Dusan Vlahovic should remain at Juventus even if the Bianconeri fail to qualify for the Champions League, according to Lecce director Pantaleo Corvino.

Injuries have limited Vlahovic to just 12 appearances in Serie A this season, yet he is Juve's top scorer with eight goals.

The Serbia striker scored two and assisted another in the midweek win at Salernitana and will hope to add more in Sunday's match against former club Fiorentina.

But Juventus head into that match only two points ahead of La Viola due to a 15-point deduction following an investigation into past transfer dealings.

The Bianconeri have a mammoth 14 points to make up on the top four if they are going to qualify for the Champions League through their league position, and Vlahovic has been linked with a move away.

However, former Fiorentina director Corvino, who helped bring the striker to Italy in 2018, has urged Vlahovic to stay in Turin.

"Are you kidding me? Dusan is not up for discussion," Corvino told La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

"For Vlahovic, in addition to his big numbers, his talent speaks for itself. He's a complete centre forward, he has physique, a sense for goal, good technique, progression and aerial skills.

"And then, he is still young. I advise him to stay in Turin, even without the Champions League. Juve are always Juve, a point of arrival. And after a storm, the calm always arrives."

Milan coach Stefano Pioli believes Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Tottenham arrives at the ideal time for his team, saying Friday's win over Torino helped to "cleanse our spirit".

Scudetto holders Milan halted a five-game winless run in Serie A with the 1-0 victory, as Olivier Giroud scored the only goal of a tight contest at San Siro.

The result lifted the Rossoneri from sixth to third in the Italian top flight ahead of Saturday's fixtures, but they must swiftly turn their attention to Europe in the coming days.

Milan will play their first match in the Champions League knockout stages since 2014 when they welcome Antonio Conte's Spurs to Italy for the first leg of their last-16 tussle.

Asked whether that game comes at a good time for Milan after their confidence-boosting victory, Pioli said: "Yes. The Champions League is what we wanted and deserved. 

"From the round of 16 onwards, anyone would have been a very difficult and competitive opponent, especially the English teams. 

"We'll be there, it will be a difficult match. I know Tottenham well because I know Conte and they deservedly won against [Manchester] City [last week]. 

"It comes at the right time, this victory will cleanse our heads and our spirit a little. We will be ready to play a match to the best of our ability. 

"I can only congratulate our fans, it was a difficult period for them. The fact that they continue to support us can only help us. 

"On Tuesday there will be an audience with great opportunities, and we want to live up to the fans and the Champions League."

The last meeting between Milan and Spurs came at the same stage of the competition in the 2010-11 campaign, when the London club triumphed 1-0 on aggregate via a Peter Crouch goal.

Meanwhile, Tottenham's former Juventus and Inter boss Conte has won eight of his last nine games against Milan (L1), and Pioli knows the Rossoneri will have to step things up.

"We have to do much better, raise the level of the game," he said. "Tottenham are a very strong team, but there is satisfaction. The team worked a lot during the match and that's the most important thing."

Liverpool and Newcastle United are reportedly among the Premier League teams exploring a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah – and the interest could be mutual.

Tah, 26, is in his eighth season in Leverkusen after arriving ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, racking up 283 appearances in all competitions and earning 16 senior international caps for Germany.

After five consecutive seasons finishing in the Bundesliga's top-six, Leverkusen have struggled this campaign, with just seven wins and a negative goal difference after 19 games, leaving them 10th.

Facing an uphill battle for any European football next season, the club will reportedly struggle to convince Tah to stick around, especially with plenty of interest from his desired landing spot in the Premier League.

 

TOP STORY – TAH SETS HIS SIGHTS ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE

According to 90min, Tah is "keen to take his talents to England at the end of the season".

He has two more seasons on his contract, tying him to Leverkusen until 2025, leaving the club with a difficult decision about whether to hang on to one of their top players or cash in and use the funds to improve the squad.

