Spanish midfielder Suso scored a brace to end his Serie A goal drought as AC Milan got back to winning ways after three consecutive draws with a 4-1 success which thwarted Sassuolo's bid to go second in Serie A on Sunday.

Champions Juventus had maintained their perfect start to the season on Saturday with a 3-1 win in their top-of-the-table clash with Napoli who remain in second place.

Juventus, with a maximum 21 points after seven games, are six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's team.

AC Milan needed to win to avoid losing further ground on their rivals, with Inter Milan, in fourth, after a 2-0 win over Cagliari, and AS Roma, in eighth, after a 3-1 derby win over city rivals Lazio.

Sassuolo dropped to fifth, equal on 13 points with Fiorentina and Inter Milan. AC Milan's victory came despite the absence of star striker Gonzalo Higuain with forwards

Patrick Cutrone and Fabio Borini also missing with ankle injuries. 
Suso scored his first league goal since February five minutes after the break in Modena after Ivorian Franck Kessie had put Milan ahead with a brilliant solo run on 39 minutes.

Samu Castillejo added a third on the hour mark for Gennaro Gattuso's side before Filip Djuricic pulled one back for the hosts.

Suso got his second goal four minutes into stoppage time after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR).

Milan remain tenth in the standings, four points off Inter Milan, who occupy the final Champions League berth.

- Fiorentina move third -

Sassuolo's defeat allowed Fiorentina to move third with a 2-0 win over Atalanta. Bergamo-based Atalanta travelled to Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi stadium desperate to end a five-game winless streak.

But their hopes were jolted just after the hour when referee Paolo Valeri pointed immediately to the penalty spot, refusing to consult VAR despite Federico Chiesa going down easily from Rafael Toloi's challenge.

Jordan Veretout stepped up to slot the ball past Pierluigi Gollini after 63 minutes, and Fiorentina cemented the win when Cristiano Biraghi doubled their lead in stoppage time.

At the final whistle, tensions boiled over with furious Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini confronting Fiorentina counterpart Stefano Pioli before the pair were dragged apart.

"He shouted at me that the penalty was non-existent," said Pioli.

"They gave a penalty against us for a fingertip against Inter, so this time they gave one in our favour for light contact," added Pioli, whose side lost to Inter Milan midweek.

"We were tenacious, a little lucky."

Elsewhere, Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek became the first Serie A debutant in 68 years to score eight goals in the opening six games when he hit a brace for Genoa, who have a game in hand, in a 2-1 win over Frosinone.

Piatek got his first after 33 minutes, adding a second three minutes later. Camillo Ciano gave promoted Frosinone their first goal of the season when he converted a penalty four minutes before the break.

Torino got back to winning ways with substitute Simone Zaza sealing a late winner against tailenders Chievo.

Federico Santander scored one and set up substitute Riccardo Orsolini as Bologna came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1.

Ivory Coast forward Gervinho got his third goal in five games as Parma edged Empoli 1-0, in a showdown between two promoted teams. Empoli were twice denied by the woodwork.

Spanish midfielder Suso scored a brace to end his Serie A goal drought as AC Milan got back to winning ways after three consecutive draws with a 4-1 success which thwarted Sassuolo's bid to go second in Serie A on Sunday.

Spanish midfielder Suso scored a brace to end his Serie A goal drought as AC Milan got back to winning ways after three consecutive draws with a 4-1 success which thwarted Sassuolo's bid to go second in Serie A on Sunday. Champions Juventus had maintained their perfect start to the season on Saturday with a 3-1 win in their top-of-the-table clash with Napoli who remain in second place. Juventus, with a maximum 21 points after seven games, are six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's team. AC Milan needed to win to avoid losing further ground on their rivals, with Inter Milan, in fourth, after a 2-0 win over Cagliari, and AS Roma, in eighth, after a 3-1 derby win over city rivals Lazio. Sassuolo dropped to fifth, equal on 13 points with Fiorentina and Inter Milan. AC Milan's victory came despite the absence of star striker Gonzalo Higuain with forwards Patrick Cutrone and Fabio Borini also missing with ankle injuries. Suso scored his first league goal since February five minutes after the break in Modena after Ivorian Franck Kessie had put Milan ahead with a brilliant solo run on 39 minutes. Samu Castillejo added a third on the hour mark for Gennaro Gattuso's side before Filip Djuricic pulled one back for the hosts. Suso got his second goal four minutes into stoppage time after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR). Milan remain tenth in the standings, four points off Inter Milan, who occupy the final Champions League berth. - Fiorentina move third - Sassuolo's defeat allowed Fiorentina to move third with a 2-0 win over Atalanta. Bergamo-based Atalanta travelled to Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi stadium desperate to end a five-game winless streak. But their hopes were jolted just after the hour when referee Paolo Valeri pointed immediately to the penalty spot, refusing to consult VAR despite Federico Chiesa going down easily from Rafael Toloi's challenge. Jordan Veretout stepped up to slot the ball past Pierluigi Gollini after 63 minutes, and Fiorentina cemented the win when Cristiano Biraghi doubled their lead in stoppage time. At the final whistle, tensions boiled over with furious Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini confronting Fiorentina counterpart Stefano Pioli before the pair were dragged apart. "He shouted at me that the penalty was non-existent," said Pioli. "They gave a penalty against us for a fingertip against Inter, so this time they gave one in our favour for light contact," added Pioli, whose side lost to Inter Milan midweek. "We were tenacious, a little lucky." Elsewhere, Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek became the first Serie A debutant in 68 years to score eight goals in the opening six games when he hit a brace for Genoa, who have a game in hand, in a 2-1 win over Frosinone. Piatek got his first after 33 minutes, adding a second three minutes later. Camillo Ciano gave promoted Frosinone their first goal of the season when he converted a penalty four minutes before the break. Torino got back to winning ways with substitute Simone Zaza sealing a late winner against tailenders Chievo. Federico Santander scored one and set up substitute Riccardo Orsolini as Bologna came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1. Ivory Coast forward Gervinho got his third goal in five games as Parma edged Empoli 1-0, in a showdown between two promoted teams. Empoli were twice denied by the woodwork.

Suso ends goal drought as AC Milan defeat Sassuolo

Arsenal completed a 5-1 aggregate victory on Thursday (March 15) over seven-times European champions AC Milan, winning 3-1 on the night in north London after the Italians had scored first.

Hakan Calhanoglu&#39;s stunning strike put Milan ahead but the lead lasted only four minutes as Danny Welbeck was awarded a highly-dubious penalty, falling to the ground despite apparently no contact from Milan defender Ricardo Rodriguez.

Welbeck converted the 39th-minute penalty and added a late header after Granit Xhaka&#39;s goal had put the tie beyond Milan.

