Italy 2-0 Greece Euro 2020 Qualifying: The Azzurri player ratings

Italy have done it! After the 2018 World Cup qualifying disaster, Roberto Mancini and his reborn Azzurri have officially qualified for next summer’s Euro 2020 with a 2-0 win over Greece.

Jorginho and Federico Bernardeschi goals sealed a hard fought win over a compact, organized Greece side, making it a perfect 7 wins from 7 in Group J play.

Here are the player ratings for the Italians. Continue reading

Serie A Round 4 Fantacalcio Player Trends: Stock Up

After putting a bow on the opening round of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League competitions, it is time to circle back to Serie A where the fourth weekend promises to deliver more drama.

Without question, AC Milan and Inter authoring another chapter of the Derby della Madonnina remains top priority in the build-up to Saturday’s San Siro clash, but as always, we are here to make sure you are prepared with everything you need to get the upperhand on your opponents in ‘fantacalcio’.

Here are five players to consider inserting into your Fantasy Serie A side this weekend for Round 4. Continue reading

AC Milan rumour round-up: Hernandez announced, Bennacer and Krunic next

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As opposed to previous weeks, the transfer market has entered a stage where some of the rumours actually materialize, at least for AC Milan. This week, the Rossoneri announced the signing of Theo Hernandez, and more announcements are expected. Down below are the latest rumours about the team. 

Theo Hernandez officially announced: the details

As mentioned, the signing of the left-back was announced on Saturday, even though the deal had been done for a while now. Contrary to previous reports, though, Hernandez has joined Milan on a permanent basis for a reported fee of €20m. In a statement on their website, the Rossoneri confirmed the signing. Continue reading

Donnarumma can leave AC Milan, but only for the right price

Late last night, Gianluca Di Marzio broke the news about PSG’s interest in Gigio Donnarumma, who could be sacrificed this summer by AC Milan in order to finance the market, while improving their books. However, the reports have angered many Rossoneri fans, not because of the departure per say, but rather the price tag. 

Di Marzio claimed that Milan are looking to get €50m for the goalkeeper, with PSG possibly including Areola in the deal to decrease the price tag to a laughable €20m. Given that Donnarumma is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, it’s safe to say the offer felt like an insult to the Rossoneri fans. Continue reading

The Top Five Goalkeepers From the 2018/19 Serie A Season

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The 2018-19 Serie A season has come to a close, so it is now time to go position by position and rank the top five players in each role.

We start with the last line of defence, the goalkeepers.  Continue reading

Italy 2-0 Finland: Player Ratings for the Azzurri

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On Saturday at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy managed to secure the 2-0 win over Finland in Group J of Euro 2020 Qualifying thanks to Nicolò Barella and Moise Kean opening up their accounts for the Azzurri.

Here are the player ratings from the victory. Continue reading

What to Watch For: Milan vs Inter

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Milano’s rivaling clubs clash on Sunday evening for the marquee matchup of Serie A Round 28 as Milan square off with Inter at the San Siro.

Last October, Nerazzurri captain Mauro Icardi headed home a very late winner to deal the Rossoneri a 1-0 defeat, but Gennaro Gattuso’s in-form group will look to exact revenge and expand on their one-point lead in third place over their struggling rivals.

Here is what you should be watching for in the latest installment of the Derby della Madonnina: Continue reading

Three things we learned from AC Milan’s three-goal win against Cagliari

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AC Milan managed to beat Cagliari at the San Siro earlier this evening, completely dominating the opponents for a majority of the game. In fact, the Rossoneri set a new record for the number of shots on goal under Gattuso (11), which ultimately resulted in a 3-0 win.  

Once again, the new boys Paqueta and Piatek proved to be the difference the Rossoneri have searched for. The first goal, however, was gifted by the away side’s captain, Ceppitelli, whose touch on Cragno’s rebound put Milan in front. The lead was then extended just ten minutes later as Calabria’s wonderful cross was met by Paqueta at the back post, with the Brazilian making no mistakes on the volley.

Of course, Krzysztof Piatek couldn’t leave the pitch without getting on the scoresheet. As luck would have it, after a scrappy situation, the Polish striker was at the right place at the right time, putting the game to bed with Milan’s third goal. Down below are three things we learned from this important win.

1. Calabria proving his qualities amidst all the debate 

Davide certainly had a great game at right-back, further proving why he should be given the nod ahead of Conti, who’s a bit of a fan favourite. Defensively, the 22-year-old was absolutely flawless, closing down the right flank on numerous occasions.

When going forward, he wasn’t too shabby either. As previously mentioned, he was responsible for a beautiful assist to Paqueta, and he could’ve had a goal himself. However, Cragno just about claimed it after a nice flick by Calabria which beat the defender.

2. Paqueta once again crucial in every aspect

Since arriving, the Brazilian has started all of the games, which in itself is a sign of strength. Rightfully so, he’s been given the chance and boy has he taken it. Today’s game was no exception, as the midfielder continued to perform in the defence, midfield and attack.

His ability to link up with his new teammates, especially Calhanoglu, has quite frankly been stunning. This evening, he also got a goal to show for his efforts, making it all look so easy. Moving forward, he will continue to be crucial for Gattuso’s side.

3. Donnarumma’s 150th appearance – another clean sheet

Gigio, who’s arguably been the best Milan player in the last few weeks, made his 150th appearance (all comps) for the club this evening. Having kept 51 clean sheets ahead of the game, the Rossoneri defenders helped him add yet another to this tally.

Luckily for Milan, the number 99 has seemingly returned to consistently putting in great performances, as was further proven today. The defenders didn’t play poorly by any means, but their goalkeeper was called into action a few times, and he did everything right.

Overall, it was a great display by the entire team, and Gattuso should be happy with the efforts ahead of the important clash with Atalanta next weekend.

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Three things we learned from AC Milan’s dominance against Napoli

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Unlike last time out, AC Milan weren’t going to settle for a draw this evening as Napoli visited the San Siro once again to play for a spot in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. New signing Piatek made sure that this wish was fulfilled, grabbing a brace in the first half. 

The Rossoneri put in one of their best, if not the best, performances of the season, playing incredibly well especially in defence. Napoli barely got any chances despite putting Gattuso’s men over a ton of pressure, with Kessie and Bakayoko doing very well to block off the space in front of the defence. Down below are three things we learned from the game, pinpointing the highlights.  Continue reading

Three things we learned from AC Milan’s hard-fought win against SPAL

After four games of misery, AC Milan finally managed to get the win, taking on SPAL at the San Siro. With that said, Gattuso will feel a bit more relieved heading into the new year, with his job (probably) intact.

The Rossoneri hadn’t scored for an incredible four games ahead of tonight’s clash: a spell which they, fortunately, managed to break. However, it didn’t start in the best way possible, as a Petagna effort took a wicked deflection off Romagnoli, putting it out of reach for Donnarumma in goal. The home crowd was certainly stunned as they away side ran away in celebration. Continue reading