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.”

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.

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

Manchester City star Rodri reveals what he told Alvaro Morata after winning the Ballon d’Or: ‘Even without social media…’

Spain and Manchester City star Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or after triumphing in the Premier League with his club and in the Euros with his national team.

The 28-year-old had also scored the winner in the 2023 Champions League Final, allowing Manchester City to beat Serie A giants Inter.

Rodri reveals message to Milan star Morata after Ballon d’Or victory

During his latest interview with Cadena Cope, the talented midfielder revealed what he told Milan star Morata after winning the Ballon d’Or last month.

“He [Morata] was like: ‘Man, you are dumb, if you had social media, you would have won the Ballon d’Or already.’

“So, the first thing I wrote him was: ‘Did you see? Ballon d’Or even without social media.”

Rodri has no X or Instagram accounts but didn’t need social media to win the most prestigious individual award in football.

Morata captained Spain during the latest Euros and praised Rodri in a recent interview with The Athletic.

The Rossoneri striker currently is out of action after suffering a head injury during a Milan training session last week.

Morata joined Milan in a €13m deal from Atletico Madrid last summer and has scored three goals in 12 appearances across all competitions with the Serie A giants this term.

His contract at the Stadio Meazza runs out in June 2028.

Former Juventus and Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri met and joked with Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner in Turin after a victory over Taylor Fritz.

Italian football coach Massimiliano Allegri met his compatriot Sinner in Turin on Tuesday after a Nitto ATP Finals game in Piedemont’s capital.

Sinner beat Fritz 6-4, 6-4 and then met Allegri inside the tunnel.

“I saw a great backhand yesterday,” Sinner told Allegri.

The Italian tactician smiled, hugged and congratulated the 23-year-old, the No.1 ranked male tennis player who has become an idol in the Belpaese.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Hellas Verona midfielder Reda Belahyane is an option to strengthen Milan’s midfield, but the Rossoneri’s priority is to recover Ismael Bennacer for the second part of the season.

Several sources in Italy claim Milan are looking for midfield reinforcement for January, as Paulo Fonseca isn’t rotating much in the middle of the park.

The Portuguese coach is reluctant to replace Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders, so the club is monitoring the transfer market to identify potential reinforcements.

Milan watch Verona midfielder as January priority emerges

Genoa’s Morten Frendrup has already emerged as a primary target for the Rossoneri, but Real Betis man Johnny Cardoso and Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka have also been linked with a move to San Siro.

Gazzetta’s latest report mentions Verona’s Belahyane as another option for Milan in the middle of the park.

The pink paper claims Milan are following the Moroccan midfielder with a French passport, but the Rossoneri’s priority remains Bennacer’s recovery.

The Algeria international was ruled out for four months following surgery in September, and if he recovers well for the second part of the season, Milan may not invest in a new central midfielder in the winter transfer window.

There are suggestions Italy international Federico Chiesa could return to Serie A, potentially for Milan or Roma, on loan in January to regain his form after Liverpool problems.

The 27-year-old made the transfer to Anfield Road for €12m plus bonuses on deadline day, as his contract was running down at Juventus.

Among the reasons the club did not want to pay for a new deal was his terrible injury record and that has proved a fair concern, because he has barely featured in the Reds jersey.

He made only three appearances for Liverpool, totalling 78 minutes of football, but still provided an assist.

Chiesa struggling for fitness at Liverpool

According to Calciomercato.com, the key to getting Chiesa back in shape could be sending him on a six-month loan in January.

Milan and Roma would be well-suited to his characteristics, depending of course on who is the coach of the Giallorossi following the decision to sack Ivan Juric.

If it was a loan, then Liverpool could be prepared to share some of the €7.5m per season salary, making him more affordable for the Serie A sides.

Milan consultant Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists the ‘ambition is to make history’ and get back to the top of European football, but warns there is ‘no short-cut’ to that level.

The Diavolo are celebrating the 125^th anniversary of the club’s foundation this year and marked it with a coup at the Bernabeu, beating Real Madrid 3-1.

