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Roma Spoil Olivier Giroud’s AC Milan Farewell In Perth

admin — Fri, 31 May 2024 16:34:57 +0000

Veteran French striker Olivier Giroud bid farewell to AC Milan in subdued fashion as they slipped to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of AS Roma in an entertaining post-season friendly in Perth on Friday. Just days after the Serie A season ended, Roma had the edge in a high-octane contest in front of 56,522 fans at the Optus Stadium. All eyes were on 37-year-old Giroud as he leaves Europe, where he has played at the top level in France, England and Italy, to head next season to Los Angeles FC.

The 2018 World Cup winning striker is France’s record goalscorer with 57 in 131 internationals and will have a chance to add to that tally at the Euros later this month, after which he will bow out of international football.

“I learned so much from him. He is such a legend,” said Swiss striker Noah Okafor, who replaced Giroud at half-time.

“Big respect that he can perform at that age. I’m going to miss him….just going to enjoy these last hours together.”

Giroud, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the Serie A title with Milan in 2021-2022, signed off from league duty in Italy with a goal in a 3-3 draw with Salernitana on Saturday.

He almost replicated that effort in the 30th minute against Roma, only to hit the post.

But Giroud struggled to get involved and was constantly crowded out by Roma defenders aiming to deny him a farewell flourish, and he was substituted at half-time.

Roma midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi broke the deadlock in the 27th minute, firing past Marco Sportiello.

Giroud almost equalised straight away, but it was French left-back Theo Hernandez who tied things up with a fierce shot from outside the area in the 37th minute.

Roma reclaimed the lead just before half-time through England international Tammy Abraham, who has been linked with a return to the Premier League after being made available for transfer.

It was all-out attack in the second-half, with both teams having made a slew of changes.

Angelino made it 3-1 early in the half and although Okafor pulled one back for Milan, Paulo Dybala and Sardar Azmoun rounded out the victory for Roma.

It was the only match of the tour with the teams set to fly out of Perth just hours after the game, having arrived on Wednesday morning.

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AC Milan coach Pioli to leave at the end of the season, 2 years after leading club to Serie A title

admin — Fri, 24 May 2024 11:21:04 +0000

File picture of AC Milan’s manager Stefano Pioli
| Photo Credit: AP

AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli is leaving the Italian club at the end of the season after a near five-year stint that included the 2022 Serie A title.

Milan announced Pioli’s departure on Friday, a day before its final league game of the season at home to Salernitana.

Pioli stepping down had been widely expected, with club great Zlatan Ibrahimovic — who has been given a front-office role by Milan’s American owners — reportedly already involved in the search for a successor.

The club thanked Pioli for “securing an unforgettable league title and re-establishing AC Milan’s consistent presence in the top European competition.”

“Stefano’s professionalism and human touch have significantly contributed to the growth of the squad, embodying the club’s core values from day one,” Milan said in a statement.

The 2022 league title was Milan’s first in 11 years. It will finish this season in second place, behind crosstown rival Inter Milan.

Milan was taken over after its 2022 title by American investment firm RedBird Capital. Pioli’s future had been in doubt since February, when RedBird owner Gerry Cardinale and Ibrahimovic declined to commit to him when asked about speculation of a coaching change after the season.

Reports in Italy have linked Pioli to taking over Napoli. The 58-year-old coach also previously coached Inter, Fiorentina, Lazio, Bologna, Parma and several other clubs.

Under Pioli, Milan ended a seven-year absence from the Champions League in 2021 and reached the semifinals last season, losing to Inter.

This season, Pioli’s team failed to advance from a tough group that included Borussia Dortmund, which plays in the final next week, and Paris Saint-Germain. Milan then switched to the second-tier Europa League and was eliminated by Roma in the quarterfinals.

Inter’s runaway Serie A title success has established its supremacy in the city and Italian soccer, despite financial turmoil that saw the club also fall into American ownership this week. Both Milan and Inter had Chinese owners who lost control of the clubs to American investment funds after missing loan repayments.

