at San Siro.

Home supporters unveiled banners before Sunday's Serie A fixture urging owner Berlusconi to sell the club amid reported interest from Chinese and Thai investors.

And Milan's players failed to lift the mood on the pitch, requiring Nigel de Jong's late deflected equaliser to claim a point after Roberto Soriano had opened the scoring for Sampdoria just before the hour.

The result means Filippo Inzaghi's team sit seven points adrift of fifth-placed Fiorentina with eight games remaining and, to make matters worse, Mattia Destro was stretchered off with 13 minutes to go.

Sampdoria, meanwhile, are now level with Vincenzo Montella's Fiorentina.

Inzaghi named an unchanged side from the win at Palermo last time out and Milan appeared to benefit from that continuity during the early exchanges, confidently taking control in midfield.

Despite struggling to break through Sampdoria's solid backline, Milan posed a threat from range through Marco van Ginkel, the Dutchman first testing Emiliano Viviano with a 30-yard drive in the 14th minute, before striking just wide from a similar distance shortly after.

Milan eventually crafted a presentable opportunity inside the area just after the half-hour mark, but Destro could only head Ignazio Abate's right-wing cross straight at Viviano.

That pair combined again seven minutes later as Destro directed a tame half-volley at the goalkeeper under pressure from Matias Silvestre.

Milan's best chance arrived a minute before the break, but Alessio Cerci blasted over the crossbar after pouncing on a loose ball in plenty of space 20 yards out.

Sampdoria produced a marked improvement at the start of the second half and went close through Stefano Okaka within a minute of the restart, but he could only divert Djamel Mesbah's cross wide.

Eder saw a fine chance of his own go to waste seven minutes later, unleashing a powerful drive towards the bottom-left corner, which Diego Lopez tipped around the post.

The deadlock was eventually broken 58 minutes in, though, as Soriano coolly stroked past Lopez following an incisive Samuel Eto'o pass.

Milan responded well to that blow and drew level 16 minutes later, when De Jong produced a fine bicycle kick from 12 yards and his effort beat Viviano thanks to a helpful deflection off Alfred Duncan.

Destro was then carried from the field after an innocuous-looking challenge, but Suso almost completed a Milan turnaround seven minutes from time, only for the Spaniard's delightful curled effort to come back off the post.

 

[DeSanctis]

Shock Parma loss not a huge concern for Allegri

12 April 2015

Massimiliano Allegri has called for calm after Juventus' shock defeat at the hands of bottom side Parma and is confident the Serie A leaders will bounce back swiftly.

The Juve coach was quick to concede that his team were second best during the 1-0 setback on Saturday, when Jose Mauri's strike on the hour mark proved the difference.

But, having lost just twice in the league this season and with Juve 14 points clear at the top, Allegri does not want to read too much into the result,

"In a season you can simply get a game wrong," he said as Juve's attention turns to the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Monaco on Tuesday.

"I think that if we paid more attention we could at least have left with a point.

"It would have been important, very important because losing always hurts. And, as I always say, when you cannot win, it's better to draw at least.

"So now we have to prepare for Tuesday's game against Monaco with calm and composure."

Allegri paid tribute to Parma, as he said: "I believe that first and foremost, Parma deserve much of the credit.

"In the first half anyway I think that we did some things well but in the second half we made a lot of mistakes and allowed them a lot of counter attacks and still did not concede on many of those."

Despite enjoying such a healthy lead over second-placed Roma, Allegri is not taking anything for granted in the title race.

"We haven't won it yet unlike most people say," he said.

"We are still a few points clear on top but we still have to play a lot of important games."

 

[Ranocchia]

Donadoni urges Parma to finish with a flourish

12 April 2015

Following Saturday's surprise 1-0 win over champions Juventus, Parma coach Roberto Donadoni backed his side to continue showing their quality until the end of the season.

Parma have endured a miserable campaign - sitting bottom of Serie A having battled with financial difficulties all season - but stunned Juve at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Saturday.

Jose Mauri's winner on the hour offered the club a spell of respite in turbulent times.

"This is gratifying for us and we know that he have given great joy to our fans, but we also gave ourselves this great joy," said Donadoni.

"We're playing games tightly and we are all making great sacrifices. It is right to give credit to the boys as they are doing something extraordinary.

"We have only one way to go, and it is to make sacrifices. This season finale is a showcase for all of us.

"This victory will perhaps make little difference come the end of the year, but it makes us really happy. The boys once again showed pride and character.

