An AC Milan response was very much needed in front of the over 68,000 fans who braved the cold however the first 45 minutes was very much a repeat of previous games, as Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the Torino goal had virtually nothing to do.
AC Milan found the moment of quality that they were looking for in the second half and it came from Olivier Giroud, who decided the same fixture last season. This time it was a perfectly placed header from a Theo Hernandez cross that brought about audible relief from the crowd.
It was far from a vintage performance however it was three very much needed points to end a run of seven games without a win and four defeats on the spin, registering a first clean sheet since November 8 too to move back into the top four for the time being.
Stefano Pioli made four changes to the starting line-up compared to the defeat against Inter as Malick Thiaw came in for Matteo Gabbia in the three-man defence, Junior Messias made way for Brahim Diaz, Alexis Saelemaekers started at right wing-back over Davide Calabria and Rafael Leao got the nod over Divock Origi in what was a slightly altered 3-4-3 system.
Theo Hernandez β sporting a new bleached hairstyle with a red face drawn on it β made inroads inside the opening couple of minutes as he galloped into space down the left but slashed an effort well over the bar from just inside the box.
Milan's play in the opening exchanges was largely sloppy as they often gave the ball away in their own half and did not look any closer to resolving the problem of playing out from the back that Pioli had identified, with Miranchuk luckily lacing a shot over from 20 yards and failing to punish a bad giveaway.
The chances continued to be for the away side as Sanabria became the latest to test his luck from just outside the box having not been closed down, though the ball fizzed past the near post and should have been a corner as Tatarusanu got a slight touch.
The Rossoneri began to gain a bit of a foothill in the game and had a couple of half-chances close to the half-hour mark as Leao got into a good position but saw a cut-back towards Olivier cut out, then Theo again shanked an effort wide from inside the box.
AC Milan were given a huge let-off not long before half time as Sanabria pursued Simon Kjaer who tripped over while trying to play the ball inside the box handing possession to the striker, but Tatarusanu was quick off his line to thwart the danger.
Milinkovic-Savic had a quiet night in the Torino goal up until the 54th minute when Milan finally managed to counter-attack quickly, with Giroud aiming to square for Leao who was unmarked but seeing his pass deflected, and while the winger did reach it he shot straight at the Serbian who came off his line quickly.
In the 62nd minute, AC Milan got the goal that there second half pressure had been threatening. A free-kick wasn't fully cleared by Torino and it allowed the Rossoneri to recycle possession to Theo Hernandez, who whipped in a gorgeous cross that Giroud flicked with his head at the near post and nestled it inside the far stick.
The first change of the night came with 20 minutes left as Kjaer was withdrawn in place of Matteo Gabbia. There was a moment of panic not long after when a corner from the visitors was met with the back of Tonali's head as he crumpled in a heap and the ball landed just wide of the far post.
The game really should have been put to bed with 15 minutes left on the clock as a corner was cleared and Kalulu was put through down the left side and provided a low cross on a plate for Theo with the outside of his boot, yet the full-back dragged his first-time effort wide.
A second change came straight after as Charles De Ketelaere replaced Brahim Diaz. With a few minutes remaining, Tommaso Pobega, Divock Origi and Davide Calabria came off for Tonali, Giroud and Saelemaekers.
In the end there would be no more drama as Milan saw out the remaining minutes rather comfortably, securing a return to winning ways ahead of the visit of Spurs in the Champions League on Tuesday.
India could be a potential host for the Italian Super Cup, says Serie A commercial director
Serie A is exploring the possibility of hosting the Italian Super Cup in India, as stated by the league's commercial and marketing director, Michele Ciccarese.
AC Milan, champions of 2024 edition in Riyadh. (Image Credit | AC Milan)
Serie A is considering India as a potential host for the Italian Super Cup to expand the tournament's global audience, according to the league's commercial and marketing director, Michele Ciccarese.