As well as Liverpool and Newcastle, West Ham are also understood to have touched base with Leverkusen about Tah's availability in January, while his name also came up in discussions with Tottenham, but they are said to prefer his centre-back partner Piero Hincapie.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting Tottenham are admirers of 26-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison

– According to El Nacional, Real Madrid have held talks with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp about potentially taking over from Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season, and Klopp is said to have requested the Spanish giants pursue Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

Milan have an interest in signing 27-year-old Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita, per the Mirror, while the Daily Mail adds the Italian side are also impressed by 21-year-old Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun, who has 14 Ligue 1 goals for Reims this season.

Manchester United and Newcastle are said to be two of many clubs keeping a close eye on 18-year-old Royal Antwerp prospect Arthur Vermeeren, per the Daily Mail.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all held talks with the agent of 20-year-old Barcelona forward Ansu Fati.

Olivier Giroud's superb header saw Milan end a five-game winless streak in Serie A but Zlatan Ibrahimovic had to wait for his comeback in a 1-0 victory over Torino.

Milan, playing their 3,000th Serie A game, had lost their last four matches in all competitions heading into Friday's tussle at San Siro, but they came away with the points thanks to Giroud's moment of quality.

Theo Hernandez teed up that goal but then missed a golden chance to double Milan's lead.

However, the champions held firm to get back on the winning trail, ensuring the only disappointment for the home fans was that veteran forward Ibrahimovic – back from injury – did not come on from the bench for his first appearance since May last year.

With Ibrahimovic poised on the bench, the first half in Milan unfurled more like a warm-up support show before the headline act.

Giroud and Antonio Sanbria lodged the only on-target shots of a low-wattage opening half, with the Milan strikers' header snuffed out by visiting goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the 29th minute.

Having resisted the urge to call on Ibrahimovic, Stefano Pioli was rewarded by an improved display after the break, with Milinkovic-Savic almost spilling Giroud's low effort over the line.

Milan's breakthrough came just after the hour, however, with Giroud rocketing a header home from Hernandez's cross.

Hernandez should have settled the nerves for Milan after latching onto Pierre Kalulu's excellent pass in the 76th minute, only to drill wide of a gaping goal.

Fortunately for Hernandez, Torino could not make Milan pay as the Rossoneri extended their unbeaten home run against them to 27 Serie A matches.

Manchester City reportedly view Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell as a potential answer to their left-back problem and will investigate a move at the end of the season.

Chilwell, 26, was purchased from Leicester City for a £50million fee prior to the 2020-21 campaign, and he enjoyed immediate success at Stamford Bridge. In his first season with the club, all 27 of his Premier League appearances came in the starting line-up, and he also played a full 90 minutes in their Champions League final triumph over City.

Unfortunately, the England international with 17 senior caps has been plagued by injuries since, with a serious knee injury this past season followed by a long-term hamstring injury early in the current campaign.

Chilwell returned from his hamstring issue with a brief appearance off the bench against Fulham on February 3, and if he can prove his fitness down the stretch then he could prove the perfect replacement for Joao Cancelo after his shock departure on loan to Bayern Munich.

TOP STORY – CITY IDENTIFY CHILWELL AS POTENTIAL CANCELO REPLACEMENT

The future of Cancelo with City is looking bleak after he was shipped off to Bayern following reports of a training ground dispute with boss Pep Guardiola, and Caught Offside claims the club are already looking at long-term solutions in his position.

Fabrizio Romano writes that "Chilwell is one of the players who has been appreciated by Manchester City for years" – but adds the Englishman is just one name on a shortlist of left-back options to pursue when the season wraps up.

Chilwell's five-year contract with Chelsea ties him to the club until 2025, but the report states the addition of Marc Cucurella has made him more expendable if the price is right.

ROUND-UP

– According to 90min, Chelsea have made 24-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen their top forward target, and he is expected to cost in excess of £100million (€110m).

– The Daily Mail is reporting Tottenham will look to sign new centre-backs at the end of the season, and have taken a liking to 22-year-old Crystal Palace talent Marc Guehi, who may be available for a fee of around £45million.

– According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona will join a long list of elite clubs – including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter – in the pursuit of 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram. The France international will become a free agent after the season, and his father Lillian Thuram spent two seasons with Barcelona before retiring.

