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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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Bayer Leverkusen Edge Closer To Dublin As Another Record Looms

admin — Wed, 08 May 2024 03:10:58 +0000

Xabi Alonso‘s rampaging Bayer Leverkusen will have an additional incentive in Thursday’s home second-leg Europa League semi-final against Roma: breaking a 59-year-old European football record. Avoiding defeat against Roma on Thursday will not only mean a trip to Dublin for the Europa League final, it will also extend their unbeaten run to 49 games — the best mark in European football history. A Eusebio-inspired Benfica went on a 48-game unbeaten streak between 1963 and 1965. The record has stood since, but Leverkusen have a golden chance of blowing it out of the water.

Alonso’s side has already overtaken Juventus’ 43-match unbeaten run from 2011 to 2012, which was the best of a team in the top five European leagues.

Leverkusen won 2-0 in Rome last week and could progress to the final even with a one-goal loss, but breaking the record would be yet another outstanding achievement in an already brilliant season.

‘I can tell my grandchildren’

Speaking after Leverkusen equalled Benfica’s record with a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, Leverkusen goalkeeper and captain Lukas Hradecky said pursuit of an unbeaten season gave his side “extra motivation”.

“It’s close,” said Hradecky after the game, explaining “I can tell my granddaughter and grandson about this.”

The Finn was referring to the league season, where Leverkusen have two more games to become the first team to go a Bundesliga campaign without defeat, but Leverkusen are just five matches away from an unbeaten treble.

Even with Alonso forced to watch from the stands due to a yellow card suspension, Leverkusen were not troubled against Frankfurt.

Already crowned Bundesliga champions for the first time back in April, Leverkusen are through to the German Cup final, where they face second-division Kaiserslautern.

Avoiding defeat on Thursday will set up a meeting with either Atalanta or Marseille in the Europa League final in Dublin.

Before the start of the season, Leverkusen had just two major trophies in their history. With the Bundesliga already under their belt, Alonso’s side could more than double their historical trophy haul in the Spaniard’s first full season in charge of a top side.

Former Leverkusen coach and sporting director Rudi Voeller said Thursday the call to hire Alonso was “brave and adventurous”, as well as a “perfect decision”.

Speaking with the Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, Voeller praised Leverkusen’s “outstanding squad” depth.

“It’s rare in the football business that you not only strengthen in the top positions, but also in the areas behind them. That’s the secret why Bayer is still unbeaten.

“The treble is still possible. But no matter what happens, it’s still an outstanding season.”

Wirtz, Grimaldo to return

Leverkusen have managed to keep their stunning run going despite Alonso deciding to rest players.

Attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and wing-back Alex Grimaldo were left out of the squad entirely on Sunday.

“They had small complaints in the last few days. We didn’t want to take any risks,” Alonso said.

“They’ll train again from Tuesday.”

Leverkusen scored five despite missing Wirtz, their attacking midfield lynchpin, and assists machine Grimaldo.

Wirtz has four goals and four assists in nine Europa League games this season, including a goal in the first leg in Rome.

“He’s still 21 and has a great future ahead of him,” Alonso said after the Roma game. Wirtz celebrated his 21st birthday at midnight just an hour after the match was over, with the team celebrating with the midfielder in the dressing room.

With close to a full-strength squad and playing at home for the second-last time this season, breaking Benfica’s record on Thursday could be the next step in Wirtz and Leverkusen’s great future.

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Bayer Leverkusen Beat Roma To Put One Foot In Europa League Final

admin — Fri, 03 May 2024 04:59:53 +0000

Bayer Leverkusen have one foot in the Europa League final after winning 2-0 at Roma on Thursday to extend their remarkable unbeaten run to 47 matches. Goals in each half from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich ensured victory for Xabi Alonso‘s men in the Italian capital and gave the Bundesliga champions a great chance of reaching the final in Dublin later this month. Leverkusen will meet either Atalanta or Marseille in Ireland should they hold out in Germany next week, and on the evidence of their performance in Rome they will be firm favourites to win their first European trophy since the old UEFA Cup in 1988.

Alonso’s team have needed a string of last gasp goals to keep their unbeaten run going in recent weeks but there was no need for any frantic finishes in the Italian capital as Leverkusen’s superiority was fully on display.

“We had a lot of chances to score a third but they also had a good chance to cut the deficit right at the end. We’re happy with the result,” Alonso told reporters.

“We fought hard, played very well and were very disciplined. For us that means a lot but we still have a lot to do.”

