Roma are expected to use Donyell Malen, Bryan Zaragoza and Niccolò Pisilli in the Europa League Round of 16, while Bologna look to Thijs Dallinga and Federico Bernardeschi.

It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET) on Thursday, with the second leg next week at the Stadio Olimpico.

The draw means Italy will have only one representative in the Europa League quarter-finals, as the two Serie A competitors go head-to-head.

Hosts Bologna have Juan Miranda, Charalampos Lykogiannis and Torbjorn Heggem not fully fit, while Lorenzo De Silvestri is not on the UEFA squad list.

Santiago Castro has looked exhausted lately after a run of games in the starting XI, so it seems likely that Dallinga will step into the centre-forward role instead.

He should be flanked by Bernardeschi and Jonathan Rowe, leaving Riccardo Orsolini on the bench.

Coach Vincenzo Italiano confirmed that Tommaso Pobega has a good chance of starting in midfield.

Roma are forced to do without suspended Gianluca Mancini in defence, while Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson are all injured.

It leaves limited options in attack, but January signings Malen and Zaragoza can finally play in the Europa League, having been cup-tied for the final league phase matches.

Mario Hermoso took part in training today and could make his comeback in defence, while Bryan Cristante is tipped to take the more advanced role in support of the strikers.

This is a position he can swap around with Pisilli, giving the opposition defenders few reference points.

It might be an all-Italian game, but it is still a UEFA fixture, so the referee is German Sven Jablonski, with Bastian Dankert in the VAR booth.

Bologna vs. Roma probable line-ups

Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski; Joao Mario, Lucumi, Vitik, Miranda; Ferguson, Freuler, Pobega; Bernardeschi, Dallinga, Rowe

Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Ghilardi, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, Koné, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante, Zaragoza; Malen

Ref: Jablonski (GER)

Remo Freuler could be Bologna’s secret weapon in the Europa League meeting with Roma. ‘I know how Gian Piero Gasperini plays off by heart.’

The first leg of this Round of 16 tie kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

It is safe to say the two teams have few surprises in store, considering this is an all-Italian derby on the UEFA stage, but some are even more tuned in.

Gasperini and Freuler are old friends

Freuler made 254 appearances under Roma coach Gasperini when they worked together at Atalanta from 2016 to 2022, scoring 20 goals and providing 23 assists.

“I know how Gasperini plays off by heart, even if he too has changed some things in his style over recent years,” Freuler told Sky Sport Italia.

“The foundations are still more or less the same, and I will be very happy to see him again tomorrow.”

Gasperini is keeping a few decisions to the last minute, and now uses two players in the trequartista role supporting a centre-forward, especially as there are so many injuries in attack.

“I know the adjustments he makes too, whether he plays with three upfront or an extra midfielder, I know the thoughts he has in his mind. We’ll see what happens.”

Freuler left Atalanta in 2022 for Nottingham Forest, but returned within a year to Serie A, where he is enjoying a new lease of life with Bologna.

This means he had already departed by the time Atalanta won the Europa League trophy, but he did experience some European success there.

“I remember how we danced after the game against Shakhtar Donetsk, when we qualified for the Champions League Round of 16. I still feel that joy, just as I do our super rapport both on and off the field,” said the Switzerland international.

“The first leg is always an important result so we can go into the decider with confidence. We want to keep going in the Europa League.

“Unfortunately, we picked Roma in the draw, who with all due respect to the others are more difficult to play against than KRC Genk.”

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma confirmed his remarkable record on penalties after parrying the Vinicius Junior effort, but what the Manchester City goalkeeper said before the Real Madrid spot-kick was also indicative.

Tonight’s Champions League Round of 16 tie at the Bernabeu had seen Manchester City go in as favourites, but they found themselves 3-0 down by half-time.

Donnarumma had pulled out of a potential penalty challenge on Federico Valverde on the opening goal, so when Vinicius went clear after the restart, this time he went for the ball.

It proved an incorrect decision, as he caught the player’s ankle instead and gave away the penalty with a yellow card.

Donnarumma duel with Vinicius

Just before the Brazilian stepped up, Donnarumma was caught on camera complaining in Italian, repeatedly saying the same phrase: “Ha fatto il fenomeno.”

This translates in a few different ways, as it can be an expression of being impressed with how ‘phenomenal’ a player is being, but more often it’s sarcastic and a complaint that someone is trying too hard to show off, for example when he’s doing step-overs.

This seemingly played out moments later, because Vinicius took a slow and excessively confident run-up, seeing the penalty parried by Donnarumma.

