Antonio Conte’s furious rant against VAR was another example of the fundamental misunderstanding a lot of people – including coaches and pundits – have about VAR, writes Susy Campanale.

Video Assistant Referee technology has been around for several years now, yet so many still don’t know or grasp the mechanics of the protocol. They are there for very specific reasons, namely that if it checked every tiny thing like corner kicks, yellow cards and free kicks, the games would last three hours.

There is also a reason why if the referee is called to the monitor for an on-field review, they hardly ever watch the footage back and stick by the original decision – although it is not unheard of. This is because they are only brought to the touchline if there is a ‘clear and obvious error.’ Again, there is a reason for this, as otherwise we may as well get someone with a monitor to call every foul and use the referee on the pitch to relay the message.

I refuse to believe Conte does not already know all of this. Of course he does. He simply wanted to channel his inner Jose Mourinho and send a ‘message’ through the media planting doubts in people’s minds about the fairness of the refereeing, well aware that the term ‘Marotta League’ was already trending on social media. It’s the same playbook that has been used through the decades back before VAR was introduced, when some sweet-natured optimists thought that bringing in technology would mean losing this attitude altogether. The fools. If a robot was used as a referee, someone would still manage to complain it was programmed by a Juventus supporter.

Conte no stranger to refereeing rows

It has always been thus, it wasn’t about Juve or now Inter, it was simply whoever is the biggest club at that time gets the benefit of the doubt. Adding in a layer of protection with VAR can only cancel out the most egregious examples of those errors, but it can never resolve every single issue. That is true more than ever when it comes to the incident Conte was raging about, because whether or not that was worthy of a penalty is entirely subjective. There is no single way to interpret it when there was contact, but minimal, and Conte surely knows that.

This incident also reiterates the huge gulf between the English approach and Italian, namely one feels VAR is used too much and the other that it isn’t used enough. They were meant to be clamping down on soft penalties and disallowed goals, yet Monza have been ripped off twice in recent weeks. We keep being told ‘step on foot’ is an automatic yellow card in Italy, but the same rule doesn’t seem to apply in the Champions League.

There is only one way of breaking past the necessary limitations of the VAR protocol and it is already being worked on right now. The FIGC is preparing to trial a number of calls that coaches can make to get a VAR On-Field Review, similar to the system currently used successfully in tennis. If the original decision is overturned, they get to keep the same number of calls, whereas they lose a go if the appeal proves unfounded. This would’ve allowed Conte to get the referee to review that Inter penalty, but not necessarily change his mind.

We have seen VAR mutate and grow over the years since it was first brought in, as much like the rules of the game itself, they are constantly changing to keep up with the modernisation of the sport. There are always going to be errors, all we can do is remove the most damning ones and accept that it’ll never be perfect. Accepting that imperfection might be the toughest part of all, especially for Conte.

Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Buongiorno and Scott McTominay were among the standout performers in a 1-1 draw between Inter and Napoli: check out the player ratings from San Siro.

It wasn’t as entertaining as Inter-Juventus in October, but the big match of Serie A Round 12 between the Nerazzurri and Napoli ended similarly, with the teams sharing one point apiece.

The Partenopei took the lead in the first half with McTominay’s third goal in 10 competitive games across all competitions, but Hakan Calhanoglu equalised before the break with a shot from distance.

Alex Meret could probably have done more to deny the Turkish star, but his attempt from afar was still impressive.

There was another big moment in the second half, when Calhanoglu missed his first penalty in an Inter shirt.

Acerbi nullified Romelu Lukaku, who was booed by his former fans for the whole night. Napoli’s Alessandro Buongiorno was equally impressive as he won all duels in the air (four) and on the ground (three).

Inter vs Napoli – Player ratings

Inter: Sommer 6, Pavard 6.5, Acerbi 7, Bastoni 6.5 (88′ de Vrij); Dumfries 5.5, Barella 6.5, Calhanoglu 6 (82′ Zielinski), Mkhitaryan 5.5, Dimarco 6 (82′ Darmian); M Thuram 5.5 (82′ Taremi), Lautaro Martinez 5.5 (88′ Arnautovic). Coach: Inzaghi 6.

Best Inter player – Acerbi 7 – The Italian dominated in defence, returning to action after nearly a month on the sidelines. He left no space for his ex-teammate Lukaku and followed the Belgian all over the pitch.

Lowest Inter ratings – Lautaro, Thuram, Mkhitaryan, Dumfries 5.5: All from different reasons. The Nerazzurri attacking pair was disjointed; Lautaro and Thuram didn’t link up as they usually do and were sometimes selfish. Mkhitaryan’s passing accuracy wasn’t great (85%), and Dumfries didn’t create trouble down the right flank. He was also inaccurate with the ball at his feet.

Inter coach—Inzaghi 6: Inter dominated the possession, but it was still not enough to win. They were a bit unlucky, as Calhanoglu missed his first Inter penalty on the worst possible occasion.

Napoli: Meret 5.5; Di Lorenzo 6, Rrahmani 6.5, Buongiorno 7, Olivera 6; Anguissa 5.5, Gilmour 5.5 (60′ Lobotka 5.5), McTominay 7; Politano 6 (84′ Ngonge), Lukaku 5 (77′ Simeone 6) Kvaratskhelia 6.5. Coach: Conte 6.5

Best Napoli players – Buongiorno and McTominay 7: The Italy international was excellent defensively, while the Scotland international was solid in central midfield and scored a key goal in the first half.

Lowest Napoli rating – Gilmour, Anguissa 5.5: The Scotland international left too much space for Calhanoglu while Anguissa caused a – debatable – penalty and looked pretty tired.

Napoli coach – Conte 6.5: The game plan was clear. Defend deep and try to win it with counter-attacks. It didn’t work out entirely, but it’s a good point for Napoli.

Inter made the most of a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty to see off Arsenal and move to 10 points, as they remained unbeaten in the Champions League’s group phase. Football Italia were among the accredited media at the San Siro, here are the player ratings.

Inter

Sommer 6.5 – He came alive from countless scares caused by Arsenal’s set-pieces and completed his night with a crucial stop on Havertz.

Pavard 6.5 – Always aggressive on his man and focused to clear every possible threat, he’s gradually returning to his best form.

De Vrij 7 – A proper defensive stronghold, impossible to overcome for Arsenal.

Bisseck 7.5 – A mix of concentration and courage, his confidence increased with every passing minute, allowing him to deliver another defensive masterclass against an English giant.

Dumfries 7 – Inter’s first massive chance of the game came from his feet, but also proved a constant handful for Timber. Added a providential save on the goal line on top of an already solid display.

Frattesi 5 – He seemed to struggle to find the right position on the right when Inter defended for long periods in the first half and lacked precision when combining with his teammates. (62’ Barella 6)

Calhanoglu 7 – He accompanied the strikers in leading his team’s first line of pressure, helped his side play from the back and remained ice-cold from the spot. (71’ Asllani 6)

Zielinski 6 – His tasks included long moments of defensive coverage in support of Darmian, which probably prevented him from being more lucid with the ball on his feet. (62’ Mkhitaryan 6)

Darmian 6 – Had to remain focused on containing Saka for 90 minutes, a duty which didn’t leave room for anything else.

Taremi 6.5 – He was useful in shielding his opponents’ passing lines in the first half, but little more than that. However, his swift play in Arsenal’s box earned Inter a penalty. (79’ Dimarco n/a)

Lautaro Martinez 5.5 – A complicated night for the hosts’ captain, who mostly played with his back to the goal against an aggressive defensive duo. (62’ Thuram 5.5)

Inzaghi 6.5 – While his choices were undoubtedly risky, they eventually paid off and put his side in a favourable position in the standings after four games. Inter’s ability to sit deep and remain focused without conceding is probably the best news of the night for their manager.

Arsenal

Arsenal: Raya 6; White 6, Saliba 6.5, Gabriel 6, J Timber 5.5 (82’ Zinchenko n/a); Partey 5.5, Merino 5 (46’ Gabriel Jesus ), Trossard 5.5 (82’ Nwaneri n/a); Saka 5.5, Havertz 6.5 (90’ Odegaard n/a), Martinelli 6. Coach: Arteta 5.5.

