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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— AC Milan (@acmilan) November 13, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I saw important things,” he said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Juventus can’t spend big in the winter transfer market as they are looking at short-term solutions able to deliver immediately, with Paris Saint-Germain outcast and ex-Inter star Milan Skriniar being the first on the Bianconeri’s wishlist.

Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal’s injuries deprived Thiago Motta of crucial defensive options, but the Old Lady’s budget limitations prevent them from targeting defenders of the same status in the next transfer window, particularly regarding the centre-back role.

Juventus’ options to fix injury crisis limited by financial reasons

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli may be sending a ‘subtle message’ to Skrinar when claiming that the Bianconeri are looking for someone who is ‘willing to question himself’ to fix their injury crisis.

The former Nerazzurri defender is considered an ideal profile to strengthen Thiago Motta’s outfit in the short term, as he already boasts significant Serie A experience and could be tempted by the prospect of increasing his playing time in a season that has seen him rack up only four Ligue 1 appearances.

However, after an extremely lucrative summer transfer market, Juventus must keep an eye on their balance sheet and could only sign a player on loan, which could be a scenario Skriniar may not be interested in as he’d prefer to join a club where he could revive his career.

While the 29-year-old would be Giuntoli’s favoured option, the Bianconeri have also been linked with profiles such as Manchester United’s Lindelof, David Hancko of Feyenoord and their former player Radu Dragusin, now at Tottenham.

Scott McTominay found his second Serie A goal against Inter and, beyond that, he once again showed his importance in Antonio Conte’s Napoli at the San Siro.

The Scotland international gave an all-round contribution which was key to helping his side avoid defeat against the reigning champions, as he covered the most distance (12km) among his teammates, leading Corriere dello Sport to define him as ‘essential‘.

McTominay’s numbers against Inter show his influence for Napoli

Whatever system Conte opts for, whether it is 4-2-2-2 or 4-3-3, McTominay is able to adapt and carry out different functions, both in the offensive and offensive end.

Against Simone Inzaghi’s side, the former Manchester United midfielder won possession back six times and mustered 16 ground and aerial duels combined, winning eight of them. He also proved an offensive reference for Napoli, collecting the most touches (3) in the opponents’ box and completing all his passes in the final third.

On top of all that, McTominay scored the Partenopei’s opener, which crucially allowed his side to follow the gameplan they had prepared, as they sat deep for long stretches in the second half and managed to frustrate Inter’s attempts to win the game.

Video: McTominay opens scoring in Inter-Napoli title battle

Roma’s economic effort to put a third manager on their payroll for the 2024-2025 season will see them spend the equivalent of a top coach’s wage, despite their team being just four points above the relegation zone.

The Giallorossi look set to hire Claudio Ranieri, whose deal should last until the end of the current season, although there are chances that the Italian tactician remains at the club even after his contract’s expiration as a board member.

Roma owners to have three coaches on their payroll: how much they will spend

However, it is likely the Friedkin family will try to lower Ranieri’s demands as much as possible, considering the contracts of previous managers Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric are still running.

The new coach’s salary will add to De Rossi’s €3.3m seasonal wage to be paid until 2027 and a further remuneration of €2m for Ivan Juric, whose deal lasts until June 2025.

As reported by Calciomercato.com, it means that the Giallorossi owners will spend more than €5m this season for their managers, in addition to Ranieri’s salary, unless De Rossi and Juric find a new club.

De Rossi’s contract was extended at the end of last season, but he was then sacked after failing to win any of his first four Serie A games in charge in the new campaign, with his successor Juric picking up Roma’s only three league victories so far from eight matches at the helm.

Claudio Ranieri’s decision to return from retirement to take charge of a struggling Roma side should not come as a surprise, considering he had already said in the past that ‘when Roma call’ he has ‘to say yes’.

When Ranieri said he had to ‘say yes’ to Roma

The former Leicester manager already coached the Giallorossi twice, with his last stint coming in 2019, when he took over the fired Eusebio Di Francesco with the Stadio Olimpico outfit chasing a Champions League spot.

