Down to Ten Men

The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of world football, so it would surely seem unthinkable that one of only eight nations to have won the competition would fail to qualify for Russia 2018.

Well, this is exactly the fate that befell the Azzurri following a slender 1-0 aggregate defeat to a Zlatan-less Sweden in November's World Cup qualifiers. And, just as the 2-1 defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016 brought the curtain down on England’s Lampard, Gerrard and eventually Wayne Rooneys’ international future, this result signalled the end of an era in international football for a whole host of Italy’s ageing stars.

AC Milan head coach Vincenzo Montella has got a vote of confidence from sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli following the Rossoneri's 2-0 defeat at the hands of AS Roma on Sunday.

The Serie A outfit succumbed to their third loss in seven league games over the weekend, and this has increased the pressure on the manager, who spent over €200 million on 11 players in the summer.

In football’s own Garden of Eden, nothing ever seems to stay rosy for long. Less than six months after making history with his Chelsea side, Antonio Conte is being linked with a move away from London.

The 48-year-old is being touted for a return to the Italian national team ahead of the World Cup in 2018 – assuming they win their play-off match, that is, after being resoundingly outpointed by Spain in their qualification group.

Roma ace Alessandro Florenzo has insisted that he has come back stronger after recovering from consecutive anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

The right-back played the full 90 minutes of the 3-0 triumph over Hellas Verona, and it was his first competitive appearance in almost a year.

Totttenham Hotspur have finally made their first signing of this summer’s transfer window in the person of Ajax Amsterdam’s Davidson Sanchez after the Dutch giants reportedly agreed to accept Spurs’ €40 million.

Since starring in last season’s Europa League final in a Man-of-the-Match like manner despite being on the losing side, the Colombia international’s performance that night triggered a lot of suitors who quickly dug into his past and discovered the youngster was worth investing in.

Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger says he is awaiting justice from world football regulating body FIFA and the Italian Football Association after he suffered racial abuse last term.

The former AS Roma star moved to England in a £34 million deal but he has not forgotten his experience in Italy.