UCL | Inter 1-0 Arsenal: Calhanoglu and rock solid defence

Milan emerged 3-1 winners against Real Madrid as they delivered a Champions League masterclass at the Santiago Bernabeu. Here are the player ratings.

Maignan 7 – His saves came at crucial times, ending up turning every scare into further confidence for his side.

Emerson Royal 5.5 – His foul on Vinicius risked making the night more complicated for his side, but reacted well (90′ Calabria n/a)

Thiaw 7 – His opener was a massive morale booster for his team to capitalise on a brilliant start in terms of attitude. After that, he held firm against one of the best attacks in the world.

Tomori 6.5 – As strange as it could seem for a game at the Santiago Bernabeu, he had little to do thanks to an overall collective performance.

Theo Hernandez 7 – A constant concern for the hosts in the first half, got more timid after the break, but he wasn’t required to do more than that.

Fofana 6.5 – Excellent positioning to shield his defence, but his accuracy in his side’s build-up was also noteworthy.

Musah 6.5 – His limited touches were offset by his tireless run and countless challenges in an intense midfield battle (90′ Pavlovic n/a).

Pulisic 6.5 – Class and composure in every touch, his assist paved the way for Milan’s outstanding night. (70′ Loftus-Cheek 6)

Reijnders 7.5 – A proper director of play, a phenomenal playmaker who is finally starting to make his presence felt in the opponents’ box with regularity. Get ready, the best is yet to come.

Leao 7.5 – The most anticipated player of the game responded brilliantly and proved to Fonseca how decisive he can be when motivated. He invented Reijnders’ goal out of nowhere,  (78′ Okafor n/a)

Morata 7.5 – Pounced on the rebound to score Milan’s second, showcasing the kind of clinical finish the Rossoneri desperately needed from him. Of course, all of it added to his usual spirit of sacrifice (70′ Abraham 6)

Fonseca 8 – He’s the real winner of the night, as he tactically outsmarted Ancelotti and motivated his players to express themselves at their best from beginning to end.

Real Madrid ratings against Milan

Real Madrid: Lunin 6; Lucas Vazquez 5, Militao 5, Rudiger 5.5, Mendy 5.5 (74′ Fran Garcia 5.5); Valverde 5.5 (46′ Camavinga 5.5), Tchouameni 5 (46′ Diaz 6), Modric 5 (63′ Ceballos 5.5); Bellingham 5.5 (74′ Rodrygo 5.5); Mbappé 5.5, Vinicius Junior 6. Coach: Ancelotti 4.5

UCL | Real Madrid 1-3 Milan: Dominant Diavolo shock Ancelotti

Inter took a vital three points against Venezia in a match that saw both teams have plenty of chances, with the Nerazzurri struggling to capitalise on their dominance. Here are the player ratings.

Sommer 7 – He pulled off some vital saves in a match that he was supposed to watch from the bench. Old but gold.

Pavard 6 – He was probably the most reliable of a shaky defensive trio, despite lacking quality when building up.

De Vrij 5.5 – The captain of a ship that risked sinking on several occasions in the first half.

Bastoni 5.5 – While his qualities are not in doubt, he looked insecure at times against a lively Venezia attack (70′ Bisseck 6)

Dumfries 6.5 – A real nightmare for Haps, his physicality proved an important factor for Inter.

Barella 5.5 – He was surprisingly imprecise and lacked both calmness and composure, paving the way for Venezia’ repeated breaks. (70′ Calhanoglu 6.5)

Zielinski 6 – (84′ Frattesi n/a) A valuable addition in terms of quality, but his defensive contribution is far from matching Calhanoglu’s. To be used in that role only when desperately needed.

Mkhitaryan 5.5 – Ironically, he only scored when Dimarco set him up from an offside position. His mistakes could have proved costly to his side.

Dimarco 7 – A simply divine left foot that can create dangers out of nowhere even when he’s not on his best night (76′ Darmian 6)

Thuram 5 – While he had his fair share of bad luck, he jeopardised a series of promising attacks for his sides by making the wrong decision every time.

Lautaro Martinez 6.5 – Rarely seen, he did enough to earn Inter three massive points. Decisive striker (70′ Taremi 6).

Inzaghi 6.5 – For better or for worse, this Inter side seem capable of everything. From moments of spectacular and offensive play to unacceptable defensive distractions – he’s probably aware they are required to strike a balance in the long term if they want to be consistent enough to compete for titles.

Venezia ratings against Inter

Venezia: Stankovic 7; Idzes 6, Svoboda 6, Altare 5.5 (46′ Sverko 6); Zampano 5 (77′ Ellertsson n/a), Crnigoj 5.5 (46′ Busio 6.5), Nicolussi Caviglia 6.5 (83′ Yeboah n/a), Andersen 6 (77′ Duncan n/a), Haps 5.5; Oristanio 6.5, Pohjanpalo 6. Di Francesco 6.5

Apparently unwanted by their previous clubs, a string of players are now flourishing at Fiorentina. Giancarlo Rinaldi looks at how the Viola have risen up the league with such seemingly unpromising materials.

Sometimes you have to treat them mean in order to keep them keen. Certainly, in Florence of late, they have been toasting a number of players who were not feeling a lot of love at their old clubs. The fire that has provided has helped fuel a run of fine performances that has them dreaming of great things in the Renaissance City right now.

Let’s talk, first of all, about Moise Kean – a promising player, no doubt, but one who seemed to be running out of clubs with the patience to let him prove himself. Juventus, Everton and Paris Saint-Germain is not a bad CV at the age of 24, but it would be fair to say he never delivered what was hoped for with most of them. A deal with the Viola looked risky for both sides but, so far, it has paid off in style.

The 24-year-old striker has been reborn at the under reconstruction Stadio Artemio Franchi as the undisputed leader of the Fiorentina line. He has delivered both goals and the kind of hold-up play they have been sorely missing since Dusan Vlahovic departed. Defenders up and down Italy – and beyond – have found him exactly the kind of handful all his past clubs hoped he would be. Proof, perhaps, that footballers need a little faith to be shown in order for them to flourish.

Kean finding his feet at Fiorentina

The same could be said for Yacine Adli, not much more than a bit-part player with Milan after his much-heralded acquisition in 2021. On loan with an option to buy, Fiorentina have a bad track record of letting such players slip through their grasp. Still, for the time being, he is providing the kind of sumptuous displays – including against his old teammates – that the Rossoneri dreamed of. He still sometimes spends too long on the ball, but when he is in the groove you can see exactly why he was earning some lofty comparisons not so long ago.

Alongside him in a completely overhauled midfield are two arrivals from Rome. Edoardo Bove was always a prospect, but fell out of favour with the Giallorossi before returning to haunt them recently. Still only 22, he is another loanee that Viola fans will hope can be made permanent without delay. He has been followed north by the much more experienced – but equally surplus to requirements – Danilo Cataldi from Lazio. Not exactly a name to stir the soul on the transfer market, he has been rock solid and even delivered goals which have hardly been a trademark of his career. Playing for a permanent deal seems to suit all these players.

And what to say of the biggest “reject” of them all? David de Gea left football entirely after his Manchester United experience came to an end and waited for the right opportunity to come along. He was keen on Serie A and Fiorentina took a chance on a goalkeeper some thought had no more to give. He has been proving them wrong one audacious save at a time. His latest leap to deny Genoa a draw was the culmination of yet another Man of the Match display, as the club finally appears to have found someone capable of ousting Pietro Terracciano from his post.

Fiorentina revitalising lost stars

Would it be stretching a case to put Robin Gosens in the rejected category too? Possibly, but he certainly was sent packing by Inter quite quickly when they decided he did not fit the bill for them. After his time with Union Berlin, he has come back to Serie A as if he has never been away. His goal against the Grifone crowned an impressive return to a league where he was always a quality performer.

There is even an unwanted hero in their own ranks in the shape of Lucas Beltran. He looked to be very much a peripheral figure after the acquisition of Albert Gudmundsson but has seized his chance after the ex-Genoa man suffered injury. The Argentinian has provided one of the few links with the Vincenzo Italiano regime along with Dodo back after injury and Luca Ranieri. With Andrea Colpani showing signs of life after a tricky start, these have been happy days.

