Davide Calabria is expected to start in AC Milan’s game against Cagliari this evening, playing from the first minute for the first time since August. Given the struggles this season, he will step onto the pitch with a clear mission.
Despite being the captain of the team, Calabria hasn’t worn it much this season as Emerson Royal has been the preferred choice on the right-hand side. Due to a suspension for the Brazilian this evening, though, the Italian will get the nod from start.
It will be his first league start since August 24, when Milan lost 2-1 against Parma away from home. He also started the first game of the season, the 2-2 draw against Torino. It should be noted that he has three starts in the Champions League, and one in Coppa Italia, but very few in the league.
Granted that he has missed a few games due to injury as well, it’s clear that Calabria hasn’t been able to prove that he should be a starter. Tonight’s game is thus the perfect opportunity to impress Conceicao, especially considering Emerson Royal’s defensive blunder against Inter.
Another factor to consider is his expiring contract. Milan are not too keen on a renewal as things stand, but perhaps their stance could change with a good second half of the season. It’s unlikely, but not impossible and Calabria will surely do everything he can to prove the management wrong.
Milan Futuro fell to an embarrassing defeat in their first home game of 2025, which might force reflections on Daniele Bonera’s position as manager.
The Futuro suffered their worst defeat of the season yesterday, and not just in terms of the scoreline but also the way that they were completely taken apart inside the first half, admittedly against an in-form team.
Bonera’s side found themselves three goals down after less than 15 minutes and four goals down by the break. Eventually, they would lose 5-1 as the second half wasn’t much better. This has led to reports that the management are pondering whether to chance the coach.
Pietro Mazzara has published his weekly column for MilanNews and in the final paragraph he spoke about the situation related to the Futuro, including the role of the head coach.
“A deep reflection must then be made on Milan Futuro. The humiliating 1-5 suffered yesterday against Torres accentuates even more the poor ranking of the second Rossoneri team in group B of Serie C,” he began.
“But it is the entire management of this very important project that absolutely needs to be reviewed. The 12 million invested at the beginning (which will then be even more with the January market) are not paying off today.
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“The original plan, it is no mystery, was for Milan Futuro to be coached by Ignazio Abate who would have continued the excellent work done in the Primavera in the two previous seasons with a semifinal and a final (unfortunately lost) of the Youth League.
“The change of plans, due to the disagreements with Ibrahimovic, has brought Daniele Bonera to the bench, who is probably paying for his inexperience in such a delicate role in a real league like Serie C.
“And more than a few doubts, among all the insiders, arise regarding who is leading – without experience in Italian football – such an important project that cannot afford to fail.”
Noah Okafor has confirmed that he is heading to RB Leipzig from AC Milan, but didn’t rule out the possibility of returning.
An update from Fabrizio Romano earlier today (among other sources) confirmed that the Swiss forward will begin a new adventure in the Bundesliga. Milan and Leipzig agreed an initial loan with an option to buy set at €25-28m.
Okafor has just arrived at Linate Airport where he will catch a flight to Germany, complete his medical and sign his contract with Leipzig. He had some words for the reporters present.
“Thank you Milan. Maybe we’ll see each other again. In life you never know. Leipzig was the best choice. Thanks to the fans. I’m leaving a place that will forever be in my heart,” he said.
✈️ Okafor has arrived at Linate Airport ahead of his move to Leipzig.
🗣️ “Thank you Milan. Maybe we’ll see each other again. In life you never know. Leipzig was the best choice. Thanks to the fans. I’m leaving a place that will forever be in my heart.”pic.twitter.com/YkqcovWd3w
Having joined from another club in the Red Bull group – Salzburg – in the 2023 summer window, Okafor has played 54 times for Milan with seven goals and five assists.
Simon Kjaer has made the decision to hang up his boots at the age of 35, and declared it a dream ending to have played his last game for AC Milan.
Kjaer ended up playing over 600 games in an illustrious career which saw him turn out for Palermo, Roma, Atalanta, Milan, Wolfsburg, Lille and Sevilla. He made 132 appearances for the Danish national team too, captaining them in major tournaments.
After weeks of speculation about whether or not he would pen a new deal, the agent of Kjaer – Mikkel Beck – confirmed before the end of last season that the defender would leave Milan at the end of the season once his contract expired.
He gave an emotional speech on the field at San Siro to bid farewell, and then it was a case of where he might go next with various options mentioned, such as a possible return to his home land of Denmark.
The announcement has now arrived that Kjaer has decided to officially retire from football having been without a club since leaving Milan in the summer, and he gave an interview to TV2 Sport in Denmark to confirm it.
“It’s not a decision I made after the summer, I had been thinking about it since before the European Championship. In the autumn of 2023, I can see that my time at Milan could be coming to an end and I asked myself what I was going to do then,” he said (via BeSoccer).
“From here there were many components that influenced the future. The children, the family, the national team and Milan, the club of dreams. There were many things that meant that after the European Championship it ended like this.
“I waited for something to arrive, but I had to decide first for my family and then for the sporting aspect. I don’t regret anything. I don’t miss anything in this sense.