Supercoppa Italiana, or the Italian Super Cup, takes place annually. Four teams compete for the trophy: the winners and runners-up of the previous season's Serie A and Coppa Italia.
The Italian Super Cup took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the 2024-25 season, which was also the 37th edition of this tournament. 2023-24 Serie A runners-up AC Milan defeated defendingSerie A champions Inter Milan 3-2 in the final to lift the trophy in January 2025.
India can potentially host the Italian Super Cup in the future
Michele Ciccarese, Commercial & Marketing Director, Serie A (on the left) at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit. (Image Credit | RCB on X)
According to REUTERS reports, when asked about India's potential to host the Super Cup, Ciccarese confirmed that this opportunity aligned with the league's strategy.
Ciccarese stated the following during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit.
What we do is to bring our international trophy like the Super Cup in all over the world, for a simple reason, to engage a wider audience and bring the best of that culture,
So, that's exactly what we might do, and take the conversation forward to ... come here and play in India.
Ciccarese suggested that the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) could help promote the country and highlight the successes of other sports, similar to the "Made in Italy" initiative.
"Made in Italy" is how we engaged with all the 20 Serie A clubs, and each club provides one of the important players to promote, not only the city, but the clubs, the territory, the production chain and everything that is around that club,
That's exactly what we are suggesting, or maybe potentially to create a cross-market activation with the IPL together in order to help grow the grassroots, to have the right presence in the 2036 Olympics for Indian football.
Ciao, Scudetto! π€
Signore Virat Kohli π€ Signore Michele Ciccarese (Commercial & Marketing Director, Serie A)
In a gesture of mutual respect, leadership values and camaraderie, Virat was presented with the traditional Serie A captain's armband. A moment of bridging gaps⦠pic.twitter.com/qujB90T81n
β Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 15, 2025
India has officially entered the race to bid for the hosting rights of the 2036 Olympics, promoting the country as a growing sports hub. With these positions at stake, bringing the Italian Super Cup to India could be huge for Indian football.
Sergio Conceicao will reportedly leave AC Milan at the end of the season
Conceicao, who was appointed in December 2024, is expected to be let go by AC Milan at the end of the season, with the possibility of being sacked in the upcoming weeks.
AC Milan have reportedly finalized the decision to part ways with current manager Sergio Conceicao following the end of the ongoing season.
According to multiple reports from Italy, the Portuguese manager can also be shown the door if the Rossoneris fail to earn victories against in their upcoming two matches against Lecce and Como, which are scheduled to take place before the international break in March.
Despite winning the Supercoppa Italiana with AC Milan in January, while beating the eternal rivals Inter Milan in the final, Conceicao failed to lead Milan to the coveted success in Serie A this season.
Conceicao to bow out of Milan at the season's end
Conceicao won Supercoppa with Milan only after 17 days of taking charge. (Image Credit | FotMob)
According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Conceicao's tenure at AC Milan "will be over at the end of the season". With another looming threat over the 50-year-old, he could lose his job as early as this month, if Milan suffers defeats against Lecce and Como before the international break.
#ACMilan have decided not to confirm Sergio #Conceicao. His story at #Milan will be over at the end of the season, even if he could be sacked with the immediate effect if he loses against Lecce and Como before the international break. #transfers
Corriere della Sera, another well-known Italian media outlet, reported that Milan may consider dismissing head coach Conceicao before the summer clause takes effect. This would allow both parties to part ways 'early' if the team's performance does not improve in the coming week.
The pressure is now mounting on Sergio Conceicao as AC Milan is currently positioned ninth on the Serie A leaderboard, having accumulated 41 points across 27 games.
Conceicao (right) replaced Fonseca (left) as the AC Milan head coach in December.
During the summer, Conceicao was already a top candidate for the head coach position at Milan. However, the club ultimately chose Paulo Fonseca for the role. After a few months of disappointing results, Fonseca was dismissed, and his compatriot Conceicao took over as the new head coach.
