Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian football federation (FIGC), is adamant that he will not give up on completing the current Serie A season.

The league is currently on hold, as is every other league in Italy and pretty much worldwide, due to the global Coronavirus pandemic and it remains to be seen whether the season will be able to resume but Gravina appears ready to do all he can to get it back underway, no matter how long it may take and when it may resume.

“I respect science, but I can’t give up. We work on how to get back to playing, not when,” he remarked in an interview with Rome based newspaper La Repubblica, which appeared in today’s print edition.

“When Italy comes back to life and when there will be the right conditions for other sectors to resume, football will also return.

“I say it once and for all: the season must be completed, there’s time. The government, League, FIGC and doctors will all decide together, responsibly.”

He then went on to discuss one of the suggestions put out there in the media which would mean no games would take place in the north of Italy if the season did resume with it understood that many clubs are worried about playing there due to how badly it has been affected.

“Resuming the season without games in the north is a possibility, but not in only one city. We can’t play 10 games on the same pitch over a weekend. We would need 20 training centres too.”

He then spoke on what would happen if the remainder of the season had to be cancelled.

“A definite stop would start a series of disputes, there are already some warnings from some clubs on my table. FIFA has paved the way. The new season will not begin without having concluded the first. We don’t have a deadline to start again, we will go hand in hand with the other European Leagues.

“If they let us play in early June, we have the dates to end at the end of July. The cup competitions will come after. If instead we have to start again in September, we will close this season in November and return to the field in January.”

The post FIGC President Gabriele Gravina: “This Season Must Be Completed Even If It Is In November” appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/3a8g8HF
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

An agreement between Barcelona and Inter over Lautaro Martinez appears to be far away at this moment in time according to a report in today’s print edition of Tuttosport.

The Blaugrana club have shown an extremely keen interest in landing the Argentine national team striker but it remains to be seen what their plans are when it comes to moving for the highly rated 22-year-old.

Lautaro has a release clause in his current contract worth €111 million and it is only valid to clubs outside of Italy in the first two weeks of July.

If Barcelona do not trigger this, the report warns that they may have to pay somewhere between €130-150 million for the former Racing Club player, who is under contract with the Nerazzurri until the end of the 2022/23 season.

They could well look to bring down the total cost of any deal but the players that Barcelona are seemingly willing to offer do not interest Inter and the player Inter would like, Arthur, is deemed non-transferable.

Many reports have also suggested that Barcelona would like to include Arturo Vidal but this report goes on to state that Inter do not want the Chilean as part of a deal and would prefer to do a separate deal for him.

The post Barcelona & Inter Some Way Away From Reaching A Deal Over Lautaro Martinez appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/34Euvmf
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Dries Mertens future with Napoli is looking in doubt, more than ever before, according to a report in today’s print edition of Corriere dello Sport.

The experienced Belgian attacker’s current contract with the Stadio San Paolo club is due to expire in a matter of months and it had appeared that he was set to sign an extension after meeting with club management but he no longer appears certain to stick around.

The report goes on to state that Napoli had planned to sell Arkadiusz Milik due to Mertens likely stay but now the situation has changed and they may well decide to keep Milik if Mertens departs the club.

Inter have been keeping a close eye on his situation for some time and would be very keen on acquiring him on a free transfer, as would Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.

This season the 32-year-old has made 29 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored 12 goals and tallied six assists.

The post Inter Linked Dries Mertens’ Future With Napoli In Doubt appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/3basAYN
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Il Racing potrebbe guadagnare una cifra importante dall’eventuale addio di Lautaro Martinez all’Inter. Si parla di circa 10 milioni.

Leggi la notizia completa qui: Football News, Live Scores, Results & Transfers | Goal.com https://ift.tt/3b9jRX2
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/eA8V8J visita la nostra pagina fb: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

It sounds incredibly preposterous on the surface, Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona for FC Internazionale Milano, but the more the transfer is speculated about, the more likely it feels it could happen. The Argentine has been at Camp Nou since he was a child coming up through the club’s youth ranks to become (arguably) the best player in the world.

