Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Home Blog

Atalanta like only Bayern: Milan drops points in Bergamo

Sports Of The Day
-
0
Atalanta like only Bayern: Milan drops points in Bergamo

Atalanta Bergamo remains the only undefeated team in Serie A, but recorded its seventh draw on matchday 9. The 1-1 draw is only of limited help to Milan.

The top of Serie A is really tight at the end of October. This made Milan’s away game at Atalanta Bergamo all the more important after their disappointing 2-2 draw with Pisa – especially as Napoli had managed a lackluster 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Lecce just minutes earlier. Apart from the undefeated FC Bayern, only Atalanta are still without defeat in the top five leagues – with two wins and six and seven draws respectively after this matchday. But initially, his team found themselves trailing: after a corner, Ahanor cleared the ball poorly in front of the penalty area, where Ricci simply shot. In the melee, Ederson deflected the ball quite unluckily, leaving Carnesecchi with no chance (4th minute).

Redemption for Lookman

However, Juric’s team showed the right response. Atalanta took complete control after going 0-1 down and worked hard to equalize. Ederson was denied by Maignan (21st minute) before the impressive center back Ahanor fired powerfully over the bar (27th minute). In the 35th minute, however, the fans finally had something to cheer about: Pasalic played the ball through to Lookman, who fired it into the near corner. It was the Nigerian’s first Serie A goal since mid-May and after his ultimately unsuccessful strike.

After an entertaining 45 minutes, Milan were still doing pretty well with the score at 1-1. That’s probably why Massimiliano Allegri adjusted his team accordingly in the dressing room for the second half. Former Leipzig player Nkunku and Loftus-Cheek came on quickly and gave the game a new dimension.

Nkunku also initiated Milan’s best chance after the break, but Fofana narrowly missed the target after a header from Bartesaghi (68′). The momentum then slowed down somewhat during the midweek fixtures, before Atalanta almost landed a lucky punch. However, Milan keeper Maignan denied Zappacosta’s powerful curling shot with a superb save (85′).

In the end, it remained a fair draw that didn’t really help either team. Milan are now three points behind Napoli, and Atalanta missed the chance to climb higher than sixth place in the table, at least temporarily.

Despite a shaky performance: Napoli wins in Lecce for De Bruyne

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
Despite a shaky performance: Napoli wins in Lecce for De Bruyne

SSC Napoli won their first game since Kevin De Bruyne’s serious injury with a flattering 1-0 victory. Bottom-of-the-table Lecce fought hard—and missed a huge chance from the penalty spot.

Napoli had put in an inspiring performance on Saturday, beating Inter Milan 3-1 at home. However, the prestigious victory was overshadowed by De Bruyne’s injury during his penalty kick. The bad news followed on Monday: a serious muscle injury means he will be out for months.

But how would the reigning champions react to this heavy blow? Their opponents in this midweek fixture seemed to be “grateful” after all: Lecce had collected a meager six points from their first eight games, leaving them 16th in Serie A. However, anyone who expected a clear-cut affair was proven wrong.

Lecce defended cleverly against uninspired visitors clad in almost traditional Halloween jerseys and occasionally launched their own pinpricks. Berisha tried his luck from the second row, but missed narrowly (25′). Napoli’s best chance came from left-back Olivera, but Tiago Gabriel saved on the line for beaten keeper Falcone (35′).

Zambo Anguissa scores again

After the break, the heavily disappointing favorites had to come up with much more. But first, there was another injury: summer signing Lang limped off the pitch after another foul, and David Neres replaced him (48′). Suddenly, the home side had a great chance to take a 1-0 lead – VAR had flagged a handball by Juan Jesus. The 17-year-old Camarda took responsibility, but his attempt from 11 meters out was saved by the quick-reacting keeper Milinkovic-Savic (56′).