A final word is deserved for Pietro Comuzzo, who has moved into the heart of the back four with an assuredness worthy of a teenage Beppe Bergomi at the 1982 World Cup. It is early to pile too much pressure on him but he has been a real standout for his team so far. If he continues this way then it will surely only be a matter of time until he becomes the latest Viola talent to be at the centre of major transfer rumours. Enjoy him while you can.

The bunch of inglorious rejects are enjoying their chance to shine with goals being scored for fun and some scintillating football as their coach has worked out a formation to suit them. How long it can last is anybody’s guess as Fiorentina fans have seen great hopes fall flat in the past. Still, a better European finish than the Conference League looks a possibility right now if they can keep everyone fit and on song. Heaven knows that would prove a point for an awful lot of the players in their squad right now.

From the ignominy of a mid-table finish to league leaders, Antonio Conte has initiated an incredible turnaround at Napoli, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.

The Partenopei sank to 10th in Serie A after one of the worst title defences in Calcio’s history last term.

A horrendous season marred by three managerial changes, lamentable defensive collapses and misguided signings left the club in an unsafe position. Yet under the guidance of the former Italy, Juventus and Inter tactician the Campania-based club have regrouped and rebounded to charge ahead of the chasing pack this season.

The thought of Napoli four points clear at the top of the table at the start of November might have seemed as far-fetched as the possibility of 48-year-old Roma and Italy legend Francesco Totti making a miraculous playing comeback.

Yet, anything seems possible in a campaign where Super Mario Balotelli has finally returned to the Italian top flight.

Napoli’s advance to first place in the classifica is fully merited, though.

While Conte is understandably keen to preach that a European place should be the realistic objective, the Partenopei already look equipped to contend for the title.

The notoriously demanding coach has transformed a fractured group of fatigued individuals into a tenacious, unified unit. After a miserable three-goal opening-day defeat at Hellas Verona, the Partenopei have tightened up at the back, conceding just two goals since.

Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, a target for the boo boys in the 2023-2024 horror show, has redeemed himself spectacularly.

The 31-year-old admitted he contemplated leaving the club following a season to forget. Yet he has embraced Conte’s methods and registered three goals already. There won’t be many screaming for the overlapping full-back to head for the exit door after his excellent performances in the opening stages of the campaign.

The addition of Azzurri international Alessandro Buongiorno in the summer has also been a significant factor in Napoli possessing the best defence in Serie A.

They spent €40m in the summer to sign the central defender from Torino, but it already looks like a relative bargain.

Amir Rrahmani is a far more assured presence in the middle of the back four, largely thanks to the stellar efforts of the dynamic Buongiorno. The reinvigorated Alex Meret has also benefited from the stability in front of him by keeping five clean sheets with number two Elia Caprile, an able deputy.

None of last season’s additions made any worthwhile contributions – Natan, Jens Cajuste and Jesper Lindstrom were all shipped out – yet this year’s recruitment drive has been different.

The big money sale of wantaway Victor Osimhen was supposed to fund the rebuild.

Yet after an interminable debacle which resulted in the Nigerian eventually joining Galatasaray on loan, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis still backed Conte by splashing out the cash on a host of fresh faces.

The immediate impact of €30m Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay partially prompted Conte to adopt a new formation. Fans have already embraced the former Manchester United player, who has impressed with his work rate, stamina, and forward surges.

His quick adaptation to the tactical and technical challenges of Serie A has made him an almost guaranteed starter in Conte’s side. An early goal in the 3-1 victory over Como and two league assists are also evidence that the move came at the right time for a player sometimes underappreciated at Old Trafford.

Compatriot Billy Gilmour has also made his mark in the absence of the injured Stanislav Lobotka. The Slovak midfield lynchpin is arguably the only irreplaceable player in the Napoli starting line-up. Yet the 23-year-old Scotland regular has excelled in Lobotka’s place and formed a new midfield trio with McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the victories against Empoli, Lecce and Milan. Conte pushed for Gilmour’s signature from Brighton and Hove Albion, and the midfield pivot has certainly not disappointed in a demanding role.

The relationship between Conte and experienced forward Romelu Lukaku is well known, and the Lecce-born coach continues to get the best out of the Belgian.

ROMELU LUKAKU.

Napoli take the lead in Milan! #MilanNapoli 0-1 pic.twitter.com/eLlOr1aMLF

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) October 29, 2024

Four goals in eight Serie A games – including an early strike in the two-goal victory at Milan – is a solid return for a player with a vastly different skillset to Osimhen.

Any doubts about Lukaku were almost instantly dispelled when he netted on his debut in thrilling fashion as a substitute against Parma. The 31-year-old’s hold-up and link-up play should not be underestimated either, with four valuable assists as Napoli moved up the table.

Explosive winger David Neres, another high-profile capture from Benfica, has made a vital impact from the bench, racking up three assists and a goal.

Only in football utopia does every signing work out, although Leonardo Spinazzola and Rafa Marin will no doubt provide useful cover throughout a long season.

Wing genius Khvicha Kvaratskhelia remains the most compelling player to watch in Italy. The Georgian’s magnificent goal at Milan was yet another example of his supreme talent. He will comfortably reach double figures after claiming five goals already with a license to roam in multiple formations under Conte.

Without the rigours of European competition – perhaps the only dubious benefit from the doldrums of last year – Napoli have overcome every hurdle after stumbling badly on the first day at Hellas Verona. Any criticism about the standard of opposition or otherwise appears badly misjudged if not foolish in the extreme. The Partenopei were in fifth position at the same stage last season after losing twice and drawing three of their first 10 matches. They were rightly hammered then and deserve some praise now.

Given that we are not even half-way into the season it would be utterly ludicrous to suggest Napoli are the absolute favourites to claim a historic fourth scudetto.

Yet there is no doubt Conte has made them more competitive and more resolute since taking over.

How Napoli fare in their next five Serie A games—starting at home to Atalanta on Sunday and with trips to Inter, Torino, Roma, and Lazio at Stadio Diego Maradona—should present a more accurate picture of their title chances.

Barring an unlikely collapse, expect them to be well-placed to crown the winter champions.

@SKasiewicz

Thiago Motta’s Juventus started strong in the Serie A and Champions League, but recent displays have shown at least three clear issues the Italian tactician must fix, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.

Many were deceived by Juventus’ back-to-back 3-0 victories over Como and Hellas Verona in the opening league games and even more convincing Champions League wins against PSV and RB Leipzig.

The Bianconeri were not only solid. They created goal-scoring opportunities aplenty and even debutants Samuel Mbangula and Nicolò Savona made an immediate impact, scoring on their debuts as starters. It all seemed perfect.

Fast forward to today, the Bianconeri remain unbeaten in Serie A – the only team in the league – but have lost defensive stability, and Motta’s principles are not always visible on the pitch. Furthermore, the Old Lady is already seven points behind her ex-coach Antonio Conte, now in charge of table leaders Napoli.

Juventus have already met the Partenopei in Turin in September, collecting one of the three consecutive 0-0 draws that suggested Motta hadn’t fixed all problems in a matter of weeks.

Three main issues have emerged recently, and perhaps Motta won’t be able to solve them all alone before the end of the year.

Collapse in defence

Juventus conceded ten goals in the latest six games across all competitions, and it’s undoubtedly no coincidence that problems started after their star defender Gleison Bremer sustained a cruciate ligament injury against RB Salzburg. Before the Brazilian’s season-ending injury, the Old Lady had only conceded one goal in seven matches. The comparison is scary. This surely is the main problem Motta must fix, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to do so before the start of the January transfer window when Cristiano Giuntoli will inevitably be looking for a new centre-back.

Brazilian veteran Danilo started in the last three games, conceding two penalty kicks and receiving a red card. Federico Gatti, a regular starter and the Juventus captain at the start of the season, has fallen down the pecking order after a minor injury, while Pierre Kalulu, arguably Juventus’ best defender with Bremer on the sidelines, was shaky against Stuttgart and Inter and was rested against Parma on Wednesday. Motta doesn’t have many more options at the back and must push for a collective improvement before the January transfer window starts.

