Serie A

Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri has said it is normal that Paulo Dybala reacted angrily to being substituted in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Roma. 

The Argentinian played a key role in both Juve's first-half goals at the Stadio Olimpico, delivering the free-kick from which Merih Demiral headed home the first and winning the penalty that Cristiano Ronaldo converted in the 10th minute:

However, soon after Diego Perotti pulled one back for Roma in the 68th minute, Dybala was replaced by Gonzalo Higuain.

He was clearly not happy to be substituted, but speaking ahead of Juve's Coppa Italia clash against Udinese, Sarri said he had no issues with Dybala's reaction, per Football Italia:

"I speak to Paulo every day; he's a very pleasant boy. He only asked me why I brought him off. It seems normal and not something bad. In every line of work, it happens that you argue. The sensation is that our attackers are doing well. Ronaldo is in an extraordinary moment. His record shows it."

Juve's victory at Roma saw them move two points clear of Inter Milan at the top of Serie A.

The Nerazzurri had opened the door for Juve to leapfrog them when they could only draw 1-1 at home to Atalanta:

Antonio Conte's side pose a major threat to Juve's eight-year stranglehold on the Scudetto.

There could also potentially be a challenge from Lazio, who are only six points back from Juve with a game in hand following a run of 10 successive wins in Serie A:

After Wednesday's Coppa clash with Udinese, Juve are back in Serie A action against Parma on Sunday before they travel to the Stadio San Paolo a week later to take on Napoli.

The Partenopei are enduring a tough season and sit 11th in the Italian top flight.

But they have been Juve's key challengers for the best part of the last four campaigns and will be a significant hurdle for the Old Lady to get over as they aim to win Serie A again in 2019-20. 

Juventus defender Merih Demiral will be sidelined for six to seven months after undergoing a successful surgery to repair his injured knee.

The Bianconeri reported the news on Tuesday. The Turkey international traveled to Austria for the surgery, which was described as "perfectly successful." The doctor who performed the surgery, Christian Fink, performed a similar procedure on Giorgio Chiellini's knee earlier this season.

Demiral injured his left knee during the 2-1 win over AS Roma on Sunday. He scored the opener―his first for the club―early in the match, but had to come off inside the first 20 minutes after landing awkwardly:

The 21-year-old was in the midst of a breakout spell for the Serie A champions. He joined from Sassuolo in the summer, but found himself behind Leonardo Bonucci and fellow summer arrival Matthijs de Ligt for the first few months of the season.

Demiral finally got his chance in the UEFA Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen in December. The youngster impressed greatly, and started every subsequent match up to Sunday's trip to the capital.

It's a cruel blow for the defender, who had earned the confidence of manager Maurizio Sarri and was quickly becoming a fan favourite. The timeline for his recovery also means he's likely to miss this summer's European Championship, where he was expected to partner with Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City.

Juventus are waiting on the return of Chiellini, who suffered his injury in August and is expected to be fit again in March or April. Until then, Bonucci, De Ligt and Daniele Rugani are the only designated centre-backs in the squad.

Sarri talked up the latter pair in Tuesday's press conference, and also highlighted Emre Can's ability to help out if needed:

Juventus could dive into the transfer market for added emergency depth, but have plenty of internal options if needed.

Cristian Romero, another youngster bought in the summer, could be recalled from his loan at Genoa. Highly rated prospect Paolo Gozzi made his debut last season and is currently playing for the academy teams.

Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri offered updates on Matthijs de Ligt and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Wednesday's Coppa Italia last-16 clash against Udinese.

Sarri told a press conference that he was happy with De Ligt's form and fitness. The Dutchman is likely to come back into the team after Merih Demiral suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Roma on Sunday:

"De Ligt is in great shape and the game against Roma confirmed that. I'm very sorry for Merih Demiral. It happened in a particular moment in which he was growing a lot, demonstrating that he's a Juventus player and having scored his first goal for the club."

Juventus announced on Tuesday that Demiral has undergone successful knee surgery in Austria and is likely to be sidelined for up to seven months.

Demiral has shone for Juventus this season and forced summer signing De Ligt on to the bench, but the 20-year-old now has the chance to cement his position in Sarri's starting XI until the end of the season.