Gattuso said he didn&#39;t want his team to dwell on the controversial decisions in the game and said he understood why players look for an unfair advantage. He also offered his apologies to Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal for throwing the ball in his direction after also apologising to him on the pitch.

Arsenal completed a 5-1 aggregate victory on Thursday over seven-times European champions AC Milan, winning 3-1 on the night in north London after the Italians had scored first

Arsenal completed a 5-1 aggregate victory on Thursday (March 15) over seven-times European champions AC Milan, winning 3-1 on the night in north London after the Italians had scored first. Hakan Calhanoglu's stunning strike put Milan ahead but the lead lasted only four minutes as Danny Welbeck was awarded a highly-dubious penalty, falling to the ground despite apparently no contact from Milan defender Ricardo Rodriguez. Welbeck converted the 39th-minute penalty and added a late header after Granit Xhaka's goal had put the tie beyond Milan. Gattuso said he didn't want his team to dwell on the controversial decisions in the game and said he understood why players look for an unfair advantage. He also offered his apologies to Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal for throwing the ball in his direction after also apologising to him on the pitch.

Watch: Arsenal beat AC Milan to reach quarter-finals of Europa League

Arsenal&nbsp;manager Arsene Wenger expressed his relief after his side&#39;s Europa League success at AC Milan on Thursday by describing it as an important win after a nightmare week.

&quot;I am happy with the spirit and response we gave,&quot; said the Frenchman after a 2-0 victory at San Siro in the last 16 first leg tie ended a run of four successive defeats.

&ldquo;We were not in a position to take risks, but we could not be too cautious as you lose fluidity. We defended with resilience until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;When you are knocked down like a boxer, you don&rsquo;t have time to react and you are only halfway up, but you have to respond. Your pride and desire to show quality has to come through in the game.

&quot;It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week,&quot; added Wenger, whose side came to Milan after losing to Premier League leaders Manchester City -- who also beat them in last month&#39;s League Cup final -- and Brighton &amp; Hove Albion.

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Squad ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheArsenal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheArsenal</a> <a href="https://t.co/6WwNDnCaq3">pic.twitter.com/6WwNDnCaq3</a>
&mdash; Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/971915723156045824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Arsenal&#39;s Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil described the win in Milan as &quot;our best away performance for some time&quot;, while Aaron Ramsey, scorer of the second goal, called it a &quot;great response.&quot;

Arsenal&nbsp;are 13 points adrift of the Champions League places in the Premier League and are pinning their hopes on winning the Europa League to qualify for Europe&#39;s elite club competition.

Not surprisingly, Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso was far from happy after seeing his team&#39;s 13-match unbeaten run end.

&quot;We made too many mistakes,&quot; he said. &quot;We never played as a compact team and they deserved the win.

&quot;Every time they attacked, they could have scored. Playing at this level is something new for our lads but there were too many mistakes,&quot; he added.

However, the famously fiery coach refused to throw in the towel in the tie.

&quot;In football, you never say never,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;ll go to London to try and win, we&#39;re not going on an excursion. This is Milan and there is a shirt we have to respect.&quot;

&nbsp;

It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week: Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expressed his relief after his side's Europa League success at AC Milan on Thursday by describing it as an important win after a nightmare week. "I am happy with the spirit and response we gave," said the Frenchman after a 2-0 victory at San Siro in the last 16 first leg tie ended a run of four successive defeats. “We were not in a position to take risks, but we could not be too cautious as you lose fluidity. We defended with resilience until the end," he said. "When you are knocked down like a boxer, you don’t have time to react and you are only halfway up, but you have to respond. Your pride and desire to show quality has to come through in the game. "It is an important win of course after we had a nightmare week," added Wenger, whose side came to Milan after losing to Premier League leaders Manchester City -- who also beat them in last month's League Cup final -- and Brighton & Hove Albion. Squad ????#WeAreTheArsenal pic.twitter.com/6WwNDnCaq3 — Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 9, 2018 × Arsenal's Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil described the win in Milan as "our best away performance for some time", while Aaron Ramsey, scorer of the second goal, called it a "great response." Arsenal are 13 points adrift of the Champions League places in the Premier League and are pinning their hopes on winning the Europa League to qualify for Europe's elite club competition. Not surprisingly, Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso was far from happy after seeing his team's 13-match unbeaten run end. "We made too many mistakes," he said. "We never played as a compact team and they deserved the win. "Every time they attacked, they could have scored. Playing at this level is something new for our lads but there were too many mistakes," he added. However, the famously fiery coach refused to throw in the towel in the tie. "In football, you never say never," he said. "We'll go to London to try and win, we're not going on an excursion. This is Milan and there is a shirt we have to respect."

Arsenal beat AC Milan to register much-awaited victory

The official draw for round of 16 of UEFA Europa League is out&nbsp;as the&nbsp;second Leg was concluded on Thursday but with some bittersweet memories. A lot of things happened in the Leg 2 of the round of 32. On one hand, some mediocre clubs fought their ways back and entered last 16 but on the other hand, one Basque police officer died on Thursday as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Arsenal, the north London giants survived entry to Leg 2 because of a 4-2 win on aggregate despite 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds. The Swedish club displayed a quality run and gave a tough fight Arsenal.&nbsp;Here is the result of draw:

<ul>
	<li>Lazio VS&nbsp;Dynamo Kyiv</li>
	<li>RB Leipzig VS&nbsp;Zenit Saint-Petersburg</li>
	<li>Atletico Madrid VS&nbsp;Lokomotiv Moscow</li>
	<li>Lyon VS&nbsp;CSKA Moscow</li>
	<li>Athletic Club VS&nbsp;Marseille</li>
	<li>Sporting CP VS&nbsp;Plzen</li>
	<li>Borussia Dortmund VS&nbsp;Salzburg</li>
	<li>Arsenal VS&nbsp;AC Milan</li>
</ul>

Arsenal, the last surviving British club, on Friday drew seven-time European champion AC Milan in the last 16 of the Europa League.

Arsenal struggled to overcome Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the last round, being booed off by their fans at the Emirates after losing 2-1 on Thursday but going through 4-2 win on aggregate.

Atletico Madrid and French striker Antoine Griezmann were paired with Lokomotiv Moscow.&nbsp;

Bilbao will face 1993 European champions Marseille for the matches on March 8 and 15.

Another French side, Lyon, must overcome CSKA Moscow to keep alive their hopes of appearing in the final which will be played at their own stadium on May 16.

Lyon were comfortable 4-1 aggregate winners over Villarreal in the round of 32 and former club stalwart Bernard Lacombe welcomed the draw which sees the second leg played in France.

&quot;We qualified well against Villarreal, who is a good club. Obviously, it would be fantastic to play in our own stadium (in the final) but there are high-level opponents left in the competition and we have to respect that,&quot; he told beIN Sports.