He had been just sacked by Fulham back then and, while he admitted that he would’ve ‘never’ signed for any other club at that moment, he couldn’t turn down an offer from the club of the city where he was born.

‘Returning to Rome is always special, above all for Roman people, for Roma fans,” he said in his first press conference as Roma coach in 2019.

‘The emotion couldn’t be higher. I would’ve never signed for any other club, but Roma, if they call, I have to say yes.’

How Ranieri’s two previous stints at Roma went

Ranieri‘s first experience as Roma coach had come in 2009 when he replaced Luciano Spalletti at the beginning of the season before going toe to toe with José Mourinho’s Inter in a thrilling title fight that would last until the final Serie A day.

The Giallorossi missed out on the Scudetto, finishing two points behind Inter, and they failed to bring their form into the following season, which saw Ranieri resign in February 2011 after watching his side throw away a first-half 3-0 lead at Genoa to lose 4-3.

However, the ‘Tinkerman’ returned to Roma in 2019 as an interim manager, although he failed to significantly revive the team who had been struggling under Di Francesco, as he only slightly improved their Serie A point average.

Ranieri would leave at the end of that season after steering the Giallorossi to a 6th-place finish, earning them a spot in the Europa League.

The coach was in tears in his final home match at the helm against Parma, but is now set to get a new chance to revive the fortunes of the club he’s always supported, who currently sit 12th in Serie A, having won only three of their opening 12 games of the season under previous managers Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric.

Claudio Ranieri is set to become Roma’s fourth coach in 2024, and according to Gazzetta, he could join the club’s board at the end of the season.

According to reports, Ranieri and agent Pietro Chiodi flew out to London on Tuesday to meet the Giallorossi owners, who finally seem to have made up their minds on who should succeed the sacked Ivan Juric on Roma’s bench.

Vincenzo Montella seemed to be the leading candidate for the job, but his contract with the Turkish Football Federation would’ve complicated negotiations, persuading Dan and Ryan Friedkin to look at alternative options, with Ranieri being on their list since the beginning.

Details of Ranieri’s contract with Roma revealed

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Ranieri and Chiodi are negotiating the terms of a deal that would bring the 73-year-old back to Roma as a caretaker manager for six months, also including a ‘likely’ future in the Giallorossi’s board, as the club are desperate to find a reference point with experience in Italian football.

Unless something unexpected occurs, Ranieri should travel back to Rome on Wednesday evening with his contract signed, as he’d be ready to hold his first training session on Thursday.

The former Leicester coach had announced his departure from Cagliari and retirement from professional football after steering the Rossoblu to safety last season and recently eluded questions about a possible return to the Giallorossi.

Genoa opted for a peculiar way to unveil their third kit as they posted pictures of wrestling legend the Undertaker wearing their new jersey.

The Undertaker, whose real name is Mark William Calaway, is a retired professional wrestler who was particularly popular in Italy in the 90s, and the Rossoblu decided to leverage the macabre aura he’s renowned for to launch their third shirt.

Genoa partner with the Undertaker to unveil third kit

Genoa’s new kit is mostly black with gold details, an aspect which was underlined by the catchphrase ‘The Dark Side of Genoa’ that the club used for the unveiling of the jersey.

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 wearing Genoa 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 jersey pic.twitter.com/A3UDxHLNHt

— Genoa CFC (@GenoaCFC) November 12, 2024

In an official statement published on the club’s official website, Genoa explained how the collaboration with the Undertaker was born after the wrestler had followed Rossoblu’s Instagram account.

“A lifetime on the ring before well-earned retirement, with a couple of electrifying comebacks,” the statement reads.

“A spotlight in the Hall of Fame. Sparkling crowns of titles around his neck, even more impressive than a pride of lions.

“The aura of a hero, both for these and past generations, rests on shoulders that speak for themselves. Ladies and gentlemen, here’s The Undertaker.

“Yes, it’s really him, posing with the jersey after that playful wink, the “follow” nudge, aimed at Genoa’s Instagram channel. Some people live seven lives in one, and he has the blessed nickname of ‘The Undertaker.’.”