The 27-year-old was entirely the wrong person to do that against, seeing as Donnarumma has now saved 17 out of the 61 spot-kicks faced in normal time.

Donnarumma denies Viní Jr from the penalty spot @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/HFyGgRNOCp

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026

That does not include shoot-outs, which of course is how he helped Italy win the EURO 2020 Final against England.

This time, he might’ve kept City in the tie, as they were already 3-0 down and about to concede a fourth.

Gianluigi Donnarumma keeps Man City in this tie with a huge penalty save pic.twitter.com/ENgDYzdWFg

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 11, 2026

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is only under contract with Inter until June 30, but the decision on his future is reportedly entirely in his own hands.

The midfielder recently celebrated his 37^th birthday in January and remains a key figure within Cristian Chivu’s squad, contributing two goals and three assists in 29 appearances between the Champions League, Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana this season.

Mkhitaryan given opportunity to choose by Inter

He will be a free agent at the end of June, and Inter are reportedly open to discussing a new deal to extend that contract until June 2027.

However, it won’t be until the final weeks of the campaign, largely because Mkhitaryan has not made a decision on where he sees his future.

It is still possible the former Roma, Arsenal and Manchester United man could hang up his boots before turning 38.

If he does continue his playing career, it might not necessarily be at Inter, but in a less taxing league where he can pick up one final payday.

Both FCInterNews and transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano maintain the decision is entirely in the Armenia international’s hands.

If he was to sign a new deal with Inter, then it would mean a significant wage cut by circa 20 per cent.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma found himself in a split-second quandary for Manchester City against Real Madrid, seemingly preferring to give up the goal.

The shot-stopper started tonight’s Champions League Round of 16 tie at the Bernabeu, but was caught out by the opener scored by Federico Valverde.

It was very route one football, as Thibaut Courtois punted a long ball forward, controlled brilliantly by Valverde to go clear on goal.

Donnarumma behaviour explained

As Donnarumma came rushing out to narrow the angle, he seemed to pull his arm away at the last second, so Valverde went around him and managed to steer it into the net from a tricky position.

Former Torino goalkeeper Joe Hart on TNT Sport confirmed the suspicion many had that Donnarumma thought he wasn’t going to get there in time, and that he may well be sliding his way out of the penalty area in the process.

A brilliant assist from Courtois is finished off by Valverde to give Real Madrid the lead against Manchester City @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/hS6f3Pe7Vj

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026

That and the fear of giving away a penalty even if it wasn’t a red card, along with the narrowing angle making it a tough finish, prompted the Italian to withdraw his arm and let Valverde through.

It is also not entirely a surprise, considering this was the second assist Courtois has registered in the Champions League this season for Real Madrid.

Thibaut Courtois assist

The Belgian keeper plays a lovely ball out to Fede Valverde who gives Real Madrid the lead pic.twitter.com/EX93BvXlk9

— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 11, 2026

Atletico Madrid are the latest club heavily linked with a potential €30m summer swoop for Lazio defender Mario Gila, after strong interest from Milan.

The centre-back is only under contract with the Aquile until June 2027 and therefore is expected to move on at a big profit at the end of this season.

He was purchased from Real Madrid in 2022 for €6m, having come up through their youth academy, although he is originally from Barcelona.

Mario Gila attracting Atletico Madrid interest

According to Spanish newspaper Diario As, Atletico Madrid have set their sights firmly on Gila as a reinforcement for their defence next term.

They are aware of the competition from Milan, which is particularly strong considering their transfer strategy is now run by former Lazio director of sport Igli Tare.

However, Atletico Madrid have greater financial capabilities and may well be prepared to pay up to €30m for the player, compared to the Rossoneri’s €20m proposal.

They are also cleaning out the ranks in defence, as Clement Lenglet and Jose Maria Gimenez are both tipped to move on in the summer.

The Colchoneros do enjoy shopping in Italy, already picking up Matteo Ruggeri and Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, Nico Gonzalez from Juventus, and Giacomo Raspadori from Napoli, in recent months.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar has sent a message of solidarity with Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonin Kinsky. ‘A similar thing happened to me on my Champions League debut.’

The Giallorossi are preparing for the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 against fellow Italians Bologna, which kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

Ahead of that clash, Svilar wanted to take a moment to reassure a colleague who was hauled off the pitch just 16 minutes into a disastrous performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last night.

Svilar latest to reassure Kinsky

“A similar thing happened to me eight years ago, I too made a mistake in my Champions League debut, and it took quite a few years for me to get over it,” Svilar told Sky Sport Italia.

