Chelsea's dismissal of Graham Potter and decision not to rush into an appointment has generated speculation about their next permanent manager.

The Blues are destined to miss out on the Premier League's top four this season, thus will not qualify for the Champions League via the league.

As a result, there appears a lack of urgency as they look to get back on the right direction after sacking both Potter and Thomas Tuchel this term under new owner Todd Boehly.

TOP STORY – BLUES MULL OVER ENRIQUE, NAGELSMANN AND CONTE

Fabrizio Romano reports Frank Lampard will take over as Chelsea's interim manager, but that ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique is 100 per cent interested in the permanent position.

Enrique has flown into London for talks on the role, while the Blues will also continue talks with ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann who is the leading candidate.

The Independent claims the Blues are also considering a shock return for Antonio Conte after initial contact between intermediaries.

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider reports Manchester United are keen on Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. United may take advantage of the Saints' possible relegation to bolster their midfield with the 28-year-old free-kick specialist. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also interested in him.

– Liverpool are willing to cough up €40 million (£35m) for Atletico Madrid's Argentinian World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul to bolster their midfield next term, reports Fichajes. Inter Live claims Tottenham are also interested in De Paul.

– Arsenal are pondering an off-season move for Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic who will be a free agent in 2024, claims Gazzetta dello Sport. The reported fee would be around €40m.

– Luka Modric is disgruntled with his contract situation at Real Madrid, with his future not yet resolved with only a few months left on his deal, claims Goal.

– Fichajes claims West Ham, Leeds United and Nice are all circling for Real Madrid's Mariano who will be available on a free transfer at the end of this season.

– Leicester City have shortlisted Ralph Hasenhuttl, Jesse Marsch and Oscar Garcia for their vacant managerial role according to Fabrizio Romano. The Independent's Miguel Delaney claims the Foxes are also interested in experienced pair Martin O'Neill and Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.

The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.

The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION

With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.

Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.

Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.

– Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.

– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.

Maurizio Sarri wants to "continue and finish with" Lazio after the Biancocelesti tightened their grip on second place in Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Monza.

Goals from Pedro and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic moved Sarri's side five points clear of third-placed Inter, while they recorded a sixth successive clean sheet for the second time this season.

The former Napoli and Juventus coach, who has two years remaining on his contract at Lazio, was asked about his future following victory at Stadio Brianteo on Sunday.

But the 64-year-old is eager to continue his project with Lazio, while also praising the character demonstrated by his players.

"I have two more years, and I'm fine at Lazio," he said during his post-match press conference. "They made me feel important.

"If something sensational doesn't happen, I want to continue with Lazio and finish with this team. It's a club that gets inside you. I like this Lazio a lot.

"I had asked for maturity in not repeating the mistakes of the past. And the signs of maturity are coming, we played a serious game against a difficult team to face.

"We have quality, technique, breadth. Humility was needed, and we faced [Monza] in the right way."

Milinkovic-Savic made history with a tremendous free-kick – his seventh in Serie A – representing his 65th Lazio goal, making him the club's leading foreign scorer of all time.

The Serbia international also ended his goal drought having last found the net against Milan in January, and was thrilled to answer his critics.

Although the midfielder, who is out of contract in June 2024, refused to discuss speculation surrounding his future.

"These are three enormous points for us, as we are still in second place for a while longer," he told DAZN. "Finally, I managed to score and I really missed that feeling.

"There has been a lot of criticism and negative words. I tell you the truth, I did not accept them well, they knocked me down. I didn't think I deserved them after everything I've done over the years for this club.

"If I read too much, I hurt myself, but I accepted them, I worked and today finally came what I was waiting for and what everyone was waiting for.

"I am concentrated on the pitch, helping the team and achieving our objectives for the season. I don't want to talk about the contract renewal, we'll see at the end of the season."

Lazio have condemned anti-Semitic behaviour by a number of their supporters during Sunday's Rome derby after Italy's sports minister expressed concerns.