Italy U21 have qualified for the 2025 European Championship and are now preparing for friendlies against France and Ukraine, but Burnley talent Luca Koleosho won’t take part in these games after picking up an injury.

The 20-year-old was included in the 27-player squad announced by the Azzurrini coach Carmine Nunziata last week, in an attacking department which also comprised Leeds striker Willy Gnonto.

Burnley’s Koleosho dropped by Italy U21 squad after injury

Koleosho had previously racked up only two appearances with Italy U21 in November 2023 and more recently in October 2021, when he came on in the second half during his side’s 1-1 draw against Ireland that earned Nunziata’s outfit a spot in next year’s European Under-21 Championship.

However, the 20-year-old’s hopes of playing his third game with the Azzurrini were dashed by an injury which ruled him out of the upcoming friendlies against France and Ukraine during the international break, as reported by Alfredo Pedullà.

Koleosho, who underwent surgery due to a knee injury in December 2023, has since recovered and taken his place back at Burnley, with whom he played 14 Championship matches this term, scoring two goals.

Inter President Beppe Marotta believes Antonio Conte had a ‘purpose’ for lashing out at the VAR after Inter-Napoli following a refereeing decision he did not agree with, adding that the contact between Anguissa and Dumfries ‘was a penalty’.

The Napoli manager was furious when he spoke on TV after the final whistle on Sunday, as he slammed the current protocol, which did not allow the VAR to intervene to cancel the penalty awarded to Inter, but Marotta thinks the referee made the right decision as there was ‘definitely’ contact between the two players involved.

The Nerazzurri President worked with Conte for several seasons both at Juventus and Inter and is convinced the Italian tactician made use of his skills as a ‘great communicator’ when publicly protesting against the VAR.

Marotta: Conte a ‘great communicator’, Dumfries-Anguissa contact ‘was a penalty’

“I believe technology improves things, reducing errors,” Marotta told reporters during the ceremony for the Niels Liedholm awards in Cuccaro Monferrato on Tuesday morning, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Regarding what happened on Sunday and Conte’s remarks—he’s an intelligent person and a great communicator, who certainly has his purpose when he speaks.

“I must say the referee was very close to the action. So there was definitely physical contact, the foot was displaced, and in my opinion, it was a penalty.

“If there’s a need to discuss a better use of VAR in terms of protocol, that’s part of a constructive debate that should happen within the football system.”

Marotta on Scaroni’s provocation: ‘I hope Milan can get their second star soon’

Marotta also responded to Paolo Scaroni’s playful provocation, as Milan Charmain said the Rossoneri are the only ‘real team’ in the city.

“It depends on your perspective,” Marotta joked.

“If he represents the only team in Milan, perhaps we represent something even greater.

I don’t want to stir up controversy, Paolo is a friend, and everyone tries to elevate their own club, calling it the best. I hope Milan can get their second star soon.”

Roma are assessing several options before making a final decision on Ivan Juric’s successor, but Erik ten Hag and Frank Lampard don’t seem to be what the Giallorossi need at the moment.

The list of names linked with the Roma job includes former Manchester United coach Erik Ten Had and ex-Chelsea managers Frank Lampard and Graham Potter. Still, another part of the club’s management, notably sporting director Florient Ghisolfi, believes an Italian tactician with a proven track in Serie A would better suit what the team needs at the moment.

Why Ten Hag and Lampard would be high-risk solutions at Roma

In fact, Juric’s brief stint perfectly sums up why a foreign manager would be a high-risk solution.

While the former Torino manager’s record was far from satisfying, with four wins and five defeats from 12 games across all competitions, he had to work in an extremely hostile environment caused by the club’s controversial decision to sack Giallorossi legend Daniele De Rossi.

Follow live updates as Roma assess replacements for Juric

As a result, even starting his stint by picking up two consecutive Serie A wins, the first victories of Roma’s season, was not enough to stop the fans’ protests, making it complicated for Juric to bring serenity and confidence to his team.

More prestigious managers like Ten Hag, let alone Lampard, wouldn’t be spared the same treatment from an irritated fanbase, meaning they’d have no time to adapt to Italian football, as supporters would expect them to get results quickly.

