Claudio Ranieri is ready to take charge of his first Roma training session in his third stint at the Stadio Olimpico today, and reports in Italy suggest he will use a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 system against Napoli after the break, starting Mats Hummels.

The 73-year-old returned to the capital on Wednesday after reaching an agreement with club owner Dan Friedkin in London. He was welcomed by over 200 Giallorossi fans at Fiumicino airport.

His Roma side sit 12th in the Serie A table, just four points above the drop zone. Their next opponents after the international break are table leaders Napoli, coached by Antonio Conte.

How Roma could line up under Ranieri

Corriere dello Sport and Sky Sport Italia report that Ranieri will field a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 formation against the Partenopei. Hummels’ return to the starting XI will be the most significant change from Ivan Juric’s era.

The German centre-back has only played 23 minutes since joining the Giallorossi on a free transfer last summer and didn’t even start when Evan N’dicka was unavailable against Union Saint-Gilloise last week.

The former Borussia Dortmund star is expected to join N’Dicka and Mancini in a three-man defence or form a four-man defence with the addition of Angelino as a left-back.

Alexis Saelemaekers is expected to return to action this month, boosting Ranieri’s options on the right flank, while Lorenzo Pellegrini could be deployed as a left winger in a 4-4-2 system or as a central midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation.

Milan midfielder Youssouf Fofana reveals that Zlatan Ibrahimovic always gives the team a couple of advice before games and feels Rodri should have won the Ballon d’Or last season, while Vinicius Jr. deserved it for 2024.

Milan midfielder Fofana released an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport while on international duty with France’s national team.

The Rossoneri will meet rivals Juventus at San Siro after the break.

“I watched the game on TV last year because there were many French players,” he said.

“It’s like a derby, with great intensity on the pitch and in the stands.

“Thiago Motta is an excellent coach. He did a great job at Bologna last season, qualifying for the Champions League. This team has a team with more quality, and obviously, he has big targets. It will be a tough game, and the best will win.”

Milan have 18 points this season, eight below table leaders Napoli, but they have a game in hand.

“We want to be higher in the table, and some results were not positive,” admitted the French midfielder.

“This means we have room for improvement if we are less exposed. Once we gain consistency, they’ll have to deal with us. I believe in the coach’s work and my teammates, and I am sure this is the right path.”

Fofana on Ibrahimovic ‘advice’ before Milan games and wrong Ballon d’Or winners

The top six teams are within two points, but Fofana believes Milan can win the title.

“Obviously, we are Milan, and we must play to win the title every season. Give us time to work,” he said.

The 25-year-old joined the Rossoneri from Monaco last summer.

“I knew the project and accepted it because the coach gave me space,” Fofana explained.

“I like Serie A, which is different from Ligue 1 because each team has two or three strong players. All Italian teams follow a precise strategy until the final whistle, and it’s all more complicated.”

What does Milan coach Fonseca expect from Fofana on the pitch?

“Provide balance and link up attack and defence,” the midfielder replied.

“Be the first one to build up and defend, occupying the spaces left void by the teammates. I’m the player who moves less to fill the gaps. I play in the shadow, and I’m getting used to it because it allows me to improve.”

How about Red Bird advisor and Milan legend Ibrahimovic?

“He immediately explained to me the importance of Milan and Serie A,” said Fofana.

“He cares about the new course, he’s always present and positive. He always gives us a couple of advice before games and transmits trust.”

Fofana wasn’t even playing football ten years ago and worked as a pizza delivery man. Does he ever think about it?

“Always. It helps me keep my feet on the ground,” he said.

“I always tell myself I started late, so I must recover and challenge myself each day. It was a valuable experience to learn discipline and earn money for the first time.

“Now, I always tip the riders because I know it’s important. I’ve eaten some good pizzas in Milan, but I prefer to stay home and watch movies.”

Who are his role models on the pitch?

“Yaya Touré or Tanguy Ndombele of Lyon. Generally, players dictating the tempo who know when to pass or keep the ball.”

Spain star Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, but Fofana feels things should have been different in the last couple of years.

“I would have given it to Vinicius, but Rodri deserves it for what he’s been doing in the last three or four seasons with Manchester City,” he said.

“He is complete. He defends, scores goals and provides assists. His team does not lose when he plays, but everyone would have been happier if Rodri had won last season and Vini this year.”

