Lookman fires Atalanta to Serie A summit 

Nigeria forward Lookman continued his superb form by nodding in his 10th goal of the campaign with three minutes remaining at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. The 27-year-old met Sead Kolasinac’s flick-on from a corner to give Atalanta a club-record equalling ninth straight win in Italy’s top flight and further boost hopes of a first-ever Scudetto for the traditionally small, provincial club. Alvaro Morata had looked to have earned seventh-placed Milan a point in a fiery atmosphere with his 22nd-minute leveller after former Rossoneri flop Charles De Ketelaere had crashed Atalanta ahead in the 12th minute with a thumping header. Napoli host Lazio on Sunday night and Antonio Conte’s team will have to beat the team who knocked them out of the Italian Cup if they are to reclaim their narrow league lead. Atalanta now turn their attentions to Tuesday’s visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League when they can strengthen their case for direct qualification for the last 16 and get revenge for defeat in the European Super Cup in August.

Read More

Chukwueze fires AC Milan to Italian Cup Quarterfinals

Samuel Chukwueze scored twice as a rampant AC Milan crushed Serie B leaders Sassuolo 6-1 at the San Siro on Tuesday to reach the Italian Cup quarter-finals. Milan are now unbeaten in seven games in all competitions after an inconsistent start to life under new coach Paulo Fonseca. The seven-time European champions are hoping to win a first Italian Cup since 2003 and only their sixth in total. “It was a very good performance, the first half was magnificent and also helped me to rest some players,” Fonseca told Sport Mediaset. “I have only positive things to say, as we took it very seriously, I am very satisfied with the attitude of the players.” Chukwueze put the hosts in front in the 12th minute, bundling the ball into the net after his initial attempt had come back off the post. Milan doubled their advantage barely five minutes later, as Tijjani Reijnders slammed home a brilliant strike when a loose ball fell his way outside the box. Sassuolo were powerless to stop the waves of Milan attacks and Fonseca’s side made it three in the 21st minute. Chukwueze swept a shot into the far corner after being teed up by Tammy Abraham to complete his first brace since scoring a double for Villarreal against Real Madrid in April 2023. The procession continued just two minutes later, as Ruben Loftus-Cheek drove forward and played in Rafael Leao to drill the ball into the bottom corner. Fonseca took the opportunity to give some key players a rest, including Leao and Loftus-Cheek, by making four changes at half-time. Milan scored again in the 56th minute as Davide Calabria netted his first goal of the season. Samuele Mulattieri grabbed a consolation for Sassuolo shortly afterwards, but Abraham scored his fourth goal since joining Milan on loan from Roma with an excellent back-heel finish. Earlier, Bologna reached the last eight for a second straight season with a 4-0 thumping of Monza. The two-time winners took control of the last-16 tie with two goals in the space of three first-half minutes through Tommaso Pobega and Riccardo Orsolini. Monza, who are struggling in the relegation zone of Serie A this season, were hoping to reach the quarters for the first time in 54 years. But Benjamin Dominguez put the game beyond their reach in the 63rd minute, with fellow Argentinian Santiago Castro providing his third assist of the match. Dominguez returned the favour for Castro with 14 minutes left, as Bologna notched back-to-back wins after their 3-0 victory over bottom club Venezia in the league at the weekend.

Read More

San Siro loses 2027 Champions League final due to uncertain future

The 2027 Champions League final will be moved away from the San Siro in Milan due to uncertainties over potential renovations, UEFA said on Tuesday. European football’s governing body said that the San Siro had lost the showpiece fixture as the city of Milan could not guarantee that the ground and the surrounding area “would not be affected by refurbishment works”. “It was decided not to assign the final to Milan and to re-open the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025,” added UEFA. Earlier this month AC Milan and Inter Milan, who both play their home matches at the San Siro, rejected a project to modernise and restructure the iconic stadium, which is owned by the city of Milan. Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala said both clubs would be ready to relaunch their initial project of a new stadium in the immediate vicinity of San Siro, which had been abandoned last year after political and bureaucratic wrangles. Earlier this year AC Milan bought land in the suburb of San Donato Milanese, to the south-east of the city, as part of a plan to move outside the official boundaries of the city of Milan in the hope they would more easily gain building approval. Reigning Serie A champions Inter have their sights set on the towns of Rozzano and Assago, just south of Milan, after sounding out the possibility of building on former industrial land in populous northern suburb Sesto San Giovanni. In 2026, San Siro will host the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Read More