Yet, Messi has issues with Barcelona’s hierarchy which was magnified with the player dragging his feet over a 70% wage reduction while La Liga is suspended. Football supporters are anticipating the returns of La Liga and Serie A and can claim a bonus code before wagering on the matches when they resume.

An Ageing Squad

Since Neymar’s departure from Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona have shown they are an ageing squad that needs to be refreshed. The golden generation of Xavi and Andres Iniesta is over and Messi is the only players still around from those teams that were considered unbeatable. Inter supporters are debating whether the club can still win the Scudetto once the Serie A season resumes. Fans can get the Genting Bet promo code before Inter return to the pitch and wager on the Nerazzurri’s matches.

Barcelona’s work in the transfer market has been abysmal in recent seasons with big fees going to clubs for players unable to perform consistently next to Messi. Philippe Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele are just three of the recent big-money transfers that haven’t worked out.

Messi will turn 33 in June and selling him for a major fee claimed to be £173 million is a win-win for Barcelona. The club could also land highly rated Inter striker Lautaro Martinez. The Argentine striker is considered the next Sergio Aguero. Adding a striker and £173m would be the perfect way to send off an ageing player whose powers continue to decline.

Barcelona Need Money

It is no secret that Barcelona need money. The club have spent heavily on transfer busts over the last few years enabling other teams to grow stronger. The Blaugrana have not been wise with scouting putting players that just don’t fit alongside Messi and Luis Suarez, who is also ageing and injury-prone.

Barcelona’s signing of Martin Braithwaite in the second half of the season shows just how cash-strapped they are. However, it isn’t just the big-money transfer busts Barcelona have made to zap their finances. Messi’s salary is an albatross around the club’s neck.

Messi earns a reported £500,000-per-week at Barcelona. His £2m a month is a staggering figure and currently said to be the stumbling block in Inter’s attempts to sign him. Sending £173m to Barcelona and Martinez for Messi is possible, but the deal would damage Inter for seasons to come.

A deal could be realistic, perhaps more so on the Barcelona end than Inter’s side. For anyone that says Inter signing Messi isn’t realistic, it was once believed that Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn’t leave Real Madrid for Juventus. The ramifications of the transfer could be felt for years with Inter taking on a massive amount of financial obligation to sign the Argentine.

The post Can Inter Realistically Sign Lionel Messi From Barcelona? appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/3emCNn9
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Inter wish to acquire Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal but not as part of a deal that would send Lautaro Martinez in the opposite direction according to a report in today’s print edition of Corriere dello Sport.

Barcelona have been heavily linked with making a move for Lautaro in recent weeks and it has been widely suggested that they would like to do a player(s) plus cash deal for him with Vidal’s name mentioned a lot.

Inter however wish to do a deal for Vidal separate to any potential deal for Lautaro, the report from the Rome based newspaper goes on to explain.

Vidal does not wish to remain at Barcelona and with just a year left on his contract come the Summer, he could be bought for around €10 million.

He could join on a two or three year deal that will be on reduced terms compared to what he is on at Barcelona but something that will seemingly not bother him given he was prepared to take a cut to join Inter back in January.

The post Inter Want Barcelona’s Arturo Vidal In Deal Separate To Any Possible Deal For Lautaro Martinez appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/2wD587w
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Lionel Messi has spent his whole professional career playing for Barcelona. So, is it possibly true that the superstar could now be leaving his club to play for Inter Milan instead?

If the rumor mill is to be believed, that is exactly what will happen when Messi’s contract expires. However, the thing about rumors is: they are often untrue.

Recent Altercations Have Helped Spread the Rumor That Messi Is Leaving Barcelona

Playing for FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi has won a club-record 34 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles, six Copas del Rey, and ten La Liga titles. Messi also holds the records for the most goals, assists, and hat-tricks in La Liga. He has scored over 700 senior career goals for his club and country. So, it would seem the Argentine is more than comfortable playing for the formidable Barcelona club.

