Serie A

Roma defender Chris Smalling was robbed at his home in Italy on Thursday night. 

Per ESPN's Andrew Cesare Richardson, three armed robbers "stole valuable possessions such as jewellery and watches" at the home Smalling shares with his wife and son. 

Richardson noted that Smalling was awoken in the middle of the night and "forced at gun point" to open his safe and hand over jewelry and items that included Rolex watches. 

Smalling and his family were unhurt. Police were called around 4:55 a.m. local time and are looking for the robbers. 

Smalling is in his second season with Roma after originally joining the club on loan from Manchester United in August 2019. The 31-year-old made the move permanent in June 2020, signing a three-year deal. 

Roma's 1-1 draw against Ajax on Thursday saw them advance to the UEFA Europa League semifinals on aggregate (3-2). Smalling didn't play in the game because of a knee injury. 

Juventus' Weston McKennie, Paulo Dybala and Arthur have been "temporarily suspended" by the Serie A club for a violation of COVID-19 protocols.

ESPN FC reported on the punishment Friday after McKennie hosted an "illegal lockdown party" at his home attended by his two teammates.

Ahead of Saturday's Serie A meeting with local rivals Torino, Juve manager Andrea Pirlo confirmed the trio will not be in the squad:

The Associated Press reported Thursday the players also face potential fines from local police in Turin, Italy. Wednesday's party featured around 20 other people and continued beyond the country's 10 p.m. curfew, with police being called by neighbors to break up the gathering around 11:30 p.m.

"These things have always happened, but this is not the time for what is going on in the world," Pirlo said Friday. "It was not the right time to do it, we are examples and must behave like it."

All three players have been consistent contributors for Juventus during the 2020-21 season.

McKennie ranks fourth on the Bianconeri's Serie A scoring chart with four goals, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (23), Alvaro Morata (seven) and Federico Chiesa (six).

Arthur has made 16 appearances in domestic competition, while Dybala has tallied two goals and two assists in 11 matches.

McKennie, a member of the United States men's national team who missed the recent USMNT friendlies with a hip injury, previously tested positive for COVID-19 in October. Dybala tested positive for the coronavirus last March.

After Saturday's clash with Torino, Juve are back in action Wednesday when they host Napoli at Allianz Stadium.

It's unknown when the three suspended players will be cleared to return.

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo would be open to a return to Real Madrid this summer, according to Marca's Nuno Luz.

"He left Madrid for Turin with the understanding that he would be the centre of a project aimed at winning the Champions League, in an attempt to make Juventus the European force that Real Madrid had been," the report said.

"But things haven't gone that way, and he has only made it as far as the quarterfinals once. Due to those struggles, he's ready to leave Juventus."

Speaking with DAZN (h/t Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano), Juve vice president Pavel Nedved ruled out a Ronaldo transfer and called him "untouchable."

However, Mirko Calemme of AS reported Juventus could be more amenable if a club is willing to pay at least €25 million.

As much as Ronaldo is reportedly frustrated at the club's inability to progress beyond the round of 16 in the Champions League, it's fair to wonder whether the feeling is mutual.

Having won seven straight Serie A titles to that point, Juventus paid a reported €100 million transfer fee and gave Ronaldo a contract worth £500,000 weekly to win another Champions League title. But that hasn't translated to glory in Europe's premier club competition. 

The 36-year-old has scored 95 goals in 123 appearances across all competitions, but that comes at the cost of orienting the attack around an aging forward with diminishing physical gifts. Even ignoring the small role he played in Sergio Oliveira's matchup-winning goal, Ronaldo struggled to make much of an impact over the two legs against Porto in this year's round of 16 as Juventus were eliminated.

Real Madrid can use that same logic to question whether a move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner makes sense.

Madrid has clearly struggled to replace Ronaldo since his departure in 2018. The £88.5 million addition of Eden Hazard looked a little questionable at the time and has only gotten worse as injuries have limited the Belgian to 25 La Liga appearances over the past two seasons.

The version of Ronaldo that Real Madrid would be getting now isn't the same one who left, though.

Karim Benzema is one of the best strikers in the world as well, and the No. 9 role he occupies overlaps a lot with how Ronaldo is utilized now. Attempting to accommodate the two into the same lineup may limit Benzema's contributions.

It wouldn't be a shock to see Ronaldo leave Juventus in the summer; a reunion in the Spanish capital would be somewhat expected even with his previous experience in the Santiago Bernabeu.

Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo said the transfer rumors that have swirled around superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo since the club's Champions League elimination by Porto are "normal."

