LUKA MODRIC scored his first goal for AC Milan in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Bologna, the veteran star making his mark at the San Siro days after turning 40.
Modric, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, netted the winning goal at the end of a flowing move he started in midfield before meeting Alexis Saelemaekers’s low cross with a perfect first-time finish.
“I hope next time someone won’t remind me of my age anymore!” joked Modric to DAZN.
“It was great play, Ale gave me a great ball and it was easy to score. It was more the pass than my goal.”
Modric praised his team’s fighting spirit and added, “Game by game we will gain more confidence and I’m sure we will get even better.”
The six-time Champions League winner, who arrived at Milan as a free agent after 13 years at Real Madrid, wheeled away in delight at the decisive strike in a match which ended with coach Massimiliano Allegri sent off for his furious reaction at the hosts not being given a late penalty.
New signing Christopher Nkunku looked set to have a chance at scoring his first Milan goal from the penalty spot seconds after replacing Santiago Gimenez when he went down under challenges from Jhon Lucumi and then Remo Freuler.
But after looking at the pitch-side monitor, referee Matteo Marcenaro overruled his own decision to give the spot-kick for the Freuler foul, which sent Allegri into a rage on the touchline, his rant to officials earning him a red card.
Sunday’s win was also a successful start for new arrival Adrien Rabiot, who produced an impressive performance alongside Modric in midfield for Milan, who also struck the woodwork three times.
However, his fellow France international Mike Maignan was forced to limp off with what Milan have confirmed is a problem with his right calf.
Allegri said after the match that Maignan would miss next Saturday’s clash at Udinese.
Milan’s first home win of the season moved them up to fifth, level on six points with Cremonese and Evan Ferguson’s Roma, who fell to a shock 1-0 home defeat to Torino earlier on Sunday, with the Irishman featuring off the bench
- No PSG for Lookman -
Earlier, Ivan Juric confirmed that Ademola Lookman would sit out Atalanta’s Champions League opener at Paris Saint-Germain as the Nigerian forward continues to be sidelined following a protracted attempt to leave the Serie A club.
Atalanta warmed up for Wednesday’s clash with the European champions in Paris by beating Lecce 4-1 without star man Lookman, who has not featured this season after trying and failing to force through a move to Inter Milan in the summer.
“I don’t think so, it’s an unpleasant situation,” said Juric when asked if Lookman would travel to the French capital.
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“He has given a lot to Atalanta, but Atalanta has given him a lot as well. We need players who are ready, who want to play for the shirt and improve… Looking ahead, we’ll see what happens.”
London-born Lookman has become one of the best players in Europe since signing for Atalanta three years ago after a middling early career in England and Germany.
The 27-year-old has scored 52 times in 117 matches for Atalanta, most famously netting a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, when the Bergamo club won their first European trophy by thumping previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
Lookman scored 20 times in all competitions last season with five coming in seven Champions League appearances, but he soured his relationship with the club by abandoning team training in the hope that Inter would meet Atalanta’s asking price of €50 million.
That never happened, and Lookman, whose contract does not expire until the end of June 2027, was forced to return to Atalanta, where he has since been frozen out by Juric, who has replaced Gian Piero Gasperini in the dugout.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates -- after the VAR confirmed his side's sixth goal -- with Marc Casado. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Fermin Lopez struck twice each as Barcelona thumped Valencia 6-0 on Sunday in a La Liga match they were forced to play at their tiny training ground stadium because of delays in reopening the Spotify Camp Nou.
The rampant Spanish champions moved second, two points behind leaders Real Madrid, who boast a 100% record after their win at Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Hosting the game at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium beside their training facilities west of the city, with the rebuilt Camp Nou not yet permitted to open, Barca’s first home game of the season saw high-calibre football in a low-key setting.
Star forward Lamine Yamal’s absence due to a groin issue was a further blow for Barca, with coach Hansi Flick criticising the Spanish national team for playing him twice despite the problem during World Cup qualifiers last week.
However, Barcelona’s display, above all in the second half, helped them forget his absence and their disappointing draw at Rayo Vallecano in their previous La Liga outing.
“The result shows we took advantage of the chances we had,” said Lopez.