However, Messi has been at loggerheads with FC Barcelona recently. The club’s handling of a reduction in players’ wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not go down well with the captain. And back in February, he was angrily outspoken over Eric Abidal’s comments concerning player commitment. Such tensions between Barcelona and the six-time Ballon d’Or winner have led to rumors that Messi will leave the club that he has played for since 2001.

With football on hold because of the coronavirus outbreak, many football fans are filling the void by turning to football video games. Unsurprisingly there are a number of great games that feature real footballers and clubs, the most popular of which is FIFA. For those who like to gamble, there are also slot games like Football Star, which is available at Casumo casino. Just bear in mind that it involves real money.

Messi’s Contract Expires Next Year

It is not the recent altercations alone that have spread the idea that Messi could leave the team. It is also the fact that Messi’s contract expires in 2021. If an exit for the 32-year-old becomes genuinely possible, several clubs are sure to want to sign the forward. And two clubs have already expressed interest.

It has been widely rumored that Inter Milan wants to sign Messi after his contract is up next year. Indeed, it has been hinted that Messi has expressed interest, which has fueled the rumors that his signing with Inter will become a reality. But recently, Newell’s Old Boys have also announced that they would like to sign the footballing superstar.

However, after former Inter president Massimo Moratti suggested the San Siro team could launch a move to sign Messi, Barcelona insisted it was “completely unfazed.” So, it is more than likely that the club will also be unfazed by Newell’s Old Boys’ attempt at signing. Indeed, according to the Spanish national daily sports newspaper Marca, FC Barcelona believes Messi will sign a contract extension.

What Does Messi Himself Have To Say About The Rumors?

The rumors that Inter Milan was hotly pursuing Messi spread quickly, despite Barcelona’s confidence that the captain would sign an extension next year. But is Barcelona’s confidence warranted? Is there a chance that the rumor mill is true, and Messi will sign with Inter Milan, or even with Newell’s Old Boys? The opinion of Messi himself is the claims are lies and fake news. So, the rumors do indeed appear to be rubbish.

After much publicity in the press about the possibility of Messi signing with Inter, the Argentine superstar took to social media to deny the claims. In an angry post, Messi distanced himself from potential moves to either Inter Milan or Newell’s Old Boys. He categorically stated, “‘What they said about Newell’s Old Boys a few weeks ago is false.” In the same post, he also denied the reports that he had paid legendary footballer Ronaldinho’s bail money to escape a Paraguayan jail.

Final Thoughts

With absolutely no signs from Messi or FC Barcelona that he is considering leaving the club when his contract expires, it is safe to say that the rumor mill should not be believed. The world’s greatest footballer is not going anywhere.

The post Rumor Mill Rubbish: Barcelona Captain Lionel Messi Isn’t Signing With Inter Milan appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/3cvUKht
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Olivier Giroud will join Inter in the coming months according to a report in today’s print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Frenchman’s contract with current employers Chelsea is due to expire at the end of this season and talks are already underway between Inter and Giroud’s representatives over a free transfer move in the Summer.

As per the Milan based newspaper, the 33-year-old striker will more than likely sign a two year deal with an option for a third year.

As for his annual salary, it will certainly be less than the €8 million he currently earns at Chelsea and in all likelihood it will be less than €6.5 million a year.

The report goes on to add that Giroud arriving would come much to the delight of Inter manager Antonio Conte who deems him as the perfect player to complete the Inter attack.

This season Giroud has been limited to just 13 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored three goals.

The post Italian Report Claims Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud Will Be An Inter Player Next Season appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/34By1h0
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

Inter have identified two potential replacements for Lautaro Martinez should he leave the club in the coming months according to a report in today’s print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport.

There have been reports near enough every day for a good few weeks now stating that Barcelona are very much interested in signing Lautaro whilst a number of other reports have also suggested that reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are keen too.

The 22-year-old has a €111 million release clause in his current contract with the club and if he departs, Inter will not be found unprepared.

The Nerazzurri club have identified Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann and Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as potential replacements.

Inter could in fact acquire Griezmann in a swap deal for Lautaro either permanently or on loan but his €17 million annual wages are problematic for Inter.

