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January 2021
Gentile downplays Ibra-Lukaku spat
28.1 || webmaster
Claudio Gentile downplays the spat between Ibra and Lukaku: ‘It’s normal, Maradona used to say all sort of things to me.’
Gentile, a 1982 Italy World Cup winner, is know as one of the toughest defenders in the history of the game.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Bennacer returns to group training
28.1 || webmaster
Ismael Bennacer reportedly returned to group training today and both he and Mario Mandzukic are fit to play against Bologna on Saturday.
The Algeria international has been out of action since December 13 and has only played nine Serie A games so far this season.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Official: Musacchio completes Lazio move
28.1 || webmaster
Mateo Musacchio has completed his transfer from Milan to Lazio on a permanent move.
The 30-year-old centre-back had his medical this morning and signed a six-month contract with option to June 2023.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Pogba: 'Ibrahimovic is not racist'
28.1 || webmaster
Paul Pogba rushed to the defence of his former Manchester United teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the row with Romelu Lukaku. ‘He’s the last person I’d think of as racist.’
There was a furious bust-up between Lukaku and Ibrahimovic during last night’s Milan Derby Coppa Italia quarter-final.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Tomori: 'Milan believe in the Scudetto'
28.1 || webmaster
Fikayo Tomori stressed Milan ‘must believe in the Scudetto’, said Paolo Maldini convinced him and hopes to write history with the Rossoneri.
The 23-year-old arrived on loan with an option to buy this month and has already played his first game in the Coppa Italia.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
What Ibra told Lukaku
28.1 || webmaster
Romelu Lukaku lost his cool when Ibra told him: ‘Go do your voodoo s***, you little donkey' during the first half of Inter-Milan.
The strikers were involved in a scuffle at the end of the first half of Inter-Milan with the Inter forward who was physically restrained by his teammates.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Ibra and the £50 bet with Lukaku
28.1 || webmaster
Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic clashed during Inter’s 2-1 win over Milan in the Coppa Italia, but did it all start in Manchester?
The Nerazzurri turned the game around after Ibrahimovic’s sending off in the 58th minute. The Swede had given the Rossoneri the lead after 31 minutes, but when Milan went down to 10 men in the closing stages, Lukaku scored from the penalty spot before Christian Eriksen’s free kick completed the comeback.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Coppa Italia: Inter 2:1 AC Milan - match report
28.1 || webmaster
Scorers: Ibrahimovic 31 (M), Lukaku pen 71 (I), Eriksen 97 (I)
It was an extraordinary Derby della Madonnina, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal and red card, fight with Romelu Lukaku and last-gasp Christian Eriksen winner for Inter.
The winners of this clash will go on to face Juventus or SPAL in the semi-finals. These rivals are also battling for the Scudetto, as the Rossoneri were crowned Winter Champions despite a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta on Saturday, sitting two points clear of the Nerazzurri.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan make one last push for Firpo
25.1 || webmaster
Milan are reportedly making one last attempt to sign Barcelona full-back Junior Firpo this winter.
SportMediaset reports the Rossoneri are doing their utmost to sign a back-up for Theo Hernandez and will make one last attempt to get Firpo.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Colombo to Cremonese
25.1 || webmaster
Cremonese have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Lorenzo Colombo on loan from Milan.
Sky Sport Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports sporting director Ariedo Braida beat the competition from Brescia and other Serie B teams in the fight for Colombo’s services.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Costacurta: 'Milan know how to react'
25.1 || webmaster
Former Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta believes the Rossoneri will ‘react’ to the defeat against Atalanta and ‘fight until the end’.
The Diavolo’s lost their second match in Serie A 2020-21 against La Dea on Saturday, when Gian Piero Gasperini’s men won 3-0 at San Siro.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Kalulu injury update
25.1 || webmaster
According to several reports in Italy, Milan defender Pierre Kalulu has suffered a blunt abdominal muscle trauma.
The 20-year-old was stretchered off after a knock to the back after 56 minutes in Milan-Atalanta and was replaced by Mateo Musacchio.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Tomori ‘surprised’ by AC Milan’s call
25.1 || webmaster
New Milan signing Fikayo Tomori admits he was surprised when he got called by the Rossoneri. 'It's an opportunity I couldn't turn down.'