"We want to finish this season with our heads held high."

 

[Cavani]

Garcia not concerned by Roma slip

12 April 2015

Rudi Garcia will not push the panic button despite seeing Roma slip out of Serie A's top two for the first time this season following Sunday's 1-1 draw with Torino.

An inconsistent 2015 has seen Roma fall further behind leaders Juventus, while allowing the sides below them to narrow their advantage.

Fierce rivals Lazio, meanwhile, have been in excellent form and climbed into second spot with a 4-0 win over Empoli - but Garcia, whose side host Atalanta next weekend, insists he is not worried.

"The race continues," he said. "It doesn't matter that Lazio are second, we'll see at the end of the season. We need to make the most of playing at home next.

"We put in a good performance, but just lacked a positive result. If we play our last eight matches like we did today we'll win a lot of them.

"We know that no-one will win all of their games between now and the end of the season."

Lazio boss Stefano Pioli agreed with his French counterpart, but has faith in his side to maintain the superb form that has brought eight successive wins.

"Rudi Garcia is right, this is not the final result," he said. "We must be satisfied with our current position and our performance against a difficult Empoli side.

"Of course this streak means something, but we only got here by taking it one game at a time and we mustn't let go of that approach until the end of May.

"Luckily, my team is not normal. I have so much quality and such players of character that they didn't let it get to them."

 

[Michu]

Inzaghi laments poor finishing in Sampdoria stalemate

12 April 2015

Filippo Inzaghi was left lamenting Milan's inability to finish off Sampdoria in Sunday's 1-1 draw, demanding an improvement in front of goal.

Milan had been looking to close to within four point of Sinisa Mihajlovic's high-flyers and continue their late surge for a UEFA Europa League berth, but ultimately they fell short.

The hosts controlled the first half and saw numerous chances go begging, with Marco van Ginkel and Alessio Cerci going closest.

They were made to rue those missed opportunities as Roberto Soriano put the visitors ahead with just under an hour played.

Nigel de Jong levelled 16 minutes from the end as his bicycle kick went in off Alfred Duncan, but their late pressure proved fruitless and, although Inzaghi was pleased with the performance, he called for an improvement in front of goal.

He told Sky Sport Italia: "We played well and I am very happy with the performance. We had a great first half and forced Sampdoria to change their system.

"It's just a shame we created so many crosses and passes into the area without getting a goal. It was one of our best halves of the season.

"Sampdoria changed around and did better for 20 minutes, scoring the goal. But we fought back and after the equaliser hit the post with Suso.

"We had 14 shots, seven of them were on target and we had about 60 per cent possession. We did all we needed to, except being more decisive in front of goal.

"I can't ask for any more from my players aside from precision in front of goal. We certainly should have done more this season overall, but I think we gave more or less everything we had in this game."

 

[Marchisio]

Premier League easy to score in - Tevez

13 April 2015

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has claimed it is easier to score in the Premier League because of "non-existent " midfields in England.

Tevez enjoyed stints with West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City in England's top flight before making the move to Juventus in 2013.

The Argentina forward has scored 25 goals in all competitions this term as Juve remain on course for a Serie A, UEFA Champions League and Coppa Italia treble.

But Tevez told La Repubblica: "It's much easier to score in the Premier League, where the ball doesn't stop moving, the action is everywhere and the midfield is non-existent.

"Here you see a striker up against five defenders, it's much more difficult than in England. The Italian league is of a high standard."

Although he has been prolific in front of goal this season, Tevez praised his team-mates and coach Massimiliano Allegri for his fine individual campaign.

"My team-mates and Allegri give me so much confidence. I'm happy with how the coach asks me to play," he added.

"We made some kind of deal: when I get the ball I can do whatever I want but I have to perform very specific tasks in defence.

"I like being in contact with the ball. If you don't give it to me, I'll get it."

 

[Vidal]

De Vrij avoids surgery on knee injury

13 April 2015

Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij will not require surgery on his left knee, having suffered an injury during Sunday's 4-0 win over Empoli.

The Netherlands international was taken off five minutes before half-time at the Stadio Olimpico, sparking fears the centre-back may need to go under the knife.

However, following scans on Monday, the Serie A club's worries over De Vrij's long-term fitness were eased.

Club doctor Stefano Lovati told Lazio Style Radio: "The ligaments are healthy and therefore he will not have to undergo any surgery.

"From today he will start therapy and follow a physiotherapy program. Obviously the boy will be monitored.