Inter will work to secure 29-year-old striker Romelu Lukaku on either a permanent deal or another loan from Chelsea next season at a lower cost, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– Football Insider is reporting Liverpool, Everton and Leeds United are all interested in 18-year-old Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, who some are calling "the next Jude Bellingham".

Stefano Pioli has defended Milan's decision to not sign a new goalkeeper, despite first choice Mike Maignan still being ruled out indefinitely.

Maignan has not played for Milan since injuring his calf during France's 2-0 Nations League win over Austria on September 22.

The 27-year-old was subsequently ruled out of France's World Cup campaign and has now missed Milan's past 20 matches, with veteran goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu deputising.

Reigning Italian champions Milan's form has nosedived since the turn of the year, having gone seven matches without a win in all competitions, losing five of those.

Milan are unsure when Maignan will return, meaning Tatarusanu is set to start Friday's league game with Torino and next week's Champions League last-16 first leg with Tottenham.

It was previously suggested Milan's board were behind the decision to not recruit an established keeper in January, but Pioli has confirmed he also had a say in the matter.

"The choice was mine and that of the technical team," he said at Thursday's pre-match press conference ahead of facing Torino. 

"We have faith in Tatarusanu and we think that Maignan could be back in action soon."

Asked exactly when he expects Maignan to return to the side, Pioli said: "I don't know. His recovery is progressing well and he's returned to the field, albeit not with the team."

 

In better news on the injury front for Milan, veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to team training last week and is closing in on a comeback after nine months out injured.

Pioli, whose side have slipped to sixth and are 18 points off leaders Napoli, suggested Ibrahimovic may play a part against Torino.

"He's feeling better," Pioli said. "His role in the side is to be a great motivator and a great player. He'll be with us tomorrow because he wants to be with us."

Rafael Leao is pushing for a recall after being named as a substitute in Milan's past two Serie A games – not since between March and July 2020 has he been benched three games in a row.

"Leao is important for me and the team," Pioli said of the Chelsea-linked forward, who has nine goals and seven assists in 28 appearances this season.

"He's back from the World Cup and played well against Salernitana before losing a bit of his brilliance. He's much happier when he's playing, but I see a motivated and focused player."

Pioli is aiming to avoid losing four successive Serie A games as a manager for only the second time, having previously done so in 2012 as Bologna head coach.

Milan have lost their past two meetings with seventh-place Torino – not since 1969 have they lost three in a row in this fixture – and Pioli accepts an improvement is needed.

"They are a tricky team to play against," he said. "They have caused problems by pressing all over the pitch.

"We have to move a lot better and do something different compared to our past two games against them."

Javier Tebas accused European Super League organisers on Thursday of prowling like a cunning wolf and trying "to fool" those at the heart of football.

The president of Spain's LaLiga scoffed at newly announced plans for a competition featuring 60 to 80 teams spread across several divisions, guaranteeing clubs 14 games per season.

He had predicted in November that such a proposal was coming and was scornful then.

Now Tebas says the European Super League is only interested in how it might serve to benefit the rich clubs, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus the three teams who remain subscribed to the proposed new competition.

A similar proposal to the latest Super League concept was put forward in 2019, on that occasion by UEFA and the European Club Association, when it appeared the Champions League may become more of a closed shop.

However, that did not get off the ground, and if Tebas has his way, nor will this.

"The Super League is the wolf, who today disguises himself as a granny to try to fool European football," Tebas wrote on Twitter, "but HIS nose and HIS teeth are very big.

"Four divisions in Europe? Of course the first for them, as in the 2019 reform. Government of the clubs? Of course only the big ones."

A similarly dismissive statement posted to the LaLiga Corporativo Twitter account read: "The Super League is the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

"It is disguising itself as an open and meritocratic competition, but underneath there is still the same selfish, elitist and greed driven project. Don't let their tales fool you."

The European Super League venture is being driven by the A22 group, led by CEO Bernd Reichart, after its previous April 2021 launch ended in calamity and humiliation, with nine of the 12 clubs pulling out almost immediately after a thunderous backlash.

