Inter Milan have been crowned Italian Seria A champions in a way that their fans will find particularly satisfying. They secured the 2023-24 title with a 2-1 win over their bitter cross-town rivals AC Milan on Monday night.

Inter opened the scoring in Derby della Madonnina through defender Francesco Acerbi in the 18th minute before forward Marcus Thuram made it 2-0 early in the second half. AC Milan managed to find the net in the 80th minute thanks to Fikayo Tomori, but that wasn’t enough to spoil their rival’s celebration. 

Inter is now sitting at the top of Seria A standings with 86 points, while AC Milan is second with 17 points less. There are five games left to be played in the 2023-24 Seria A season, making it impossible for anyone to catch Inter.

Inter won the Seria A last time in 2020–21, before finishing second and third, respectively. However, they managed to win the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup in each of the past two seasons.

With another Seria A title in their cabinets, Inter now has a total of 20 national league titles, which is one more than AC Milan’s 19 and second most in Italian soccer. Juventus has the most top-flight titles with 36.  

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Juventus will have a new head coach next season. According to Calciomercato.com, Seria A powerhouse has reached an “agreement in principle” with Bologna’s Thiago Motta.

Current Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is expected to leave the club at the end of the season despite having one more year left on his deal. Allegri is believed to want a new challenge after coaching the club for a decade across two stints.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that Juventus turned to Motta, considering that the former Italy international became one of the most respected young coaches in the game. Motta has been doing a great job with Bologna this season, getting them on the verge of securing a UEFA Champions League spot.

Curiously, Bologna is currently sitting in fourth place in the Seria A standings behind third-placed Juventus. The difference between the two clubs is four points, with seven games left to play.

Thiago Motta has had an accomplished career as a player, representing Barcelona, Genoa, Juve’s bitter rivals Inter Milan, as well as Paris Saint-Germain. Motta started his managerial career with PSG’s U19 team before embarking on stints with Genoa and Spezia. He was hired by Bologna early in the 2022-23 season and led the team to a ninth-place finish.

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Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is enjoying his time away from soccer. And he isn’t planning to quit it short in order to take over reigning Seria A champions Napoli.

Napoli has been playing poorly so far in 2023-24, finding themselves in fifth place with four wins and 14 points in eight games. After title-winning manager Luciano Spalletti stepped away in the summer, the Italian club hired Rudi Garcia as his replacement, but it is turning out to be an underwhelming choice.

According to reports from Italian media outlets, Napoli is currently exploring options to replace Garcia and has Conte as their primary target. But the four-time Seria A-winning manager has rejected the rumors in a recent Instagram story, saying that he isn’t ready to return to coaching.

“I persistently hear market rumors that link me to important clubs, but I reiterate that for the time being, my wish is to stay put and enjoy my family,” Conte stated.

Antonio Conte has been unemployed since March when he left Tottenham in a controversial fashion. He previously coached Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Juventus, among other clubs, while also being at the helm of the Italian national team.

Conte’s managerial resume includes three Serie A titles with Juventus, one Seria A title with Inter, and one Premier League title with Chelsea. 

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Italian center-back Leonardo Bonucci plans to have one more run with Juventus before riding off to the sunset. Bonucci, who serves as Juve’s captain, announced that he intends to retire from professional soccer after the 2023-24 season.

The 36-year-old player shared the news in a video celebrating his 500 appearances for Juve that was posted on Juve’s YouTube channel earlier this week.

“When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era — a way of defending Italian style,” said Bonucci.

Leonardo Bonucci joined Juventus in 2010 in a transfer from Bari, and his arrival coincided with the start of lengthy dominance in Seria A for the Turin club. Bonucci would go on to help Juve win eight domestic titles, four Coppa Italia trophies, and finish runner-up in UEFA Champions League twice. He briefly departed the club in 2017–18 to play for Milan but ended up returning after just one year.

This season was a challenging one for Juventus, as they dealt with a number of scandals and even had 15 points deducted at one point. This is likely the reason why Bonucci wants to play another year and end his career on a better note.

Bonucci also played a significant part in the Italian national team. He made 120 appearances in international games, helped the nation win UEFA European Championship in 2020, and is currently serving as the team’s captain.

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Italy’s football federation (FIGC) announced earlier this week that a big change is coming to Seria A. Moving forward, if two teams (or more) finish with the same number of points on the standings at the end of the season, the domestic title winner will be decided through playoffs.

In recent decades, the Seria A used head-to-head record in a particular season and goal difference to determine the winner if the top teams were level. Under the new rules, the teams will have to play a single, winner-takes-it-all match. In case the title game finishes tied, a penalty shootout will follow.

The FIGC’s move comes after the 2021-22 Seria A campaign came close to having two teams with the same number of points at the top. Crosstown rivals Inter and Milan were just two points apart entering the season’s final match before Milan secured the title with a win over Sassuolo.