Milan won the derby against city rivals Inter in September, and Fofana is looking forward to meeting the Nerazzurri again in 2025.

“Maignan and Theo often talked about it, and I could not wait to play it,” he concluded.

“After what happened in the first leg, I can’t wait to play in the second leg.”

Italy will face Belgium and France this week, and the Azzurri need just one point in two matches to qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals.

Italy are the Nations League Group A2 leaders with 10 points, one more than France and six more than this evening’s opponents, Belgium.

This means the Azzurri can already secure qualification to the quarter-finals this evening with an away draw in Belgium.

What Italy need to qualify for Nations League quarter-final

The Azzurri will see Nicolò Barella make his first international appearance after last summer’s Euros, while Mateo Retegui, the Serie A leading scorer, will lead the attack at the King Baudouin Stadium.

However, one point against Belgium won’t be enough to win the group and be among the seeded teams in the quarter-final draw, which will take place on November 22.

As of today, Italy’s possible opponents if they win their group are current runners-up Croatia, the Netherlands, and Denmark. If they finish second, they will meet group winners: Portugal, Germany, or Spain.

Dates for Nations League knock-out phase

The Nations League quarter-finals will be played during the March international break in 2025. The first-leg games will be played on March 20, and the second-leg matches will be played on March 23. The semi-finals will be played on June 4 and 5. The Final and the third-place play-off are scheduled for June 8.

Italy have already secured a spot among the seeded teams for the 2026 World Cup draw thanks to their results in the Nations League this season.

Claudio Ranieri was greeted by hundreds of Roma supporters on his return from a meeting with club owner Dan Friedkin in London, as he accepted his third stint as their coach.

There were at least 200 fans waiting at Fiumicino Airport for Ranieri to emerge from his plane, where they placed a scarf across his shoulders.

The 73-year-old had announced his retirement over the summer after taking Cagliari to promotion from Serie B and then securing their Serie A status.

However, he was tempted to come back onto the bench by the call of his beloved Giallorossi, where he had already worked from September 2009 to February 2011, then returning as caretaker from March to June 2019.

He becomes their fourth coach of the calendar year, as Jose Mourinho was fired in January, Daniele De Rossi followed in September and Ivan Juric lasted under two months.

Ranieri had also spoken to news agency ANSA at the airport in London, where he had met with club owner Dan Friedkin this afternoon.

When it was pointed out to him that this team was in a terrible bother, he replied: “That’s why they called me! Get ready, the cavalry is here!”

His first training session will be on Thursday afternoon at Trigoria.

Roma fans welcome Ranieri back home

FOLLIA ROMANISTA PER IL RITORNO DI CLAUDIO #RANIERI
Oltre 150 tifosi impazziti per il nuovo mister giallorosso a Fiumicino@francescoiucca  pic.twitter.com/gpq6WfuTeM

— calciomercato.it (@calciomercatoit) November 13, 2024

Claudio #Ranieri è tornato a Roma!

pic.twitter.com/CUFkDT4WfS

— Il Romanista (@ilRomanistaweb) November 13, 2024

Italy are expected to use Nicolò Barella in a more advanced role to support Mateo Retegui, while Nicolò Rovella can get his debut against Romelu Lukaku’s Belgium.

The Nations League tie kicks off at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Thursday at 19.45 GMT.

The Azzurri need only one point from the remaining two games to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.

Lorenzo Pellegrini was sent off in the 2-2 draw between these sides at the Stadio Olimpico last month, sparking the comeback for Belgium to get a point when 2-0 down.

The Roma captain is therefore suspended and Luciano Spalletti hinted in today’s press conference that Inter star Barella would be used in that hybrid role connecting midfield with attack.

Sky Sport Italia suggest that Lazio midfielder Rovella will be launched straight into the starting XI for his senior Italy debut, flanked by Sandro Tonali and Davide Frattesi, with Alessandro Buongiorno filling in for injured Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Belgium are forced to do without Kevin De Bruyne, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Malick Fofana and Joaquin Seys.

However, they get Napoli striker Lukaku back for the first time since EURO 2024, as he had taken time out to regain full fitness at club level.

Maxim De Cuyper scored a sensational goal in the first meeting and could be used either as a left-back or in a more advanced role.

