After suffering four defeats in the Champions League last week, the Italian sides have finally enjoyed a positive round, recording nothing but wins.
Today, then, it is the turn of the Europa and Conference Leagues, with Milan, Juventus and Atalanta in action. The papers, however, also feature transfer news, with some noteworthy rumours.
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Below, as usual, are the morning’s biggest stories.
🗣️ Juventus, Matthäus advises Woltemade to return
Lothar Matthäus has discussed Nick Woltemade’s difficult spell, comparing his situation to that of Niclas Füllkrug. According to the Bayern Munich legend, the Newcastle striker could find the ideal environment to revive his career in the Bundesliga after struggling abroad.
“Woltemade’s situation reminds me very much of Niclas Füllkrug’s, whose move abroad didn’t work out, either in England or in Italy. Perhaps the best option for him would be to return to Germany; it worked for Füllkrug. He gave up some money, but money shouldn’t be the most important thing. Of course, given the cost of the Newcastle striker, we’ll have to see whether any Bundesliga club can afford him.”
💎 Milan take on half of Europe for Gilberto Mora!
Milan are looking to the future and have set their sights on Gilberto Mora, the Mexican attacking midfielder born in 2008 who plays for Club Tijuana. The young talent has attracted interest from several European giants thanks to his technical ability and the personality he has shown despite his tender age. According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are also monitoring the player ahead of the January transfer window. The Reds have reportedly already contacted his representatives, while the interested clubs are weighing up plans to support his development.
Competition, however, is fierce: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Benfica are also reportedly tracking Mora. Milan will therefore have to play their cards right to convince the Mexican talent, highlighting his development prospects and opportunities to grow. The player is under contract with Club Tijuana until 2029, meaning any move will require negotiations with his club. No agreements have been reached yet: the race remains open, and January could bring new developments.
🏆 Barella: "The Champions League? A dream, but..."
Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella reflected on the hard-fought Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk in an interview with Sky Sport.
“Every Champions League game is difficult, and Shakhtar showed that tonight. Let’s be clear: we needed this win. Playing well is nice, but today we had to be clinical. I don’t know whether the win was 100% deserved, but we gave everything we had. Our backs were against the wall, and we had to do something. Being down to ten men is a huge disadvantage. I want to congratulate Carlos, who is a great guy and a fantastic player.”
Then, on their Champions League ambitions:“The Champions League is something we’ve set our sights on. Sometimes we’ve done well, sometimes we haven’t. It’s a dream, but no one wants dreams to remain just that. We’ll try to turn it into a target.”
👋 Napoli, Lang heading for a January exit!
Noa Lang’s time at Napoli could end as early as the January transfer window. Despite the trust and playing time given to him by Massimiliano Allegri, the Dutch winger has reportedly displayed an attitude on several occasions that has not gone down well within the squad, raising doubts over his future at the club. The situation could prompt Napoli to consider an early sale if relations deteriorate further.
As reported by TMW, the most concrete options lead to the Netherlands, where Ajax and PSV have reportedly opened initial talks with Napoli. Negotiations are still at an early stage and no agreements have been reached, but the Neapolitan club have reportedly valued the player at around €25 million. The coming months will be decisive in determining whether Lang stays at Napoli or returns home.
💡 Roma, Wesley in attack! Then in January...
Gasperini’s Roma continue to surprise and find new attacking solutions. Their squad depth has allowed them to rotate without suffering, but a selection crisis threatens to complicate their plans ahead of the clash with Napoli: Koné is still unavailable, and Cristante is expected to start on the bench.
Gasperini will therefore have to consider several options, from bringing Mora back into the fold to a Malen-Castro partnership, or even moving Wesley into the forward line. The alternatives do not fully convince the coach, and the club will return to the transfer market in January, primarily to strengthen their attack. Among the players being monitored are Chelsea’s Gittens and Stuttgart’s Leweling, both previously linked with the Giallorossi. The aim is to add quality and attacking options to put them in the best possible position for the second half of the season.
🦅 Lazio, no more eagle flights before matches?
PETA is taking a stand against clubs that fly eagles before home matches. Animal rights campaigners have targeted Crystal Palace, who accompany the players’ entrance at Selhurst Park with flights by Phoenix, a bald eagle. The organisation’s leaders have sent a letter to the club’s CEO, Sharon Lacey, asking for the practice to stop: "A floodlit stadium packed with screaming fans is no place for a wild animal," the message reads. According to PETA, bright lights, chanting and noise cause the bird of prey stress. "Eagles are symbols of freedom, not props for the crowd," the activists added.
The stance could also affect Lazio, who stage flights by Flaminia, the recent replacement for Olympia, before matches at the Olimpico. PETA’s request, in fact, applies more broadly to clubs that use birds of prey as mascots during sporting events. It remains to be seen whether the English club will respond to the appeal and whether the protest will also have consequences for the Biancocelesti or other teams that maintain this tradition.
🤔 Fiorentina, Dodo to start against Inter? Meanwhile, Napoli...
Dodo is among the candidates to return to Fiorentina’s starting line-up for the trip to Inter. The Brazilian has not played a full match since the opening day and has managed just 31 minutes in total since Vanoli arrived.
His experience could prove valuable to a team struggling to respond to setbacks, while Napoli remain interested ahead of the January transfer window. As reported by Gazzetta dello Sport, the Viola coach is preparing for the clash at San Siro without looking for excuses, focusing instead on the day-to-day work.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.