The former FC Porto manager took charge of AC Milan on 30 December 2024. Under his managerial radar, the Rossoneris have played 17 matches, achieving 8 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses so far.
Conceicao's tussle with Arrigo Sacchi
Arrigo Sacchi (Image Credit | Sempre Milan)
Sergio Conceicao's stay at Milan has been distressing due to the continuous speculations from different discussions. Recently, the Portuguese manager has been heavily criticized by the legendary former Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, who "feels that it is βcomplicatedβ for Conceicao to salvage his job in San Siro".
In his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, Sacchi conveyed his belief that it is "complicated" for Conceicao to save his job at San Siro. He also believes that the main issue is the lack of unity among the squad, which he sees as more significant than the team's results or the absence of goals on the pitch.
Sergio Conceiçao has not brought the benefits that all the supporters were expecting. Milan is in ninth place. This is not a position for a club that has written the history of football. We need to stop and seriously reflect with humility.
In response, Conceicao did not hold back his frustration over Sacchi's recent criticism, noting Sacchi's earlier praise contrasted with his current daily attacks in the media.
Two months ago, he said I was an important coach, now he criticizes me every day. I sent him a message, but he didnβt replyβ¦
#Conceicao contro #Sacchi: βDue mesi fa diceva che ero un allenatore importante, adesso mi massacra tutti i giorni. Gli ho scritto un messaggio, non mi ha rispostoβ¦β. #ACMilanpic.twitter.com/Gln8BhudCc
In another controversial incident, Conceicao's relationship with the Milan officials has seemingly deteriorated. The manager faced a backlash when his spokesperson claimed he felt unsupported by the club's management and criticized the team's structure.
However, Conceicao publicly denied these statements, affirming the club's support and his regular communication with the directors.
β Andersinho Marques (@Andersinho_ITA) March 7, 2025
The upcoming weeks will be very crucial for Sergio Conceicao, as he will leave no stone unturned to end his tenure at Milan on a high, bringing Rossoneris close to the qualification zone for the continental competitions.
UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-off Round Up: Real Madrid, PSG, PSV go through
Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, PSG, PSV and Real Madrid qualified for the Round of 16 from the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.
Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, PSG, PSV and Real Madrid qualified for the Round of 16 from the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.
UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs Round-Up
Milan 1-1 Feyenoord (agg: 1-2)
Italian football giants and one of the most successful teams in UEFA Champions League history AC Milan were knocked out of this season's tournament after Dutch club Feyenoord defeated them by 1-2 on aggregate.
Feyenoord were leading by 1-0 after the first leg and then they ensured a 1-1 draw to progress to the round of 16 for the first time in their history.
Orkun Kâkçü scored a late winner for Benfica to progress to the next round after beating Monaco by 4-3 on aggregate.
Kerem AktΓΌrkoΔlu gave Benfica the early edge only to see Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir put Monaco back on level terms.
Vangelis Pavlidis then gave Benfica the lead but George Ilenikhena levelled things again. Kokcu then sealed the winner for Benfica with a later goal.
Atalanta 1-3 Club Brugge (agg: 2-5)
Chemsdine Talbi's brace and Ferran JutglΓ 's stunning long-range goal took Club Brugge to the round of 16 with ease.
Ademola Lookman scored the lone goal for Atalanta. However, he also saw one penalty saved by Simon Mignolet as well.
Bayern Munich 1-1 Celtic (agg: 3-2)
Bayern Munich narrowly passed the Celtic test with a late goal from Alphonso Davies. Nicolas Kuhn scored the goal for Celtic in the one-hour mark and when they were nearly close to taking Bayern Munich to extra time, Davies took the German Champions home.
B. Dortmund 0-0 Sporting CP (agg: 3-0)
Despite a goalless draw at their home, Borussia Dortmund went past their Portuguese visitors with ease, after a solid 3-0 lead from the first leg.
In the second leg, Rui Silva was the hero for the Portuguese team who made multiple saves to deny the Dortmund players.
