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Lazio have been urged to officially sack coach Vladimir Petkovic by the Italian Coaches Association.
Petkovic will leave his role as coach of the Serie A side at the end of the season to take charge of Switzerland's national team - after they compete at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
That has drawn the ire of Claudio Lotito, with reports suggesting that the club president could be ready to launch legal action as he apparently prepares to replace Petkovic with 68-year-old former Lazio boss Edy Reja.
Reja has been pictured leading the club's training sessions following the mid-season break, with Lazio set to resume their campaign on Monday with a home clash against Inter.
And Petkovic has been backed after claiming on Wednesday that, as far as he was concerned, he was still in charge at the Stadio Olimpico.
The organisation's president Renzo Ulivieri told Radio Radio: "Although you never know with Claudio Lotito, the procedure should see a coach receive written confirmation he has been fired.
"So far, Lazio haven't done that.
"This is why Petkovic, quite rightly, insists he still feels like the Lazio coach.
"He is practically fired anyway, as Reja is already training the team, so the only thing missing is the paperwork.
"Petkovic respected the rules of the rapport between Coach and club.
"As far as I can see, Petkovic is right. At the same time, Reja is confident of the situation. In order to register Reja, Lazio need to file the paperwork confirming Petkovic has been fired. That is where his certainty lies.
"Lazio have to complete this paperwork before Monday, otherwise Reja cannot sit on the bench against Inter."
De Rossi: Manchester move would have led to ´suicide´
3 January 2014
Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has declared his relief at avoiding a close-season move to Manchester United.
The 30-year-old was heavily rumoured to be a transfer target for the Old Trafford outfit, but opted to remain in his home city.
And De Rossi has insisted that Rome is where the heart is, claiming a move to the north west of England would have driven him to take drastic measures.
"Thank goodness I did not go to Manchester, otherwise I would have committed suicide by now," he is quoted as saying by Corriere dello Sport. "Had I gone, I would never be able to see a lot of Rome."
De Rossi is currently enjoying a successful season at the Stadio Olimpico, with his club sitting second in Serie A, while United are faltering under the leadership of David Moyes in the Premier League.
A one-club man, De Rossi has made 16 appearances for Roma so far this season, scoring one goal.
Jose Mourinho has ruled out a move for Napoli talisman Gonzalo Higuain and insisted Chelsea will not be signing a striker this month.
The London club were reported on Friday to have had a £50million bid for the Argentina striker rejected by the Serie A club.
Higuain only joined the Naples outfit from Real Madrid in July, but Mourinho was said to be weighing up an improved offer for a player he knows all about from his time at the Bernabeu.
Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba have struggled for goals this season, but Chelsea boss Mourinho has denied Higuain is a target and reiterated that he is not planning to add to his strikeforce during the transfer window.
When asked if Chelsea had made a bid for Higuain, the Chelsea boss said: "No. He's a player that I know, but we cannot (sign him) because he's a player who moved from Real to Napoli six months ago.
"He's doing very well; he's adapting well to Napoli. They are a club that don't sell; they want to win the Scudetto and now they are in the Europa League they will want to win that.
"They don't want to sell Higuain, so there is nothing in that."
When asked if he will be looking to sign a striker this month, Mourinho added: "No, it is not a priority and not an option. A striker, 100 per cent no."
Mourinho also confirmed a desire to keep midfielder Juan Mata despite previously saying "my door is open" if the Spain international decides he wants to seek pastures new.
Mata was not happy with being substituted during Chelsea's win at Southampton on New Year's Day, but Mourinho wants the former Valencia man to remain at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United have been linked with Mata, but, when asked if Chelsea would allow the playmaker to join another Premier League club, Mourinho said: "No. I keep saying I want him to stay; there is no offer.
"Today (Friday) he trained in a fantastic way. So I think he is focused more on what I told him after the game at Southampton, when I told him I don't want him to leave, and not focused on what I told journalists that the door is open. "
Kevin De Bruyne's future has also been the subject of much speculation, with Wolfsburg said to be leading the race for his signature.
Mourinho warned potential suitors that the midfielder will not be sold on the cheap.