Midfield issues

There are probably just three ‘untouchable’ players in the Old Lady’s midfield: Teun Koopmeiners, Weston McKennie and Manuel Locatelli. The latter has proved to be the ideal holding midfielder for Motta, a role covered by Remo Freuler at Bologna last season. Although Locatelli’s contribution to the build-up has improved compared to last season, he still needs quality around him, and that’s where trouble begins. Ex-Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, one of Juventus’ biggest signings last summer, has been struggling with playing time and recently sustained a muscle injury that will keep him out for a few weeks. Nicolò Fagioli is seen mostly as a backup to Locatelli and Teun Koopmeiners, Juventus’ most expensive summer signing, has only provided one assist in eight appearances.

The Dutchman is also dealing with fitness issues and played the last game against Parma with protection for his broken rib. However, even when he was fit, he struggled to find the passing lanes that looked natural only a few months ago at Atalanta. Koop has often alternated his position with Kenan Yildiz, sometimes moving to the left wing, but his poor goal contributions suggest that Motta still hasn’t found the best way to use the talented Netherlands international at the Allianz Stadium.

• Read more – Player Ratings: Juventus 2-2 Parma – Weah scores again, brilliant Delprato

Vlahovic alone

The Serbia international indeed gets more criticism from fans and media than he deserves. The 24-year-old has already scored eight goals in 13 appearances across all competitions. But somehow, every time Juventus don’t win or he doesn’t score (imagine when both things happen simultaneously, like last night), Vlahovic is among the most criticised. Indeed, he sometimes misses open goals and opportunities that should be routine for a striker tipped to be among the best in the world. At the same time, however, Vlahovic is the only Juventus option in attack, given that Arkadiusz Milik will remain out of action for several weeks after undergoing a new surgery earlier this month. The Poland international hasn’t yet made his debut under Motta and surely, another centre-forward is also on the Bianconeri’s agenda for January.

Wingers Timothy Weah and Mbangula and attacking midfielder Vasilije Adžić have been introduced from the bench the only three times Vlahovic has been subbed off this season. Kenan Yildiz is another potential option for Motta, and perhaps this is why the Turkish talent was rested for the second consecutive game against Parma last night. Vlahovic may not be as ruthless as Europe’s top strikers yet, but the number of minutes he’s already played justifies a bit of fatigue, and the lack of replacements makes it difficult for Motta to identify a plan B.

Timothy Weah was the best Juventus player against Parma, but Enrico Del Prato practically scored twice in a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus were held to a 2-2 draw by strugglers Parma on Wednesday, slipping seven points below table leaders Napoli.

American winger Weah was involved in both Juventus goals, providing an assist for McKennie in the first half and scoring his second consecutive goal after the break.

It was not enough for the Old Lady to get all three points, as Delprato and Sohm had given Parma the lead twice in the first half.

Delprato practically scored a second goal in the stoppages as he pulled off a remarkable goal-line clearance at minute 94 to avoid a late Kenan Yildiz winner.

Juventus 2-2 Parma – Player ratings

Juventus: Di Gregorio 6.5; Cambiaso 6.5, Gatti 5, Danilo 4.5, Cabal 5.5 (59′ Savona 6); Locatelli 6.5; Conceiçao 7, Thuram 6.5 (84′ Fagioli N/A), McKennie 7 (71′ Koopmeiners 5.5), Weah 8 (59′ Yildiz 5.5); Vlahovic 5. Coach: Motta 5.

Best Juventus Player: Weah 8 – Scored his second consecutive goal and it was crucial again. Before that, he had provided a perfect assist for his compatriot McKennie. Reborn.

Lowest Juventus rating: Danilo 4.5 – Once again poor with and without the ball. Often in the wrong position, he’s been the shadow of his former self since the start of the season. To say that he’s low in confidence is an understatement.

Juventus coach: Thiago Motta 5—Another draw and two more goals conceded. Juventus’ defence hasn’t been the same since Bremer’s injury, and upfront, they are often slow and predictable unless Conceiçao has the ball.

Parma: Suzuki 6.5; Coulibaly 6, Delprato 8, Balogh 6.5, Hainaut 6.5; Keita 6 (46′ Hernani 5.5 (74′ Camara 6.5)), Sohm 7; Man 7 (84′ Cancellieri N/A), Bernabé 7, Mihaila 6 (69′ Almqvist 5.5); Bonny 6 (69′ Charpentier). Coach: Pecchia 6.5

Best Parma Player: Delprato 8 – You may see his name on the scoresheet once, but he practically scored twice, as his goal-line clearance at minute 94 was just as important as a goal. Brilliant defending.

Parma coach: Pecchia 6.5 – A former Juventus midfielder and U23 coach, Pecchia tricked the Old Lady in Turin with an intense performance. The Ducali played openly for 60 minutes and then accepted to sit back and counter-attack in the final half-hour. They even had a few chances to win it. Massive confidence boost.

Inter’s 4-4 draw against Juventus was indeed spectacular, but confirmed the Nerazzurri are way far from last season’s defensive solidity, an issue that Simone Inzaghi must fix as soon as possible, writes Richard Hall.

Kenan Yildiz wheeled away in celebration; he had just managed to secure an incredible comeback for Juventus. It was avoidable for Inter, and the body language of the ranks was poor.

When players walked back to the centre circle, most of them looked at the floor like five-year-olds told to go to bed after not listening. From 4-2 up in the Derby D’Italia, they conceded two late goals, and the Turkish attacker made sure the game ended 4-4.

The problem for Simone Inzaghi is that this is not the first time his team has switched off defensively, and it is becoming a regular occurrence rather than a rarity.

One doesn’t have to delve deep into analyzing high lines, disappearing wingbacks, and balls lost in transition. Last season, the Nerazzurri conceded 22 goals in 38 games, quite an achievement. This season, they have conceded 13 goals already. It is quite the question that needs a swift answer, and it cannot simply be that there is a hangover from last season.

The statistic, when unpacked, is more damning than you may think. The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza has been an atmospheric and intimidating home for the Nerazzurri, and it still is, and yet, this season, only Parma, Cagliari, Lecce, Genoa and Verona have conceded more goals at home.

For Inzaghi, that is frightening, especially as most of these goals have been avoidable. Perhaps the first game of the season against Genoa set the tone when, in a 2-2 draw, Yann Sommer uncharacteristically made a glaring error as he didn’t judge the flight of the ball as he saw it crash off the bar and cost them a goal.

This continued into the game against Juventus, when the wide men were allowed to drift too far in and slot balls through. Again, this has been a common factor as the full-backs have defended differently this campaign. Rather than pushing the attackers out wide like last season, they have chosen to shadow them until they are nearly in the box. Why is that?

There is something about a lack of concentration, that is for sure, especially late on in games. Of Inter’s 13 goals conceded, six have come in the first half, but more shockingly about the seven in the second is that all of them have come after 70 minutes. Why is there an inability to see out games? Tiredness? Unlikely.

Inzaghi has rotated the squad when he can, as Inter have strength in depth. Maybe this is the problem? Is the depth of the squad not good enough? Again, that is unlikely, as they proved last term. Adding to the disappointment and quandary is the fact that out of those seven goals, four of them have been scored by opposition substitutes, which indicates that opposing coaches are spotting these frailties.

Watching Inter this season hasn’t been a train wreck; even offensively, they can improve. This is perhaps what is frustrating Inzaghi so much as whilst Marcus Thuram is having an incredible season, Lautaro Martinez has not looked up to scratch and has also hit a dry spell at home.

He hasn’t scored at home in Serie A since February 28, which equates to nine games, and frankly is extremely poor by his high standards. He came back from the summer looking sluggish and not a sharp as his brilliance self but it is all not just on him. Inter could have scored more than four goals against Juventus.

Denzel Dumfries wasn’t the only one to miss a glaring opportunity, and this continues from the game against Young Boys to Genoa. Inter have played well in most of the games for long periods, but spells such as the opening half of the Derby Della Madonnina have cost them dearly.

Inzaghi said: “There is bitterness as a coach; I must analyse and talk to the players tomorrow.” Bemused by the defensive display again, he confirmed the frustration but said he must build on the positives.

There are some, that is for sure. Inter certainly fight as they did against Roma, Young Boys, and Juventus, and attitude is not the issue. Concentration? Maybe. Empoli follow on Wednesday, and this will be key to bouncing back. It perhaps comes at the perfect time for Inter, but they will want to go away not just with three points but also a clean sheet.