"When there is a sprain, the ligaments still feel the shock but in our case we are fortunate that they are not damaged."

Stefano Pioli has seen his side win eight league games on the bounce to move second in the top flight.

However, amid De Vrij's injury news, the Lazio coach also learned that a broken rib will sideline Marco Parolo for 20 days while Diego Novaretti will wear a protective hand cast to allow him to return to training later this week.

 

[Klose]

Allegri prepared for Pogba absence

13 April 2015

Juventus look set to be without Paul Pogba for both legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed.

The France star was ruled out for up to seven weeks last month due to a hamstring injury, although there had been talk that he could be ready for the second leg with Monaco on April 22.

However, ahead of Tuesday's first leg in Turin, Allegri explained he was likely to have to do without Pogba for both games.

"It's pretty much impossible that Paul Pogba will be fit for the second leg," he said.

"[Andrea] Barzagli and [Andrea] Pirlo are in good shape, as are [Carlos] Tevez and [Gianluigi] Buffon, who are both fully recovered from their injuries.

"Tevez is having an extraordinary year. He must maintain his rich vein of form right until the last game.

"It's unlikely we'll see Pirlo and Barzagli in the same side tomorrow. It will either be one or the other."

Juve swept Borussia Dortmund aside in the last 16 and will be favourites to progress against Monaco, despite Leonardo Jardim's resolute defence.

"Without the same intensity and mentality we had in Dortmund, it will be difficult," Allegri added.

"I see the two games against Monaco as much more complicated because a team that concedes fewer goals makes games more difficult - you get the urge to hit back and allow more space, which we should not do.

"Dortmund are more offensive whereas Monaco are the opposite. We will have to have the patience to know how to deal with that."

 

[Podolski]

AC Milan played some of their best football this season against Sampdoria - Inzaghi

By Joe Wright
Apr 12, 2015 23:23:11

The former striker has called on his players to be more clinical ahead of the Milan derby after they failed to capitalise on early dominance on Sunday

Filippo Inzaghi believes AC Milan played some of their best football of the season during the 1-1 draw with Sampdoria on Sunday.

The Rossoneri extended their unbeaten run at home in Serie A to six games after Nigel de Jong's deflected effort cancelled out Roberto Soriano's opener.

MIlan had 26 shots in the 90 minutes at San Siro - more than they have managed in any other game this season - and had good chances to take the lead early on through Alessio Cerci and Ignazio Abate.

And Inzaghi wants to see his side carry their first-half form into the derby with Inter next weekend.

"We played well and I am very happy with my team's performance. We had a great first half and forced Sampdoria to change their system," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's just a shame we had so many crosses and balls into the box without scoring. It was one of our best halves of the season.

"We're coming off some positive results and today the performance was positive, even if the result wasn't. I am convinced we'll do some great things.

"As for the table, we should've done better earlier, so it's not really as though we have lost ground tonight. We had problems with injuries that everyone knows about, and now a lot of people are back and playing well.

"I can't ask for any more from my players aside from precision and determination in front of goal.

"We have the Milan derby on Sunday and have to maintain this spirit and style of football, especially from the first half. We should've been a bit more awake on the goal but these things happen.

"Suso did well coming off the bench at Palermo, he almost scored a fantastic goal tonight. He can become a very important player for Milan, but he only arrived in January and needs time to settle into our football.”

Inzaghi also revealed Mattia Destro is set for tests on his knee after he was stretchered off in the second half.

Eighth-placed Milan remain seven points behind Sampdoria in Serie A following Sunday's result.

 

[Inler]

Inzaghi's tactics are anarchy, says Boban

By Enis Koylu
Apr 13, 2015 12:27:37

The Croatia legend says the coach doesn't have a clear tactical identity and believes the club's current squad simply isn't good enough

Former AC Milan midfielder Zvonimir Boban has lashed out at Rossoneri coach Pippo Inzaghi and his players.

The San Siro side currently sit in eighth place in Serie A following Sunday's 1-1 draw with Sampdoria, with their hopes of European qualification fading fast.

Boban believes his old side are scarcely a team and says that Inzaghi's tactics are "anarchy".

"The problem is that the Milan have very scarce players," he said to Sky.

"It's almost impossible to create a team with these players. I don't understand what they offer.

"Also Inzaghi does not have a great gameplan. But it's hard to get them to run together. There's a bit of anarchy. It's very tough.

