New Juventus signing Diego stole the show in only his second Serie A start with two stunning goals in a 3-1 win at AS Roma on Sunday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Inter Milan's Ivan Perisic scored with almost the last kick of the game to snatch a 2-2 draw against AC Milan in Serie A under new coach Stefano Pioli after their neighbours twice led through Suso in Sunday's derby. Perisic turned the ball in at the far post to spare the blushes of his captain Mauro Icardi who had missed two simple chances which could have changed the course of the game. Antonio Candreva also scored a spectacular goal for Inter who made an encouraging start after Pioli was appointed last week with Frank de Boer having been fired after 85 days.
Francesco Totti has no shortage of obstacles standing in his way if he wants to come out of international retirement and play for Italy at the World Cup finals. The AS Roma striker quit the national team after their 2006 World Cup triumph but coach Marcello Lippi has consistently said he would consider the 33-year-old for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa if Totti reverses his decision.
Thiago Motta scored twice to help suspension-hit Inter Milan keep their noses in front in Serie A with a 3-0 win over Bologna on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
AC Milan wasted the latest in a series of chances to boost their Serie A title hopes when a depleted side were held 1-1 at home by Lazio on Sunday.
AS Roma and Juventus lost on their domestic returns from midweek UEFA Champions League action as their miserable starts to the season continued. In England, frontrunners Liverpool and Chelsea fared better with wins while Valencia top the table on goal difference in Spain and Lazio, Udinese and champions Inter Milan share the lead in Italy.
The result continued a dismal streak for Madrid, who have won only two of their last five games in all competitions
Marcos Alonso scored for Fiorentina and then almost immediately gifted Gonzalo Higuain the equaliser for Napoli in a pulsating, end-to-end 1-1 Serie A draw on Monday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Inter Milan into the Italian Cup semi-finals when his controversial winner sealed a 2-1 victory over holders AS Roma on Wednesday.
Francesco Totti's free-kick gave AS Roma a thrilling 3-2 win at AC Milan on Sunday to seal the final Europa League spot and ruin Paolo Maldini's last home appearance before retirement.
A round-up of matches played in the Serie A and French Ligue 1 on Sunday
Franck Ribery, who has been shortlisted for the prestigious FIFA-Ballon d'Or award, was named French Player of the Year on Tuesday by France Football magazine.
Two goals by Alberto Gilardino helped Fiorentina to a 4-1 win over 10-man AS Roma in Serie A on Saturday.
Real Madrid will not take any risk in rushing forward Gareth Bale back from injury and the Wales international will only return when he is ready, manager Zinedine Zidane said. Bale has not played since Jan. 17 after damaging a calf muscle in a La Liga match against Sporting Gijon. Spanish media have reported that Bale, whose Real career has been blighted by a succession of injuries, suffered a setback in his recovery. Zidane said Real needed to be "calm" about an injury that has been "going on for a bit more time for him". "If he's uncomfortable and it hurts him, it's normal that he could have a setback," Zidane told a news conference on Friday. "He's a very important player for us and we're not going to take any risks. We want him at 100 percent, not at 80 or 85." Zidane said Bale was "in good spirits" although he is set to miss at least the first leg of Real's Champions League last-16 clash with AS Roma in Italy on Wednesday.
Chelsea completed a clean sweep for English teams in the Champions League group stage after beating Cluj 2-1 on Tuesday to join holders Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in the last 16 of the competition.
AS Roma's Brazilian midfielder Mancini has become Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho's first major signing, the Italian champions said on Tuesday.
Inter Milan's aversion to Europa League football continued with a 3-1 defeat at Sparta Prague, while AS Roma ended a continental hoodoo stretching back seven games with a 4-0 home win over Romanian side FC Astra on Thursday.
Barcelona and Sporting advanced to the Champions League knockout stage while Inter Milan and Chelsea missed the chance to guarantee their places on Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard scored a controversial penalty deep into injury time to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in Champions League Group D on Tuesday. The Liverpool captain converted from the spot after he was challenged in the box by Mariano Pernia and Swedish referee Martin Hansson awarded a debatable penalty kick.
Holders Manchester United soothed a painful old wound for Alex Ferguson by knocking Inter Milan out of the Champions League on Wednesday, as Barcelona mauled Olympique Lyon 5-2 in a thrilling return to form. Arsenal made it four English teams in the quarter-finals for the second successive year, their youngsters showing great composure to see them home 7-6 on penalties away to AS Roma.
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho courted controversy again on Tuesday when he returned fire on his Serie A rivals in a row over a contested penalty in Sunday's 3-3 draw with AS Roma. Polemics have been flying since 18-year-old striker Mario Balotelli, who scored twice, helped league leaders Inter come back from 3-1 down by converting a penalty after going down in the area.
Teenager Mario Balotelli struck twice and Hernan Crespo scored a late equaliser as Serie A leaders Inter Milan rallied to draw 3-3 with AS Roma in a thriller at the San Siro on Sunday.
Chelsea, last season's beaten finalists, are taking nothing for granted in their first match against Romanian opposition despite Cluj's lack of European experience.
Romania's CFR Cluj shocked AS Roma 2-1 on their Champions League debut on Tuesday but there were no surprises for Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona or Inter Milan who all won their opening group games.
Manchester United could be without defender Rio Ferdinand while AS Roma will definitely be without striker Francesco Totti when the teams meet in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
Brazilian Julio Baptista struck twice to give AS Roma a 2-0 win over Sampdoria in their rearranged Serie A game on Wednesday.
Holders Manchester United will face familiar foes Celtic in this season's Champions League group stage.
New strikers Carlos Bacca and Luiz Adriano bagged their maiden Serie A goals to give AC Milan their first points of the season with a 2-1 home win over Empoli on Saturday.
Manchester United had English Premier League leaders Liverpool looking anxiously over their shoulders after a 3-0 drubbing of Chelsea on Sunday put the champions just five points off the pace with two games in hand. Barcelona left it late to win at Osasuna and go 12 points clear in Spain while David Beckham played almost all the match on his debut for AC Milan, a 2-2 draw at AS Roma.
David Beckham was handed a surprise start for AC Milan's Serie A game at AS Roma on Sunday.
AC Milan drew 2-2 at AS Roma on Sunday with David Beckham playing almost the whole game on his debut.
On-loan AC Milan midfielder David Beckham will be a substitute for his first Serie A game at AS Roma on Sunday (7:30 p.m. British time), coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Short-term loan signing David Beckham is in excellent shape and could make his Serie A debut in AC Milan's first league match after the winter break at AS Roma next week, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday.
Samuel Eto'o scored a spectacular goal to set Inter Milan on their way to a 2-0 win over Parma on Sunday while AS Roma came from behind to beat Siena 2-1 in Claudio Ranieri's first match in charge.
The door is open for AS Roma captain Francesco Totti to come out of international retirement before the 2010 World Cup, the head of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on Tuesday. The 32-year-old took a break from Italy action after being part of Lippi's 2006 World Cup-winning team and then decided to quit the national team last year, citing fitness problems.
The goal machines of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk cranked into top gear on Tuesday as the Champions League captivated its continental audience with a record 40 goals in one eight-game night.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Alessandro Florenzi ran more than half the length of the field to score and cap a 2-0 win for AS Roma over Genoa which took them back into second place in Serie A on Sunday.
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