@RichHall80

Love him or loathe him, there is no denying the buzz around Mario Balotelli’s return to Italian football. Giancarlo Rinaldi looks at what Genoa – and the league – could get from his arrival.

It feels like a lifetime has passed since we last saw Mario Balotelli in Serie A. We have come through a global pandemic, seen the Azzurri win a delayed Euros and had four different teams lift the Scudetto in the meantime. When he left Brescia for up and coming Monza – whatever happened to them? – we had a feeling he might never be back in Italy’s top division. However, thanks to a Genoa side desperate to avoid relegation and shorn of two of its star forwards from last season, he is back for a fifth spell at Calcio’s highest level.

Those of us who have been watching the division for a while will remember the excitement that surrounded his first emergence as a teenager at Inter. The ease with which he produced goals for the Nerazzurri and at youth level for his country suggested this was a striker who could set all kinds of records at club and international level. That he did it all with an assurance that some interpreted as arrogance almost immediately made him a divisive figure.

Still, there was little surprise when Manchester City – then in the earlier days of becoming the dominant force they have since become – pounced for him as he turned 20. In the same year he was picking up his first full Italy cap. The future looked unbelievably bright.

But it would be fair to say things did not quite go as swimmingly as hoped in England. Nonetheless, with an outstanding summer with his country at Euro 2012, he was still an undeniable talent. When the other side of Milan came calling the following year, he made his first return to Serie A. The overseas experience appeared to have improved him and that spell with the Rossoneri was one of the most productive of his career.

It earned him another move to the Premier League – this time with Liverpool – but the magic generally failed to materialise and he was quickly back in Italy on loan. It would take another departure – to Nice in Ligue 1 – to kickstart his goalscoring again but, once more, that fizzled out and, after a move to Marseille, he was back at Brescia and then Monza. There was another sign of life in the Turkish Super Lig before he moved to Switzerland and then back to Turkey before his arrival back in Italy.

There have been highs and lows, for sure, and all of it surrounded by a fair dose of controversy. In the country of his birth he has often found himself a target for racism and perhaps that has driven him to play overseas. His detractors would argue that he brings a lot of the trouble on himself – he has certainly not always acted impeccably – but his famous Why Always Me? T-shirt did seem to touch upon a truth. Others have acted in similar ways to Balotelli but few have encountered the same level of reproach.

Wherever you sit on the Super Mario fence, it still feels good to get him back in Serie A. At 34 years old, he can still have a lot to offer and Genoa are certainly a club in desperate need after losing Mateo Retegui and Albert Gudmundsson in the summer and a bad start to the season. It is asking a lot of him to be their saviour but he does give them an attacking option that will cause other clubs in the relegation fight some concern.

There is always that side order of what he might bring to the club and the league in off-the-pitch headlines to worry about. And yet, if you focus on his football, he has the potential to be a big factor in keeping his new employer afloat. If nothing else, it will surely produce thousands more words about him to go alongside these ones.

This might well be his last shot at glory in one of Europe’s top five leagues but he still has the skill set to give it a go. Few players have bossed the division like he did at times in his pomp and fans of the Grifone will hope he can show some signs of that once more. He has already been dismissed as a spent force by many but he has made a career out of proving his critics wrong and would probably like nothing better than to do it one more time. Goalkeepers watch out, there could be a football flying at incredible speed coming in your direction very soon.

Napoli emerged 2-0 winners away at the San Siro against Milan, with two first half goals enough to inflict Fonseca’s side their third Serie A defeat of the season. Football Italia attended the game, here are the player ratings:

Maignan 5.5 – Not on his best night, as he let the ball go in at the near post and didn’t seem particularly reactive on Kvaratskhelia’s shot from long range.

Emerson Royal 5.5 – Left too much space for Kvara to shoot on target for Napoli’s second of the night and his offensive contribution was weightless. (62′ Pulisic 6)

Pavlovic 5.5 – Tasked with limiting Lukaku, he immediately paid the price for keeping him onside. While he improved after that, his distraction was still fatal to the Rossoneri.

Thiaw 6 – Limited his mistakes and didn’t have any particular fault in Napoli’s goals.

Terracciano 5.5 – He did a decent job by containing Politano, but that was all from his night.

Musah 5.5 – His soft marking on Anguissa crucially allowed the midfielder to turn and set up Lukaku. After that, he tried to

Fofana 6.5 – A valuable presence in support of his defence, he’s found wherever a teammate needs him. But Napoli are too much to handle for him alone.

Chukwueze 6 – Although he seemed inspired, his team’s offensive presence was too limited and inconsistent to give him enough chances to hurt Napoli.

Loftus-Cheek 5 – He’s a faded version of the midfielder that many admired last season, as he lost possession many times and failed to make his phisicality count in the midfield battle against his counterparts. (87′ Camarda n/a)

Okafor 5.5 – He tries to take initiative in the first half but fails to create actual dangers.   (62′ Leao 6)

Morata 6 – A spectacular back-heel assist in the first half and a second half goal, eventually ruled out, that could’ve brought Milan into the contest. Difficult and unlucky night.

Fonseca 5.5 – With a team further weakened by Pulisic’s last-minute absence, he could have considered changing his mind on Leao. His team did what they could, but looked just toothless against a Napoli side full of confidence.

Napoli ratings

Meret 6.5 – The visitors’ goalkeeper was always attentive and passed a sense of safety, closing his night with a nice save to deny Leao.

Di Lorenzo 6.5 – The Italy international put up a solid performance, proving difficult to overcome and playing direct and simple passes as required by Conte.

Buongiorno 7 – Another defensive masterclass as he claimed every ball passing next to him, also proved lucky to have his only distraction when Morata scored after starting from an offside position.

Rrhamani 6.5 – Followed the rhythm set by his solid defensive partner and benefitted from it.

Olivera 6 – A secure performance that saw him involved in many duels. (94′ Zerbin n/a)

Anguissa 7 – He was quick and precise to set up Lukaku’s opener, but that was just the start of an overall superb display.

Gilmour 6 – The Scotland international took little risk with his passing and was accurate enough to make his side’s play fluid. (94′ Folorunsho n/a)

McTominay 6.5 – His impressive composure and physicality made him a dominant presence in midfield.

Politano 6 – The former Inter player was the least inspired of the visitors’ trio and the first to be subbed off. (68′ Mazzocchi 6)

Kvaratskhelia 7 – An important and nice-looking goal, although he produced little more than that. (77′ Neres 6)

Lukaku 6.5 – Capitalised on Napoli’s first chance of the game, paving the way for a crucial victory. Apart from that, he still seemed far from his best form but did his best to keep Milan defenders busy. (77′ Simeone 6)

Conte 7 – The pressure was on his side due to Milan’s absences, but the Partenopei responded excellently, showing character and calmness to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points.

‘From Waterloo to a hat-trick in the Europa League final’ – It’s taken nine years of a professional career, none of which has ever come easy, for Ademola Lookman to finally find himself a home where he is valued and appreciated. Now, he and Atalanta are reaping the rewards. Let’s go back to where it all began …

From a Charlton Athletic supporter with a passion for Calcio. 

*This article was originally written the day after the Europa League final, on May 22, 2024.

It’s never been easy for Lookman

How could anybody not feel moved after watching the interview with Ademola Lookman’s former Waterloo coach, Felix Emanus, on TNT Sports last night. It was a moment of sheer pride, passion and an underlying feeling that Wednesday night’s performance was something that the boy always had in his locker. 

"I cried when the third goal went in"

One of Ademola Lookman's former youth coaches with an emotional interview after his MOTM performance in a European final pic.twitter.com/MW45Mgn3yF

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 22, 2024

Lookman’s rise from the cages in Wandsworth to a man of the match performance in a European final has been far from straightforward. He largely skipped the professional academy system, joining Charlton from Waterloo as a sixteen-year-old almost exactly a decade ago, upon the recommendation of former Premier League striker and ex-Addicks coach Jason Euell. 

The timid youngster was fast-tracked through Charlton’s youth ranks, making his senior debut in a cameo Championship appearance just over a year after his signing. His first goal would come a month later, in December 2015, opening the scoring in an eventual 3-2 loss to Brighton with a finish that was not too dissimilar to his third against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday. Certainly a sign of things to come.

