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Luciano Spalletti returns to Napoli on Sunday for the first time since guiding the club to its first Serie A title in more than three decades — an occasion he admits will be highly emotional. This time, he returns as Juventus coach. “There will be burning emotion for me because I have so many friends waiting for me there,” Spalletti said. “It won’t matter how I am welcomed, but the feeling I have toward them is that of someone who loves them.” Spalletti left Napoli in 2023 after leading the team to its first league crown in 33 years, saying he needed a year-long break. Just three months later, he replaced Roberto Mancini as Italy’s coach following Mancini’s unexpected resignation. Spalletti was dismissed from the Italy job in June, and Juventus appointed him in October after firing Igor Tudor following a poor start to the season. Juventus currently sits seventh in Serie A, but only five points behind joint leaders Napoli and AC Milan. The Bianconeri have not won the league since 2020, when they capped a run of nine consecutive titles—an era launched under Antonio Conte, now the Napoli coach. Conte, who also spent 13 years as a Juventus player, acknowledged the emotional weight of this weekend’s encounter but sought to keep the focus on the competition. “At the end of the day it’s a match and there are three points at stake,” Conte said. “I have great respect for them, but on the field everyone will try to take the three points home.” Key matchups The top four in Serie A are separated by just one point in an exciting title race. Co-leader Milan visits Torino on Monday with the host on a five-match winless run. However, Torino has proved tricky for the top sides. It has managed draws against Bologna and Juventus and beat Napoli and Roma. Inter and Roma are a point behind the top two. Inter hosts Como in a regional derby on Saturday with the visitor just three points below the Nerazzurri. Roma visits relegation-threatened Cagliari on Sunday. Sixth-placed Bologna is also just three points below the top four and travels to Lazio. Players to watch Pio Esposito has come from Serie B to scoring in every competition for Inter this season, as well as netting three for Italy. The 20-year-old scored in the Italian Cup on Wednesday and is already being touted as Italy’s next great center forward. Juventus is lamenting a serious injury to Dusan Vlahovic but hoping that can give an opportunity to Canada forward Jonathan David. David joined Juve in the offseason and has mainly been used as a substitute. He has scored in the Champions League and Serie A, but that was back in his debut in August. Out of action Juventus’ Federico Gatti and Vlahovic were set to undergo surgery on Thursday, the defender in Lyon and the forward in London. Gatti is expected to be back in around a month but Vlahovic will unlikely return before March. Napoli’s injury list keeps growing with Stanislav Lobotka out again. The midfielder missed most of October with an adductor injury and had a new muscle injury before Wednesday’s Italian Cup match. Off the field Italy will play its crucial World Cup qualifying playoff in Bergamo, Atalanta’s home stadium. Four-time World Cup winner Italy will host Northern Ireland on March 26 with the winner having to travel to face Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italy is trying to end a remarkable 12-year wait to play on soccer’s biggest stage. The Azzurri are unbeaten in Bergamo with two draws and two 5-0 victories, including on coach Gennaro Gattuso’s debut in September.  

Bayern Munich remains unbeaten in 15 league and cup games against German opposition this season as Vincent Kompany's team prepares to face Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Key matchups Stuttgart could hope to take advantage of Bayern's tough schedule after Bayern struggled to match Union Berlin's physical intensity at times in its 3-2 win over Union in the German Cup on Wednesday. Bayern prevailed in part thanks to two own goals by Union players and was under pressure late in the game. Already eight points adrift of Bayern in second, Leipzig needs to avoid dropping further back when Ole Werner's team hosts Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. Frankfurt is under pressure in seventh and risks failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages, too. Hoffenheim is riding high in fifth and faces third-placed Borussia Dortmund on Sunday knowing that a win would see it overtake Dortmund in the standings. Players to watch Harry Kane's header against Union in the cup on Wednesday took the England captain to 25 goals from 21 games for Bayern this season. Five more goals for England take his tally to 30 for club and country. Ibrahim Maza has three goals and two assists in his last five games in all competitions at Bayer Leverkusen in an attacking midfield role once filled by Florian Wirtz. Scoring the winning goal against Dortmund in the cup on Tuesday was another step forward. Leverkusen visits Augsburg on Saturday. Who's out? Bayern midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic is doubtful after he limped off against Union in the cup on Wednesday. Frankfurt's top scorer Jonathan Burkardt will reportedly be out until the new year with a muscle injury. His eight goals in 10 Bundesliga games mean that's a heavy blow. Off the field Mainz and Augsburg both go into the weekend's games with interim coaches. Last-placed Mainz parted company with Bo Henriksen, who led the team to sixth last season but has overseen a dismal run this campaign, punctuated by poor discipline. Benjamin Hoffman is in temporary charge ahead of Friday's game against Borussia Moenchengladbach. Augsburg fired ex-Germany striker Sandro Wagner on Monday after the team lost eight of its 12 Bundesliga games with him in charge. Manuel Baum returns as coach until the winter break.