“I had the end of my time at Milan in mind. I knew very well that it was going to be very complicated to find something else and the process, in my mind, could not have had a better outcome. I had my farewell at the San Siro. There, I knew it was my end.
“I have had no need to inform anyone but myself. Looking back, easily, I could have made a much more mediatic farewell and signed for another big club after Milan, but I have no need. That’s why we are also sitting here in January: because, for me, it was not important to have a big farewell.”
AC Milan are leading the race to sign Samuele Ricci from Torino, but they will likely have to wait until the summer transfer window.
As Calciomercato.com report, the fact that Ricci has just extended his contract until 2028 does not mean that he will definitely remain at Torino into next season. As happened with Gleison Bremer first and then Alessandro Buongiorno, it is more about leverage for the selling club.
The 23-year-old midfielder will be sold in the summer because he is very tempted by the idea of a jump to a big club. Half of Europe are admirers of the Italy international, having noticed his development in the past 18 months in particular.
Both Milan clubs, Juventus, Napoli and teams abroad want Ricci and he will be a protagonist in the 2025 summer mercato. The team that moves first can often get a big advantage in the race, and the club that has are Sergio Conceição’s Milan.
In recent days, the Rossoneri management tried to sound out Torino regarding a sale as early as the January window. The response from the Granata was a firm no, but Milan are well ahead in the Ricci race in view of next season, with an operation worth at least €30m in the pipeline.
There has always been a vocal section of the AC Milan fan base calling for a 4-3-3 system, but what we have seen under Sergio Conceicao so far casts doubt on its suitability.
MilanNews recall what Conceicao said after Saturday’s frustrating 1-1 draw against Cagliari at San Siro: “I’ve been a coach for 13 years, comparing the quality of this group to what we did, it was the weakest first half since I’ve been coaching. We lacked rhythm, quality, they were all in front of the goal. We had to find references, depth and we weren’t that good and intelligent on this level.”
Without mincing words, the coach made it clear what he thought of the tempo and the (lack of) aggression from his team. They lined up in a quite tidy 4-3-3 formation, and while the approach play was good the end product was sorely lacking.
Milan were a flat team (as it happened in Milan-Roma with the switch to 3-4-1-2 after Samuel Chukwueze’s injury), halted on the opponents’ defensive line. The central areas became overcrowded because the midfielders were making runs at the wrong time and the two full-backs were coming inside instead of giving width.
There was an incessant search for vertical movement of the ball that led both to some interesting exchanges but not very dangerous shots, and instead to a build-up phase that was too frenetic and easily readable by the Sardinian rearguard.
Conceiçao’s analysis continued as follows: “We lacked width, and when we had this width we were too still, it seemed like we were filming the game. Leao against two or three needs support and different movements, him and Pulisic on the other side. There is a lot of work to do, you saw well. It is one of the problems, not only that.”
The coach is aware of this problem and had no qualms about underlining it in his post-match comments, just as he tried to make himself understood by the players while he was on the bench. He stood and barked orders at the players, even throwing his jacket down despite the freezing temperatures.
The goal came in a more direct manner, with the Milan lines spaces apart rather than squashed up looking for some quick interplay to try and pick the lock. Theo Hernandez picked up the ball, crossed for Christian Pulisic in space and then Alvaro Morata was on hand to fire in when the volley hit the post.
The 4-3-3 is not a solution to be thrown away because it seems to give greater balance and security to the team, but it will be necessary to correct all those defects that make the attacking manoeuvre predictable and readable.
Conceiçao however has not hidden the fact that he wants to get to the use of two strikers as soon as possible, with work and perhaps also with help from the transfer window. He even admitted that he is having to adapt his style to the players he has, with tomorrow against Como a chance to put things right.
It has been a rollercoaster few days regarding Noah Okafor’s future, but it appears that he will finally get his move to RB Leipzig after all.
To recap the news, stories emerged last week suggesting that Okafor was on the radar of Leipzig as they aim to strengthen their attack with negotiations beginning over what was touted to be a permanent deal at first.
Then, Fabrizio Romano was among the sources to state a few days ago that Milan and the Bundesliga side had agreed a loan deal for Okafor, with an option to buy that is set at a surprisingly high €25-28m.
However, following the 1-1 draw with Cagliari on Saturday night, Gianluca Di Marzio spoke of there being a blockage because the Swiss forward is still carrying an injury and the German club are looking at other targets.
Now, a new update has come from Romano on his X profile which suggests that there will be a positive conclusion to the operation after all.
“Noah Okafor will arrive in Leipzig today to sign in at RB Leipzig for €1m loan fee and salary covered. €25/28m buy option clause not mandatory included. Plan confirmed,” he states.
Okafor has largely played the role of impact substitute since arriving at Milan from Red Bull Salzburg in the 2023 summer window, and his most recent goal was in the first game of the season, the 2-2 draw with Torino.
An Englishman will strengthen the AC Milan squad during the January window, but the management need to decide which one it will be.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, we will see soon whether it will be Marcus Rashford or Kyle Walker. Milan will speak with Manchester United regarding the former in the next couple of days, while for the latter Manchester City seem willing to let him leave for free.
