Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri reunited with his former Juventus player Juan Cuadrado after Milan-Pisa last night: ‘I would have saved your penalty.’

Cuadrado’s Pisa held Milan to a 2-2 draw at San Siro on Friday, and the Colombian scored his first goal for the Nerazzurri from the spot in the second half.

Allegri to Cuadrado: ‘I would have saved your penalty’

After the game, he reunited with his former Juventus coach Allegri in the interview area at San Siro. Sky Sport posted the video of the reunion on Instagram, showing Allegri telling the Colombian: “If I were in goal, I would have saved your penalty.”

“I knew you were going to shoot at the near post. I said: ‘If he [Maignan] dives at the near post, he’ll save it.”

The Milan keeper, on the other hand, picked the opposite side and was sent the wrong way, so Cuadrado levelled the game for the away side.

 

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Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta argues that the Rossoneri tend to be less focused and clinical against teams in the bottom half of the table: ‘It’s an error they must not repeat.’

Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted side Pisa at San Siro on Friday night, missing the chance to move four points clear of second-placed Napoli, Inter and Roma.

Milan missed a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Serie A table

Rafael Leao had given Milan the lead early in the first half, with his third goal in three appearances, but Pisa turned the game around after the break through a Juan Cuadrado penalty kick and M’Bala Nzola’s goal.

Only a Zachary Athekame goal in the stoppages, his first one for Milan, allowed the Rossoneri to avoid defeat.

Costacurta comments on Milan 2-2 Pisa

Questioned on which team had the most regrets after the draw, Costacurta showed no hesitation: “Milan. They wasted a big chance,” he told Sky Sport, via TMW.

“They were satisfied with the result, and it’s an error they must not repeat. It looked like the first game against Cremonese. These are two clues; against certain opponents, Milan are unable to be focused and clinical.”

Milan’s next game is just around the corner as the Rossoneri will visit Atalanta in a mid-week Serie A Round on Tuesday.

DAZN refereeing analyst Luca Marelli expressed doubts over the penalty awarded to Pisa in their 2-2 draw with Milan at San Siro, questioning whether the handball by Koni De Winter met the threshold for a clear infringement.

The referee awarded the spot-kick after the ball struck the defender’s arm, prompting strong protests from Milan players, who argued that De Winter’s movement was natural and not an attempt to play the ball.

Marelli admitted the episode was far from clear-cut. “It’s an incident that leaves me perplexed,” he explained, via MilanNews.

“It’s true the arm is wide at the moment of contact and not attached to the body, but we must also consider the movement, which is closing in towards the torso and not towards the ball.”

Milan 2-2 Pisa – Marelli: ‘Penalty a doubt but if I was VAR…’

The former referee argued that, while the decision on the field was debatable, it did not reach the VAR standard for intervention.

“This episode leaves a lot of doubt, but not a clear and obvious error. If I were the VAR, I would not have intervened.”

The decision ultimately allowed Pisa to equalise from the spot, a moment that shifted momentum in a match Milan would later struggle to close out.

Follow all the action as it happened on our Live Blog.

Pisa goalscorer Juan Cuadrado and Milan’s late hero Zachary Athekame offered contrasting emotions after a dramatic 2-2 draw at San Siro, where the Rossoneri were forced to salvage a point deep into stoppage time.

Cuadrado, who converted the penalty that brought Pisa level, praised his side’s personality and resilience.

Speaking to Sky Sport, via MilanNews, he admitted there was a mix of pride and regret. “I’m happy for the goal and for the team’s performance,” he said. “There’s some regret because we saw the finish line so close. But this draw must give us confidence for the next matches. With this hunger and personality we can do very well.”

The Colombian also underlined his continued joy for the game. “Football changed my life. I’m very happy to be here and for the trust of the coach and staff. I try to stay at 100% every day – I’m really enjoying myself.”

Milan new boy Athekame disappointed despite late equaliser

On the opposite side, Athekame, who struck a late equaliser to deny Pisa a famous win, was far less satisfied.

Milan’s young summer signing made it clear that the Rossoneri expected more. “I’m not happy with the result. We wanted to win and it was very important for us,” he said, via MilanNews.

“It was important to win at home and we didn’t play very well. Now we must work.”

With the Rossoneri facing tougher fixtures ahead, Athekame urged focus rather than frustration. “We have two important games coming up. We must look forward,” he added.