The Bianconeri were knocked out in the round of 16 on Tuesday on the away goals tiebreaker after the teams each scored four goals across the two matches. Ronaldo didn't score in either of the fixtures.

Jose Felix Diaz of Marca reported Friday that Ronaldo and Real Madrid would both "jump at the chance to reunite" after he left the Spanish club in 2018.

Pirlo addressed the speculation in his press conference Saturday:

"It's normal that he's disappointed, as is the whole squad. And it's normal there be rumors after an elimination.

"He is the most talked about footballer in the world alongside [Lionel] Messi—people are always talking about him. It's worth reminding that he has always done well.

"He has 90 goals in a hundred games for Juventus and has always shown his worth. It can happen that he doesn't score in a certain match, as has happened with others, and this creates rumors."

Ronaldo also made it clear his focus is helping Juve finish the 2020-21 season strong.

"True champions never break! Our focus is already in Cagliari, in the Serie A struggle, in the Italian Cup final and in everything that we can still achieve this season," he wrote Saturday on Instagram.

Pirlo, a former standout midfielder at AC Milan and Juventus, knows better than most the pressure that comes along with being a key player on top European club, and part of that is dealing with an endless stream of rumors, which are always amplified after a UCL elimination or failed domestic title pursuit.

Perhaps the Ronaldo situation will be revisited during the summer transfer window, but in the short term, Juve (52 points) will attempt to embark on an extended winning streak as they try to make up a 10-point deficit in the Serie A table as they trail Inter Milan (62) and AC Milan (56).

The Bianconeri are back in action Sunday when they travel to Sardegna Arena to face Cagliari.

Juventus announced it has triggered the €18.5 million clause to make Weston McKennie's move from Schalke permanent.

Juve initially paid €4.5 million to loan McKennie in August for the 2020-21 season. He has since become a staple of the midfield, making 14 starts in 21 Serie A appearances.

The loan initially looked a bit risky for the 22-year-old. Going from Schalke to Juventus was undoubtedly a step up in terms of prestige, but playing time looked like it might be hard to come by. Arthur just arrived from Barcelona, while Aaron Ramsey, Rodrigo Bentancur and Adrien Rabiot were holdovers from last season.

However, McKennie has given first-year manager Andrea Pirlo little choice but to regularly include him in the lineup. His four Serie A goals are fourth-highest in the squad, and WhoScored.com rates him as Juve's seventh-best player (6.92) in league play this season.

Most tellingly, Pirlo has started McKennie in four Champions League matches and brought him on as a substitute in another two fixtures. The United States men's national team star scored in Juve's 3-0 group-stage victory over Barcelona on Dec. 8.

Signing McKennie beyond this season became a no-brainer for both parties.

One way or another, his permanent departure from Schalke was inevitable as the German side sits at the bottom of the Bundesliga with nine points through 23 matches. His loan deal was precipitated by Schalke's financial situation, which will only get worse in the event they get relegated.

For Juventus, this could be a home run.

McKennie's transfer fee could eventually climb to €25 million, which would still wind up being a bargain. Transfermarkt estimated McKennie's value at $27.5 million in December, up from $24.2 million in October. In the event Juventus ever wanted to send him elsewhere, they would have little trouble recouping their investment and then some.

UEFA has appointed a disciplinary investigator to review allegations AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the target of racist abuse targeting his family's Balkan roots during Thursday's Europa League match against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Red Star Belgrade could face discipline from UEFA, which holds home clubs responsible for incidents at their stadiums. The Serbian side didn't have ticketed fans for the fixture, but club officials and other guests were allowed in the stands.

Red Star issued an apology Friday, saying the club would work to identify the man shown on video shouting a derogatory term used toward Muslims at Ibrahimovic:

"As a club, we have done everything to ensure that the organization of the match was up to the level of the two big clubs, and we will not allow one primitive individual to cast a stain on the traditionally well-known hospitality of our country and our people.

"Red Star, in cooperation with the relevant authorities, will find the aforementioned individual and insist on him bearing all the consequences of such behavior."

Ibrahimovic, whose father is Muslim, hasn't publicly commented on the incident.

The 39-year-old Sweden native was an unused substitute for Milan in the 2-2 draw Thursday. He played 75 minutes in Sunday's 3-0 loss to Inter Milan in domestic Serie A play.

Milan and Red Star will play the second leg of their Europa League matchup Thursday at San Siro in Italy. The winner advances to the tournament's round of 16.

UEFA didn't provide a timetable for its investigation into the alleged abuse.