Mohamed Salah was again absent from Liverpool’s starting lineup on Wednesday, marking the second straight Premier League match in which manager Arne Slot opted to leave out the Egyptian star — a move that may hint at a shifting role for the veteran forward in his ninth season at Anfield. Salah began on the bench against Sunderland and entered only at halftime, failing to find the net in a 1-1 draw. He did not feature at all in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham, the first time Slot had left him out of a league lineup since taking charge in 2024 — a title-winning season powered largely by Salah’s 29 league goals. Liverpool win raises questions over Salah’s future role Slot admitted Salah was frustrated after being dropped but praised his professionalism. Still, the manager retained Dominic Szoboszlai on the right flank, citing defensive balance. Liverpool faces three more matches — two league fixtures and a Champions League tie — before Salah departs for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot declined to confirm whether he will start against Leeds on Saturday. Salah has scored four league goals so far this season. Source: AP 

Erling Haaland hit his 100th Premier League goal on Tuesday as Manchester City survived a fierce late surge from Fulham to secure a 5-4 victory and move within two points of the league summit. Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone, doing so in just 111 matches — surpassing Alan Shearer’s previous mark of 124 games. Despite cruising to a 5-1 lead, City were pushed to the brink as Fulham rallied and nearly equalized in stoppage time when Josh King’s shot was cleared off the line. “It’s not good enough, and we all know that. We have to improve,” Haaland told Sky Sports after the match. Tijani Reijnders and Phil Foden added first-half goals for City, while Emile Smith-Rowe pulled one back for Fulham before the break. Foden struck again early in the second half, and a Sander Berge own goal appeared to put the game beyond doubt — until Fulham stormed back. Alex Iwobi curled in a second, and Samuel Chukwueze netted twice in six minutes, setting up a tense finish. Josko Gvardiol’s last-ditch clearance ultimately preserved the three points. Manager Pep Guardiola said he had no explanation for his team’s defensive lapses. “It’s the Premier League — what can I say?” Romero rescues SpursCristian Romero delivered for Tottenham with a spectacular overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Bruno Guimaraes put Newcastle ahead in the 71st minute after a dominant first half, but Romero equalized shortly after with a near-post header. Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle’s lead from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, only for Romero’s late acrobatics to deny the hosts all three points and halt Spurs’ run of three straight losses. Newcastle manager Eddie Howe called the late goal “heartbreaking,” noting his team’s repeated struggles to protect leads. Liverpool win raises questions over Salah’s future role ElsewhereEverton rebounded from their loss to Newcastle at the weekend with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth, sealed by Jack Grealish’s 78th-minute strike — his second of the season while on loan from Manchester City. Source: AP 

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday sparked fresh debate about whether the club is beginning to prepare for life without Mohamed Salah after head coach Arne Slot left the 33-year-old on the bench for a Premier League match for the first time since April 2024. Slot’s decision followed weeks of scrutiny over Salah’s form. The forward, who has been central to Liverpool’s success for nearly a decade, has struggled this season and will soon join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot said Salah still has a strong future at the club but accepted that current performances have made selection decisions more difficult. Liverpool’s reshaped lineup delivered a much-needed result after a long spell of poor form that included nine defeats in 12 matches. Alexander Isak scored his first league goal since his record move from Newcastle, while Florian Wirtz played a key role in midfield. Cody Gakpo assisted Isak’s opener and added a second goal in stoppage time. Slot restored Joe Gomez at right-back, which strengthened Liverpool’s defence after conceding 10 goals in their previous three games and freed Dominik Szoboszlai to return to an attacking role. Salah watched from the bench as Liverpool kept a clean sheet and secured only their second league win since mid-September. Analysts said the decision to leave him out was justified. Former England captain Alan Shearer said Salah “cannot complain” because of his dip in form and called the move a necessary step for a team looking to recover. Despite his recent struggles, Salah’s record remains exceptional. Since joining Liverpool in 2017, he has scored 250 goals in 419 appearances and holds a league win rate of 64 percent. Liverpool have won 263 matches in all competitions with Salah in the team. Slot is expected to decide soon whether Salah returns to the starting lineup when Liverpool host Sunderland on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Isak said the goal ended a frustrating drought and he hopes it will help him build momentum after a slow start to his Liverpool career.   With inputs from BBC

Inter Miami booked a place in the MLS Cup final for the first time in the club’s history as Lionel Messi inspired a 5-1 victory over New York City FC in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday. Tadeo Allande stole the show with a stunning hat trick, scoring in the 17th, 23rd and 89th minutes, with the first two goals assisted by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who are set to retire at the end of the season. Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia added the other goals for Miami. Messi set up Silvetti's 67th-minute strike, recording the 405th assist of his career for club and country — believed to be the highest assist tally in football history. Inter Miami, the No. 3 seed in the East, will host the MLS Cup final on December 6 against either San Diego or Vancouver. This marks a dramatic turnaround for the club, which had never advanced beyond the first postseason round in its first five seasons. NYCFC’s lone goal came from Justin Haak in the 37th minute. Messi, who joined Inter Miami in 2023 when the club was mired at the bottom of the MLS table, has since helped transform its global profile. With a new stadium set to open next season and the Argentine star signed through 2028, Miami now stands just one win away from its first league title. Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and members of the U.S. women’s national team were among those in attendance, as Messi once again proved to be the main attraction on and off the field.

