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Nicolo Barella has insisted that Inter will give everything that they have in the tank to beat AC Milan and reach the Coppa Italia final.

The tie is finely poised heading into the second leg of the semi-final after the first game was a 1-1 draw. Tammy Abraham and Hakan Calhanoglu each scored nice goals in the second half to ensure everything is to play for tonight.

Both teams are desperate to win but for very different reasons. For Inter they are hoping to keep alive the dreams of a treble, while for Milan they need the Coppa Italia trophy to salvage what has been an otherwise awful campaign.

The derby record actually shines on the red half of the city this season though, with two wins and two draws. Interviewed by SportMediaset, Barella spoke about the Nerazzurri’s upcoming commitments, starting with the Coppa Italia derby against Milan.

“We’ve worked hard, we’ve worked our asses off to get to play all this, so we have to give our all at this moment, give everything we have and also everything we don’t have,” he said.

It must be noted that at present Barella is not expected to start in Inter’s midfield three, with Davide Frattesi, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan tipped to get the nod.

This article first appeared on SempreMilan and was syndicated with permission.

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'Complete player' – Man United urged to sign Premier League star who fits their 'DNA'
Soccer

'Complete player' – Man United urged to sign Premier League star who fits their 'DNA'

Former Manchester United winger Nani has called on his old club to seal a transfer move for Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha. The Portugal international is currently on loan at Spurs from Bayern Munich, having previously impressed in the Premier League with Fulham. Nani also knows Palhinha from their time together at Sporting Lisbon, and it’s clear that the ex-Red Devil is a big fan. Speaking to Covers.com, as quoted by the Metro, Nani named Palhinha as an ideal target for Man Utd, as he looks like a complete player who fits their DNA. Manchester United urged to pursue Joao Palhinha transfer It remains to be seen if Palhinha will actually be a realistic target for United any time soon, but he’s been named as a dream signing by Nani. MUFC also do look in need of new additions in that area of their squad, with Palhinha surely to be a significant upgrade on the unconvincing Manuel Ugarte. “Joao Palhinha is a great player. I played with him at Sporting, where he was growing and learning a lot. After a few years, he became one of the best players in his position,” Nani said. “He’s very strong and talented at winning and recovering the ball, and tackling. He’s also improved his forward play, scoring goals, connecting with the team, and moving forward with the ball. He’s become a complete player in his position. “I think he’s a great player and can do really well for Tottenham. He had an opportunity with Bayern and we’re not sure what will happen next season, but he’s a player who can play for any team in the world. He just needs to be consistent and fit, as injuries sometimes cause problems. I trust he will have a fantastic career.” He added: “He is a player with energy, with power to recover balls and to fight, that is something that fits into Man United’s DNA.” United have been linked with a host of other midfielders, so it remains to be seen if they’ll make Palhinha a priority at any point, but Nani makes some good points about his suitability for the team.

From the Boozer twins to a high-flying Eagle: Must-know names for the 2025–26 men's college basketball season
College Basketball

From the Boozer twins to a high-flying Eagle: Must-know names for the 2025–26 men's college basketball season