RB Leipzig, who dropped into the competition after being eliminated from the Champions League, will play Zenit Saint-Petersburg, who won the Europa League in 2008.

Borussia Dortmund meanwhile faces potentially the weakest team in the last 16, Czech side Plzen.

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The official result of the Round of 16 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UELdraw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UELdraw</a>! 
 
Most exciting tie? ???? <a href="https://t.co/t8txcYPtwg">pic.twitter.com/t8txcYPtwg</a>
&mdash; UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropaLeague/status/967011107931066368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It had to be hat-trick hero and goalscoring sensation <a href="https://twitter.com/ciroimmobile?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ciroimmobile</a> ????????????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/LEVfxZM3Vq">pic.twitter.com/LEVfxZM3Vq</a>
&mdash; UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropaLeague/status/967046237043286016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The official draw for round of 16 of UEFA Europa League is out as the second Leg was concluded on Thursday

The official draw for round of 16 of UEFA Europa League is out as the second Leg was concluded on Thursday but with some bittersweet memories. A lot of things happened in the Leg 2 of the round of 32. On one hand, some mediocre clubs fought their ways back and entered last 16 but on the other hand, one Basque police officer died on Thursday as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Arsenal, the north London giants survived entry to Leg 2 because of a 4-2 win on aggregate despite 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds. The Swedish club displayed a quality run and gave a tough fight Arsenal. Here is the result of draw: Lazio VS Dynamo Kyiv RB Leipzig VS Zenit Saint-Petersburg Atletico Madrid VS Lokomotiv Moscow Lyon VS CSKA Moscow Athletic Club VS Marseille Sporting CP VS Plzen Borussia Dortmund VS Salzburg Arsenal VS AC Milan Arsenal, the last surviving British club, on Friday drew seven-time European champion AC Milan in the last 16 of the Europa League. Arsenal struggled to overcome Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the last round, being booed off by their fans at the Emirates after losing 2-1 on Thursday but going through 4-2 win on aggregate. Atletico Madrid and French striker Antoine Griezmann were paired with Lokomotiv Moscow. Bilbao will face 1993 European champions Marseille for the matches on March 8 and 15. Another French side, Lyon, must overcome CSKA Moscow to keep alive their hopes of appearing in the final which will be played at their own stadium on May 16. Lyon were comfortable 4-1 aggregate winners over Villarreal in the round of 32 and former club stalwart Bernard Lacombe welcomed the draw which sees the second leg played in France. "We qualified well against Villarreal, who is a good club. Obviously, it would be fantastic to play in our own stadium (in the final) but there are high-level opponents left in the competition and we have to respect that," he told beIN Sports. RB Leipzig, who dropped into the competition after being eliminated from the Champions League, will play Zenit Saint-Petersburg, who won the Europa League in 2008. Borussia Dortmund meanwhile faces potentially the weakest team in the last 16, Czech side Plzen. The official result of the Round of 16 #UELdraw! Most exciting tie? ???? pic.twitter.com/t8txcYPtwg — UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 23, 2018 × It had to be hat-trick hero and goalscoring sensation @ciroimmobile ????????????#UEL pic.twitter.com/LEVfxZM3Vq — UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 23, 2018 ×

Europa League last 16: Arsenal will face Milan, Dortmund to meet Salzburg

Napoli went down 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig, Arsenal and AC Milan enjoyed comfortable away wins, and Borussia Dortmund&#39;s Michy Batshuayi scored twice to secure a 3-2 victory in Europa League last 32, first leg action on Thursday.

Italian league leaders Napoli went ahead against Leipzig but slumped to a 3-1 defeat after a Timo Werner brace, Arsenal overcame Sweden&#39;s Ostersunds 3-0 helped by an own goal and Milan won by the same score against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets.

Batshuayi took his tally to five goals in three games since joining Dortmund on loan from Chelsea, with his double against Atalanta hauling the Germans side back from 2-1 down after Josip Ilicic scored twice in five minutes for the Italians.

Nice striker Mario Balotelli also scored two goals against Lokomotiv Moscow only to be upstaged by a Manuel Fernandes hat-trick as the visitors hit back to win 3-2.

Twice former winners Atletico Madrid recovered from an early fright to win 4-1 at FC Copenhagen as Saul Niguez, Kevin Gameiro, Antoine Griezmann and Vitolo shared the goals after Victor Fischer had put the Danish side in front.

FCSB, formerly Steaua Bucharest, beat Lazio 1-0 and Celtic overcame Zenit St Petersburg by the same score.

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has made it clear that his priority lies in Serie A and a disappointingly sparse crowd turned up for the visit of Leipzig.

Adam Ounas gave Napoli the lead early in the second half, the Algerian&#39;s first goal for the club, but the away side made the most of shoddy defending to turn the game around.

Werner levelled with an opportunist finish, then Bruma finished off a counter-attack and Werner added another in stoppage time as Napoli were again caught on the break.

Best Hope

Arsenal&#39;s Nacho Monreal and Mesut Ozil were on target at Ostersunds either side of a Sotirios Papagiannopoulos own goal.

Like the Londoners, Milan&#39;s best hope of Champions League football next season appears to be by winning the Europa League. Patrick Cutrone, a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty and Fabio Borini gave them an impressive win at Bulgarian champions Ludogorets.

Balotelli took his tally to 21 goals this term for Nice, where he is in his second season enjoying a new lease of life.

The maverick Italian slotted home after four minutes and converted a penalty in the 28th, sending Lokomotiv keeper Guilherme the wrong way after a Nemanja Pejcinovic handball.

Not to be outdone, Fernandes replied with a penalty before halftime and curled in a free kick to equalize in the 67th before completing his second Europa League hat-trick this term from Anton Miranchuk&#39;s cross.

Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz, 37, scored twice in a 3-1 win at Spartak Moscow, while their Basque rivals Real Socieded were held 2-2 at home by Salzburg.

Sporting&#39;s Bruno Fernandes, Gelson Martins and Seydou Doumbia scored in an eight-minute spell after halftime as they came from behind to win 3-1 on Astana&#39;s artificial pitch in Kazakhstan where Marin Tomasov gave the hosts an early lead.

The roof was closed for the match with temperatures hovering around minus 20 Celsius outside.