Napoli coach Antonio Conte – himself born in Lecce – had seen enough in his hometown and brought on three fresh players in Spinazzola, McTominay, and Höjlund (61′). Less than ten minutes later, the favorites were celebrating the lead: David Neres lifted a free kick from the right into the center, where Zambo Anguissa—who had already scored against Inter—headed into the far corner with a little help (69′).

In the last 20 minutes, Napoli comfortably managed their lead and maintained their position at the top of the table with what was ultimately a hard-fought victory. The champions will be aiming for their third win in a row on Saturday when Como, the surprise team of the current Serie A season, visit the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

“Spain’s case is different”: Serie A sticks to plan for match in Australia

Phil Laffertey
-
0
“Spain’s case is different”: Serie A sticks to plan for match in Australia

Spain’s La Liga’s plans for a match abroad are off the table, as public pressure became too great. Serie A, on the other hand, is sticking to its plan for a match in Australia, as Serie A boss Luigi De Siervo confirmed.

Adrien Rabiot won’t be happy to hear this. The Frenchman, who plays for AC Milan, is one of the critics of Serie A’s plans for his club to play Como Calcio in Perth, Australia, on February 8, 2026. But Serie A is sticking to its plans, regardless of what happened in Spain.

There, league boss Javier Tebas’ hopes of playing the match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona in Miami shortly before Christmas were dashed. The resistance was too great – from players, fans, and the other La Liga clubs, who spoke of distortion of competition.

For Serie A chairman Luigi De Siervo, this is no reason to rethink his plans for February 2026. “The case of Spain is different; there were internal conflicts there. Despite the cancellation of the match between Villarreal and FC Barcelona, Serie A is sticking to its intention to hold a league match in Australia in the near future,“ he clarified. ”Both teams—Milan and Como—have given their approval, as have the 20 Serie A clubs, unlike in Spain, where there were internal disputes.”

The egg today or the chicken tomorrow?

De Siervo knows that not everyone is enthusiastic about the plans to play abroad, but he is not overly concerned about this. Rabiot already got a taste of this in a sharp retort from the official. “If you ask an athlete if they want to spend 20 hours on a plane to play a soccer game in their league, they will tell you that’s crazy. If you ask a coach who is fighting for the Scudetto or a place in the Champions League, he will also resist it. When you ask people, no one wants to give up the opportunity to go to the stadium.“ For the 56-year-old, however, it’s more a question of ”whether we want the egg today or the hen tomorrow. Anyone who develops a sports product has to think five to ten years ahead.”

De Siervo once again referred to the sporting situation in the USA – for example, the first NBA game in Tokyo in 1990 or the NFL, which moved for the first time in 2005 and played a game in Mexico City. Since then, American professional football players have been traveling abroad regularly – in 2026, they will also be going to Australia for the first time. “You have to aim for the bigger goal. If we want an international league, we must have the courage to make unpopular decisions that do not assume we are listening to the instincts of fans or players who have a short- or medium-term interest,” says De Siervo. Words that are likely to leave any soccer nostalgic feeling perplexed.

However, at least one argument cannot be dismissed. The Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from February 6 to 22. It would therefore have been impossible to hold Milan’s home game at their home stadium, the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

“Divisive and misleading”: Celtic shareholder settles scores with Rodgers

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
“Divisive and misleading”: Celtic shareholder settles scores with Rodgers

Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation as Celtic manager, the Scottish champions are still reeling. In a detailed statement, the club’s main shareholder accused Rodgers of “divisive, misleading, and self-serving” behavior.

The club’s initial statement on Monday evening was unspectacular, containing the usual platitudes accompanying a departure. Brendan Rodgers had submitted his resignation as head coach of Celtic Football Club on Monday, and the club politely thanked him on its website for three titles in two years.

Anyone who thought this would be a quiet departure was proven wrong. Shortly afterwards, Dermot Desmond, the majority shareholder of the reigning Scottish champions, published a statement on the club’s official website that packed a punch. A full 551 words about Rodgers’ alleged misconduct.