Due to the amended rule on non-EU players born in England, the club can only sign one. If until a few days ago Rashford seemed the absolute priority to strengthen the attack, there is now a reflection underway.
It is clear that the players have different roles, but the parameters and formulas of the two operations are also different. Sergio Conceicao considers the team already strong and who is focused on how to make it perform according to its potential.
He will evaluate in the coming days whether the City defender or the United forward could be more useful to his way of playing. In the meantime, the management will try to fully clarify the parameters of the two deals that arise from the common desire of the two players to leave Manchester.
Rashford negotiation
Rashford wasn’t even called up for the FA Cup match that the Red Devils won on penalties away against Arsenal, and it seems that he has had a total break with the new head coach Ruben Amorim.
The player’s entourage have received interest from various clubs in recent days: among the possible destinations at the moment there are no teams from Saudi Arabia, which United would like because they could even try to sell the player without giving him on loan with part of his salary paid.
In this sense, they would also avoid seeing Marcus return in the summer summer and would no longer have to worry about paying him a salary of €13.5m net per season until 2028. Rashford really likes the idea of joining Milan though, and he has let the directors know.
It is no coincidence that on Saturday Zlatan told Sky and DAZN: “When I played with him in Manchester he was really strong. In my opinion he can cover all the roles up front and makes the difference.”
Having Rashford would given Conceicao a wild card for the attack. The problem is that so far Rashford’s agent and brother have been procrastinating, making it clear that they like the transfer to Milan, but not closing the doors to the likes of Spurs, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.
Walker on a free
Walker, on the other hand, has put the Rossoneri at the top of his list of priorities. It was his agent who sounded out the waters with the management in recent days and the conditions he hypothesised are a free transfer to Milanello and a contract until 2027.
If the player does not change his mind and is not convinced by Pep Guardiola to stay, City will let him go for free as a sign of recognition after an incredible career with the Citizens (he was bought in 2017 for €52m, and is the team captain).
Even though he is 34 now, Walker has asked for a two-and-a-half year contract, spreading over this period the €9m net per season plus bonuses that he still has to receive from City (€6m net per season).
The England internationalcan play both as a centre-back and as a right-back. He would give leadership to the department and the dressing room in light of his impressive personal trophy cabinet. His arrival would not exclude the purchase of a striker either, with Noah Okafor set for RB Leipzig.
Barcelona thrashed rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Hansi Flick era.
Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.
The Catalans were reduced to 10 men when Mbappe sped in at the other end, rounding goalkeeper Szczesny, who brought him down outside the area and after a VAR review was dismissed.
Madrid were hoping to avenge their 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona in October’s LaLiga Clasico but instead were left battered and bruised by their arch-rivals in Jeddah.
After Mbappe’s opener, Lamine Yamal levelled and Robert Lewandowski sent Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot, with Raphinha bagging a brace and Alejandro Balde also on target.
Rodrygo Goes pulled one back for Madrid with a free-kick but they could not capitalise further on their numerical advantage in a humiliating defeat for the European champions.
Barcelona manager Flick said: “I think today is a good day because we beat one of the best teams in the world, for the second time this season, Real Madrid, and this is unbelievable.
Barcelona whip Athletic Bilbao to reach Spanish Super Cup final
“We won a title here and we are really happy… today is a day to look positively at this team.”
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team’s poor defending was the main reason for the heavy defeat.
Ancelotti said: “We defended badly and that cost us the game – they found their goals quite easily.
“We’re sad, like all our fans, it’s disappointing and we don’t have to hide that. We have to look forward, there’s nothing else we can do.”
“He was the best (Madrid player),” Ancelotti added, noting an improvement after Mbappe’s hit-and-miss start to life at the club following his switch from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
“We can’t always win, if we have to lose a cup, it’s better that it’s this one,” said veteran Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described their FA Cup third-round defeat to Manchester United as a “one in a thousand” occurrence.
The Gunners lost out in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Bruno Fernandes gave United the lead in the 52nd minute before Diogo Dalot saw red nine minutes later. Gabriel Magalhães equalised almost immediately. But despite playing nearly an hour against 10 men, Arsenal were unable to score again.
Captain Martin Ødegaard missed a penalty 18 minutes from the end of normal time.
The hosts registered 26 shots in total, with Havertz guilty of two bad misses. He was also the only player to fail in the shootout, as Altay Bayindir saved his spot-kick to give Joshua Zirkzee the chance to win the game and set up a fourth-round tie for United at home to Leicester City.
“It’s unbelievable,” Arteta told the BBC.
“Obviously, you measure the performance and what we did in relation to the opposition; you know, you deserve to win the game by a mile.
“But the reality is we are out, and the only thing that’s going to be judged is that, but internally I can’t.
“I love my players. I love our team, and I love how good they are and what they do because, in 1,000 games, you should lose one, and probably it was this one. You have to understand this as well; it’s part of our industry, our game, and we move on because you don’t have time to dwell on it. On Wednesday, we have a massive one.”