Serie A

As Serie A returns after a break of over 50 days, Stephen Kasiewicz looks to 10 promising players to watch in the second part of the campaign.

Yet homegrown players continue to emerge and flourish in Serie A. [Napoli](/teams/napoli) in mid-November and has been connected with a move to the Partenopei. Budget constraints and expansive scouting networks have led clubs to shop in previously uncharted markets. [Spezia](/teams/spezia) before the World Cup. [Milan](/teams/milan) to a goalless draw in early November. [Inter](/teams/inter) and [Sampdoria](/teams/sampdoria) have the oldest players pools at 28.2 and 28.3 years, respectively.

Sandro Tonali scored a goal and set up another to guide AC Milan to a 2-1 victory at Salernitana on Wednesday as Serie A returned after a seven-week break ...

Milan could have added more goals but they missed chances, including from Giroud. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story SALERNO, Italy, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Sandro Tonali scored a goal and set up another to guide AC Milan to a 2-1 victory at Salernitana on Wednesday as Serie A returned after a seven-week break for the World Cup and the festive season.

AC Milan started 2023 with a cagey 2-1 win at Salernitana as they moved within five points of leaders Napoli in Serie A.

Leao for his threat and danger which ultimately gave his side the lead or Tonali for how he dictated much of the game, as well as how calmly he took his goal, and if it wasn’t for a rather underwhelming performance from Milan in the second half, it may have gone to either of the pair. Leao once again causing trouble on the left, beating his full-back, his shot is deflected and causes a scramble in the box, it then falls to Diaz, who calmly plays it into to Tonali, and the midfielder makes no mistakes. They still have a great chance at the title, but that can’t happen with performances such as the one they displayed in the second half today. But it turned out to be merely a consolation goal as Milan held out for the win. His shot was deflected but not cleared as it fell to Sandro Tonali outside the box, and his crack at it was saved by Ochoa, but once again not cleared. And so Diaz managed to latch onto it and calmly pass it into the path of Tonali, who made no mistake with his second bite to put Milan two to the good.

Sandro Tonali scored a goal and set up another to guide AC Milan to a 2-1 victory as Serie A returned from a seven-week break.

Lorenzo Pellegrini’s early penalty proved enough for Roma to get back on track with a 1-0 home win over Bologna. José Mourinho’s side moved level on points with fifth-placed Lazio, who fell to a 2-1 loss at Lecce. Rafael Leão put Milan ahead in the 10th minute, picking up Tonali’s pass and going around goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa for a brilliant finish. [Milan](https://www.theguardian.com/football/acmilan) could have added more goals but they missed chances, including from Olivier Giroud – and almost paid the price as the hosts rallied. Napoli struggled for rhythm on their return after the seven-week World Cup and festive break, and Dzeko’s 56th-minute effort from Federico Dimarco’s cross proved enough. Sandro Tonali scored a goal and set up another to guide Milan to a 2-1 victory at Salernitana.

Milan are decimated by injuries as they visit Guillermo Ochoa's Salernitana in the first Serie A match of 2023, but Olivier Giroud, Theo Hernandez and ...

[Davide Calabria](https://football-italia.net/player/davide-calabria/), while Giroud and Theo Hernandez are ready to start despite participating in the World Cup Final for France only a couple of weeks ago. [Guillermo Ochoa](https://football-italia.net/player/guillermo-ochoa/), with [Boulaye Dia](https://football-italia.net/player/boulaye-dia/) and former Milan striker [Krzysztof Piatek](https://football-italia.net/player/krzysztof-piatek/) leading the attack. [Antonio Candreva](https://football-italia.net/player/antonio-candreva/) suspended, with [Luigi Sepe](https://football-italia.net/player/luigi-sepe/), [Pasquale Mazzocchi](https://football-italia.net/player/pasquale-mazzocchi/) and Riccardo Maggiore injured. [Rafael](https://football-italia.net/player/rafael/) Leao too can start after impressing for [Portu](https://football-italia.net/player/portu/)gal in Qatar, with Brahim Diaz chosen rather than [Charles](https://football-italia.net/player/charles/) De Ketelaere. [Simon Kjaer](https://football-italia.net/player/simon-kjaer/) was the latest addition, joining [Mike Maignan](https://football-italia.net/player/mike-maignan/), [Ante Rebic](https://football-italia.net/player/ante-rebic/), [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://football-italia.net/player/zlatan-ibrahimovic/), [Rade Krunic](https://football-italia.net/player/rade-krunic/), [Divock Origi](https://football-italia.net/player/divock-origi/), Fode Ballo-Toure, [Junior Messias](https://football-italia.net/player/junior-messias/) and [Alessandro Florenzi](https://football-italia.net/player/alessandro-florenzi/). [Milan](/teams/milan) are decimated by injuries as they visit [Guillermo Ochoa](https://football-italia.net/player/guillermo-ochoa/)’s [Salernitana](/teams/salernitana) in the first Serie A match of 2023, but [Olivier Giroud](https://football-italia.net/player/olivier-giroud/), Theo Hernandez and [Rafael](https://football-italia.net/player/rafael/) Leao can start after the World Cup.

