AC Milan head for promoted Genoa on Saturday desperate to make up for drawing another Champions League blank in midweek.
The Rossoneri make the trip to the Luigi Ferraris Stadium having won their last three Serie A fixtures against Verona, Cagliari and Lazio to remain level on points with leaders and derby rivals Inter at the top of the table.
However, they do so still reflecting on the disappointment of Wednesday night’s 0-0 draw at Borussia Dortmund in their second Group F fixture, with the first against Newcastle at San Siro having similarly ended in stalemate.
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Manager Stefano Pioli said after the Dortmund game: “Many things we do are positive, but we have not been concrete and ruthless. I want to start again from the many positive things we are doing.”
Pioli and his players were unable to travel back to Italy from Germany on Thursday and so have effectively had just one day to prepare for the clash with Genoa.
They will still be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who suffered an adductor muscle injury during the 2-0 victory over Lazio.
Ismael Bennacer and Rade Krunic are also out and the forthcoming international break could hardly be better timed for Pioli’s walking wounded, with Juventus, Paris St Germain and Napoli waiting in the wings in back-to-back games.
Opposite number Alberto Gilardino will hope his side can take advantage of any fatigue to build upon a 4-1 home victory over Roma and a 2-2 draw at Udinese.
However, Gilardino is sweating on the fitness of star striker Mateo Retegui, who suffered a knee injury in Udine.
The manager told a press conference: “Retegui still has pain in his knee, but we’ll wait 24 hours to see if there is a possibility of recovery without risking the rest of his season.
“Everyone’s desire is to see him on the pitch, but we need to be clear in our assessments.”
Whatever team he is able to field, Gilardino knows the task they face will be a tough one.
He added: “We will have to limit the percentage of errors on our part as much as possible. We are facing a strong team, both the starting XI and those who will take over, all players with important characteristics both in terms of technical qualities and physicality.
“I will ask the boys for a huge effort. The important thing will be to be united.”
Motta laments wasteful Juventus attack after stalemate
Thiago Motta was not happy with Juventus' attacking efforts in Saturday's 0-0 Serie A draw versus Empoli, who defended valiantly to keep their goal intact.
Juve struggled against the well-organised hosts, managing just three shots on target out of their 15 efforts, creating just 0.89 expected goals (xG) in the contest.
It follows another stalemate with Roma just before the international break, in which Juventus managed to test the goalkeeper just once.
"We barely got to the point of making the cross we wanted to make," Motta told a press conference.
"It's one thing to do it from behind and another to get to a dangerous area to do it. It's not easy with a team that defends like Empoli, we had difficulties.
"[But] not only Dusan [Vlahovic] has to fill the penalty area ... We definitely have to improve on the sides and get to feed our attacker and those who come from behind."
Juventus' misfiring attack was not the only worry for the head coach, who made four changes to his midfield in the 67th minute.
Motta took off Manuel Locatelli, Nicolas Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz and Kenan Yildiz, introducing Khephren Thuram, Timothy Weah and Nicolo Fagioli, as well as striker Samuel Mbangula.
"They are great players and already in training with little time [they have had], they are able to understand what I want and how they should behave," Motta added.
"The four came in to give freshness. We didn't change anything on the tactical side, but we preferred to give continuity. Surely these players together on the pitch will grow, especially as a team."
Juve return to Champions League action after a season's absence on Tuesday, hosting PSV in the league phase of the revamped 2024-25 edition of the competition.
"Every game is different, the first two we faced [the way we wanted]. Today was a different game [to what it] will be on Tuesday, against a team that plays good soccer and attacks," Motta said.
"We have to be good at controlling the game, without allowing them to feel comfortable, because when they have the ball they always attack with many players."
Glenmuir stay perfect in Zone I of daCosta Cup after 2-0 win over neighbours Garvey Maceo
Glenmuir High extended their perfect start to the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata daCosta Cup as they blanked neighbours Garvey Maceo 2-0 in a lopsided Zone I affair in May Pen, Clarendon, on Saturday.
Ricardo Binns’ third goal of the season in the 29th and Orel Miller’s seventh of the season in the 40th was enough to seal the three points, which kept Glenmuir atop the standings on maximum nine points.