He said: "We knows he fancies a move. I don't want him to leave but we have a couple of contacts made by other clubs. I don't know (if he'll go).
"If people think they can get our good players on sale, the sales finished in London yesterday."
Juventus can equal the 10-match winning run achieved by title rivals Roma at the start of the season when the two sides meet on Sunday.
Rudi Garcia's charges opened the season with 10 successive victories to set a new Italian top-flight record from the start of a campaign, but their hosts this weekend are threatening to surpass that mark.
Since a 4-2 defeat at Fiorentina in October, Juventus have been unstoppable in the league, winning nine consecutive games and keeping clean sheets in all bar one - a 4-1 triumph at Atalanta last time out.
Their form has also seen them surge to the top of the table as they chase a third consecutive Serie A crown, five points clear of Roma in second.
Juve have already toppled third-placed Napoli on their run and, with the Turin outfit and Roma occupying the top two spots in the division, Francesco Totti is predicting a derby-style atmosphere to the match.
"The Rome derby is a unique encounter, but games against Juventus are like a second derby for me," he told Il Messaggero. "It was like that when I was a fan, seeing as there has always been a footballing hatred between the two.
"We have beaten the best this season, we are just missing Juventus.
"We are not interested in the draw, we want to win."
The men from the Italian capital do not have recent history on their side, having won just two of the last 16 fixtures between the sides.
Despite history favouring the hosts at the Juventus Stadium, Totti feels Roma have better individual players than their opponents.
"On an individual basis - one against one - we are better than Juve, but they are better as a team," he added. "The difference is that they have known each other for a while, and they’ve won which helps you to win (more)."
Andrea Pirlo could be in line for a place in the matchday squad for Juve after recovering from a knee injury, though the fixture may come too soon for him, while Marco Borriello remains a doubt for Roma.
Juve will be relieved to have Carlos Tevez in contention after the Argentinian was late coming back from his homeland over the new year, with reports suggesting he was caring for his pregnant wife.
By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer
January 03, 2014 - 7:14 am EST
ROME — Serie A resumes with a bang Sunday with Juventus hosting Roma.
Two-time defending champion Juventus holds a five-point lead over Roma, with Napoli 10 points back in third.
There are three matches scheduled for Sunday with the other seven games to be played Monday.
Here are five things to know about the Italian league:
BEST vs. BEST
Juventus has scored the most goals and Roma has conceded the fewest entering the top-of-the-table clash at the Juventus Stadium.
Juventus has won nine straight matches and with one more victory can match Roma's 10-match winning streak to start the season.
While Roma is still unbeaten, the Giallorossi have struggled since their excellent start, winning only two of their last seven matches.
But this match marks the first time this season that Roma coach Rudi Garcia has all of his strikers healthy, with captain Francesco Totti ready to start again after recovering from an injured right hamstring.
Before the holiday break, Mattia Destro scored three goals in as many matches after he, too, returned from several months out with injury.
As for Juventus, prized forward Carlos Tevez returned late from South America after tending to his wife in the hospital but now appears ready to play.
Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo is also back after a month out with a right knee injury, although defender Andrea Barzagli has complained of leg tendon pain in training this week.
WINTER TITLE
Juventus needs only a draw against Roma to secure the Serie A winter title, a purely ceremonial honor but one that bodes well for the end of the season.
The last 10 clubs to take the winter title have gone on to be crowned Serie A champion.
If Juve doesn't secure the title this weekend, the Bianconeri will have another chance a week later at Cagliari, while Roma hosts Genoa in its next match to conclude the first half of the season.
ALLEGRI LEAVING
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri announced over the break that he will leave the club at the end of this season, and local media are already speculating who will replace him.
Former Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf and Italy coach Cesare Prandelli top most lists of possible replacements.
The 37-year-old Seedorf is currently playing for Botafogo in Brazil but has indicated he would like to coach when his playing career is over.
Prandelli's contract with Italy expires after this year's World Cup.
Allegri's contract expires at the end of this season and with Milan struggling in 13th place he was not offered an extension.