As well as chanting from fans that sparked a complaint from the Jewish Community of Rome, one fan was seen to be wearing a shirt with the name 'Hitlerson' on its back, along with the number 88, which is used by neo-Nazis as numerical code for 'Heil Hitler'.

Efforts are under way to identify that Lazio fan, with the club recognising there is a problem. They indicated progress had already been made and said news of investigations would come within hours.

In January, Lazio were moved to condemned "despicable, shameful and anachronistic" racist abuse aimed at Lecce players Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda in a Serie A match.

Now they face more scrutiny over this episode.

Ruth Dureghello, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, wrote on Twitter: "A whole curve singing anti-Semitic chants, a 'fan' in the stands with the Hitlerson shirt and the number 88 and we, as always, are the only ones to get indignant and protest. Is it possible that everyone continues to ignore it?"

In response to that message, Italy's sports minister Andrea Abodi said: "Impossible to pretend nothing happened. I will do my part, as I feel I have to do. Respect is due and not negotiable!"

Lazio's Curva Nord was ordered to be closed for a game against Empoli after the abuse dished out to the Lecce players.

The club issued a statement on Tuesday in which they said Lazio were "at the forefront, especially under the current presidency, in publicly condemning, preventing and unreservedly repressing any discriminatory, racist or anti-Semitic demonstration or action".

It said the club "dissociates itself from any illegal and anachronistic behaviour of this type, as it is above all an injured party by such behaviour".

Lazio won the derby 1-0, with three players sent off, including one from each team at the end of the game.

Lazio said the anti-Semitic conduct amounted to "a dangerous germ" in which many who take part "do not even know the meaning and scope" of their actions.

The club said they had attempted to "avoid, isolate and contrast these phenomena", saying their commitment is to "inclusion, sportsmanship and respect for all".

Lazio's actions will be judged along with their words, and the club said they had observers at the Roma match, led by former deputy chief of police Nicolo D'Angelo, looking to identify those responsible.

The club said: "In the next few hours we will communicate the already positive results of our activity, trusting in the effective collaboration of the institutions responsible for safeguarding democratic rules."

Liverpool are reportedly the most likely landing spot for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the upcoming transfer window.

Milinkovic-Savic, 28, is in his eighth season at Lazio after arriving from Belgian side Genk ahead of the 2015-16 campaign. He has since racked up 330 appearances and 64 goals in all competitions.

A Serbia international with 39 senior caps, the central midfielder has been named Lazio's Player of the Season two years running but his only silverware to show from his stint in Italy is the 2019 Coppa Italia and a pair of Supercoppa Italiana victories in 2017 and 2019.

Milinkovic-Savic is expected to seek a new home next season at a regular Champions League contender, and compared to other in-demand central midfielders he will reportedly be available for an affordable fee.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL LEAD THE RACE FOR MILINKOVIC-SAVIC

According to Calciomercato, Milinkovic-Savic will be available in the off season for a fee in the range of €50million (£44m).

There is only one more year remaining on his current deal, meaning Lazio would likely be on board with a sale if they cannot agree on an extension.

Liverpool are named as the main club with both the interest and the capabilities to facilitate a deal – having been open about their desire to reinforce their midfield – while he is also a "dream" for Serie A rivals Juventus.

ROUND-UP

– Todo Fichajes are reporting Aston Villa are interested in making a move for Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku at the end of the season, as he is not expected to return to Stamford Bridge following his stint at Inter.

– According to Football Insider, Chelsea would like to bring in 23-year-old Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier to compete for the starting job with Kepa Arrizabalaga, and they are said to be more willing to meet the £30m asking price than fellow interested clubs Tottenham and Manchester United.

– United will look to part ways with club captain Harry Maguire and fellow defender Victor Lindelof after the season to make room and raise funds for incoming transfers, per Football Insider.

– Calciomercato are reporting Juventus and Inter are investigating the possibility of adding 32-year-old out-of-favour Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard.

– According to journalist Ekrem Konur, 27-year-old RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner could be heading back to the Premier League next season amid interest from unnamed clubs.