History has already shown many times how foreign coaches need time to understand Serie A’s peculiarities, notably a desperate attention to tactical details, and hiring such profiles at a delicate moment would mean exposing them to a probable failure.

In this respect, opting for a manager who already knows how to handle difficulties posed by Italian football would be the most logical move as of now, which is probably why former Milan and Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella is reportedly considered the leading candidate for the Roma job, should he decide to terminate his contract with Turkey.

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.”

Intermediaries contacted Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella to know whether he’d be available to join Roma as their new coach, as he’s reportedly the leading candidate to succeed Ivan Juric at the Stadio Olimpico.

The 50-year-old took charge of the Turkey National Team in September 2023 and steered his side to a first-place finish in their EURO 2024 qualifying group before reaching the quarter-finals in the competition last summer.

Follow live updates on the future Roma manager

He has since remained unbeaten in the following four Nations League fixtures, and with his contract running until 2026, he would be required to pay a penalty to be free to join another team, something he’d be ready to do at one condition.

Montella has one condition to terminate Turkey contract and join Roma

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Roma contacted Montella through intermediaries as Ryan Friedkin would be particularly enthusiastic about hiring the former Giallorossi player as their new manager.

Montella’s contract with Turkey includes a clause that would force him to pay a penalty corresponding to six months of his €2.2m wage, about €1.1m, to terminate the deal at any moment.

According to the pink newspaper, the former Milan and Fiorentina coach would be willing to trigger such a clause provided that Roma offer him at least €2.5m per season and he’s not considered a caretaker.

The Giallorossi owners are expected to make a final decision about Montella before Turkey’s next fixture in the Nations League, scheduled for 16 November.

Juventus and Paul Pogba finally look on the same page as they are on the brink of coming to a mutual agreement which would lead to the termination of the player’s contract.

The ex-France international recently saw his doping ban reduced from four years to 18 months, a decision that prompted the midfielder to start expressing his will to return to play in the Bianconeri jersey.

However, the Old Lady always had different views, as the only scenario they considered was terminating Pogba’s deal at the Allianz Stadium by mutual consent, a move that would allow the club not to pay any penalties due to the interruption of the contract before its natural end.

Pogba’s talks with Juventus over contract termination in ‘advanced stages’

According to Sky Sports UK, talks between Juventus and Pogba over the termination of the midfielder’s contract, which currently runs until 2026, are in ‘advanced stages’.

This would allow the 31-year-old to leave the Bianconeri as a free agent and sign for another team, with a number of clubs from England, Europe, Saudi Arabia and MLS reportedly interested in his services.

Pogba’s salary of €8m per year was frozen by Juventus after the news of his doping ban, as the player was suspended and started to earn a minimum wage of about €2,000 per month, as allowed by the Collective Agreement with the Italian Association of Footballers.

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.

Alessandro Buongiorno’s displays at Napoli are really catching the eye and ex-Milan defender Alessandro Costacturta believes the centre-back has the quality to follow in Giorgio Chiellini’s footsteps.

Buongiorno of Napoli compared to Chiellini after secure display against Inter

The Partenopei signed Buongiorno from Torino for €35m and €5m in add-ons last summer, and the 25-year-old took little time to become a defensive cornerstone to Antonio Conte’s side, who boasts the second-best defence in the league after Juventus’.

Against Inter, Buongiorno once again delivered a defensive masterclass to help the Partenopei secure a vital 1-1 draw at San Siro, as he mustered three clearances and three interceptions, crucially blocking a Benjamin Pavard shot from a promising position and stopping every attempt of dribbling from his opponents.

Moreover, he won all of his seven duels and made both Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram inoffensive, leading former Milan defender Costacurta, now a TV pundit for Sky Sport Italia, to draw a comparison with Juventus’ legend Giorgio Chiellini.

“This is his third year performing very well,” Costacurta said after Inter-Napoli.

“He has had significant growth. Chiellini played a slightly rougher style of football, but in this respect, Buongiorno is a likely successor to Giorgio.

“He’s always very attentive and physical, and against Inter, he made two interventions that showcased the reading of an excellent defender.”