Roma face a huge task if they are to reach a third European final in as many years after barely troubling Matej Kovar’s goal after Romelu Lukaku struck the woodwork early on.

But Daniele De Rossi‘s team would have had a lifeline had substitute Tammy Abraham not headed over in front of an open goal deep in stoppage time.

“We played against a good team and if you go behind against them it becomes very difficult,” De Rossi told Sky. “We’ve managed to score early in games before and get things going our way. Let’s say it was a bit different tonight.”

“We had an incredible chance right at then end which would have given us a different outlook for the return leg.”

Roma are also in a dogfight to reach next season’s revamped Champions League in Serie A while Leverkusen remain on course for a Bundesliga, German Cup and Europa League treble.

Leverkusen dominate

Leverkusen started with Victor Boniface and former Roma man Patrik Schick on the bench as Alonso, who is gunning for an unbeaten season, started with a conservative line-up.

It was a cagey affair until Lukaku headed onto the crossbar in the 22nd minute after Leandro Paredes did brilliantly to bring down an overhit corner and hook the ball back for the Belgium forward.

Moments later the away fans briefly roared with celebration as Jeremie Frimpong slipped clean through a dozing Roma back line and lifted his finish into the side netting.

But the Leverkusen fans didn’t have to wait long to see their side take the lead, and it was another Roma slip up which allowed it to happened in the 28th minute.

Rick Karsdorp cleaned up after Chris Smalling misjudged a header but his weak back pass allowed Alejandro Grimaldo to set up Wirtz for a simple finish.

The hosts were lucky not to be two down five minutes later when Frimpong flashed wide from a great position.

Roma looked shaky every time Leverkusen came forward and after Smalling gave away a cheap corner under pressure from Amine Adli the home defence left Piero Hincapie free to head over the bar six minutes after the break.

Bryan Cristante lanced a great chance wide from Paulo Dybala‘s corner but Roma’s fans were finally deflated in the 73rd minute by Andrich’s brilliant strike which put the tie firmly in Leverkusen’s hands.

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Bayer Leverkusen Looking For Roma Revenge In Europa League Last Four

admin — Wed, 01 May 2024 04:28:17 +0000

Bayer Leverkusen are gunning for revenge on Thursday when they travel to a second Europa League semi-final against Roma in as many years after yet another late escape kept their remarkable unbeaten run intact. Xabi Alonso‘s Leverkusen staff were filmed celebrating Roma’s passage past AC Milan in the last eight, and Thursday’s first leg at the Stadio Olimpico is a chance to purge the memory of being ‘Mourinhoed’ in last season’s last four. Already a formidable proposition last term, Leverkusen’s astonishing run of 46 matches without defeat and a first-ever Bundesliga title has them favourites to reach the final in Dublin.

And the team which broke Bayern Munich’s dominance of German football wants payback for the 1-0 aggregate loss which led to Roma’s agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Sevilla in last season’s final.

“We have a desire for revenge, and a great hunger to win and get ourselves into the final,” said Leverkusen CEO Fernando Corro to Radio Marca.

“We want to get to the final at all costs.”

Leverkusen have scored 16 goals in stoppage time this season in all competitions, the latest coming in the 96th minute of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Stuttgart.

And it’s been their habit for late strikes which has got them back to the Europa League semis, with former Roma man Patrik Schick scoring three times in added time over their 5-4 last-16 win against Qarabag and two more late goals helping them past West Ham in the quarter-finals.

Coach Alonso said his team’s ability to claw back results at the death was “hard to explain” after Robert Andrich snatched a point at Stuttgart but is hoping it holds out for the rest of the campaign.

“Our main objective was to become champions, but now we don’t want to stop,” added Alonso to Sky.

“The goal is clear. We want to stay undefeated until the end of the season.”

‘Unbeaten, not unbeatable’

Roma salvaged a late point of their own at Napoli on Sunday thanks to a late goal from Tammy Abraham, the England international striker’s first in a year after a long knee injury lay-off.

While Leverkusen can concentrate on Europe, Daniele De Rossi‘s team have had a frantic last few weeks as they scrabble to take advantage of Serie A getting an extra spot in next year’s Champions League and aim for a third continental final in as many years.

Roma are undoubtedly tired after winning an Italian derby with Milan to reach the last four, a tie which was preceded by the Rome derby and followed by clashes with direct top-five rivals Bologna and Napoli, as well as their win at Udinese which had to be played over two acts after Evan Ndicka’s on-pitch collapse.

And their next two league fixtures are with Juventus and Atalanta — who are two points behind Roma — making the next fortnight crucial for De Rossi, who has turned his boyhood club around since replacing Jose Mourinho in January.