Serie A returns in 2023 with a Scudetto showdown between Inter and runaway leaders Napoli, as Romelu Lukaku and Edin Dzeko face off against Victor Osimhen ...

[Matteo Darmian](https://football-italia.net/player/matteo-darmian/) is chosen instead of the more attacking [Denzel Dumfries](https://football-italia.net/player/denzel-dumfries/). [Hakan Calhanoglu](https://football-italia.net/player/hakan-calhanoglu/) and [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://football-italia.net/player/henrikh-mkhitaryan/), with [Francesco Acerbi](https://football-italia.net/player/francesco-acerbi/) favoured over [Stefan de Vrij](https://football-italia.net/player/stefan-de-vrij/). [Inter](/teams/inter) and runaway leaders [Napoli](/teams/napoli), as [Romelu Lukaku](https://football-italia.net/player/romelu-lukaku/) and [Edin Dzeko](https://football-italia.net/player/edin-dzeko/) face off against [Victor Osimhen](https://football-italia.net/player/victor-osimhen/) and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Second-placed AC Milan cut the gap to five points. Edin Dzeko grabbed the winner for Inter against Napoli (Luca Bruno/AP) Gallery 4 ...

Oriol Soldevila scored a hat-trick for the home side, three times cancelling out strikes from Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha, before substitute Ansu Fati snatched the winner for the record 31-time winners two minutes before the end of the first period of extra-time. Udinese and Empoli also drew 1-1, with the visitors reduced to 10 men for the final 11 minutes following a second yellow card for Jean Akpa Akpro. The visitors laid siege to the Inter goal in the dying stages with substitute Giacomo Raspadori seeing a late low effort saved by Andre Onana.

Edin Dzeko bust open the Serie A title race on Wednesday with the only goal in Inter Milan's 1-0 win over Napoli which cut the leaders' advantage at the top ...

It's not simple facing Cremonese," said coach Massimiliano Allegri to DAZN. Cremonese are still yet to win a game in their first top flight season since 1996 but they struck the woodwork twice and will be encouraged by successive home draws with Milan and Juve either side of the break for the World Cup. Poland forward Arkadiusz Milik struck his fifth league goal of the season in added time with a free-kick which handed Juve their seventh straight win, a run in which they haven't conceded a goal and will give them a boost after scandal hit late last year. Simone Inzaghi's side sit fourth and are back in the discussion for the Scudetto after their third straight league win, one which puts some pressure on a Napoli team who threatened to run away with the league before the World Cup. Second-placed AC Milan were the main beneficiaries of their local rivals' win at the San Siro, their title defence boosted by a 2-1 win at Salernitana in the day's first match. Milan (AFP) – Edin Dzeko bust open the Serie A title race on Wednesday with the only goal in Inter Milan's 1-0 win over Napoli which cut the leaders' advantage at the top of the league to five points.

Inter Milan ended Napoli's unbeaten run in Serie A after Edin Dzeko's second half goal gave the home side all three points.

Lukaku crosses in for Dzeko who lays it off on a plate for Darmian who blazes it over. In the first half he should have had an assist after he laid off Matteo Darmian with a chance that Dzeko himself would have buried. He worked hard up front, looking to get on the ball when he could and make a nuisance of himself. Eleven minutes into the second half Inter deservedly took the lead, Dimarco curled in a fantastic cross from the left and Dzeko was on hand to emphatically head it past Alex Meret. If Napoli won tonight, they'd have extended their lead at the top to a healthy eight points, instead it stays at five. It was a complete contrast to their performance in the first half where, despite having the best chances, they didn't press with any real urgency or purpose.