Rodgers had repeatedly caused a stir with his public statements in recent weeks and months. For example, he complained in the media about the lack of new signings. Then, in mid-October, after the first away defeat in Dundee in 37 years, the 52-year-old said: “You would never get the keys to a Honda Civic in a race and be told, ‘Drive it like a Ferrari.’ It just doesn’t work.”

Celtic sees trust violated

Desmond has now accused the former coach of “divisive, misleading and self-serving” behavior. He said he was “deeply disappointed” by what had happened in recent months. When Celtic signed Rodgers two years ago, it was done with “complete confidence and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of success.” “Unfortunately, his behavior and communication over the past few months have not reflected that trust.”

There had been regular communication between Rodgers and the club’s management regarding the sale of existing players and the signing of new ones. Celtic’s transfers had taken place with Rodgers’ “full knowledge, consent, and approval.” “Any other suggestion is completely false,” Desmond said. Rodgers’ comments came “out of the blue” for him, as the coach had not previously expressed any concerns to the decision-makers. Even in a personal conversation after his public statements, Rodgers was unable to cite any instances in which the club had not supported him.

In addition, the club’s management had held out the prospect of a potential contract extension to Rodgers, but in a later press conference, the coach had suggested that he had not been offered a new contract. “That was simply not true,” said Desmond.

Rodgers’ successor still unknown

Rodgers’ behavior contributed to a “toxic atmosphere” at the club. “Celtic is bigger than any one individual. Our focus now is on restoring harmony, strengthening the squad and building the club in a way that is worthy of its values, traditions and fans,” Desmond concluded in his statement.

Rodgers has yet to respond to these allegations, but the departure is likely to cause further unrest in the coming days. The next league game is already scheduled for Wednesday, at home against newly promoted FC Falkirk. Martin O’Neill, 73, who was already on the sidelines at Celtic from 2000 to 2005, will take over. However, the new role as interim coach will only be short-term, O’Neill said on Tuesday. It is not yet clear who will take over in the long term.

Tenth defeat: Towers crisis worsens

Jason Maverick
-
0
Tenth defeat: Towers crisis worsens

Veolia Towers Hamburg suffered another defeat in the EuroCup against Romanian representatives Cluj-Napoca. This means that the Hanseatic team has still not managed to secure a victory this season after ten attempts.

Veolia Towers Hamburg’s losing streak continues this basketball season. In the EuroCup, head coach Benka Barloschky’s team lost 76-95 (30-52) to Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca at the Inselpark Arena, remaining winless in their fifth international appearance. Including their cup exit and the Bundesliga, the Hanseatic team suffered their tenth defeat in a row. Cluj-Napoca had already won both games against the Towers last season. However, after a bumpy start, Hamburg managed to keep the third encounter almost even. The Towers’ biggest shortcoming in the first quarter was their long-range shooting. Six attempts were unsuccessful. By halftime, however, the Hanseatic team had slowed down significantly on both offense and defense, falling well behind.

The bottom team in the Bundesliga did not want to give up without a fight and played with visible courage after the break. Midway through the final quarter, the gap was only 13 points after a three-pointer by Carlos Stewart. But that was not enough, as Cluj-Napoca increased the pressure and extended their lead again.

Mercedes-AMG’s “Frankenstein car”: First test images of the GT3 successor?

Sports Of The Day
-
0
Mercedes-AMG’s “Frankenstein car”: First test images of the GT3 successor?

Mercedes-AMG has been extremely tight-lipped about the GT3 successor so far: What lies behind the test images of the concept car?

Is this the new GT3 racing car from Mercedes-AMG or not? This question is once again the subject of discussion, as the brand with the star has published the first photos of test drives with a new concept car that, purely from a visual standpoint, suggests this is the case.
After the final touches were made to the Concept AMG GT Track Sport in Affalterbach at the end of July, an intensive testing phase is now beginning,” according to a cryptic press release from Mercedes-AMG. “The prototype, camouflaged with yellow and red accents, is facing its first driving dynamics challenges on test tracks and racetracks.”