&nbsp;

Napoli went down 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig, Arsenal and AC Milan enjoyed comfortable away wins, and Borussia Dortmund's Michy Batshuayi scored twice to secure a 3-2 victory in Europa League last 32, first leg

Napoli went down 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig, Arsenal and AC Milan enjoyed comfortable away wins, and Borussia Dortmund's Michy Batshuayi scored twice to secure a 3-2 victory in Europa League last 32, first leg action on Thursday. Italian league leaders Napoli went ahead against Leipzig but slumped to a 3-1 defeat after a Timo Werner brace, Arsenal overcame Sweden's Ostersunds 3-0 helped by an own goal and Milan won by the same score against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets. Batshuayi took his tally to five goals in three games since joining Dortmund on loan from Chelsea, with his double against Atalanta hauling the Germans side back from 2-1 down after Josip Ilicic scored twice in five minutes for the Italians. Nice striker Mario Balotelli also scored two goals against Lokomotiv Moscow only to be upstaged by a Manuel Fernandes hat-trick as the visitors hit back to win 3-2. Twice former winners Atletico Madrid recovered from an early fright to win 4-1 at FC Copenhagen as Saul Niguez, Kevin Gameiro, Antoine Griezmann and Vitolo shared the goals after Victor Fischer had put the Danish side in front. FCSB, formerly Steaua Bucharest, beat Lazio 1-0 and Celtic overcame Zenit St Petersburg by the same score. Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has made it clear that his priority lies in Serie A and a disappointingly sparse crowd turned up for the visit of Leipzig. Adam Ounas gave Napoli the lead early in the second half, the Algerian's first goal for the club, but the away side made the most of shoddy defending to turn the game around. Werner levelled with an opportunist finish, then Bruma finished off a counter-attack and Werner added another in stoppage time as Napoli were again caught on the break. Best Hope Arsenal's Nacho Monreal and Mesut Ozil were on target at Ostersunds either side of a Sotirios Papagiannopoulos own goal. Like the Londoners, Milan's best hope of Champions League football next season appears to be by winning the Europa League. Patrick Cutrone, a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty and Fabio Borini gave them an impressive win at Bulgarian champions Ludogorets. Balotelli took his tally to 21 goals this term for Nice, where he is in his second season enjoying a new lease of life. The maverick Italian slotted home after four minutes and converted a penalty in the 28th, sending Lokomotiv keeper Guilherme the wrong way after a Nemanja Pejcinovic handball. Not to be outdone, Fernandes replied with a penalty before halftime and curled in a free kick to equalize in the 67th before completing his second Europa League hat-trick this term from Anton Miranchuk's cross. Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz, 37, scored twice in a 3-1 win at Spartak Moscow, while their Basque rivals Real Socieded were held 2-2 at home by Salzburg. Sporting's Bruno Fernandes, Gelson Martins and Seydou Doumbia scored in an eight-minute spell after halftime as they came from behind to win 3-1 on Astana's artificial pitch in Kazakhstan where Marin Tomasov gave the hosts an early lead. The roof was closed for the match with temperatures hovering around minus 20 Celsius outside.

Europa League: Napoli lose at home, Arsenal and Milan win away

George Weah, the former international soccer star who won the presidency of&nbsp;Liberia&nbsp;last month, promised a crackdown on endemic corruption as he was sworn in on Monday.

Thousands of exuberant supporters and regional presidents and dignitaries crammed into a stadium in the capital Monrovia to watch as Weah, who rose from the city&#39;s slums to become one of Africa&#39;s greatest footballers, took the oath of office.

As a former AC Milan and Paris St Germain striker and 1995 world player of the year, &quot;King George&quot; as his fans call him was no stranger to having crowds cheering him on in packed stadiums.

But he was also aware of the huge hurdles ahead as he replaced Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in&nbsp;Liberia&#39;s first peaceful change of power for seven decades.

&quot;It will be my task to lead this nation from division to unity. I will not let you down,&quot; Weah told the crowd.&nbsp;

Weah, 51, rode to a landslide run-off victory last month on the back of heavy support from young people and the poor.

Making his speech in flowing white African robes, he promised to deliver on his key campaign promises, especially tackling the malfeasance that his predecessor is widely seen as having failed to do during her 12 years in office.

&quot;It is my belief that the most effective way to directly impact the poor, and to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor is to make sure that public resources do not end up in the pockets government officials,&quot; he said.

Founded by freed American slaves,&nbsp;Liberia&nbsp;is Africa&#39;s oldest modern republic. But it has been plagued by years of unrest and bloodshed, including two civil wars in the 1980s and 90s that were notorious for their brutality and use of child soldiers.

Johnson Sirleaf was credited with shoring up peace after that war, but criticised for failing to tackle elite graft or do much to lift&nbsp;Liberians out of poverty.

And in a nod to his opponents, Weah sought to turn the page on what was a bitter election battle, delayed for months by legal wrangling but which despite hot tempers on all sides did not descend into bloodshed.

&quot;We must not allow political loyalties prevent us from collaborating in the national interest,&quot; he said. &quot;Blood should never be the price tag for democracy. ... This transition was achieved by ... (the) democratic will of the&nbsp;Liberian people.&quot;

But Weah will also have to manage expectations, which are sky high following his win.

&quot;Today is a great day for me and my country.&nbsp;I expect job creation and development,&quot; said Agnes Echoing, deputy director of&nbsp;Liberia&#39;s lottery authority, seated in a wheel chair.

&quot;We will (also) need empowerment for people with disabilities,&quot; she said. &quot;I am excited.&quot;

The ceremony was attended by the presidents of Gabon, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Congo Republic, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso.

"It will be my task to lead this nation from division to unity. I will not let you down," Weah told the crowd.

George Weah, the former international soccer star who won the presidency of Liberia last month, promised a crackdown on endemic corruption as he was sworn in on Monday. Thousands of exuberant supporters and regional presidents and dignitaries crammed into a stadium in the capital Monrovia to watch as Weah, who rose from the city's slums to become one of Africa's greatest footballers, took the oath of office. As a former AC Milan and Paris St Germain striker and 1995 world player of the year, "King George" as his fans call him was no stranger to having crowds cheering him on in packed stadiums. But he was also aware of the huge hurdles ahead as he replaced Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia's first peaceful change of power for seven decades. "It will be my task to lead this nation from division to unity. I will not let you down," Weah told the crowd. Weah, 51, rode to a landslide run-off victory last month on the back of heavy support from young people and the poor. Making his speech in flowing white African robes, he promised to deliver on his key campaign promises, especially tackling the malfeasance that his predecessor is widely seen as having failed to do during her 12 years in office. "It is my belief that the most effective way to directly impact the poor, and to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor is to make sure that public resources do not end up in the pockets government officials," he said. Founded by freed American slaves, Liberia is Africa's oldest modern republic. But it has been plagued by years of unrest and bloodshed, including two civil wars in the 1980s and 90s that were notorious for their brutality and use of child soldiers. Johnson Sirleaf was credited with shoring up peace after that war, but criticised for failing to tackle elite graft or do much to lift Liberians out of poverty. And in a nod to his opponents, Weah sought to turn the page on what was a bitter election battle, delayed for months by legal wrangling but which despite hot tempers on all sides did not descend into bloodshed. "We must not allow political loyalties prevent us from collaborating in the national interest," he said. "Blood should never be the price tag for democracy. ... This transition was achieved by ... (the) democratic will of the Liberian people." But Weah will also have to manage expectations, which are sky high following his win. "Today is a great day for me and my country. I expect job creation and development," said Agnes Echoing, deputy director of Liberia's lottery authority, seated in a wheel chair. "We will (also) need empowerment for people with disabilities," she said. "I am excited." The ceremony was attended by the presidents of Gabon, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Congo Republic, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso.