Those were Premier League giants Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, LaLiga's Atletico Madrid, and Serie A clubs Milan and Inter.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta continues to back the controversial plans, which many in the game claim will cause lasting damage to domestic competitions.

Laporta said on Thursday: "It is progressing. It will be an attractive, sustainable competition, respectful of the health of the players.

"What we want is for the dialogue with UEFA not to break, and to harmonise with the national leagues. We must establish a deeper debate to coexist with the domestic leagues, as the Champions League coexists with the leagues.

"All to the point that the promoters of the Super League will have the right to organise competitions. It evolves. It is in progress.

"We are committed to the Super League project and to the sustainability of European football. We cannot compete with domestic clubs, nor with the Premier League, which allocates seven billion to the competition... there are comparative grievances.

"What commits us is the sustainability of football. We are three big clubs and we don't want to leave UEFA aside. It will be done in agreement with UEFA. We are not going through the path of rupture, we are going through the path of dialogue."

The Football Supporters Association, representing fans in England and Wales, accused European Super League backers of wilful ignorance towards fans.

It said: "The walking corpse that is the European Super League twitches again with all the self-awareness one associates with a zombie.

"They say 'dialogue with fans and independent fan groups is essential' yet the European Zombie League marches on – wilfully ignorant to the contempt supporters across the continent have for it."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's return to the Premier League has not gone as he would have planned.

The striker headed back to England after a promising stint in Barcelona, adamant he had a point to prove following a rather acrimonious split with Arsenal.

But the man who secured his arrival – Thomas Tuchel – was soon sacked, and his replacement – Graham Potter – does not appear to be particularly taken with Aubameyang.

If that was not already clear, then removing him from their Champions League squad in order to make room for new signings certainly did. The writing is on the wall.

TOP STORY – AUBAMEYANG OFF TO MLS

According to France's Le10 Sport, Aubameyang is "very close" to leaving Stamford Bridge. His next destination? Los Angeles.

The report suggests Los Angeles FC and Chelsea have already reached an agreement, and with Aubameyang's situation seemingly pretty clear in the Premier League, his exit looks likely.

Aubameyang will move to MLS on loan, thus allowing the Blues to save on a significant chunk of his wages – not that money is tight at Chelsea, as their January dealings showed.

ROUND-UP

- The Athletic reports Chelsea remain locked in contract talks with N'Golo Kante, but Tuttomercato says Juventus are monitoring the situation.

- Sofyan Amrabat was a standout player for Morocco at the World Cup and was heavily linked with Barcelona in January. He ultimately stayed with Fiorentina, though it was not for a lack of trying. According to Mundo Deportivo, he offered to play for free for the rest of the season.

- Leeds United earned a commendable point at Manchester United on Wednesday, but they still need to get a new manager. Onda Cero claims the club have been dealt a blow on that front, with Rayo Vallecano head coach Andoni Iraola opting to stay put.

- Inter's financial situation remains precarious, so which club are they turning to in the hope of easing those worries? Why, Chelsea of course! Tuttosport says sporting director Piero Ausilio has been in London discussing the sale of Denzel Dumfries to the Blues. Trevoh Chalobah could move the other way.

- Another tricky pre-season awaits off the pitch for Barcelona given their own financial uncertainty: LaLiga says they need to get €200million off the wage bill. Some clubs might be licking their lips at the prospect of potentially coming in for their prized assets, though Mundo Deportivo reports they will not entertain the idea of selling Frenkie de Jong – Manchester United were keen on him last year.

Nicolo Zaniolo has left Roma to join Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray.

The 23-year-old was expected to leave the Giallorossi during the January transfer window following a falling-out with boss Jose Mourinho, but he hesitated over a move to Premier League club Bournemouth.

Mourinho described the fact Zaniolo had remained at the club as "unfortunate", but the attacking midfielder's stay in the Eternal City has now come to an end.