The photos show the new vehicle, excerpts of which Mercedes-AMG already showed in July, in camouflage paint on a racetrack. It is strongly reminiscent of the Bilster Berg circuit in Westphalia.

“When the time is right, we will reveal all.”

Is Mercedes-AMG currently working on the GT3 successor to the veteran Mercedes-AMG GT3? However, it will not be developed and built by HWA as before, but by the new Affalterbach Racing GmbH.

The vehicle, for which a dedicated production car is being developed, is expected to feature a V8 turbo engine and a full carbon monocoque. 2026 is planned as a pure development year, but even delivery to the teams in 2027 is considered extremely ambitious. 2028 sounds more realistic, we hear.

But are the images released so far already of the prototype of the new car? “It’s a concept,” replies Thomas Jäger, who is the sporting director for the DTM division at Mercedes-AMG. “We’ll reveal all when the time is right. Until then, we need to keep the suspense going a little longer,” he grins.

Do the pictures show a “Frankenstein car”?

The press release states: “Components of the concept vehicle are proving themselves under highly dynamic conditions.” This suggests that the photos do not yet show the final GT3 car.

“It looks like a kind of Frankenstein car,” says a Mercedes-AMG expert who wishes to remain anonymous. A “Frankenstein car” – or “mule car” – is a test vehicle that is already equipped with parts from a future car.

“The roof, windows, and rearview mirrors look very similar to the current car. The same goes for the side skirts with the louvers,” is the insider’s initial analysis. However, the front end is different, reminiscent of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 at first glance. This is because the large radiator grille familiar from the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is now significantly smaller.

Front end and splitter different from current GT3 car

As with the previous car, it is a front mid-engine vehicle, but the hood looks different.

“Where the air outlet used to be on the hood, you now see an air intake,” says the expert. “That makes sense, because the air has to go to the turbo, which is located at the top of the V.” The splitter at the front also features a step, which is a change compared to the current GT3 car from Mercedes-AMG. The press release states that the focus of the vehicle is “on maximum driving dynamics.” In addition, the emphasis is on “intelligent lightweight construction.” The concept vehicle has “further optimized weight balance, AMG-typical V8 drive technology, and a sophisticated aerodynamic architecture,” Mercedes-AMG announced.

AMG boss Schiebe announces: “The future will be extreme”

“With the tests on the race track, Mercedes-AMG wants to validate all systems and complex components in interaction – under the toughest conditions and in compliance with high quality and performance standards,” it continues, without revealing too much.

Michael Schiebe, who will remain head of Mercedes-AMG for another month before becoming a member of the Mercedes-Benz AG Board of Management responsible for production, quality, and supply chain management, praises his “world-class team” and makes a promise with the Concept AMG GT Track Sport: “The future will be extreme.”

“Confusing”: Why is Alexander Albon struggling?

Jason Maverick
-
0
“Confusing”: Why is Alexander Albon struggling?

Alexander Albon missed out on the top 10 again on Sunday in Mexico—the Williams driver cannot explain why he has been lacking pace for some time now.

“We need to find out what’s going on,” Alexander Albon demanded after the Mexican Grand Prix. Apart from the sprint in Austin, the Williams driver missed out on the points for the fourth Grand Prix in a row on Sunday.

“We’ve had a few races where we’ve struggled, and we need to figure out where that’s coming from,” said Albon, who finished in the top 10 in seven of the first eight races at the start of the season. Since then, that ratio has completely reversed.

Since Budapest, Albon has lost 0:6 in qualifying duels against his teammate Carlos Sainz, and the Spaniard has also been responsible for Williams’ recent highlights in the races. Sainz finished third in both the Grand Prix in Baku and the sprint in Austin.