George Weah sworn in as Liberia president, vows to end corruption

Former Brazilian World Cup champion Kaka announced his retirement as a player, suggesting that a management career at his old club AC Milan could be on the cards.

&quot;I am preparing to continue in football and to have a different role, but I will no longer be a professional player, an athlete,&quot; the 2007 Ballon d&#39;Or winner told Globo television.

&quot;I would like to take part in a club in a role more like... A manager, a sporting director -- someone between the field and the club.&quot;

Kaka, 35, said AC Milan &quot;recently made this proposal&quot;.

On his Twitter feed, devout Christian Kaka, who was part of Brazil&#39;s 2002 World Cup-winning team, wrote: &quot;Father, It was much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I&#39;m now ready for the next journey. In Jesus&#39; name. Amem.&quot;

He started his storied career with Sao Paulo in Brazil, where his performances attracted the attention of Europe&#39;s leading clubs and prompted a move to Milan in 2003.

It was while at Milan that Kaka picked up the Ballon d&#39;Or, awarded annually to the world&#39;s best player. He was the last player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to receive the prize.

He also helped the Italian side to a Serie A title in 2003-04 and propelled Milan to 2007 Champions League glory, scoring a competition-best 10 goals as the club were crowned kings of Europe for the seventh time.

The hugely talented attacking midfielder joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record transfer worth 68 million euros ($89 million, ?56 million), but Kaka struggled to consistently reproduce his top form in the Spanish capital.

&#39;One of football&#39;s greatest talents&#39;

He won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and was part of Jose Mourinho&#39;s team that won the league crown a year later, but he fell out of favour in Madrid and returned to Milan on a free transfer in September 2013.

Kaka was unveiled as the face of Major League Soccer&#39;s expansion franchise Orlando City in 2014, heading home for a brief reunion with Sao Paulo ahead of the US club&#39;s debut season in 2015.

He scored the MLS team&#39;s first ever goal and was the North American league&#39;s highest-paid player for three years running before leaving Orlando in October.

He scored 29 goals in 92 international appearances for Brazil, although having been overlooked for the 2014 World Cup on home soil he was also ruled out of last year&#39;s Copa America Centenario by injury.

In November, media reports said he had been considering a move to Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng in the Chinese Super League.

Spain&#39;s La Liga paid homage to Kaka on its Twitter account, saying: &quot;One of football&#39;s greatest talents is hanging up his boots after a glittering career.&quot;

However, Kaka said his transition off the pitch wasn&#39;t being taken for granted.

&quot;The fact of having had successes as a professional player does not mean I will or won&#39;t be a good manager. So I want to prepare myself for this going ahead, to study, to follow, to be closer to certain clubs, especially those where I played,&quot; he told Globo.

"I am preparing to continue in football and to have a different role, but I will no longer be a professional player, an athlete," the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner told a TV channel.

Former Brazilian World Cup champion Kaka announced his retirement as a player, suggesting that a management career at his old club AC Milan could be on the cards. "I am preparing to continue in football and to have a different role, but I will no longer be a professional player, an athlete," the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner told Globo television. "I would like to take part in a club in a role more like... A manager, a sporting director -- someone between the field and the club." Kaka, 35, said AC Milan "recently made this proposal". On his Twitter feed, devout Christian Kaka, who was part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team, wrote: "Father, It was much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I'm now ready for the next journey. In Jesus' name. Amem." He started his storied career with Sao Paulo in Brazil, where his performances attracted the attention of Europe's leading clubs and prompted a move to Milan in 2003. It was while at Milan that Kaka picked up the Ballon d'Or, awarded annually to the world's best player. He was the last player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to receive the prize. He also helped the Italian side to a Serie A title in 2003-04 and propelled Milan to 2007 Champions League glory, scoring a competition-best 10 goals as the club were crowned kings of Europe for the seventh time. The hugely talented attacking midfielder joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record transfer worth 68 million euros ($89 million, ?56 million), but Kaka struggled to consistently reproduce his top form in the Spanish capital. 'One of football's greatest talents' He won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and was part of Jose Mourinho's team that won the league crown a year later, but he fell out of favour in Madrid and returned to Milan on a free transfer in September 2013. Kaka was unveiled as the face of Major League Soccer's expansion franchise Orlando City in 2014, heading home for a brief reunion with Sao Paulo ahead of the US club's debut season in 2015. He scored the MLS team's first ever goal and was the North American league's highest-paid player for three years running before leaving Orlando in October. He scored 29 goals in 92 international appearances for Brazil, although having been overlooked for the 2014 World Cup on home soil he was also ruled out of last year's Copa America Centenario by injury. In November, media reports said he had been considering a move to Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng in the Chinese Super League. Spain's La Liga paid homage to Kaka on its Twitter account, saying: "One of football's greatest talents is hanging up his boots after a glittering career." However, Kaka said his transition off the pitch wasn't being taken for granted. "The fact of having had successes as a professional player does not mean I will or won't be a good manager. So I want to prepare myself for this going ahead, to study, to follow, to be closer to certain clubs, especially those where I played," he told Globo.

Brazilian star Kaka announces retirement

An Italian court sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday (November 23) after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013.

A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The whereabouts of Robinho&#39;s five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold.

Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy.

&quot;We would like to clarify that he has already defended himself against the accusations, affirming that he did not participate in the episode,&quot; said a statement posted on Robinho&#39;s Instagram feed. &quot;All legal measures are being taken.&quot;

Robinho has a right to two appeals and Italy would only seek extradition once this legal process is exhausted, a legal source said. However, Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, meaning he would only risk arrest and deportation if he was stopped in a third country.

The Milan court ordered the victim receive 60,000 euros ($71,000) as compensation for her suffering.

Robinho has won 100 caps for Brazil, scoring 28 goals.

Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy.