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Robinho Awaits Fate On Serving Nine-Year Rape Sentence In Brazil

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 03:23:34 +0000

Brazil’s justice system on Wednesday will decide whether former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will serve his nine-year rape sentence, handed down by an Italian court, in the South American country. Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) will examine the Italian request to approve the prison sentence that was imposed in 2017 and ratified in 2022. “I hope that here in Brazil I can have the voice that I didn’t have there,” Robinho, who has protested his innocence, said in an interview with Brazilian network TV Record on Sunday.

Robson de Souza, popularly known as “Robinho”, remains free despite his conviction for being among a group of six men who gang raped a young Albanian woman out celebrating her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013.

Former Brazil international Robinho was playing his club football for AC Milan at the time.

His sentence was upheld by Italy’s highest court, after which Italian prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant.

Brazil does not extradite its nationals, however, and Italy asked that Robinho be made to serve his sentence in his home country instead.

On Sunday, Robinho accused the Italian justice system of “racism”.

“It was consensual,” Robinho told TV Record.

“I never denied it (the encounter). I could have denied it because my DNA was not there, but I’m not a liar.

“I played for four years in Italy and I got tired of seeing stories about racism. The same people who do nothing about racism, which I repudiate, are the ones who condemned me.”

If the ruling goes against him, the 40-year-old could still remain free while awaiting an appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court.

Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that he hopes Robinho can “serve” the sentence on Brazilian soil.

‘Unprecedented case’

According to Brazilian media, magistrates are expected to approve Italy’s request.

“Approval is not common, because the law that allows it is relatively recent. It would be an unprecedented case in Brazil,” lawyer Leonardo Pantaleao told AFP.

Meanwhile, Robinho’s case and that of former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain defender Dani Alves have sparked criticism over the failure of football authorities in Brazil to condemn violence against women.

In February, former Brazil international full-back Alves, 40, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for raping a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona.

The case was met with silence from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the player’s former clubs and former teammates.

Former Brazil coach Tite said he could not “make a judgement without having all the facts and truthful information” about the case.

For Robinho, it has been a dramatic fall from grace.

Having begun his career at Santos, a team made famous by Brazil great Pele, Robinho was touted as the successor to the golden generation of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.

In 2005, Robinho left Santos to join Zinedine Zidane, international teammate Ronaldo and David Beckham at Real Madrid.

But although he played for big teams in Europe and won two Confederations Cups — in 2005 and 2009 — and a Copa America in 2007, Robinho only displayed his talent intermittently.

In 2009, he was briefly detained in England for an alleged sexual assault on a young woman, but the charges were dropped after an investigation.

He returned to Santos in 2020 but the club suspended the deal after pressure from fans, sponsors and the media, leading to the abrupt end of his career.

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AC Milan Consolidate Second Spot As Juventus Woes Continue

admin — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:31:52 +0000

Stefano Pioli’s team trail runaway league leaders Inter Milan by 13 points.© AFP

AC Milan consolidated second place in Serie A on Sunday by beating Verona 3-1 after Juventus were held to a goalless draw by Genoa. Goals shortly before and after half-time by Theo Hernandez and Christian Pulisic put Milan two ahead before Samuel Chukwueze volleyed the away side out of sight with 11 minutes remaining. Sunday’s win moved Milan three points ahead of third-placed Juve in the race for Champions League football.

Stefano Pioli’s team trail runaway league leaders Inter Milan by 13 points, however they are all-but guaranteed a spot in next season’s revamped edition of Europe’s top club competition.

Milan sit 14 points above fifth-placed Roma who host Sassuolo later, and with Italy favourites for an extra place in the Champions League next term the seven-time European champions have a massive cushion with nine fixtures remaining.

Verona put on a good show and Tijjani Noslin’s unstoppable strike in the 64th minute gave the hosts hope they could pull off another good result after winning their previous two matches.

Instead, Verona stay two points above the relegation zone with a potentially huge clash at fellow strugglers Cagliari coming up after the international break.

