Zambo Anguissa is Football Italia’s MVP in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday.

Player Ratings: Napoli 3-1 Inter

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic 6; Di Lorenzo 6.5, Buongiorno 5.5, Juan Jesus 6.5, Spinazzola 6.5; Gilmour 5.5; Politano 6 (81′ Elmas N/A), Anguissa 7.5, De Bruyne 6 (37′ Olivera 6), McTominay 7; Neres 6.5 (81′ Lang N/A). Coach: Conte 7.

Best Napoli player: Anguissa 7.5 – The second half was absolutely stunning. Anguissa dominated in central midfield and even scored the third goal for the Partenopei, finalising a perfect counter-attack.

Lowest Napoli rating: Buongiorno 5.5 – Same rating as Gilmour, but Buongiorno caused a penalty kick with a clumsy handball that could have had worse consequences for the Partenopei.

Napoli coach: Conte 7 – His argument with Lautaro is already a classic scene in Italian football, but Conte will rightly make headlines thanks to a perfect game plan. Napoli were happy to leave the ball to Inter and hurt the Nerazzurri on counter-attacks. The penalty kick in the first half, more than debatable, helped them, but the Napoli defending was even more resolute once they took the lead.

Inter: Sommer 5.5; Akanji 5, Acerbi 5, Bastoni 5.5; Dumfries 5.5 (75′ Luis Henrique 5.5), Barella 6 (73′ Frattesi 6), Calhanoglu 7 (73′ Sucic 6), Mkhitaryan 5.5 (32′ Zielinski 5.5), Dimarco 5.5; Lautaro Martinez 5, Bonny 5.5 (62′ Pio Esposito 5.5). Coach: Chivu 5.

Best Inter player: Calhanoglu 7 – Converted a spot kick to keep Inter in the game and maintained a high passing accuracy despite the physicality and press from Napoli midfielders. It wasn’t enough to get a result.

Lowest Inter rating: Acerbi and Akanji 5 – Both poor in the build-up, but mostly unable to cope with Napoli’s counter-attacks, especially in the second half.

Inter coach: Chivu 5 – Inter were probably the better side in the first half and had a convincing reaction after Napoli had taken the lead. However, they showed no balance and were too exposed defensively after the break. Not even Calhanoglu’s goal gave them the push to go for the equaliser.

Jan Ziolkowski has been criticised by the Italian press and Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini following a 2-1 loss against Viktoria Plzen, but the Giallorossi’s main problem comes from the fact that the coach’s transfer requests were not satisfied over the summer.

Roma defender Ziolkowski found himself in the middle of a storm on Thursday, when he was subbed off in the first half of an eventual 2-1 loss against Viktoria Plzen.

Ziolkowski had made a mistake in the build-up to Plzen’s opening goal and was replaced a few minutes later, but didn’t take it well.

Ziolkowski is not Roma’s problem

Gasperini said at the end of the game that the 20-year-old, who had started the first game for the Giallorossi, was ‘still not ready.’

Ziolkowski, who joined Roma in the summer, will have time to adapt to Roma’s playing style to avoid repeating such mistakes.

At the same time, however, it is clear that Roma’s main problem lies elsewhere, as Gasperini’s transfer requests over the summer were not entirely satisfied.

Gasperini’s transfer requests at Roma

The Italian tactician expected further reinforcements in attack, having asked for a winger, besides Leon Bailey, and a centre-forward, even after Evan Ferguson’s loan move from Brighton.

Roma are just one point behind Serie A table leaders Milan, but certain shortcomings are tough to hide, and Gasperini’s desire should have been fulfilled at the right time to give him players suitable for his playing style.

Michele Di Gregorio was Football Italia’s MOTM in Juventus’ 1-0 loss against Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid, but the Old Lady will still leave Spain with regrets.

Real Madrid vs. Juventus player ratings

Di Gregorio 8 – Super save to deny Mbappé from point-blank range towards the end of the first half. Even more impressive in the second half on Mbappé again, and then Brahim in quick succession.

Gatti 7 – One shot on target in the first half, a goal-line clearance in the second. Very solid, overall. Probably one of the best performances of his career.

Rugani 6.5 – It wasn’t always easy to deal with Mbappé, as one would expect, but Rugani was always composed and tough on tackles.

Kelly 5.5 – The Englishman kept Bellingham onside for Real Madrid’s winning goal. Unlucky after a confident performance.

Kalulu 6.5 – Very brave down the right flank. Good forward runs, but naturally lacked quality in the final third. He was one of the many Juventus players tricked by Vinicius in the build-up to Bellingham’s goal.

Koopmeiners 5.5 – Neither evident errors nor scintillating moves. The feeling is that he still struggles to find the best position for himself on the pitch. The problem is that he’s been at Juventus for over a year now. (73′ Locatelli 5.5)

Thuram 6 – Imposed his physicality by winning six duels (via Sofascore), even if he wasn’t quite accurate with the ball. (62′ Conceiçao 5.5)

Cambiaso 5.5 – Always played the ball, even under intense pressure from the Merengues. Floored by Mbappé in the first half, but Militao sent the ball over the crossbar with the resulting shot. Cambiaso dropped in the second half, giving the ball away too often. (88′ Kostic N/A)

McKennie 6 – Responsible for one of the two Juventus shots on target in the opening 45 minutes. Mostly had defensive duties, but also floated between attack and midfield when possible to launch counterattacks.

Yildiz 6 – The Turk covered a lot of ground. He turned on the light at the start of the second half with a fantastic pass for Vlahovic, but the Serbian didn’t make the run to meet the ball in front of an empty net. (73′ Openda 5.5)

Vlahovic 5.5 – Started well, but was then overwhelmed by the physicality of Real Madrid defenders. He had the best chance in the game in the second half, but was denied by an excellent Courtois save (73′ David 5.5).

Coach: Tudor 6 – He wanted a reaction, and Juventus showed it, but they lacked the quality and determination to score. The challenge will be to keep the same level of attention against weaker sides, especially when it will be required to command the play.

Real Madrid: Courtois 7; Valverde 6, Militao 6.5, Asencio 6.5 (88′ Gonzalo N/A), A Carreras 6; Tchouameni 6, Arda Guler 6.5 (73′ Camavinga 6), Bellingham 6.5; Brahim Diaz 7 (83′ Mastrantuono N/A), Mbappé 6.5, Vinicius 6 (83′ Fran Garcia N/A). Coach: Xabi Alonso 6.