Milan hosts regional rival Atalanta at the San Siro on Monday and will face Atletico Madrid in the second round of the Champions League as the only Italian club to advance to the knockout stage.
New Milan signing Keisuke Honda likely won't play this weekend but could make his debut against Sassuolo a week later.
WHO'S THE COACH?
Lazio has a tough match against Inter Milan on Monday and it's unclear who is coaching the Roman club.
Vladimir Petkovic recently signed a deal to become coach of Switzerland's national team after the World Cup but was hoping to continue with Lazio until the end of the season. But Lazio president Claudio Lotito announced over the break that Edy Reja was returning for a second stint with the club with immediate effect.
Petkovic has involved his lawyers in a protest to Lotito to stay on, and he is reportedly due to be paid 600,000 euros ($800,000) for the second half of the season.
TUSCAN DERBY
Fourth-place Fiorentina hosts promoted Livorno in a Tuscan derby Sunday but is still without prized preseason signing Mario Gomez.
After transferring from Bayern Munich, Gomez only made a few appearances with Fiorentina at the start of the season before going down with a knee injury.
After numerous delays, Fiorentina is hoping that Gomez returns Jan. 12 at Torino.
Fortunately for Fiorentina, though, fellow forward Giuseppe Rossi has thrived in Gomez's absence and leads Serie A with 14 goals in 17 matches. Tevez is next on the scoring chart with 11 goals, followed by Inter's Rodrigo Palacio with 10.
Livorni is next to last, three points above Catania.
The coach was fired from his position at the Stadio Olimpico after agreeing to take the Switzerland role in the summer, much to the ire of his legal representative
Vladimir Petkovic is set to take legal action against Lazio over his sacking on Saturday, according to his lawyer.
The Bosnian announced in December that he would leave the capital club upon the expiry of his contract to take charge of Switzerland's national team.
However, Lazio argued the 50-year-old's negotiations with the Swiss football federation violated his contract and, after much speculation, he was replaced at the Biancocelesti helm by Edy Reja this weekend.
Petkovic's legal representative, Paco D'Onofrio, believes the club's reasoning was "unjust" and plans to take the case to the courts.
"We received notice of the sacking for just cause," he told Sky Sport Italia. "We’ll challenge the decision in the relevant legal arenas, because we consider it profoundly unjust.
"The statement released by Lazio is unique, as it doesn’t actually indicate the rule he is supposed to have broken during negotiations with the Swiss football federation.
"President of the Italian Football Coach Association, Renzo Ulivieri, also stated this week that Petkovic did not violate any regulation.
"No rule forbids a coach from reaching an agreement with others when his contract is due to expire. Besides, Petkovic signed for a national team and not a club rival of Lazio."
Meanwhile, Reja is set to return to action in the Lazio hotseat at home to Inter on Monday.
New Lazio coach Edy Reja will oversee his first game back in charge when Inter travel to the Stadio Olimpico on Monday.
The 68-year-old was announced as Vladimir Petkovic's replacement on Saturday and will be looking to turn around the club's fortunes after a disappointing run of form that has seen Lazio win only twice in their last 12 Serie A games.
Reja had an eventful two-year spell as Lazio coach between 2010 and 2012, when he guided the club to a fourth-placed finish and into the UEFA Europa League, but his tenure also included threats to resign.
Inter arrive in the capital on the back of victory over city rivals Milan prior to the mid-season break and Walter Mazzarri's side have only lost once in their last 10 league matches.
That win at San Siro moved Inter into fifth, but the side's recent record against Lazio suggests they face a tough start to 2014. Lazio, who are 10th, have won the last three meetings between the two teams and four of the last six.
Lazio have also not had any problems finding the net on a regular basis this season, scoring in 13 of their 17 Serie A matches. However, along with Verona, Lazio have conceded the most goals of any of the top-10 sides in the league with 26.
That record does not bode well ahead of the visit of the top-flight's second-highest scorers in Inter, who have plundered 37 goals.
Midfielder Ricky Alvarez has found the net four times in his 15 appearances and the Argentina international is confident Inter are moving in the right direction.
"We need to keep doing what we're doing, more like the first few games of the season when we didn't concede many goals and scored a lot," he told Sky Sport 24 ahead of the game. "I think that's the ideal situation.