Albon, on the other hand, sees himself in a downward spiral that he can’t quite explain. “We can see it in the data, we can identify the problems I’m having with the car,” said Albon, who cannot say where they come from. In Mexico, for example, he never felt comfortable in the car, which is why he was once again eliminated in Q1 in qualifying – as he was in Baku and Austin before that. Sainz, on the other hand, made it into Q3 and put the Williams in P7 – ten places ahead of his teammate. Albon said qualifying had been a “strange session,” as he had struggled with the brakes, among other things. However, he also made it clear: “The brakes were a problem, but you should still be able to make it through Q2.”

“It’s a little difficult to say exactly where the difficulties come from. But there’s a bit of a lack of feeling and confidence,” he said, adding: “In general, there’s also a lack of speed.” In other words, Albon is simply too slow at the moment.

He doesn’t want to use the fact that Williams stopped developing the FW47 months ago as an excuse. “No, because no one is really bringing any updates anymore. It’s all about pure speed, and I don’t really know where that’s coming from,” he emphasizes. “It’s a bit confusing,” says Albon, who scored a whopping 42 championship points in the first eight races of the season. In the twelve races that followed, he added only 31 more, and in the last four of those, only three through P6 in the Austin sprint.
“That’s why we need to regroup, reassess the situation, and start a good recovery process before Brazil so we can get back into the rhythm,” Albon demands.

Budget rumors in F1: The FIA finally speaks plainly

Jason Maverick
-
0
Budget rumors in F1: The FIA finally speaks plainly

Only Aston Martin committed a minor procedural violation in 2024; all other teams complied with the financial rules last year.

All Formula 1 teams can breathe a sigh of relief: Following recent rumors that another team besides Aston Martin may have violated Formula 1 financial rules in 2024, the FIA confirmed on Tuesday that there were no further violations.

A press release states: “Nine Formula 1 teams have been found to be compliant for 2024.” It had already been announced that Aston Martin had violated the cost cap. However, this was merely a procedural violation. The FIA has now announced that Aston Martin “committed a procedural violation, but did not exceed the cost cap and that the violation was very minor in nature.”

It also clarifies: “It was caused by unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the Formula 1 team.” A further statement says that Aston Martin “acted cooperatively and in good faith throughout the review process.”

Aston Martin avoids financial penalty

Aston Martin, referred to in these proceedings as AMR in reference to its parent company AMR GP Ltd, entered into an Accepted Breach Agreement (“ABA”) on September 29, i.e. one month ago, thereby accepting its own breach.

The FIA’s Cost Cap Administration (“CCA”) stated: “Due to these exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances, no financial penalties have been imposed on AMR.”

“In addition, the Cost Cap Administration confirmed that there is no allegation or evidence that AMR sought or gained an unfair advantage through the breach,” it continued.

All five engine manufacturers participating in the 2026 Formula 1 season are also subject to their own cost cap. The FIA also states: “All five engine manufacturers have been found to be compliant for 2024.”

It goes on to say: “The FIA confirms that all Formula 1 teams and all engine manufacturers have provided their full support in providing the necessary information. The CCA notes that all teams and manufacturers acted in good faith and cooperatively throughout the process.”

According to the FIA, the review process took a total of seven months. The documents for the past year 2024 had to be submitted by the end of March 2025.

Ferrari back on the podium: Where does the upward trend come from?

T0m@dmin1
-
0
Ferrari back on the podium: Where does the upward trend come from?

Although Ferrari is no longer developing the SF-25, its form has recently been on the rise – why it was on the podium twice in a row in Austin and Mexico

“Overall, it was a good weekend for us,” summarized Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur after the Mexican Grand Prix. For the first time in almost five months, the Scuderia managed to finish on the podium in two consecutive races.
After Charles Leclerc had already finished third at the Grand Prix in Austin, he even managed to take second place in Mexico City. Ferrari had last achieved two podium finishes in a row at the races in Monaco and Barcelona in May and June.

Without a ten-second penalty for Lewis Hamilton, who ultimately finished eighth, the team’s result in Mexico could have been even better. Vasseur points to the strong result in qualifying on Saturday in this context.