“I feel bad for him, but I’ve seen him play many times, and in my view he will become a great goalkeeper. This incident will only help him to reach that level.”

Of course, Svilar was not taken off the pitch after just 16 minutes of the tie, which is what coach Igor Tudor did to Kinsky last night, replacing him with Italy international Guglielmo Vicario.

He was also only 18 years old when making that Champions League bow for Benfica in a 1-0 group stage home defeat to Manchester United in October 2017, and stayed on for the entire match.

Meanwhile, the Roma shot-stopper is focused on the Europa League tie with Bologna, hoping to shore up the defence after conceding five goals in the last two Serie A games.

“It can happen over a long season. On the other side, we are scoring more goals recently, and our defence was solid for such a long time, it will go back to that.”

The team had already been ticking up the results at the end of last season and only narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification under Claudio Ranieri.

How have things changed for the Giallorossi with Gian Piero Gasperini at the helm?

“He likes a more direct approach, without too many passes in defence, as we want to make our quality count going forward.”

A legend of the Napoli locker room who goes back to the Diego Maradona days has anointed Scott McTominay as a ‘Neapolitan-Scotsman’ now he ‘can’t do without our coffee.’

The Scotland international has flourished in Italy since making the move from Manchester United in 2024, as he won the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana, being named Player of the Year in Italy’s top league.

Now the 29-year-old has become a true member of the local family, embraced by an icon of the club’s history, kit man Tommy Starace.

The figure has been part of the staff since the days when Diego Armando Maradona was the star man, and one of his main jobs is keeping everyone busy with a steady supply of freshly made espresso.

Even McTominay convinced by Napoli habit

“McTominay didn’t like our coffee when he arrived, but now he can’t do without it,” Starace told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“He is not Scottish. He’s a Neapolitan-Scotsman.”

Starace is also famous because former Napoli star Dries Mertens used to copy his dance moves as a goal celebration.

“I have a friendship built over the years not only with Mertens, but also Insigne, McTominay and many others.”

A big part of that is the gesture of carrying around the coffee, pouring it fresh from the Moka stovetop pot, sometimes even for television presenters and pundits who happen to be on the pitch during the warm-up.

Che grande il nostro Tommaso Starace! Questa è la nostra Napoli! pic.twitter.com/peR2Qn0sMT

— Francesco (@Francesco_abyss) March 11, 2023

“Coffee is not just coffee, it is love, it means respect for a person, that we are grateful to have you with us,” he added.

“We Neapolitans have a good heart, so we like to welcome everyone with the same perfume of coffee in the air.”

It is not the only Italian habit that McTominay has picked up, because he also confessed that he used to hate eating tomatoes because they “tasted like red water,” but changed his mind after trying the Neapolitan version.

Gian Piero Gasperini insists Roma are not prioritising Serie A ahead of the Europa League clash with Bologna, despite an injury crisis in attack. ‘Donyell Malen’s situation is very rare.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

The second leg will be at the Stadio Olimpico next week, as we know only one Italian team will make it to the quarter-finals of the tournament.

It is confirmed that the Giallorossi will be without suspended Gianluca Mancini, plus injured Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson, but Mario Hermoso is included in the list.

Gasperini has reduced Roma options

“We’ll see tomorrow, at the moment Hermoso is available and could play, but he’s been out for a while, so we’ll see if it’s from the start or off the bench,” explained Gasperini in his press conference.

“At least one Italian team will get through for sure. It’s true the trend for Italian teams in Europe has not been good this season, even worse if we add in the Nazionale struggles, so evidently it’s not a coincidence.

“We all need to dig deep and explain what the problem is, the coaches, clubs, and probably the media too. It’s not about a tactical issue, there’s something deeper that probably stems from the youth academies and the way teams are built.”

Considering he has won the Europa League with Atalanta, but also that Roma have a Serie A battle with Como this weekend for fourth place, which is the priority for them?

“Every game is important, we cannot make calculations, but take them one at a time trying to give our best in each one,” replied the coach.

“The priority is both competitions, perhaps a few weeks ago we also had the Coppa Italia and therefore saw Serie A as the priority, but we never thought about just letting anything go.

“I don’t see any way of giving less in a match situation. It’s possible we won’t play as well in some games as others, but it won’t be by choice.”

The January signings have made a big impact, most notably striker Malen, who will finally get to play in the Europa League with Roma after he was cup-tied for the league phase due to his time with Aston Villa.