Cristiano Ronaldo's pet cat is going to be all right.

According to TMZ Sports, Pepe, a hairless Sphynx cat, was run over by a car after leaving the family residence in Turin, Italy. Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo's girlfriend, told the Spanish magazine InStyle that the cat is recovering in Spain.

"It was close to death, and after a month-and-a-half in intensive care at the vets, we've decided my sister Ivana should look after it," Rodriguez said.

With Pepe in good hands, Ronaldo led Juventus to a dominant 3-0 victory over Crotone in Monday's Italian Serie A contest.

He scored two goals, while USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie added the third.

The Naples city council voted Friday to rename Stadio San Paolo, the home of Italian football club Napoli, to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in honor of the legendary Argentine striker who died Nov. 25 at age 60.

Maradona played for the Azzurri from 1984 through 1991, helping lead the club to five trophies, including a pair of Serie A titles. Reuters reported the city council approved the resolution brought forward by Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris following the superstar's death. 

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis spoke with Sky Sports Italy about his long-term effort to secure the name change, per Reuters:

"I've been in talks with local authorities for the past 17 years. I've always asked to buy the stadium and rename it 'Diego Armando Maradona.'

"If then, for tradition, we will need to call it both 'San Paolo' and 'Maradona' so be it. It won't change much, but it's only right that Maradona has this recognition. Even if we were to build a whole new stadium, I would name it like that.

"Your years here remain indelible in the memories of the people of Naples—symbolic of a coveted redemption and yearned-for resurrection."

Maradona was one of the sport's most well-known figures thanks to his talent, his success at the club level and in leading Argentina to a World Cup title in 1986, as well as his larger than life persona.

Napoli are scheduled to host their first match at the newly renamed stadium next Thursday (Dec. 10) when they take on Spanish side Real Sociedad in a Europa League fixture.

Juventus announced Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo no longer needs to isolate at home after a negative diagnostic test for COVID-19. 

Juventus play Spezia in Serie A on Sunday and return to the Champions League on Wednesday against Ferencvaros.

The Portuguese football federation announced Oct. 13 the five-time Ballon d'Or winner tested positive for COVID-19 while on national team duty. He was flagged for a second positive test while isolating, which prolonged his return.

Not surprisingly, Juve's fortunes have suffered without Ronaldo leading the attack. They drew with Crotone and Hellas Verona in Serie A and suffered a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday.

The future of manager Andrea Pirlo is already the subject of speculation. The Daily Mail's Alvise Cagnazzo reported Juventus are still behind the legendary former midfielder but "have plans for a worst-case scenario."

Getting Ronaldo back will undoubtedly be a boost for the club since his absence laid bare how reliant the nine-time reigning league champions have become on the 35-year-old. His three goals are still tied for highest on the team across all competitions.

It's unclear whether Pirlo will immediately insert Ronaldo into the starting squad for Sunday or instead give him a more gradual transition back to game action.

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not play in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona after being left out of the squad. 

On Tuesday, ESPN reported "the Italian champions failed to declare the Portugal international had tested negative in time" to be eligible to play.

According to ESPN: "UEFA protocol states a player has until 24 hours before kickoff to return a negative test before he can be declared available. As Juve and Barca meet on Wednesday and no negative test was presented to UEFA, Ronaldo will not be available for selection."

Juventus confirmed on Wednesday that Ronaldo is not in the matchday squad, officially ruling him out of the contest:

Ronaldo tested positive for the coronavirus Oct. 13 while with the Portugal national team.

Italy's sports minister, Vincenzo Spadafora, suggested the 35-year-old forward may have broken COVID-19 protocols by traveling back to the country after testing positive, per Ryan Kelly of Goal. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner denied those allegations in an Instagram post.

"I did not break any protocol," Ronaldo said. "They're saying that I broke Italian laws, but it's all a lie. I spoke with my team, and we have the responsibility to do things right. Everything was done with authorization. Principally for the Italian man whose name I'm not going to say, it's a lie. I abided by all the protocols."

Juventus kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday. Alvaro Morata, who filled the void created by Ronaldo's absence, scored both goals.

"Playing in the Champions League with this shirt is a great emotion," Morata told reporters. "We want to get right to the end, and we're fighting for this. It was important to win against a team that can give you problems because they are fast and very young."

Morata will likely play the same role against Barcelona with Ronaldo still sidelined.

It will also delay the latest chapter in the longtime rivalry between Ronaldo and Barca's Lionel Messi until Dec. 8, when the clubs are scheduled to face off at Camp Nou to close out the UCL group stage.