Lorenzo Lucca was one of the most important signings of Napoli’s recent transfer window. It was a deal worth around €35 million between a very expensive loan and an obligation to buy.

We won’t get into judging the valuation – everyone can draw their own conclusions.

Lucca faces crunch time for Napoli

What is certain is that everything has changed for the striker: in Udine he was an undisputed starter, with a team built and structured around his characteristics.

In Naples, however, he has essentially become the alternative option to Hojlund, especially with Lukaku set to return soon.

The point is that Napoli spared no expense to satisfy Conte, but Lucca had expected to be far more involved in the rotation, and now he must abandon old habits.

It is not yet time for definitive assessments, but between the transfer fee, expectations, pressure and tension, the striker is going through a delicate moment – one he must overcome quickly to avoid the season taking the wrong turn.

Rafael Leao is Football Italia’s MOTM in Milan’s 2-1 win over an unlucky Fiorentina.

Milan player ratings

Milan: Maignan 5; Tomori 5.5, Gabbia 5.5, Pavlovic 6.5; Athekame 6 (57′ Gimenez 6.5), Ricci 5.5, Modric 7, Fofana 5.5, Bartesaghi 5.5; Saelemaekers 6 (89′ De Winter N/A); Leao 7.5 (92′ Balentien N/A). Coach: Allegri 6.5.

Best Milan player – Leao 7.5: His first home goals for Milan in 17 months, and how important they were. The Portuguese scored the first with a shot from outside the box and then converted a (debatable) penalty kick to bring Milan back to the top of the table. Received a standing ovation when he was subbed off.

Lowest Milan rating – Maignan 5: The Frenchman was in no man’s land when Fiorentina took the lead with Robin Gosens. Wrong movement, wrong position, but the Rossoneri managed to recover.

Milan coach – Allegri 6.5: No excuses, Milan were without Pulisic, Rabiot, Estupinan, Loftus-Cheek and Nkunku. Just two senior outfield players on the bench, but Max refused to complain. He has already passed on his mentality to the players, and you could see that on the pitch tonight.

Fiorentina player ratings

Fiorentina: De Gea 5.5; Pongracic 5.5, Pablo Marì 6, Ranieri 6; Dodò 6.5, Fagioli 7, Nicolussi Caviglia 5.5 (88′ Sohm N/A), Mandragora 5.5 (88′ Dzeko N/A), Gosens 7 (69′ Parisi 6); Fazzini 5.5 (70′ Gudmundsson 5.5); Kean 6 (77′ Piccoli N/A). Coach: Pioli 6.

Best Fiorentina player – Gosens 7: Scored the goal that gave Fiorentina the lead, but Fagioli was also involved in the goal with a nice cross for Ranieri in the buildup.

Lowest Fiorentina rating – Pongracic 5.5: Some poor passes, especially in the first half, and not very solid defensively. Also, De Gea seemed a bit slow on Leao’s first goal, Nicolussi Caviglia struggled to emerge with the ball at his feet, and Gudmundsson had no impact when he was introduced.

Fiorentina coach – Pioli 6: Fiorentina didn’t deserve to lose the game. That was a soft penalty that shouldn’t have been given. Fiorentina did their best today; sometimes you are just unlucky.

Kenan Yildiz remains a topic of hot discussion in Juventus circles, but discussions and negotiations over a new and improved contract extension shouldn’t be allowed to drag on and become a long-term saga, writes Football Italia expert Alfredo Pedullà. 

Why Yildiz shouldn’t become a problem for Juventus

Yildiz remains the talk of the town at Juventus, almost as if he were a problem, as if Juventus weren’t always going to be obliged to hand over a new and improved contract extension to a player they decided to entrust with the iconic no.10 shirt at the age of 19. 

• Read more: Possible Chelsea offer as Juventus contract talks for Yildiz stall

As things stand, there is a small difference between Yildiz’s requests and the amount that Juventus are currently offering to pay the Turkish talent on a proposed new deal. 

But this doesn’t make much sense: What does a gap of around €700,000 or even €1m mean to a club of Juventus’s stature when we’re talking about a player who has already shown his talent and his commitment and importance to the club? What’s more is that Yildiz has made it clear he is keen to stay on in Turin. 

There had been rumours circling in January, with agent Jorge Mendes claiming that there had been nine-figure offers for the Juve star the summer prior, pointing to an inquiry from Premier League side Chelsea. 

And this is why renewing Yildiz’s contract, for at least another five years, should not become a problem for the Old Lady. Otherwise, everything gets called into question.

Dreams of direct qualification may have all but gone, but Italy secured the next best thing with the World Cup play-offs in the bag. Giancarlo Rinaldi weighs up the successes and failures of Rino Gattuso’s latest games in charge. 

• Read more – Player Ratings: Italy 3-0 Israel – Retegui and Donnarumma shine bright

Hands up who wanted to suffer a little more? Not happy with putting Azzurri fans through the torment of the group stages, it looks like another phase awaits to decide whether they can book their ticket for next summer’s party. Catching Norway always looked a long-shot, but what did clashes with Estonia and Israel teach us about this Italy squad and its prospects?

Rip-roaring Retegui

Rino Gattuso can be thankful for the work of one of his predecessors, Roberto Mancini, in plucking out Mateo Retegui to boost his goalscoring threat. Despite having one penalty saved, he bounced back with a goal from open play against Estonia and then followed it up with a converted penalty and an absolute beauty against Israel. A record of nearly a goal every other game in his appearances for La Nazionale confirms that he might not have been needed by Argentina, but he has become a vital cog in this Azzurri machine.

Attacking options

It was not just the Retegui show over the two games, as there was a lovely strike from Moise Kean as well before he had to limp off and then a first strike – hopefully of many – for Francesco Pio Esposito. With Jack Raspadori providing another option and – whisper it – Francesco Camarda starting to score regularly already with the Under 21s, it looks like the national team could have a few regular sources of goals in the years to come.

Distracted defending

Although things might be going well at the opposite end of the park, the same could not be said for the rearguard. Although it was definitely less leaky than in the previous international break, there were still some worrying moments across both matches. The cherry on that particularly unpalatable cake was a blunder by Gigio Donnarumma that made the win over Estonia just a little less comfortable than it should have been. There were signs of improvement, but all the same, plenty of work to be done. Better teams would definitely convert the chances which were spurned over the two October games.