The alternative in the trio supporting Lukaku would be Sevilla’s Dodi Lukebakio, therefore dropping Timothy Castagne to the bench.

Probable line-ups: Belgium vs. Italy

Belgium (4-2-3-1): Casteels; Debast, Faes, Theate, Castagne; Mangala, Onana; Bakayoko, Trossard, De Cuyper; Lukaku

Italy (3-5-1-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Rovella, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui

Ref: Petrescu (ROU)

There is more bad news for Atalanta from the treatment room after it was confirmed Davide Zappacosta has been diagnosed with a soleus lesion.

The wing-back limped off during half-time in their 2-1 Serie A victory over Udinese at the weekend.

A statement confirmed that when training resumed today, Zappacosta underwent scans that showed a Grade I lesion to the soleus muscle in the left leg.

This is effectively a calf strain, and while the soleus is a delicate muscle when it comes to injuries, the Grade I status suggests he should be back in action after around three to four weeks.

Stunning Atalanta form continues

Atalanta have won their last six Serie A matches in a row to take them into joint second place, one point off leaders Napoli.

When the break for international duty has finished, they will play Parma away, then Young Boys in the Champions League before back-to-back Serie A tests with Roma and Milan.

They will host Real Madrid in Bergamo on December 12.

Marco Materazzi hopes Simone Inzaghi will stay at Inter despite Premier League interest, begged Jose Mourinho to stay and believes the Byron Moreno scandal helped prepare Italy for the 2006 World Cup triumph, regardless of Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt.

The now retired defender sat down with the Italian Football Podcast to look back over his lengthy career at club and international level, while also casting an eye on the current calcio scene.

He was in the stands for Inter’s 1-1 draw with Napoli in Serie A last week and enjoyed the performances of the defenders, above all Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Buongiorno.

“It was an impressive game by Buongiorno. Because in 1 vs 1 against Thuram, because Thuram is strong and fast but for Buongiorno it was easy to catch him. But Napoli maybe paid €40m for him. Now minimum they want not double but €60 million.

“If Antonio Conte stays in Napoli maybe Buongiorno will stay in Napoli. It is a good team and good club,” continued Materazzi.

“Ok, Acerbi is maybe 50-60-70 years old but last match he was the Man Of The Match. Lukaku didn’t touch a ball in that game.

“For me age is important, but not that important. If he is fit, he can play until 38-39 years old, we will see. At the moment Acerbi is one of the best defenders in Italy.”

Inzaghi impressed with his trophy haul at Inter and is doing well in the Champions League too, holding Manchester City to a 0-0 draw and beating Arsenal 1-0.

This helped boost reports that after having failed before to convince him, Premier League clubs could be back in for the coach.

“I am an Inter fan. I hope he stays at Inter because his job there hasn’t been finished yet. I think he is a good profile for the Premier League,” confessed Materazzi.

“Maybe Arteta, who is one of the best coaches in the Premier League, but for me Arsenal is one of the clubs in my opinion for Simone.

“Maybe Manchester United. And Manchester City too, because nobody knows what Pep will do.

“But I hope Simone stays in Italy. I’m not his manager. I’m his friend because we played each other and we have a good relationship. I can’t decide on his fate.”

Materazzi was part of the Inter squad that won the 2010 Treble under Mourinho and the bear hug he gave the Special One went viral after that Champions League Final victory.

“I was hugging him because he left us. I’m sure with him we would win many more titles in a row in 2011. But he decided to leave Inter after the game.

“The last two weeks before the game [Champions League final in 2010], I went to José’s office to pray to him to stay. For us as a family, you can see José as a strong person, but he is also very nice. Because he creates a lot of happiness in a locker room, which is very important for me to become champions.

“But he never looked me in the eyes these two weeks, so I understood everything before the final was played.”

Materazzi hero of 2006 World Cup

The highlight of Materazzi’s career was no doubt winning the 2006 World Cup with Italy, where he took centre-stage in the Final against France.

However, before that, he was part of the squad that crashed out of the 2002 tournament in the Round of 16 with defeat to South Korea, a game overshadowed by the bizarre officiating of Ecuadorian referee Moreno.

“I don’t know if he is still in prison, no?” laughed Materazzi, referring to the corruption and cocaine smuggling convictions for Moreno in the following years.

