$€10M$ BUYBACK: FABREGAS ON NICO PAZ'S FUTURE AS REAL MADRID PREPARES BID
As Como manager, Cesc Fabregas has addressed the rumours linking Nico Paz with a return to Real Madrid, insisting the Argentine playmaker is happy at the Italian club.
After leaving Real Madrid for Como 1907, Nico Paz has become one of Serie A's most-watched players over the last year and a half.
Real Madrid allowed the Argentine playmaker to leave, but they kept control of his future with buyback and sell-on clauses.
His growth in Italy has made Real Madrid pleased with their choice, and many sources say they plan to re-sign Nico next year.
Real Madrid can buy back the former La Fabrica player for €10 million, but since his market value has increased, they are expected to pay Como more.
Cesc Fabregas on Nico Paz’s future
There's talk about Nico Paz going back to Real Madrid, and Como manager Cesc Fabregas was asked about the Argentine international's future.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder was careful in his response, but he said that the young player was happy at the Italian club.
Fabregas said, The rumours about Nico Paz and Real Madrid? I have nothing to say. He’s a Como player, and he’ll be with us. After that, it depends on what the other team decides. I don’t rule out Nico being here next year, too, according to AS.
Fabregas continued, “He’s driven and can have a great career in football, but why can’t he have it here at Como? He’s helped us grow, and we’ve helped him.
“You can see it. A person’s happiness shows in their eyes, and I think he feels happy and comfortable here right now.”
Even though Nico is happy at Como, he seems to want to go back to Real Madrid. Fabrizio Romano said earlier this week that personal terms are almost set for him to return to the Bernabeu.
DAVID NERES COUNTER-ATTACK GOAL HANDS NAPOLI CRUCIAL 1-0 VICTORY AT ROMA
Napoli secured a massive 1-0 away victory against Roma thanks to a brilliant counter-attack goal from David Neres. The win ties them with AC Milan at the top of Serie A.
David Neres scored on a quick break, giving Napoli a huge road win against Roma and putting them in a tie with AC Milan for the league lead.
With only two points separating them, this game was important. Paulo Dybala, who had been out, played in Thursday's Europa League game against Midtjylland. Artem Dovbyk and Angelino are still injured. But Dybala started on the bench this time. Napoli had defeated Qarabag 2-0 in their midweek Champions League match. Even after losing Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, Kevin De Bruyne, Miguel Gutierrez, Alex Meret, and Romelu Lukaku, they’re settling into their 3-4-3 setup.
Mile Svilar made a brave play, rushing off his line to block Noa Lang's run onto a long ball. He then got back in time to save Rasmus Hojlund's rebound attempt.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo volleyed a cross from David Neres into the side-netting, and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was in position to stop a shot from Gianluca Mancini.
Svilar stretched to push away a tricky shot from Lang with one hand after it was deflected by Mancini. Amir Rrahmani barely stopped Evan Ferguson from tapping in a pass from Lorenzo Pellegrini.
Napoli then scored. Rrahmani's sliding tackle on Manu Koné started a fast counterattack. David Neres passed to Hojlund and then chipped the ball over Svilar. Roma argued, but VAR confirmed Rrahmani got the ball first. Neres scored his third goal in two Serie A games.
Tommaso Baldanzi came on for Ferguson after halftime, and Roma switched back to their False 9 formation. However, Dybala wasn't ready to play a full 45 minutes.
Svilar denied Hojlund near the post after a pass from Noa Lang. Roma began to control the ball but struggled to create good scoring chances.
Matteo Politano tested Svilar with a curling shot from distance, and Lorenzo Pellegrini's powerful shot for Roma went just over the bar.
Roma's best chance came in the final minute. Dybala flicked the ball to Baldanzi, whose hard shot was saved by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ DOUBLE SNAPS INTER'S SLUMP, ENDS PISA'S CLEAN SHEET RUN
Inter Milan got a vital 2-0 victory against Pisa thanks to Lautaro Martinez's second-half double. The win snapped a two-game losing run and broke Pisa's four-match home clean sheet record.
Lautaro Martinez scored twice, getting Inter back on track with a much-needed win against Pisa, who had kept four straight clean sheets at home.
Inter was shaky after losing to AC Milan and Atletico Madrid. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was back on the bench. Luis Henrique got a rare start because Ange-Yoan Bonny had the flu, joining Denzel Dumfries, Tomas Palacios, and Raffaele Di Gennaro on the list of players who couldn't play. Pisa had only won once all season but hadn't lost in six games, drawing with Milan, Lazio, Torino, and Sassuolo. Daniel Denoon, Isak Vural, Mateus Lusuardi, Tomas Esteves, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, and Calvin Stengs were out, and Adrian Semper had a stomach bug, but Marius Marin was ready to play.
Simone Scuffet stopped Federico Dimarco's free kick, and Francesco Acerbi was offside when he headed wide after a set play. M’Bala Nzola couldn't take advantage of a good chance because he didn't control the ball well.
Lautaro Martinez's header went just wide after a free kick from Hakan Calhanoglu. Pisa then had a big chance around the half-hour mark. Idrissa Touré headed a long ball down to Gabriele Piccinini, and Piccinini's volley went just past the post.
Soon after, Marcus Thuram's shot also went just wide, and Lautaro Martinez's volley bounced over the bar after a cross from Nicolò Barella.
Early in the second half, Touré sent a dangerous cross into the box, but Acerbi and Yann Sommer stopped Pisa from scoring.
Barella's shot was deflected over the bar by Raul Albiol, and Piccinini shot right at Sommer. Nzola then missed a great chance on a counterattack, shooting wide when he was one-on-one with Sommer.
Acerbi blocked Meister's shot in the box, and then Inter scored with a great goal.
Francesco Pio Esposito won the ball back on the left and crossed to Lautaro Martinez, who scored with a first-time shot into the top corner from 12 yards out. It was the first goal Pisa had let in at home since September 14, ending their run of four clean sheets.
Pisa almost scored when Nzola's header was deflected wide, but Inter increased their lead. After a corner wasn't cleared well, Andy Diouf passed to Barella on the right. Barella's shot became an assist for Lautaro Martinez, who scored at the far post.
Lautaro Martinez almost scored a third goal soon after, but he missed a shot after a cross from Diouf.