An Italian court sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday (November 23) after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013. A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The whereabouts of Robinho's five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold. Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and never appeared at any of the court hearings in northern Italy. "We would like to clarify that he has already defended himself against the accusations, affirming that he did not participate in the episode," said a statement posted on Robinho's Instagram feed. "All legal measures are being taken." Robinho has a right to two appeals and Italy would only seek extradition once this legal process is exhausted, a legal source said. However, Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, meaning he would only risk arrest and deportation if he was stopped in a third country. The Milan court ordered the victim receive 60,000 euros ($71,000) as compensation for her suffering. Robinho has won 100 caps for Brazil, scoring 28 goals.

Brazil footballer given 9-year prison term for rape

Cristian Zapata hit a dramatic late leveller as AC Milan snatched a 2-2 draw with Inter Milan at the San Siro on Saturday in the city&#39;s first Chinese-owned derby.

Long-suffering Milan fans had reason to feel positive on Easter weekend after the club was taken over by Chinese-led consortium Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux two days ago in a multi-million euro deal.

But until Zapata&#39;s bundled effort hit the crossbar and bounced over the line following a corner in the seventh minute of added-on time, the Rossoneri were on their way to another morale-sapping defeat.

Despite a brilliant start from Vincenzo Montella&#39;s nominal visitors in the ground the two clubs share -- Carlos Bacca firing just over and on-loan Everton man Gerard Deulofeu hitting the upright in the opening minutes -- Inter were more clinical when it mattered.

Antonio Candreva, who hit Inter&#39;s opener in the corresponding fixture earlier this season which also finished 2-2, did well to hold off his marker and chip a long ball past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on 36 minutes.

Inter captain Mauro Icardi had the hosts 2-0 up on 44 minutes when he strolled in unmarked to poke Ivan Perisic&#39;s cross past the 18-year-old goalkeeper.

Inter, owned by Chinese group Suning since June 2016, had further chances early in the second half and although keeper Samir Handanovic was decisive more than once, the big Slovenian was left stranded when Alessio Romagnoli met Suso&#39;s cross at the back post to hit what initially seemed a late consolation on 83 minutes.

Inter looked nevertheless to be heading for a win that would have taken them up to sixth, one point ahead of Milan as both clubs fight for a Europa League place.

But Nerazzurri hopes were dashed when Bacca got on the end of Suso&#39;s corner to set up Zapata to bundle home from a tight angle.

The draw left Montella&#39;s men sixth, one point behind Atalanta in fifth and the final Europa League qualifying place. Atalanta travel to title-chasing Roma, who are six points behind leaders Juventus, later in the day.

Inter remain seventh, still two points behind their city rivals.

Milan enjoyed a great start, Bacca firing over from four yards seconds into the game after a mix-up in the Inter defence following Matias Fernandez&#39;s charge through the middle.

Icardi bundled over from five yards at the other end after a promising run by Portugal midfielder Joao Mario.&nbsp;

And after seeing Deulofeu hit the upright from a tight angle, the hosts took command when Candreva held off Mattia De Sciglio to beat Donnarumma with a fine chip.

The red and black section of the San Siro fell deadly silent when Icardi was allowed to run in unmarked on 44 minutes to poke Ivan Perisic&#39;s pinpoint delivery into the net.

Inter were far more enterprising after the break, Icardi breaking clear down the left and delivering for Perisic but the Croatian&#39;s effort was straight at Donnarumma.&nbsp;

Deulofeu, though, started exerting his influence and forced a great one-handed save from Handanovic with a bouncing strike before narrowly failing to reach Bacca&#39;s ball to the back post.

Montella urged his men up the pitch and with seven minutes remaining Romagnoli launched the fightback with a volley from Suso&#39;s cross that beat Handanovic.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Zapata put the smiles on Milan faces with an awkward effort that required goalline technology to confirm it had crossed the line.

(AFP)

Inter Milan were 2-0 up by the 44th minute before AC Milan leveled dramatically in the dying stages of the match

Cristian Zapata hit a dramatic late leveller as AC Milan snatched a 2-2 draw with Inter Milan at the San Siro on Saturday in the city's first Chinese-owned derby. Long-suffering Milan fans had reason to feel positive on Easter weekend after the club was taken over by Chinese-led consortium Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux two days ago in a multi-million euro deal. But until Zapata's bundled effort hit the crossbar and bounced over the line following a corner in the seventh minute of added-on time, the Rossoneri were on their way to another morale-sapping defeat. Despite a brilliant start from Vincenzo Montella's nominal visitors in the ground the two clubs share -- Carlos Bacca firing just over and on-loan Everton man Gerard Deulofeu hitting the upright in the opening minutes -- Inter were more clinical when it mattered. Antonio Candreva, who hit Inter's opener in the corresponding fixture earlier this season which also finished 2-2, did well to hold off his marker and chip a long ball past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on 36 minutes. Inter captain Mauro Icardi had the hosts 2-0 up on 44 minutes when he strolled in unmarked to poke Ivan Perisic's cross past the 18-year-old goalkeeper. Inter, owned by Chinese group Suning since June 2016, had further chances early in the second half and although keeper Samir Handanovic was decisive more than once, the big Slovenian was left stranded when Alessio Romagnoli met Suso's cross at the back post to hit what initially seemed a late consolation on 83 minutes. Inter looked nevertheless to be heading for a win that would have taken them up to sixth, one point ahead of Milan as both clubs fight for a Europa League place. But Nerazzurri hopes were dashed when Bacca got on the end of Suso's corner to set up Zapata to bundle home from a tight angle. The draw left Montella's men sixth, one point behind Atalanta in fifth and the final Europa League qualifying place. Atalanta travel to title-chasing Roma, who are six points behind leaders Juventus, later in the day. Inter remain seventh, still two points behind their city rivals. Milan enjoyed a great start, Bacca firing over from four yards seconds into the game after a mix-up in the Inter defence following Matias Fernandez's charge through the middle. Icardi bundled over from five yards at the other end after a promising run by Portugal midfielder Joao Mario. And after seeing Deulofeu hit the upright from a tight angle, the hosts took command when Candreva held off Mattia De Sciglio to beat Donnarumma with a fine chip. The red and black section of the San Siro fell deadly silent when Icardi was allowed to run in unmarked on 44 minutes to poke Ivan Perisic's pinpoint delivery into the net. Inter were far more enterprising after the break, Icardi breaking clear down the left and delivering for Perisic but the Croatian's effort was straight at Donnarumma. Deulofeu, though, started exerting his influence and forced a great one-handed save from Handanovic with a bouncing strike before narrowly failing to reach Bacca's ball to the back post. Montella urged his men up the pitch and with seven minutes remaining Romagnoli launched the fightback with a volley from Suso's cross that beat Handanovic. With virtually the last kick of the game, Zapata put the smiles on Milan faces with an awkward effort that required goalline technology to confirm it had crossed the line. (AFP)

AC Milan snatch late draw with Inter in first 'Chinese' Derby di Milano

Serie A giants AC Milan were sold to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux on Thursday in a deal which sees the Chinese-led consortium take a 99.9% stake in the club.

