Champions League Complete Report

Manchester City 2-2 Ajax

Aguero nets equaliser but hosts edge closer to elimination

Despite coming back from two goals down, the Premier League holders are on the brink of failing to advance to the knock-out stages for the second consecutive season

The pressure intensified on Roberto Mancini as Manchester City drew 2-2 with Ajax to face almost certain elimination from the Champions League.

Mancini’s side can still mathematically qualify for the knock-out stages but it is a long shot after they failed to beat the Group D underdogs at home.

Ajax captain Siem de Jong took advantage of City’s shocking defending at corners to put the visitors 2-0 up after 17 minutes.

Yaya Toure reduced the deficit soon afterwards with an acrobatic volley to give his team hope they could still be in the competition by the time they host Real Madrid in three weeks’ time.

And Sergio Aguero scored the equaliser with 16 minutes left, but Ajax defended stoutly to keep out a late City charge.

The draw leaves City rooted to the bottom of the toughest of the eight Champions League groups, with just two points, five adrift of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Mancini's team teeter on the precipice, requiring victories from the final two matches - home to Real and away to Dortmund - and other results to go their way to be involved in the competition in February.

For this must-win fixture, Man City made three changes from the team that drew 0-0 at West Ham last Saturday, with Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and the fit-again Javi Garcia replacing Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko and the injured Kolo Toure.

With City experiencing a glut of defensive injuries, there was one unfamiliar face on the substitute’s bench in the form of 18-year-old centre-back Courtney Meppen-Walter, a member of City’s development squad.

The rookie could hardly have defended worse than his more senior colleagues early on as Ajax seized upon some dreadful marking to score twice from corners.

After nine minutes, Matija Nastasic demonstrated how raw he is at this level by, first, making a horrible hash of his clearance to concede a corner from a low cross and, then, failing to deal with the resulting set piece, prodding the ball back across goal to allow De Jong to loft in the opener.

Eight minutes later, alarmingly lax marking from City allowed De Jong to steal in to meet a near-post inswinger and guide his free header past Joe Hart.

Ajax may not have sold out the away end but the visiting fans were by now bouncing up and down in co-ordinated jollity as the Group D underdogs scented a famous win and an improbable passage into the Champions League knock-out stages.

Toure pulled one back for City after 22 minutes with a fabulous piece of skill, chesting down a cross at the back post and then volleying past Kenneth Vermeer in one swift movement.

The home side looked dangerous every time they attacked but a brilliant clearance from Ricardo van Rhijn and Zabaleta’s failure to take advantage of a fine headed opportunity meant that Ajax ended an even half with a 2-1 advantage.

Mancini went all-out attack after the break, replacing Garcia with Balotelli and it was a move that paid dividends as the Italian’s flick-on set up Aguero for the equaliser.

Oddly, the Argentine’s footing had let him down on a number of occasions in good positions during the game but he managed to stay on his feet after 74 minutes when Balotelli headed on Hart’s goal-kick to slickly level the scores.

Real Madrid 2-2 Borussia Dortmund

Ozil denies German champions from securing famous double

A thrilling contest from start to finish saw Los Blancos steal a point at the death after being frustrated by the visitors for long spells throughout the match

Real Madrid left it late to secure a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund in a pulsating Champions League clash at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. 

A display of defensive diligence and deadly counterattacking seemed set to send the German outfit to their second victory over Jose Mourinho's men, but a free kick from Mesut Ozil in the dying moments salvaged a point for the hosts.

Marco Reus gave Dortmund the lead in the 28th minute, before Pepe levelled the score six minutes later. However, another charge forward on the break saw Alvaro Arbeloa turn into his own net moments before half time. 

The visitors ramped up their defensive intensity in the second half and seemed set to frustrate the hosts into submission but, with stoppage time looming, Ozil stepped up to bury a set-piece to split the points and keep things tight at the top of Group D. 

Mourinho made two changes from the 4-0 win over Real Zaragoza. Xabi Alonso returned from suspension to replace Michael Essien, while Raphael Varane came in for Raul Albiol in the home side’s defence.

Jurgen Klopp meanwhile opted to name the same XI that laboured to a 0-0 draw with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, with captain Sebastian Kehl, who was forced off with a facial injury over the weekend, starting with a protective face mask.

Madrid could have been ahead as early as two minutes into the game had Gonzalo Higuain taken a better first touch after racing through on goal, but he allowed Roman Weidenfeller to remove the danger.

Dortmund’s counterattack was shaping up to be quite a threat for the home side, and Marcel Schmelzer nearly took advantage of a gap in defence, but Iker Casillas was able to make a smart save.

Los Blancos found it hard to create much space in the opposition half, as the pressure from the visitors off the ball forced them into a number of mistakes in possession.

In a rare successful attack, Higuain managed to spring the BVB offside trap, but his first time cross to Cristiano Ronaldo at the far post was hit with too much purchase for the Portugal international to steer it home.

Then with 28 minutes gone, Madrid were made to feel the true potency of Dortmund on the break. A perfectly-placed flicked header from Robert Lewandowski released Reus on the left, and the 23-year-old smashed a fine half-volley past Casillas.

However, the goal seemed to finally click los Blancos into gear. After Dortmund had lost possession in their own half, the ball was worked wide to Ozil, who sent a fantastic cross to the far post, and Pepe charged in to plant a punishing header into the roof of the net.

Madrid were well on top following their equaliser, and it seemed to be only a matter of time before they struck again. A last ditch tackle from Neven Subotic on Ronaldo sparked BVB on the beak, and Varane was forced into a goal-saving challenge of his own.

But, with seconds to go until half-time, Dortmund carved them apart again. Lewandowski set things in motion with another flicked header, Kevin Grosskreutz took the ball in stride and centred across the face of goal. Gotze and Arbeloa challenged for it, and the Spain full-back diverted it past Casillas.

Mourinho brought on Jose Callejon for Higuain at half time, and moments after the restart, it appeared that he had struck gold with the change. The substitute bent a fine finish past Weidenfeller, but the goal was chalked off after he had strayed inches offside.

It was a much better start to the second half from the hosts, and Ozil’s cross-shot from the flanks forced Weidenfeller into a quick parry at his near post.

Dortmund were able to regroup in defence though, and as the second half wore on, Madrid found it harder to create clear cut chances, despite their dominance in possession.

Cracks began to appear in the visitors' defence as the match entered its closing stages, but los Blancos were unable to apply the finishing touch as Dortmund managed to hang on.

But with one minute of regulation remaining, just when it looked like there was no way back for Madrid, Ozil waved Ronaldo off a free kick and bent the set piece expertly into the bottom corner past the scrambling Weidenfeller to give the home side the breakthrough right at the end.

Schalke 2-2 Arsenal

Struggling Gunners collapse after Walcott & Giroud strikes

The visitors were two goals to the good in the first half, but a clinical finish from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and a second-half effort from Jefferson Farfan earned the hosts a point

Arsenal were pegged back from two goals up by Schalke for a draw as they earned a valuable point away from home in Group B of the Champions League.