“Maybe he has more problems than that Italy Korea game. But in my opinion that Italy team was better than the 2006. We didn’t have Pirlo but in my opinion that Italy team was better than in 2006.

“We deserved to go ahead in that game, but Byron Moreno was a joker for them. But then we went home and started to prepare for the 2006 World Cup.”

Prepare they did, winning in Germany on a penalty shoot-out against France, where Zidane was sent off in extra time for headbutting Materazzi in the chest.

“You never know what would have happened with him [on the pitch]. He got the red card maybe just 15 minutes before the game was over.

“I don’t like to remember that because in my opinion, you have to remember me for my two goals scored in the World Cup final. I don’t know how many defenders who have scored two goals in the World Cup Final. So that was very important,” insisted Materazzi.

“Maybe he could have scored the penalty [in the shootout]. But in my opinion Trezeguet is one of the best penalty takers in the game, but was unlucky. Had he scored then we would have drawn and shot more penalties. Maybe it was destiny that Italy win the World Cup.”

Claudio Ranieri confirmed to reporters he has taken the Roma job, joking the fact it was a huge problem was ‘why they called me. Ready! Here comes the cavalry!’

The coach flew out to London late last night and met club owner Dan Friedkin this afternoon, where he accepted the role and agreed personal terms.

It will be a contract to the end of the current campaign, with reports Ranieri will then be given a position on the board of directors from next season.

Ranieri reassures Roma supporters

He was at the airport on his way back to Rome this evening when stopped by reporters from news agency ANSA.

They told him this was “a tough problem to deal with” at the troubled team.

“That’s why they called me,” replied Ranieri with a smile.

He then added a call to arms for the Giallorossi supporters, most commonly one associated with the arrival of the ‘good guys’ in a Western to save the day.

“Ready! Here comes the cavalry!”

This will be the third different stint at the helm for the 73-year-old, who was born and bred a Roma supporter.

His previous spells were from September 2009 to February 2011, then returning as caretaker from March to June 2019.

Roma will have four different coaches in 2024, following Jose Mourinho, Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric.

Italy paid tribute to those who died in the Heysel tragedy in 1985, vowing that the events of that day ‘must never happen again,’ as the Nations League match with Belgium is on that same ground.

The Nations League tie kicks off at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Thursday at 19.45 GMT.

The stadium was reconstructed and given a different name, but it effectively remains the site of the old Heysel Stadium, where 39 Juventus fans were killed in the European Cup Final against Liverpool on May 29, 1985.

Coach Luciano Spalletti, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and all the Italy players laid flowers at the plaque honouring their memory today.

“It must remain in everyone’s memory, we owe that respect to all those who lost their lives and their families, to ensure it never happens again,” said Spalletti at the start of today’s press conference.

“Football is made up of beautiful things, there are sad moments too like this one that we must prevent. The stadium is a place where we come to enjoy ourselves and love this sport that means so much to people.

“I remember that night all too well, it was devastating for everyone involved in football and we must use that to protect what is wonderful about this sport in future.”

Italy honour memory of Heysel victims in Brussels

𝑃𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 #Heysel pic.twitter.com/NpB7FohxUS

— Nazionale Italiana (@Azzurri) November 13, 2024

They laid three sets of flowers at the plaque where the wall collapsed, crushing those fans in Sector Z before the European Cup Final kicked off.

These flowers were green, white and red, representing the flag of Italy.

“The presence of the Azzurri in the area where the Heysel tragedy occurred represents a sign of great respect and bearing witness to the events of that day,” said FIGC President Gravina.

“Memory defines us as individuals and as a movement. The pain of that tragedy cannot and must not be forgotten, for the victims, for their family members and for all of European football, to ensure it never happens again.”

Representatives of the Belgian Government and football federation also laid flowers.

Luciano Spalletti hints at a new role for Nicolò Barella against Belgium, how Italy must defend using ‘preventative marking’ on Romelu Lukaku and why ‘the objective is to play good football.’

The Nations League tie kicks off at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Thursday at 19.45 GMT.

When these teams met at the Stadio Olimpico last month, Italy were comfortably leading 2-0 until Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card, allowing Belgium to claw their way back for a 2-2 draw.

Pellegrini is naturally suspended following that dismissal, so there are reports Barella will be used in the more advanced trequartista role behind the strikers.