Italian football writer Carlo Garganese said De Ligt will need to up his game:

Sarri also spoke about Ronaldo but refused to confirm if the Portugal international will start the match. The 34-year-old is in a rich vein of form and has 10 goals in his last eight Juve outings.

Ronaldo also scored twice against Udinese in the 3-1 win in December, as well as grabbing a hat-trick and an assist in his last home game:

The Juventus boss said he will speak to the forward ahead of the match and then make a decision on whether to include him in his starting XI.

"Our three forwards are all in good shape. Cristiano is fine and in great form and I want to speak to him tomorrow to find out whether or not to play him. [Marko] Pjaca is a great player who has been very unlucky. If there's a chance for him, I'll be more than happy."

Udinese arrive in Turin on a good run of form having won their last three games in row, but Sarri could make changes to his team as the Coppa Italia is not a top priority.

AC Milan agreed a six-month loan swoop on Monday for Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. 

The club's official website confirmed the stopper's San Siro arrival from the Premier League side, with Milan's Pepe Reina beginning a second spell in England after a loan move to Aston Villa.

Begovic tweeted he's delighted about moving to the Serie A giants:

The 32-year-old was part of Chelsea's 2016-17 Premier League winning squad, operating as Thibaut Courtois' deputy.

Begovic left Stamford Bridge in 2017 to become the Cherries' No. 1, but the keeper fell out of favour with manager Eddie Howe.

The player was on loan with Azerbaijan Premier League champions Qarabag, but had recently returned to his parent club in England.

Per Sky Sports, Howe said he was happy with how Begovic was training after he arrived back in Bournemouth, but admitted his stay with the squad might be short.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international will now remain with Milan until the summer as Gianluigi Donnarumma's back-up, and could be in line for a quick debut.

Football Italia reported Donnarumma is a doubt for Wednesday's Coppa Italia match against Serie A bottom side SPAL because of a thigh injury.

Simon Kjaer joined AC Milan on loan from Sevilla on Monday, with the defender stating it's "a dream" to play for the San Siro giants.

The seven-time UEFA Champions League winners hold an option to buy the Denmark international at the end of the season.

Speaking to Milan's official website (h/t Football Italia), Kjaer declared his excitement about joining the Rossoneri.

"It's been my dream to play for Milan. They represent an historic club, with some of the toughest champions in history.

"The strongest defenders of all time were at Milan, namely: Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Franco Baresi and others.

"It's been my dream for many years, and now I'm finally here!"

The club tweeted a welcome to their new capture on Monday:

The Denmark captain arrives shortly after Milan completed the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer when he ended his spell with Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS.

According to Will Griffee for MailOnline, Kjaer and Ibrahimovic previously clashed as opponents. The Swede grabbed the Dane around the throat when Manchester United played Fenerbahce in 2016.

Both men will now be on the same side in Serie A, with Milan in a disappointing 10th in the division.

Kjaer hailed the striker after signing, per the club's website: "Zlatan is Zlatan. He doesn't need my comments nor anyone else's to explain how good he is. Everyone knows his strength. At 30 or 38, he's still the same person I met many times. He might not have the same physique as 10 years ago, but he's still devastating."

The 30-year-old is a well-travelled player who brings with him plenty of experience. Spells with Palermo and Roma have provided the defender with a taste of Italian football.

Kjaer had been on loan at Atalanta since September, but La Dea opted to terminate his loan after only five appearances, opening the door for his move to Milan.

Juventus defender Merih Demiral is set to sit out the rest of the season after he suffered an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament on Sunday.

The Bianconeri offered an update on Monday and confirmed he'll soon undergo surgery:

Per Football-Italia, the Turk ruptured the ligament, and the injury will likely keep him out for around six months, ending his campaign and his hopes of playing at UEFA Euro 2020.

Demiral had volleyed Juve in front against Roma after just three minutes, but he was forced off in the 19th minute of the 2-1 win after landing heavily while challenging for a header.

Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo suffered an identical injury later in the first half, and he too will have an operation.

Demiral's long-term injury is a blow to Juve and perhaps even more significantly to Turkey:

The 21-year-old signed for Juventus in the summer after a six-month spell at Sassuolo.

He found himself behind Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Matthijs de Ligt in the pecking order, but the former suffered a similar long-term injury one game into the season.