“We are scoring more goals, the trend is positive thanks also to the arrival of Malen, who has made us more dangerous in attack,” confirmed Gasperini.

“We have certainly lost several important players in attack, but Malen has given us something extra. Bryan Zaragoza needs time to adapt, he’s only been here for a month, so the situations like Malen who hit the ground running in a new team are very rare.

“With both Dybala and Soulé out, we have had to rotate players in those support roles. Lorenzo Pellegrini has played there most consistently, but Lorenzo Venturino, Robinio Vaz and Stephan El Shaarawy can all play there.”

Has Gasperini spoken to Pellegrini about his future, with the contract running down?

“No, this is not something we need to discuss now, as it’s a fundamental stage of the season, and we need to focus on the pitch.”

Could Malen and Vaz even start together tomorrow?

“Anything is possible,” smiled the coach.

Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel has been released from hospital, as the surgeon who operated on his shoulder warns ‘this is the equivalent of an anterior cruciate ligament tear for a midfielder.’

The shot-stopper sustained the injury in training and it was identified by an MRI scan as a lesion of the glenohumeral ligament alongside involvement of the glenoid labrum.

He went under the knife and has now been released from hospital, as confirmed by a statement on the official Lazio website.

Recovery process begins for Provedel

Provedel must wear a brace stabilising his movements for at least a month, after which he can begin the rehabilitation treatment.

This is expected to be a long process, with reports it will require four to five months on the sidelines, ending his season early.

“We must not rush this, there are some biological steps that have to be taken, so nature must take its course,” surgeon Giovanni Di Giacomo told the Corriere dello Sport via Tuttomercatoweb after performing the operation.

“Provedel was highly motivated and eager to get back on the field. However, this is a serious injury. For a goalkeeper, a shoulder issue like this is the equivalent of a torn anterior cruciate ligament of the knee for a midfielder.”

Lazio have been forced to use their second choice goalkeeper, Edoardo Motta, who was signed from Reggina in January.

He made his Serie A debut in Monday evening’s 2-1 victory over Sassuolo and only turned 21 in January.

There are strong reports of a significant change behind the scenes for Roma’s business model, but Francesco Totti is only asked to be a brand ambassador without powers.

Over the last few weeks, there have been growing rumours that the club icon could return to the Stadio Olimpico with a directorial role.

Roma not prepared to hand Totti powers

These were boosted when he was spotted back in the stands for some home games, something he had largely tried to avoid after his ill-tempered exit from the club in the summer of 2019.

That was under previous owners, so it was suggested the Friedkin family with help from Claudio Ranieri and coach Gian Piero Gasperini were talking to Totti about a return.

However, Sky Sport Italia now report Roma do want Totti to have a purely ceremonial role as brand ambassador, with no decision-making powers.

This was the kind of thing he had rejected in the past, but might be more amenable towards now.

Meanwhile, there are bigger changes afoot, as Calcio e Finanza claim exclusively that Roma have decided to purchase the Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini training ground in Trigoria, after leasing the land for 20 years.

The structure had originally been sold for €30m in December 2005 as a way of balancing the books.

Davide Massa has been assigned to the Como vs. Roma Serie A fight for fourth place, while Gianluca Manganiello gets Inter-Atalanta, but Daniele Doveri drops to Serie B after the Derby della Madonnina.

The AIA (Italian Referees Association) has confirmed the referees chosen for this weekend’s Serie A matches.

The biggest game of the round is arguably the showdown for Champions League qualification, as Como and Roma are locked together in the table and go head-to-head at the Stadio Sinigaglia on Sunday.

That has been handed to experienced official Massa.

Leaders Inter try to get back on track against Atalanta, which will be officiated by Gianluca Manganiello in another top seven duel.

Notably, there is no Serie A fixture this weekend for Doveri after his work in the Derby della Madonnina, but this does not mean it is a demotion.

Instead, he is trusted with the extremely difficult and important Serie B promotion clash between Monza and Palermo, which could prove decisive for who gets to be in the top flight next season.

Serie A Week 29 referees

Torino vs. Parma (Maresca, VAR Ghersini)

Inter vs. Atalanta (Manganiello, VAR Gariglio)

Napoli vs. Lecce (Abisso, VAR Nasca)

Udinese vs. Juventus (Mariani, VAR Maggioni)

Verona vs. Genoa (Marchetti, VAR Marini)

Pisa vs. Cagliari (La Penna, VAR Paterna)

Sassuolo vs. Bologna (Bonacina, VAR Serra)

Como vs. Roma (Massa, VAR Fabbri)

Lazio vs. Milan (Guida, VAR Chiffi)

Cremonese vs. Fiorentina (Di Bello, VAR Aureliano)

Dusan Vlahovic completed the entire training session with his Juventus teammates and is ready for his comeback after nearly four months out.