The seven-time European champions who are Italy&#39;s most successful club in international competition, have been owned by former three-time Italy prime minister Silvio Berlusconi since 1986.

A joint statement by AC Milan&#39;s holding company Fininvest and Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux said: &quot;Today Fininvest has completed the sale of the entire stake owned in AC Milan - equal to 99.93% - to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux.&quot;

(AFP)

Italy's celebrated Serie A giants AC Milan were sold to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux

Serie A giants AC Milan were sold to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux on Thursday in a deal which sees the Chinese-led consortium take a 99.9% stake in the club. The seven-time European champions who are Italy's most successful club in international competition, have been owned by former three-time Italy prime minister Silvio Berlusconi since 1986. A joint statement by AC Milan's holding company Fininvest and Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux said: "Today Fininvest has completed the sale of the entire stake owned in AC Milan - equal to 99.93% - to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux." (AFP)

Italian football club AC Milan sold to China-backed consortium

Silvio Berlusconi would retain ownership of AC Milan if the Chinese consortium currently struggling to purchase the Serie A giants fails to complete the deal, his son Pier Silvio said.

&quot;If the Chinese walk away, it wouldn&#39;t be very pleasing to my father because selling the club is a very emotional experience for him,&quot; Pier Silvio Berlusconi, a vice-president of AC Milan, told Italian radio.

&quot;If that was the case, we would happily forge on ahead.&quot;

Sino-Europe Sports (SES), led by mystery figure Yonghong Li, was scheduled Thursday to make a third down payment of 100m euros as part of a deal that values AC Milan at 740 million euros ($825.4 million).

Despite already making two separate down payments of 100m euros totalling 200m, there was growing speculation the takeover of one of Italy&#39;s most successful and emblematic clubs could collapse.

Silvio Berlusconi has already given SES several extensions and reports from New York on Wednesday said key backer, Haixia Capital Management Co, has been forced to pull out amid a Chinese government clampdown on investments made outside the country.

After SES failed to meet a March 3 deadline for the takeover, Milan and SES were pilloried on social media with fans and rivals alike comparing the saga to Michael Ende&#39;s &#39;Never Ending Story&#39;, which has been adapted to both film and theatre.

Berlusconi&#39;s patience is reportedly wearing thin, although his son suggested that would be tempered by his father walking away with the down payments already made. As part of the agreement between Li and Berlusconi, the Italian media tycoon would retain SES&#39;s deposits in the event the deal collapses.

&quot;From an economic point of view it wouldn&#39;t be damaging (for AC Milan) given the penalty, if we can call it that, is quite substantial,&quot; added Pier Silvio.

&quot;But the agreements and the down payments give me faith.&quot;

If the takeover collapses, the 80-year-old Berlusconi is unlikely to put the club up for sale again, said his son: &quot;I&#39;m sure the deal will be completed. But if we don&#39;t sell to the Chinese, there will be only one other owner: my father.&quot;

Berlusconi has overseen the most successful period in the club&#39;s history, Milan winning eight Serie A and five Champions League titles since he took over as president in 1986.

(AFP)

There is uncertainty over Chinese-owned Sino-Europe Sports' ability to buy the club

Silvio Berlusconi would retain ownership of AC Milan if the Chinese consortium currently struggling to purchase the Serie A giants fails to complete the deal, his son Pier Silvio said. "If the Chinese walk away, it wouldn't be very pleasing to my father because selling the club is a very emotional experience for him," Pier Silvio Berlusconi, a vice-president of AC Milan, told Italian radio. "If that was the case, we would happily forge on ahead." Sino-Europe Sports (SES), led by mystery figure Yonghong Li, was scheduled Thursday to make a third down payment of 100m euros as part of a deal that values AC Milan at 740 million euros ($825.4 million). Despite already making two separate down payments of 100m euros totalling 200m, there was growing speculation the takeover of one of Italy's most successful and emblematic clubs could collapse. Silvio Berlusconi has already given SES several extensions and reports from New York on Wednesday said key backer, Haixia Capital Management Co, has been forced to pull out amid a Chinese government clampdown on investments made outside the country. After SES failed to meet a March 3 deadline for the takeover, Milan and SES were pilloried on social media with fans and rivals alike comparing the saga to Michael Ende's 'Never Ending Story', which has been adapted to both film and theatre. Berlusconi's patience is reportedly wearing thin, although his son suggested that would be tempered by his father walking away with the down payments already made. As part of the agreement between Li and Berlusconi, the Italian media tycoon would retain SES's deposits in the event the deal collapses. "From an economic point of view it wouldn't be damaging (for AC Milan) given the penalty, if we can call it that, is quite substantial," added Pier Silvio. "But the agreements and the down payments give me faith." If the takeover collapses, the 80-year-old Berlusconi is unlikely to put the club up for sale again, said his son: "I'm sure the deal will be completed. But if we don't sell to the Chinese, there will be only one other owner: my father." Berlusconi has overseen the most successful period in the club's history, Milan winning eight Serie A and five Champions League titles since he took over as president in 1986. (AFP)

Berlusconi to keep hold of AC Milan if takeover talks collapse

AC Milan have appointed former Fiorentina and Sampdoria boss Vincenzo Montella as their new manager on a two-year contract, the Serie A club said on their website on Tuesday. 
 
The 42-year-old will begin work with the Italian side from July 1 and will replace Cristian Brocchi, who took charge on an interim basis after Sinisa Mihajlovic was sacked in April. 
 
The former striker has also managed at Catania after a playing career that took him to Empoli, Genoa, Sampdoria and AS Roma, as well as a brief loan spell at English side Fulham in 2007. 
 
Montella, who took over at Sampdoria last November and led them to 15th in Serie A, represented Italy 20 times between 1999 and 2005, scoring three times for his country. 
 
&quot;It is the belief of the club that the style of play of the new Rossoneri coach will be the basis of an important, fruitful and positive collaboration,&quot; the club said in a statement on their website. 
 
&quot;Heartfelt thanks to Cristian Brocchi for the enthusiasm, preparation and intensity with which he approached his career as Milan coach with the youth sides and the first team.&quot; 
 
Milan, who lost to Juventus in the Coppa Italia final last month, finished seventh in the league last season and will miss out on Europe for a third successive campaign. 
 