Paris 7-0 Brest (agg: 10-0)
PSG thrashed their Ligue 1 opponent Brest via a 7-0 victory in the second leg to manage a 10-0 win on aggregate.
PSV stunned the Italian giants to qualify for the round of 16. This is their first Champions League knockout win since 2007.
Ryan Flamingo scored an extra-time goal to nullify Timothy Weah's stunning goal.
Ivan Perisic and Ismael Saibari scored the other two goals for the Dutch club.
Real Madrid 3-1 Man City (agg: 6-3)
Real Madrid proved why they are the 15 times Champions League winner as they eased past a struggling Manchester City to reach the Round of 16.
Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick to take the defending champions to the next round in front of their home crowd. Nico GonzΓ‘lez scored a late consolation goal for City.
UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 7 round up: Barcelona and Real win big, Bayern and City face defeats
UEFA Champions League matchday 7: Barcelona and Real Madrid secure big wins, Bayern was shocked by Feyenoord and Manchester City failed to pull off a crucial victory against PSG.
Match week 7 of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 season delivered a mix of thrilling comebacks, dominant victories, and shocking defeats. Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid boasted their strength with decisive victories, while Manchester City and Bayern failed to pull off victories.
The shocking defeats of the Premier League giant and Bundesliga Heavyweight tightened the race for the top eight direct qualification and Knock-out playoffs. Here is a roundup of the key matches and standout performances from the week.
Football Calendar in 2025: Here are the Dates of Biggest Football Matches in 2025
Football in 2024 includes creating milestones, late dramas, superb goals, and glorious comebacks; however, a thrilling 2025 is waiting ahead for all the Football Fanatics in the world as the "Biggest Football Matches" are concerned. So, mark down the key dates of the Biggest and most popular Football Matches of 2025 in your calendar.
Football in 2024 includes creating milestones, late dramas, superb goals, and glorious comebacks. It was a year to remember for football fans around the world. But the excitement doesn't stop here, as there are more to come in 2025 in terms of the biggest and most popular football matches are concerned. So, hurry up! Mark down the key dates in your calendar.
Here are the key dates of the biggest and most popular matches in 2025, including fierce derbies and the games that could change the respective league table entirely or result in promotions in the coming months are as follows:
Biggest Football Matches in January 2025:
Liverpool 2-2 Manchester United, a thrilling contest!!
Liverpool Vs. Man United ended in a 2-2 draw. Image | Goal.Com India
Nottingham Forest are looking sharp! And they are definitely aiming to beat Liverpool fc at home on 14th January, to remain active in the title challenge race. Elsewhere, in Champions League top European Clubs will battle for the ultimate European glory. Manchester City and PSG are odds to be relegated, and Atletico Madrid could overtake Bayer Leverkusen and confirm their place in the next round.
UEFA Europa League could also provide shocks as Rangers might surpass struggling Man United and confirm their berth for the next round if they manage to beat Red Devils, and Galatasaray could find themselves below Ajax in the table if Ajax manages to beat them.
From the Cup's point of view, Arsenal will face Manchester United in an F.A. Cup encounter and again the Gunners will go face to face with mighty New Castle United at the Carabao Cup Semi-final 1st leg on 8th January, and Tottenham will go head-to-head against Liverpool on 9th January. On 15th January, Tottenham will face Arsenal, in a high-voltage North-London Derby.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in January 2025
A.C Milan will face Inter Milan on 2nd February. Image | Sports Betting South Africa
Top Derbies that are included in February are Marseille vs. Lyon, AC Milan vs. Inter Milan, Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid, Paris St. Germain vs. Monaco and Juventus vs. Inter Milan. Atletico has the chance to surpass Real Madrid and could find themselves at the top of the La Liga table.
In Carabao Cup, Newcastle will face Arsenal at home and Tottenham will be going Anfield to face one of their toughest matches of the season against Liverpool.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in February 2025
Teams can turn the League Table in their favour! Last UEFA Nations League for Ronaldo and Modric??