The draw leaves Milan ruing missed opportunities, while Pisa leave San Siro with belief and momentum – both scorers capturing the emotional divide of a fiery evening in Serie A.

Read our full match report for Milan 2-2 Pisa here.

Massimiliano Allegri admitted Milan’s 2-2 draw with Pisa was a step backwards in game management, lamenting how his team “lost clarity and shape” after taking an early lead at San Siro.

Speaking to Sky Sport, with quotes via MilanNews, Allegri did not hide his mixed emotions.

“We are happy to have taken the draw at the end, but tonight we made mistakes and must reflect,” he said. The Milan coach believes the turning point was the failure to build on the 1-0 advantage.

“After going ahead, we had to make it 2-0. Instead, we became too long, with the two forwards far from the midfielders and too many gaps in the middle. We didn’t stay compact.”

Pisa’s equaliser from the spot added pressure, and Allegri was frustrated with how Milan reacted in key phases. “It’s not a coincidence against low blocks – it’s about growth and understanding moments. Once in front, we needed more lucidity and speed.”

Milan coach Allegri: ‘We must not lose our heads’

The coach also highlighted a recurring problem in the final stages of tight matches.

“In the last five minutes you just need two actions to win, but you can’t lose your head. We all pushed forward and Pavlovic had to chase Nzola – that cannot happen. We must manage those moments better.”

When asked whether the issue was Milan’s attitude or Pisa’s merit, Allegri was honest: “Both. Pisa played well and exploited our flaws, but we stretched too much and wasted situations where we could have doubled. We must keep working and improving.”

Despite his irritation, Allegri stressed there is still confidence in the team’s trajectory. “The point leaves bitterness, but over the season it can still be important. We know what we must fix.”

Relive the action on our Live Blog.

Alberto Gilardino admitted he was torn between pride and frustration after Pisa came within minutes of a shock victory at San Siro, ultimately leaving with a valuable 2-2 draw against league-leaders Milan.

Speaking to Sky Sport, with quotes via MilanNews, the Pisa coach said he was “not sure if I’m more angry for the result or happy for the performance,” reflecting on a match where his side pushed the Rossoneri to the brink.

“If someone had told us we would play a game like this at San Siro, I would have signed immediately. After a normal first half, we played the second with personality and courage. We had the match in our hands. It’s a great point and a huge injection of confidence.”

Gilardino praised his squad’s mentality and tactical discipline, insisting Pisa must continue on this path. “We were effective with our choices and even when we added a midfielder, the boys gave me great availability. We have to keep thinking positive and working: that’s the only medicine I know.”

Milan 2-2 Pisa: Gilardino: ‘We must keep our heads up’

Pisa have earned plaudits for their performances against the league’s top sides, but their coach warned that consistency will decide their season.

“Against Verona or Udinese we must improve more with the ball. It’s not easy to attack low blocks, but this team has room to grow. Against the big clubs we’ve played matches of substance – now we must turn good performances into points.”

The message, however, remains clear for Gilardino and his newly-promoted squad: “We know our path. We have to fight for points in every match. Tonight we had the game in our grasp, but let’s not forget we faced the team in first place. We must keep our heads up.”

You can read our match report for the 2-2 draw here.

Luka Modric did not hide his frustration after Milan dropped two costly points in a 2-2 draw against Pisa at San Siro, admitting the Rossoneri only had themselves to blame.

Speaking to both DAZN and Sky Sport after the match, with quotes via MilanNews, the Croatian veteran was clear in his assessment of the performance and the mentality required to compete for the Scudetto.

Milan dominated the first 45 minutes and created several chances, but failed to extend their advantage before a second-half collapse opened the door for the visitors.

Modric was blunt about the turning point: “We should have killed the game in the first half. We played well, but we only scored one goal. Then we started the second half too soft, and with the penalty and the goal… that’s football. Even if you are stronger and deserve to win, anything can happen.”

Modric: ‘With all due respect to Pisa, Milan have to win these games’

The 40-year-old insisted that the fault was entirely Milan’s, refusing to look for excuses. “It’s only our fault if we didn’t win. We lost two important points today. These matches at home, with all due respect to Pisa, you have to win them. We are sad and angry because we threw away a big opportunity.”

Pisa opted for aggressive man-marking to disrupt Milan’s rhythm, forcing Modric and Samuele Ricci to alternate their positions in midfield.

The plan worked in phases, but not for long enough.

