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Tag Inter Milan

  • Mar, Mon, 2020
Sport

Dybala stunner sends Juve top with behind-closed-doors’ win over Inter Milan

Dybala
Turin (Italy), March 9, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) A wonderful winning goal from substitute Paulo Dybala sent Juventus back to the top of Serie A with a 2-0 victory over title rivals Inter Milan on Sunday.

Juve, who opened the scoring at an empty Allianz Stadium through Aaron Ramsey, lead on 63 points, one point ahead of Lazio and nine clear of Inter Milan in third.

Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan side however have a game in hand.

Ramsey fired home the first goal from close range soon after the break and was also involved in the second.

Juventus’s Argentine forward Dybala exchanged passes with the Wales international on the edge of the area before dribbling around defender Ashley Young.

He showed great invention to find the bottom corner with the outside of his boot.

The game was played without fans present after the Italian government ordered that all matches are held behind closed doors until April 3.

“This is an important victory, but there are still 12 games to go. So, it’s a long road ahead,” coach Maurizio Sarri said. “`This was far more what I wanted to see from my Juventus.

“We had seemed a little empty and flat recently. So, we had to choose players who could guarantee more energy, both physical and psychological.

“That’s the sensation we got in training from these players, but that could change in a couple of weeks.”

Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovic returned from injury and they were grateful to have the Slovenian back as he blocked a Matthijs De Ligt header early.

He also showed quick reactions to palm away a Blaise Matuidi drive inside the opening 15 minutes.

The hosts had the better chances in a lively first half, but Marcelo Brozovic forced Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny into a sharp save with a powerful drive before the break.

Juventus made the breakthrough 10 minutes into the second half when Matuidi’s cut-back was taken off the toe of Cristiano Ronaldo by Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The ball fell into the path of Ramsey who drilled a shot home via a deflection.

Dybala was surprisingly dropped to the bench but made a huge impact after his introduction, controlling a long pass with his first touch before playing a one-two with Ramsey.

He danced past Young and prodded in with a deft finish after 67 minutes.

Ronaldo aimed to make his mark on his 1,000th official game as he chased a Serie A record of scoring in 12 straight games.

He came close in stoppage time as his shot swerved narrowly wide before he dragged a low effort beyond the far post.

The game marked Conte’s return to Turin after spells with Juventus as a player and coach.

But it was not a happy one as his side fell to their second defeat of the season against the Italian champions.

“The difference between us and Juventus, not counting the game in hand with Sampdoria, is six points,” Conte said. “That’s the two defeats, at San Siro and here.

“We tried to stay in their slipstream, but must learn from defeat and take the lessons of comparison to grow in terms of character, quality and strength.

“It’s a loss that must help us to grow and understand how far away we are.”(Reuters/NAN)
OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Mar, Sun, 2020
Sport

Inter Milan CEO says Serie A risks not finishing due to coronavirus

Risks
Milan (Italy), March 1, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) The Serie A season runs the risk of not finishing if more matches are postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, Inter Milan’s chief executive Giuseppe Marotta said on Sunday.

Inter Milan’s match at Juventus, which was to have been played late on Sunday, was one of five which were postponed by Serie A on Saturday.

The games, all in regions where sports events have been banned by the government, had been due to be played behind closed doors.

Italy has registered more than 1,100 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the contagion came to light in wealthy northern regions on Feb. 20 and at least 29 people have died.

Inter Milan’s match at home to Sampdoria was one of four which were postponed last Sunday.

Marotta said a crowded fixture list meant they were running out of dates to reschedule the games.

The Serie A league called an emergency meeting for Wednesday to discuss the consequences of the government measures and the rescheduling of matches.

“If more matches are called off then, yes, we run that risk,” Marotta told Gazzetta dello Sport when asked if the championship might not finish.

He added that, because some matches had been postponed and others had not, the “balance of the championship has been altered’’.

“It’s a distorted tournament. You just need to think of injuries and suspensions. And there is the psychological aspect when you look at the standings.”

Third-placed Inter Milan’s two postponements have caused them to drop eight points behind leaders Lazio who have played and won two games during the same period.