“We need a player who can connect the midfield with the attack, who can change position with others and have an attacking approach,” confirmed Spalletti in his press conference.

“Barella has all those elements, just as we have other players who know how to play that role. Barella will probably be on the pitch tomorrow.

“The way I see these positions, Barella is more of a trequartista and Davide Frattesi more of a mezz’ala. Frattesi is certainly good at pushing forward, but if we want someone who will occasionally also drop into midfield, then it’s a long run and perhaps he’s better as a mezz’ala.”

Italy need one point from the final two Nations League games to reach the quarter-finals and face France on Sunday, but the coach is not protecting Gianluigi Donnarumma from a possible yellow card and suspension.

“No, Donnarumma will play. We have to trust our players know how to behave in the right way. The mentality of the team can be changed if we think a draw would suffice, so we need to maintain the same attitude we had in recent matches, which was perfect.”

Spalletti identifies Belgium dangers for Italy

Lukaku is back in the Belgium squad and expected to lead the attack tomorrow, although his form for Napoli has been far from ideal.

“Belgium have so many champions to choose from and it doesn’t matter if someone is missing, another great player will take their place,” noted Spalletti.

“Lukaku is particularly strong and will be a danger for our defence, but we must get accustomed to facing top opponents.

“Belgium will try to make the most of Lukaku’s characteristics and give him the service that he prefers. He’s good dealing with crosses from the by-line or holding up the ball to bring his teammates forward. His greatest quality is that he can make any ball seem easy, so it will be fundamental we get the preventative marking right on him.”

There are several new players in the Italy squad for these games, including Pietro Comuzzo and Lazio midfielder Nicolò Rovella, while Manuel Locatelli of Juventus is recalled for the first time since he was left out of EURO 2024.

“Both Rovella and Locatelli are playing very interesting football,” noted Spalletti.

“Their main characteristic is winning back the ball, but they also improved in other aspects. When I say that we are lacking a bit of talent in certain areas, that remains true, but if we can spread the load over all the players, it gets better.

“Locatelli is a good lad, an exceptional professional, his eyes lit up when I called him and that is a very important response to have. I didn’t call him before because I didn’t see certain things in his play that now I do. I don’t know if the change is down to him or his new coach, but quality does make the difference.”

Spalletti transformed Italy after that EURO 2024 disappointment, following the trend in Serie A for a three-man defence, but the coach was asked if that was all that had changed.

“We can be as clear as possible, choosing players with exceptional motivation who have great pleasure pulling on this jersey, whether they step onto the field or not.

“It is true that probably my behaviour was not fair for the potential and quality we had at our disposal, both in choosing certain players and the type of approach that I took.

“As for the rest, the lads deserve credit. There are few fixed positions on the pitch, they are better at showing their qualities as a team.”

The top two sides in the group go into the Nations League play-offs, but Spalletti is hesitant to say the objective is to win it.

“What we want is to play good football. Our objective is to play football and through that bring home results. I believed that when I started in this profession and in 30 years of experience I only reinforced that belief. You have to play good football, enjoy yourself and that brings the best out of people.”

Hakan Calhanoglu reveals how close he came to a Galatasaray transfer and why he was irritated that Inter teammates didn’t listen to his warning about Juventus starlet Kenan Yildiz.

The midfielder is currently on international duty with Turkey and spoke to TV8.5 about his current form at club level.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing, as during the 1-1 draw against Napoli at San Siro, he missed his first penalty in the Nerazzurri jersey after 19 successfully converted.

“I do not run away from my responsibilities. If I make another mistake on a penalty, I will still take the next one. Some people might think that means I have a big ego, but the truth is I just have faith in myself.”

Calhanoglu also trusts his Turkey international squad teammates, including 20-year-old sensation Kenan Yildiz, who came off the bench for Juventus and scored twice to secure his team a thrilling 4-4 draw in Serie A.

“Before the game with Juventus, I told my teammates not to leave Kenan Yildiz any room to breathe. They didn’t take it very seriously and then he was the player who turned the game around.

“I said to them afterwards, I told you so!”

Calhanoglu built career at San Siro

The 30-year-old has been in Italy since 2017, as first he wore the jersey of Milan at San Siro, then crossed the city as a free agent to join Inter in the summer of 2021.