Possibly The Last Nations League for Modric and Ronaldo. Image | Novi List
Inter could overtake Napoli, Dortmund could surpass Leipzig and move into the Champions League spot; Barcelona could overtake Atletico Madrid and move into 2nd spot; Inter has the chance to surpass Atlanta and could find themselves at the top of Serie A. Chelsea will face Arsenal on 15th March at Emirates Stadium, popularly known as " The London Derby".
Some of the biggest international matches scheduled for March are the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals between European Football Super Giants. This could be possibly the last Nations League for Ronaldo and Modric.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in March 2025
Manchester will face Manchester United at Old Trafford. Image | Manchester Evening News
Manchester City has a chance to avenge home defeat at Old Trafford against their arch-rival in Manchester Derby. Other local derbies include Merseyside Derby, Bavarian Derby, LondonDerby, Der Klassiker, Derbydella Capitale, West London Derby, Derby Rhone-Alpine and Derby Breton.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in April 2025
Date
Match
Competition
Venue
02 April
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur
English Premier League; Match
Stamford Bridge
02 April
Liverpool vs. Everton
English Premier League; Merseyside Derby
Anfield, Liverpool
05 April
FC Augsburg vs. Bayern Munich
German Bundesliga; Bavarian Derby
WWK Arena
05 April
Manchester United vs. Manchester City
English Premier League; Manchester Derby
Old Trafford
06 April
Atalanta vs. Lazio
Italian Serie A; Match
Gewiss Stadium
06 April
AS Roma vs. Juventus
Italian Serie A; Match
Stadio Olimpico
12 April
Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund
German Bundesliga; Der Klassiker
Allianz Arena
13 April
Lazio vs. AS Roma
Italian Serie A; Derby della Capitale
Stadio Olimpico
13 April
Monaco vs. Marseille
French Ligue 1; Match
Stade Louis II
19 April
Fulham vs. Chelsea
English Premier League; West London Derby
Craven Cottage
20 April
Real Madrid vs. Athletic Club Bilbao
Spanish LaLiga; Match
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
20 April
Saint-Γtienne vs. Lyon
French Ligue 1; Derby Rhone-Alpine
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
20 April
Rennes vs. Nantes
French Ligue 1; Derby Breton
Roazhon Park
26 April
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. RB Leipzig
German Bundesliga; Match
Deutsche Bank Park
27 April
Inter Milan vs. AS Roma
Italian Serie A; Match
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Biggest Football Matches in May 2025:
Arsenal Vs. Liverpool- "League Decider"! EL Clasico!! Champions League Final!!!
Allianz Arena in Munich will host the Champions League Final on 31st May. Image | FC Bayern Munich
The match between Liverpool Vs. Arsenal on 10th May has already been considered a " League Decider" by several pundits. "El Clasico", is also scheduled on 11th May, which is going to be played at Bernabeu, as Real Madrid are aiming to avenge their home defeat against Barcelona. The month will be ending with the UEFA Champions League Final.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in May 2025
The FIFA Club World Cup will be starting from 14th June. Image | Yahoo Sports
Top Clubs from all over the world will battle for the greatest glory of World Club Football. Legendary European Club Teams like Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Porto, Benfica and Top South American Club Teams like Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Major Asian Club Team like Al-Hilal and many more will battle for the ultimate glory.
Key Dates of the Biggest Football Matches in June 2025
Date
Match
Competition
Venue
16 June
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico de Madrid
Match
Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles
25 June
SL Benfica vs. FC Bayern Munchen
Match
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
27 June
Juventus F.C vs. Manchester City
Match
Camping World Stadium, Orlando
14 July
Final
Match
Metlife Stadium, New York
So, that concludes the key dates of the Biggest Matches in 2025. Go ahead! Mark the dates on your calendar so that you don't miss any of the thrilling games from the list mentioned above. And let me know what your favourite club or International Team is in the comment box. For more updates and accurate pieces of information, kindly follow Sportz Point!
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