(Reuters)

Montella will replace Cristian Brocchi, who took charge on an interim basis after Sinisa Mihajlovic was sacked in April

AC Milan have appointed former Fiorentina and Sampdoria boss Vincenzo Montella as their new manager on a two-year contract, the Serie A club said on their website on Tuesday. The 42-year-old will begin work with the Italian side from July 1 and will replace Cristian Brocchi, who took charge on an interim basis after Sinisa Mihajlovic was sacked in April. The former striker has also managed at Catania after a playing career that took him to Empoli, Genoa, Sampdoria and AS Roma, as well as a brief loan spell at English side Fulham in 2007. Montella, who took over at Sampdoria last November and led them to 15th in Serie A, represented Italy 20 times between 1999 and 2005, scoring three times for his country. "It is the belief of the club that the style of play of the new Rossoneri coach will be the basis of an important, fruitful and positive collaboration," the club said in a statement on their website. "Heartfelt thanks to Cristian Brocchi for the enthusiasm, preparation and intensity with which he approached his career as Milan coach with the youth sides and the first team." Milan, who lost to Juventus in the Coppa Italia final last month, finished seventh in the league last season and will miss out on Europe for a third successive campaign. (Reuters)

Vincenzo Montella named as new AC Milan manager

New Italian coach Giampiero Ventura hinted today that striker Graziano Pelle could risk his Azzurri place following a recent move to China and gave Mario Balotelli little chance of returning to the national team. 
 
Pelle, 31, scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014 and was an integral part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. 
 
But Pelle&#39;s reported 15m Euros (&pound;12.7 million, $16.6 million) move to Shandong Luneng could dent his Italy future if he follows in the footsteps of former Juventus maestro Andrea Pirlo and ex-Bologna star Alessandro Diamanti. 
 
Pirlo&#39;s move to New York City FC and Diamanti&#39;s signing for Guangzhou Evergrande preceded the ends of their respective international careers. 
 
Ventura, officially unveiled as Chelsea manager Antonio Conte&#39;s successor today, said the circumstances surrounding Pelle and those players &quot;could not be compared&quot;. 
 
But he added: &quot;A player has to be strong, psychologically and mentally&quot;, to feature for Italy while playing outside of Europe. 
 
&quot;Diamanti, despite being a quality player, lost it (Italy place) when he went to China.&quot; 
 
Pelle scored twice for Italy in France last month but was one of several players to miss the target in an error-strewn 18-shot penalty shoot-out that Germany won 6-5 to advance to the semi-finals. 
 
Ventura said the striker, at least on paper, remains part of his plans but admitted the long-haul travel could complicate matters. 
 
&quot;I have to consider all the 23 players who were at the Euros because of what they achieved. Plus, there will be many others because we&#39;re moving forward,&quot; he explained. 
 
&quot;As for Pelle, apart from his missed penalty, he had a positive campaign. But China is far away. Let&#39;s see why he moved.&quot; 
 
Balotelli, meanwhile, will have to reignite his troubled club future if he is to have any chance of remaining an Italy international. 
 
Having spent a mediocre last season on loan at AC Milan, Balotelli was told recently by Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp to find a new club. 
 
Ventura said the door would remain open but that the troubled star was &quot;at a crossroads&quot; in his career. 
 
&quot;For me he&#39;s exactly the same as all other players when, a) he plays, and b) he is professional,&quot; added Ventura when asked about Balotelli. 
 
&quot;In terms of his character, he could do much better. The fact he&#39;s not playing at Milan, that Liverpool have abandoned him, means that he is at crossroads. 
 
&quot;The few times that Balotelli has really wanted to be a footballer, he has shown his quality. I have no prejudice, but his football must do the talking.&quot; 
 
A respected tactician, Ventura comes to the post after a five-year spell with Torino. 
 
Tasked with qualifying Italy for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he now hopes to convince rock-solid Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli to extend his international career. 
 
The sixty-eight-year-old coach also intends to build on Conte&#39;s two-year spell in charge by steering the new generation through the ranks. 
 
&quot;I haven&#39;t spoken to Barzagli yet but if I want to take up where Conte has left off it&#39;s obvious that he would be a crucial player for us,&quot; added Ventura, whose first game in charge is a friendly against beaten Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on September 1. 
 
&quot;We have a lot of upcoming players and I want to bring them through. But we have to be patient and give them time to come through gradually.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Graziano Pelle is all set to leave Southampton for Chinese Super League's Shandong Luneng

New Italian coach Giampiero Ventura hinted today that striker Graziano Pelle could risk his Azzurri place following a recent move to China and gave Mario Balotelli little chance of returning to the national team. Pelle, 31, scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014 and was an integral part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. But Pelle's reported 15m Euros (£12.7 million, $16.6 million) move to Shandong Luneng could dent his Italy future if he follows in the footsteps of former Juventus maestro Andrea Pirlo and ex-Bologna star Alessandro Diamanti. Pirlo's move to New York City FC and Diamanti's signing for Guangzhou Evergrande preceded the ends of their respective international careers. Ventura, officially unveiled as Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's successor today, said the circumstances surrounding Pelle and those players "could not be compared". But he added: "A player has to be strong, psychologically and mentally", to feature for Italy while playing outside of Europe. "Diamanti, despite being a quality player, lost it (Italy place) when he went to China." Pelle scored twice for Italy in France last month but was one of several players to miss the target in an error-strewn 18-shot penalty shoot-out that Germany won 6-5 to advance to the semi-finals. Ventura said the striker, at least on paper, remains part of his plans but admitted the long-haul travel could complicate matters. "I have to consider all the 23 players who were at the Euros because of what they achieved. Plus, there will be many others because we're moving forward," he explained. "As for Pelle, apart from his missed penalty, he had a positive campaign. But China is far away. Let's see why he moved." Balotelli, meanwhile, will have to reignite his troubled club future if he is to have any chance of remaining an Italy international. Having spent a mediocre last season on loan at AC Milan, Balotelli was told recently by Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp to find a new club. Ventura said the door would remain open but that the troubled star was "at a crossroads" in his career. "For me he's exactly the same as all other players when, a) he plays, and b) he is professional," added Ventura when asked about Balotelli. "In terms of his character, he could do much better. The fact he's not playing at Milan, that Liverpool have abandoned him, means that he is at crossroads. "The few times that Balotelli has really wanted to be a footballer, he has shown his quality. I have no prejudice, but his football must do the talking." A respected tactician, Ventura comes to the post after a five-year spell with Torino. Tasked with qualifying Italy for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he now hopes to convince rock-solid Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli to extend his international career. The sixty-eight-year-old coach also intends to build on Conte's two-year spell in charge by steering the new generation through the ranks. "I haven't spoken to Barzagli yet but if I want to take up where Conte has left off it's obvious that he would be a crucial player for us," added Ventura, whose first game in charge is a friendly against beaten Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on September 1. "We have a lot of upcoming players and I want to bring them through. But we have to be patient and give them time to come through gradually." (AFP)

Italy's Graziano Pelle, Mario Balotelli receive warning

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