Istanbul giants Galatasaray are reported to have paid Roma €16.5million to land Zaniolo, capped 11 times by Italy, on a four-and-a-half-year deal, with Turkish clubs still able to do transfer business.

In a farewell message to Roma, Tuscany-born Zaniolo posted on Instagram: "You welcomed me as if I were at home.

"You made me grow, you gave me a chance that I tried to take with all my heart, always honouring the history you represent, fighting for your colours, sweating for the jersey every time I wore it.

"Now that we've said goodbye, I want to tell you one thing... It was an honour."

Zaniolo joined Roma from Serie A rivals Inter in 2018 and went on to score 24 goals in 128 appearances for the club.

He missed the second half of the 2019-20 season and whole of the 2020-21 campaign due to knee injuries.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised a "change of tone" at Milan as he nears a return to action.

Ibrahimovic has not featured this season, having undergone surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly after Milan ended an 11-year wait to win the Serie A title in May.

While Milan started respectfully in his absence, they have slipped to sixth in Serie A – 18 points adrift of leaders Napoli – after going five league games without a win.

Milan failed to record a single shot on target in a meek derby defeat to Inter last time out, and their winless run is their worst in Serie A since April 2018.

However, Ibrahimovic believes Milan have overcome more challenging times since he returned for a second spell at the club in 2020, and foresees a return to form.

"When I arrived three years ago, people spoke of a situation that was worse than now. In reality, it's not as bad as some people say," Ibrahimovic told the club's media channels.

"In one or two years, we did fantastic things, and we're still doing great things.

"I call situations like this moments, because it's a moment where there's been a drop and we're struggling, but we need to return to form as quickly as possible.

"It's not as if anybody's happy with our form. We're all working to change things so we can get back to how we were before the World Cup. This season is a bit different, but this isn't an excuse. 

"Is it a coincidence that this club has won 19 league titles and seven Champions Leagues? Great champions have played here. This is Milan, and Milan needs to win. Coincidences don't exist."

Ibrahimovic handed Milan a huge boost by returning to team training last week, and though it remains to be seen how soon he can return to competitive action, the 41-year-old striker is raring to go.

"I'm one of many in this team. I haven't been available for a long time and this has been disappointing because when you're a player, you always want to help both on and off the pitch," he said.

"Unfortunately, in these first six or seven months, I wasn't able to play. In good times and during difficult moments, you always want to be there because you are one of them. 

"For me, football is everything. It's where I feel at my peak, where the best of me comes out, and I transform into a different person. When I return, there will be a change in tone."

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insists the Scudetto frontrunners do not have to sell rumoured Manchester United and Chelsea target Victor Osimhen.

Nigeria international Osimhen is reportedly a target for the Premier League pair, as well as other big names across Europe, after starring for Serie A leaders Napoli this season.

The 24-year-old has 17 goals this campaign – the joint-sixth most of any player across Europe's top five leagues – and has assisted a further three goals in his 21 appearances.

While interest in Osimhen will only intensify between now and the transfer window reopening in advance of next season, De Laurentiis has made it clear Napoli are not looking to cash in.

"Victor is not for sale," he told German outlet Bild. "Our players are in high demand, but we are not forced to sell anybody. We don't have any debts."

Osimhen scored another brace in Sunday's 3-0 win over Spezia as Napoli opened up a 13-point lead over closest challengers Inter at the top of Serie A.

He now has 53 goals in 95 league games across his past four seasons for Lille and Napoli – only Erling Haaland (87 in 87) has needed fewer games to reach the 50-goal mark.

Napoli will hope their in-form striker can make the difference when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first leg taking place in two weeks' time.

Eintracht are competing in the knockout stage of the competition for the first time, but De Laurentiis says Napoli will not be taking the Bundesliga title challengers lightly.

"In the beginning, the feeling was of a non-difficult draw, but it's not exactly like this," he said of Eintracht, who beat Barcelona in the Europa League quarter-finals last season.

"It's not a coincidence they are in the race for the Bundesliga. We should not think we are a better team. Barca did it last season and we should not make the same mistake."