“The message is the same as last year, to play with intensity and humility. I think we’re on a good path and we have to continue like this.”
Flick handed Roony Bardghji his debut on the right flank in Yamal’s stead after his summer arrival from Copenhagen.
Barcelona dominated Valencia in the first half without creating many clear-cut chances.
Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres fired narrowly over and wide, respectively, as Flick’s side penned in the visitors.
Lopez, linked with a move to Chelsea during the summer, dug in to stay at Barca and proved his worth against Los Che.
Barca took the lead after 29 minutes when Torres flicked on a pass into the midfielder’s path.
Lopez scampered into the box and flashed a strike across Julen Agirrezabala and into the net.
Carlos Corberan’s Valencia, 15th, did not muster a shot in the first half to Barca’s 11, playing conservatively after a 7-1 thrashing by the Blaugrana in January.
Flick brought on Raphinha for the quiet Bardghji at half-time as he sought to put the game to bed, and soon had the goals he wanted.
Rashford, on his brightest outing since joining from Manchester United on loan, whipped in a dangerous cross which Raphinha slid home at the far post.
It was Rashford’s first direct goal contribution since arriving at the club.
Three minutes later, Lopez blasted in a third from long range, which goalkeeper Agirrezabala might have dealt with better.
- Turning the screw -
Raphinha smashed in Barca’s fourth at the near post as the Catalans ran riot.
Flick shuffled his pack with Thursday’s Champions League opener in mind, bringing on Polish veteran Lewandowski and Dani Olmo.
The 37-year-old striker grabbed his first goal of the season with a lethal finish after Olmo played him in behind the defence.
Flick was also able to bring on midfielder Marc Bernal after a nine-month absence following a severe knee injury.
The 18-year-old holding midfielder created Barca’s sixth goal as he set up Lewandowski to dink over the hapless Agirrezabala to round off the emphatic rout.
“It seems like they’ve got the measure of us,” said Valencia defender Jose Gaya.
“We weren’t capable of diminishing their strengths once again, it was a big scoreline again…
“We tried to stop them with our game plan, but the second goal did us a lot of damage, we couldn’t stop it and then came the third.”
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Luka Modric scores first AC Milan goal days after turning 40
LUKA MODRIC scored his first goal for AC Milan in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Bologna, the veteran star making his mark at the San Siro days after turning 40.
Modric, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, netted the winning goal at the end of a flowing move he started in midfield before meeting Alexis Saelemaekers’s low cross with a perfect first-time finish.
“I hope next time someone won’t remind me of my age anymore!” joked Modric to DAZN.
“It was great play, Ale gave me a great ball and it was easy to score. It was more the pass than my goal.”
Modric praised his team’s fighting spirit and added, “Game by game we will gain more confidence and I’m sure we will get even better.”
The six-time Champions League winner, who arrived at Milan as a free agent after 13 years at Real Madrid, wheeled away in delight at the decisive strike in a match which ended with coach Massimiliano Allegri sent off for his furious reaction at the hosts not being given a late penalty.
New signing Christopher Nkunku looked set to have a chance at scoring his first Milan goal from the penalty spot seconds after replacing Santiago Gimenez when he went down under challenges from Jhon Lucumi and then Remo Freuler.
But after looking at the pitch-side monitor, referee Matteo Marcenaro overruled his own decision to give the spot-kick for the Freuler foul, which sent Allegri into a rage on the touchline, his rant to officials earning him a red card.
Sunday’s win was also a successful start for new arrival Adrien Rabiot, who produced an impressive performance alongside Modric in midfield for Milan, who also struck the woodwork three times.
However, his fellow France international Mike Maignan was forced to limp off with what Milan have confirmed is a problem with his right calf.
Allegri said after the match that Maignan would miss next Saturday’s clash at Udinese.
Milan’s first home win of the season moved them up to fifth, level on six points with Cremonese and Evan Ferguson’s Roma, who fell to a shock 1-0 home defeat to Torino earlier on Sunday, with the Irishman featuring off the bench
- No PSG for Lookman -
Earlier, Ivan Juric confirmed that Ademola Lookman would sit out Atalanta’s Champions League opener at Paris Saint-Germain as the Nigerian forward continues to be sidelined following a protracted attempt to leave the Serie A club.