Happy returns

They had finished on the outside of the previous regime, but both Gianluca Mancini and Manuel Locatelli showed they still had something to offer to their country. The Roma defender managed to keep composed and a little less hot-headed than we are used to and showed he could be a useful addition at the back with some well-timed interventions and pinched a goal up front as well. The Juve man might not be to everyone’s taste, but he has a range of passing which not that many can provide at the heart of this Italy side. A mention, too, for the often previously ignored Riccardo Orsolini, who put in an eye-catching display against Estonia.

Reflective Rino?

For those who thought this might just be about guts and determination, the new Italy boss has shown a more measured approach, which has brought him four wins out of four. That is a pretty unusual start to any national team manager’s career and he was pleased to have come up with a tactical solution which avoided the crazy goal feast the last time his country met Israel. It will always be about heart first and foremost but he is clearly keen to show a more thoughtful side, which might surprise some of his critics. He will need to ally both passion and precision if he hopes to steer his troops to where they all want to be – the World Cup.

@ginkers

Mateo Retegui’s brace and Gigio Donnarumma’s saves inspired Italy’s 3-0 win over Israel on Tuesday.

Italy player ratings vs. Israel

Donnarumma 8 – Two crucial saves, one in each half. Italy have the best keeper in the world, but should not need him this much to beat the 76th-ranked team in the FIFA ranking.

Di Lorenzo 6  – A balanced performance. Even if he lost possession nine times, his passing accuracy was over 90%.

Mancini 7 – Dominated in the air, winning four aerial duels from four. No coincidence that he scored his first international goal with a header.

Calafiori 6 – Not as effective as usual, especially with the ball at his feet. Lost possession 12 times, more than any other Italian defender tonight.

Cambiaso 6 – Glimpses of quality down the right flank, but he wasn’t consistent enough. (85’ Spinazzola N/A).

Tonali 6 – The Newcastle star, one of the best Italy players under Gattuso, wasn’t as sharp as usual. Surely a bit tired, having already made 13 appearances this season. (92’ Piccoli N/A).

Locatelli 6.5 – A typical Locatelli performance. He was solid defensively and played the ball safely. Sometimes too safely. (85’ Cristante N/A).

Barella 6.5 – An all-round performance, with good passes and several duels won, but he needed more accuracy in the final third.

Dimarco 7 – He often made the appropriate movements in the final third. After some intriguing crosses, he eventually delivered the assist for Mancini in the dying minutes.

Retegui 8 – Earned and converted a penalty kick in the first half. Recovered the ball high up the pitch and scored the second after the break. Pure difference maker tonight.

Raspadori 5.5 – Just 17 touches in 45 minutes, one shot. Lost possession four times. Not enough.  (46’ Pio Esposito 5.5).

Coach: Gattuso 6.5 – Fourth consecutive win with 16 goals scored, more than any other Italy coach in the same period. For the first time, he used a three-man defence, mirroring Israel’s system. With this win, Italy are mathematically qualified for the World Cup playoffs. He knows it was the minimum target and that the tough part will start in the coming months, leading to the playoffs in March 2026.

Israel: Glazer 5; Dasa 5.5 (89’ Mizrahi N/A), Baltaxa 5, Blorian 5, Revivo 5; E Peretz 5.5 (75’ Abu Fani N/A), Gloukh 6, Khalaili 6.5 (73’ Torial 4); Biton 5.5, Baribo 5.5 (72’ Turgeman), Solomon 6 (89’ Shua N/A). Coach: Ben Simon 6.

It is futile for people to keep asking Rafael Leao to step up, reach maturity and start working harder, because Susy Campanale has realised it’s never going to happen.

Every few months the debate rolls around again, with the same critics pointing out this is the season when Leao will finally move to the next level in his career, start working for the team, tracking back to defend, being more tactically versatile, and focused for the full 90 minutes. As Adrien Rabiot and Alessandro Florenzi quite rightly pointed out this week, he is 26 years old, he cannot still be referred to as a young player finding his path in life. That time has been and gone. Let’s just accept this is who he is and always will be.

Sometimes football fans can be like those women you see in terrible relationships, convinced they can ‘change’ the man in their life. It is far healthier to simply accept someone for who they are, in the good and the bad, or leave him, because trying to force them into a box is just going to create resentment on one side and disappointment on the other.

Rafael Leao cannot be expected to transform

How many years have we been having this conversation about Rafael Leao? I don’t know what has given people the impression he is in any way capable of becoming a focused, committed football player who will help the defence and unite with the midfield. It would negate all the positives about his game, which are that he has these sudden bursts of life, and always plays with a smile on his face – often literally. Take that away and all you have left is someone with lightning pace and usually poor finishing.

If Milan want Leao to be more consistent in front of goal, then using him as a centre-forward isn’t necessarily the answer. He enjoys running at players, which means needing space to surge into, and he won’t get that when he’s the most advanced figure on the pitch. Giving him extra duties like keeping an eye on the offside line and holding up the ball for teammates is just going to eat into his already limited concentration span.

We also need to acknowledge Leao has never been particularly prolific. Only twice in six seasons has he gone into double figures for Serie A goals and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The more extra work you give him, whether it’s positioning or helping the defence, the less he’ll be ready to put the ball in the net when he has the opportunity.

So either Milan and Max Allegri accept Leao as he is, or they can do what probably should’ve been done a few years ago and sell him to the Premier League for a ridiculous amount of money. Hopefully their directors will only watch the highlight reels and not the frustrating figure he often cuts when wandering around the field aimlessly. The pace of the game might suit him better there, fewer chances to get distracted and less defending required. The worst scenario for everyone concerned is to continue this annual routine of demanding a change that simply isn’t in his nature.

On 6 October 1929, Serie A was born.

That day marked the first round of matches in the inaugural national championship structure, replacing the older regional and interregional formats.

Inter Milan would go on to win the first official Serie A and kicked off their campaign on this day with a 2-1 away win against Livorno.

Meanwhile, Juventus beat Napoli 3-2, Lazio thrashed Bologna 3-0, Milan defeated Brescia in a 4-1 win and Pro Vercelli played out an exciting 3-3 draw with Genoa.

There were also wins for Modena against Padua, Pro Patria against Cremonese, Torino against Triestina and an impressive 3-1 win for Alessandria against Roma.

Serie B was also born at the same time, after the decision was made to re-organise the football pyramid into a nationwide two-division hierarchy, to replace the regional and interregional divisions that came before.