The Gunners took the lead with Theo Walcott tapping into an empty net, and doubled their advantage as Olivier Giroud nodded home, but a goal from Klass-Jan Huntelaar halved the deficit before Jefferson Farfan levelled the scores.

Despite late pressure from Schalke, Arsene Wenger's side stayed strong to secure a vital point to stay second in their group.

Schalke began as expected, with Huntelaar as striker and support on the flanks from Ibrahim Afellay and Farfan. Lewis Holtby, who continues to be linked with a move to the Premier League, began in the centre for the German side.

Arsene Wenger chose to replace the under-fire left-back Andre Santos with Laurent Koscielny, as the French defender moved centrally, with Thomas Vermaelen filling in on the flank.

Elsewhere, Walcott earned a starting place following his lively cameo against Manchester United, with Aaron Ramsey dropping out of the squad entirely.

The hosts started strongly, with Afellay testing Vito Mannone with a low shot that the keeper palmed away, before Benedikt Howedes came close with a header from a corner, but his effort drifted onto the top of the net.

And somewhat against the run of play, the visitors took the lead through Walcott, a man who has stated his preference for playing through the middle this season.

Giroud was sent through by a suicidal header from Roman Neustadter, but as he elected to try and chip Lars Unnerstall, he kicked the floor. As Howedes made a last-ditch challenge, Walcott sped in to round the keeper via a deflection and tap the ball into the empty net.

The Gunners extended their lead in the 26th minute, with Giroud nodding home his first Champions League goal after some fine work from Lukas Podolski.

After a good move involving Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Giroud, the ball found its way to Podolski on the left wing. The striker slipped, but his recovery was so quick that it surprised the defence, as he turned and swung in a great cross for the unmarked Frenchman to score.

Huntelaar fired Schalke back into the game in first-half stoppage time, with an unnerving finish into the bottom corner after some nice work from the midfield, with Holtby's assist a fine pass.

Giroud could have added another shortly after the break, but volleyed over from another Podolski cross, while Huntelaar missed a sitter at the other end, with Mannone saving well.

A controversial moment came on the hour mark as Podolski looked to be through on goal, but play was brought back with Marco Hoger down injured. The striker vented his frustrations and was booked for dissent, while Hoger was subbed for Kyriakos Papadopoulos.

The hosts were level in the 67th minute though, as a cross in from the left that Holtby couldn't direct goalwards was pounced on by Farfan, with his shot deflected in by Vermaelen.

Schalke generally dominated the rest of the game, but looked susceptible to Arsenal's counterattack, and while Walcott had a very late effort saved, neither side could claim all three points in an enthralling encounter.

Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Second-half surge edges French closer to qualification

The Ligue 1 side recovered from a sluggish start to record a convincing win over their opponents, with the Croatian champions eliminated from the group stage

Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb as the visitors were eliminated from the Champions League group stage in an entertaining game at the Parc des Princes.

The visitors started the Group A encounter brightly, before Alex opened the scoring against the run of play after 16 minutes. Despite maintaining pressure against the French runners-up, PSG eventually managed to undo the opposition, with three second-half goals.

All three were assisted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as Blaise Matuidi, Jeremy Menez and Guillaume Hoarau all scored to ensure that qualification is within sight for the capital club.

The hosts, expected to be re-invigorated after their shock 2-1 defeat to Saint-Etienne at the weekend, were too sloppy and disjointed in the opening proceedings, as Ante Cacic's men unexpectedly asserted their authority early on.

A defensive slip by Alex almost invited Marcelo Brozovic into an attacking chance, before Josip Pivaric latches onto a fine ball by Sammir on the left, and watched on as his fizzing low effort whisked past Salvatore Sirigu's goal by inches.

It took a little while for les Parisiens to finally hit their stride, but even when they took the lead, they were not exactly out of second gear. From Jeremy Menez's corner, Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped on a pass towards centre-back Alex, whose fantastic half-volley evaded the reach of Ivan Kelava after 16 minutes.

The goal sought to appease a fervent and demanding home faithful, who were already booing their side before the breakthrough, and it could have been 2-0 after young midfielder Adrien Rabiot fired over the bar after good work by Mohamed Sissoko.

Carlo Ancelotti's side toiled, and while their performance was not exactly of the quality expected of a Champions League dark horse, they still managed to carve out opportunities as Ezequiel Lavezzi - back after a month out - slammed his effort in the side netting, despite a determined run.

The second half saw the French side step up their efforts and were almost rewarded as Menez tapped in after a great pass by substitute Marco Verratti, with the offside flag curtailing their progress.

Dinamo were still threatening, and were close in breaking their Champions League duck as an enterprising Sime Vrsaljko produced a dipping cross, with Ante Rukavina's header flying narrowly over Sirigu's goal.

Subsequently, the Croatian champions were easily overrided in a matter of minutes after two brilliant moments of magic from Ibrahimovic. Firstly, Lavezzi's surging run towards the 31-year-old saw him provide Blaise Matuidi with a fine through-ball, as the midfielder turned past the goalkeeper for 2-0 on the hour.

Four minutes later, the game was settled as Ante Cacic's men realised their exit from the group stage. Ibrahimovic was once more the creative output as he fed Menez who subsequently cut in past a defender and fired the ball past Kelava for 3-0.

A clearly dazed opposition were still feeling the effects of their setback, and were unable to get back into the game. It was 4-0 with 10 minutes to go after Matuidi played through Ibrahimovic, the Swede slipped before still managing to pick out substitute Hoarau who produced the tap-in to eliminate Dinamo.

PSG resume their Ligue 1 duties with a trip to champions Montpellier on Sunday, having amassed nine points in Group A. For Dinamo Zagreb, they will want to make a better impression of themselves with their two remaining games now effectively, a dead-rubber.

AC Milan 1-1 Malaga

Pato rescues point but visitors confirm spot in next round

The Brazilian put the first goal past the Andalusians in the competition this season, though the Boquerones will be content to have advanced with two games to spare

Malaga retained their unbeaten record in the Champions League as a 1-1 draw with AC Milan at San Siro was enough to confirm their progression to the Round of 16.

A win would have ensured progression from Group C for Manuel Pellegrini's men and that was certainly on the cards when Eliseu fired them ahead five minutes before half-time.

The second half brought a change in ethos from the visitors as they looked to defend their one-goal advantage. However, they were eventually beaten when Alexandre Pato headed in an equaliser in the 73rd minute but there was to be no winning goal for either side as the points were shared.

With both teams keen to push forward, it made for an extremely open start to the game in which possession was given away far too cheaply in midfield, stopping either side from getting into any sort of rhythm.

After Eliseu failed to beat Christian Abbiati with an absurdly ambitious chip, Milan began to take hold of the game and push their opponents back.

With 19 minutes on the clock, they tested the away keeper for the first time as Bojan showed fantastic feet to wriggle between a number of Malaga shirts out on the right. Having then cut in side to create the space, he lashed an effort on goal that, despite taking a deflection, was parried aside by the stretching Willy Caballero.