"I have realised the value of the Milan squad. It's very difficult to be satisfied after a game like that."

Milan's next game is a derby clash with Inter on Sunday.

 

[Mancini]

Milan derby is like a final - De Jong

By Joe Wright
Apr 12, 2015 23:56:26

The midfielder is already looking ahead to next Sunday's clash with Inter and refused to discuss his own future before the end of the season

Nigel de Jong admits next weekend's derby clash with Inter will be "like a final" for AC Milan.

The Netherlands midfielder bagged an important equaliser for Filippo Inzaghi's men on Sunday as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sampdoria.

With their European hopes looking slim, De Jong concedes the clash with Roberto Mancini's side will be massive but was encouraged by the second-half showing against Samp.

"For all of us - fans and players - the derby is like a final," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"We played with heart for the last 15 minutes. It's a shame we didn't take the full three points. But we're thinking about the next game.

"We have another eight games. It will be difficult [to qualify for Europe] but we have to keep growing to reach our goal."

The 30-year-old refused to discuss his own future at San Siro, insisting a decision will be taken towards the end of the season.

"I don't want to talk [about my future]," he added to Mediaset Premium. "At the end of the season, we'll see. I want to finish this season with a lot of heart for Milan."

 

[Vidal]

Mihajlovic keeps media guessing about Sampdoria future

Sinisa Mihajlovic has given no clues about his future as Sampdoria coach after the Serie A rumour mill suggested the Serb could be moving to AC Milan or Napoli next season.

14 hours ago Reuters

Sinisa Mihajlovic (Reuters)

Mihajlovic, who said he had come to Sampdoria out of "love and gratitude", was not prepared to be distracted by talk about his future as his team challenge for a place in Europe next season.

"The winning horse is the one which is first past the finishing post; it is pointless to run so much if the others overtake in the last 100 metres," he told reporters after Sunday's 1-1 draw at AC Milan.

"I haven't decided what I will do next year, although I don't want to mess people around. When I do decide, I'll say it out loud. I think I'm too smart and mature to be distracted by these rumours."

Mihajlovic has always credited Sampdoria for saving his playing career.

He arrived in 1994 after a two-year spell at AS Roma which he described as the worst of his career and ended up staying for four years, during which he established himself as a Serie A player.

He returned as coach 18 months ago with the club second from bottom and steered them to 12th place.

Sunday's draw left them joint fifth with Fiorentina on 49 points, one behind Napoli and seven adrift of third-placed Roma and a place the Champions League qualifiers next season.

The fourth and fifth teams qualify for the Europa League, and sixth place will also be good enough this season as the Coppa Italia place will be won by either Lazio and Juventus, who are both in the top five.

"I have come to Sampdoria for love and gratitude, and we are having the sort of season which nobody thought possible," said Mihajlovic. "If we qualify for Europe, they I will have paid my debt of gratitude."

With eight rounds of Serie A matches to play, Italian media are already speculating on the possible movement of the coaches at the end of the season.

Rafael Benitez's contract at Napoli expires at the end of the season and the Spaniard is seen as almost certain to end his two years in charge after a fruitless search for consistency.

Filippo Inzaghi is also seen as unlikely to remain at AC Milan even though fans see the boardroom, rather than the coach, as responsible for the team's indifferent form, which seems certain to earn them a second successive mid-table finish.

 

[Vidal]

Gianluigi Buffon: I can play until 40

Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes he can continue playing at the top level for another three years and eyes 2018 World Cup.

10 hours ago FootballItalia

The 37-year-old continues to hold the number one spot for club and country and has no interest in settling for a reserve spot as his age increases.

“If I continue at this level physically and mentally, I can guarantee another two or three years at the top level,” Buffon told L’Equipe.

“I’m not a number two, I want to be a 40-year-old who is still number one. I want to experience my remaining years in the best way possible and demonstrate that even at 37 or 38 years old I am an important goalkeeper.

“If I told you I wasn’t thinking about the World Cup in Russia I would be lying, I’m used to setting myself big targets, even if with three years to go and at my age it’s asking a lot.”

Buffon reflected on his illustrious career and picked out beating France in the 2006 World Cup Final as the fondest memory.

“Winning the World Cup was something I’d dreamed of since I was a child,” he said.

“People still talk about my save against Zidane today - In the final everything is amplified and even a simple action can become legend.

“I’m honoured to be a part of the national team, I began in 1997 and after almost 20 years it makes me proud to still be a part of it and I still have the desire to continue.”