Daniele De Rossi said that being sacked is ‘part of the job’ for a coach but added that Roma’s training camp feels ‘like home’ and he would ‘never’ rule out a return.

The former Giallorossi coach was dismissed back in September, but his replacement Ivan Juric lasted less than two months at the helm of the club, as he was also fired on Sunday after a 3-2 defeat against Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico.

De Rossi ‘will return’ to Roma’s training ground: ‘That place is like home’

Having still a contract running with Roma, De Rossi was linked with a potential return to his former side’s bench, although he was just one of the potential candidates for the job.

Speaking during the 12th edition of the ‘Italian Football Hall of Fame’ at Coverciano’s training ground, where he received an award for the category ‘Italian footballer’, the 41-year-old said he will be back to Trigoria, without specifying in which role he would return.

“Never again at Trigoria? I never said that,” De Rossi told reporters, as quoted by TMW.

“Beyond the dynamics, both as a player and a coach, being dismissed is part of the job.

“That place is like home to me; my father also works there. I’ve spent more time at Trigoria and here than at home. So, just as I’ve returned to Coverciano, I’ll also return to Trigoria.'”

Hakan Calhanoglu tasted both euphoria and disillusionment within 45 minutes against Napoli, as he scored a stunner to equalise the game for Inter before the break, only to miss a second-half penalty which could’ve earned his side a massive three points.

Calhanoglu admits ‘disappointment’ for penalty miss on Instagram

It was Calhanoglu’s first-ever mistake from the penalty spot for Inter and the Turkey international admitted that while errors are ‘part of the game’, he can’t help but feel ‘the weight of disappointment’, as he wrote in a post published on his Instagram official account.

Inter’s 1-1 draw against Antonio Conte’s side left them fourth in Serie A, although they’re level on 25 points with Atalanta and Fiorentina, all of which sit one point behind leaders Napoli.

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A post shared by Hakan Çalhanoglu (@hakancalhanoglu)

Romelu Lukaku was unanimously rated as one of the worst Napoli players on the pitch in the clash against his former side Inter at San Siro on Sunday, raising questions on whether in-form Victor Osimhen could’ve been a more suitable profile to Antonio Conte’s side.

Osimhen’s form at Galatasaray

The 31-year-old was nullified by Francesco Acerbi, and the low level of threat that Napoli managed to carry during the match seemed strictly related to their striker’s inability to cause trouble for the Nerazzurri’s defence.

Despite scoring four goals from his opening 10 Serie A games, Lukaku keeps giving the impression of still being far from his best form, especially when required to attack in open spaces, when he seems to lack the pace that used to be one of his distinctive and most dangerous features during his seasons at Inter.

On the other hand, Napoli loanee Osimhen is taking the Turkish league by storm as he scored six league goals in as many games at Galatasaray under José Mourinho, plus two Europa League nets, showing his potential is still intact.

Why Osimhen could’ve helped Napoli more than Lukaku

With Lukaku struggling particularly in big games, as he failed to score and looked under par against Juventus, Atalanta and Inter, it is legit to wonder how the Partenopei could perform with a striker who’s still at his peak.

Osimhen’s devastating strength and speed would be a terrific addition to Antonio Conte’s style of play, especially in fixtures like the one at San Siro, in which his side is required to defend deep and hurt on the counter-attack.

While Lukaku’s physicality can still make a difference when Napoli can establish themselves in the opponents’ last third, his lack of brilliance in one-on-one situations against strong defenders who mark him tightly ends up hindering his side’s offensive play, which could become a problem in the long term.

The Nigerian striker was unwilling to stay at the Stadio Maradona last summer and was therefore excluded by Antonio Conte’s technical project, only to end up at Galatasaray on loan after his potential suitors decided not to meet Napoli’s lucrative demands for his price tag.

However, such an in-form player could’ve been a perfect attacking frontman for the Partenopei, further boosting their Scudetto challenge.

Although the Azzurri could do little to keep an unhappy player, his permanence in Napoli would’ve been a great chance for both parties, as Osimhen could also benefit from playing under Conte in an extremely competitive side that is likely to fight for the Serie A title until the end.