“They played man-to-man and we switched positions to create space and confuse them. For most of the match it worked, but we must do better. I have to adapt, and as a team we have to play with more intensity. At home, you must finish games like this.”

Milan return to work this week needing an immediate reaction, with Modric warning that dropped points of this kind can weigh heavily later in the season.

You can read our Match Report for Milan 2-2 Pisa here.

Milan were left disappointed after a 2-2 draw with Pisa as tonight’s clash of top versus bottom resulted in a disappointing night for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, but a fantastic point for Gilardino’s side.

Milan went into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead, having controlled long spells of the first half and limited Pisa to efforts from distance.

Allegri’s side started on the front foot, dominating possession from kick-off and immediately pinning the visitors back inside their own half. The breakthrough arrived inside seven minutes, when Rafael Leão found space on the edge of the area and guided a precise low finish into the far corner to make it 1-0.

With the advantage, Milan continued to dictate tempo, building patiently through Modrić and Fofana and probing primarily down the flanks.

Saelemaekers remained lively throughout the half, delivering a number of dangerous crosses – one of which almost led to a second goal when Pisa goalkeeper Adrian Semper spilled a routine ball on 33 minutes, only for Leão to react too late to punish the mistake.

Pisa did grow into the contest sporadically and created two presentable openings. First, Nzola slipped Bonfanti through, but the forward fired over, before Akinsanmiro also sent a rising effort off target from the edge of the box.

Those moments aside, the visitors struggled to create sustained pressure, finding it difficult to bypass Milan’s midfield screen.

The Rossoneri closed the half back in control, testing Semper again through long-range efforts from Fofana and Modric and forcing repeated defending on the wings.

Pisa’s back line, already under strain, collected the first yellow card of the match when Aebischer dragged down Leão to stop a transition.

Milan entered the interval ahead and largely comfortable, but with only a single goal to show for their territorial dominance – leaving the match still open heading into the second half.

Pisa grab draw against Milan in exciting second half

Milan returned from the interval looking to close out the contest, but they were immediately warned when Tramoni flashed a shot just over from the edge of the area.

Bartesaghi then created a good chance at the other end, only for Santiago Giménez to volley narrowly wide, before Pisa found their route back into the game.

A VAR check was made after a handball against Koni De Winter, but the video assistant confirmed the referee’s on-field decision, leading to a penalty, calmly converted by Juan Cuadrado on the hour mark to level the score at 1-1.

The equaliser visibly rattled Milan, who briefly lost structure and intensity, inviting pressure and allowing Pisa their best spell of the match.

Allegri’s men eventually regrouped and pushed forward again, with Saelemaekers continuing to threaten from the right – twice going close, including a powerful effort beaten away by an outstanding Semper save with twenty minutes to go.

Soon after, Rafael Leão struck the crossbar with a fierce effort from inside the box, as Milan ramped up the tempo in search of a late winner.

Allegri introduced fresh legs in the final stages, sending on Nkunku and Athekame, but despite renewed momentum the Rossoneri could not turn pressure into a decisive goal.

Nkunku had a big chance on 80 minutes, heading just over from close range.

Then, with five minutes to go, Nzola gave the visitors a late goal that saw them stun San Siro.

Deep into injury time, substitute Zachary Athekame converted after a good ball from Luka Modric, sparing Allegri’s blushes in what is still a disappointing draw for the Rossoneri.

The final whistle confirmed two dropped points for Milan, who dominated large stretches of play but were punished for lapses in the second half. Pisa, disciplined and resilient, earned a hard-fought draw, leaving Allegri’s side frustrated after a night of missed opportunities.

You can follow all the action as it happened on our Live Blog.

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri urged his side to stay focused as they look to extend their strong start to the season against Pisa this evening at San Siro.

Speaking to Sky Sport before the match, with quotes via PianetaMilan, the coach stressed that Serie A’s eighth round presents a tricky hurdle.

“This is a game we have to win,” Allegri said, warning that Pisa will make life difficult. “It will be a very scrappy match. They are physical and strong on set pieces, so we must show great attention and technical quality.”

Allegri defends squad selection for Milan-Pisa

The Rossoneri rotate at the back, with Allegri explaining his choice to rest Fikayo Tomori ahead of another match in midweek.

“Everyone is doing well. Tomori has played a lot and we have another game on Tuesday. De Winter has done well when called on: hopefully I’ve made the right decision.”

Despite growing optimism around Milan’s form, Allegri called for balance.