"We're all players who are more attacking than defensive-minded and we need to work on that, if all three of us are picked together we need to learn more in that area, then it's up to the coach to pick the team."
Alvarez returns from suspension for the match and Diego Milito may also be fit following his thigh problems, but Inter will be without Saphir Taider, Cristian Chivu (both thigh) and the suspended Hugo Campagnaro.
Lazio have injury concerns over Stefan Radu ahead of the clash. The Romania international defender missed training with a muscle problem, but the club are still hopeful he will be able to play some part.
Milan will be hoping the new year brings a change in fortune when they host Atalanta on Monday in both sides' first game of 2014.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri has come under increasing pressure with his side sitting 13th in Serie A, just five points clear of the relegation zone, following a dismal run of one win in nine league games.
Since Milan last played, Allegri has confirmed he will not continue in his role beyond the current campaign, labelling the side's current plight as "disastrous".
Their latest defeat will have been the most difficult to take for the club's fans, with Rodrigo Palacio netting a late winner for city rivals Inter before the winter break.
Milan have boosted their ranks with the arrival of Keisuke Honda from CSKA Moscow, though he will not be available to face Atalanta.
One man who could be involved is defender Adil Rami, who has been training with Allegri's squad since October after agreeing a loan move from parent club Valencia.
Monday's visitors are one point behind Milan in the league, and will be hopeful of ending their own poor run of five matches without a win.
Stefano Colantuono's men will not be daunted by their opponents, having claimed a 1-0 victory at San Siro last season. Atalanta also beat Inter 4-3 at the ground later in the same campaign.
Stephan El Shaarawy will not be available for selection as he continues his recovery from a foot operation, while Valter Birsa (thigh) is also unlikely to feature, but Ignazio Abate (ankle) and Robinho (shoulder) could be back in contention for Milan.
Sulley Muntari serves the first match of a three-game suspension for aiming a punch at Inter's Zdravko Kuzmanovic in the Milan derby.
Question marks remain over the fitness of Stefano Lucchini, Gianpaolo Bellini, Mario Yepes and Lionel Scaloni for Atalanta, who have picked up only four points from nine away games this season.
The midfielder described his move from CSKA Moscow to the Rossoneri as "a dream come true" and says he is willing to pitch in wherever he is needed
Keisuke Honda believes that he can bring a lot to AC Milan and help them rediscover their fine form which saw them finish third in Serie A last season.
The Japan international arrived in Italy on Saturday after signing with the Italian giants following the expiration his contract with Russian side CSKA Moscow.
He is poised to make his debut for the Rossoneri - who sit a disappointing 13th in the Italian top flight - against Sassuolo on January 12 and the midfielder is hopeful he can make a difference to Massimiliano Allegri's ailing side.
"I'm happy to be here and I’m very excited," Honda, 27, told Milan's official website.
"I'm ready to play. I'm looking forward to meeting my new team-mates. I think I can give a lot, something more to the team.
"I've been waiting here for this for a long time. It's a dream come true, AC Milan has always been a legendary club for me, I followed them as a child.
"Football is my life and I hope to play well. I can play in any position and I want to score as well as create goals. I want to play in attack but it doesn't matter where."
Milan return to Serie A action on Monday when Atalanta visit San Siro, but Honda - who is set to have his medical on Sunday - will not feature in the match.
The Viola head coach wants to bolster his squad in order to maintain the club's Champions League challenge for the rest of the season
Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Montella says he intends to strengthen the squad in January.
The club have been linked with a number of players, including Verona's 22-year-old midfielder Jorginho, who has impressed in his debut Serie A season, scoring seven goals in 16 appearances.
However, Montella played down speculation linking the club to the Brazilian, whilst also suggesting that the winter window can be a distraction to players.
“Jorginho? He is an interesting player, but I know nothing about it. We’ll try to improve the squad, seeing as we have three competitions to take part in," he told reporters ahead of the match against Livorno.
“A month of negotiations is a long time and that can affect some players psychologically. It would be better for everyone if the window was to be shortened.”