The keeper then produced another inspired save as he tipped Urby Emanuelson's precise 20-yard free-kick wide. The Dutchman's effort looked destined for the top corner but Caballero had other ideas, diving to his right and getting the slightest of touches to prevent a certain goal. 

The Andalusians were largely restricted to playing on the counter-attack but they still looked dangerous when Joaquin, Eliseu and Isco linked up intricately.

It was one such combination that saw Malaga strike first, five minutes before half-time. Isco shifted the ball away from Nigel de Jong before threading a diagonal ball to put Eliseu in behind. The Portuguese struck the ball first time and found the bottom corner with Abbiati rooted.

Massimiliano Allegri's side came out for the second half with much more urgency and forged a decent opportunity soon after the restart. Bojan fed Emanuelson at the edge of the box but his shot was tame and rolled comfortably into the hands of Caballero.

The visitors then began to display why they have been so difficult to score against as they put two solid lines behind the ball and squeezed the space available to the Diavolo.

But as they began to sit deeper and deeper, the pressure became too much and they conceded for the first time in the tournament. Kevin Constant exposed Joaquin's defensive frailties as he charged to the line and swung in a deep cross which Pato nodded in at the back post.

Kevin-Prince Boateng came closest to netting a decisive goal moments later but he, like many of his team-mates, was thwarted by Caballero.

The draw puts Malaga in the hat for the next round, while second-placed Milan travel to Brussels in a fortnight to face Anderlecht in a must-win fixture.

Anderlecht 1-0 Zenit

Battling Belgians boost qualification hopes

The Congo striker finished off a superb team move in the first half to settle the clash in Brussels, leaving the visitors on the brink of exiting European competition this season

A first-half goal from Dieumerci Mbokani was enough for Anderlecht to grab all three points against a lacklustre Zenit side and keep their hopes of qualification for the knock-out rounds alive.

The Congo striker combined superbly with Sacha Kljestan before clipping the ball over Vyacheslav Malafeev to settle a tense match in Brussels, in which the Russian side struggled to create any chance of note in the absence of Brazil international Hulk.

Anderlecht surprisingly elected to leave Tom De Sutter on the bench despite his recent form in front of goal, with Mbokani starting as the lone striker in his stead.

Igor Denisov returned to the starting line-up for the hosts after he was welcomed back into the squad following his off-the-field disputes with the club, whilst Vladimir Bystrov replaced Brazil forward Hulk in support of striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov.

Mbokani was presented with the first opening of the match after less than a minute, when Milan Jovanovic's cross was missed by Tomas Hubocan and slmost bounced kindly for the striker, but he was unable to bring it under control.

Nicolas Lombaerts then had Silvio Proto worried when his snap-shot from the edge of the area almost wrong-footed the keeper, before Sergey Semak fired over the bar from close range after a superb turn and cross from Bystrov.

Anderlecht looked the brighter side in the opening exchanges and, with just over a quarter of an hour gone, Mbokani justified his selection with a superbly-taken strike, linking up with Kljestan on the edge of the box and dinking it over Malafeev to notch his side's first in the competition this season.

Anderlecht were playing with real confidence - Jovanovic forced Malafeev into a fingertip save before Behrang Safari's dangerous run and cross was cleared by Lombaerts.

Zenit began to get a foothold on the ball but were unable to make any real attacking headway, with Axel Witsel's booking for a clumsy challenge an embodiment of the frustration within the Russian ranks.

Luciano Spalletti brought on Danny at the break to spark some life into his attack, and the 29-year-old almost had an immediate impact when his dangerous free-kick fell to the feel of Axel Witsel, only for Proto to deny the Belgian with a smart save.

Dennis Praet, a lively presence throughout, provided Massimo Bruno with an opening which was snuffed out by Lombaerts, before some clever interplay between Safari and Lucas Biglia almost carved out a second for Anderlecht a moment later.

Chances were few and far between for much of the match, with Anderlecht all too often winning the battle in midfield to prevent the visitors from making any real headway in the final third while the centre-back duo of Kouyate and Bram Nuytinck were immense at the heart of the hosts' defence.

Anderlecht continued to look the more likely to score and substitute Oleksandr Iakovenko came close to doing just that with ten minutes to go, lashing the ball against the crossbar following Kanu's flick-on, with replays showing that only a crucial touch from Malafeev denied the winger a goal.

Kanu then lashed an effort from the edge of the area wide of the mark before a last-ditch tackle from Anyukov denied him a clear sight of goal inside the box following good work from Mbokani.

Zenit threw men forward late on but were unable to carve out a meaningful chance, and the hosts clung on for a deserved three points, heaping more pressure on Spalletti's already-burdened shoulders.

 

Olympiakos 3-1 Montpellier

Greek side close gap on second-placed Arsenal in Group B

It seemed as if the home side would have to settle for a draw, but two goals in the final 10 minutes of the game helped them to a vital home victory

Olympiakos have done the double over Montpellier in Group B after recording a 3-1 win over the French side in Tuesday's Champions League encounter in Piraeus.

Portuguese midfielder Paulo Machado gifted the hosts the lead early on when he found the net from inside the area, but Younes Belhanda restored parity halfway through the second half. Leandro Greco and Kostas Mitroglou then added their names to the score-sheet in the closing stages of the game to help the hosts to victory.

The Greek giants started the match the better side and needed only four minutes to open the scoring. Greco danced past his marker down the left before sending in a low cross for Mitroglou, who saw his shot hit the upright. Machado was alert, though, and tapped home from close range to make it 1-0.

Mitroglou then came close to doubling his side's lead after some sloppy defending from Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. However, Montpellier goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren pulled off a superb save to bail out Yanga-Mbiwa and deny the prolific attacker.

Montpellier, meanwhile, were unable to really threaten Olympiakos, and their only serious chance of the first half came after a long ball from Hilton around the half-hour mark. Souleymane Camara escaped the attention of his marker, but his volley from a difficult position was off target.

The home side again threatened in the opening stages of the first half, with Djamel Abdoun, Greco and Mitroglou all looking dangerous. Nevertheless, Jourdren rushed off his line to prevent the latter from getting a shot in, while Yanga-Mbiwa made a fine interception to avoid a second Olympiakos goal.

La Paillade then took over the initiative and created a number of dangerous chances within the space of a few minutes. Roy Carroll first denied Jonathan Tinhan with a good reflex, before the experienced shot-stopper did well to collect Joris Marveaux's header from close range.

There was little Carroll could do to stop Belhanda's attempt in the 67th minute, though, as the referee had no option but to award the away side a spot kick after Dimitris Siovas pulled down Camara inside the area. The playmaker had no trouble slotting home from the spot.

The Piraeus side were not too impressed and almost restored their lead right from the kick-off. Nevertheless, some fine defending from Henri Bedimo prevented Machado from netting his second of the game.

Olympiakos kept on pushing and were eventually rewarded in the 80th minute. The Montpellier defence allowed Greco too much space after a corner kick, and the winger fired home from inside the area to make it 2-1.