“There is enthusiasm, but we must keep our feet on the ground and continue working,” he noted. “These are the matches you only win by respecting the opponent and having the right attitude from the start.”

You can follow all the action as it happens on our liveblog.

Milan welcome newly promoted Pisa to San Siro tonight as Massimiliano Allegri’s side look to move four points clear at the top of the table, pending the rest of the weekend’s results.

Slip-ups for Roma and Napoli last weekend have allowed the Rossoneri to move top of the table, with 16 points from their opening seven games.

Milan have lost just once since Allegri’s return to the club and are sitting pretty in first place, in stark contrast to tonight’s opposition.

Pisa have struggled since their return to Italy’s top flight and have yet to win a game this season. With just three points from their opening seven matches and only three goals scored, it looks as though it will be a long season for the Tuscan side.

Milan boss Allegri puts faith in Leao & Gimenez

Allegri has chosen to keep his faith in Rafael Leao and Santiago Giménez as strikers, utilising the duo in a 3-5-2 formation.

Midfielder Samuele Ricci also starts in midfielder alongside Fofana and Modric, giving the summer signing a chance to finally impress after long stints on the bench.

Meanwhile, Koni De Winter enters the starting lineup on the right side of the back three.

Official: Milan vs Pisa – Starting Lineups

Milan (3-5-2): Maignan; De Winter, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Leao, Gimenez

Pisa (3-4-1-2): Semper; Caracciolo, Raúl Albiol, Canestrelli; Touré, Akinsanmiro, Aebischer, Bonfanti; Tramoni, Meister; Nzola

You can follow all the action on our Live Blog.

Koni De Winter is expected to replace Fikayo Tomori in Milan’s defence this evening, while Santiago Gimenez will partner with Rafael Leao in attack.

It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 BST) at the Stadio Meazza in San Siro.

The Rossoneri are already the table leaders, so a win would give them a four-point lead over runners-up Roma, Inter and Napoli.

Massimiliano Allegri must cope without the injured Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic, Ardon Jashari, Pervis Estupinan and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but Christopher Nkunku is available again and will start on the bench after missing the latest game against Fiorentina.

Multiple sources, including Gazzetta and Sky Sport Italia, claim that Tomori will rest this evening, making room for De Winter in a three-man defence.

Pisa’s Idrissa Tour returns from a one-game ban and will start as a right midfielder for the Nerazzurri, who are still looking for their first win this season.

Pisa fans have been banned from away games for three months, so the away end will remain empty this evening.

Milan vs. Pisa – where to watch on TV

The game is available to stream on DAZN in the UK and Ireland and Paramount+ in the USA.

Milan vs. Pisa – probable line-ups

Milan (3-5-2): Maignan, De Winter, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi, Giménez, Leão.

Pisa (3-5-2): Semper, Canestrelli, Albiol, Caracciolo, Touré, Vural, Aebischer, Marin, Angori, Tramoni, Nzola.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has not recovered from a muscular problem and won’t be part of the Milan squad against Pisa tomorrow.

It kicks off at San Siro on Friday evening at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

The Rossoneri are clear at the top of the Serie A table, despite suffering from a huge injury crisis that continues well into the next round of games.

AC Milan remain decimated

Only Christopher Nkunku has been able to make his return to the squad, having missed the 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.

It was hoped that Loftus-Cheek might be available, but Sky Sport Italia report the England international has not fully recovered and won’t even be on the bench tomorrow.

He joins Christian Pulisic, Adrien Rabiot, Pervis Estupinan and Ardon Jashari in the stands.

Unlike the win against Fiorentina, this time Max Allegri is expected to use Santiago Gimenez from the start alongside Rafael Leao.

Another change could see Koni De Winter given his first start of the season in defence, resting Fikayo Tomori.

Milan probable: Maignan; De Winter, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi, Gimenez, Leao

Massimiliano Allegri believes that Milan are in for a tough test against Pisa in Serie A on Friday evening, and has identified one area where his side need to improve despite sitting at the top of the league table after seven matches: ‘You can’t ruin 95 minutes for one moment of laziness at the end’. 

The Rossoneri rose to the top of the Serie A standings with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in San Siro on Sunday, and now have an opportunity to temporarily extend their lead at the top to four points with a victory over Pisa on Friday. 