Lazio’s matches —- away to Genoa last Sunday and at home to Bologna on Saturday —- were in regions unaffected by coronavirus.

“I am worried about Inter Milan’s game against Sassuolo next Sunday,” added Marotta.

“How do we deal with that? We can’t play behind closed doors because it will be absurd to use a measure one week that we didn’t use the week before… I can’t see a solution.”

Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino, while reacting, told the ANSA news agency that “Marotta represents the needs of Inter Milan.

“I protect the general interests of the entire Serie A which unfortunately suffers daily conflicts of interest linked to each team.

“I have to promote the Italian league and its image in the world; broadcasting matches in empty stadiums would have been a bad business card for the country.”

The Serie A season is scheduled to run until May 24, with Euro 2020 due to start on June 12.

Four Italian sides —- Juventus, Napoli, Atalanta and Inter Milan —- are still involved in European competition.

In one of the two matches played on Sunday, supporters of Bergamo-based Atalanta were screened for possible symptoms of the virus as they entered the stadium for a match away to Lecce.(Reuters/NAN)
OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Martinez scores, misses penalty kick as lacklustre Inter Milan scrape win

Lacklustre
Milan (Italy), Oct. 24, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Forward Lautaro Martinez scored one goal and missed a second half penalty kick as a lacklustre Inter Milan scraped their first win in their UEFA Champions League group on Wednesday.

They beat former champions Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to achieve this.

The Argentine broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, scoring from close range after Stefan de Vrij’s pass sent him clear of the defence.

Martinez however missed a chance to seal the match with eight minutes left when his penalty kick was saved by Roman Buerki.

In the end, it did not matter as Antonio Candreva added a second for Inter in the 89th minute after Borussia were caught on the break.

The result left the two sides level on four points from three games in Group F.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Serie A: Sanchez goes from hero to villain as Inter Milan win again

Sanchez

Milan (Italy), Sept. 28, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Alexis Sanchez scored and was sent off in his first start for Inter Milan as the Serie A leaders maintained their perfect record with a 3-1 win at Sampdoria on Saturday.

Stefano Sensi’s deflected strike put Inter in front after 20 minutes before on-loan Manchester United forward Sanchez finished from close range to double the lead two minutes later.

The match turned on its head a minute into the second half when Sanchez was shown a second yellow card for simulation and Jakub Jankto pulled back a goal for Sampdoria with 35 minutes still to play.

But Roberto Gagliardini pounced to seal the three points for Inter, who have won their first six league games of a season for the first time since 1966-67 and only the second time in their history.

“Fortunately, the way it finished, I can look at the glass half full,” Inter coach Antonio Conte told Sky Italia.

“I’d prefer a more relaxed match on an emotional level, as we absolutely dominated the first half and were in complete control.

“Finding ourselves in that situation and emerging with a victory fortifies us.

“It helps us realise we can consolidate success and continue playing our football even when down to 10 men.”

The victory restored Inter’s two-point lead over Juventus at the top of the table ahead of a meeting between the sides at San Siro next Sunday.

Sampdoria, on the other hand, are rooted to the bottom of the table after taking three points from the opening six rounds.

Conte made several changes to his side ahead of the visit of Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.

He rested Romelu Lukaku, Diego Godin and Nicolo Barella and handed Sanchez his full debut.

In a meeting of the top and bottom sides in the league, Inter got off to a fast start as Sensi’s shot from distance took a big deflection of Sanchez on the way in.

However, the goal was awarded to the midfielder despite the Chilean celebrating it as his own.

Sanchez needed only two more minutes to open his account for the club as he latched onto a mis-hit Sensi effort to slot home from close range.

Things took an ugly turn for the 30-year-old when he was shown a second yellow card for diving inside the box a minute into the second half.

It means that Sanchez will be suspended for the clash with Juventus.

The incident spurred the home side into life and they were given hope when Jankto spun in the box and fired a low shot into the bottom corner after 55 minutes.

However, their rally was short-lived as Gagliardini pounced on an Emil Audero parry to bundle a shot in from close range.