The playoff rule isn’t new for Seria A, as the league used it in the past. Most notably, the winner of 1963–64 title was decided with a playoff match between Bologna and Inter Milan. Bologna went on to beat Inter 2-0. 

It is important to note that the playoff scenario will only take place if the teams at the top of the standings have the same number of points. For all the remaining level teams, the standard rules will apply.

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On Sunday afternoon, Juventus’ players casually walked on the field of their Allianz Stadium and started the pre-game warmups for their scheduled Seria A match that day. However, there was a slight issue. They didn’t have anyone to play, as their opponents Napoli failed to show up.

Instead of Allianz Stadium, Napoli players were hundreds of miles away in quarantine and with a travel ban on their hands. Italian authorities didn’t allow the team to travel after midfielders Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas tested positive for coronavirus.

Napoli received the notice earlier on Sunday and immediately reached out to Seria A for match postponement. After being rejected by the league, the team then contacted Juventus. The Turin club, badly needing points after a weak start of the season, refused to show compassion.

Reportedly, Seria A will now side with Juve and award the team a 3-0 win while Napoli will have one point deducted for failure to show up.

“De Laurentiis (Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis) sent me a message asking for the game to be postponed and I replied that, as always, Juventus will follow the rules,” said Juve’s president Andrea Agnelli said. “If we don’t, we are failing as citizens rather than sportsmen.”

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After Bundesliga resumed its season in May, other top soccer leagues in Europe are following its footsteps. England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Seria A all announced that they are returning in June after they previously suspended their seasons due to coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League announced on Thursday that the 2019/20 season will resume on June 17th with two matches: Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United and Manchester City vs. Arsenal. After these two games, the rest of the teams will also have their matches between 19th and 21st June.

On Friday, Seria A confirmed that the Italian clubs will also resume the 2019/20 season, with the first games being scheduled for June 20th. It is expected that teams play every three days in order to finish out the season as quickly as possible.

The earliest return, however, is reserved for La Liga, which resumes on June 11th with a match between Sevilla and Real Betis. According to the announcement, the games will be played each day in order to conclude the competition by July 19th.

Matches in all three leagues will be played without audience.

The post Premier League, La Liga, and Seria A Returning in June appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Inter Milan have been crowned Italian Seria A champions in a way that their fans will find particularly satisfying. They secured the 2023-24 title with a 2-1 win over their bitter cross-town rivals AC Milan on Monday night.

Inter opened the scoring in Derby della Madonnina through defender Francesco Acerbi in the 18th minute before forward Marcus Thuram made it 2-0 early in the second half. AC Milan managed to find the net in the 80th minute thanks to Fikayo Tomori, but that wasn’t enough to spoil their rival’s celebration. 

Inter is now sitting at the top of Seria A standings with 86 points, while AC Milan is second with 17 points less. There are five games left to be played in the 2023-24 Seria A season, making it impossible for anyone to catch Inter.

Inter won the Seria A last time in 2020–21, before finishing second and third, respectively. However, they managed to win the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup in each of the past two seasons.

With another Seria A title in their cabinets, Inter now has a total of 20 national league titles, which is one more than AC Milan’s 19 and second most in Italian soccer. Juventus has the most top-flight titles with 36.  

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Juventus will have a new head coach next season. According to Calciomercato.com, Seria A powerhouse has reached an “agreement in principle” with Bologna’s Thiago Motta.

Current Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is expected to leave the club at the end of the season despite having one more year left on his deal. Allegri is believed to want a new challenge after coaching the club for a decade across two stints.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that Juventus turned to Motta, considering that the former Italy international became one of the most respected young coaches in the game. Motta has been doing a great job with Bologna this season, getting them on the verge of securing a UEFA Champions League spot.

Curiously, Bologna is currently sitting in fourth place in the Seria A standings behind third-placed Juventus. The difference between the two clubs is four points, with seven games left to play.

Thiago Motta has had an accomplished career as a player, representing Barcelona, Genoa, Juve’s bitter rivals Inter Milan, as well as Paris Saint-Germain. Motta started his managerial career with PSG’s U19 team before embarking on stints with Genoa and Spezia. He was hired by Bologna early in the 2022-23 season and led the team to a ninth-place finish.

The post Juventus Reaches “Agreement in Principle” With Bologna’s Head Coach Thiago Motta appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is enjoying his time away from soccer. And he isn’t planning to quit it short in order to take over reigning Seria A champions Napoli.

Napoli has been playing poorly so far in 2023-24, finding themselves in fifth place with four wins and 14 points in eight games. After title-winning manager Luciano Spalletti stepped away in the summer, the Italian club hired Rudi Garcia as his replacement, but it is turning out to be an underwhelming choice.

According to reports from Italian media outlets, Napoli is currently exploring options to replace Garcia and has Conte as their primary target. But the four-time Seria A-winning manager has rejected the rumors in a recent Instagram story, saying that he isn’t ready to return to coaching.