Napoli have won their past two away games against German sides in European competition, beating Wolfsburg 4-1 in April 2015 and RB Leipzig 2-0 in February 2018.

Life is good at Manchester United right now – and it might be about to get better.

Erik ten Hag has guided United to third in the Premier League, perhaps still in title contention, while they will face Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final.

Rivals Manchester City and Liverpool are facing various crises, and United's ambitions moving forward could be boosted by a lucrative takeover.

After making only loan signings in January as the Glazer family consider selling up, the outlook at Old Trafford might be about to change entirely.

TOP STORY – QATARI-BACKED MAN UTD BID DUE IN DAYS

According to the Daily Mail, a group of Qatari investors plan to buy United and give manager Ten Hag "the financial backing to lead the club back to the top".

The Glazers set a deadline of mid-February for bids, and an offer from the group is expected in the coming days.

The report says the group are confident their bid would "blow the competition out of the water".

This interest in United follows on the back of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the investors eager to secure ownership of "the crown jewels" of the footballing world.

ROUND-UP

– The Telegraph is reporting Manchester City's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is at risk of being torpedoed by their potential financial breaches.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Cristiano Ronaldo's team Al Nassr have offered 34-year-old Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets a contract worth €18million per season.

Manchester United and Liverpool will both make a run at Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, who impressed for France at the World Cup, per L'Equipe.

– Calciomercato is reporting Juventus will likely allow striker Dusan Vlahovic to leave at the end of the season if they receive a bid in the range of €90m.

– According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle United have made 26-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison a key target.

Massimiliano Allegri hailed Juventus' mental fortitude after responding to a troublesome period following their points deduction with victory at Salernitana.

Juve had not won in three Serie A games, including a 5-1 thrashing by Napoli and a surprise 2-0 defeat to Monza, while the club had also been docked 15 points following an investigation into past transfer dealings.

But Allegri's side bounced back on Tuesday with a dominant 3-0 victory at Salernitana as Dusan Vlahovic scored twice and assisted Serbia team-mate Filip Kostic for the other.

Victory moved Juve up to 10th, albeit some 13 points off fourth-placed Lazio, and Allegri heaped praise on his side's resilience amid a difficult time in Turin.

The Juve head coach told reporters: "The lads are responsible, we can tell each other many things, but I think it wasn't and isn't easy to keep your head in the championship after 15 points were taken away from you.

"We set ourselves some goals, which is to catch those in front of us. Then there's the Coppa Italia [semi-final] with Inter and the Europa League.

"It was important to win. We have 26 points, no one remembers that we scored 41 and we would be third in the standings. Look at the current standings."

Vlahovic took his tally to eight for the season with his first-half penalty and cool finish after the interval, with Allegri delighted to see his star striker returning to form, along with some vital minutes for Angel Di Maria.

"If Di Maria always plays 60 minutes, I'm happy, he's a champion. Vlahovic is coming back well, meanwhile [Moise] Kean has had important chances," Allegri added.

"We need all these players, it's normal that we need to improve in possession. We play every three days, so everyone is important."

Juventus returned to winning ways in Serie A after Dusan Vlahovic scored two and assisted the other in a comfortable 3-0 victory at Salernitana on Tuesday.

Massimiliano Allegri's side, seemingly shaken by their 15-point deduction, had not won any of their previous three league games but responded with a dominant performance at Stadio Arechi.

Vlahovic's 28th-minute penalty set the visiting Bianconeri on their way before the Serbia international fortuitously assisted compatriot Filip Kostic on the stroke of half-time.

Star man Vlahovic added his second after 47 minutes as victory moved a resurgent Juve up to 10th, albeit some 13 points behind fourth-placed Lazio.

Vlahovic headed an inviting Mattia De Sciglio cross over in an otherwise uneventful opening, but the striker made amends just before the half-hour mark.

A needless foul inside the area from Juve loanee Hans Nicolussi on Fabio Miretti offered the visitors the chance of the breakthrough, and Vlahovic powered in from the penalty spot with the help of Guillermo Ochoa's left post.

