Vincenzo Montella recognises that failing to qualify for the Champions League would be damaging for a new-look AC Milan, both economically and to the team s reputation.
The Rossoneri have not graced Europe s top table since the 2013-14 season and are playing in continental competition for the first time since that campaign in the Europa League this term – Milan having won the first leg of a third-round qualifier against CSU Craiova on Thursday.
Milan have been on a heavy recruitment drive during the transfer window, funded by their new wealthy Chinese owners, with the likes of Leonardo Bonucci, Andre Silva, Lucas Biglia and Ricardo Rodriguez having moving to San Siro.
The big spending has only increased expectations among supporters and the club s hierarchy, bu…
Carlos Bacca hopes to stay in LaLiga for the 2018-19 campaign despite having two years left on his contract with AC Milan.
The Colombia international spent last season on loan at Villarreal after falling out of favour at San Siro, Bacca scoring 15 goals as the Yellow Submarine finished fifth.
It was a third prolific season in Spain for the 31-year-old, who spent two years with Sevilla before joining Milan in 2015.
And Bacca is keen to return rather than joining back up with his parent club in Italy.
I feel good and I d like to stay in Spain, Bacca told Fox Sports Radio Colombia.
We re waiting, I have a contract with Milan and I respect it. I need to wait until I can go back and talk to them about the situation and what they want from me. The…
Forget Argentina, Nigeria are Croatia s toughest opponent in their bid to progress to the round of 16 at the World Cup, according to Andrej Kramaric.
Croatia – who finished third in 1998 – will face Nigeria in their Group D opener in Kaliningrad on Saturday.
Spearheaded by captain and five-time Ballon d Or winner Lionel Messi, Argentina and Croatia are expected to vie for the top two spots.
However, Kramaric views Nigeria – one of the most talked about teams in the build-up, not necessarily for their football, but their stand-out kit – as Croatia s biggest danger at the showpiece tournament.
I think it is Nigeria. Why? Against Nigeria we play the first and, for us, the most important game, Kramaric told FIFA.com. That game will open or close the…
Newcastle United are interested in signing Lorenzo Insigne from Napoli in the January transfer window, according to . It has been reported by the Italian news outlet that Newcastle are among the clubs who have enquired about the availability of the Italy international winger.
Insigne has been on the books of Napoli since 2006 and is a huge figure at the club. The 30-year-old, who won Euro 2020 with Italy in the summer of 2021, has played over 300 games in Serie A for the Neapolitan club. However, the winger is out of contract at Napoli at the end of the season, and no new deal is in place.
Newcastle are at the foot of the Premier League table at the moment and are in real danger of getting relegated to the Championship at the end of the season. A move to St. James’ Pa…
Speaking to , Loris Karius said he feels no pressure to leave Liverpool this summer.
The German goalkeeper arrived to Liverpool from Mainz 05 in the summer of 2016, with manager Jurgen Klopp believing he would soon take over from Simon Mignolet as the club s number one shot-stopper. However, despite being given a number of chances, Karius failed to meet those expectations and it all fell apart for him in the 2018 Champions League final, when his two blunders allowed Real Madrid to win the biggest trophy in European club football for the 13th time. After the arrival of Alison Becker later that summer, Karius was sent out on a two-year loan to Besiktas, which was recently terminated.
The goalkeeper, who will turn 27 this month, is now back at Liverpool, but the situation …
Xherdan Shaqiri has completed his move Chicago Fire just six months after joining Lyon, the MLS club confirmed on Wednesday.
The Switzerland forward left Liverpool after three years to join the Ligue 1 on a three-year deal back in August, but has now made the move Stateside.
Shaqiri made nine Ligue 1 starts, scoring two league and providing three assists in France s top flight.
Chicago Fire, who finished a disappointing 12th in the MLS s 14-team Eastern Conference last season, announced the winger has signed a three-year deal with the franchise, becoming the most expensive player in their history.
We re extremely pleased to formally welcome Xherdan Shaqiri to the Fire, said Chicago Fire s sporting director Georg Heitz.
Xherdan is a game-chan…
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed Harry Maguire is likely to miss the Europa League final against Villarreal.
Maguire suffered ankle ligament damage in an awkward collision with Anwar El Ghazi during the 3-1 win over Aston Villa on May 9 and subsequently had to be withdrawn.
Solskjaer said earlier this week that Maguire was feeling optimistic about his chances of being fit for the match on May 26.
But Solskjaer has now said he does not expect the defender to recover in time.
He s walking, but it s a long way from walking to running, so to be honest I don t think we ll see him in Gdansk, said the United boss.
I m going to give him until Tuesday night, the last training session, to see if he can be out there.
Stea…
Chelsea’s indifferent start to the Premier League season continued as they were held to a drab goalless draw by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were again short on creative threat as the hosts dealt comfortably with what their opponents could muster in attack, only once looking genuinely troubled when Raheem Sterling’s second-half free-kick cracked the underside of the crossbar.
For Chelsea it was a familiar case of failing to find the critical pass, as possession and overall control of the match counted for little.
It finishes goalless.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
It leaves the team assembled for more than £1billion by co-owner Todd Boehly languishing in 14th place with just one win in their first five le…
Manchester City have four players in the running for the Professional Footballers Association s (PFA) Men s Footballer of the Year award.
City cruised to Premier League success this term, with Ruben Dias, Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne all key to their triumph.
All four have been named on the PFA s six-man shortlist for the prize, which is voted for by the players.
Portugal centre-back Dias – winner of the Football Writers Association gong – is seen as arguably the favourite after a stellar first campaign at City following his move from Benfica last year.
While City only conceded three goals fewer (32) than in 2019-20 (35) when they finished second to Liverpool, many have compared his quick adaptation and influence to that of Virgi…
Arsenal cancelled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s contract to pave the way for the striker to join Barcelona, while Ousmane Dembele remains at Camp Nou following an eventful transfer day across Europe.
Aubameyang had five months to run on his Emirates Stadium deal but was told he could join Barca on a free transfer, which is set to be announced by the LaLiga giants on Tuesday.
Despite some confirmed interest from at least one club in England, and the threat of not playing for the rest of the season, Dembele opted to stay put in Catalonia until at least the end of the season.
Those players were discussed heavily throughout deadline day, but arguably the most remarkable transfer happened early on Monday when Christian Eriksen officially joined Brentford.
It mar…