The striker pulled up during the Serie A match against Cagliari on November 29, 2025, and it was immediately apparent this was a very serious injury.

It was diagnosed as a high-grade lesion to the muscle-tendon junction of the left adductor longus.

Vlahovic all set for Juventus return

There were fears he could be out of action for as much as five months, but it seems as if the Serbian could be on the pitch this weekend.

Vlahovic took part in the entire training session with his Juventus teammates at the Continassa camp near Turin today and is widely expected to be in the squad for the trip to Udinese.

He even scored a goal in today’s game between ranks, confirming his condition is good.

Al lavoro pic.twitter.com/3hjTWW4lm9

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) March 11, 2026

He had scored six goals and provided two assists in his 17 competitive appearances this season before that setback.

His performances in the remaining 10 matches of the campaign could well decide whether or not he signs a new contract with Juventus, seeing as the current deal expires on June 30.

Cagliari have suffered yet another devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury, as left-back Riyad Idrissi is the latest to be ruled out for six months.

The 20-year-old, who has three caps for Italy at Under-21 level, is a product of the Sardinian youth academy and had impressed this season with two goals and an assist in 26 competitive appearances.

Idrissi only latest Cagliari casualty

He featured in the 2-1 Serie A defeat to Como over the weekend, and tests showed his injury was worse than previously thought.

A club statement confirms Idrissi has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The player will go under the knife with a specialist over the next few days, but this type of injury generally requires four to six months on the sidelines.

It is something of an epidemic at Cagliari, as this season alone they have lost Andrea Belotti, Mattia Felici and Idrissi all to ACL tears.

Roma have named their squad list for the Europa League Round of 16 against Bologna, missing big names like Matias Soulé, Paulo Dybala and Gianluca Mancini, but Mario Hermoso is included.

The first leg kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).

The Giallorossi have been dealing with a lengthy injury crisis for some time now, and many of the problems are localised in the attack.

Good and bad news for Roma

This means Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson are long-term absentees, while Soulé has again not been included, as he struggles to recover from an inflammation.

The good news for coach Gian Piero Gasperini is that defender Hermoso completed the training session and is in the squad, though it remains to be seen if he will start.

There is more pressure on the defence, as Gianluca Mancini is suspended for the first leg of this Europa League tie.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Bryan Zaragoza is tipped to start in support of Donyell Malen, while Bryan Cristante can be moved into a more advanced role too.

This leaves Manu Koné and Niccolò Pisilli in midfield, benching Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Vincenzo Italiano admits he would gladly have avoided the all-Italian Europa League duel with Roma, but Bologna ‘hope to tease some weaknesses out of them tomorrow.’

It kicks off on Thursday at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET) at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

The draw was unkind to the Italian teams, as while it means at least there will be one representative in the quarter-finals, it can only be one of the two sides who entered the tournament.

Bologna had a terrible start to 2026 and seemingly had turned a corner with a run of victories, but faltered again at the weekend with their home defeat to rock bottom Hellas Verona.

Italiano would have avoided Bologna vs. Roma

“We have already put that match behind us,” assured Italiano in his press conference.

“Roma have some weaknesses and we hope to tease those out of them tomorrow. As I said before, I had hoped in a different draw, because we could’ve gone far together in this competition, but instead one of the two Italians must go out.

“We are stuttering in our home games lately, but hope to change that tomorrow.”

The coach gave injury updates, as Juan Miranda and Torbjorn Heggem are back in training, but it remains to be seen if either of them could start.

He did hint that Tommaso Pobega has “a very good chance” of being in the starting XI, though Thijs Dallinga could finally give Santiago Castro some rest ahead of the Serie A showdown with Sassuolo.

“Roma defend well and have now found a striker in Donyell Malen who is doing very well, giving their aggressive style of football an outlet. We know him too, as we already played against his Aston Villa earlier in the season.

“Gian Piero Gasperini has set the example for all coaches, winning important trophies both at team and individual level. He continues to exhibit wonderful football and I have incredible respect for him.”

Will the two coaches go out to dinner together?

“We’d need a restaurant that stayed open late, because we’d have so much to talk about!”

The second leg will be at the Stadio Olimpico next week, where the Rossoblu lost 1-0 in the opening game of the Serie A season back in August.