Things would only get worse for the French champions from here on, and Mitroglou made it three only minutes later. A fine cross from Jose Holebas reached the prolific attacker, who volleyed past the helpless Jourdren after escaping Yanga-Mbiwa's attention.

Olympiakos sit third in their section with six points from four games. They resume Champions League action on November 22 away against Schalke. 

Montpellier remain last in their group with only one point. Their next match in Europe is the trip to Arsenal in two weeks' time.

Dynamo Kiev 0-0 Porto

Stalemate enough to see Portuguese side into last 16

Porto reached the knockout stages of the Champions League despite losing their 100 per cent record in the competition after a disappointing Group A encounter

Porto sealed their progress to the last 16 of the Champions League despite failing to break down a determined Dynamo Kiev side during a dour 0-0 draw in the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday night.

The Portuguese side remain top of Group A despite dropping points for the first time in the group stage, whilst the home side must now win both of their remaining matches to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Jackson Martinez went closest for the away team as his header was well saved by teenage goalkeeper Maksym Koval, while at the other end, Andriy Yarmolenko wasted Kiev's best opportunities.

Porto can secure top spot in the group if they beat Dinamo Zagreb in matchday five, though that will depend on Paris Saint-Germain's result against Kiev on the same night.

Both teams started slowly at the Olympic Stadium, and the closest either side came to scoring in the opening 20 minutes came when Marco Ruben's weak effort hit Eliaquim Mangala on the arm, though the defender didn't know much about the obstruction.

The visitors looked dangerous on the counterattack, but they were left frustrated on numerous occasions by some dogged defending from Oleh Blokhin's side.

Porto top scorer Martinez was the main threat for the visitors, and he almost opened the scoring when he met Rodriguez's searching cross from the left, but his low header was acrobatically turned round the post by Koval.

That chance was the catalyst for the match to open up somewhat, and Taye Taiwo tried his luck from distance for the home side, though his speculative volley drifted wide of the post. Danilo then tested Koval with a weak effort from distance but there was precious little talking points during an opening period where defences dominated.

Porto began the second half much better than they had the first, and Silvestre Varela thought he had broken the deadlock as he latched onto Rodriguez's perfectly-weighted through-ball, but his shot across goal rolled narrowly wide.

The Ukrainian side responded to this scare and Yarmolenko tested Helton with a powerful effort from the corner of the box, though the shot was straight at the goalkeeper.

With both sides looking for the opening goal, there were chances for both sides, and Rodriguez was the next to try his luck as he shot straight at Koval, after Lucho Gonzalez had worked hard to keep the ball in on the byline.

Vitor Pereira's side were almost handed a large slice of luck on the hour mark as Joao Moutinho's free kick took a big deflection off the wall and Koval was left as a spectator as the ball fell narrowly wide.

Kiev had their best chance of the night with 25 minutes remaining when Yarmolenko was put through by substitute Lukman Haruna but he shot weakly at Helton from just inside the area.

The home side introduced Ideye Brown with a quarter of the match remaining, and he posed a threat in the box as he headed over the top from Yarmolenko's cross.

Ukraine striker Yarmolenko was becoming a key figure in the match, and he was denied by Helton for the third time in the second period his flicked header from a Miguel Veloso free kick was straight at the goalkeeper.

Lucho almost secured all three points for Pereira's team in the closing stages but he dragged his shot wide when well placed in the Kiev area.

Kiev pressed for a winner that would have seen keep in touch with the top two sides in the group but they failed to test Helton in stoppage time.

Source: goal.com

Serie A Report

Juventus 2-0 Napoli

Caceres & Pogba send champions clear at Serie A summit

The Bianconeri struggled to break down a stubborn Partenopei side, but they secured three precious points in the closing stages thanks to two of their substitutes

Juventus moved three points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A by striking late to claim a vital 2-0 victory over their Scudetto rivals.

The Bianconeri had the better of a disappointing encounter in terms of possession and territory, but they struggled to create any clear-cut chances and it was Napoli who came closest to opening the scoring during the first-half, with forward Edinson Cavani hitting the crossbar with a free kick.

However, the hosts eventually made the breakthrough with 10 minutes to go when Martin Caceres headed home an Andrea Pirlo corner just moments after being introduced from the bench. 

Fellow substitute Paul Pogba repeated the feat just moments later with a terrific volley to ensure that Napoli left Turin empty handed and give the his side the initiative in this season's title race.

Juventus began the game like they meant business, with Sebastian Giovinco testing Morgan De Sanctis with a low strike inside the opening 60 seconds.

However, the visitors were in no mood to be bullied. On the contrary, they seemed intent on roughing the Bianconeri up in the early stages, a tactic which resulted in the conceding of a succession of free kicks.

Indeed, after weathering what was a very early storm, Napoli settled and came agonisingly close to taking the lead midway through the first-half, when Cavani struck the top of the crossbar with a curling free kick from an acute angle wide on the left.

As it was, the two sides were still level at the interval, a well-struck drive from Claudio Marchisio, right on half-time, the only other effort of note in an ill-tempered, underwhelming and largely incident-free opening 45 minutes.

Juve continued to dominate possession in the second period but to little effect. However, Giovinco really should have ended the stalemate 10 minutes into the second-half when the ball dropped invitingly for him in the area, after he himself had miscued a low cross from Kwadwo Asamoah. However, after shifting it onto his right foot, the former Parma man fired wide.

For the most part, Juventus were still struggling to prise open the Napoli defence, but Pirlo did just that midway through the second-half with a sublime pass over the top. However, Alessandro Matri, just on as a replacement for the ineffective Fabio Quagliarella, failed dismally to control the ball and it bounced harmlessly into the grateful arms of De Sanctis.

Caceres, though, would not be so profligate when he was presented with the chance to be the hero, the versatile defender timing his arrival into the six-yard box to perfection before burying Pirlo's corner past a helpless De Sanctis.

Not to be outdone, Pogba, who had taken over in midfield from the subdued Arturo Vidal, made the points safe when he demonstrated wonderful technique in finding the bottom corner with a controlled volley from the edge of the area just three minutes later.

The result leaves Juventus three points clear at the top of Serie A and extends their unbeaten run to a staggering 47 games.

Lazio 3-2 AC Milan

Clinical Klose decides five-goal thriller

The Germany international's volley at the start of the second half ultimately proved decisive, in spite of a spirited late fightback from Massmiliano Allegri's men

Lazio heaped more misery on AC Milan by holding on to record a 3-2 victory over the struggling Rossoneri at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday night.

The visitors fell behind to a deflected effort from Hernanes midway through the first half before Antonio Candreva doubled the Biancocelesti's advantage with a stunning strike just before the interval.

Miroslav Klose made it 3-0 early in the second half and although Nigel de Jong and Stephan El Shaarawy dragged Milan back into the game after the introduction of the fit-again Alexandre Pato, last season's runners-up were unable to complete what would have been a remarkable comeback.