Allegri insists that the newly-promoted side will not be an easy task for the Rossoneri, and has implored his players to ‘do a bit better than we did the last time we played a newly-promoted team’, in reference to his side’s surprise 2-1 defeat against Cremonese in the opening round of 2025-26 fixtures. 

Allegri: ‘Milan have to do better than the last time we played a newly-promoted side’ 

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Allegri insists that sitting at the top of the table is not the only ‘pressure’ that Milan are currently facing. 

“There’s more than pressure, there’s a complicated game as well. Pisa, aside from against Bologna, have always played battling matches, scoring and have played well against teams like Napoli and Roma. We will have to go about it in the right way. 

“There’s a bit of a taboo to dispel as well, as we have to do a bit better than we did the last time we played a newly-promoted team.” 

Allegri was asked if he is ‘surprised’ to see his Milan side at the top of the standings so early on in his tenure. 

“It’s not that I expected to be first, but I knew that I inherited a team with great players and that we would work hard every day,” he replied. “We are only at the beginning, though. We have to face tomorrow’s game with the greatest respect.”

And when asked about the fact that he has always gone on to win the Serie A title after picking up 16 points from his first seven matches of a season, Allegri said: “Forget about that. The teams are different. The important thing is to finish well, work hard with a low profile, stay quiet. What matters is winning matches.” 

Allegri maintains that qualifying for the Champions League is Milan’s main goal this season, and has set a minimum points target in order to achieve that feat/ 

“Winning is never easy. We want to take another step forwards and slowly head towards the tally that qualifies us for the Champions League. That is our goal. We need a minimum of 74 points. We’re not thinking about Napoli or Inter, we are thinking about tomorrow. We have to keep our feet on the ground.” 

Allegri went on to give an update on his potential selections against Pisa, including the latest injury news on Christopher Nkunku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. 

“Nkunku will be on the bench. We’ll see about Loftus-Cheek today.”

And on Rafael Leao playing as a centre-forward, he added: “He scored from a central area against Fiorentina. I haven’t ‘transformed’ Leao, I think he can play as a first or a second striker. The more central he is on the pitch, the better. Rafa can do really well as a second striker, and can link up with Gimenez, Pulisic or Nkunku.” 

On Santiago Gimenez, Allegri said: “He’s trained well the last few days. He came back late this summer, on August 5, but he’s in good physical condition and I’m seeing him looking more and more settled and calm. He has great technical qualities, He’s growing, the goal will come.” 

On Koni De Winter, Allegri hinted that: “Tomorrow, he could have a chance.” 

And on Strahinja Pavlovic, he said: “He’s already played a lot for Milan, but he still has room to grow. You have to imagine him in four or five years. He still has to improve in the defensive phase.”

And on Luka Modric, Allegri said: “He rarely makes mistakes because he’s an extraordinary champion. His passing and vision are at a different speed to all the others, he’s very comfortable in that role, and he’s having a lot of fun.” 

When asked if he thinks this Milan side have any flaws, Allegri said: “We need to improve. For example, we were not in the best position in the box for the final moment against Juventus in Turin after playing a really good game. You can’t ruin 95 minutes for one moment of laziness at the end. 

“It also happened against Fiorentina, but Ricci and Bartesaghi had been very good. Every ball could decide the season for Milan.” 

Pisa and Verona are still looking for their first wins of the season, as they both failed to convert promising chances in this relegation dogfight draw.

Both sides were still looking for their first wins, with the hosts rock bottom on just two points. Idrissa Touré was suspended after a 4-0 defeat to Bologna, with Calvin Stengs, Francesco Coppola, Giacomo Maucci, Mateus Lusuardi and Tomas Esteves injured. Hellas had Nicolas Valentini back in defence, but Armel Bella-Kotchap joined Tomas Suslov, Daniel Oyegoke and Moatasem Al-Musrati on the treatment table.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Giovane saw his effort deflected to dribble inches past the post while the wrong-footed Pisa goalkeeper could only watch, then had another attempt charged down, before Fallou Cham scuffed the finish on the Brazilian’s assist.

M’Bala Nzola nodded a Mehdi Leris cross wide, but Stefano Moreo went so close with a free header inches over from a corner kick.

Cham this time managed to get his finish on target, forcing a difficult save at the near post from Adrian Semper.

Hellas really should’ve scored on 55 minutes when Michel Aebischer’s weak header back was intercepted by Orban, but the finish was over the bar when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Nzola curled just over on the counter and Raul Albiol struggled to prevent Belghali going clear on goal, just about avoiding a handling offence in the process.