As for Aubameyang, the Gabonese striker appears set to leave Arsenal and is valued at around €70 million by the Gunners but the report claims a deal could well be struck for a lot less given the fact he will have just a year left on his deal come the Summer.

The post Inter Identify Barcelona’s Griezmann & Arsenal’s Aubameyang As Potential Replacements For Lautaro Martinez appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/3eqJeFy
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY

In an interview with FCInterNews.it, former Inter defender Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Colonnese, has spoken on a range of Inter related topics, firstly on how he is keeping physically and playing for Inter legends team Inter Forever.

“I’m still in shape luckily. 14 years have passed since I retired but on a physical level I have always been serious. I found many in the team, practically all, are still fit too.

“We have only lost against Real Madrid legends due to bad refereeing. There is the desire to always do well for the team you love.”

He then spoke on the manager who he felt closest to during his playing career.

“Gigi Simoni. Another is Mircea Lucescu, someone who I feel has been underestimated because he had very modern ideas. He played three at the back and wanted the defenders to play football.”

“Would Inter have won more if Simoni stayed? Yes, I agree with this, regardless of how good Lucescu is. We all played for Simoni and respected him. Sacking him was a mistake that Moratti recognised later on and this made me happy. I have great affection for him, he gave everything for Inter.

Next Colonnese spoke on whether he would have liked to have played under current Inter manager Antonio Conte.

“I was kind of managed by Conte when I was at Siena, he was the assistant manager then. It was evident back then that he had the fabric to do well, even if he had little chance to prove his worth. He would have improved me.”

He was then asked who the best player he came up against was.

“Il Fenomeno Ronaldo in training but during those years I also had to mark people like Totti, Signori, Savicevic, Weah, Inzaghi, Vieri and many others. Serie A was different back then, there was more quality.”

Colonnese then shared the memories he has of playing alongside Youri Djorkaeff.

“He was an extraordinary player, he could do everything. He was humble and simple and his career speaks for itself.”

Next he was asked what he makes of the speculation regarding a possible swap deal between Barcelona and Inter involving Lautaro Martinez and Antoine Griezmann.

“Lautaro is a monster, I have always said that he is a super player and therefore I hope he will not leave but if it happened, I would sign Griezmann and have him up top alongside Lukaku. The Frenchman is struggling at Barcelona and I would take advantage of that.”

Colonnese was then asked what he thinks of Inter central defender Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar.

“Bastoni is strong, he has not surprised me. I was already following him 4-5 years ago when he played at Atalanta and in training I had seen that he was good. The only thing that needs improvement is his marking in the box, because he can do everything else.

“Skriniar? He has been penalised by having to play in a back three as he is very strong in a four man defence. On the right hand side of the back three I prefer D’Ambrosio, he is the strongest in that role because he can do everything.”

He then went on to reveal he still gets excited when he goes to San Siro and is missing football whilst it is on hold due to the Coronavirus crisis.

“San Siro excites me a lot, perhaps too much. My hands sweat as my son points out to me. I often go along, I cannot help myself from cheering.

“Do I miss football? Of course, like everyone is. I hope this situation will end soon and that everything will return to normal.”

Colonnese then discussed former Inter teammate Ivan Zamorano.

“He knew how to do everything and had a huge heart. He was an exceptional teammate both on and off of the pitch. Being able to see him with Ronaldo and Djorakeff was a spectacle.”

He penultimately spoke on another former teammate in Alvaro Recoba.

“He was great and could have been better than Ronaldo. He was an amazing talent and he was faster than Ronie but he did not have a top player’s mentality.”

He concluded the interview by speaking on former Inter striker Nwankwo Kanu.

“He was strong, you couldn’t take the ball away from him. He was unfortunate when he was at Inter as he had to face fierce competition in attack.”

The post Former Inter Defender Colonnese: “Recoba Could’ve Been Better Than Ronaldo But Didn’t Have A Top Player’s Mentality” appeared first on Sempreinter.

from Sempreinter https://ift.tt/2RGFCpj
via IFTTT visita: https://ift.tt/1VotyWY