For those less familiar with Charlton’s recent misfortune, the 2015-16 campaign was probably up there with the most miserable seasons of any club in any division in any part of the world. The disastrous Roland Duchatelet ownership had, by this point, become completely untenable and the club had effectively gone to war with its supporters. The atmosphere inside the Valley, for the most part, was utterly poisonous. Numerous high-profile protests were counted as minor victories for the fans, but the disruption of matches can’t have been easy for any of the players, who were relegated to League One by April of 2016. 

By no means was this a nurturing environment for a promising young footballer, who had zero experience in the professional game, let alone the hardships of representing a club that was on the brink of collapse. For reference, future England international Nick Pope – six years Lookman’s senior – often crumbled under the pressure as well, before going on to excel in the Premier League with Burnley and Newcastle. 

Charlton fans protest against the club’s owners…beach ball style ( via @PatrickGoss) pic.twitter.com/3BotLgC4r1

— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 24, 2016

Lookman, though, was one of, if not the only bright spark that torrid year, and it was miraculous that Charlton were able to keep hold of him for another six months in the third tier, where it soon became clear that he was far too good for that sort of level. Everton came knocking in January, and offered a fee that would make Lookman the second-most expensive signing out of League One of all time. 

Life on Merseyside could not have got off to a better start. Still only 19, Lookman emerged off the bench against Manchester City, sticking the ball through Claudio Bravo’s legs a handful of minutes into his debut to round off a 4-0 victory, inflicting Pep Guardiola’s biggest ever defeat in a domestic competition. 

Nomadic Lookman

That would, however, be his only Premier League goal for the Toffees. Consistent minutes in the first team evaded him, and the situation only got worse when Sam Allardyce was called in to replace Ronald Koeman in November 2017. 

Two months after that, Lookman was sent out on loan to the Bundesliga, joining RB Leipzig until the end of the 2017-18 season. Still an England youth international at that point, he became the first ‘Englishman’ to score in the German top flight since Owen Hargreaves well over a decade prior, and the first to score a brace since the Ballon d’Or-winning Kevin Keegan at the end of the 1970s. 

Five league goals in 11 appearances was enough to convince the German outfit to buy him outright for a reported fee of €18m a year later, in 2019. Ralph Hasenhüttl, who had originally signed Lookman on loan, was gone by this point though, and Julian Nagelsmann, who was at the helm in 2019, didn’t utilise the youngster anywhere near as much as his predecessor. 

That led to the second of his three loan moves, joining Fulham for the 2020-21 season, where he was finally able to put in a full, 30+ game season in a top-flight division. Leicester came in the year after. By the end of that season, it had become clear that Lookman was more than capable of performing consistently in the Premier League. Somewhat surprisingly though, no English sides fancied a punt after that, despite the fact he was available for a fee of around €10m. 

Finally at home in Bergamo

Atalanta, who have been lauded for their excellent recruitment in recent years, recognised his potential and spotted an opportunity. He would go on to be the club’s leading goalscorer in 2022-23, both in Serie A and in all competitions. 

Astonishingly, this is the first time in Lookman’s senior career that he has been based at the same club for two full seasons in a row. That stability, along with Gian Piero Gasperini’s strict coaching methods, have only come to be of benefit to the player and club alike. 

Fast forward to Wednesday night, by far and away the pinnacle of Lookman’s career to date, a European final against a Bayer Leverkusen side who had gone 51 matches unbeaten in all competitions, – a game, by the way, that Lookman was not even guaranteed to start – it’s no wonder why so many people who have followed him from an early age feel such a strong sense of pride, along with a small part of relief, watching the young man realise his full potential. 

It has taken a club like Atalanta to give him a continued opportunity. And now, they both have their names in the history books: Atalanta as the 2023-24 Europa League winners, their first ever, and Lookman as only the fourth player ever to score a hat-trick in a European final, after Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Pierino Prati. Not bad company at all.

Words: Peter Young / @peter_yng

Check out the player ratings for Inter-Juventus after a crazy 4-4 draw at San Siro.

Juventus

Di Gregorio 6.5 – Nothing he could do to avoid Inter goals. He also guessed the right direction for Zielinski’s second penalty, but it wasn’t enough. Crucial saves in the second half to keep a two-goal deficit.

Cambiaso 6 – Had to focus on the defensive side of things, but still finished the game with 97% passing accuracy.

Danilo 4 – Another terrible night for the Brazilian veteran. Caused another penalty and looked shaky every time he had the ball and Inter attacked. (76′ Gatti 6.5)

Kalulu 4.5 – Caused the second penalty of the night with an inexplicable foul on Dumfries.

Cabal 6.5 – Contributed to Vlahovic’s equaliser with a long pass for McKennie and his forward run paved the way for Yildiz’s second goal.

Locatelli 6 – Simple, short passes, but good positioning.

McKennie 7 – Smart assists for Vlahovic and Yildiz (83′ Thuram N/A).

Conceiçao 7.5 – Juventus’ best player after Yildiz. The assist for Weah was sublime. He never stopped running down the right flank. On fire.

Fagioli 5 – Played as an attacking midfielder but was never really involved. No surprise he was subbed off. (61′ Savona 6)

Weah 7 – Gave Juve the lead in the first half. Worked hard to help the team in both phases. He was exhausted when he was subbed off. (62′ Yildiz 8 – Surpringly benched, he changed the game with two goals in the second half. Obvious MOTM).

Vlahovic 6.5 – Scored one of the easiest goals of his career. Tried to hold the ball up front, but it was a tough task.

Coach: Motta 6.5 – If there’s one thing this Juventus side do not lack it is personality. The defence is more exposed without Bremer and this is something he must address. It’s still a work in progress in Turin, but the glass is half full tonight.

Inter

Sommer 5.5 – Contrary to Di Gregorio, he looked a bit too static on a couple of occasions.

Pavard 5.5 – Not his best night, but all defenders can say the same thing tonight. (63′ Bisseck 5)

De Vrij 5 – Bounced back after a tough start but then collapsed in the final minutes, like most of his teammates.

Bastoni 5 – Not the same Bastoni we’ve admired over the last few years. Sloppy and not effective with the ball at his feet. Conceiçao gave him a hard time.

Dumfries 7 – Scored Inter’s fourth goal and earned a penalty but left too much space for Yildiz to score his first goal.

Mkhitaryan 7 – Scored the equaliser in the first half, it was just the beginning.

Zielinski 7.5 – Replaced Calhanoglu in the middle of the park and from the spot and he didn’t disappoint. (63′ Frattesi 6)

Barella 6.5 – A convincing performance for 70 minutes, Perhaps he should have been subbed off when he was too tired.

Dimarco 5.5 – Not so dangerous in attack, and passing accuracy was way lower than usual at 69%. (77′ Darmian 5.5)

Thuram 7 – He won a penalty and provided the assist for Thuram, but could have been more clinical when Inter were up 4-2. He missed a chance to score, and Yildiz found the net only a few minutes later. (87′ Taremi N/A).

Lautaro 6 – He created a few opportunities. Two key passes but no goal contributions.

Coach: Inzaghi 5.5 – The glass is half empty for Inter. They had taken a two-goal lead and could have scored more after the fourth, but they didn’t. Inzaghi made the same substitutions and couldn’t keep the lead.

Juventus lost 1-0 to VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Stadium in Champions League Round 3. Here are the player ratings from the Allianz Stadium.

Perin 8 – Replaced the suspended Di Gregorio. At least three crucial interventions before saving a penalty kick as well. Nothing he could do to avoid Stuttgart’s late goal. To say that he deserves the imminent contract extension is an understatement.

Savona 5 – A tough day at the office against Leweling. No surprise he was subbed off early in the second half (55′ Cambiaso 5.5)

Kalulu 5.5 – He quickly became the Juventus defensive leader, but he also capitulated when Stuttgart scored the late winner.

Danilo 4 – Often in the wrong position, not always accurate with the ball at his feet. Caused an avoidable penalty and was sent off with two yellow cards. Unrecognisable.

Cabal 5.5 – Fought hard down the left flank but still failed to limit the risks of damage.

Fagioli 5 – Praised by Motta minutes before kick-off, the Italian midfielder struggled to find promising passing lanes as a deep-lying playmaker. It didn’t improve when he was moved to the attacking midfielder position after Locatelli’s introduction.