Unai Nunez tested Semper on the half-volley from the edge of the area and Frese’s angled drive flashed wide in stoppages.

Pisa 0-0 Verona

18-10-2025 14:00

MatchDay 7

Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani

Pisa

Verona

0 - 0

Player statistic

2nd half

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro		65'
Gabriele Piccinini		77'
Simone Canestrelli		87'
		88'		Martin Frese
Matteo Tramoni		90+5'
		90+5'		Unai Núñez

Match statistic

60

Possession %

40

7

Total shots

15

Shots on target

3

5

Shots off target

8

2

Blocked shots

4

3

Corners

8

Offsides

2

8

Fouls

14

Pisa

Verona

Starting lineups

1

Adrian Šemper

Goalkeeper

4

Antonio Caracciolo

Defender

Raúl Albiol

Defender

3

Samuele Angori

Defender

66'

5

Simone Canestrelli

Defender

14

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro

Midfielder

6

Marius Marin

Midfielder

65'

20

Michel Aebischer

Midfielder

18

M’Bala Nzola

Attacker

7

Mehdi Léris

Attacker

65'

32

Stefano Moreo

Attacker

79'

1

Lorenzo Montipò

Goalkeeper

70

Fallou Cham

Defender

61'

3

Martin Frese

Defender

Nicolás Valentini

Defender

5

Unai Núñez

Defender

15

Victor Nelsson

Defender

24

Antoine Bernede

Midfielder

61'

63

Roberto Gagliardini

Midfielder

8

Suat Serdar

Midfielder

86'

16

Gift Orban

Attacker

67'

17

Giovane

Attacker

67'

Substitutes

22

Simone Scuffet

Goalkeeper

33

Arturo Calabresi

Defender

12

Nicolas

Goalkeeper

Isak Vural

Midfielder

Francesco Coppola

Defender

8

Malthe Höjholt

Midfielder

9

Henrik Meister

Attacker

16

Louis Buffon

Attacker

Lorran

Midfielder

44

Daniel Denoon

Defender

11

Juan Cuadrado

Midfielder

65'

36

Gabriele Piccinini

Attacker

65'

Giovanni Bonfanti

Defender

66'

10

Matteo Tramoni

Midfielder

79'

21

Abdou Harroui

Midfielder

20

Grigoris Kastanos

Midfielder

34

Simone Perilli

Goalkeeper

12

Domagoj Bradaric

Defender

36

Cheikh Niasse

Attacker

23

Enzo Ebosse

Defender

72

Junior Ajayi

Attacker

19

Tobias Slotsager

Defender

76

Mirko Castagnini

Goalkeeper

11

Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro

Midfielder

61'

7

Rafik Belghali

Defender

61'

25

Daniel Mosquera

Attacker

67'

9

Amin Sarr

Attacker

67'

4

Yellu Santiago

Midfielder

86'

Serie A returns this weekend after the break for international duty, with Davide Massa assigned to referee Roma-Inter, Luca Marinelli officiating Milan-Fiorentina and Giovanni Ayroldi for Como-Juventus.

The squads are coming back together for training after travelling all over the world and will be back in action for their clubs for the Week 7 fixtures.

The biggest match without doubt is the battle between Roma and Inter at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening.

This has been assigned to veteran referee Massa, with Francesco Meraviglia as the VAR.

Massa’s record with Roma is very balanced with 10 victories, 12 draws and nine defeats.

In comparison, Inter have a much stronger run under this referee, as he oversaw 20 wins, five stalemates and five losses.

There have been some editions of this fixture before with Massa, who was officiating Inter’s 1-0 win away to Roma in October 2024, but also the time the Giallorossi snatched a 2-1 victory at San Siro in October 2022.

Serie A Week 7 referees

Lecce-Sassuolo (Crezzini, VAR Mazzoleni)

Pisa-Verona (Guida, VAR Di Paolo)

Torino-Napoli (Marcenaro, VAR Doveri)

Roma-Inter (Massa, VAR Meraviglia)

Como-Juventus (Ayroldi, VAR Maresca)

Cagliari-Bologna (Marchetti, VAR Ghersini)

Genoa-Parma (Sozza, VAR Marini)

Atalanta-Lazio (Collu, VAR Gariglio)

Milan-Fiorentina (Marinelli, VAR Abisso)

Cremonese-Udinese (Fabbri, VAR La Penna)

Napoli boss Antonio Conte is the highest-paid coach in Serie A in 2025-26, followed by Massimiliano Allegri and Gian Piero Gasperini.