Fiorentina are expected to continue their Champions League challenge on Sunday when they face a Livorno side, who have won only three league games this season.
However, Montella insists his charges would not take their rivals lightly.
He added: “We must not get the wrong approach to this game. I hope the team will be concentrated, as Livorno need points and will do everything to get them against us.”
Serie A Wrap: Juventus firm up title hopes, Fiorentina win
6 January 2014
Serie A leaders Juventus' hopes of claiming a third straight title were given a huge boost with a 3-0 win over second-placed Roma on Sunday.
Roma ended the match with just nine men after Daniele De Rossi and Leandro Castan were dismissed in the closing stages, as Juve made it 10 straight league victories by ending their Scudetto rivals' 19-match unbeaten run.
Arturo Vidal found the breakthrough with Juve's first meaningful attack after 17 minutes at the Juventus Stadium, squeezing his effort past Morgan De Sanctis from a tight angle.
Juve then doubled their lead shortly after the break when Leonardo Bonucci slid in to side-foot home from Andrea Pirlo's superb whipped delivery.
Roma's chances of an unlikely comeback were dashed when De Rossi and Castan were sent off in the 75th and 76th minutes, with the former receiving his marching orders for a late tackle on Giorgio Chiellini and the latter being dismissed for handball on the goalline.
Ex-Roma striker Mirko Vucinic rubbed salt in the visitors' wounds by converting the resulting penalty, as Antonio Conte's men took an eight-point lead over Roma at the top of the standings.
Elsewhere, Fiorentina moved level with third-placed Napoli courtesy of a narrow 1-0 triumph over relegation-threatened Livorno at Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Gonzalo Rodriguez broke the deadlock after 66 minutes, much to the relief of the home faithful.
Vincenzo Montella's side were dealt a blow with just under 20 minutes remaining, however, as Giuseppe Rossi was withdrawn from the action following a tackle with Leandro Rinaudo.
The club later confirmed that Serie A's top scorer was set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, with further tests due on Monday to ascertain the severity of the problem.
In Sunday's other fixture, Chievo and Cagliari played out a 0-0 draw at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.
Roma coach Rudi Garcia insists the Serie A title race is not over, despite seeing his side's unbeaten league start end at Juventus.
The leaders and reigning champions sent out a statement with a 3-0 victory at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday, with Roma finishing with nine men in an ill-disciplined end to the match.
Arturo Vidal opened the scoring from a tight angle in the first half before Leonardo Bonucci added a second after sliding in to meet Andrea Pirlo's whipped free-kick shortly after half-time.
Roma's night went from bad to worse with two dismissals in any as many minutes with Daniele De Rossi and Leandro Castan both seeing red, the former for a high challenge on Giorgio Chiellini, the latter for a handball on the goalline.
Former Roma striker Mirko Vucinic wrapped up the match by converting the resulting spot-kick to open up an eight-point advantage at the top of the table over his old club.
However, Garcia has refused to give up the fight, but admitted the club's primary focus is a return to European football.
"There are another 60 points available," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"But the title is not our objective. Our objective is to get back into Europe, so we are now second and that is a good place to be in. After that, we'll see what happens."
A combination of poor defending and Juve's ruthlessness in front of goal left Garcia to bemoan a lacklustre end to Roma's undefeated start to the Serie A campaign.
He added: "I don't know if this was the worst way to lose our unbeaten record, but it is bad to end with nine men. At 2-0 we still had the chance to get back into the game, but we were unlucky to concede the two goals in bad moments of the match.
"Unfortunately, they scored at the first chance and we didn't take ours. It hurt to concede straight after the restart. Juve did well on set-plays and we have to work on some issues.
"In my view it is a problem of efficiency. Neither side had that many chances, so you've got to take them when they arrive. We know this is football and Juve have a ruthless team, so we must learn to be ruthless too.
"It is always difficult to play away to Juve and keep a clean sheet. They have very strong strikers, but I have no doubt that in the first half we played the right game. In order to win you also need luck in important moments and the luck was more with Juventus than with us."
Rafael Benitez has hinted he is keen to add to his Napoli squad this month, despite being pleased with the players already at the club.