His career has gone from strength to strength with the Nerazzurri, but Calhanoglu revealed it was almost a very different story.

“I had the opportunity to return to Turkey when I was at Milan, but at that time there were presidential elections for Galatasaray and nothing came of it.

“I am an Inter player now, with a contract that I recently extended to 2027. I don’t know what will happen in future, it would be wrong for me to say anything, as I don’t want to give anyone false hope.”

He had some bad memories with Inter in Istanbul, losing the Champions League Final to Manchester City in 2023.

“It was a difficult moment for us, but a year later we won the Scudetto and became Champions of Italy for the 20^th time. Now we are doing well, the next few games will be important.”

Rafael Leao admits he is ‘not the perfect player’ and has ‘nothing against’ Milan coach Paulo Fonseca, but still ‘does not agree’ with some criticism of his work ethic.

The forward is currently on international duty with Portugal and his confidence was significantly boosted by his performance at the Estadio Bernabeu, where Milan beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the Champions League.

Nonetheless, he was still accused by Sky Sport Italia pundit and former Rossoneri defender Alessandro ‘Billy’ Costacurta of only putting the effort in during the big games and having a poor work ethic, meaning he was not in the world’s top 100 players.

“Clearly I do not agree with that,” responded Leao to reporters in the Portugal camp.

“I have been having a great season at Milan but, like everyone else, there are ups and downs. The campaign has only just started. Look, I know that I am not the perfect player and sometimes I can do much better.

“I am not shaken by this criticism, I have people who help me to improve and those are the ones I have to listen to. This criticism just spurs me on to respond on the pitch.”

Rafael Leao on rapport with Fonseca at Milan

Fonseca took a stand by dropping Leao to the Milan bench for three consecutive Serie A matches, while he is almost always substituted when he does start.

However, the star man tried to shrug off suggestions of a feud at the Milanello training ground.

“These things happen during the season, I have nothing against him and he has nothing against me. It’s all settled. I don’t like being on the bench, obviously, but he makes the decisions and I as a player have to respect the coach.

“When I step onto the pitch, I have to do my best to help the team.”

Leao has scored three goals and provided five assists in 14 games for Milan so far this season between Serie A and the Champions League.

Atalanta have closed the financial year in 2024 with profits of €9.8m, largely thanks to Rasmus Hojlund’s sale to Manchester United.

La Dea hit remarkable new heights last season when they beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Dublin Final to win the Europa League, their first ever piece of UEFA silverware.

They also then participated in the European Super Cup against Real Madrid before playing in the new format of the Champions League.

All of this, plus player sales and the completion of their Gewiss Stadium reconstruction project, helped them make a profit for the ninth year in a row.

According to Calcio e Finanza, the club from Bergamo concluded the 2023-24 financial year with profits of €9.8m.

Hojlund sale boosted Atalanta profits

This is thanks to a surge in revenue that reached €242.1m, almost an all-time club record approaching the €242.7m of 2020-21, but an improvement on the €193.7m for 2022-23.

Above all it was pushed by the sale of Hojlund to Manchester United.

He was purchased from Sturm Graz for €20m in August 2022 and sold on a year later to the Premier League giants for €73.9m plus up to €9.9m in add-ons.

His transfers alone represented a profit of €53.2m.

Since Antonio and Luca Percassi took charge of Atalanta in 2010, the club has generated €508m in profits from player sales.

Hojlund is the most profitable player, followed by €34.3m from Dejan Kulusevski to Juventus and €33.8m for Cristian Romero to Tottenham Hotspur.

Claudio Ranieri has agreed terms to take over as Roma coach until the end of the season and will have his first training session tomorrow.

Multiple sources including Sky Sport Italia, Sportitalia, La Gazzetta dello Sport and more all confirmed the news, as they expect a formal announcement this evening.

The veteran flew out to London late last night and met with club owner Dan Friedkin this afternoon.

They discussed their plans for the rest of the campaign and agreed terms, so Ranieri has signed the contract to June 30, 2025.

Ranieri takes over troubled Roma

He becomes the fourth coach of the calendar year for the Giallorossi, as Jose Mourinho was sacked in January, then Daniele De Rossi on September 18.

Ivan Juric lasted under two months, dismissed after four wins, three draws and five defeats between Serie A and the Europa League.