Even though the visitors had made their worst start to a Serie A campaign in 80 years, the under-pressure Massimiliano Allegri looked like he did not have a care in the world before kick-off. 

The Rossoneri coach was given very little cause for concern during an opening quarter in which Milan coped comfortably with what little Lazio had to offer going forward, while at the same time threatening sporadically themselves.

However, when it comes to struggling sides, anything that can go wrong, usually does go wrong, and so it was that the visitors fell behind 25 minutes in when Hernanes twisted and turned his way past Daniele Bonera before unleashing a speculative effort which struck the defender’s outstretched leg and looped up and over the stranded Marco Amelia.

Fortune frowned on Milan again just moments later when El Shaarawy, having latched onto a through-ball from Antonio Nocerino, fired the ball through the legs of Albano Bizzarri only to see Andre Dias seemingly come from nowhere to clear off the line.

They were hit with another devastating psychological blow just before the break when Candreva unleashed a long-range drive that seemed to swerve in several different directions on its way past an understandably bemused Amelia.

Despite the benefit of 15 minutes’ respite, Milan still appeared punch drunk at the start of the second half. It would be difficult to offer another credible explanation for the way in which they defended Lazio’s third goal, with right-back Ignazio Abate missing in action and a dazed and confused Daniele Bonera staggering about the box as Klose clinically volleyed home Candreva’s measured cross from the right wing.

That looked like the knockout blow but Milan kept swinging and their fighting spirit was rewarded with a goal from De Jong, who did well to get his toe on Urby Emanuelson’s low, in-swinging free kick.

Suddenly it was the hosts who looked fragile - both mentally and defensively - and Milan set up a fascinating finale when El Shaarawy cut in from the left with just over 10 minutes to go and curled the ball into the bottom corner.

Milan poured forward in search of an equaliser but to no avail, meaning they remain 12th in the standings. Lazio also stay where they are, but the third-placed Biancocelesti are now just one point behind second-placed Napoli.

Source: goal.com

Serie A Reports

AC Milan 2-1 Roma

Ibrahimovic brace saves Rossoneri as Thiago Silva suffers injury

Massimiliano Allegri's team were given a run for their money, but their star striker once again delivered a world-class performance to secure the three points

 

AC Milan made an important step towards defending their Serie A crown as they came back from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win over Roma at San Siro on Saturday.

Pablo Osvaldo opened the scoring in the first half, but the Rossonerri responded with a brace by Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the break as Massimiliano Allegri's team bagged three important points.

AC Milan started the game brightly, dominating possession and pressing the opposition deep in their own half. Urby Emanuelson was the first to threaten Maarten Stekelenburg's goal as in the 8th minute he saw a low shot from the right wing saved by the Netherlands international.

The Rossoneri received some disturbing news as in the 10th minute Thiago Silva was forced to leave the pitch after suffering a muscle injury. This did not stop AC Milan's attacking momentum, however, as Massimiliano Allegri's men were dominating the proceeding.

Ibrahimovic forced Stekelenburg into a fine save in the 11th minute with a powerful free-kick and moments later Stephan El Shaarawy narrowly missed to the left with a skillful volley from inside the penalty area.

The tempo dropped in the following minutes as most of the action commenced in the centre of the pitch. Roma, however, were slowly improving and looked more threatening on the counter by the minute.

In the 40th minute El Shaarawy rattled the post with a superb finish from outside the box, and the rebound fell to Antonio Nocernio, who failed to connect properly with the ball and convert. AC Milan were tightening the grip on Roma, but against the run of play the Giallorossi took the lead.

A long-range strike by Daniele De Rossi was deflected by Osvaldo into the net from just outside the six-yard box as Christian Abbiati was caught by surprise in the 44th minute. The goal meant the Rossoneri had to withdrew at half-time with a one-goal deficit, much to the dismay of the fans and players alike.

The restart saw Roma continue to take advantage of mistakes by AC Milan in the build-up of their attack. In one such instance, Abbiati gifted the ball to Francesco Totti with a stray pass, but luckily for the goalkeeper the Roma veteran could not find the target with his chipped finish.

El Shaarawy saw a powerful shot blocked in the following attack, but the real trouble for the Giallorossi was yet to come. In the 51st minute De Rossi handballed in the box, conceding a penalty, which Ibrahimovic duly converted to draw the game level.

AC Milan continued to press forward in remaining time to the final whistle, but were repeatedly frustrated in their search for a winner. Sulley Muntary struck the bar with a powerful finish, but it was Ibrahimovic who bagged the winner as in the 83rd minute he powered past Stekelenburg and Simon Kjaer to complete his brace and secure the three points.

Following today win, AC Milan are first in the standings with 63 points, while Roma sit sixth with 45. The Rossoneri's next league game is a visit to Catania in a week, while the Giallorossi host Novara the following day.

Juventus 2-0 Inter

Caceres and Del Piero settle Derby d'Italia and close gap to leaders AC Milan back to four points

Goals from the Uruguayan and the Italian veteran after half-time were enough to give the Bianconeri all three points, in what was a captivating encounter in Turin

 

Second-half goals from Martin Caceres and Alessandro Del Piero were enough to give Juventus a 2-0 win over Inter at Juventus Stadium on Sunday.

A header from the Uruguayan defender and a delightful first time finish by the veteran Italian striker gave the Old Lady a valuable win in their hunt to chase down leaders AC Milan at the top of the Serie A table.

With Juventus fresh off the back of that Coppa Italia semi-final aggregate win over Milan on Tuesday, it was clear that Antonio Conte's men were brimming with confidence, and they started the game as such.

The Bianconeri dominated possession in the early exchanges, but were nearly made to rue their lack of chances created on 13 minutes. Maicon made a trademark run down the right, cut inside, found the run of Diego Milito, and played the Argentine forward in on goal. Unfortunately for the Nerazzurri though, the former Genoa striker couldn't make the most of the opportunity, firing his shot straight at Gianluigi Buffon.

Conte's men still had the monopoly on possession, but were now starting to create chances on goal, and they perhaps should have opened up their account on two occasions midway through the half. First, Alessandro Matri had a header from eight yards saved by Julio Cesar, and then just a few minutes later, a low cross from the right found Matri again, but the Italian forward could only hit his shot over the bar.

Claudio Ranieri's side slowly started to impose themselves on the game; putting pressure on Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. And it was that leg-work that almost led to Inter opening their account for the night.

Dejan Stankovic dispossessed Marchisio in the centre circle, and played a long, diagonal ball to Milito. The Argentine forward brought the ball down superbly, took it into the box, and fired a shot straight at Buffon, only for the ball to arrive back at his feet for a second attempt. Regrettably for the Nerazzurri though, that effort was also missed, and the sides went into the break all square.

The second half began in almost the exact opposite way to the first, with Inter controlling the play but struggling to create any clear-cut chances. Milito was, as usual, full of running, but the Nerazzurri midfield four were finding it difficult to pick out the Argentine forward's darting runs.