Jose Mourinho's taunts about Lazio's European shortcomings fired up the Biancocelesti ahead of Sunday's derby win over Roma, said defender Alessio Romagnoli.

Mattia Zaccagni scored the only goal of a bad-tempered meeting between Italy's capital clubs, with Roma reduced to 10 men after Roger Ibanez picked up two bookings within the first 32 minutes.

Tempers also flared at full-time as Bryan Cristante and Adam Marusic were shown red cards, while the win moved Lazio five points clear of Roma in the battle for a top-four Serie A finish.

Ahead of the game, Mourinho mocked Lazio's Europa Conference League exit against AZ Alkmaar during a rant about teams dropping into lower-level European competitions, saying: "They won't have a third competition to play in."

Speaking after Lazio completed their first Serie A double over Roma since 2011-12, former Giallorossi man Romagnoli could not resist aiming a jibe back at Mourinho.

"We were already very energised before this match, his quotes hyped us up even more," he said. "There won't be a third derby for them."

The result makes Mourinho – who served his final game of a two-match touchline ban – the first Roma boss to lose consecutive Serie A meetings with Lazio since Luis Enrique in 2011 and 2012.

Mourinho's opposite number Maurizio Sarri was less confrontational, telling reporters: "Let Mourinho do it, he's like that.

"I often like him. There is nothing for him to answer. We won the derby, we are very happy, and we don't want to cause controversy.

"The red card helped us, but the data shows we had the game in hand before that. I've played in all the most important stadiums in the world and I've always slept the night before, yesterday I struggled.

"It's a unique emotion, I'm happy for the fans. Today the stadium was a spectacle. I'm happy with the points but more for the supporters."

Asked whether Mourinho's absence from the touchline impacted the game, Sarri said: "We [coaches] are more important before the game than during. You find yourself among 70,000 people screaming, and the only one who hears you is the one passing by."

There have been 38 red cards shown in 58 Rome derbies in Serie A's three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95) – more than in any other fixture in the competition during that span.

Though the teams share their Stadio Olimpico home, Lazio are now unbeaten in their last six 'home' games against Roma (W4 D2), winning in each of the last six derbies in which Roma have had a player sent off.

Lucas Leiva has announced the end of his playing career after undergoing tests for a heart problem.

The former Liverpool and Lazio midfielder was forced to withdraw from training at Brazilian club Gremio in December after the discovery was made during a routine screening.

After spending some time to evaluate and undergo further tests, Lucas confirmed at a press conference on Friday that he has decided to call time on his playing days.

"Firstly I would like to thank Gremio for all the support in these three months," a tearful Lucas said. "Today, I am announcing my retirement. 

"It's been a difficult period, I think this is the first time I've cried over this case. But I can only thank you. I'm ending where I'd like, not the way I'd like. But I'm sure a new cycle will begin.

"I had a lot of hope that it could reverse, but it was not the case. My health comes first."

Lucas was joined by Gremio president Alberto Guerra, vice president Paulo Caleffi, coach Renato Portaluppi and team-mate Pedro Geromel, as well as doctors Marcio Dornelles and Paulo Rabaldo.

Dr Dornelles revealed that the Brazilian's diagnosis was scarring in the myocardium. Further testing showed no change after three months away from football activity, and as a result, it was recommended that Lucas end his career.

Lucas made 337 appearances during a 10-year spell with Liverpool where he became a fan favourite at Anfield despite a difficult start, before joining Serie A giants Lazio in 2017.

After leaving Italy at the end of last season, the former Brazil international re-joined Gremio – the club where he began his career.

Gremio won promotion back to Brazil's top tier in 2022 after finishing second in Serie B, with Lucas scoring in the 3-0 win over Nautico that clinched it.

Jose Mourinho took aim at Serie A rivals Juventus and Lazio after seeing his Roma side progress to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

Roma earned a 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad in the second leg of their last-16 tie, winning 2-0 on aggregate.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the game, Mourinho could not resist indirectly referring to Juventus, who also went through against Freiburg, claiming they should not have been allowed to move into the Europa League after being eliminated from the Champions League group stage.