Demiral had made just one appearance prior to December, but he had forced his way into Maurizio Sarri's plans and started ahead of De Ligt in each of Juve's last six matches in all competitions thanks to some excellent form.

According to Football-Italia, the centre-back had been linked with a January move to Manchester City, Leicester City and Arsenal.

Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren noted the impact his injury will have on Juve's transfer business this month:

Daniele Rugani has played just three times this season, but until Chiellini returns he's now the primary back-up to Bonucci and De Ligt. What's more, he also has the opportunity to make a case for more game time if and when he does get on the pitch in the coming months.

Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo is set to miss the rest of the season and potentially UEFA Euro 2020 after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament on Sunday.

The Giallorossi confirmed he would undergo surgery on Monday:

According to Football Italia, the 20-year-old is expected to be out of action for six months, which would likely prevent him from featuring at Euro 2020, which runs from June 12 to July 12.

Zaniolo was stretchered off 34 minutes into Roma's 2-1 defeat to Juventus on Sunday. After leading a surging counter-attack through the middle, he went down as Adrien Rabiot and Matthijs de Ligt attempted to stop his run.

He was immediately taken to hospital, where doctors revealed the extent of his injury.

The winger is hoping to come back stronger from the injury:

Zaniolo was enjoying a good season and had contributed six goals and two assists in 24 appearances in all competitions.

His absence could be devastating for Italy this summer:

Zaniolo has five caps and two goals for the Azzurri, having made his debut in March last year.

His season-ending injury is an enormous blow to Roma's ambitions too:

Cengiz Under is one of several players who could fill in, but the 22-year-old has had a difficult campaign. He has scored just once in 12 matches this season—in the first game in August—having missed 10 matches through injury himself.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed the Juventus match with a thigh problem, having also sat out 10 games earlier in the campaign with a similar injury.

Javier Pastore has been absent for Roma's lpst nine matches with a bone oedema and manager Paulo Fonseca confirmed earlier in January that the timeline for his recovery is unclear.

The coach also said Justin Kluivert, who has been kept out of their past six matches with a thigh injury, is close to a return, so his comeback would be well-timed for Roma.

The Giallorossi are fifth in Serie A at the halfway point of the season, behind Atalanta by way of their head-to-head record. Without Zaniolo leading the charge, securing UEFA Champions League football ahead of La Dea will be difficult.

Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo climbed to the summit of Serie A on Sunday after defeating Roma 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Merih Demiral's opener broke the deadlock for the champions after just three minutes, and Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the scoreline with a penalty when Paulo Dybala was fouled by Jordan Veretout.

Roma grabbed themselves a lifeline with Diego Perotti's 68th-minute penalty as VAR judged handball against Alex Sandro.

Despite sustained pressure for the hosts, it wasn't enough for the Giallorossi, who fell to defeat against the Old Lady.

Juve took full advantage and capitalised on Inter Milan's 1-1 draw against Atalanta on Saturday at the San Siro, but Roma were unlucky not to claim a point.

A poor opening was Roma's undoing, and two goals in the opening 10 minutes gave Juve a dream start.

The home team failed to deal with Miralem Pjanic's set piece, and the resulting free-kick was turned in at the back post by Demiral.

The Turkey international volleyed home with precision past Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

Juve were motivated by their quick opener, and it was soon 2-0 after a defensive error saw Dybala brought down in the box by Veretout.

The loanee from Fiorentina was booked for the foul box, and Ronaldo made sure he punished Roma from the penalty spot, continuing his good start to 2020.

Roma held plenty of the ball for the first half without causing concern, but they came back into the contest after half-time.

Gianluca Mancini went close but failed to hit the target as the hosts hunted a way back into the encounter, and Edin Dzeko hit the post shortly before Roma struck.

Their goal came after the referee overturned a penalty decision via VAR, deciding Sandro had handled the ball in the box, allowing Perotti to score from the resulting spot-kick.

VAR confirmed Juve's Gonzalo Higuain was offside as he found the back of the net with 11 minutes remaining, and Lorenzo Pellegrini missed a late chance to give Roma a draw as his effort went over the bar.

What's Next

Both teams are set to feature in the Coppa Italia round of 16 during midweek. Juve host Udinese on Wednesday, and Roma travel to face Parma on Thursday.

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said he is looking for his best physical form after scoring his first goal for the Rossoneri since returning to the club.