“I’ve got players who are trying to get something from this season,” said De Rossi to DAZN after the Napoli draw.

“We know it’s going to be difficult.. we have to find the results we need to get into the Champions League or win the Europa League.”

De Rossi will be boosted by the return of Romelu Lukaku alongside Paulo Dybala after the Belgium striker shook off a thigh problem.

Also back are Chris Smalling who missed Napoli with a groin injury and midfield lynchpin Leandro Paredes, suspended for the hard-fought draw at the weekend.

“We have to be perfect, because if they don’t ever lose and have the heart to score in the final seconds so often it means that they have something special,” said De Rossi.

“They’re unbeaten, but they’re not unbeatable.”

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Inter Milan’s Serie A Title Party Rolls On, While Tammy Abraham Saves Roma At Napoli

admin — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:08:58 +0000

Inter Milan’s official Serie A title party was in full swing on Sunday as the newly-crowned champions were acclaimed by thousands throughout their city after a straightforward 2-0 win over 10-man Torino. Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised on an open-top bus tour of Milan towards the northern Italian city’s iconic, and packed, Piazza del Duomo where fans lit flares and set off fireworks in honour of their heroes who had claimed a 20th league championship with five matches to spare.

Supporters, most of whom had been denied the chance to see Inter win the Scudetto in the flesh on Monday night by beating local rivals AC Milan in a thrilling derby, lined the streets as the team crawled their way to Milan’s imposing gothic cathedral.

Those who were at the San Siro on Sunday saw Hakan Calhanoglu‘s second-half double, a fine first-time strike in the 56th minute and a penalty four minutes later, earn Inter a 28th league win of the season.

Calhanoglu’s role in winning the lunchtime clash was appropriate as the Turkey captain has been key to Inter’s charge to the title, becoming one of Europe’s best deep-lying playmakers since being signed from Milan three years ago.

The 30-year-old is a hate figure for AC Milan supporters but he has rubbed his former fans’ faces in it this season, which with Euro 2024 on the horizon has probably been the best of his career.

His brace took his all-competitions goal tally for the season to 15 and extended Inter’s lead on second-placed Milan to a whopping 19 points.

“Today is a wonderful day, I don’t want to talk about that other lot (AC Milan). Today I’m going to have fun,” added Calhanoglu.

Inter were helped when Torino’s Adrien Tameze was sent off in the 49th minute for bundling over Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and once Calhanoglu bagged his second of the day the match became a sideshow.

Inzaghi’s team have pressing off-field issues like the repayment of a huge emergency loan to US investment fund Oaktree and hopes of a new stadium, but on Sunday fans were more concerned with a party that looked set to go on all night.

Abraham saves Roma

Tammy Abraham snatched a potentially crucial point in the battle to reach the Champions League with his first goal in a year which earned Roma a 2-2 draw at Napoli.

England international Abraham, who had last scored on April 29 last year, missed almost the whole of this season after tearing knee ligaments at the end of the last campaign.

But the substitute striker was on hand in the 88th minute to nod home a perfect flick-on at a corner from Evan Ndicka, who started in defence after being cleared to play following his on-pitch collapse at Udinese earlier this month.

“I told myself for the corner just get myself in the right place and luckily I was there to score,” Abraham told DAZN.

“I’ve dreamed about this moment since the beginning of the season. I had a difficult injury and it was all about getting myself ready, my mind ready.”

Roma, who took the lead in the 59th minute through Paulo Dybala‘s penalty before being pegged back by Mathias Olivera’s heavily deflected strike and a late Victor Osimhen spot-kick, are fifth and in the final Champions League spot.

Daniele De Rossi‘s team are four points behind fourth-placed Bologna following their 1-1 home draw with relegation-threatened Udinese.

Atalanta, who have a game in hand on all of their top-five rivals, are two points behind Roma after a simple 2-0 win over Empoli for the Bergamo-based team.

Roma have a tough end to the season with the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against German champions Bayer Leverkusen coming up on Thursday and clashes with Juventus and Atalanta among their last four league fixtures of the campaign.

“They’re unbeaten, but they’re not unbeatable,” said De Rossi of formidable Leverkusen, who haven’t lost in 46 games ahead of the midweek clash in Rome.