The 23-year-old defender has joined the Serie A leaders from Chelsea on loan with an option to buy.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Ibrahimovic felt 'isolated' against Atalanta
25.1 || webmaster
Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits he felt ‘isolated’ upfront in Milan’s defeat to Atalanta. ‘We are Winter Champions, but it means nothing to me.’
The Rossoneri lost 3-0 at San Siro, yet still finish the first half of the season as leaders, because Inter drew 0-0 away to Udinese.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Pioli explains Meite decision
25.1 || webmaster
Stefano Pioli acknowledges Atalanta are a bogey team for Milan and explains his decision to start Soualiho Meite, while celebrating the Winter Champions crown.
It was a mixed day for the Rossoneri, as while they suffered their heaviest defeat of the season, falling 3-0 at home to Atalanta, they were also crowned Winter Champions for the first time in a decade.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Serie A: AC Milan 0:3 Atalanta - match report
25.1 || webmaster
Scorers: Romero 25 (A), Ilicic pen 53 (A), Duvan Zapata 77 (A)
Milan suffered their heaviest defeat of the season, as Atalanta put in a dominant performance to win 3-0 at San Siro, but are still crowned Winter Champions.
The Rossoneri needed a point to be sure of the Winter Champion title, but while Theo Hernandez, Ante Rebic and Rade Krunic returned from COVID, Alessio Romagnoli and Alexis Saelemaekers were suspended, with Hakan Calhanoglu still unwell, Ismael Bennacer and Matteo Gabbia injured. New signings Mario Mandzukic and Fikayo Tomori were on the bench, with Soualiho Meite given his first start in a more advanced trequartista role. La Dea were unbeaten at San Siro since January 2014 and the only injury was Mario Pasalic, as Papu Gomez and Cristiano Piccini are on their way out. They came into this fixture off back-to-back draws with Genoa and Udinese.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan push for Firpo negotiations
20.1 || webmaster
Milan are reportedly in talks with Junior Firpo's agent and are hoping to reach an agreement with Barcelona over a loan deal with an option to buy.
Calciomercato.com reports the idea has become a real negotiation and it’s not impossible to picture the Blaugrana defender arriving at San Siro.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Fitness coach reveals when Mandzukic will be ‘100% fit’
20.1 || webmaster
Mario Mandzukic’s personal fitness coach Luka Milanovic reveals why the Croat chose Milan and says the striker will be 100% fit in ‘two or three weeks.’
Mandzukic has joined Milan as a free agent. He played his last competitive game in March 2020 with Qatar club Al-Duhail.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Kjaer injury ruled out
20.1 || webmaster
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Simon Kjaer didn’t suffer an injury against Cagliari on Monday and will be fit to face Atalanta next weekend.
The Dane was substituted during the half time break at the Sardegna Arena due to back pain, but the pink paper reports he will be eligible to play against La Dea on Saturday.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Tomori done deal for AC Milan
20.1 || webmaster
Milan have agreed terms with Chelsea for Fikayo Tomori, on loan with option to buy for €30m, and he’s expected in Italy for a medical over the next 24 hours.
Multiple sources in Italy confirm it is a done deal and he will fly out either this evening or tomorrow morning.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
OFFICIAL: AC Milan sign Mandzukic
20.1 || webmaster
Milan have officially announced the arrival of Mario Mandzukic, who has been given the No9 shirt at San Siro.
The former Juventus striker has signed a deal until the end of 2020-21, with an option to extend for a further year.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
The Rise of the Canadian Premier League
20.1 || webmaster
The Successful Launch of the Canadian Premier League
The inaugural season of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) was played in 2019 after the competition was founded in May 2017. After launching with seven teams in the debut season, the CPL welcomed Atlético Ottawa as the eighth club in the competition. For online casino players, the competition can provide new betting opportunities.
While Major League Soccer (MLS) covets ageing stars from Europe, the CPL has been established as a league for Canadian talent. Just two seasons into the competition and Forge FC of Hamilton, Ontario, have become the team to beat. In the 2019 debut season, Forge defeated Calgary FC before retaining their title in 2020 against HFX Wanderers FC.