“Milan is part of the history of football and we are just the latest generation to come through,” Ibrahimovic told UEFA Champions League Magazine.

“We bring the past to the present and mix it all up. That is what Milan represents. While I am here, I also want to thank Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, because we are all here thanks to them.”

They were in charge for over 30 years and brought Ibrahimovic to San Siro as a player, but the Swede remained on in a directorial role.

“I believe in this project, I believe in what Milan represents and think I share that same vision with the people who work here. People want to achieve extraordinary things, write history, win and when you talk about winning, I feel alive. I cannot help the team win from where I am now, but I have much to learn and am humbly doing so.

“I feel tied to Milan in a special way even after my playing career ended and I want to do great things with this side.”

Ibrahimovic is amongst one of the most well-travelled players in the game, so why did he ultimately feel that bond with Milan?

“This is the club that gave me the most in my career. I was here twice, I appreciate what Milan represents. The first time I was here, I felt joy in playing, the second I felt love, and I now want to repay some of that. I am ambitious in wanting to give something back.”

Ibrahimovic embracing post-retirement career

Zlatan had said he would struggle when finally hanging up his boots, yet seems to have accepted this next stage in his life.

“Since I made the decision, I feel good and at peace. I don’t miss playing football. I’m more eager to learn this new role, we have a young, hungry team with great ambition and vision. Nobody is satisfied until we get what we want, which is to win.”

Ibrahimovic was pressed a little more on what it is he and Milan are aiming for in this project.

“The ambition is to make history, which means winning trophies, and historically Milan have won a lot of trophies. It is also a work in progress, many things need to slot into place and we must trust the process, because we’re working under different conditions.

“That starts with the Milan Futuro squad that we launched this season, part of our academy, because we believe in them and want to give these young players the chance to play professional football in Serie C, which is a big challenge.

“Naturally, the heart of our work is the first team, so all our resources are dedicated to them. If you don’t win, then you don’t get repaid for that effort. So far. The results are lacking, but there are a lot of changes at the club too, so it takes time for all that to settle.”

Discussing the globalisation of football, Ibrahimovic insisted that Milan are “already global, recognised all over the world. One of our objectives now is to get back to the top of European football, because that is where Milan belong, but there are no short-cuts to get there.”

Milan are looking to reinforce their midfield in the January transfer window, looking towards Morten Frendrup of Genoa, Real Betis man Johnny Cardoso and Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka.

The Rossoneri have been increasingly reliant on Youssouf Fofana to carry the load in that area of the pitch, especially as Ismael Bennacer was ruled out with a serious muscular tear to his calf.

The Algeria international is not expected back until January and even then it will take a while for him to regain his form.

With that in mind, and Fofana making recent mistakes probably prompted by fatigue, Milan are trying to find reinforcements.

Milan look for new midfielders

According to Calciomercato.com, the main target is Frendrup, though Genoa might be reticent to let him go when they have so many other injuries already.

The Denmark international has also been linked with Napoli, Liverpool, Brentford and Brighton with a price-tag of circa €18-20m.

A player who had already been mentioned for Milan is Cardoso, who could potentially be allowed to leave Real Betis on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Milan director Geoffrey Moncada has long wanted 21-year-old Chelsea midfielder Chukwuemeka, who is not getting much playing time at Chelsea.

Milan defender Matteo Gabbia claimed his side would ‘better understand’ where they can get in the standings as they ‘move forward’, admitting the Rossoneri hoped to have ‘more points’ than they racked up after 11 games.

Paulo Fonseca’s side currently sit seventh in Serie A with 18 points, and although they have a game in hand due to their postponed fixture at Bologna, Gabbia stressed they ‘aren’t happy’ with what they’ve done so far.

The centre-back also focused on star Rafael Leao, as he underlined the importance of having the Portuguese forward ‘fully engaged’ in the game and explained how they try to ‘cherish’ him to protect him from external criticism.