It reshaped Italian football – providing the framework for what would become one of Europe’s most storied domestic leagues, showcasing giants like Juventus, Milan, Inter and many others in the 96 years since.

On This Day in Serie A – October 6

Milan’s 6-0 Rout Over Torino (6 October 2002): A hat-trick from Filippo Inzahgi helped the Rossoneri to an impressive victory against the Granata in one of their most impressive results at San Siro since the turn of the millennium.

Inter 1-2 Juventus (6 October 2019): On 6 October 2019, Juventus hindered Inter’s strong start to the season with a late Gonzalo Higuain strike. Paulo Dybala opened the scoring for the visitors before Lautaro Martinez equalised from the penalty spot. With just ten minutes left, Higuain found the back of the net and secured an important three points for the Bianconeri at San Siro. Juventus would go on to win the title by just one point over the Nerazzurri, giving this match great significance in the overall Scudetto race.

Birth of Ottavio Bianchi (6 October 1943): On this date, Ottavio Bianchi was born – the coach who would later guide Napoli to their first ever Serie A title in 1986-87. The Italian also lifted the Serie C1 trophy with Atalanta in 1981-82, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup with Napoli in 1986-87 and 1988-89 respectively. Bianchi would also lift Coppa Italia as head coach at Roma in the 1990-91 season.

Milan drew 0-0 with Juventus on Sunday evening in what would be, under any normal circumstances, a great result for the Rossoneri. However, a missed penalty by Christian Pulisic and a couple of good chances left begging by Rafael Leao meant that the Bianconeri will likely come away as the happier of the two teams.

Leao entered from the bench, replacing Santiago Giménez around the hour mark, as he continues his recovery from an injury that saw him miss the first month-and-a-half of the season. The Portuguese winger came off after just 17 minutes in the Rossoneri’s 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Bari in August and did not return to the field again until his cameo in last weekend’s win against Napoli.

Whilst Leao is still recovering, one cannot help but feel that the Portuguese star is Massimiliano Allegri’s missing piece at Milan and if the forward can rediscover his form and his confidence, the Rossoneri’s Scudetto hopes may inch closer to reality.

Rafael Leao struggles to finish chances as Milan draw with Juventus

Just minutes after he came on, Rafael Leao took a shot from the halfway line that was testament to his usual flair and confidence. The forward spotted Michele Di Gregorio off his line in the Juventus goal and attempted to hit a first-time shot from the middle of the park. The shot looped well but was a bit too high, going just over the bar as the Bianconeri shot-stopper was left scrambling to get back.

Leao’s next two major involvements, however, did not reflect so well on the Portuguese international.

With around twenty minutes left, Milan were working the ball nicely around the Juventus penalty area. Christian Pulisic put a deadly ball into the box that found Leao free at the back post. However, the forward scuffed his shot and dragged it wide from close range.

Then, with just a minute left on the clock, talismanic midfielder Luka Modric played a phenomenal through ball to Leao but the forward never had it under complete control and fired a relatively tame effort for Di Gregorio to leap and save. The match finished 0-0.

After years of hype, Leao must deliver again at Milan

Rafael Leao has been an integral part of Milan’s team for six years now since his arrival from Lille in 2019.

After scintillating form in the 2021-22 season, where the forward helped the Rossoneri lift the Scudetto, Leao followed it up with a career-record 15 league goals in the 2022-23 campaign.

However, the two seasons since have been marred by inconsistency. Leao was crowned the top assist provider in the 2023-24 season but has scored just 17 times for the Rossoneri in his last 70 league games.

For a player who is consistently linked with moves to Europe’s elite every summer, he will be hoping for more.

With Allegri now at the helm at Milan, a new era is seemingly being ushered in. The club removed deadwood and unsavoury characters in the summer and signed some talented players – including experienced midfielder Luka Modric, who has shone since his arrival from Real Madrid.

With a talented midfield and a resolute defence, Milan are now just missing more firepower in attack. Santiago Giménez has failed to meet expectations since his move from Feyenoord last season, leaving supporting stars like Christian Pulisic with a lot of heavy lifting to do behind the front line.

In the summer friendlies, Allegri utilised Leao as a centre-forward in place of Gimenez, whilst the Mexican was away on holiday. This was a signal of the coach’s intention to use the former Lille man in the centre of his attack, a plan Allegri has been unable to put into effect.

Now, the forward must recover his fitness and his confidence. The time has come once again for Milan’s shining star to captivate Rossoneri hearts on the pitch and it will be up to him to help usher in a new golden age for the historic Italian club.

Luka Modric is Football Italia’s MOTM in a goalless stalemate between Juventus and Milan at the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus vs. Milan – player ratings

Juventus (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio 6; Gatti 6, Rugani 6 (86′ Kostic), Kelly 5; Kalulu 6, Locatelli 6, McKennie 6, Cambiaso 5.5; Conceicao 5.5 (69′ Vlahovic 5.5), Yildiz 5.5 (69′ Openda 5.5); David 5 (69′ Thuram 6). Coach: Tudor 5.5

Best Juventus player: Locatelli 6 – There wasn’t really a standout performer among the Bianconeri. Daniele Rugani started the first game this season and looked quite in control at the back. Gatti had the best chance in the game for Juve, but was denied by a fantastic Mike Maignan save in the second half. Manuel Locatelli was composed on the ball and helped defensively, but nobody gave that decisive spark to win the game.

Lowest Juventus rating: Kelly 5 – The Englishman caused a penalty kick for a foul on Santiago Gimenez, and it could have been a costly mistake. Luckily for the Bianconeri and Kelly, Christian Pulisic skyrocketed the attempt from the spot.

Juventus coach: Tudor 5.5 – The priority was not to lose the game, and the performance was quite flat in the end. Credit to Milan defenders as well, as they conceded very little to the Old Lady. The question is whether Juventus have enough quality to offer more than this. Surely the boos from the Allianz Stadium at full-time were not encouraging.

Milan (3-5-2): Maignan 6.5; Tomori 6.5, Gabbia 6.5, Pavlovic 6.5; Saelemaekers 6, Fofana 6 (63′ Loftus-Cheek), Modric 6.5, Rabiot 5.5, Bartesaghi 6; Gimenez 6 (63′ Rafael Leao 5.5), Pulisic 5 (74′ Nkunku 5.5). Coach: Allegri 6.

Best Milan player: Modric 6.5  – Two key passes and 89% passing accuracy. As usual, he led Milan with his class and personality. A high grade for Mike Maignan as well. Big save on Gatti in the second half, even if the Juventus defender was probably offside.

