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• Napoli chief confident of Spalletti stay as contract talks remain on hold

  Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident coach Luciano Spalletti will remain with the Scudetto hopefuls beyond the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.

  Napoli appear destined to win their first Serie A title since the Diego Maradona era this campaign, having built a huge 19-point lead over second-placed Lazio.

  Having earned a club-record 71 points from their first 27 games of the Serie A season, Napoli will also face Milan in the club's first Champions League quarter-final appearance next month.

  Napoli reportedly hold an option to trigger a 12-month extension to Spalletti's contract, with the 64-year-old having previously ruled out talks over fresh terms before the title is secured.

  De Laurentiis is not worried about the prospect of Spalletti walking away, praising the coach's seismic impact upon the club as he recalled his 2021 appointment on Friday. 

  Speaking at an event in Naples, De Laurentiis recalled: "To throw everyone off the track, I went for [Sergio] Conceicao and [Massimiliano] Allegri, who came to give me football lessons in my office four times.

  "In the end, Luciano came to bring us back to the top three in Italy and also last year, something different could have happened. 

  "If the rules of football were different, perhaps we would have brought the Scudetto to Naples a few other times already. Spalletti will stay in Naples."

  Napoli host Milan in their next Serie A fixture on April 2, while the first leg of their Champions League last-eight tie with the Rossoneri will take place 10 days later at San Siro.

• 'Clubs are starting to call' – Argentina and Brighton star Mac Allister in demand

  Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is drawing enquiries from a number of clubs that could bid for the World Cup winner, his father has revealed.

  The 24-year-old has become a key player for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, and he has been recently linked with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

  Playing a prominent role in Argentina's Qatar 2022 triumph has raised Mac Allister's profile, and his market value.

  Brighton would be reluctant to see him leave, but Carlos Mac Allister, who was also capped by Argentina, says his son is wanted elsewhere.

  "The clubs are starting to call us about Alexis, but there are no concrete conversations for now," he said, quoted by TNT Sports.

  "We will decide together with Brighton, they deserve respect. We will also choose the best project based on the coach, it is not just about money."

  Alexis Mac Allister, who has a contract through to the end of the 2024-25 season, recently said his "next step" should be with another Premier League club.

  Liverpool may be looking to refresh their midfield at the end of the campaign, while Mac Allister could also be a shrewd replacement for Ilkay Gundogan should the Germany international leave City.

  Brighton sit seventh in the Premier League and are firmly in the hunt for a European place, with Mac Allister netting seven goals and adding one assist during their success so far this term in that competition.

  They are also through to the FA Cup semi-finals, where Manchester United await them at Wembley.

  If Mac Allister stays in England, he would want to play for an elite team.

  Mac Allister told TyC Sports, as reported on March 1: "I don't have a particular team where I say 'this is the way I play'. I think that here in the Premier League, there are very strong teams that play very well, like Manchester City and Arsenal.

  "Chelsea too, I had [Graham] Potter as coach [at Brighton] and I know the idea he has of playing football.

  "Manchester United are returning to be what they were, and Liverpool are going through some ups and downs but they still have a very important team.

  "If I have to say a place, I would like my next step to be in the Premier League. But the truth is that I am very focused here in Brighton and enjoying the present."

• Australia 3-1 Ecuador: Irvine, Mabil and Kuol lead Socceroos to victory

  Jackson Irvine, Awer Mabil and Garang Kuol fired Australia to a 3-1 victory against Ecuador at the CommBank Stadium on Friday.

  In their first game since the World Cup in Qatar, Australia's preparations for the Asian Cup got off to an ideal start.

  First-half goals from Jackson and Mabil came either side of Felix Torres' equaliser in an action-packed opening period.

  A much quieter second half saw few opportunities before 18-year-old Kuol scored his first senior international goal, ensuring there would be no late fightback from the South American side.

  The hosts took the lead after 13 minutes, Mitchell Duke brilliantly volleying Craig Goodwin's free-kick back across the face of goal to Irvine, who converted into the empty net – though replays showed Duke should have been flagged for offside.

  Ecuador responded quickly to the setback and, having seen Michael Estrada drag a glorious chance wide of the mark, levelled when Torres met Jeremy Sarmiento's cross and guided a header past Mathew Ryan.

  Australia regained the lead in the 32nd minute, with Irvine dispossessing Piero Hincapie on the edge of the area and seeing the ball fall kindly for Mabil, who smashed a fierce strike into the top-right corner.

  Manchester City's Alex Robertson made his debut in the second half, despite having yet to make a senior appearance for the Premier League side, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in featuring for the Socceroos.

  There were few opportunities in the second half, but Moises Ramirez clawed an effort from Kye Rowles off the line, with Goodwin's set-piece delivery again causing problems for the visitors.

  Though Ecuador dominated possession for much of the latter exchanges, the South Americans were unable to create opportunities to test Ryan and the hosts held on to secure victory.

  The win was secured in the 84th minute, with teenage substitute Kuol on hand to poke in Aziz Behich's driven cross.