College basketball is almost back. The 2025–26 season tips off Monday, ushering in another year of intrigue, talent and high expectations. Can Florida defend its national title? Will Houston or Purdue finally break through? And who will claim national player of the year honors — a seasoned star like Purdue’s Braden Smith or Texas Tech’s JT Toppin or a dynamic freshman ready to take over? Beyond the headlines, plenty of players and storylines deserve attention. Here are 10 names to know — in alphabetical order — as a new season begins. The Boozer Twins, Duke Blue Devils OK, these are two names here, but you must know them. Power forward Cameron Boozer (6-foot-9) and point guard Cayden Boozer (6-foot-4), both five-star prospects, won a state title last season at Miami's Columbus High and are expected to play key roles as freshmen at Duke, which eyes a return trip to the Final Four. Cameron Boozer is a preseason All-American candidate. Trilly Donovan, Burner Account In recent years, Donovan has built up almost a cult-like following. He's also associated with an excellent media outlet called Basket Under Review. Consider following him on X, where he provides plenty of scoops. Noah Eagle, Broadcaster The 28-year-old is a rising star in the sports broadcasting world. He will serve as one of NBC Sports' lead play-by-play announcers for men's college basketball games. He is also a broadcaster for the NBA and Big Ten Conference football. Eagle's dad, Ian Eagle, is the voice of the men's Final Four. Boogie Fland, Florida Gators Fland had a solid freshman season at Arkansas (13.5 PPG), helping lead the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16. Then the 6-foot-3 guard transferred to defending national champ Florida, where he is expected to be starting point guard. He has big shoes to fill in trying to replace former first-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. Florida is ranked third in the preseason AP poll. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan Wolverines The 6-foot-9 forward, a graduate student, was a two-time All-American Conference first-team performer at Alabama-Birmingham before transferring to Michigan. The Wolverines, ranked third in the preseason Associated Press top 10, and Purdue likely will give the Big Ten its best shot to win a national title since Michigan State in 2000. Lendeborg is on the preseason AP All-America first team. Tyler Lundblade, Belmont Bruins The graduate student last season led the nation in three-point shooting (48.1 percent) and on a high volume of attempts (216). Could the former TCU/SMU player lead the country in three-point shooting again? Don't bet against this 6-foot-5 guard. Fun fact: His brother brother Brad played in the NFL as a center. Steven Pearl, Auburn head coach Pearl has big shoes to fill, as in September he replaced his dad, Bruce Pearl, as head coach. Bruce Pearl won 246 games at Auburn and took the Tigers to the Final Four in 2025 and 2019. Auburn is the No. 20 team in the preseason AP Top 25. Darryn Peterson, Kansas Jayhawks Since winning the national championship in 2022, Kansas (No. 19 in AP poll) hasn't advanced past the Big Dance's second round. If the Jayhawks go on a deep run this season, Peterson will be a big reason why. The guard was the No. 1 national prospect in the 2025 class, and analysts think the 6-foot-5 guard has a good shot at being an All-American and the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Jim Phillips, ACC commissioner In recent seasons, Atlantic Coast Conference teams have advanced far in the NCAA Tournament, but the number of ACC squads getting invited to the Big Dance has lagged way behind other power leagues. (Only four — Duke, Clemson, Louisville, and North Carolina — got invites last season; the SEC had a record 14 invites.) The pressure is on Phillips and his conference to get back to its historical excellence. The ACC made the decision this season to add two more non-conference games to improve member schools' postseason resumes. Will it pay off? Kelvin Sampson, Houston head coach Sampson is on an incredible run with the Cougars, having won at least 30 games in the past four seasons (32, 33, 32, 35). Under his guidance, Houston went to the 2021 Final Four, and the Cougars lost a heartbreaker to Florida this past spring in the national title game. Houston is No. 2 in the preseason AP top 25. This might be Sampson's best chance to win it all.

'TNF' takeaways: Lamar Jackson dazzles in return as Ravens humiliate Dolphins
NFL