Lowest Milan rating: Pulisic 5 – Forget the penalty kick he missed, which prevented Milan from taking the lead and perhaps winning the game. The American star was not effective in the final third, although he moved a lot in the final third to find the best position to hurt the Bianconeri. A bad day at the office. It happens, sometimes.

Milan coach: Allegri 6 – Warmly welcomed by Juventus fans before kick-off, Allegri’s Milan created a few goal-scoring opportunities but never really hit the gas to get all three points. Pulisic wasted a golden chance, and the Rossoneri coach consoled him with a hug on the touchline when he subbed him off.

With one goal and one assists, USMNT star Christian Pulisic is the man of the match in Milan’s 2-1 win over Napoli.

Milan vs. Napoli – player ratings

Milan: Maignan 7; Tomori 5.5 (80′ De Winter N/A), Gabbia 7, Pavlovic 7.5; Saelemaekers 7.5 (69′ Athekame 5.5), Fofana 7 (80′ Loftus-Cheek N/A), Modric 7.5, Rabiot 7, Estupinan 5; Pulisic 8 (59′ Bartesaghi 6), Gimenez 5.5 (69′ Leao 5.5). Coach: Allegri 7.

Best Milan player: Pulisic 8 – One goal and one assist. Absolutely crucial to Milan‘s win. The American put in a special performance. The assist came after just three minutes, the goal after 31, and it was his fourth in five Serie A matches this term. Allegri was forced to replace him when Estupinan was sent off.

Lowest Milan rating: Estupinan 5 – The ex-Brighton defender sent Napoli back in the game by receiving a straight red card and causing a penalty with the same foul. The push on Di Lorenzo was instinctive but surely avoidable.

Milan coach: Allegri 7 – Dominated the first half, building the foundations for a crucial win, which suggests Milan won’t only fight for a Champions League spot this term. Estupinan’s red card ruined his plans, but until that moment, Milan had had very clear ideas, picking the right moments to attack and defend.

Napoli: Meret 6; Di Lorenzo 6, Marianucci 4.5, Juan Jesus 5.5, Gutierrez 6; Lobotka 6; Politano 6 (78′ Lang N/A), Anguissa 6, De Bruyne 6 (73′ Elmas 6), McTominay 5.5 (73′ Neres 6.5); Hojlund 5 (73′ Lucca 5.5). Coach: Conte 5.

Best Napoli player: Neres 6.5 – Once again used as a substitute, he gave Napoli a bit of unpredictability in the final third and caused concern for the Rossoneri’s defence with some dangerous attempts from the edge of the box. Unfortunately for the Partenopei, Maignan was always alert and ready.

Lowest Napoli rating: Marianucci 4.5 – Surprisingly started his first competitive match at Napoli in the biggest league game so far. The start was shocking as Pulisic easily beat him to inspire Milan’s opening goal. He didn’t really recover from that mistake.

Napoli coach: Conte 5 – He had little options in defence, but perhaps benching Beukema was not the best decision he could make. Napoli were too fearful when they entered the pitch and they surely had the wrong approach. Now Milan have caught them at the top of the table, alongside Roma. Last but not least, De Bruyne and Hojlund were not too happy with the substitutions.

Federico Chiesa scored another goal for Liverpool in a 2-1 loss against Crystal Palace on Saturday and seems to have finally revived his career at Anfield.

Italy international Chiesa scored his second Premier League goal this season on Saturday, and even if his strike was not enough for the Reds to avoid defeat, it was extremely meaningful for the ex-Juventus winger.

Chiesa’s improvements at Liverpool

It is no secret that Chiesa struggled to get playing time in 2024-25 due to poor fitness. The 27-year-old finished the previous season with two goals and two assists in 14 appearances across all competitions and collected just 104 minutes across six Premier League appearances.

Despite rumours of a possible return to Serie A, Chiesa said in June that his goal was to get in shape for the start of the pre-season with Liverpool, and the early signs suggest that he’s accomplished his target.

The Italian has already equalled last season’s personal record, having already grabbed two goals and two assists in just six appearances.

Furthermore, he scored both his goals in Premier League matches, proving to be ready to compete in the best league in the world.

Chiesa targets Champions League and Italy now

The next challenge for him will be to show the same quality in Champions League nights, as Liverpool have now added him to their Champions League squad, replacing the injured Giovanni Leoni.

Last but not least, Chiesa may not be a regular Liverpool starter, but his performances should be enough to earn a spot in the Italy national team as well.

Gennaro Gattuso was ready to call him up for the September games against Estonia and Israel, but decided to give the winger more time to get back in shape.

With two assists and one goal in the last two matches across all competitions, the time has probably come to see Chiesa wear the Azzurri shirt again, for the first time since Euro 2024.

A goal from Juan Cabal helped Juventus avoid defeat against Atalanta, who seem to have found the new Ademola Lookman in Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Juventus vs. Atalanta – player ratings

Juventus: Di Gregorio 6; Gatti 5 (64′ Joao Mario 6), Bremer 5 (75′ Cabal 6.5), Kelly 6.5; Kalulu 5.5, Koopmeiners 5.5, Thuram 5.5 (57′ McKennie 5.5), Cambiaso 6; Adzic 4.5 (57′ Vlahovic 5), Yildiz 5; Openda 5 (63′ Zhegrova 6). Coach: Tudor 5.5.

Best Juventus player: Cabal 6.5 – Introduced from the bench to replace the injured Bremer, the Colombia international scored his first goal since returning from a cruciate ligament injury. Kelly’s performance should also be highlighted, the best Juventus centre-back today.

Lowest Juventus rating: Adzic 4.5 – Many poor passes and lost possession in the build-up to Atalanta’s opening goal.

Juventus coach: Tudor 5.5 – The paradox is that he has plenty of options in attack, but Juventus struggle to create big chances to score. His men moved the ball too slowly and only tried to hurt opponents through sterile crosses that the Atalanta defence managed easily.

Atalanta: Carnesecchi 6.5; Kossounou 5, Djimsiti 7, Ahanor 6; Bellanova 6, De Roon 5, Pasalic 6, Zappacosta 6.5; Samardzic 6 (76′ Musah 6), Sulemana 7 (61′ De Ketelaere 5.5); Krstovic 6 (81′ Brescianini N/A). Coach: Juric 6.

