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TIRED OR TOUGH? THE CONFLICTING ITALIAN MEDIA REPORTS ON SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S PERFORMANCE

Scott McTominay and Napoli suffer Champions League elimination after a 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea's clinical Joao Pedro.

Tired or Tough? The conflicting Italian media reports on Scott McTominay’s performance
Napoli and McTominay crashed out against Chelsea

Scott McTominay had a rough night as Napoli crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday. The reigning Serie A champs missed out on a play-off spot after losing at home to Chelsea.

It was a wild night in the Champions League, and Napoli ended up as one of the biggest letdowns. Even with home advantage against Liam Rosenior's team, they only managed to finish 30th overall. Chelsea, on the other hand, walked away with sixth.

McTominay, along with Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund, couldn’t stop Napoli from falling 3-2 in Naples. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring, but Napoli hit back before halftime thanks to Antonio Vergara and Hojlund.

But after the break, Joao Pedro bagged a brace and sealed Napoli’s fate. The Italian press didn’t hold back in their reviews of McTominay’s performance.

Il Napolista gave McTominay a 6 out of 10. They liked his grit but pointed out he lost possession a few too many times in midfield. Still, they said he was a threat going forward—enough to give Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez something to worry about. But in the end, it just wasn’t enough for Conte’s side.

Il Messaggero also gave him a 6. They called his first half “average”, even though the game was played at a high level. After halftime, they thought he looked tired and didn’t live up to his usual standards.

Corriere dello Sport was a bit more generous with a 6.5. They praised his fighting spirit—classic Premier League style—and said he gave it everything he had. But as Serie A’s current MVP, expectations are high, and he just couldn’t find the goals Napoli needed.

Essere Partnopei matched that 6.5 rating. They praised his energy and said he was as active as ever, moving the ball well. Still, his efforts couldn’t keep Napoli from being knocked out.

Napoli Magazine skipped the ratings but said McTominay wasn’t at his best. He’s a key player for Conte and stayed committed, but it wasn’t enough to push Napoli into the next round.

DERBY D’ITALIA: LEAGUE LEADERS INTER MILAN HOST JUVENTUS IN A VALENTINE’S DAY BLOCKBUSTER

Inter Milan hosts Juventus on Feb 14. Discover team news, the combined XI controversy, and Lautaro Martinez's quest for 15 goals.

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The Nerazzurri aim to settle the score after September’s 4-3 defeat

Inter Milan, sitting comfortably at the top of Serie A, welcomes a fired-up Juventus side on Saturday. This match has all the ingredients for drama. Inter’s got an eight-point cushion (58 from 24 games), while Napoli, still clinging to their status as defending champions, sit third on 49 points, just three ahead of Roma, who’ll be coming to town Sunday.

Juventus, wedged inside the top four, roll into Milan with only one loss in its last ten games. But Inter look scary right now; they’ve won five league matches in a row and just hammered Sassuolo for five goals last weekend.

Juventus have a chip on their shoulder, too, thanks to Corriere dello Sport stirring the pot this week. The paper claimed only three Juve players would make Inter’s starting eleven: Gleison Bremer, Khephren Thuram, and Kenan Yildiz. A little disrespect? Maybe. However, it shows that Juventus have quality in every part of the pitch.

Last weekend, Juventus showed they can dig deep. Down 2-0 at home to Lazio, they clawed back for a draw – not the points they wanted, but the fight will boost their confidence.

And don’t forget how Luciano Spalletti’s Juve tore Napoli apart two weeks ago with a 3-0 win. That one stung.

Now, Napoli gets ready for Roma with a real sense of urgency. Roma’s new loan signing, Dutch forward Donyell Malen, is on fire with three goals in four games under Gian Piero Gasperini. Gasperini’s already warning people: Malen’s going to rack up goals this season, as long as Roma keeps feeding him the ball. He’s got a whole bag of tricks up front.

Napoli are still dealing with injuries, but Antonio Conte’s got his team fighting. Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay, both former Manchester United players, have brought the energy Conte loves. The title defence isn’t easy. Conte admits being nine points back makes it tough—but with Roma in town, the atmosphere should be electric.

Looking elsewhere, AC Milan, currently second, head to Pisa on Friday night. Mike Maignan’s in top form in goal, while Luka Modric keeps things ticking in midfield.

Como, one of the season’s surprises, sits sixth. They host Fiorentina, who are desperate for points, on Saturday. And then Como travels to AC Milan midweek for a game that got bumped because of the Olympic opening ceremony.

Keep an eye on Lautaro Martinez this weekend. The little Argentine has 14 league goals already, and with Inter’s attack firing—57 goals in 24 games—he’ll be a handful for Juventus.

Here’s what’s coming up (all times GMT):

Friday: Pisa v AC Milan (1945)

Saturday: Como v Fiorentina (1400), Lazio v Atalanta (1700), Inter Milan v Juventus (1945)

Sunday: Udinese v Sassuolo (1130), Cremonese v Genoa, Parma v Verona (1400), Torino v Bologna (1700), Napoli v Roma, Cagliari v Lecce (1945)

Monday: Cagliari v. Lecce (1945)

MILAN STAY? NICLAS FULLKRUG "DESPERATE" TO LEAVE WEST HAM FOR PERMANENT ITALY MOVE

Niclas Fullkrug is desperate to stay at AC Milan. Discover if the Rossoneri will trigger the buy option for the West Ham loanee.

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Niclas Fullkrug fights to convince AC Milan after Lecce goal

Niclas Füllkrug doesn’t have a future at West Ham. He wants to stay in Italy and keep playing for AC Milan after this season at least; that’s what Milan News is saying. Now it’s just a question of whether Milan actually wants to keep him around for good.

Milan can sign him if they want. So far, he’s only scored once in seven games, so he still has some convincing to do. He’s not exactly tearing it up, but there’s still time for him to make his case.

He’s technically under contract with West Ham until 2028, but let’s be honest, neither side wants a reunion. West Ham already brought in two new strikers. There’s no way Fullkrug gets much game time if he goes back. It just makes sense for him to move on and find a permanent home elsewhere.

West Ham wants to move him on, too. They don’t want him sitting on the bench taking up space, especially since he’s not in their plans anymore. Back in the winter window, they slapped a price tag on him before letting him leave on loan.

So, can Fullkrug convince Milan to keep him? He’s got experience and could add something to their squad, but it’s up to Milan to decide if he’s worth it. West Ham paid €26 million for him, but they won’t get close to that now. They’re probably looking at a loss.

Fullkrug needs a fresh start, and staying in Italy could be perfect for him. Regular minutes at Milan might help him rediscover his old form. He’s shown what he can do in Germany, and there’s no reason he can’t make an impact in Milan, too.

Now it’s all down to what happens over the next few months. Füllkrug has to step up, play well, and give Milan a reason to make the deal permanent.

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