That lack of incisiveness came back to haunt Inter on 57 minutes. A corner from the right was whipped in by Pirlo, and the ball found Caceres, who, unmarked inside the six yard box, headed home easily for his first Serie A goal of the season.

The Nerazzurri starting pushing desperately for an equaliser, but all that pressing left them exposed at the back, and Juventus took full advantage on 70 minutes. A delightful through ball by Vidal found the run of Del Piero, who, just inside the area, gently slipped it past the on-rushing Julio Cesar to make it 2-0.

Late chances for Fabio Quagliarella and Giorgio Chiellini almost made the final scoreline even more resounding, but Conte's men had to settle what they had, as they closed the gap on leaders Milan back to four points. Inter remain in eighth, meanwhile, and now trail third-placed Lazio by 10 points.

Source: goal.com

Transfers news

AC Milan complete signing of Maxi Lopez from Catania

The Argentine forward has joined the Rossoneri, a development which appears to confirm that the Italian champions have finally given up on signing his compatriot Carlos Tevez

AC Milan have completed the signing of Maxi Lopez from Catania, suggesting Carlos Tevez's proposed move to San Siro from Manchester City has collapsed.

The Italian champions have long had an agreement in place to sign Lopez, but even after the player had met with CEO Adriano Galliani Friday lunchtime it was still unclear if the deal would go through because of the club's continued attempts to land City striker Tevez.

However, Galliani maintained that the situation would be resolved by 19:00CET and shortly after that deadline, Milan Channel revealed that the club had registered Lopez as a Rossoneri player.

It has not yet been confirmed if Milan have abandoned their pursuit of Tevez and it was reported by both Sky Sport Italia and Gazzetta dello Sport less than a couple of hours before the Lopez announcement that Galliani had made a last-ditch plea to City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to allow the forward to leave.

Milan had appeared near-certainties to land Tevez during the current transfer window having already agreed terms with the player, who, according to Galliani, only wanted to join the Rossoneri in spite of interest from Inter and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, they seemingly ended their pursuit of the player following Alexandre Pato's decision to turn down a move to PSG earlier this month, but Inter then had a bid rejected for Tevez, while PSG broke off negotiations five days ago and Milan then re-entered the race.

The 27-year-old forward has not played for City since allegedly refusing to come on as a substitute in the English outfit's Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena earlier this season.

Inter to sign Fredy Guarin from Porto - report

The Colombia international was also linked with Juventus in recent weeks but he now appears set to join the Nerazzurri on loan with a permanent deal in the summer likely

Inter are reportedly poised to complete the signing of Fredy Guarin from Porto, casting further doubt over the future of Thiago Motta at San Siro.

According to Sky Sport24, the Nerazzurri will pay an initial €1.5 million (£1.25m) to take the Colombia international on loan until the end of the season with a view to signing the player on a permanent transfer in June for €11m (£9.2m).

Guarin had also been linked with Serie A leaders Juventus in recent weeks but the Bianconeri's acquisition of Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres from Sevilla on Friday meant that they had no room left in their squad for another non-European Union player.

Consequently, the midfielder seems bound for San Siro and that could mean Paris Saint-Germain target Thiago Motta, who was left out of the Nerazzurri squad for Sunday's clash with Lecce, could well be on his way to the French capital before the transfer window closes on Tuesday night.

Guarin, meanwhile, is under contract to Porto until 2014 but has become increasingly frustrated by a lack of game time at the Dragao this season.

Fiorentina confirm signing of Amauri from Juventus

The forward was frozen out of the Bianconeri squad following the arrival of new coach Antonio Conte last summer and has finally secured a move away from Turin

Fiorentina have confirmed the signing of Amauri from Serie A rivals Juventus on a temporary basis.

The 31-year-old, who was frozen out of the Bianconeri squad following the arrival of Antonio Conte as coach last summer, had also been linked with Roma in recent weeks.

However, Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino revealed last week that they had reached an agreement with Juve for the player and the Viola announced the completion of the deal on their official website on Tuesday.

"Fiorentina announces that they have acquired from Juventus, on a temporary basis, the services of the forward Amauri Carvalho de Oliveira," a statement read. 

Fiorentina have been looking to strengthen their forward line after selling Alberto Gilardino to Genoa earlier this month.

Amauri has been surplus to requirements at Juve for a long time now and spent the second half of last season on loan at Parma.

The striker scored just 17 league goals in 71 appearances for the Old Lady following his arrival from Palermo in 2008.

Source: goal.com

Caceres to join Juventus

Sevilla defender Martin Caceres will undergo a medical today in Turin before completing his transfer to Juventus, the Spanish club have confirmed.

Caceres is expected to move to Juve on loan until the end of the season with an option to make his stay permanent for a reported €10 million.

A statement from Sevilla read: "Martin Caceres has travelled today to Turin to undergo a medical in the next few hours with Juventus. If the medical is successful, the player will then proceed to sign the documents to become a player of the Italian club.''

The South American will become Juve's first signing in this transfer window. Caceres spent the 2009-10 campaign on loan at Juventus from Barcelona, but the Italians opted not to acquire his sporting rights after an injury-plagued campaign.

However, the Serie A leaders revived their interest in the 24-year-old defender after Caceres' solid performances for Sevilla this season.

Source: ESPN

Arsenal close in on £400,000 signing of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Eisfeld after holding talks in London

The 19-year-old playmaker will complete a move to London in the next 24 hours if he passes a stringent medical

Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign midfielder Thomas Eisfeld from Borussia Dortmund for around £400,000

The 19-year-old German has been in London today with his agent Reza Fazeli negotiating a switch to the Premier League club.

Eisfeld, who is a product of Dortmund’s academy and has found his path to the first team blocked by the likes of German sensation Mario Gotze, is set to to complete a move to Arsenal in the next 24 hours if he passes what is expected to be a stringent medical.

The teenager's development has been hindered by keee problems - he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in 2009 - and he will be put through his paces at the club’s London Colney training ground before signing a long-term contract.

It is not known whether Eisfeld, who only turned 19 earlier this month, will go straight into the first-team set-up or start off with Arsenal’s academy. He has played most of his football for Dortmund’s Under-19 team this season, where he has been the team's leading scorer, with six goals from 12 games.

Arsenal have taken advantage of the youngster’s availability – he is out of contract in the summer – to prise the highly-rated young playmaker from Germany.

The Premier League club are likely to have to pay a compensation fee of around £400,000 to Dortmund for developing Eisfeld.

Had he stayed in Germany, Eisfeld would have faced strong competition for a place, with the Bundesliga champions having signed midfielders Moritz Leitner, Leonardo Bittencourt and Mustafa Amini over the course of the last 12 months.

Liverpool sign Wales under-19 goalkeeper Danny Ward from Wrexham

The youngster had yet to make an appearance in the Blue Square Premier side's first team but will now link up with the Reds' reserve squad

Liverpool have signed Wales under-19 international goalkeeper Danny Ward from Wrexham.