Ahead of their return to Serie A action against Sampdoria on Monday, Napoli sit third in the table, having lost three league games in the season.
However, coach Benitez is keen to add players to his squad in an attempt to challenge Roma and Juventus for the title.
"The first thing I have to say is that I am very satisfied with the team we have available. Another thing is that we can improve, something that we always have to evaluate," the Spaniard said.
"We have to analyse the market, because we have economic capacity and the added advantage for any signing.
"But the signing has to be something better than what we already have in our side."
Benitez, who dismissed speculation that striker Duvan Zapata could leave Napoli this month, added that he had kept an eye on the Premier League, where he managed both Liverpool and Chelsea.
However, when talking about defensive additions, he did not feel there were players in the English top flight who could sufficiently boost his squad.
"I've been following the Premier League and have been watching many games in that competition. I have to say that I have not seen, for example, players of the level of Raul Albiol," he added.
"In the same way, it is difficult to find players such as Miguel Angel Britos and Fede Fernandez in the market.
"In any case, we work closely with (sporting director) Riccardo Bigon and all the estimations of the club is to look for a player that could be suitable for us. We are on it."
Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi looks set to face a spell on the sidelines after injuring his right knee once again.
Rossi, who tops the Serie A goalscoring charts with 14 strikes this season, was withdrawn after 71 minutes of Fiorentina's 1-0 win over Livorno on Sunday following a tackle with Leandro Rinaudo.
The Italy international has suffered torn cruciate ligaments in his right knee twice in the last three years, and his club have confirmed that he will undergo further tests on Monday.
"ACF Fiorentina announce that following a challenge from Livorno player Rinaudo, Giuseppe Rossi suffered a sprain to the knee that had already been operated on," the club stated on their website.
"Tomorrow more tests will be performed."
After Sunday's win at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Fiorentina sit fourth - five points clear of Inter in fifth, with Walter Mazzarri's side due to play Lazio on Monday.
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says he made the decision to end his tenure at the club prior to the Serie A campaign.
Allegri will finish up at the San Siro at the end of the season, but the 46-year-old publicly made his intentions clear just prior to the New Year - after Milan's struggles in the Italian top flight saw them sitting mid-table.
The Italian said he informed Milan chief Adriano Galliani prior to Christmas of his desire to resign come mid-2014.
"I was very clear, this was a decision I took last summer that I have communicated to Galliani before Christmas," Allegri said following their 3-0 home win over Atalanta on Monday.
"It is not something new for me considering the rumours about the new coach from next season.
"In Italy sometimes all these changes can create clamour amongst people.
"These decisions are normal business and Italy will have to get used to it.
"We are all professionals, both players and coaches, and we must perform well for the whole length of our contract."
Allegri said his stay in the top job in Milan always had an expiry date, with the club languishing in 11th spot through 18 matches.
"It is not possible to stay in a club forever," he said.
"I have been in AC Milan for four years, I have done a good job and I am very happy for that.
"I need to thank the vice-president, Adriano Galliani, who both provided me a good squad that could achieve the objectives agreed before the start of every season.
"So far we met all these expectations; the only thing we are far behind at the moment is the third place. However we are competing for the Italian Cup and the Champions League; I am very confident as long as we keep working hard and within tranquillity."
Brazilian Kaka said it felt 'beautiful' to net his 100th and 101st goals for Milan, during their thrashing of 15th-placed Atalanta.
The 31-year-old struck either side of half-time at the San Siro, before setting up Bryan Cristante for the third - the teenager's first goal for the club.
Kaka held up a shirt with '100' on the back after his first goal in the 35th minute, and conceded post-match it was a milestone he never thought he would reach.
"I can't explain the emotions I feel for these 101 goals with Milan," Kaka said.
"If I think about it, it's a lot of goals in seven years here. It's beautiful, very beautiful and then the comparison with Gianni Rivera (122 goals for Milan), one of the greatest in the history of Milan, therefore I am very happy to be part of history.
"When you are waiting to score such an important goal, it's normal to be anxious. Luckily, today I made it and I am very happy to start 2014 this way."