The team was “not far off” from “fighting for pole position, and P2 and P3 were a good result,” said the team boss. Leclerc himself also spoke of a “positive weekend” in Mexico City after finishing second in the race.

Where Vasseur sees a “step forward”

But why did things go better for Ferrari again over the past two weekends? The car itself has not become any faster since the disappointing races in Baku (P8 and P9) and Singapore (P6 and P8). Development of the SF-25 was discontinued some time ago.

“I think we took a step forward over the last two weekends when it came to putting everything together,” explains Vasseur, emphasizing that this time they didn’t feel “that we were leaving too much on the table.”

Baku, Singapore, and other Grands Prix were races “where the potential wasn’t so bad, but we had difficulty scoring points.” Or to put it simply: Ferrari simply failed to live up to its own potential.

Leclerc also confirms: “Thanks to perfectly executed weekends, we were able to achieve two podium finishes in a row.” At the same time, however, this circumstance also makes it “very, very hard” to hold on to second place in the Constructors’ Championship until the end.

P2 in the World Championship just a snapshot?

Although Ferrari overtook Mercedes in Mexico, it is currently only one point ahead of the Silver Arrows and ten points ahead of Red Bull in the World Championship. And Leclerc warns: “It’s very difficult to perform at this level all the time.”

When asked whether Ferrari can hold on to second place, the Monegasque replies: “Looking back at the last two weekends, yes. Looking back at the time before those two weekends, not really.”

Because even in the four remaining Grands Prix, you need the “perfect” weekends that Leclerc mentioned. He emphasizes: “We just have to focus on each race individually and execute it perfectly, just like we did in the last two races.”

“It’s a tough battle every weekend,” emphasizes team boss Vasseur, explaining: “We’re fighting for tenths or hundredths of a second. And gusts of wind or ‘dirty air’ in qualifying can knock you back from P2 to P6.”

Did Mexico’s special requirements suit Ferrari?

In Mexico, for example, Lando Norris was clearly ahead of the rest of the field, but behind him it was “very, very close.” The team boss also points out that Mexico is a special track with very specific requirements for car cooling.

And Ferrari regularly does well in this regard, as Vasseur recalls: “Last year we did well [in Mexico]. We were always in contention the year before that too. And this weekend, we were in good shape from the first lap.”

In fact, the Scuderia scored its last Formula 1 victory to date in Mexico in 2024, and in 2023, Leclerc put the Ferrari on pole there and also finished on the podium. So the good weekend in 2025 could also be attributed to the characteristics of the track. If that’s the case, then the upcoming race in Brazil will be a real yardstick for whether Ferrari’s recent upward trend is truly sustainable. After all, the Scuderia hasn’t been on the podium in Sao Paulo since 2022 and hasn’t won there since 2017.

This makes it all the more important to have another “perfect” weekend there.

Sinner confirms relationship

Andrew Jackson
-
0
Sinner confirms relationship

Jannik Sinner wins in Vienna and talks about his relationship for the first time afterwards.

With a score of 3:6, 6:3, and 7:5 in a dramatic final against Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner secured his next title in Vienna—and celebrated it with someone very special. During the award ceremony, the Italian made his relationship with Laila Hasanovic public. The 24-year-old sat in the box of the world number two and listened closely as Sinner said, “Thanks to my family, my girlfriend, and everyone who supports me at home.”

According to Rai News, the Italian added at the press conference: “It’s not easy to juggle everything all the time. But it means a lot to me that my family and Laila are always behind me.”

Hasanovic was in a relationship with Mick Schumacher

This is the first time Sinner has publicly mentioned his new partner. Until now, he had not spoken about the relationship—even though it has long been an open secret in the tennis world.

Hasanovic, who is Danish, has had a prominent partner in the past. She was with Mick Schumacher for two years.

Sinner had a relationship with Russian tennis player Anna Kalinskaya for about a year starting in May 2024.

123...1,674Page 1 of 1,674

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Sports of the day is your sports news website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the sports industry.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© 2021 sportsoftheday.com