Best Atalanta player: Sulemana 7 – Another Lookman for Atalanta, in a good way. The ex-Southampton winger scored his second consecutive goal and was always a threat when he had the ball. Perhaps he was subbed off too early.

Lowest Atalanta rating: Kossounou 5 – Paved the way for Juventus’ equaliser by miskicking the ball. A very good performance until that moment, but the mistake probably cost Atalanta the win.

Atalanta coach: Juric 6 – It may not be the same Atalanta as the Gasperini era, but they haven’t lost their soul. La Dea played on par with Juventus and could have doubled their lead in the second half, when Krstovic missed the target with his team already leading 1-0. They could defend the draw after De Roon was sent off.

There are few players currently in world football who have had as much of a rollercoaster of a career as Federico Chiesa.

At one point, the Italian winger was dubbed the next big thing in Italy. Son of former Italy, Fiorentina and Sampdoria (amongst many other clubs) striker Enrico Chiesa, Federico followed in his father’s footsteps, donning the iconic purple shirt of the team from Florence.

However, after setting Serie A alight with La Viola, a move to Juventus and subsequent injuries saw him fall from grace dramatically. A move to Premier League giants Liverpool last season opened the door for a second chance but the Italian was largely unused as Arne Slot stormed to domestic success in his first season by the river Mersey.

At the start of this season, Chiesa was excluded from Slot’s squad for this season’s Champions League campaign, in what must have felt like a real blow to the Italian. Fast forward a few weeks and the Italian will be involved in Europe’s elite competition after all, available for selection as early as next week’s trip to Galatasaray.

Earlier this week, young centre-back Giovanni Leoni, Chiesa’s compatriot who joined the Reds this summer from Parma, suffered an ACL injury in the 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton. On Friday afternoon, the Premier League side confirmed that Chiesa would replace Leoni in the UCL squad.

It feels like a Faustian bargain for Italian football. A great starlet has suffered a severe setback, and one we hope to see him recover from quickly and fully, but the door has opened for a former prospect to show his worth to his club, on the biggest stage in Europe.

Federico Chiesa – From Viola wonderkid to Juventus outcast

Chiesa first broke onto the scene in the 2016-17 season with Fiorentina, nearly ten years after he signed for the Viola as a youth prospect in 2007. The young Italian was full of energy and was a menace on the flank, especially coming up against Serie A’s typically ageing defenders.

The following three seasons with Fiorentina would see Chiesa improve year-on-year, with a famous hat-trick in a 7-1 win over Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-final in January 2019. The winger deadly in the transition and his threat in 1v1 situations was second-to-none for his age.

Therefore, it was no shock that the big clubs came knocking and in 2020, Chiesa joined Juventus on loan with an obligation-to-buy, for a total package of around €50-60 million, depending on bonus objectives met. The Italian was joining a Bianconeri side fresh off the back of their ninth consecutive Scudetto and it looked to be the perfect match.

An impressive first season in Turin saw the forward score 14 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions and Chiesa was selected to be a part of Italy’s squad for the postponed Euro 2020 in the summer of 2021. Chiesa was phenomenal at the tournament, being named as part of the Team of the Tournament and helping the Azzurri lift the trophy. He scored two important goals in the knock-outs against Austria and Spain, in addition to being named Man of the Match in Italy’s final group game against Wales.

However, the following season would present Chiesa with his biggest challenge yet. After a decent start to the campaign, the Italian suffered an ACL tear in January 2022 against Roma that would see him miss 10 months of football. This was the injury that, in reality, he has never fully bounced back from – and another reason for concern for young Leoni’s heartbreaking absence.

Chiesa would not play again until November 2022 and despite a mixed end to the 2022-23 campaign, Chiesa set a personal record of nine Serie A goals the following season. It looked possible that the Italian might sign a new deal with the Bianconeri but the club were not convinced post-injury and in August 2024, Chiesa was sold to Liverpool for around €13 million.

Leoni injury presents second chance for Chiesa

Last season, Chiesa played just 14 times for the Reds in all competitions, many of which were off the bench, scoring just twice. Various rumours circulated in the summer that he may leave Liverpool after just one season but he stayed in Merseyside. Despite the sadness of being left out of the UCL squad initially, Chiesa has had a solid start to the campaign, with a late goal against Bournemouth in the club’s opening fixture, his first Premier League goal. In the midweek victory over Southampton, the Italian assisted both of Liverpool’s goals.

All signs point towards a Chiesa full of energy once more, as well as the desire to show what he can do. It is unfair to suggest he is happy to just cash in his paycheque at Liverpool, as his efforts in recent weeks have shown he is willing to give 100% for the club.

Whilst Chiesa replacing Leoni is hardly a like-for-like exchange in personnel, the forward offers another weapon in the arsenal of Arne Slot. The Dutchman enjoys utilising high-energy, high-press wingers and if the former Juventus man can stay fit and work on his physical conditioning, he is the perfect option. He demonstrated his adaptability to Slot’s tactics well against Southampton, his intense pressing partly responsible for his assists.

It feels as though this season is make or break for Federico Chiesa. It won’t be easy but the possibility of Champions League minutes helps. In his biggest moments with Fiorentina, Juventus and Italy, the forward showed he is capable of delivering in big games and that is exactly what Liverpool need – a clutch player who can start or come off the bench and make a real difference.

However, consistent game-time, careful risk management and the support of his fans will be essential if he is to rediscover more of the old Chiesa. If he continues to be left on the fringes at Liverpool, or suffers another injury setback, the glass will sit half-empty and one can imagine he won’t stay in England much longer.

But with a World Cup coming up and Azzurri head coach Gennaro Gattuso putting an emphasis on calling up players based on form, Chiesa can dare to dream this season.

Christopher Nkunku scored his first goal for Milan yesterday as the Rossoneri triumphed over Lecce in Coppa Italia with a 3-0 win.

The match was made easier for Nkunku’s side when German centre-back Jamil Siebert was sent off for the visitors just 19 minutes in. However, this should not undermine the Rossoneri performance, who, in all honesty, could even have won by a far more convincing scoreline after a dominant display.

Milan took a risk when they signed the forward in August, Nkunku having played just over 900 minutes in the Premier League last season for Chelsea. However, with his first goal now under his belt and the Frenchman starting to warm up, will the Rossoneri’s gamble pay off?