The 31-year-old said he always believed he could still match it with the best in the big European leagues, despite being sold off by Real Madrid last year.
"I never thought I was done as a player. I always thought I could do my job," the Brazil international said.
"I know I have been below the par I myself was expecting, but I never thought I was over and could give up.
"You can go to Madrid and ask Real if I ever gave up training or lost motivation.
"They will tell you at least I have been a true professional on that level. Then things can go wrong, but I never thought I was done and I always kept the faith football could still give me a lot of joy."
Former Italy striker Di Natale to quit at end of season
Mon Jan 6, 2014 9:28pm GMT
Udinese's Antonio Di Natale celebrates after scoring against AS Roma during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Olympic stadium in Rome October 28, 2012. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito
(Reuters) - Udinese and former Italy striker Antonio di Natale said he would retire at the end of the season.
The 36-year-old played for Italy 42 times and scored 11 goals before quitting international football after the 2012 European Championship.
"I've already made the decision, I've talked about it with my family and my agent," Di Natale told Sky Sports Italia after Udinese's 3-1 home defeat by Verona on Monday.
"The club will know soon but I'll stop playing in June."
Di Natale, who started his career at Empoli and joined Udinese in 2004, twice finished as Serie A's leading scorer.
(Writing by Ed Osmond in London, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Serie A strugglers Bologna have sacked coach Stefano Pioli after a run of just one win from nine games.
The 48-year-old - who was appointed in October 2011 - has been dismissed by the Emilia-Romagna outfit following their 2-0 loss to bottom side Catania on Monday.
That defeat left Bologna just one point above the Serie A relegation zone in 17th place, having recorded just three league wins all season.
A statement on the club's official website read: "Bologna announces that in light of our latest disappointing results, the club has been forced to dismiss coach Stefano Pioli.
"We want to thank Pioli and his staff for the work done in the past few years.
"We will announce his successor in the coming hours."
Bologna will attempt to pull away from the relegation zone with a win over Lazio at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Saturday.
Pioli's sacking is the second in Serie A this month after Lazio dismissed Vladimir Petkovic in the aftermath of the 50-year-old agreeing to become Switzerland boss in July.
Bologna have appointed Davide Ballardini as their coach on a deal until the end of the season following the dismissal of Stefano Pioli.
Ballardini comes in less than 24 hours after Pioli was relieved of his duties at the Serie A strugglers.
Bologna are only one point above Serie A's relegation zone having collected a mere three wins from 18 games, with Pioli's final match in charge ending in a 2-0 defeat against bottom club Catania on Monday.
And the Emilia-Romagna outfit have now turned to Ballardini - sacked from his second spell at Genoa at the end of last season - to try and steer them away from danger.
A statement on the club's official website read: "Bologna FC 1909 announces that it has entrusted the technical guidance of the first team to Davide Ballardini, who has signed a contract until 30 June 2014."
Ballardini has much experience in Italian football management and has had three spells in charge of Cagliari, as well as time at the helm of Pescara, Palermo and Lazio in addition to his stints with Genoa.
The 50-year-old's first game in the Bologna dugout will come on Saturday against Lazio, who Ballardini led to glory in the Supercoppa Italiana in 2009.
Lazio captain Stefano Mauri could return to football in February after having his match-fixing ban reduced.
Mauri, 34, was banned for six months in early August before the Italian Football Federation added three months to his suspension after an appeal in October.
The veteran was found guilty of failing to report match-fixing in the Lecce versus Lazio Serie A match in May 2011.
But the reduction after an appeal to Italy's National Tribunal of Sporting Arbitration (TNAS) could see Mauri return on February 2 and potentially line-up for his side in the derby against Roma a week later.
"The TNAS, in relation to arbitration Stefano Mauri and FIGC announced that the Arbitration Board ... partially upheld the demand for arbitration and, accordingly, upheld the decision of the National Disciplinary Committee dated 2 August 2013, in which the player was imposed the penalty of six months suspension," a statement from the TNAS said.
Mauri tweeted: "It is almost over."
More than 50 people have been arrested in Italy for match-fixing since mid-2011.