“I am not thinking about the second leg, because after tomorrow we already have another Serie A match to play, so there’s time for that. Obviously, it won’t be an easy atmosphere for us at the Olimpico, but we know that.

“The trouble with an Italian derby is we know each other so very well. It’s a new experience for me too, facing another Italian side in Europe.”

Bologna’s home record has been the most surprising aspect of their campaign so far, as since the start of December 2025 they have amassed just three victories at the Stadio Dall’Ara, two draws and eight losses in all competition.

“I analysed all those games, and some we deserved to lose, with others we could’ve won with a bit more concentration. The attitude is not the issue, but we are paying a heavy price for some distractions, and have the time to make up for it,” noted Italiano.

“We did win five games after that difficult period, and a situation like Verona can happen, in Serie A anybody can beat anyone else, it’s always a struggle. We have more difficulty against teams who let us take control of the game, leading us to become a bit too superficial in our preventative marking.

“Tomorrow is a big opportunity for us to progress in Europe, but we won’t be able to judge the season until the end.”

Fabio Grosso admits Sassuolo are ‘ahead of schedule’ this season, but a lack of maturity was evident in the ‘naïve errors’ for their 2-1 defeat to Lazio.

The Neroverdi had won five of their previous six Serie A matches, losing only to leaders Inter, and had the opportunity with a win here to leapfrog Bologna into eighth place.

They had recovered from the shocking start of a Daniel Maldini goal after 80 seconds, drawing level through Armand Laurienté, but were undone deep into stoppages.

Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric mistimed the run off his line, not for the first time this season, and allowed Adam Marusic to nod a Matteo Cancellieri cross into the empty net.

Grosso sees room for Sassuolo improvement

“Our initial approach wasn’t right, but there is an issue of maturity that requires certain steps in the process, and we are very much ahead of schedule this season,” Grosso told Sky Sport Italia.

“If we managed to be consistent too, then we’d be even higher up the table. We reacted to the opening goal, started the second half well too, but we lost intensity in the closing stages. It was more psychological than physical, especially after wasting two big chances, then making naïve errors.

“It would’ve been important to bring home at least a point, as Lazio might be having difficulties, but they remain a very strong team. They were able to bring on fresh legs in attack that made the difference.”

Andrea Pinamonti was suspended today, so M’Bala Nzola had his first start for Sassuolo, but some substitutes didn’t provide the boost that they needed.

“We certainly could’ve done better. I usually don’t change the two full-backs, but Coulibaly was struggling for fitness, while Garcia had just been booked and Lazio were pushing hard on those duels down the flanks, so I didn’t want us to go down to 10 men,” explained Grosso.

“That meant I couldn’t use those two substitutions to change in attack. It’s a pity, we had some big chances just moments before conceding the last goal. When we are not at full intensity, teams with this kind of quality will make it count.

“It’s a pity we conceded that goal at the end, we go back home with a bitter taste in our mouths. We must remember that if we’re not pushing to the max, a side like ours will drop points.”

It is still an extraordinarily positive season for Sassuolo, who were only promoted from Serie B last summer, as they remain in ninth place, just one point behind local rivals Bologna.

“We have a mix of different nationalities and cultures, plus some Italians who have done so much in the past, one of them winning the Euros, many youngsters who are growing. We have an interesting combination.”

Grosso was of course the man who scored the decisive penalty to give Italy the 2006 World Cup, beating France in the Final, so what advice does he have for the Azzurri preparing for the play-offs?

“I think you need the right balance between healthy fear of a big occasion and the clear-headed approach to enjoy the football. It’s been too long since we’ve been away from the World Cup, so we all hope to do our part by cheering on the team.”

Maurizio Sarri confirms two new injuries for Lazio in their last-gasp victory over Sassuolo, but warns ‘the club has to take some initiative’ to end the fan boycott and reinforce the squad.

The Biancocelesti had just two points in their last four Serie A games and were coming off Wednesday’s dramatic 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Atalanta.

They took just 80 seconds to break the deadlock here today with Daniel Maldini, cancelled out by an Armand Laurienté strike, but in stoppages Adam Marusic flicked in the Matteo Cancellieri cross to beat the rather wayward Arijanet Muric.

Sarri frustrated at Lazio difficulties

“There were some ups and downs during the match, but even without some important players, then losing Romagnoli and Cataldi too, the lads had a great final half-hour with real heart. I think the win was fully deserved, even if we left it late,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.