Nkunku signing underlined lack of strategy in Milan summer

Nkunku’s arrival from Chelsea in the summer raised some eyebrows amongst fans, press and pundits alike. The Frenchman was the Rossoneri’s most expensive purchase in the transfer window, costing up to €43 million. A lot of criticism stemmed from the fact that Milan seemed to lack a clear strategy when it came to purchasing players.

Under the guidance of former Lazio sporting director Igli Tare, Milan seemed stuck between wanting to build for the future and adding experienced, top-level stars to their squad. The likes of Samuele Ricci, Ardon Jashari, Koni De Winter and Zachary Athekame are all solid signings for the long-term.

Meanwhile, experienced midfielder Luka Modric and former Juventus man Adrien Rabiot have been strong so far. However, considering Modric arrived on a free transfer from Real Madrid and Rabiot cost the Rossoneri just €7 million, Milan spent a total of around €162 million this summer and have hardly made drastic improvements to their squad with that budget.

Nkunku was the biggest risk of them all. He had been struggling to find form and consistency amongst a bloated Chelsea side and suffered a string of injuries in the 2023-24 season that saw him miss 48 games for club and country. The Rossoneri spent all summer looking for a new striker, linked often to Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, but ended up signing Nkunku who has historically operated as a second-striker.

Despite the risks, Nkunku is a world class player on his day

Whilst Nkunku’s arrival attracted some criticism, there is no disputing that on his day, the Frenchman is a player of real quality.

There is a reason why the Blues spent €60 million to sign him from Leipzig in July 2023. During his time in the Bundesliga, Nkunku won a plethora of individual accolades, including Footballer of the Year, top goalscorer and Bundesliga Player of the Season, whilst also being included in various teams of the season in both the league and the Europa League.

It cannot be denied that Nkunku has the quality to succeed at the top level but it will be up to Milan, and the player himself, to recover form, fitness and motivation in Rossoneri colours – and a goal and a stellar performance last night is a good place to start.

It has been a season to forget so far for Lazio.

After a disappointing summer in which a transfer embargo prevented the Biancocelesti from signing new players, returning head coach Maurizio Sarri is fighting an uphill battle.

Sarri returned to the Italian capital in June, 15 months after he resigned from the club and Lazio are fortunate to have such a talented coach at the helm.

However, president Claudio Lotito continues to draw ire from Lazio supporters, with his stand-offish, uninvolved approach and lack of significant investment into the club.

Last week, former Lazio playmaker Luis Alberto said that his old club was “run by people who don’t understand football” and herein lies the fundamental issue at the Stadio Olimpico.

Derby della Capitale loss shows Lazio have a long way to go

Lazio faced off against fierce local rivals Roma on Sunday afternoon and were unfortunate to fall to a 1-0 defeat. Biancocelesti forward Boulaye Dia missed a golden opportunity to equalise for his side and Sarri’s side created several other good goalscoring opportunities, without anything to show for it.

However, Roma were able to add the likes of Kostas Tsimikas, Evan Ferguson, Neil El Aynaoui and more to their squad in the summer, whilst their rivals could only complete permanent deals for loan transfers with pre-existing obligations.

Sarri’s side gave a good account of themselves but a lack of depth really reared its ugly head, especially with injuries continuing to crop up for the Biancocelesti. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru had to be substituted early on against Roma and an unfit Nicolo Rovella started the match in absence of too many other options.

Whatever happens, keeping Sarri is essential

With Maurizio Sarri, however, Lazio have their light in the darkness. His return to the club was somewhat of a shock and his decision to stay even after the transfer embargo became apparent is even more surprising. We are talking about a coach with a Europa League trophy and a Serie A title under his belt, in addition to playing a big role in Napoli’s resurgence in the mid-to-late 2010s.

Sarri is a true football philosopher, with a tried and tested style of play that he continues to develop throughout his journey as a coach. With time, patience and eventually some support from the board, the coach is the perfect man to lead Lazio.

However, patience and support are not so easily received in Rome. In the last five years, the Biancocelesti went from regular Champions League football, some truly elite players and a competent backroom team spearheaded by the likes of Simone Inzaghi and Igli Tare, to no Europe, no transfers and the signings they have made, through sporting director Angelo Mariano Fabiani, have hardly set the world on fire.

Lazio, and specifically Claudio Lotito, must learn the error of their ways and focus on consistency and the right support for their staff – otherwise they risk the likes of Sarri turning their back on the project once more. If the coach leaves, there is no telling how much further the club could be set back. If Lotito sells the club, however, the sky is truly the limit for the Eagles to soar in.

Napoli star Scott McTominay ranked 18th in the Ballon d’Or standings, confirming his status as the best Serie A player.

Napoli star McTominay is the best player in Serie A. The verdict from the 2024-25 campaign was confirmed on Monday when the Scotland international ranked 18th in the Ballon d’Or standings, higher than any other player in the league.

The other two representatives from Italy’s top flight were Inter stars Lautaro Martinez and Denzel Dumfries, who finished 20th and 25th respectively.

The impact that McTominay has had at Napoli is nothing short of impressive. A year ago, not many – except maybe Antonio Conte – would expect the Scotland international to be so decisive as to help Napoli climb from 10th place to top spot in just one season.

The former Manchester United star scored 12 goals and provided six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions in 2024-25, contributing to Napoli’s Serie A title win and claiming the Serie A MVP Award.

Conte was quick in understanding where McT – also known as McFratm’ at the Stadio Maradona – would fit into the Napoli XI and was even quicker in switching his iconic three-man defence to a 4-2-3-1 system where McTominay would be a regular starter and a key player.

The 28-year-old seems to have finally fulfilled his potential at the Stadio Maradona, and he also started the new season from where he had left off, with one goal and one assist in four Serie A matches.

McTominay is the best player in Serie A

McTominay has taken on multiple roles at the Stadio Maradona, roaring from central midfielder to support striker and left winger, often within the same game.

No disrespect to the excellent Lautaro and Dumfries, but the latest Ballon d’Or standing confirms that no player in Serie A has been better than McTominay in the last year, and it’s no small achievement.

Although Lautaro and Dumfires finished the 2024-25 season empty-handed, they fought for the Serie A title until the very final week and reached the Champions League Final for the second time in three years.

Lautaro even had his most prolific Champions League campaign last term, netting nine times in 14 appearances in Europe’s elite competition.

To be able to overtake Lautaro despite not even playing a European competition last term says a lot about the recognition McTominay is having worldwide since joining Conte at Napoli.