• Read more – Two Italians, but not Gattuso, in top 10 of highest-paid national team coaches

TMW has listed the salaries of all 20 Serie A coaches in 2025-26 and Conte emerges as the highest-paid with an €8m net wage.

Conte the highest-paid coach in 2025-26 Serie A

The Partenopei boss signed a new contract in May after leading the Partenopei to their second Scudetto in three years.

Conte is followed by Allegri and Gasperini, who were appointed by Milan and Roma, respectively, last summer. Both Italian coaches earn €5m per season.

Below them, there’s a group of three coaches, Vincenzo Italiano, Stefano Pioli and Igor Tudor, earning €3m each, while Cristian Chivu and Maurizio Sarri get €2.5m per season.

There are just five coaches in Serie A earning less than €1m per season. Carlos Cuesta, Kosta Runjaic, Paolo Zanetti, Davide Nicola, Eusebio Di Francesco and Fabio Grosso.

Serie A will resume after the international break next week with Roma-Inter and Milan-Fiorentina among the big games in Round 7.

Serie A coaches’ salaries in 2025-26

Antonio Conte (Napoli) €8m net

Massimiliano Allegri (Milan) €5m

Gian Piero Gasperini (Roma) 5m

Vincenzo Italiano (Bologna) 3m

Stefano Pioli (Fiorentina) 3m

Igor Tudor (Juventus) 3m

Cristian Chivu (Inter) 2.5m

Maurizio Sarri (Lazio) 2.5m

Ivan Juric (Atalanta) 2m

Patrick Vieira (Genoa) 1.4m

Marco Baroni (Torino) 1.2m

Fabio Pisacane (Cagliari) 1m

Cesc Fabregas (Como) 1m

Alberto Gilardino (Pisa) 1m

Carlos Cuesta (Parma) 0.9m

Kosta Runjaic (Udinese) 0.8m

Paolo Zanetti (Verona) 0.6m

Davide Nicola (Cremonese) 0.5m

Eusebio Di Francesco (Lecce) 0.5m

Fabio Grosso (Sassuolo) 0.5m

The Lega Serie A disciplinary commission has announced its verdicts following the Week 6 games, including fines for Napoli, bans at Pisa, Torino and Fiorentina.

The season has completed its sixth round and is now on a break for international duty, resuming next weekend.

Pisa will not be able to call upon Idrissa Touré, who was sent off just 36 minutes into the 4-0 defeat at Bologna for stopping a clear scoring opportunity.

He was given a one-match ban and will therefore miss the Week 7 clash against Hellas Verona.

Serie A bans following Week 6 results

The other Serie A bans are for figures on the bench, as Torino’s Alessandro Andreini was sent off for dissent, along with Fiorentina assistant Simone Ottaviani.

Lazio midfielder Danilo Cataldi was fined €1,500 because he was booked for dissent while wearing the captain’s armband.

Napoli and Hellas Verona were both fined €5,000 for their supporters using laser pens to disturb opposition players.

Bologna were fined €2,000, Lecce and Parma both €1,500, for throwing objects onto the pitch.

Milan have the most players called up to their national teams this month, 15, two more than Inter and Juventus, while Napoli have 11.

The October international break has just started at Milan are the Serie A club with the most players called up to their national teams this month.

As reported by Gazzetta and TMW, 15 Rossoneri will play international matches in the coming weeks, including Matteo Gabbia, called up to the Italy squad for the second time in his career, and Davide Bartesaghi, who will play for Italy U21.

Juventus and Inter have 13 international players each this month. Five Nerazzurri players will play for the Italy national team, while the Bianconeri have sent two to Coverciano.

Genoa and Roma have 11 players leaving for international games in October, 12 for Bologna. Overall, 179 Serie A players have been called up for international matches this month.

Below is the full list of how many players will leave their clubs for national team games in the next two weeks.

Atalanta: 10
Bologna: 12
Cagliari: 5
Como: 10
Cremonese: 2
Fiorentina: 10
Genoa: 8
Inter: 13
Juventus: 13
Lazio: 5
Lecce: 10
Milan: 15
Napoli: 11
Parma: 6
Pisa: 3
Roma: 11
Sassuolo: 8
Torino: 10
Udinese: 10
Verona: 7