'TNF' takeaways: Lamar Jackson dazzles in return as Ravens humiliate Dolphins

The Baltimore Ravens dominated the Miami Dolphins in a 28-6 rout on "Thursday Night Football" as quarterback Lamar Jackson shined in his return from injury. Here are four takeaways from the first NFL game of Week 9: Lamar Jackson returns in style You would never know that Jackson had not played since Week 4 judging by his incredible performance on Thursday night. He wasted no time getting started with this fourth-down strike to tight end Mark Andrews in the opening quarter and capped his four-TD night with a nine-yard connection to wide receiver Rashod Bateman late in the third quarter. His 18 total TD passes against the Dolphins are the second-most all-time in five games vs. one opponent, only behind George Blanda's 21 against the New York Titans. After going 18-of-23 for 204 yards and four TDs, Jackson now has 14 passing TDs and only one interception in five games. If he stays healthy, this Ravens team will be difficult to slow down in the second half of the season. Mike McDaniel's seat keeps getting hotter It keeps getting worse for the Dolphins head coach after Thursday's latest dud. Miami had 332 yards of offense, but went 0-for-3 in the red zone and committed three turnovers, including a brutal one in their own territory in the first quarter. During a pregame segment on Prime Video, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was asked what McDaniel's future looks like in Miami and said his job status is "firmly up in the air." While he said he did not "see anything imminent" from owner Stephen Ross, it will come down to how the players respond going forward. Although he signed an extension prior to last season and is under contract through 2028, a 2-7 record and another blowout loss is doing nothing to help McDaniel's case at the moment. Kyle Hamilton spearheads strong defensive performance from Ravens The Ravens entered the night allowing the third-most points per game (30 PPG), but Thursday night was a much different story. The All-Pro safety Hamilton may have not had the most tackles on the team, but his impact was certainly felt with six total tackles and one tackle for loss. He was more impressive than the stats show, especially at creating pressure on Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and keeping Miami from having any success between the tackles. In the first quarter alone, Hamilton did not even line up as a safety in his first 15 snaps and still only gave up one yard rushing on four carries, opposed to 31 yards on three carries away from him, per Next Gen Stats. For a team that has struggled defensively, they need more of what they got on Thursday night if they are going to claw their way back into the AFC North conversation. Don't count the Ravens out yet It was not that long ago that Baltimore was 1-5 and staring at a wasted season. After back-to-back wins, an improving 3-5 record and a sloppy AFC North in which the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) are the only team above .500, the Ravens are firmly in the hunt. In fact, FanDuel currently lists them as the favorites (-145) to win the division as of Thursday night. The defense still needs to prove itself against stiffer competition, but if Jackson continues to ball out, the Ravens could complete a remarkable turnaround and mix up the AFC playoff picture.

Latest news prove Minnesota Vikings aren't content with the status quo, and it could elevate the team to the playoffs
NFL

Latest news prove Minnesota Vikings aren't content with the status quo, and it could elevate the team to the playoffs

This Sunday against the Detroit Lions is going to be huge when it comes to setting the expectations for the rest of the season. A loss will make a run toward the playoffs significantly less likely for the Vikings, and it could impact how they approach the trade deadline. The conventional wisdom would be that the Vikings wouldn't make a move to add at the trade deadline due to their record, especially when you look at the majority of players being acquired are on expiring contracts. Three years ago, the Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a big splash to acquire T.J. Hockenson at the deadline, and it was a big addition both for the 2022 season and beyond. Even if the Vikings lose, they could make an addition with the long-term in mind. Vikings trade history with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah The Vikings traded second and third round picks for T.J. Hockenson and two fourth-round picks at the trade deadline in 2022 Ahead of the 2022 season, the Vikings made low-risk trades for both Jalen Reagor and Ross Blacklock At the 2024 trade deadline, the Vikings acquired LT Cam Robinson for a 2026 fourth-round pick Minnesota Vikings eyeing a cornerback at the trade deadline One of the positions the Vikings need to find a long-term solution for is cornerback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on Friday that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback. "As for buyers, the Vikings and Colts are among a list of teams looking for corners. That market isn’t rich with options, which could make the Rams (McCreary), Browns (Tyson Campbell) and Eagles (Michael Carter II) look smart for striking a little earlier." It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback to help them out, especially with Jeff Okudah being both ineffective and injured. They haven't shown a willingness to trust Dwight McGlothern as of yet, and finding a player at the position to fortify with Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. should make a difference, especially when it comes to playing man coverage. The key here is finding a cornerback whom the Vikings can trade for. There aren't a lot of options, especially with four cornerbacks having already been traded. Two that come to mind are Riq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks and Alontae Taylor of the New Orleans Saints. Woolen has fallen out of favor with the Seahawks over the last couple of seasons with Mike Macdonald at the helm. He is currently starting for the Seahawks, but he doesn't seem to be in their long-term plans. He would provide the necessary size and speed the Vikings need at the cornerback position. Taylor is more of a slot cornerback, which the Vikings have been hesitant to add with wanting to slide Murphy on the inside. Even so, he's a versatile piece that could end up being a huge benefit for the Vikings. The deadline is going to be huge for the Vikings, and it could give them a necessary piece to help the defense both short-term and long-term. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');

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