To be entirely fair, Lautaro’s performances have gone underappreciated in recent years. In 2024, for example, he ranked as the 7th best player in the World despite winning Serie A with Inter and Copa America with Argentina as the best scorer in both competitions.

Lautaro may not have the same numbers as Erling Haaland – no other forward on the planet has – but when it comes to efficiency and trophies, he’s been very close, and many times better, than other top strikers in the Old Continent, such as Kylian Mbappé or Robert Lewandowski, who are way more hyped.

This, however, doesn’t mean that the scenario depicted by the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings is unfair when it comes to Serie A.

McTominay has been the most decisive player in the league across the last year, and the way he’s started the season suggests that more of the same will follow in the coming months.

A new season has just begun, and whoever aims to dethrone Napoli will have to beat their Scottish star as well.

Final 2025 Ballon d’Or ranking

1. Ousmane Dembele
2. Lamine Yamal
3. Vitinha
4. Mohamed Salah
5. Raphinha
6. Achraf Hakimi
7. Kylian Mbappe
8. Cole Palmer
9. Gianluigi Donnarumma
10. Nuno Mendes
11. Pedri
12. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
13. Harry Kane
14. Desire Doue
15. Viktor Gyokeres
16. Vinicius Jr
17. Robert Lewandowski
18. Scott McTominay
19. Joao Neves
20. Lautaro Martinez
21. Serhou Guirassy
22. Alexis Mac Allister
23. Jude Bellingham
24. Fabian Ruiz
25. Denzel Dumfries
26. Erling Haaland
27. Declan Rice
28. Virgil van Dijk
29. Florian Wirtz
30. Michael Olise

Week 4 of this season’s Serie A kicked off tonight and there are some fascinating fixtures awaiting us this weekend.

Not only do we have the first Derby della Capitale of the season, as Lazio and Roma do battle at the Stadio Olimpico, but European hopefuls Fiorentina and Como meet, Udinese hope for another successful outing against a Milan side and Ivan Juric returns to his old club Torino with new club Atalanta.

Join us as we look at four things to keep an eye on this weekend.

High-stakes return of the Derby della Capitale

The Rome derby is always a feisty game, for obvious reasons, but there is something slightly more exciting about the match the time round.

Lazio come into the game off the back of a poor start to the season. A weak performance against Como in their opening game was followed by an emphatic 4-0 win over a limp Verona. However, a trip to Sassuolo last weekend ended in a 1-0 loss that sees the Biancocelesti earn just three points from their first three games.

Maurizio Sarri returned to the club in the summer and was immediately immobilised by a transfer embargo that prevented Lazio from signing any players, other than those they were already obligated to purchase from loans last season. Therefore, a win against their arch-rivals is the perfect opportunity for Lazio to get their season back on track and begin to build momentum.

For Roma, it is the first derby under new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The Giallorossi made some interesting signings over the summer and started the season well before last weekend’s surprise home defeat to Torino.

Roma opened their season with a 1-0 home win over Bologna before a 1-0 away win at Pisa the following week. Gasperini’s side have conceded just one goal but only scored twice and meet a Lazio side who have scored four and conceded three.

Friulian reapers come knocking on Allegri’s door

Udinese currently find themselves in third place in Serie A after an impressive start to the season. Head coach Kosta Runjaic is doing a great job in charge of the club and his side find themselves unbeaten after three games.

The season began with a lacklustre 1-1 draw at home to Verona before an excellent 2-1 win at San Siro against Inter just before the international break. Last weekend, Runjaic’s side overcame a tricky away tie at newly-promoted Pisa with a 1-0 win.

Next up for Udinese is Milan, who they welcome to the Bluenergy Stadium on Saturday evening. The Rossoneri sit just below their opposition in the table, with one less point after a disappointing opening game loss to Cremonese was followed by successive wins against Lecce and Bologna.

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri returned in the summer and the club added the likes of Luka Modric, Samuele Ricci and Christopher Nkunku to the squad. Modric particularly has had an instant impact in red and black, immediately silencing critics who suggested he was too old to be competitive.

However, the trip to Udine will be a difficult challenge for Allegri and his side. Udinese’s win over rivals Inter should serve as a warning to the Rossoneri that their opposition are not to be underestimated.

Serie A journeyman Juric returns to old club Torino & Will we see Lookman?

On Sunday afternoon, Atalanta travel to take on Torino, as La Dea head coach Ivan Juric faces off against the club he used to manage. The Croatian spent three years at the helm in Turin between 2021 and 2024 and whilst he did not doing anything special, he did a respectable job.

Fast forward to today and Juric was signed as Atalanta head coach this summer, to replace Roma-bound Gian Piero Gasperini. La Dea become the seventh Italian club the Croatian has coached and so far remains unbeaten, despite disappointing draws with Pisa and Parma. A 4-1 win against Lecce last weekend was followed by a heavy 4-0 defeat to PSG in the midweek.

Another talking point is whether or not Ademola Lookman will feature for Atalanta, after the forward returned to training with the team this week. The Nigerian had been training separately since the transfer drama in the summer that saw him close to a move to Inter. However, the Nerazzurri did not meet Atalanta’s demands and the former Fulham man returned to Bergamo with his tail between his legs.

However, it is now time for him to crack on and show what he can do. Lookman has been a vital part of Atalanta’s success in recent seasons and with a contract clock ticking down to next summer, it is in his best interests to give his all for La Dea this season.

Serie A European hopefuls meet in Florence

Another big game on Sunday sees Cesc Fabregas’ Como travel to Florence to take on Fiorentina.

Both teams will be dreaming of qualifying for European football this season, as La Viola also prepare for their second successive Conference League campaign. For Fabregas’ side, Europe is the dream and victory over Fiorentina would be a huge boost for their credentials.

Como have won one game, drawn one and lost one so far this season, sitting in ninth place in Serie A. The team from the lake were impressive in their opening game win against Lazio, but struggled against Bologna and conceded a late goal to draw with Genoa on Monday night.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, have had a torrid start to life under Stefano Pioli. In their defence, two extra games at the start of the season were required as La Viola defeated Polissya across two legs to qualify for the Conference League proper. However, in Serie A, La Viola drew 1-1 with Cagliari in their opening game, before a 0-0 draw at Torino and a 3-1 loss to Napoli last weekend.

Pioli is still looking for his first league win since his return to the club this summer. Star forward Moise Kean is still looking for his first goals for his club this campaign too and Como’s visit could be an important turning point if Fiorentina can secure the three points.