Thuram 5 – Pretty confused, especially in the first half. Slightly more solid after the break, but still a chaotic performance. (89′ Rohui N/A)

Conceiçao 5.5 – Lively down the right flank. Three successful dribbles (from three) but no key passes. (55′ Weah 5.5)

McKennie 5 – Clearly not in his best shape. Floated between attack and defence (55′ Locatelli 5.5)

Yildiz 5 – Once again, below par. One shot on target and two off target, but he was never really dangerous.

Vlahovic 5 – What could he do tonight? Always played with his back to the goal. Never received proper service. Frustrating match for the Serbian. (68′ Adzic 5.5)

Coach: Thiago Motta 4.5 – Worst Juventus performance this season. The Bianconeri were lucky to only concede in the final minutes. Vulnerable and never dangerous. He’ll have a lot to think about after this poor performance.

Stuttgart: Nubel 6; Vagnoman 6.5, Rouault 7.5, Chabot 8, Mittelstadt 7 (90′ Chase N/A); Karazor 7, Stiller 7; Millot 7, Undav 6.5 (74′ Riedler 7), Leweling 7.5; Demirovic 7 (62′ El Bilal Touré 7.5). Coach: Hoeness 8.

Milan picked up their first Champions League points in a tough game against Club Brugge, who managed to equalise in the second half despite being left with 10 men before the break. Here are the player ratings from the Rossoneri’s 3-1 win:

Maignan 7 – A complete authority in Milan’s shaky defence. He blocked the opposition with a series of essential saves and was the only one in the hosts’ rearguard to provide a sense of security.

Emerson Royal 5.5 – Brugge’s equaliser originated from his side, which was arguably the most vulnerable part of the Rossoneri’s back.

Gabbia 5.5 – The space between him and Emerson Royal proved particularly inviting to attack for the visitors at times, as they both looked inattentive (83′ Thiaw n/a).

Tomori 5.5 – Too soft on the visitors’ forwards, the Englishman contributed to his team’s overall fragility at the back.

Theo Hernandez 6 – As much as his defensive contribution wasn’t much better, his raids forward made him a concern to keep an eye on for the opposition.

Fofana 5.5 – Lacked precision and was often dispossessed, exposing his side to dangers (75′ Musah 6).

Reijnders 8 – The Dutch finally proved the all-round midfielder he is: excellent at adding quality to his side’s build-up, but his brace showed how important his offensive presence is to make him even more influential in the team.

Pulisic 7 – The American gave the Rossoneri the lead in a delicate moment directly from a corner kick, once again showing the wideness of his array of skills.

Loftus-Cheek 5.5 – Struggled to make his physical presence felt as Brugge worked the ball with ease in midfield in the first half (60′ Okafor 6.5).

Leao 6.5 – He looked like the only one able to light up a spark up front in Milan’s slow start, but his inconsistency, even within the same game, cost him a substitution in the second half. And Fonseca was right, since the Rossoneri became much more dangerous with the additions of electric Okafor and Chukwueze (60′ Chukwueze 6.5).

Morata 6 – A light presence up front, in a match where Milan would’ve needed something different from the start (75′ Camarda 6.5).

Fonseca 7 – While Milan struggled much more than expected in the first half and until the visitors’ equaliser, his corrections were spot on and proved instrumental in setting up a strong final 40 minutes, which also sparked San Siro’s enthusiasm.

Club Brugge: Mignolet 6; Ordóñez 5.5, Mechele 5.5, Seys 6 (46′ Sabbe 6.5); Talbi 5.5 (46′ Vetlesen 6), Vanaken 6, Onyedika 4.5, Jashari 6.5 (83′ Nielsen n/a), De Cuyper 5.5; Jutglà 6.5 (70′ Skoras 5.5), Tzolis 6.5 (70′ Skov Olsen 5.5) Coach: Hayen 6.5

A Lautaro Martinez goal was enough for Inter to secure an away 1-0 win at Roma, but several Giallorossi players were below par at the Stadio Olimpico.

Inter took all three points home this evening, beating Ivan Juric’s Roma 1-0. It was a tough game for the Nerazzurri, plagued with injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi in the opening 27 minutes.

Lautaro scored his third goal in seven Serie A matches this term, making the most of a few Roma mistakes. The finish was stunning, but Nicola Zalewski lost possession and sparked the Nerazzurri counter-attack, while Zeki Celik gave the ball away at the edge of the box.

The defending Serie A champions were solid defensively and even if the Giallorossi finished the game with more ball possession (55% to 45%), the Nerazzurri had more shots on target (six to three) and could have killed off the game in the second half.

Roma’s best chance was for Matias Soulé, who tested Yann Sommer’s reflexes with a shot from outside the box in the final minute.

Roma vs Inter – Player Ratings

Roma: Svilar 7; Mancini 6, N’Dicka 6.5, Angelino 6 (79′ Hermoso N/A); Celik 5, Kone 5.5 (53′ Pisilli 5.5), Cristante 5.5 (79′ Le Fée N/A), Zalewski 4.5 (72′ Baldanzi 6); Dybala 6 (79′ Soulé 6), Pellegrini 5; Dovbyk 5.5. Coach: Juric 5

Best Roma Player: Svilar 7 – A couple of key saves to keep Roma in the game, both in the first and second half. It’s never a good sign when a goalkeeper gets the highest rating.

Lowest Roma rating: Zalewski 4.5 – Poland fans will struggle to recognise the player who scores in almost every game for the national team. Not a single good cross tonight (not new) and the ball he lost in the build-up to Inter’s goal should have been managed differently, to say the least.

Roma coach: Juric 5 – The Giallorossi are just flat. They are solid at times, but they just don’t create enough up front. The depressing thing for the fans is that the season seems over already and it’s not even November.

Inter: Sommer 7; Pavard 6, Acerbi 6 (27′ De Vrij 6.5), Bastoni 6.5 (72′ Bisseck 6); Darmian 6 (72′ Dumfries 6.5), Barella 6.5, Calhanoglu N/A (12′ Frattesi 6), Mkhitaryan 6.5, Dimarco 6; Lautaro 7 (72′ Corrrea 5.5), Thuram 6.5. Coach: Inzaghi 7.

Best Inter Player: Lautaro 7 – He’s back. His goal was excellent as well as decisive. Rested in the final minutes ahead of next week’s Champions League game.

Lowest Inter Rating: Correa 5.5 – Should have helped the team more defensively. Received a yellow card.

Inter coach: Inzaghi 7 – It’s never easy to win at the Stadio Olimpico, especially when two key players suffer injuries in the opening 30 minutes. Deserved victory.

Juan Cabal forced Mario Gila to an own goal, inspiring Juventus’ 1-0 win against a Lazio side reduced to ten men, but the Bianconeri didn’t have a shot on target until minute 81.

Juventus kept another clean sheet in Serie A but needed a late own goal from Lazio defender Gila to beat the Biancocelesti, who had been reduced to ten men for over one hour.

Alessio Romagnoli was sent off at minute 24 for a foul on Pierre Kalulu, one of the best Juventus players tonight alongside Cabal.

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-0 Lazio – Cabal, Kalulu and not much more

The Colombia international was decisive as Mario Gila deflected his cross from the left inside the Lazio goal.

The Biancocelesti inevitably played a defensive game, but Juventus’ first shot on target only came at minute 81 with a Dusan Vlahovic attempt from outside the box.

The Serbia international had hit the crossbar only a few minutes earlier but, technically, that does not count as a shot on target.

The likes of Mattia Zaccagni and Taty Castellanos mostly helped Lazio defenders, while Boulaye Dia was subbed off after the Romagnoli red card to make room for another centre-back.

Juventus vs Lazio – player ratings

Juventus: Di Gregorio 6; Savona 5.5 (54′ Weah 6), Gatti 6 (72′ Danilo 6), Kalulu 6.5, Cabal 6.5; Locatelli 5.5 (54′ Fagioli 6), Thuram 6 (72′ Adzic 6); Cambiaso 6, Douglas Luiz 6, Yildiz 5.5; Vlahovic 6. Coach: Thiago Motta 6.

Best Juventus player: Cabal 6.5 – Started for the first time in over a month and after spending six consecutive games on the bench. His pass deflected by Gila gave Juventus three vital points.