Atletico Madrid has been fined and placed on probation by UEFA for racist behavior by fans during a Champions League match against Arsenal. The Spanish club was charged after fans made monkey noises and gave Nazi salutes during a 4-0 defeat in London last month. Atletico supporters have previously targeted Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior with similar racial abuse. UEFA imposed a 30,000-euro ($35,000) fine and ordered a one-game ticket ban for a European away match, which has been deferred for a one-year probation period. The club must also pay 10,000 euros ($11,600) for fans throwing objects at Arsenal’s stadium.    

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is fit to play against Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old England international fractured his toe last week after stubbing it on a door. He missed Chelsea’s wins over Burnley and Barcelona. Palmer has struggled with injuries this season, featuring in only five matches across all competitions. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Palmer is available to start. He said the player’s return makes the team and fans happy. Maresca added that Palmer is Chelsea’s best player and will perform well in the future. Palmer last played in a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20. Chelsea has played 13 matches since, winning ten, losing two, and drawing one. Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £40 million in September 2023 and has been the club’s top scorer for the past two Premier League seasons. In his absence, summer signing Estevao Willian has impressed with five goals in all competitions. Maresca suggested Palmer and Estevao could play together depending on the game plan. Despite being fit, there is still a question over whether Palmer will start, as Chelsea have performed well without him. Other attacking options include Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, and Enzo Fernandez. Maresca may choose his front four based on strategy for the top-of-the-table clash.   Source: BBC

Newcastle United says its fans were “indiscriminately assaulted” by French police after the Champions League match against Marseille on Tuesday, raising serious concerns about supporter treatment. The Premier League club has formally contacted UEFA, Marseille authorities, and French police to address what it described as “unacceptable” behavior. Marseille won the match 2-1 at the Velodrome, and Newcastle supporters faced delays exiting the stadium, being allowed to leave in groups of 500 while police escorted them to the Metro station. According to the club, once the first group was released, police allegedly used excessive and unnecessary force to prevent the remaining fans from moving. Newcastle said this involved pepper spray, batons, and shields, with many supporters reportedly harmed in the process. The club stressed that it is cooperating with UK police to collect evidence and has called on both UEFA and Marseille to investigate the incident thoroughly. “Supporter safety and welfare should always be the top priority, and we strongly condemn the treatment of our fans by police during this event,” Newcastle said in a statement. The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of traveling fans in European competitions, highlighting tensions that can arise during post-match stadium procedures.

Kylian Mbappé delivered a sensational four-goal performance on Wednesday, recording the first quadruple of his Champions League career and producing the second-fastest hat trick ever seen in the tournament. The French forward struck three times within a span of just under seven minutes to guide Real Madrid to a 4-3 victory over Olympiakos. “I’m really pleased with the goals. It’s always a joy,” Mbappé said, crediting his teammates for consistently providing him with quality service. Chiquinho opened the scoring for Olympiakos in the eighth minute before Mbappé responded with goals in the 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes. After Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for the Greek side in the 52nd, Mbappé netted his fourth of the night in the 60th minute. Ayoub El Kaabi later added a third for Olympiakos in the 81st. Mohamed Salah’s rapid treble for Liverpool against Rangers in 2022 remains the quickest in Champions League history, taking 6 minutes and 12 seconds after coming on as a substitute, according to UEFA. This latest feat marked Mbappé’s fifth Champions League hat trick — and his second of the current campaign after a trio against Kairat earlier in the league phase. Two of his previous hat tricks came during his time with Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo share the all-time record with eight apiece, while Robert Lewandowski has six. City stunned at home as Leverkusen clinch statement UCL win Mbappé now sits atop the Champions League scoring chart with nine goals, three ahead of Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen. He has already set a personal best for goals in a single Champions League season and has 22 goals in 18 games for Madrid across competitions. “His finishing is vital, but it’s also the character, the work rate, the connection he brings to the team,” coach Xabi Alonso said. The victory snapped Madrid’s three-match winless run and lifted the club to fifth place in the Champions League league-phase standings. “Winning again was essential,” Mbappé said. “Three games without a win is far too many for us. We had to take three points to stay inside the top eight — that’s our focus now.” Source: AP