He did directly mention Lazio though, who were beaten 2-1 on Thursday by AZ Alkmaar, losing 4-2 on aggregate to crash out of the Europa Conference League.

"I don't care about the draw, there are teams there that in my opinion shouldn't be there, because whoever is eliminated in a competition has to go home," he said. "If a team that has been eliminated from the Champions League wins, it doesn't mean anything to me because we've been here from the beginning. 

"Lazio? They won't have a third competition to play in."

Roma had to soak up pressure against La Real, facing 19 shots to three and only having 24 per cent possession.

"After the 2-0 first leg [win], the home team risks everything and does everything possible," Mourinho said. "They did everything with the support from the stadium, but the boys today had everything, the ambition to score in the first 15-20 minutes where we dominated and pressed, then we controlled the counter-attack well.

"We never stopped looking for the goal, even when [Tammy] Abraham and [Stephan] El Shaarawy came on, congratulations to the boys, it's thanks to them. It's a very strong Europa League, we have eliminated two quality opponents and we are in the quarter-finals with many top-level teams."

Mourinho has enjoyed plenty of success in Europe, winning two Champions League, two UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues and last year's inaugural Europa Conference League.

Roma will enter Friday's last-eight draw along with Juventus, Manchester United, Feyenoord, Sporting CP, Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen and Union Saint-Gilloise.

"We are not the strongest team in the world but we are a group that knows how to stay together," he added.

Jose Mourinho must sit out the Rome derby after an appeal against his Serie A two-match touchline ban was rejected.

The Roma head coach will be a spectator for this Sunday's game against Sassuolo and the tussle with city rivals Lazio seven days later.

His ban was temporarily suspended last week, allowing him to take charge of a game against Juventus, but it now takes immediate effect.

The 60-year-old was sent off for the third time this season just two minutes into the second half of Roma's 2-1 loss at lowly Cremonese on Tuesday, February 28.

Mourinho clashed with fourth official Marco Serra and was sent to the stands, before continuing to argue his case when entering the officials' dressing room after the match.

The Italian Football Association (FIGC) announced a sports court of appeal rejected Roma's challenge to the ban, with Mourinho also fined €10,000 for his behaviour.

The FIGC statement said Mourinho's punishment was imposed "for vehemently and provocatively contesting a refereeing decision, reiterating such behaviour at the time of the expulsion and also for having, at the end of the match, entered, even if authorised, the referee's locker room and addressed to the fourth official seriously offensive expressions and inferences".

Former Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid boss Mourinho had defended his actions after the game, saying: "I'm emotional but not crazy. For the first time in my career a referee has spoken to me in an unjustifiable way. To have the reaction I had is because something happened."

His Roma side sit fourth in Serie A, ahead of last season's champions Milan on goal difference.

Luciano Spalletti saw positive signs from his Napoli side despite a 1-0 defeat to Lazio on Friday.

Matias Vecino's stunning effort condemned the Serie A leaders to only a second league defeat of the season and their first at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Despite the loss, which brought an end to an eight-match winning streak, Napoli retain a 17-point lead at the summit and Spalletti was happy with his side's desire.

"I expected such an attitude from the Biancocelesti, they are very compact and always move en bloc," he told DAZN.

"We made the choices in the worst way ever, but I saw a good attitude, the right application and desire, and these are the fundamental things."

Defeat for Spalletti came at the hands of a player he knows well, having managed Vecino during the pair's time at Inter, and he issued praise to his former midfielder.

"Lazio defended well, they were lucky on Victor Osimhen's header and we were naive about Vecino's goal. Then the ball found that corner," he added.

"But I congratulate Vecino, he is a great professional and a great footballer. Did he betray me? I wouldn't say, everyone has to do their job without thinking about the relationship that there was previously."

Lazio brought an end to Napoli's eight-match winning streak in Serie A with a surprise 1-0 victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Matias Vecino struck the only goal of the game in the second half with a thunderous effort from distance in a frustrating game for the hosts.