Soccer Betting at Canadian Casino Sites
At some of the legal online casinos in Canada, there are services that can enable soccer fans to place legal sports bets on their favourite teams and players. And backing the winning team is not the only way to bet at a site, with online casino operators providing several markets that can potentially be targeted:
Over/under: The over/under market refers to goals. As an example, the user bet on whether there will be over or under 2.5 goals in the match – three goals would represent a success for over and two would be a win for under;
Both teams to score: This is a simple “Yes” or “No” bet as the answer to a question. You can either bet on both teams scoring or not scoring. At times, this can be combined with other markets for higher odds;
Correct score: As one of the most difficult markets, players are challenged to select the exact score. Although difficult to call, there are high odds to be found in the correct score market;
Handicap: By adding or removing goals before the kick-off, you can boost the odds compared to the standard offerings for a home win, draw, or away win (1X2);
Double chance: You can bet on a team to win or draw. As an easier bet, the odds are not as generous;
Draw no bet: This is a protective bet where you can receive your stake back if the team you bet on fails to win. If they lose, however, the entire stake is lost;
Half-time: Simply select the team that will be winning at half-time. You can also add a full-time bet to make the bet more difficult and boost the odds.
Of course, there can also be enticing promotions that are worth claiming if users like to play games. One example would be the no deposit Canadian casinos where it is possible to play without staking real money – you can look for these bonuses at Nodepositdog.com. When claiming, you can consult the bonus terms and conditions and check if the wagering requirements are reasonable. Basically, the lower the wagering requirements, the easier it will be to play through them and withdraw the bonus in the form of winnings.
Can the CPL Tackle the Europeans?
With AC Milan riding high in the standings once more, it would be fascinating to how the CPL teams would compare against the best that Europe has to offer. Of course, with both sets of teams separated by their geographic competitions, the most viable way for them to meet would be in preseason friendlies.
In the future, there is a more challenging path that could eventually come to fruition. Since the establishment of the CPL, all eight teams are entitled to compete in the Canadian Championship against the Canadian side from the MLA as well as the winners of Première Ligue de soccer du Québec and League1 Ontario.
Moving forward, this will be a difficult route for the CPL, given that the MLS sides have bigger budgets and can attract older stars from the European leagues. Nevertheless, fans could see the day when a CPL side lifts the Canadian Championship. By doing so, the winner would then be entitled to Canada’s birth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
At the time of writing, all previous winners of the CONCACAF Champions League have been clubs from Mexico. However, if the CPL can ever field a winning team, then they would proceed to the FIFA World Club Championship, which features the European winners of the UEFA Champions League.
As we know, AC Milan have won the UEFA Champions League on seven occasions in the club’s illustrious history. One day, maybe we could all be fortunate enough to see AC Milan meet a CPL team in the FIFA Club World Championship. Yes, it would be difficult to achieve but stranger things have happened in football.
Forge FC the Team to Beat
Until that day comes, the CPL teams must raise their standards if they want to surpass the early excellence of Forge FC. The Hamilton-based team overcame the global pandemic in 2020 to win a second consecutive championship while under the guidance of coach Bobby Smyrniotis, who previously worked with Sigma FC of League1 Ontario.
In 2019, Smyrniotis was dependent on the golden boot-winning form of Canadian midfielder Tristan Borges, who was declared player of the year that season. Unfortunately for Forge, Borges caught the attention of OH Leuven and was sold to the Belgian side in January 2020. In a stop-start season, Ontario native Kyle Bekker stepped up to fill the midfield void and was named CPL Player of the Year, while goalkeeper Triston Henry was chosen as the best shot-stopper.
In 2020, coach Smyrniotis can reflect on a successful season in which Forge won the Island Games and clinched their second championship. For next season, the aim is to become more competitive if they can return to the CONCACAF League. Of course, Forge did tremendously well to beat Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship and reach the preliminary round of the highly competitive league.
Serie A: AC Milan 1:3 Juventus - match report
9.1 || webmaster
Scorers: Chiesa 18, 62 (J), Calabria 41 (M), McKennie 76 (J)
Milan saw their 27-round Serie A unbeaten run come to an end, as Federico Chiesa inspired the 3-1 Juventus victory at San Siro.
This was a huge showdown and the Rossoneri knew they’d be top anyway, as Inter lost 2-1 at Sampdoria this afternoon, whereas Juve were 10 points adrift of the leaders with a game in hand.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan in for Meite?
9.1 || webmaster
Milan are reportedly interested in securing a loan deal with an option to buy Soualiho Meite from Torino.