The young shot-stopper, who joined Wrexham as a 14-year-old, has penned a permanent deal with the Reds after joining for a fee believed to be in the region of £100k.

Ward made a one-off loan appearance for Wrexham's Blue Square rivals Tamworth last season, making his senior debut and being awarded with man of the match recognition for his performance.

Internationally, Ward has played at schoolboy, under-17s and under-19s level for his country and featured in a UEFA qualifying tournament based in Slovakia in September 2011.

Ward is set to become a part of the club's reserve squad.

Source: goal.com

Chelsea on verge of signing Genk winger Kevin de Bruyne

Kevin de Bruyne has two caps for Belgium's national side and has been a regular for Genk since 2010

Chelsea will complete the £6.7m signing of Kevin de Bruyne from Genk in the next 24 hours, with the winger to return to the Belgian club on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

De Bruyne, a long-standing target for the Londoners, is undergoing a medical today and will sign a five-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge. The 20-year-old featured for the Belgians against Chelsea in the Champions League this season and is cup-tied in the competition, with his new employers keen for him to benefit from further first-team action to speed his development. He is also expected to be loaned out to another club, most likely not in Belgium, next season.

André Villas-Boas confirmed last week that De Bruyne, a full Belgium international, had been targeted prior to his own arrival at the club last summer, with his signing reflective of Chelsea's established drive to recruit the most promising young talent on the continent. The likes of Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois, who is currently on loan at Atlético Madrid and could remain there next term, have also joined from Belgian football. "Kevin's a target that was decided by the club, that I knew about for quite some time," said the Portuguese. "He was under the scrutiny of the club for some time and we've been following this player.

"Romelu Lukaku was the same, and Petr Cech was the same when I arrived in 2004 [as part of José Mourinho's backroom staff]. In the sense that the club policy for the future, it's the right thing [to buy him] and I'll do everything in my power for him to reach maximum potential. But his purchase is down to the club in decision-making, not to me.

"This player, this specific case, is like Lukaku and Cech and part of a long-term policy. It paid off with Cech. Lukaku will eventually pay off in the future given the talent he has. We're trying to get young players and the right players at the right age. I have to raise their potential. Hopefully I can do that, as a professional at the club. I can promote talent through the club."

Manchester City reject Liverpool's Andy Carroll for Carlos Tevez offer

Liverpool offered Andy Carroll to Manchester City in a straight swap for Carlos Tevez

Liverpool have made a remarkable bid to swap Andy Carroll with Carlos Tevez and move on their club-record £35m signing not even a year after signing him from Newcastle United.

The Anfield club contacted City on Thursday to ask how much they want for Tevez and whether they would be willing to contemplate a straight exchange with Carroll. Brian Marwood, the City football administrator, rebuffed the idea immediately, even though Carroll is a player Roberto Mancini has admitted admiring when he was at Newcastle.

The move demonstrates how Liverpool are now openly looking at offloading Carroll despite the insistence behind the scenes at Anfield that he can still play a prominent part and Kenny Dalglish's praise for the player after the 2-1 FA Cup defeat of Manchester United.

Carroll has scored only six goals in 35 appearances since becoming the eighth most expensive footballer in history and has not even been able to establish himself as a regular starter this season.

His problems adapting on Merseyside have also left Liverpool willing to take a £10m hit on the player, with Tevez valued at £25m, though that revelation is hardly surprising considering his difficulties at Anfield, added to the sense that he has not always been fully focused.

Fabio Capello, the England manager, has already expressed misgivings about the lifestyle of a player who has managed only two league goals this season in 20 appearances.

Those remarks went down badly at Anfield, with Dalglish defending Carroll, but the questions will probably not go away until he becomes a regular scorer. Carroll's longest run of starts this season is three games and Marwood's decision was made on the basis that he could no longer improve their team even though Mancini has a shortage of front players at a time when Tevez's strike is in its 11th week and Mario Balotelli is now serving a four-match suspension.

Tevez is planning to return to Manchester next week now it has become apparent that Milan are not able to meet City's asking price and, unless anything changes before Tuesday's transfer deadline, his adviser, Kia Joorabchian, says the Argentinian wants to re-establish himself in the team.

Whether that is possible remains to be seen, with Mancini not prepared to entertain the idea unless there is an apology from Tevez for walking out on the club and the string of other offences that have already led to him being found guilty of gross misconduct and losing almost £10m in wages, fines and lost bonuses since the start of the season.

Tevez is still a formidable striker and finished as the league's joint-top scorer last season, but he will be returning to England with a severely damaged reputation and Liverpool's attempt to take him along the M62 will surprise many people given his propensity for causing dressing-room problems and an apparent dislike of living in England.

There is also the fact that, approaching his 28th birthday, he would not have fitted into Liverpool's usual policy of buying players at a young age who will keep a resale value over the course of their contract. Liverpool, however, were willing to make an exception and City would have been glad to arrange a deal after unsuccessful talks not just with Milan but also Juventus, Internazionale and Paris St-Germain. They remain open to offers for the Argentinian but will not change their mind about Carroll.

Source: the guardian

Results Serie A - Italy

Atalanta 0-2 Juventus

Lichtsteiner and Giaccherini crown Conte's men as winter champions

The Bianconeri dominated the contest in Bergamo, and are assured first place at the halfway stage of the season thanks their four-point lead at the top

Juventus overcame Atalanta 2-0 at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia to clinch the unofficial title of Serie A winter champions.

After a slew of first-half chances went begging, Stephan Lichtsteiner belatedly headed the visitors in front 10 minutes after the restart. Substitute Emanuele Giaccherini volleyed home a well-taken second with eight minutes to go to claim victory for Juventus, who provisionally move four points ahead of nearest rivals AC Milan.
Juventus attacked straight from kick-off, and nearly took the lead after only three minutes of play, but Alessandro Matri wasted a glorious chance, sidefooting Simone Pepe’s low cross over the bar from only a few yards out.

The visitors were taking the game to Atalanta in the early stages, and Pepe flashed an effort wide of the far post after latching onto Claudio Marchisio’s through ball.

Matri went even closer two minutes later, hitting the post from inside the area, before Mirko Vucinic coaxed a stunning save from Andrea Consigli with a powerful shot towards the top corner.

Atalanta managed to recover from the frantic start to gain a foothold in the game, but Juventus continued to create chances and always looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

Pepe took matters into his own hands with a barnstorming run from midfield five minutes before the break, but his shot at the end was beaten away by Consigli.

Barely a minute later, Arturo Vidal unleashed a fearsome drive from all of 30 yards that beat Consigli but smacked off the crossbar. Somehow, Atalanta had managed to make it to half-time with the score still goalless.

However, their luck would not hold for long in the second half, and a sublime pass by Andrea Pirlo completely unhinged the Atalanta defence, allowing Lichtsteiner to steal in at the far post and head the visitors in front.

Matri fashioned a great chance for himself shortly after the hour mark when he won possession in the opposition half and sprinted through on goal, but his finish deserted him once again as his lob attempt bounced just wide of the far post.