Gabbia: Milan’s goals must be ‘high’, we’re ‘proud’ of ‘exceptional’ Leao

“Time is certainly needed, but I don’t think it can be an alibi or an excuse,” Gabbia told Sportmediaset, as quoted by Milan News.

“Obviously, we aren’t happy with the points we have in the league, as some of my teammates and the coach have already said.

“We wanted to have more points in Serie A, but what we’ve done so far can’t be changed. We need to try to approach the upcoming matches with even more focus, strength, and dedication to ensure a promising future.”

The Rossoneri are currently eight points behind leaders Napoli, with five teams in between, which is why Gabbia believes they should simply focus on winning ‘every game’, as much as he urged everyone to set ‘high’ goals for the season.

“Milan deserve to be an ambitious club, and we need to be an ambitious team,” he added.

“As I mentioned earlier, we have many very strong and capable players, so I believe our goals should be set high. A lot of it depends on us. Every time we take the field, our goal is to win every game, and as we move forward, we’ll better understand where we can get.”

Milan star Rafael Leao has gone through some troubled moments during this start to the season, particularly regarding his tense relationship with coach Paulo Fonseca, but Gabbia insisted his teammates are ‘very proud’ of what the striker is doing and ‘always stand by him’.

“Having Rafa fully engaged in the game with us definitely makes a difference,” Gabbia noted.

“Of course, every player goes through times that are more or less favourable. Fortunately, Rafa’s good moments are far more frequent than any ups and downs.

“I’m delighted with what he’s been doing. He’s a guy who’s always smiling, working well, and even trying hard on the defensive end.

“So we’re very proud of what he’s doing and always stand by him, even when he faces a bit of criticism or hears unpleasant rumours. We know his worth; he’s an exceptional talent, so we cherish him, knowing he’ll give us a lot in return.”

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are confident of extending with Mike Maignan, Matteo Gabbia and Theo Hernandez and met the French defender’s agent in Madrid last week.

Milan are in talks to extend with three key players: France internationals Maignan and Theo and Italian centre-back Gabbia.

The latest report from Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the Rossoneri are ready to offer their goalkeeper a €5m-a-year contract until 2029. Maignan currently earns €3.2m per season at San Siro and is reportedly happy to continue with the Rossoneri.

Milan meet Theo Hernandez’s agent and prepare for triple contract extension

His compatriot Theo will probably need a higher contract offer, possibly close to Rafael Leao’s €7m-a-year salary. The Portuguese is the highest earner at the Stadio Meazza.

According to Gazzetta, Rossoneri directors met Theo’s agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, in Madrid last week. The player’s representative insisted that his client is happy at the club and is willing to listen to an offer to raise his current €4.5m-a-year salary.

According to Gazzetta, Milan will need ‘more efforts’ to extend until 2029 with Theo than Maignan, but the club is confident of reaching an agreement with both.

Last but not least is Gabbia, who has become a regular starter under Paulo Fonseca. The agreement with the defender is practically sealed, and the 25-year-old’s salary will be raised to over €2m per season.

Milan have also begun preliminary talks to extend with Tijjani Reijnders, but the Dutch midfielder is under contract at San Siro until 2028 so there’ll be more time to negotiate with his entourage.

Paolo Scaroni has clear ideas about the football hierarchy in Milan as he defined the club he’s chairman of as the only ‘real team’ of the city, as the Rossoneri close in on their 125th anniversary.

Scaroni became Milan’s president in the summer of 2018, when Elliot bought the club following Li Yonghong’s troubled ownership, and was then confirmed in the role in 2022, following a takeover from Red Bird.

Scaroni calls Milan the ‘only real team’ of the city

Despite coming from a different Italian city and region, Scaroni is a renowned long-standing Diavolo supporter and did not miss the opportunity of taunting city rivals Inter.

“I’m from Vicenza, and I came to Milan to study at the University Bocconi,” he told reporters during an event at Milan’s flagship store in the city centre, as quoted by Tuttomercatoweb.