He thus condemned Eusebio Di Francesco to his fifth defeat in six games as Sampdoria coach. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

Ronaldo seals Juventus win to keep pressure on Inter Milan

Serie A
Turin (Italy), Sept. 28, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus to continue their unbeaten start to the Serie A season with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over struggling SPAL on Saturday.

Miralem Pjanic’s strike put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time before Ronaldo headed his third goal of the campaign with 12 minutes remaining.

Juve lead the table on 16 points but Inter Milan can return to the summit when they travel to Sampdoria later on Saturday.

SPAL goalkeeper Etrit Berisha made a string of impressive saves to keep the score down as the visitors fell to their fifth defeat in six matches.

They stay level on three points with Sampdoria at the foot of the table.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

UCL: Barella rescues Inter Milan with stoppage-time equaliser against Slavia Prague

Rescue

Milan (Italy), Sept. 17, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Substitute Nicolo Barella scored a stoppage-time equaliser for Inter Milan to rescue a dramatic 1-1 draw at home to Slavia Prague in their opening Champions League group game on Tuesday.

The Czech side, beaten on all six previous visits to Italy, took a shock lead through Peter Olayinka in the 63rd minute to stun the San Siro.

Inter were struggling to find a reply until Stefano Sensi smashed a free kick against the crossbar and Barella fired in the rebound in the second minute of stoppage time.

Despite Inter’s relief, they may still come to regret the loss of two home points in a group which also includes Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

 

Sport

Inter Milan forward Icardi joins PSG on one-year loan

Icardi

Milan, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi, their leading scorer in each of the last five seasons and former captain, has joined Paris St Germain on a year-long loan, the Serie A side said on Monday.

The move will interrupt a turbulent six-year spell at Inter for the Argentine, who has fallen out with fans along on the way.

He also provided fodder for gossip columns thanks to his marriage to Wanda Nara, a media personality who also acts as his agent.

Inter said that as part of the deal it had also extended Icadi’s contract by two years until 2022.

The move was to avoid the possibility of him leaving as a free agent next year.

“The Argentine forward has signed for the French club on an initial year-long loan with the option to make the deal permanent at the end of this period,” said an Inter statement.

Earlier, Gazzetta dello Sport published a photograph of Icardi and Nara at Malpensa airport, saying they would board a private jet for Paris to finalise the deal.

The 26-year-old is an out-and-out centre forward who is deadly in the penalty area but whose contribution elsewhere on the pitch has been questioned.

He scored 124 goals in 219 appearances in all competitions during six years at Inter.

Despite his scoring exploits, Icardi fell out with the club’s hard-core fans over his account of an argument with supporters in his autobiography in 2016.

Curva Nord ultras responded that “Icardi is not our captain, not now or ever”, and applauded when he missed a penalty in one of Inter’s next games.

In February, he was stripped of the captaincy after becoming embroiled in protracted negotiations over a new contract.

He then said he could not play because of a knee injury, although the club said a medical examination had found nothing wrong.

He returned to the side in April after talks between his lawyer and the club.

Luciano Spalletti, the Inter coach at the time, said then that it was “humiliating” for Inter to have to negotiate with a player to get him to play.

Spalletti left the club at the end of last season and was replaced by Antonio Conte, who said that Icardi did not figure in his plans for the future. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/ETS

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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

 

Sport

Inter Milan hand Icardi’s number 9 shirt to Lukaku

Shirt
Milan (Italy), Aug. 9, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Inter Milan’s new signing Romelu Lukaku has been handed the coveted number nine shirt which previously belonged to Mauro Icardi who was stripped of the captaincy last season.

Inter Milan posted a photograph of the Belgian forward wearing the shirt on the club’s Instagram account one day after confirming they had signed him from Manchester United.

Icardi has been Inter Milan’s leading goalscorer for each of the last five seasons.

But new coach Antonio Conte, who replaced Luciano Spalletti after last season, has already said the Argentine is not part of his plans.

Other players to have worn the shirt include Brazilian Ronaldo, Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o and Argentine Hernan Crespo.

Lukaku said Conte was one of the main reasons he signed for the club.

The Italian had won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus and an English Premier League (EPL) and FA Cup with Chelsea.