Solid defending from Lazio thwarted I Partenopei, who were largely limited to efforts from distance and struggled to break down the visitors.

Late chances did come Napoli's way though, Victor Osimhen hitting the bar and Kim Min-Jae's rebound brilliantly saved by Ivan Provedel as Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri inflicted only a second league defeat of the season upon his former team.

Lazio almost stunned the home fans inside five minutes, Vecino flicking a header from Mattia Zaccagni's free-kick towards the far corner but Giovanni Di Lorenzo was on hand to make a crucial goal-line clearance.

First-half opportunities were limited for the hosts, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa having the first sight of goal with a drilled effort from distance that deflected off Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and whistled just over the bar.

Napoli's inability to threaten Provedel's goal continued after the break, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia spurning a free-kick in a dangerous position by firing harmlessly into the stands, before Piotr Zielinski dragged wide from just outside the box.

The deadlock was finally broken by the visitors after 66 minutes, Vecino unleashing a thunderbolt into the right-hand corner of the net to leave Alex Meret helpless.

Napoli came agonisingly close to an equaliser 11 minutes from the end, Osimhen heading against the crossbar and Min-Jae immediately seeing his own effort clawed off the line by Provedel.

Milinkovic-Savic came close to consolidating Lazio's win after striking the frame of the goal with a late free-kick, though it mattered little as the visitors held on for a important win in their hunt for Champions League qualification.

Chelsea have continued to struggle in recent weeks despite their busy transfer activity during the January window.

The Blues have failed to score in their past three games, all defeats, and won only once in their past 11 games in all competitions.

Chelsea have only scored four goals in those 11 games this calendar year, with the situation putting pressure on new manager Graham Potter.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO TURN TO TAMMY

Chelsea could turn to former striker Tammy Abraham from Roma in the off-season, according to Football Insider.

There is a £70.5million (€80m) clause in Abraham's Roma contract that would allow the Blues to bring him back to Stamford Bridge which they intend to trigger, according to the report.

Chelsea have struggled for goals lately and view Abraham as a cheaper alternative to Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

ROUND-UP

– L'Equipe reports Kylian Mbappe will still leave Paris Saint-Germain in the near future even if he extends his contract. Mbappe's deal expires next year, but there is talk that PSG are looking to seal an extension for financial purposes.

– Arsenal have submitted a £35m (€40m) bid to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio, claims Calciomercato. Fichajes says the Gunners are also interested in West Ham's Lucas Paqueta as another midfield option.

– Real Madrid will rival Barcelona and Chelsea in the pursuit to sign Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, reports Corriere dello Sport.

– Barcelona are interested in signing Julian Alvarez from Manchester City on loan, claims Mundo Deportivo, while the English champions have offered him a one-year contract extension until 2028 on improved terms, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Liverpool's plans to overhaul their midfield next season mean they have Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo in their sights, per Fichajes.

– Football Insider reports Liverpool are also monitoring N'Golo Kante's situation at Chelsea with talks ongoing over a contract extension.

Maurizio Sarri feels referee Craig Pawson is "not up to officiating in Europe" after being left angry at the English referee's display in Lazio's 1-0 win against CFR Cluj.

Pawson sent off Lazio defender Patric 15 minutes into Thursday's Europa Conference League knockout round play-off first leg for a challenge on Ermal Krasniqi.

Patric was issued a straight red card for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity, despite being around 15 yards from the penalty area with other Lazio players around him.

Lazio played the remainder of the match with 10 men, but they found a winner through a Ciro Immobile goal on the brink of half-time at Stadio Olimpico.

Sarri was furious with the decision to send off Patric, however, with the centre-back subsequently ruled out of next week's return leg in Romania.

"We're unfortunate that a referee not up to officiating in Europe has taken charge," Sarri told DAZN. "He's absolutely unsuitable. 

"He changed the match by showing the red card for a foul that wasn't a clear opportunity to score a goal. He then continued to show some strange yellow cards.

"But on a night when everything seemed to be going in the wrong direction, we still obtained an acceptable result."