Some of Sarri’s changes were forced, as Danilo Cataldi went off with a muscular issue in the first half, then Alessio Romagnoli was replaced at half-time over a fitness issue.

“Cataldi felt his calf muscle harden, but it was caused by something else that we’ll identify tomorrow. Romagnoli had a similar issue, caused by a knock he sustained against Atalanta.”

Debutant goalkeeper Edoardo Motta made a double save at 1-1, giving some reassurance after Ivan Provedel’s season was ended by shoulder surgery.

“This is a team that can have the right attitude, every now and then we get it wrong, but not that often. We’ve had to deal with enormous difficulties and some of them are still going, as playing in an empty stadium is depressing, but the players have reacted well to that too.”

The atmosphere in the Stadio Olimpico remains a worrying situation, because the boycott continues from the ultras in protest at President Claudio Lotito, so there were only 5,000 people in the stands.

It is the fourth home game in a row with this boycott, so how can the supporters be convinced to come back?

“I think the club has to take some initiative to bring them back, because this is too much of a difficult situation for us,” replied Sarri.

“I am not a director, but this situation has been dragging on for a while, so they know more than me. They will know better than me how and where to intervene.”

The coach said many times he only stayed at Lazio because he made a promise to the fans, so how does he see his future at the club?

“I don’t know, as soon as the season ends and we’ll have a few meetings, then I’ll be able to tell you. A team that has to be up to the standards of the history of this club must be reinforced, that’s for sure,” concluded Sarri.

“If I stayed only for the fans, then right now even I don’t know why I’m still here, because the fans aren’t here either,” the coach added in a press conference.

This result means that Lazio climb back ahead of Udinese into the top 10, and are within a point of Sassuolo in ninth.

There are new reports in Spain that Real Madrid are tracking Como coach Cesc Fabregas, putting his name on the shortlist for the Bernabeu job next season.

According to pundit Jorge Picon on El Desmarque, Fabregas is one of the coaches who have particularly impressed the Real Madrid chiefs.

They appreciate his working style, his communication tactics, and believe he could be a serious candidate to take over next term.

Alvaro Arbeloa is currently the interim manager for Real Madrid, after Xabi Alonso was sacked in January.

Fabregas eager to stay at Como, but if Real Madrid call…

This could well be one of the only offers that could tempt him to walk away from the project at Como, where he is currently in joint fourth place in Serie A alongside Roma.

He has taken then from Serie B to challenging for Champions League qualification, along with a place in the Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter, in just two years.

Fabregas is only 38 years of age, but was a product of the Barcelona youth academy, also spending time at Arsenal, Chelsea and AS Monaco before retiring at Como in 2023.

He went straight into management and helped them earn promotion from Serie B to the top flight, along with significant financial backing from the club’s Indonesian owners.

That included signing Nico Paz, who has a buy-back clause at Real Madrid that the club is eager to use.

¿Qué entrenadores sondea el Real Madrid para la 26/27?@JorgeCPicon analiza varios nombres… y ¡suelta una bomba!

"Están siguiendo muy de cerca a Cesc Fàbregas".

En #ElDesmarket, con @Rafa9Mainez.

https://t.co/Hbxp19PI5e pic.twitter.com/SY2dtnsj4g

— ElDesmarque (@eldesmarque) March 9, 2026

Lazio pounced on a goalkeeping error to punish on-form Sassuolo in stoppages with Adam Marusic, with a 2-1 victory that takes them into the top 10.

The Aquile were fresh off a 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Atalanta on Wednesday, but lost goalkeeper Ivan Provedel for the season after shoulder surgery, joining Toma Basic, Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot on the sidelines, so January signing Edoardo Motta made his Serie A debut. The Neroverdi won five of the last six games, losing only to Inter, and Andrea Pinamonti was suspended, with Nemanja Matic suffering from flu symptoms, plus Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca, Edoardo Pieragnolo and Fali Candé injured.

Lazio ultras continued to boycott the match in protest at President Claudio Lotito, so there were only 5,000 fans present.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It took 80 seconds to break the deadlock, as Gustav Isaksen surged forward after a throw-in and forced the save from Arijanet Muric, but Daniel Maldini gathered the rebound, took a touch to send Woyo Coulibaly to ground, and walked it into the net from six yards.

Isaksen also robbed Ulisses Garcia to drill inches wide of the near post, then his glancing header flashed across the face of goal on a corner.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru failed to make the most of a cheap giveaway, but Sassuolo grew into the game and M’Bala Nzola’s angled drive took a double deflection off Alessio Romagnoli’s shin and debutant Motta’s fingertips to graze the far stick.