Despite an extensive honours list and an incredible 586 Serie A appearances, the 37-year-old still holds one regret.

[BANKRUPT PARMA FLOOR SERIE A LEADERS JUVENTUS]

“My one regret is to never have played in the Premier League, I would’ve liked to play in those stadiums and in that atmosphere where there seems to be great sportsmanship.

“I never left Italy because I always thought that the Italian championship was the most challenging and the greatest of all the leagues.

“Today we are in decline but everything goes in cycles. Yesterday it was Spain, today it’s England and maybe tomorrow it will be France.

“I had 10 years at Parma and have had 15 at Juventus – when you are happy in a team it doesn’t make sense to leave.”

Read the original article on Football Italia - The ultimate website for English-speaking fans of Italian football

 

[LAZIO]

Juve´s Vidal seeks redemption

14 April 2015

Arturo Vidal is desperate to grasp a personal opportunity for "redemption" after admitting injury woe saw him fall below his best level for Juventus this season.

The midfielder underwent an operation on a knee injury towards the end of last season after playing through the pair barrier to help Juve on their way to winning Serie A.

Vidal was a fitness concern for the World Cup, but managed to return in time to feature for Chile - who were knocked out by Brazil in the round of 16.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man believes that returning so quickly threatened to leave him with long-term damage, but he stated that his love for Juve meant he had to play on.

"The end of last season was cursed, my performance went down a lot," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "On a personal level with Juve and the Chilean team it ended badly. Now there is a great opportunity for redemption.

"I know that Juventus expects a lot from me, but it always has been that way and is not a problem.

"Unfortunately having to recover so fast [from surgery], it seriously threatened to irreparably hurt me. Mine was a choice of love for Juve. I could not leave the team before the semi-final of the Europa League against Benfica.

"I played the World Cup and also a good part of the season, but I decided with my heart, I love Juve. And I must say thanks to [Chile coach] Jorge Sampaoli who waited, another coach would not have done so.

"I played in dire physical condition, just me and the doctors know. [But] I always gave a thousand percent in the field, regardless of how I was."

 

[DeSanctis]

Expletive-laden banner targets Roma president Pallotta

14 April 2015

A picture has emerged of an expletive-laden banner aimed at Roma president James Pallotta, said to have been hung close to the club's training ground.

American Pallotta was quoted as calling a section of the club's support "idiots" for their mocking of the mother of Napoli supporter Ciro Esposito, who was murdered in the capital last year.

The incident, which saw fans unfurl a banner criticising Esposito's mother for writing a book about her son, occurred when the sides met in Serie A earlier this month and resulted in Roma being ordered to close the Curva Sud section of the Stadio Olimpico for next weekend's clash with Atalanta.

However, Pallotta's comments appear not to have gone down well with Roma supporters, with the widely circulated picture showing a banner reading: "This f*****g idiot gonna pay you mother f****r."

Roma sit third in Serie A, 13 points behind leaders Juventus with eight matches left to play.

 

[Ranocchia]

Campagnaro sidelined for four weeks

14 April 2015

Inter defender Hugo Campagnaro has been sidelined for up to four weeks with a hip injury.

The Argentine has not featured since a 2-1 UEFA Europa League defeat to Wolfsburg in March, and the setback could spell the end of his time at the Serie A club.

Campagnaro is out of contract at the end of the season and, having made just eight league starts this season, the former Napoli man appears unlikely to be retained.

Inter face city rivals Milan in Serie A on Sunday.

 

[Cavani]

El Shaarawy still three weeks away from return

14 April 2015

Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy hopes to be fully fit for the final month of the Serie A season after recovering from a broken foot.

The Italy international was initially expected to miss six weeks after breaking a metatarsal in his right foot in late January, however he is now not expected to feature until May.

El Shaarawy returned to light training this week, and the 22-year-old is targeting the final four games of the season to boost Milan's European push.

"I am really very happy with how the visit with the doctor went because the doctor told me it could not be any better, we have managed it perfectly," he told Milan's TV channel.

"So this week I will start with the ball and it will take two weeks to find the condition and be ready for squad.

"To be out for almost three months is not nice, I'm glad to be back running and I also did some dribbling so I'm happy.

"I hope to recover within three weeks to regain fitness, but I'm confident for the last month of the season and hope to make points to challenge for a European place.

"The goal is to help my team and to make it. The foot is healed and the fracture is no longer there, so now the only thing to do is to recover quickly."