This will be Ranieri’s third different stint at Roma after September 2009 to February 2011, then returning as caretaker from March to June 2019.

He turned 73 last month and had announced his retirement in June after taking Cagliari to promotion from Serie B and then securing their place in the top flight.

Roma midfielder Leandro Paredes claimed he was ‘very happy’ at the Stadio Olimpico until he worked under coach Daniele De Rossi, adding that he’s living his life ‘day by day’ waiting for his club to change manager ‘again’.

The former Paris Saint-Germain player joined the Giallorossi for a third time in the summer of 2023 and played 49 games across all competitions under José Mourinho and his replacement De Rossi, but things quickly changed when the latter was also sacked at the beginning of the current season.

Paredes was ‘happy’ until De Rossi was replaced by Juric at Roma

The 30-year-old has started only one game in the Europa League since Juric took over the Italian coach in mid-September, and now that the Giallorossi are about to hire Claudio Ranieri as their fourth manager in 2024 he made clear how De Rossi’s sacking marked a turning point in his season.

“I live my life and my career day by day,” Paredes told ESPN ahead of Argentina’s Copa America fixtures during the international break.

“Obviously, there were a lot of rumours, but I only think about my club. I was very happy until De Rossi was here, then the manager thing happened. Now, we change again…”

With Juric at the helm, Paredes was mostly dropped in favour of Manu Koné and Enzo Le Fée, only racking up four Serie A appearances as a substitute since September.

Nicolò Barella returns for Italy against Belgium and sees vast improvements from EURO 2024. ‘They showed great mental strength.’

It kicks off on Thursday at 19.45 GMT in Brussels and the Azzurri need just one point from the remaining two games to be sure of a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

The Inter midfielder had missed the last two call-ups for international duty due to injury concerns, so this will be his first appearance for the Nazionale since the ill-fated EURO 2024 campaign.

“I certainly missed being here with my teammates,” he told the official Italian Football Federation social media channels.

“I am feeling good and thank them for the wonderful performances they had in my absence, because the situation when I was last with them was not easy, especially on a psychological level, but they showed great mental strength.”

Barella sees transformed Italy

Coach Luciano Spalletti has since implemented a 3-5-2 tactical system based largely on the success of Barella’s Inter.

“I can confirm I had good sensations in training. This is a team that proved it is capable of doing very well. I will try to settle back in and give my contribution, if the coach wants me to.”

Barella is not exactly a prolific marksman, but of his 10 senior goals for Italy, two of them were against Belgium in EURO 2020 and the Nations League third-place final.

“I was telling my teammates today that they were my ‘favourite victims’ – but every game is different and logically I’d be happy to score or do well, but I repeat, the coach makes his decisions and I just have to be ready,” noted the midfielder.

When these sides met last month, Italy had been leading 2-0 until the Lorenzo Pellegrini red card, prompting a comeback from Belgium to draw 2-2.

“It is going to be a difficult match, we mustn’t let what happened in the last game affect us. Before that incident, Italy dominated the game, but they are on home turf this time and will want to prove how strong they are.

“I hope it will be an entertaining match for the fans.”

#Barella alla vigilia di #BelgioItalia #NationsLeague#Nazionale #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/SEzXQuK3lw

— Nazionale Italiana (@Azzurri) November 13, 2024

Milan legend Frankie Rijkaard looked thrilled to visit his former club’s headquarters for the first time, as he defined it ‘impressive’ and admitted he lived his ‘best’ time as a player when wearing the Rossoneri jersey.

The 62-year-old was part of an unforgettable Milan team between 1988 and 1993 who won back-to-back Champions League titles and secured the Serie A trophy twice.

In an interview published on the club’s website and social media accounts, Rijkaard shared his excitement for his first visit to Casa Milan and also praised Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders for ‘doing a good job’ at the San Siro.

"My best years as a player were here, #ACMilan gave me so much"

Rijkaard visits Casa Milan for the first time! #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/OaKlYwxulE

— AC Milan (@acmilan) November 13, 2024

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti is convinced it will be ‘tough’ for Belgium to play against his side if they manage to bring to the pitch what he saw in these days’ training sessions and in the previous games.