Juve meanwhile continued their poor run of recent form with a largely uninteresting goalless draw with Genoa in Turin.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side were league title contenders in January but one win in their last eight matches has left them 16 points behind Inter.

Inter host Napoli in Sunday’s late match, searching for one of the five wins they need to secure a 20th Scudetto.

Juve were frustrated by their stubborn opponents and were booed off by home fans at both half-time and the final whistle.

However, the hosts could have claimed the win despite their underwhelming display as Dusan Vlahovic twice went close with second-half headers while substitutes Samuel Iling-Junior and Moise Kean both had efforts strike the woodwork.

Vlahovic was sent off in stoppage time for dissent meaning he will miss Juve’s next fixture against Lazio.

A big draw for promoted Genoa put Alberto Gilardino‘s side 10 points above the relegation zone.

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Liverpool Cruise Into Europa League Quarters

admin — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 03:15:25 +0000

Liverpool scored four times inside 14 minutes in a 6-1 thrashing of Sparta Prague to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League. AC Milan, Marseille, Roma and West Ham were among the other sides to also book their place in Friday’s quarter-final draw. Despite leading 5-1 from the first leg, Jurgen Klopp named a surprisingly strong Liverpool side and was well-rewarded as the Reds remain on course for a quadruple of trophies.

Darwin Nunez and 19-year-old Bobby Clark got Klopp’s men off to a flying start before Mohamed Salah marked his first club start since January 1 with his 20th of the season.

Cody Gakpo fired in the fourth before Liverpool briefly took their foot off the gas ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Veljko Birmancevic pulled a goal back for Sparta, but Dominik Szoboszlai and Gakpo completed the rout in the second half.

“It was an amazing win – and an amazing first 15 minutes,” said Gakpo after an 11-2 aggregate victory.

“It’s what we had in mind. It shows the confidence in the team at the moment.”

West Ham trailed 1-0 from the first leg against Freiburg but roared back to reach a European quarter-final for the third consecutive season.

Lucas Paqueta turned home a corner at the far post before Jarrod Bowen blasted home to turn the tie around before half-time.

Aaron Cresswell arrowed a shot into the far corner and Mohammed Kudus then took centre stage to secure a record European win for David Moyes’ men.

The Ghanaian ran from deep inside his own half through the heart of the Freiburg midfield and defence to slot in the fourth.

And Kudus then smashed home from the edge of the box.

“Obviously we’ve got two or three exceptional individual players who helped us get goals,” said Moyes. “It was a brilliant performance for us to win by five.”

Brighton left themselves too much to do as a 1-0 win over Roma could not overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit.

Danny Welbeck scored the only goal as the Seagulls at least ended their first-ever European campaign on a high.

Benfica ended Rangers’ hopes of another deep run in the Europa League with a 1-0 win in the lashing Glasgow rain to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

Rafa Silva produced a composed finish from Angel Di Maria‘s through ball 24 minutes from time and the goal stood after initially being ruled offside.

Seven-time European champions AC Milan cruised into the last eight with a 3-1 win over 10-man Slavia Prague.

Three quick goals from Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Rafael Leao killed off the tie before half-time.

Villarreal ended Jean-Louis Gasset’s unbeaten run as Marseille boss but a 3-1 victory in Spain was too little, too late for the Spaniards as they went out 5-3 on aggregate.

Atalanta beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 on the night in Italy to go through 3-2 on aggregate.

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Christian Pulisic Shoots AC Milan Second As Juventus Held By Atalanta

admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:00:12 +0000

Christian Pulisic fired AC Milan up to second in Serie A with the only goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over lowly Empoli while Juve were held to an entertaining 2-2 home draw by Atalanta. US star Pulisic gave Milan a scrappy win with his eighth league goal of an encouraging debut season in Italy, a deflected strike off unfortunate Empoli defender Sebastiano Luperto. The 25-year-old had a difficult time at Chelsea but since moving to Milan from London last summer he has scored 10 times in all competitions and set up six more.