“I persistently hear market rumors that link me to important clubs, but I reiterate that for the time being, my wish is to stay put and enjoy my family,” Conte stated.

Antonio Conte has been unemployed since March when he left Tottenham in a controversial fashion. He previously coached Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Juventus, among other clubs, while also being at the helm of the Italian national team.

Conte’s managerial resume includes three Serie A titles with Juventus, one Seria A title with Inter, and one Premier League title with Chelsea. 

The post Antonio Conte Insists He Isn’t Ready to Return to Coaching Amid Napoli Rumors appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Italian center-back Leonardo Bonucci plans to have one more run with Juventus before riding off to the sunset. Bonucci, who serves as Juve’s captain, announced that he intends to retire from professional soccer after the 2023-24 season.

The 36-year-old player shared the news in a video celebrating his 500 appearances for Juve that was posted on Juve’s YouTube channel earlier this week.

“When I stop playing next year, it will be the end of a defensive era — a way of defending Italian style,” said Bonucci.

Leonardo Bonucci joined Juventus in 2010 in a transfer from Bari, and his arrival coincided with the start of lengthy dominance in Seria A for the Turin club. Bonucci would go on to help Juve win eight domestic titles, four Coppa Italia trophies, and finish runner-up in UEFA Champions League twice. He briefly departed the club in 2017–18 to play for Milan but ended up returning after just one year.

This season was a challenging one for Juventus, as they dealt with a number of scandals and even had 15 points deducted at one point. This is likely the reason why Bonucci wants to play another year and end his career on a better note.

Bonucci also played a significant part in the Italian national team. He made 120 appearances in international games, helped the nation win UEFA European Championship in 2020, and is currently serving as the team’s captain.

The post Juve’s Leonardo Bonucci Says He’ll Retire After 2023-24 Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Italy’s football federation (FIGC) announced earlier this week that a big change is coming to Seria A. Moving forward, if two teams (or more) finish with the same number of points on the standings at the end of the season, the domestic title winner will be decided through playoffs.

In recent decades, the Seria A used head-to-head record in a particular season and goal difference to determine the winner if the top teams were level. Under the new rules, the teams will have to play a single, winner-takes-it-all match. In case the title game finishes tied, a penalty shootout will follow.

The FIGC’s move comes after the 2021-22 Seria A campaign came close to having two teams with the same number of points at the top. Crosstown rivals Inter and Milan were just two points apart entering the season’s final match before Milan secured the title with a win over Sassuolo.

The playoff rule isn’t new for Seria A, as the league used it in the past. Most notably, the winner of 1963–64 title was decided with a playoff match between Bologna and Inter Milan. Bologna went on to beat Inter 2-0. 

It is important to note that the playoff scenario will only take place if the teams at the top of the standings have the same number of points. For all the remaining level teams, the standard rules will apply.

The post Seria A Title to Be Decided with a Playoff Game if Top Teams Finish Level appeared first on SportzBonanza.

On Sunday afternoon, Juventus’ players casually walked on the field of their Allianz Stadium and started the pre-game warmups for their scheduled Seria A match that day. However, there was a slight issue. They didn’t have anyone to play, as their opponents Napoli failed to show up.

Instead of Allianz Stadium, Napoli players were hundreds of miles away in quarantine and with a travel ban on their hands. Italian authorities didn’t allow the team to travel after midfielders Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas tested positive for coronavirus.

Napoli received the notice earlier on Sunday and immediately reached out to Seria A for match postponement. After being rejected by the league, the team then contacted Juventus. The Turin club, badly needing points after a weak start of the season, refused to show compassion.

Reportedly, Seria A will now side with Juve and award the team a 3-0 win while Napoli will have one point deducted for failure to show up.

“De Laurentiis (Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis) sent me a message asking for the game to be postponed and I replied that, as always, Juventus will follow the rules,” said Juve’s president Andrea Agnelli said. “If we don’t, we are failing as citizens rather than sportsmen.”

The post Napoli Fails to Show up for Seria A Match against Juventus appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After Bundesliga resumed its season in May, other top soccer leagues in Europe are following its footsteps. England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Seria A all announced that they are returning in June after they previously suspended their seasons due to coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League announced on Thursday that the 2019/20 season will resume on June 17th with two matches: Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United and Manchester City vs. Arsenal. After these two games, the rest of the teams will also have their matches between 19th and 21st June.

On Friday, Seria A confirmed that the Italian clubs will also resume the 2019/20 season, with the first games being scheduled for June 20th. It is expected that teams play every three days in order to finish out the season as quickly as possible.

The earliest return, however, is reserved for La Liga, which resumes on June 11th with a match between Sevilla and Real Betis. According to the announcement, the games will be played each day in order to conclude the competition by July 19th.

Matches in all three leagues will be played without audience.

The post Premier League, La Liga, and Seria A Returning in June appeared first on SportzBonanza.