Inter Milan took all three points from their Serie A clash thanks to Edin Dzeko's second-half strike. The former Manchester City striker gave the hosts the ...

'Being the first to beat Napoli, who were the only side in Europe´s top leagues without defeat this season, is a big confidence booster. Serie A leaders Napoli were dealt a defeat in their first match since the World Cup break Inter Milan 1-0 Napoli: Edin Dzeko's header consigns Serie A leaders to their first defeat of the season - leaving them five points clear - as Simone Inzaghi's side go fourth

Goals from Rafael Leao and Sandro Tonali put Milan in full control at Salernitana before a late strike from Federico Bonazzoli caused some anxious moments for ...

Oriol Soldevila scored a hat-trick for the home side, three times cancelling out strikes from Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha, before substitute Ansu Fati snatched the winner for the record 31-time winners two minutes before the end of the first period of extra-time. Udinese and Empoli also drew 1-1, with the visitors reduced to 10 men for the final 11 minutes following a second yellow card for Jean Akpa Akpro. The visitors laid siege to the Inter goal in the dying stages with substitute Giacomo Raspadori seeing a late low effort saved by Andre Onana.

Edin Džeko scored near the hour mark, goalkeeper André Onana made a big save in the 90th and Inter Milan beat Napoli 1-0 at the San Siro to reopen the race for ...

1 — a result that still enabled the Partenopei to win their group. “Several players weren’t up to form.” That its rivals weren’t given time to catch up to its high-paced play. [a knife attack](https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-europe-italy-milan-186ad6d8d3cd2f42bde8ac7a721c7c17) at a shopping center in October. [Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa](https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-soccer-europe-mexico-470302fe58952a43f0fbb71af3af7a02) made a Serie A debut to remember for Salernitana. That its rhythm wasn’t broken.

Edin Dzeko's header has blown the Scudetto race wide open, as Inter ended Napoli's unbeaten Serie A record and the lead at the top has been cut to five ...

[Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://football-italia.net/player/henrikh-mkhitaryan/)’s cross-field pass released Dimarco down the left and he whipped in the cross for Dzeko’s header from four yards. [Piotr Zielinski](https://football-italia.net/player/piotr-zielinski/) scuffing wide from the edge of the area, but Inter were more ineffective in front of goal as Lukaku fired over when sent through by a sensational [Nicolò Barella](https://football-italia.net/player/nicolo-barella/) back-heel flick assist. [Federico Dimarco](https://football-italia.net/player/federico-dimarco/) somehow fired over from point-blank range at the far post from the Belgian’s assist. [Hirving Lozano](https://football-italia.net/player/hirving-lozano/). The Partenopei had a full squad to choose from and ended 2022 with a run of 11 consecutive Serie A victories, leaving them as the only unbeaten side in Europe’s top five leagues. [Matteo Darmian](https://football-italia.net/player/matteo-darmian/) wasted a huge opportunity too, turning over from 12 yards after [Edin Dzeko](https://football-italia.net/player/edin-dzeko/) laid off a Lukaku pull-back from the by-line.

Goals from Rafael Leao and Sandro Tonali put Milan in full control at Salernitana before a late strike from Federico Bonazzoli caused some anxious moments for ...

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti bemoaned a drop off: "We weren't able to move the ball around with the same quality as usual," he said. "It's a big achievement beating Napoli," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. Juventus continued to press the top two but they left it late to claim their seventh straight win at Cremonese, with Arkadiusz Milik rifling home the only goal of the game from a stoppage time free-kick.

Inter prevented the title race in Serie A from turning into nothing more than a procession for Napoli with their convincing win over the league leaders.

Inter prevented the title race in Serie A from turning into nothing more than a procession for Napoli with their convincing win over the league leaders yesterday evening. Inter Milan Saved Serie A Title Race From Turning Into “Napoli-Fest” With Convincing Win Over Partenopei, Italian Media Argue The fact that the Partenopei looked none of those against an Inter side who outplayed them in virtually all phases of play, then, was a sign that the Serie A title race can have numerous more twists and turns, and that the front-runners are far from invincible.