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Romelu Lukaku On Target As Roma Smash Seven Past Empoli

admin — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:06:16 +0000

Romelu Lukaku scored his first Roma goal in Sunday’s 7-0 demolition of Empoli, his new team’s first win of the Serie A season. Belgium forward Lukaku rolled in Roma’s sixth in the 82nd minute of a dominating performance in which talisman Paulo Dybala also got off the mark for the season with a brace. Strikes from Renato Sanches, Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini, as well as a comical Albert Grassi own goal ensured a rout against pointless, goalless and rock-bottom Empoli which moved Roma out of the relegation zone and up to 12th on four points.

“It’s obviously important for strikers to score goals,” said coach Jose Mourinho to DAZN.

“It was perfect for him as he scores in front his fans and he leaves the field happy.

“He needs to feel loved and wanted. He’s come here and he felt immediately that the team needed him.”

Lukaku made his first start alongside Dybala in an attack built to help Roma qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2018.

On loan from Chelsea, Lukaku made a substitute appearance in Roma’s loss to AC Milan before the international break and had a largely low key evening against Empoli apart from his simple finish from Andrea Belotti’s pass.

Only 35 seconds had passed when Sebastian Walukiewicz handled Rasmus Kristensen’s cross. Dybala to rammed home his first goal of the campaign from the penalty spot.

Kristensen was key again when Sanches doubled the hosts’ lead in the eighth minute, swinging in another cross from which the unmarked Portugal international guided home a perfect header.

Lukaku was involved in Roma’s bizarre third, laying off to Cristante before Bartosz Bereszynski whacked the ball off his Empoli teammate Grassi and watched the ball drift into his own goal.

Dybala netted his sublime second 10 minutes after the break when he collected Cristante’s pass, sent Sebastiano Luperto packing with a feint and rolled in a cool finish.

Lukaku on target

The Argentina forward would have ended the night with a hat-trick had his free-kick not thwacked the crossbar moments before he was substituted in the 64th minute.

The match seemed to be rolling towards an otherwise uneventful end but Cristante started a late flurry in the 79th minute when he drove home Roma’s fifth from long range.

The stage was set for Lukaku to lap up the applause of fans who swamped an airport to greet his arrival in Rome last month. A Mancini header wrapped up the scoring with four minutes remaining.

Christian Kouame shot Fiorentina to a 3-2 win over Atalanta with the decisive strike in Sunday’s entertaining Serie A clash in Florence.

Ivorian Kouame pounced on defensive indecisiveness in the 76th minute to prod home his first goal of the season and move Fiorentina up to seventh.

Giacomo Bonaventura and Lucas Martinez-Quarta scored Fiorentina’s other goals at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as the hosts moved level on seven points with champions Napoli and Frosinone, 4-2 winners over Sassuolo earlier in the day.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s Frosinone won a Serie A game from a losing position for the first time in their history.

They came back from being two goals down in the first 25 minutes to claim an impressive home win thanks to a Walid Cheddira penalty on the stroke of half-time, Luca Mazzitelli‘s brace and a stoppage-time finish from Pol Lirola.

Atalanta are two points back in ninth after their second defeat in their opening four matches, which means that Lecce stay in the Champions League positions despite only drawing 1-1 at Monza.

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Romelu Lukaku Completes Loan To Roma From Chelsea

admin — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:56:50 +0000

File image of Romelu Lukaku© AFP

Romelu Lukaku completed his season-long loan move to Roma from Chelsea on Wednesday after being welcomed as a hero by supporters. Roma are yet to make their official announcement but Serie A have confirmed that the deal is done on their list of completed transfers. Thousands of fans greeted Belgium striker Lukaku after he touched down at Ciampino airport just outside the Italian capital on Tuesday, his arrival a boost for Roma following a worrying start to the new Serie A season.

Italian media report that Chelsea accepted Roma’s offer of around six million euros ($6.5 million) to take outcast Lukaku for this season, giving the Italians the striker they have been looking for since Tammy Abraham damaged knee ligaments at the end of last season.

Lukaku has agreed to take a pay cut from nearly 11 million euros to around 7.5 million euros in order to move to Roma, who are operating under a Financial Fair Play settlement agreement made with UEFA.

Roma have collected one point from their first two matches and their inability to convert dominance into goals was fully on display during Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Verona.

Chelsea meanwhile have been trying to permanently offload Lukaku all summer in a bid to end a disastrous transfer which cost the Premier League club a 115 million euro purchase fee from Inter Milan and his whopping annual salary.

But talks with Inter — where he was loaned back to last season — collapsed reportedly after the club discovered he had been secretly talking to their biggest rivals Juve and AC Milan.

Instead he has been reunited with his former coach at Manchester United Jose Mourinho as the capital club try to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2018.

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