Atalanta warmed up for Wednesday’s clash with the European champions in Paris by beating Lecce 4-1 without star man Lookman, who has not featured this season after trying and failing to force through a move to Inter Milan in the summer.
“I don’t think so, it’s an unpleasant situation,” said Juric when asked if Lookman would travel to the French capital.
“He has given a lot to Atalanta, but Atalanta has given him a lot as well. We need players who are ready, who want to play for the shirt and improve… Looking ahead, we’ll see what happens.”
London-born Lookman has become one of the best players in Europe since signing for Atalanta three years ago after a middling early career in England and Germany.
The 27-year-old has scored 52 times in 117 matches for Atalanta, most famously netting a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, when the Bergamo club won their first European trophy by thumping previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
Lookman scored 20 times in all competitions last season with five coming in seven Champions League appearances, but he soured his relationship with the club by abandoning team training in the hope that Inter would meet Atalanta’s asking price of €50 million.
That never happened, and Lookman, whose contract does not expire until the end of June 2027, was forced to return to Atalanta, where he has since been frozen out by Juric, who has replaced Gian Piero Gasperini in the dugout.
Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Fermin Lopez struck twice each as Barcelona thumped Valencia 6-0 on Sunday in a La Liga match they were forced to play at their tiny training ground stadium because of delays in reopening the Spotify Camp Nou.
The rampant Spanish champions moved second, two points behind leaders Real Madrid, who boast a 100% record after their win at Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Hosting the game at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium beside their training facilities west of the city, with the rebuilt Camp Nou not yet permitted to open, Barca’s first home game of the season saw high-calibre football in a low-key setting.
Star forward Lamine Yamal’s absence due to a groin issue was a further blow for Barca, with coach Hansi Flick criticising the Spanish national team for playing him twice despite the problem during World Cup qualifiers last week.
However, Barcelona’s display, above all in the second half, helped them forget his absence and their disappointing draw at Rayo Vallecano in their previous La Liga outing.
“The result shows we took advantage of the chances we had,” said Lopez.
“The message is the same as last year, to play with intensity and humility. I think we’re on a good path and we have to continue like this.”
Flick handed Roony Bardghji his debut on the right flank in Yamal’s stead after his summer arrival from Copenhagen.
Barcelona dominated Valencia in the first half without creating many clear-cut chances.
Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres fired narrowly over and wide, respectively, as Flick’s side penned in the visitors.
Lopez, linked with a move to Chelsea during the summer, dug in to stay at Barca and proved his worth against Los Che.
Barca took the lead after 29 minutes when Torres flicked on a pass into the midfielder’s path.
Lopez scampered into the box and flashed a strike across Julen Agirrezabala and into the net.
Carlos Corberan’s Valencia, 15th, did not muster a shot in the first half to Barca’s 11, playing conservatively after a 7-1 thrashing by the Blaugrana in January.
Flick brought on Raphinha for the quiet Bardghji at half-time as he sought to put the game to bed, and soon had the goals he wanted.
Rashford, on his brightest outing since joining from Manchester United on loan, whipped in a dangerous cross which Raphinha slid home at the far post.
It was Rashford’s first direct goal contribution since arriving at the club.
Three minutes later, Lopez blasted in a third from long range, which goalkeeper Agirrezabala might have dealt with better.
- Turning the screw -
Raphinha smashed in Barca’s fourth at the near post as the Catalans ran riot.
Flick shuffled his pack with Thursday’s Champions League opener in mind, bringing on Polish veteran Lewandowski and Dani Olmo.
The 37-year-old striker grabbed his first goal of the season with a lethal finish after Olmo played him in behind the defence.
Flick was also able to bring on midfielder Marc Bernal after a nine-month absence following a severe knee injury.
The 18-year-old holding midfielder created Barca’s sixth goal as he set up Lewandowski to dink over the hapless Agirrezabala to round off the emphatic rout.
“It seems like they’ve got the measure of us,” said Valencia defender Jose Gaya.
“We weren’t capable of diminishing their strengths once again, it was a big scoreline again…
“We tried to stop them with our game plan, but the second goal did us a lot of damage, we couldn’t stop it and then came the third.”
– © AFP 2025
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