“When I got here, I would get lost on the streets and couldn’t quite remember where San Babila was.

“And look at me now, after so many years, I am the president of the only team in Milan. Let’s be honest: there’s only one real team in Milan. It gives me an incredible feeling.

“To think that I’ve been president for almost seven years now, a long-standing president, and I’ve had the privilege of celebrating AC Milan’s 120th anniversary and now we reached their 125th.”

As Milan’s chairman, Scaroni is also involved in talks with Inter and city Mayor Beppe Sala about the construction of a new stadium in the San Siro neighbourhood to be shared by the two clubs.

The Rossoneri president recently admitted to be more ‘optimistic’ about such a scenario, although Milan have already invested money in alternative options, as they had also been looking at the San Donato area on the city outskirts as a potential location for their future new arena.

Five Serie A players including Milan star Christian Pulisic and Juventus’s Timothy Weah have been called up as part of Mauricio Pochettino’s latest USMNT squad ahead of the Nations League quarter-final double-header against Jamaica in November. 

Five Serie A players in latest USMNT squad

Pulisic, who has been one of Serie A’s most productive attackers so far this season, has been called up as usual, as has Rossoneri teammate Yunus Musah, who earned rave reviews after his performance in the 3-1 Champions League victory away against Real Madrid last week. 

Weah made it four goals from eight Serie A appearances this term with his opener in Juventus’s 2-0 win over Torino in the Derby della Mole on Saturday evening. He has also been called up alongside Bianconeri teammate Weston McKennie, who has again fought his way back into the Juventus first-team this season. 

Venezia midfielder Gianluca Busio is the fifth USA international based in Serie A to be called up for November’s fixtures. 

The USMNT will play twice against Jamaica, in Kingston initially, before hosting the Reggae Boyz in St. Louis four days later. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Scudetto mix

Six teams within two points

Napoli ahead with McTominay, Calhanoglu responds but then misses a penalty. Conte stays in first but contests the usage of VAR. Atalanta, Lazio and Fiorentina (Kean hat-trick!) move within -1. Juve -2. 

Roma, Juric gone

Mancini in pole, Garcia alternative 

Corriere dello Sport

Conte on summit 

Napoli stop Inter and Ancotino attacks VAR

San Siro challenge ends 1-1: Azzurri seal top spot 

McTominay scores, Calhanoglu fights back. Then the Turk misses a penalty: Ball hits the post. Harsh from the coach: ‘A sensational mistake, whoever was in charge of the video should have intervened, this is how ulterior motives cane arise’

End of a Roma

Juric sacked, a new coach coming in, Garcia rising 

Revolution after the 3-2 defeat against Bologna and the protests of the fans at the Olimpico. Ghisolfi: ‘We apoligise, it’s our fault’. Allegri the dream, The fFrenchman advances. Italiano flies with Castro, Orsolini and Karlsson

Lazio and Fiorentina, wonderful thoughts 

Baroni with a routine win in Monza through Zaccagni (0-1): It’s the 10th victory in the last 11. Palladino overwhelms Verona (3-1 thanks to Kean (hat-trick): 6th victory in a row. Gasp doesn’t stop: Atalanta beat Udinese (2-1)

Tuttosport 

Juve and Weah attracting David 

Bianconeri signals from the Lille bomber 

The ‘like’ that was sent to the American from Juve, who celebrates the derby performance, which matches his agent’s words: ‘I knew he’d explode with Motta. And Jonathan? A 20-goal striker’ 

Meanwhile, Kean (hat-trick) boosts La Viola 

Inter penalty infuriates Conte 

McTominay-Calhanoglu: Inter-Napoli 1-1 

The Turk misses from the spot, but Antonio shouts: ‘VAR has to intervene if there’s been a mistake, always though’ 

Scudetto pile-up: Six teams within two points 

A new march for a new Toro 

Procession before the match against Monza

The Granata mobilise again, dreaming of a corporate turnover. Meanwhile: Vanoli’s outbursts in the dressing room. Somnetti, who won two derbies: ‘Toro heartless, I could have smashed up the tv’

Carlo Ancelotti admitted he is ‘beginning to think’ about his retirement although he’d like to ‘win another Champions League’ before putting an end to his coaching career.