Tomorrow, the Granata arrive at San Siro and the Rossoneri will get a chance to talk business too.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Zlatan back in training, but not against Torino
9.1 || webmaster
Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to train with his teammates today, but the Milan forward seems set to miss out against Torino tomorrow.
Coach Stefano Pioli said he didn’t think the veteran would be ready for Saturday’s game against the Granata during the pre-match press conference today.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan consider Belotti bid
9.1 || webmaster
According to Tuttosport, Milan are interested in Torino’s Nicolas Nkoulou and Soualiho Meité in January although their big target for the next season is the Granata captain Andrea Belotti.
Milan had already tried to sign the Italy international back in 2017 when their former sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli offered €60m to secure the player’s services.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan, Leipzig and Liverpool for Simakan
9.1 || webmaster
Milan are in a bidding war with RB Leipzig for Strasbourg defender Mohamed Simakan, while it’s reported Liverpool are also keeping tabs on the situation.
The 20-year-old centre-back is a confirmed target for the Rossoneri in the January transfer window and the asking price is over €20m.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Toulouse want €15m for Koné
5.1 || webmaster
Toulouse are reportedly asking for €15m to part ways with Milan target Kouadio Koné this winter.
The midfielder has been targeted by the Rossoneri and technical director Paolo Maldini works to find a solution for the 19-year-old.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan’s Pessina clause revealed
5.1 || webmaster
According to Fabrizio Romano, Milan have a special clause that allows the Diavoli to cut Matteo Pessina’s price by 50 percent.
The Monza-born midfielder joined Milan in 2015, when he was 18-year-old.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Who are AC Milan targets Simakan and Kone?
5.1 || webmaster
Milan are reportedly chasing Mohamed Simakan and Kouadio Kone in the January transfer market. We take a look at the two Rossoneri targets.
Il Corriere dello Sport reports Strasbourg centre-back Simakan tops the wish list at Milanello this winter.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Ibrahimovic hints about possible return soon
5.1 || webmaster
Milan fans are hoping Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be fit to face Juventus on Wednesday after the latest social media post of the Swede, but Sky Sport insists the 39-year-old will miss the San Siro clash.
The 39-year-old is out of action since November 22 when he picked up an injury during the Rossoneri’s 3-1 away win at Napoli.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
AC Milan injury updates ahead of Juventus
5.1 || webmaster
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ismael Bennacer, Matteo Gabbia and Alexis Saelemaekers continue to train separately ahead of Milan’s clash with Juventus.
The Rossoneri face the reigning champions on Wednesday and Ibrahimovic has been ruled out against the Bianconeri, as he is targeting a return against Cagliari on January 18.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Inzaghi: 'Donnarumma best in Europe'
5.1 || webmaster
Pippo Inzaghi called Gigio Donnarumma ‘the best goalkeeper in Europe’ and admits Benevento rue naïve errors in the defeat to 10-man Milan.
This was a special game for the coach, who spent most of his playing career with the Rossoneri and also started out in management at San Siro.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Leao: 'My most beautiful goal'
5.1 || webmaster
Rafael Leao admits the strike against Benevento was ‘one of the most beautiful goals of my career’ and Milan never change their mentality.
The Portuguese forward found the net from a seemingly improbable angle after drawing out Lorenzo Montipò, securing a 2-0 win despite Sandro Tonali’s early red card.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
Serie A: AC Milan 0:2 Benevento - match report
5.1 || webmaster
Scorers: Kessie pen 15 (M), Leao 49 (M)
Milan had Sandro Tonali sent off after just 33 minutes, but survived a missed Gianluca Caprari penalty to beat Benevento 2-0, including a Rafael Leao stunner.
The Rossoneri needed a win to stay top of the table after Inter beat Crotone earlier this afternoon, but were missing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ismael Bennacer, Alexis Saelemaekers, Matteo Gabbia and suspended Theo Hernandez. Pippo Inzaghi and Gianluca Lapadula faced their old club, as Le Streghe ended 2020 with back-to-back 2-0 wins over Genoa and Udinese, while they also took points off Juventus and Lazio in recent weeks. Luca Caldirola, Christian Maggio, Iago Falque and Nicolas Viola were on the treatment table.
Read the rest on Football Italia.
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