“Yes, the coach was a key factor. He’s the best coach in the world: he manages to improve his players, while his career speaks for itself,” Lukaku told Inter Milan’s TV channel.

The 26-year-old was also motivated by the challenge of helping to rebuild Inter Milan, who have spent nearly a decade in the shadow of bitter rivals Juventus.

Inter Milan, who finished fourth in Serie A last season, have not won a major title since the Coppa Italia in 2011.

Juventus on the other hand have won Serie A for the last eight seasons.

“I needed the challenge where I could help the team build for the future and everything is present here to help me,” he said.

“Here, the foundations are there to do well. Through my commitment and my desire to perform, I want to help this team achieve big things.”(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Inter coach says Icardi will return to the side on Wednesday

Inter coach says Icardi will return to the side on Wednesday

soccer

Milan, April 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi, out of the team and clearly out of favour since mid-February amid protracted contract-renewal talks, will return for Wednesday’s Serie A match at Genoa, coach Luciano Spalletti said Tuesday.

Inter’s leading scorer in each of the last four seasons was stripped of the captain’s armband after becoming embroiled in negotiations over a new contract.

The Argentine then said he could not play because of a knee problem.

But the situation appears to have rectified itself.

“Icardi has been selected and tomorrow will be in the starting line-up,” Spalletti told a press conference. “The conditions are now right for Mauro to help the team again.

“He’s displayed the right reaction,” the coach added. “He’s trained well in the past few days… Blood, sweat and tears are needed when you play for our colours.”

Inter, chasing a top-four finish which would earn them a Champions League place next season, are third in Serie A although only eight points separate them from Torino in ninth.

Icardi returned to training last week after negotiations between his lawyer and the club, but he was left out of the team by Spalletti for Sunday’s match at home to Lazio, which Inter lost 1-0.

Spalletti’s tone on Tuesday was markedly different from after Sunday’s match when he said it had been “humiliating” for Inter to have to negotiate with a player to get him to play.

On Tuesday he said that chief executive Giuseppe Marotta had played a crucial role in patching up the situation and that there were no rifts between Icardi and the rest of the squad.

“Our squad is united as one. We’re strong,” he insisted.(Reuters/NAN)

OAC/MZA

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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

 

Sport

Inter Milan edge past Sampdoria as Icardi watches from stands

Serie A
Milan (Italy), Feb. 17, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Inter Milan ended a turbulent week by beating Sampdoria 2-1 in Serie A on Sunday under the gaze of injured top scorer Mauro Icardi.

The Argentine striker was stripped of the captaincy on Wednesday amid protracted negotiations over a new contract.

He had then refused to travel for their UEFA Europa League fixture against Rapid Vienna the following day.

The club subsequently announced Icardi would miss the visit of Sampdoria through injury.

The 25-year-old watched from the stands at San Siro as new captain Samir Handanovic led out the team.

Danilo D’Ambrosio and Radja Nainggolan struck for the Nerazzurri either side of Samp substitute Manolo Gabbiadini’s goal in the space of five second half minutes.

The victory relieved the pressure on coach Luciano Spalletti as Inter Milan restored a four-point cushion over rivals
AC Milan in third place with their second consecutive league win.

Spalletti had a message for his star striker after the game.

“I very much appreciated that he was in the stadium and I would’ve appreciated it even more if he had come into the dressing room afterwards to celebrate with us.

“It was a very important victory for the team and he is part of this group,” he told Italian broadcasters.

“There are more steps to be made, which are for him to come to the dressing room, to enjoy being a part of this very good group, to relish wearing the glorious jersey of a club like Inter Milan. That sort of thing.”

It took 73 minutes for the first goal to be scored and it came from an unlikely source.

Full-back D’Ambrosio poked in Ivan Perisic’s low cross to score his first goal of the season.

The lead lasted three minutes before substitute Gabbiadini scored with his first touch, the striker profiting from some hesitant defending to finish into the corner.

Nainggolan restored Inter Milan’s lead two minutes later with a well-taken finish from the edge of the area.

Inter Milan remain in third place on 46 points, while Sampdoria are 10th on 33 points having won just one of their last six Serie A matches.(Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)