The Azzurri will take on Domenico Tedesco’s side on Thursday in the first of the final two games of their Nations League group, and Spalletti considers the two fixtures ‘fundamental’ for his players to keep showing ‘self-esteem’ and ‘belief’ in their own potential.

Italy sit on top of their group with 10 points from four games, with their only draw coming during October’s international break against Belgium, who came from behind to draw 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico after the hosts were reduced to 10 men due to Lorenzo Pellegrini’s dismissal.

Spalletti: Italy will be ‘tough’ to play for Belgium if we are ‘what I saw’

Speaking ahead of Italy’s trip to Belgium, Spalletti explained that getting positive results in the upcoming Nations League fixtures “would be the confirmation that we’ve brought home what we highlighted in previous matches.”

“The continuity of behaviours, the self-esteem in the qualities we possess, the belief in our potential and our strength – in this respect, these two results become fundamental for the attitude we’ll bring to the field.”

The former Napoli and Inter coach seemed very pleased with how Italy’s players have been working in recent days, looking ‘confident’ ahead of two important games.

“I saw important things,” he said.

“I saw what I like to see from my players when you’re in a role like mine. I saw players confident in their qualities, and we’re eager to play these two matches, which can give us so much for the future.

“I expect to see the Italy we saw at the Stadio Olimpico. I don’t know what they [Belgium] will manage to bring to the table, but if we are what I saw this morning, what I saw in previous matches, it will be tough for anyone to play against this Italy.

“I always expect to achieve very important things because of the work I do; otherwise, I’d be the first to limit the mental potential and opportunities of these young players who, on the contrary, need to help us become a very strong national team once again.

Spalletti said he has ‘more or less’ picked up his side’s line-up for the Belgium game.

“More or less, I’ve already chosen the line-up,” he concluded.

“Of course, a decision can be left until the last moment.”

The imminent return of Claudio Ranieri to the Roma bench has once and for all confirmed the club has no plan, writes Susy Campanale.

So much was expected of the Friedkin family when they took over at the Stadio Olimpico, who did seem to take the right approach within the very limited Financial Fair Play parameters they had been given after decades of mismanagement. However, the last 10 months have made it obvious that if there had been a course plotted out, the rudder has broken off and they are now randomly going round in circles while the boat takes on water.

You could say it all went wrong with Jose Mourinho’s sacking in January, but I would argue he had spotted the basic issue long before that, he just went a typically pig-headed way about calling it out. Mou complained that he was the only ‘voice’ of the club in the media and therefore had to do far more than simply the job of coach. During the brief Daniele De Rossi era, and above all since his dismissal, it has become evident that nobody really knows who is in charge at Roma or what their ideas are.

This kind of hiding in the shadows is more common in the Premier League from club owners, but in Italy we have several newspapers, radio and television stations entirely dedicated to football, often specifically to one single team. They need to fill all that space with something and when you have four coaches in a calendar year, there is nobody who can represent stability.

Nobody represents Roma vision

The last week has been a case in point. Dan and Ryan Friedkin have never spoken to the Italian media. Their CEO Lina Souloukou resigned after De Rossi was sacked in September, not that she particularly gave interviews either. Current Roma director Florent Ghisolfi has tried to give a couple of on-camera interviews, but only speaks French. The one thing he assured after the Ivan Juric dismissal was that they were looking for a ‘long-term project’ – so naturally they coax a 73-year-old out of retirement as caretaker to the end of the season. This is the level of consistent messaging we are dealing with here.

If you saw our reporting on the list of potential Roma coaches to take over from Juric and thought they all had absolutely nothing in common, then you are in the same boat as we are. This scattergun approach to seeking tacticians proves there is no plan here, not just no idea of how they are getting to the objective, but simply no clue what the target is even supposed to be. This is beyond ‘concepts of a plan,’ we don’t even get those. It’s more than confusing – it’s confused.

When Inter were run by Suning, one always had the impression it was really Beppe Marotta pulling the strings and giving that sense of stability. This is why they were able to switch to Oaktree without anyone noticing a difference. Roma do not have anyone close to that mould and Milan are frankly lacking too, but not to the same degree.

Ranieri represents a safe pair of hands who can calm the fans and players down, but it’s just kicking that can down the road. Until Roma have someone who can take charge and responsibility, truly representing and outlining the vision behind the club’s future, they will always be lost at sea.