“It’s a good feeling, it was good for us to get the three points. It wasn’t a nice goal, it was a bit lucky but at the end of the day we take it,” said Pulisic to DAZN.

“I feel like I’m in some of my best form, I’ve been given a lot of confidence and trust here from the staff, from my teammates, the city and the fans. So I’m feeling really, really good here.”

Stefano Pioli’s side are 16 points behind their local rivals and champions-elect Inter Milan who beat fourth-placed Bologna on Saturday.

Milan now turn their attentions to Thursday’s Europa league last-16 return leg with Slavia Prague, with a 4-2 lead from the home leg.

Empoli are one point above the relegation zone but performed in a manner which suggested they should be good enough to avoid the drop with survival specialist Davide Nicola.

Juve stall again

Milan took second spot off Juventus whose poor run of form continued against sixth-placed Atalanta in Turin.

Teun Koopmeiners both opened and completed the scoring as Atalanta snatched a draw which left them four points behind Bologna who are in the final Champions League spot.

Juve looked set to retake second from Milan when quick-fire goals from Andrea Cambiaso and Arkadiusz Milik put the hosts ahead in the 70th minute.

Instead Juve are a point behind Milan after picking up just six from their last seven matches and going from title challengers to also-rans in the space of weeks.

“We played well against a good team… we’ve gained a point on Bologna and Atalanta are now 11 points behind us,” said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri.

“Our aim is to finish in the top four. I can’t criticise the team, it was a tricky atmosphere at half-time and they reacted well. The effort has never been lacking.”

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta are a point behind Roma who stayed fifth thanks to Diego Llorente’s last-gasp leveller which earned the capital club a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina, whose penalty curse continued.

Spot-kick pain

Llorente smashed in the equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time to snatch a draw after goalkeeper Mile Svilar kept Roma in the game by saving Cristiano Biraghi‘s penalty in the 81st minute.

Roma were on a high after hammering Brighton in the Europa League on Thursday but goals from Luca Ranieri and Rolando Mandragora had Fiorentina deservedly ahead in Florence until Llorente struck.

Svilar’s crucial save meant that Fiorentina have failed to score from the penalty spot four times this Serie A season.

“All those players you’ve seen miss are penalty takers. We can’t do any more than work on them in training and taking them when they come along,” said Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano.

“We pay for it every time we miss. Every time we miss a penalty we end up throwing away points. It’s something we have to change.”

Lecce are level on 25 points with Empoli in 15th after being beaten 1-0 at home by Verona following an early strike from Michael Folorunsho.

However that wasn’t the biggest story from that match as coach Roberto D’Aversa headbutted Verona striker Thomas Henry after a stormy encounter in southern Italy.

D’Aversa later admitted to Sky Sport that his behaviour was “inexcusable” before then claiming on Instagram he never headbutted Henry at all.

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AC Milan’s Mike Maignan Stands In Way Of Old Club PSG In Champions League

admin — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:30:47 +0000

Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with AC Milan this week will see the French club come up against one of the many outstanding talents they have let slip away in recent years. In the Italian side’s goal will be Mike Maignan, who was allowed to leave Paris for Lille in 2015 and has gone on to win a Ligue 1 title, Serie A and become France’s first-choice ‘keeper. PSG, meanwhile, handed the gloves to a long list of goalkeepers before signing Gianluigi Donnarumma from Milan in 2021 and making him their undisputed number one a year later.

But would the Qatar-backed club have ultimately been better off keeping faith in a young Maignan than going from Salvatore Sirigu and Kevin Trapp to Gianluigi Buffon, Alphonse Areola, Keylor Navas and then Donnarumma in their ongoing quest to win the Champions League?

Now aged 28, Maignan has become one of the world’s outstanding goalkeepers and will be Milan’s last line of defence against his France teammates Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Randal Kolo Muani in a pivotal Group F match.

Having kept clean sheets in draws with Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund so far in the group, Maignan is set to return for Milan after sitting out the 1-0 Serie A loss against Juventus on Sunday due to suspension.