The 38-year-old was on point in the 2-0 win over Cagliari, making his first start and playing the full 90 minutes in Sardinia. He told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) he's mentally already in the right place and his physique will follow:

"It's important for a striker to try and be there, then sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn't. I feel good, I got a few balls wrong at the start of the game, but I need a few matches to get into shape.

"I'll celebrate like a God at San Siro, not here. I celebrate God every time I score, that way I feel alive!

"I feel good, the coach just wanted to think about by age and see if I needed a rest, but there's no problem. My mind is still sharp and the body has to follow."

Rafael Leao got the opener for Milan with a lucky deflection, before Ibrahimovic produced an expert finish to double the lead:

The goal made him the fifth-oldest Milan scorer in Serie A history:

It also meant he has now scored in four different decades:

The Swede played 35 minutes in the scoreless draw against Sampdoria, his first outing since the MLS season came to an end and his first time playing for Milan in eight years.

He scored 56 in 85 appearances during his first spell with the club, per Football Italia. That stint yielded one Serie A title and a Supercoppa Italiana, before he left for Paris Saint-Germain.

He spent four seasons in Paris before moving to Manchester United and eventually ended up with the L.A. Galaxy in 2018. By that stage of his career, it appeared he would never play for a club in one of Europe's top leagues again, given his advanced age.

But Ibrahimovic kept scoring, netting 53 goals in two seasons in MLS. And with former club Milan in dire need of attacking help, a reunion became more likely as the January window drew near.

Krzysztof Piatek, last year's top attacking acquisition for the Rossoneri, has netted just four goals in Serie A so far this season. He could be on his way out, with plenty of links to Tottenham, per Sky Italia (h/t Ricky Sacks):

Leao is seen as a top talent, but the Portuguese is just 20 years old and has limited experience in Serie A. He could benefit greatly from playing next to a veteran like Ibrahimovic, who has a similar play style as a strong-bodied, bigger technical forward.

Milan have collected just 25 points from 19 matches so far this season, chasing sixth-placed Cagliari by four points. They'll host SPAL in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.

Aaron Ramsey has said Juventus wanted to sign him "at all costs" ahead of the current campaign. 

The Wales international brought the curtain down on 10 years at Arsenal in the summer of 2019, as he was unable to agree a contract extension at the Emirates Stadium. The Italian champions stepped in and snapped up the midfielder on a free transfer.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia's Lords of Football show (h/t Football Italia), Ramsey said it was clear pretty quickly how much Juventus wanted him.

"After the situation at Arsenal, Juve went ahead and made me a proposal," he said. "They wanted me at all costs, they tried very hard to get me to the club."

While he was a crucial player for the Gunners, as of yet Ramsey has been unable to nail down a regular place in the starting XI with the Bianconeri. This term he's made just four starts in Serie A and two in the UEFA Champions League, grabbing a couple of goals in the process; a number of injury issues have prevented him from getting a regular run.

The Welshman did perform well in Monday's 4-0 win over Cagliari, though, helping Juventus get 2020 off to a winning start:

Per Italian football writer Adam Digby, manager Maurizio Sarri gave Ramsey the chance to show what he can do in his preferred role:

On Lords of Football, Ramsey also outlined how different it is playing in Serie A and the Premier League:

"Serie A is much more tactical than the Premier League. Many teams defend deep and you have to try to break down two rows of defenders in different ways.

"In the Premier League there is more space, plus the intensity is higher because you have to look behind yourself more. But I'm impressed by Serie A, from a technical and quality standpoint."

Overall, the former Arsenal star would have liked to have had a bigger impact in Italy, although it's not a huge surprise it's taken him some time to settle in to life at a new club. Nevertheless, he does appear to be keen to become immersed in the Italian culture:

Having shone against Cagliari, Ramsey will hope the new year can trigger a run of games in Sarri's XI.

At his best, the 29-year-old can offer a different dimension from midfield. While Juventus are blessed with a plethora of options in this facet of the squad, Ramsey has scored goals consistently throughout his career; that awareness and instinct is not something he's been able to show fully in Turin yet.

As he gets accustomed to Sarri's tactics and to the intricacies of the game in Serie A, Ramsey should improve. For a Juventus team fighting for domestic and European glory in 2020, you sense he can be a big asset in the second half of the campaign.