The defeat, Garvey Maceo’s first of the season, saw them slip to third on six points as Foga Road (seven points) jumped to second after a 6-0 beating of Porus High.
Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart welcomed the win.
“I am pleased with the win and the maturity shown by the players. For most of them its three years so as they get older, you expect more of them and I thought they showed that. One of the key things for us was not to get the game stretched and I thought we did that well,” Peart said in a post-game interview.
“It is step by step where our title ambitions are concerned; for us, the main thing now is to get out of the group and then we go from there. Yes, we plan long term but we are working short term so its day by day for us right now,” he added.
It was expected to be a close contest between two of last season’s semi-finalists, but Glenmuir had other ideas and should have won by a wider margin.
The Champions Cup holders dominated proceedings from the start as they were enterprising in the attacking third and created numerous chances, though they struggled to apply the finishing touch.
It wasn’t until close to the half-hour mark that they inevitably broke the deadlock from a sustained attacking spell, when Binns headed into an empty net after a decent first touch kept the ball alive ahead of the advancing Garfield Tomlinson in goal for Garvey Maceo.
The lead was doubled 11 minutes later courtesy of Miller, who sidewined his way through four defenders before driving a firm left-footed effort past the hapless Tomlinson to make it 2-0 at the break.
Down, but not out, Garvey Maceo showed more purpose on the attacking front on the resumption and created a few half chances, which amounted to nothing.
From there, the contest offered very little to write home about as Glenmuir showed very little in attack, seemingly content with what they already had, while Garvey Maceo did little to trouble their opponents defensive line.
Garvey Maceo’s head coach Lester Hibbert believes indiscipline led to their demise.
“We gave them instructions to stay with their markers because Glenmuir was doing a lot of movements. When we started the game, we kept them behind the ball but we lost the discipline and conceded two goals, so we just have to brush ourselves off and come again for the next game on Wednesday,” Hibbert said.
Saturday’s results
Vere Technical 0, Kemps Hill 2
Glenmuir 2, Garvey Maceo 0
Foga Road 6, Porus 0
William Knibb 5, Holland 0
Maggotty High 1, Newell 0
Mannings 9, Godfrey Stewart 0
Alston 1, Troy 0
Herbert Morrison 3, St James 0
Anchovy 1, Rusea’s High 0
B.B Coke 1, Munro College 0
Lennon 0, Clarendon College 2
Irwin High 3, Green Pond High 3
Spot Valley 2, Cedric Titus 0
Port Antonio 2, Wycliffe Martin High 0
Grange Hill 1, Black River 2
Maldon 0, Cornwall College 1
'We played two different games' - Maresca hails Chelsea response in Bournemouth win
Enzo Maresca felt Chelsea reaped rewards for "getting your t-shirt dirty", as they snatched a late victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The Blues endured a steady start with their hosts generating the greater attacking threat for most of the contest, with Robert Sanchez keeping out Evanilson's first-half penalty.
Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie also struck the woodwork for the hosts, but substitute Christopher Nkunku landed the decisive blow five minutes from time.
And Maresca was pleased with his side's response to a difficult first-half performance.
"We played two different games," he told Sky Sports. "The first half, we struggled. We didn't win duels; we didn't win second balls. The second half, we were much better.
"We knew before the game that Bournemouth are very high-pressing, man-to-man orientated. We faced a team who are very aggressive, it was more off the ball that we struggled. [The] second half completely changed the picture.
"This is football. Last time against [Crystal] Palace, we completely deserved to win the game. We had chances and we drew. Today, it was there, and, in the end, we won.
"You cannot come here to this stadium and think about winning the game without getting your t-shirt dirty. You need to win duels, you need to fight. If we are able to do this for 95 minutes, you have more chances to win games."
Maresca handed a debut to new signing Jadon Sancho, who was introduced as a half-time substitute before providing the assist for Nkunku's winner.
And the Manchester United loanee lifted the lid on how he is finding life since his switch to Stamford Bridge.
"It's amazing to make my debut for Chelsea," he told Sky Sports. "Just being back playing, I'm very grateful. The team played very well; we dug in to the end and got the three points.
"I've been working hard for this moment, and I'm happy I got my chance. Going into this season, I wanted to have a good start, and I'm happy.
"I have to say thank you to the staff and teammates. The first day I came in, they made me feel welcome and comfortable."
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