“It is always a strange feeling to go back home, whether that to be to Lille or Paris,” said Maignan while on France duty last week.

He missed last year’s World Cup with injury but has become France’s first choice since Hugo Lloris retired.

“It brings back memories. I have already played against PSG for Lille. It’s the Champions League. There will be a great atmosphere. My family will be there. I need to make sure I focus on my job and not let the emotions overwhelm me.”

‘Practically thrown out’

There has been much focus in recent months on PSG’s lack of Champions League success while their Qatari owners have adopted a policy of spending huge money on superstar signings.

Meanwhile they have rather neglected the young talent on their doorstep in the fertile football breeding grounds of the Paris region.

A conscious effort has been made to change the approach with the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar and the arrivals of exciting French talents like Normandy-born Dembele and Kolo Muani, a native of the same Paris suburb as Mbappe.

It is not just Maignan they let go over the last decade, with Kingsley Coman, Adrien Rabiot, Christopher Nkunku and Moussa Diaby all choosing to pursue their careers elsewhere.

As well as Maignan, the Milan side to face PSG could include Yacine Adli, a 23-year-old playmaker born in the Paris suburbs who left his hometown team after just one top-team appearance.

PSG have won just four two-legged knockout ties in the Champions League since Maignan left eight years ago.

“That means nothing to me,” Maignan said last season in a post-match interview when asked what he thought about PSG going out of the competition against Bayern Munich.

Having slumped to a 4-1 defeat in Newcastle three weeks ago, a failure to beat the “Rossoneri” on Wednesday would increase the risk of Luis Enrique’s side not getting out of their group, which would be disastrous for a club of PSG’s ambitions.

Questionable recruitment decisions have cost PSG in recent years, like allowing a 20-year-old Maignan to join Lille for a reported one million euros ($1.1m) in 2015 having never played a top-team game.

Born in French Guiana, Maignan was eight when he moved to mainland France with his family. He joined the PSG academy in 2009.

“PSG practically threw him out, like they have done with others. You wonder what the club’s policy is,” former Paris and France goalkeeper Bernard Lama told sports daily L’Equipe earlier this year.

“They should have loaned him to Lille. If he stands out, then you bring him back instead of going out and buying someone else and getting it wrong.”

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UEFA Champions League Draw: Manchester United And Bayern Munich In Group A, Borussia Dortmund To Face PSG In Group F

admin — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:45:04 +0000

Manchester United will face the Bayern Munich of Harry Kane in this season’s Champions League while Thursday’s draw for the group stage also placed Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United together. Bayern and United will be favourites to advance from Group A which also includes Danish champions FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray, the Turkish champions. Group F, in contrast, looks to be the toughest of all with Saudi-owned Newcastle facing AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund as well as Qatar-backed PSG. Newcastle are appearing in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years and their lack of recent pedigree in Europe’s elite club competition meant they were left lurking dangerously among the sides in pot four for the draw.

Having held on to Kylian Mbappe, French champions PSG will be expected to advance to the last 16 but Newcastle will hope to finish ahead of Dortmund and a Milan team that got to the semi-finals last season.

Holders Manchester City, meanwhile, could hardly have asked for a kinder draw as they will take on RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys in Group G.

Pep Guardiola’s side can be expected to rack up the goals against the champions of Serbia and Switzerland, while City hammered Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate in the last 16 last season.

Back in the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17, Arsenal will face Europa League winners Sevilla, former European Cup winners PSV Eindhoven and Lens of France in Group B.

Real Madrid, the record 14-time champions who won the trophy in 2022, were drawn with Italian champions Napoli in Group C, which also features Braga of Portugal and Champions League debutants Union Berlin.

Barcelona will take on Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp of Belgium in Group H.

Last season’s runners-up Inter Milan are in Group D with Portuguese champions Benfica, Red Bull Salzburg and Real Sociedad of Spain.

Scottish champions Celtic will face Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid and Lazio in Group E.

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