Juventus were comfortable at this point, and substitute Luca Marrone had a shot saved at the near post by Consigli after a neat one-two with Matri.

With eight minutes left, Juventus put the icing on the cake when Marrone’s delightful chipped ball was caught on the volley by fellow substitute Giaccherini to put the match beyond doubt.

The result sees Juventus move four points clear at the top, but that lead could be cut after Milan’s fixture against Novara on Sunday. Atalanta meanwhile remain in 15th place, five points off the relegation zone.

Inter 2-1 Lazio

Pazzini and Milito net as Claudio Ranieri's side come from behind to record eighth straight victory

Nerazzurri continue their superb run after coming back from a goal down to earn an important victory over the Biancocelesti in their bid to regain the Serie A title

Inter's return to form in Serie A shows no signs of abating after they managed to dig out a 2-1 win over Lazio at San Siro on Sunday.

Goals from Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini ensured the Nerazzurri extended their run of wins to eight in all competitions, despite Tommaso Rocchi putting the visitors in front early on, as Claudio Ranieri's men now leapfrog their opponents into fourth place in the table.

It was Inter who started most positively, mainly via the likes of Maicon surging down the right flank, but they could have taken a lead in the most unlikeliest of circumstances, as Federico Marchetti almost gifted Ricardo Alvarez the chance to break the deadlock from a poor kick-out.

However, Lazio slowly crept back into the game, and they were almost rewarded for their efforts through Rocchi, who was seemingly on hand to capitalise on Lucio's failure to read the ball and saw his poked attempt hit the post with Julio Cesar stranded.

But they eventually took the lead on 29 minutes, thanks to the visionary passing of Cristian Ledesma, as he threaded Rocchi through one-on-one with the Brazilian goalkeeper. The striker latched onto the pass and dispatched his finish across the face of goal and into the corner.

However, despite overriding Biancocelesti pressure, Inter grabbed an equaliser on the edge of half-time, as Ricardo Alvarez's one-two found Milito in the box, and the Argentine marksman struck coolly past Marchetti to restore parity before the interval.

There was potential for the stuffing to be knocked out of Lazio, as Inter looked to have gained the momentum, but the visitors once again promptly set their stall out, looking to adopt a crisp passing style similar to that of the first half.

Inter, meanwhile, were keen to build on their momentum, and it paved the way for a pulsating second half. Minutes after the restart, Giampaolo Pazzini met Maicon's near-post cross, but Marchetti did well to block the striker's attempt.

And their persistence to go in front paid off, but not without some poor defensive play from Stefan Radu, who allowed a lobbed pass from Lucio bounce over him, and Pazzini was alert to anticipate the situation and chip the ball on the half volley over an onrushing Marchetti.

Inter switched to a 4-1-4-1 system and brought on Marco Faraoni for goalscorer Milito in order to see out the three points comfortably, but that did not deter Lazio from trying to flood balls into the Nerazzurri half, coinciding with the introduction of Abdoulay Konko.

Lazio remained in control of possession in the latter stages of the match, but the likes of Klose or Matuzalem failed to make their through balls count, as the win sees Inter move within only six points of leaders Juventus, while Lazio drop to fifth following their defeat.

Novara 0-3 Milan

Ibrahimovic and Robinho make the difference as Rossoneri return gap to Juventus back to one point

After a host of missed chances, three second half goals, two from the Swede and one from the Brazilian, give Allegri's side the points against a spirited Biancoazzurri

Three second-half strikes, two from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and one from Robinho, gave AC Milan all three points against Novara in a 3-0 triumph at the Stadio Silvio Piola on Sunday afternoon.
A host of missed chances in the first period looked to have cost the champions victory, but three efforts from the Rossoneri's strike partnership secured the win that takes them a point behind leaders Juventus in the Serie A table.

With Massimiliano Allegri making five changes to the side that lost last weekend in the Derby della Madonnina, it was perhaps no surprise that, with some of the starting XI having a point to prove, the team with the best attack in the league started the game brightly.
And it was one of those players who had the best of the early chances: Robinho, following up from an Ibrahimovic free kick, fired wide from a tight angle when it was perhaps easier to score.
The Rossoneri were really clicking into gear, and peppered the Novara goal with shots on an almost constant basis. First, it was Mark van Bommel who threatened with a long-range effort.
Then Ibrahimovic forced a good save from Samir Ujkani following another free kick. Finally, Thiago Silva thought he'd scored with just 20 minutes gone when his header left the goalkeeper stranded, only for Andrea Caracciolo to clear the ball off the line.
It looked inevitable then that Milan would eventually take the lead, and it seemed for all the world as if they had on 32 minutes. Antonio Nocernio turned nonchalantly past Michel Morganella in the box, and stroked the ball towards the far post, only for it to miss the target by a matter of inches, and leave the visitors frustrated as they went into the break.
The second half started much the same way that the first had ended, except, after five minutes, Novara looked to counter Milan's constant attacking threat, and they did just that through a fantastically surging from Marco Rigoni.
The 32-year-old looked 10 years younger as he left Van Bommel and Nocerino eating dust on the halfway line, before sliding an exquisite ball through to Caracciolo on the left-hand side of the area. The former Brescia man then cut inside and slotted his shot towards the far corner, only to see it squirm agonisingly wide.
That looked to have been a wake up call for Allegri's side, and they soon took the lead through an easy finish from Ibrahimovic. A wonderfully weighted through ball from Ambrosini found the Swedish striker inside the area, and with two touches he smashed the ball from close-range past Ujkani.
Tesser's side, looking for an equaliser, were now leaving room for Milan to exploit. And they used it to their advantage once more. A cross from Nocerino on the right-hand byline found Stephan El Shaarawy, who took a touch and shot across goal, only for Robinho to slid in and give Milan a comfortable 2-0 cushion.
And it was 3-0 with less than a minute to go. El Shaarawy's cross was palmed away by Ujkani, only for Ibrahimovic to flick the ball pas the goalkeeper on the rebound, and take him back to the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts.
That was how it ended, with Milan now only a point behind Juventus going into next weekend's game against Cagliari. Novara stay rooted to the bottom of the table, having to travel to Palermo in the next round of fixtures.

Source: goal.com

AC Milan agrees Tevez’s term

AC Milan has agreed terms with Carlos Tevez and is waiting to hear back from Manchester City about its latest offer for the Argentine forward.

Milan chief executive, Adriano Galliani revealed the news when asked by journalists whether or not Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato is for sale.

"We are not negotiating the sale of Pato, I have an agreement with Tevez but not with City," he said.

Galliani said he had sent an "imaginative" offer to City which the Italian press claim consists of a loan until the end of the season with an obligation to buy, under set conditions, in the summer.

However, City has already rejected a previous offer from Milan to borrow the player, claiming it will only sell him outright.

Italian press claimed Inter Milan has entered the bidding by offering €25 million for the 27-year-old.

Both of those bids, however, are believed to be well below the €35 million French league leaders, Paris St Germain has allegedly offered.