The Italian tactician was recently named the best coach of 2024, but he decided not to attend the award-giving ceremony after he found out that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior wouldn’t be the Ballon d’Or winner.

Ancelotti has lifted the Champions League trophy five times as a manager, and he explained in an interview with France Football why the first of them, which came in 2003 with Milan, is the first victory that ‘comes to mind’, also revealing the ‘worst’ mistake he made throughout his career after his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ancelotti reveals what would make him retire and mentions ‘special player’

“The first victory that comes to mind is that one, my first Champions League as a coach,” Ancelotti told France Football, as reported by Tuttosport.

“Until then, I had finished second many times. Then I think of the 10th [Champions League] in 2014 and the 14th in 2022.”

Despite all the silverware won at Real Madrid, the Italian coach admitted it wasn’t all roses with the Merengues, as he made his ‘worst’ mistake after winning the Champions League title in 2014.

“It’s impossible to make only good decisions over thirty years,” he explained.

“For example, I made a mistake here in Madrid after my first year. I was very close to extending my contract, and the club wanted to keep me, but I pushed too hard to increase my salary, and they backed off. It was a mistake, the worst I could have made, but it allowed me to learn.”

Ancelotti’s start to the current season with the Madrid giants has been complicated, and the former Milan coach admitted that being fired by his current club is something that could make him ‘stop’.

“Retirement? Yes, I can imagine it. I started playing football forty-eight years ago, so I’m beginning to think about the day when all this might end,” Ancelotti said.

“Before retiring, I’d like to win another Champions League. Every coach wants to reach the highest levels. Coaching Real Madrid is truly special; it’s the best club in the world because of its history, atmosphere, and fans.

“What might make me stop? I’d say I would stop if Real Madrid fired me. I don’t know what could make me retire—my wife wants me to keep going. But what I am sure of is that the day I retire will be fantastic. I have so many things to do and places to see. I want to go to Argentina, the Maldives, Australia; I want to travel.”

Ancelotti coached Juventus, Milan and Napoli in his career, and he revealed his most difficult time as a manager came when he was at the helm of the Partenopei.

“My time at Napoli was the toughest period for me,” he conceded.

“It’s hard to explain because, individually, the team was good. However, there was a change from Maurizio Sarri’s style of play, and this disrupted the balance in the locker room a bit. We worked well in the first season, but the second was more difficult.”

Asked to mention the best players he has coached, Ancelotti said it is ‘impossible’ to make his best eleven as he managed ‘fantastic players and teams’, but made the name of a footballer who’s been hugely influential for him.

“Paolo Maldini, without a doubt, was a special player for me,” he said.

“He had been my teammate and then became my captain. He helped me a lot in Milan; we had a strong and fantastic relationship.

“Then, of course, there was Ibrahimovic, with his strong character and big personality. In general, the most important players are the easiest to coach. They may have a big ego, but that can be their motivation.”

Milan’s 3-3 draw away to Cagliari brought conflicting news for coach Paulo Fonseca as yet another weak defensive display obscured Rafael Leao’s progress.

The Rossoneri leaked three goals against the previously second-worst attack in Serie A, showcasing a staggering fragility, especially in their left flank, with Cagliari’s full-back Gabriele Zappa scoring a brace which exposed all Theo Hernandez’s limits as a defender.

Milan’s best and worst players against Cagliari

The France international was unanimously rated as Milan’s worst player on the pitch at the Unipol Domus, as Gazzetta dello Sport underlined his difficulties in closing the gaps down his side and his lack of attacking ‘push’, as he was also described as ‘extremely nervous’.

His rating was even worse for Corriere dello Sport (4), which wrote that Zappa and Nadir Zortea made his night ‘terrible’ by scoring from his flank, taking advantage of his ‘distracted’ defensive display.