The equaliser was in the air and arrived at the end of a well-worked move, as Armand Laurienté combined with Kristian Thorstvedt to cut inside from the left and bend a ferocious right-foot finish into the far top corner from 14 yards.

Moments later, Danilo Cataldi limped off with a muscular issue and was replaced by Gil Patric in a relatively new role in front of the defence.

Maldini had penalty appeals rejected when he went shoulder-to-shoulder with Luca Lipani, but the hosts lost another big player at half-time when Alessio Romagnoli was forced off through injury.

Oliver Provstgaard immediately had to intercept the dangerous Coulibaly assist before Nzola could tap in, while Kenneth Taylor scuffed from a promising position when set up by Dele-Bashiru.

Mattia Zaccagni’s curler was too close to Muric, but Lazio really should’ve scored on 78 minutes. Isaksen timed the run perfectly to spring the offside trap on the Patric through ball and dinked it over the on-rushing goalkeeper, only to land on the roof of an empty net.

Moments later, debutant goalkeeper Motta needed a tough double save, first parrying the Laurienté strike and then doing better on the Josh Doig follow-up.

Muric got down for a one-handed save on the powerful Mattia Cancellieri curler, then also got his gloves to a Cancellieri cross-shot at the near post, pushing it away from Boulaye Dia.

Provstgaard nodded over from six yards on a free kick, but Lazio snatched the winner in stoppages. Cancellieri floated in a cross from the right and Muric came flailing out aimlessly, allowing Adam Marusic to flick the header backwards into the empty net from 10 yards.

Lazio 2-1 Sassuolo

Maldini 2 (L), Laurienté 35 (S), Marusic 92 (L)

09-03-2026 19:45

MatchDay 28

Stadio Olimpico

Lazio

Sassuolo

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Daniel Maldini		2'
		35'		Armand Lauriente (Assist: Kristian Thorstvedt)
		37'		Luca Lipani

2nd half

		58'		Ulisses Garcia
		86'		Armand Lauriente
		88'		Sebastian Walukiewicz
Adam Marusic (Assist: Matteo Cancellieri)		90+2'

Match statistic

50

Possession %

50

13

Total shots

7

5

Shots on target

4

6

Shots off target

1

2

Blocked shots

2

1

Corners

6

2

Offsides

3

7

Fouls

8

Lazio

Sassuolo

Starting lineups

40

Edoardo Motta

Goalkeeper

77

Adam Marusic

Defender

13

Alessio Romagnoli

Defender

46'

34

Mario Gila

Defender

17

Nuno Tavares

Defender

27

Daniel Maldini

Midfielder

65'

32

Danilo Cataldi

Midfielder

38'

7

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Midfielder

24

Kenneth Taylor

Midfielder

18

Gustav Isaksen

Attacker

79'

10

Mattia Zaccagni

Attacker

79'

49

Arijanet Muric

Goalkeeper

21

Jay Idzes

Defender

80

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

23

Ulisses Garcia

Defender

68'

25

Woyo Coulibaly

Defender

68'

90

Ismaël Koné

Midfielder

83'

42

Kristian Thorstvedt

Midfielder

35

Luca Lipani

Midfielder

46'

45

Armand Lauriente

Attacker

10

Domenico Berardi

Attacker

8

M’Bala Nzola

Attacker

68'

Substitutes

29

Manuel Lazzari

Defender

23

Elseid Hysaj

Defender

55

Alessio Furlanetto

Goalkeeper

3

Luca Pellegrini

Defender

21

Reda Belahyane

Midfielder

20

Petar Ratkov

Attacker

14

Tijjani Noslin

Attacker

28

Adrian Przyborek

Attacker

99

Giacomo Giacomone

4

Patric

Defender

38'

25

Oliver Provstgaard

Defender

46'

19

Boulaye Dia

Attacker

65'

9

Pedro

Attacker

79'

22

Matteo Cancellieri

Attacker

79'

7

Cristian Volpato

Midfielder

19

Filippo Romagna

Defender

12

Giacomo Satalino

Goalkeeper

16

Gioele Zacchi

Goalkeeper

13

Stefano Turati

Goalkeeper

44

Edoardo Iannoni

Midfielder

40

Aster Vranckx

Midfielder

18

Nemanja Matic

Midfielder

46'

6

Sebastian Walukiewicz

Defender

68'

24

Luca Moro

Attacker

68'

3

Josh Doig

Defender

68'

50

Darryl Bakola

Midfielder

83'