Lowest Juventus rating: Yildiz 5.5 – Same rating as Savona and Locatelli, but the Turkey international had more responsibility in helping Juventus hurt their opponents. No key passes, 81% accuracy. Lost possession 11 times. He looked exhausted.

Coach: Thiago Motta 6 – The best result with the minimum effort. Juventus had two chances with Vlahovic and one with Douglas Luiz before Gila’s goal. Nevertheless, they still struggle to create goal-scoring opportunities consistently against teams that sit deep.

Lazio: Provedel 6.5; Marusic 6, Gila 5, Romagnoli 4.5, Tavares 6.5 (78′ Pellegrini 6); Guendouzi 5.5 (67′ Vecino 6), Rovella 6; Isaksen 6 (67′ Pedro 6), Dia 6 (27′ Patric 6), Zaccagni 5.5 (67′ Castrovilli 6); Castellanos 6. Coach: Baroni 6.

Best Lazio Player: Provedel 6.5 – Frustrated Vlahovic and Fagioli’s attempts from outside the box in the second half. He would have also blocked Cabal’s pass if it wasn’t for Gila…

Lowest Lazio rating: Romagnoli 4.5 – True, Gila scored the late own goal, but the whole Lazio performance was ruined by that red card.

Lazio Coach: Baroni 6 – Lazio didn’t suffer much despite playing in numerical disadvantage for over an hour. A good, organised team, that could not show their quality tonight.

It would have been a shame to throw away the good work done in France by slipping up against Belgium and Israel. Giancarlo Rinaldi looks at how the Azzurri stayed top of their Nations League group in sometimes testing circumstances.

We could hardly have asked for a better tonic after such a miserable Euros. Watching Italy of late has felt like getting a bit of winter sunshine after suffering some rainswept summer staycation. It will never take away the pain and regret, but it has at least applied a little healing balm to the wounds suffered.

Not everything was perfect across the two matches in Rome and Udine – that was barely plausible – but the balance was surely a positive one. Some new names shone, more established ones confirmed their qualities and qualification for the final eight of the Nations League was just about secured. There are two tricky games to come – away to Belgium and at home to France – but they can be faced with more confidence than many would have imagined.

The first game in Italy’s October break was surely a glass-half-full affair for all but the most miserable supporter. Against another side ranked higher than them in the world the Azzurri started brightly in a dazzling tribute to Totò Schillaci who was honoured before kick-off at the Stadio Olimpico. They zipped the ball about like a team that had long since cleared its head of any hangover from Germany.

Their full-backs, wing-backs or call them what you will, thrived – with Federico Dimarco teeing up his counterpart on the opposite flank, Andrea Cambiaso, for the opening goal. They were involved again in the build-up to the second as a parried shot was expertly tucked away by Mateo Retegui, continuing his fine run of form. Perhaps Italy has found its new first-choice striker after all.

The midfield, too, was playing like clockwork with Samuele Ricci confirming all his promise and Sandro Tonali enjoying a most pleasant return to football. With the defence showing the composure you would expect from Riccardo Calafiori and Alessandro Bastoni everything was going perfectly. That was, of course, until disaster struck in an ill-timed lunge by Lorenzo Pellegrini which was upgraded from yellow to red and left La Nazionale facing a very different challenge.

In truth, they might even have held on for the win but conceding straight away from the resultant free-kick left them more than happy with a draw. They will not have been content with their defending on set pieces – particularly the second one – but otherwise, they held things together well. Perhaps, if Davide Frattesi had rolled the ball to Retegui after an exquisite control instead of shooting, they might even have still sneaked an improbable win.

It would be unfair to be too critical of Pellegrini over his rush of blood as he had been impressive up until his expulsion but he needs to learn quickly to avoid such impulsive acts. He is probably one of the least certain selections in the Italy midfield at present and, if they do well without him, he might find himself frozen out. There is no doubting his quality, but he needs to make sure he delivers it all the time.

His suspension made at least one change inevitable for the Israel game but Luciano Spalletti chose to make a couple of other switches as in came Guglielmo Vicario, Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolò Fagioli with mixed results. The goalkeeper flapped at a corner to concede a goal, the Napoli man fell over when it looked like he had a tap-in and the midfielder was hooked at halftime after an unconvincing display. As a team, though, it was another step in the right direction.

The wide men were again in top form, Tonali at his driving best and Retegui showed his cool finishing once more. It was also a nice night for Giovanni Di Lorenzo who grabbed a double after much criticism and had a controlled evening. And once more Frattesi displayed his love of scoring goals for his country. A debut for Daniel Maldini – with some touches as if he had been playing for a lifetime in the national team – was the icing on the cake.

More than any individual, though, this has been about the overall performances. Some of the football has been delightful. The players have backed themselves to play it out from the back and—more often than not—delivered. They have conceded the odd silly goal, but otherwise, they have shown character, ability, and attitude. It should stand them in good stead for the challenges ahead.

It appears that Spalletti has taken on board the lessons of the summer and started to implement the necessary changes. We are beginning to see what his Italy could look like and how he hopes it can play and that has been pretty pleasing. There will no doubt be setbacks but the picture is a lot more attractive than it was a few months ago. They will be put to the test once more in November but there will be a lot more hope than trepidation than many of us might have imagined. The Azzurri have a vision, ambition and boldness that was lacking in the summer and anyone who holds them dear will hope that can continue for some time to come.

The red card for Italy only intensified the festival of hate directed at Lorenzo Pellegrini by Roma and Azzurri fans, but Susy Campanale doesn’t understand this rage.

Italy were comfortably coasting to their third win out of three in the Nations League, leading Belgium 2-0 and looking like scoring more, when Lorenzo Pellegrini made a mistimed lunge and caught Arthur Theate on the ankle. At first a yellow, it was changed to a red following the VAR On-Field Review, leading directly to the eventual 2-2 draw. The fact it was played at the Stadio Olimpico felt extra painful, as he’d already been jeered off the field so many times by his club fans and now was getting it from Azzurri supporters too.

For all his faults, and he certainly has them, I do not understand the sheer hatred that Pellegrini seems to elicit from people. He has highs and lows, with a career that in recent years has been dominated by injury problems, but that could be said of Paulo Dybala and nobody was urging him to move to the Saudi Pro League this summer. Instead, La Joya got treated as a hero for deciding to postpone joining the Retirement League for Unambitious Players.

Pellegrini is prone to the odd rash challenge, but not as much as Leandro Paredes. He was very strangely blamed for the dismissal of Daniele De Rossi, despite the fact one of the biggest shifts in performance level when his old teammate took over from Jose Mourinho was from Pellegrini. Following the change of coach in mid-January, the midfielder scored seven goals and provided three assists in 24 competitive games. If there was anyone truly heartbroken by the decision to sack De Rossi, then it was Pellegrini.

What has Pellegrini done to deserve this?

It is so strange to me that Roma fans choose to single out and attack someone who was born and bred in the Eternal City, came through their youth academy and returned after a spell at Sassuolo allowed him to make his mark in Serie A. Who else should wear the captain’s armband if not him?

Roma traditionally had players who truly represented the fanbase, the likes of Giuseppe Giannini, Francesco Totti, De Rossi and Alessandro Florenzi. Pellegrini fits that bill, so the sheer hatred towards him feels like they are just blaming him for the fact he is not Totti and this club is no longer the one that used to challenge for the Scudetto. It is not his fault that years of mismanagement ran their finances into the ground and they’re still trying to build a squad through a maze of Financial Fair Play parameters.

Before injury ruled him out of the EURO 2020 tournament, he was one of the best players in the Italy squad. His tally of six goals and two assists in 36 senior caps is not too bad, all things considered, such as his ever-changing tactical role. Pellegrini is played wherever he is needed, both for Roma and the Azzurri, whether it’s in midfield, the left wing, a support striker or trequartista. That’s part of the problem, used as an eternal ‘that’ll do’ stopgap to help the team, never a role where he can truly flourish.

If the accusation is that he is mentally weak and struggles to deal with pressure, then how exactly is jeering him constantly and telling him to take off the captain’s armband going to help? These haters almost take a perverse joy in trying to break him down, as if that is in any way going to improve the club or team. It’s counter-productive, it’s cruel and it’s frankly casting aside someone who could be a real asset for Roma and Italy.