On the other hand, Leao scored a Serie A brace for the first time since June 2023 and continued to impress after his recent brilliant performance at Real Madrid.

50 – With the brace against Cagliari, Rafael Leão has scored 50 goals in Serie A; the last time the Portuguese netted two goals in the same league match was back on 4th June 2023 against Hellas Verona. Milestone.#CagliariMilan pic.twitter.com/gKxT00bV8y

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 9, 2024

However, as much as he was the Rossoneri’s best-performing player for all Italian media, La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighted a ‘paradox’, as Milan ‘got lost’ every time the Portuguese stepped up to find the net.

Tijjani Reijnders’ assist was another good news for Fonseca, as he was Milan’s best midfielder for both Gds and Corriere dello Sport, with the latter calling him ‘a magician’.

Francesco Camarda received a rating of 6/10 from all the main Italian sports outlets, as he remained on the pitch for 66 minutes before being replaced by Tammy Abraham.

The Rossoneri have conceded 14 goals from their first 11 Serie A games and will face Juventus, who scored at least two goals in each of their last four domestic fixtures, after the international break.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Inter-Napoli for the top spot

Attack on the Scudetto

Go ahead lady

Juve, derby and second spot

Go ahead, Lady

Weah-goal, Yildiz scores the 2-0. ‘Dedicated to Del Piero for his birthday.’ Toro don’t scratch. Motta catches Inter and hopes for a draw at San Siro.

Milan, who the hell defends?

Leao show and three goals conceded. Fonseca’s rage: ‘Theo must improve.’

Corriere dello Sport

Leaders at San Siro

The big match Inter-Napoli for the top spot (20:45). From Lautaro-Lukaku to Barella-McTominay. Thrilling duels.

Thiago beats Torino (2-0), catches Inter and goes -1 from Napoli

Tongue out

Derby to Juve, Weah hits and Yildiz celebrates like Del Piero

Milan, Zappa on the feet

Nicola ahead with Zortea, the Portuguese turns it around and Abraham scored the third. The wing-back blocks Fonseca with two goals: ‘We can’t concede goals like these.’

Gotti away: Lecce to Giampaolo

Tuttosport

Always Juve

Pathetic Toro, Weah and Yildiz celebrate (2-0)

The American paves the way, the Turkish celebrates with his tongue out on Del Piero’s 50th birthday. ‘It’s for him.’ Inexistent Granata. Cairo loses his 24th derby from 31.

After scoring a brace against Cagliari on Saturday, Milan star Rafael Leao announced he had become the father of twins.

Leao celebrated his brace against Cagliari on Saturday by announcing the birth of his twin baby boys.

Milan star Rafael Leao announces birth of twin baby boys

The Portuguese forward had announced in August that he would become a father, and Gazzetta reports that the twins were born premature a few weeks ago, but Leao and his partner decided not to announce the news publicly.

Leao has now made the announcement on Instagram, posting a picture of his goal celebration in Cagliari with the initials L and T which stand for Leonardo and Tiago, his children’s names.

Paulo Fonseca said Milan lost 69% of aerial duels against Cagliari, but the Rossoneri have also conceded the most goals in the opening five minutes in Serie A since 2022-23.

Milan were held to a 3-3 draw by Serie A strugglers Cagliari on Saturday, just four days after beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League.

Fonseca was irritated by his players’ attitude, saying they were not aggressive enough and lost 69% of aerial duels in Sardinia.

Milan defensive struggles highlighted by alarming stats

Opta on X, formerly Twitter, highlighted even more alarming stats suggesting that the Rossoneri don’t enter the field with the appropriate attitude.

The Diavoli, in fact, has conceded ten goals in the opening five minutes of play in Serie A since 2022-23, more than any other team in the league.

In Cagliari, Nadir Zortea opened the account for the Sardinians after just two minutes.

The Rossoneri will host direct rivals Juventus at San Siro after the international break on November 23.