Vlahovic then wastefully dragged wide and made a similar connection with a poor right-footed volley, only for the latter miscued attempt to find Kostic, who poked in the second goal at the back post.

A delicate Nicolo Fagioli throughball teed up Vlahovic to add to his tally after the interval, the striker slotting a cool left-footed finish low past the onrushing Ochoa.

Angel Di Maria's fizzing strike cannoned against the crossbar and Moise Kean was denied by Ochoa's left post as Juve returned to form in emphatic fashion.

What does it mean? Juve back on track after Allegri warning

A 5-1 thrashing by runaways leaders Napoli and a 2-0 surprise defeat to Monza in Juve's last three league games, either side of a 3-3 draw with Atalanta, had caused Allegri some concern.

With Juve docked 15 points following an investigation into past transfer dealings, Allegri warned the Bianconeri they must first hit the 40-point mark to stave off an unlikely relegation.

Juve took a step towards doing that with an assured performance to move onto 26 points, though they have significant ground to make up for a place in Europe, trailing Italy's top six by 12.

Vlahovic's Salernitana hot streak continues

Vlahovic has now scored five goals in four league matches against Salernitana, with a brace for Fiorentina and three strikes for new club Juve, including his double in this game.

The first-half strike was Vlahovic's 14th goal from the spot from 15 attempts in Serie A – the best success rate (93 per cent) among players to take 15 or more penalties in the competition since his debut in 2018.

Concern for Miretti

Promising young midfielder Miretti won the penalty for Vlahovic's opener before leaving the field on a stretcher after 40 minutes with what appeared a concerning lower-leg injury.

The 19-year-old, who has enjoyed his breakthrough season for Juve this term, suffered the injury in a tackle with Boulaye Dia, and Allegri will be hoping the blow was not as bad as it first appeared.

What's next?

Juve are at home to Fiorentina on Sunday, while Salernitana visit Hellas Verona the following day.

Lionel Messi held talks with Inter over a potential move to the Italian giants after leaving Barcelona, Javier Zanetti has revealed.

Messi left Barca in 2021 after lifting 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies with the club, eventually opting to sign for Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.

But Zanetti, a former team-mate of Messi with Argentina and now vice-president of Inter, says there was a chance the diminutive forward could have joined the 19-time Serie A champions before he chose PSG.

Zanetti pointed to Inter's financial inferiority with their rivals for Messi's signature as the main reason for him going elsewhere, telling DAZN: "I was surprised when he left Barcelona.

"Realistically, we cannot compete with PSG or Premier League clubs, but due to our rapport, we spoke when there was a chance."

Messi has since won a Ligue 1 title with PSG while also finally earning World Cup glory with Argentina, while Inter have struggled to replicate the form that saw them end a 10-year wait for another Serie A title in the 2020-21 campaign.

After missing out on retaining the title by two points to rivals Milan last season, the Nerazzurri are running out of time to overhaul a 13-point gap to leaders Napoli this campaign with Luciano Spalletti's team showing no signs of slowing down the rampant pace that has seen them win 18 of their 21 top-flight games.

The Partenopei's sole defeat came at the hands of Inter in January, and Zanetti has mixed feelings about his team's efforts this term, saying: "We could have done more in the league. We miss some points, but it's part of a path that this team is consistently carrying out.

"Mistakes are normal with such a packed fixture list, but I've always seen a team that wants to impose its style, trying to cause trouble for opponents.

"We've been able to react to difficulties and I find that some criticism has been exaggerated."

Centre-back Milan Skriniar will join Messi at PSG next season after choosing to turn down a new contract with Inter and instead make the move to France at the end of his current deal.

Zanetti hopes Skriniar will remain in the right headspace to help Inter to the best of his capabilities over the rest of the season, with Simone Inzaghi's side still fighting for silverware in the Champions League and Coppa Italia alongside their league duties, having already lifted the Supercoppa Italiana by thrashing Milan 3-0 in Saudi Arabia last month.

"We offered him a contract within our financial reach, but he made a different choice," Zanetti added. "Now we need to put him in the best condition to give his best until the end of the season."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.