Pawson, who has officiated international and European fixtures since 2015, has issued 59 yellows and zero red cards in 14 Premier League games this season.

The 43-year-old's next assignment is as fourth official for Liverpool's trip to Newcastle United on Saturday.

Gleison Bremer said his Juventus team-mates have pledged to ignore the Bianconeri's off-pitch woes after scoring the winner in Thursday's Coppa Italia quarter-final against Lazio.

Bremer diverted Filip Kostic's cross home with a glancing header on the stroke of half-time as Juve clinched a 1-0 win over the Biancocelesti, teeing up a semi-final tie against Inter.

The win provided welcome relief for a side sitting 13th in Serie A after being issued with a 15-point deduction last month, a sanction which has been compounded by a three-game winless run in the league. 

Speaking after his goal sent Juve to their eighth Coppa Italia semi-final in nine seasons, Bremer admitted off-pitch issues had impacted the team in recent weeks, but revealed the squad's pledge to rediscover their focus.

"I'm happy with this goal, but it was important to go through at this moment," the Brazil international told Mediaset.

"We know we've played two games not up to par, but we talked to each other and what happens off the pitch cannot spill onto the pitch. The club will take care of it, we will take care of the pitch. 

"Juventus are a top-level team, let's score as many points as possible and see where we'll be at end of the championship. 

"At the beginning of the year we lost a little something, then we spoke and we found each other."

Since the Coppa Italia quarter-finals became one-legged affairs in the 2008-09 season, Juve have won nine of their 10 such fixtures at home, the only exception being a 2011 defeat to Roma.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri hailed Juve's mentality after the hard-fought victory, highlighting the improvements made since Sunday's shock defeat to Monza. 

"The most important thing is the attitude, which was missing in the first half against Monza, where we conceded two easy goals," Allegri said.

"The boys were good. They are responsible. They must understand that to win matches, in addition to tactics and technique, you need the right spirit. 

"Today we won many tackles, we arrived first in duels, we defended well and played in an orderly and patient manner against good pressure from Lazio."

Juventus were without Paul Pogba for Thursday's win, with the midfielder seeing his second debut for the club delayed once more after suffering another minor injury.

Allegri does not expect him to return against Salernitana on Tuesday, saying: "Pogba is unlikely to be available in Salerno, because he's been doing little or nothing for a week. We hope to have him back as soon as possible because he's a player we count on. 

"I've been in the world of football for 50 years. When things go against you, then you have to be patient to get out of it."

Juventus cast aside their recent woes to tee up an enticing Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter on Thursday as Gleison Bremer's first-half header guided them to a 1-0 win against Lazio.

The Coppa Italia appears to represent Juve's best chance of silverware this season after a 15-point deduction ended their slim Serie A title hopes, and the hosts were good value for their win after dominating for long periods.

Massimiliano Allegri's men missed two good chances before hitting the front on the stroke of half-time, with Bremer flicking Filip Kostic's inch-perfect delivery home.

Juve were rarely troubled at the other end as Maurizio Sarri's visitors disappointed in the final third, and they will face their Derby d'Italia rivals across two legs in the last four after this routine win.

Kostic drew a fingertip save from Luis Maximiano as Juve got on top after a tight opening to the contest, before Adrien Rabiot headed straight at the goalkeeper when left unmarked just before the half-hour mark.

The Bianconeri made their pressure count one minute before the break as Bremer met Kostic's inswinging cross with a glancing header, which beat Maximiano to nestle in the bottom-left corner.

Luis Alberto saw a long-range strike deflect narrowly over as Lazio improved following the half-time introduction of Pedro, while Danilo Cataldi worked Mattia Perin with a 25-yard free-kick.

Juve substitute Moise Kean forced Maximiano into action at his near post following a rapid break with 20 minutes remaining, as the hosts looked to put the game to bed.

Adam Marusic fizzed a long-range effort wide of the bottom-right corner as Lazio continued to hunt a leveller, but that was as close as they came to breaking down a resolute Juve backline.