Serie A Daily Report - 2026-09-12

AC Milan recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Matteo Cancellieri and Tijjani Noslin put Gennaro Gattuso’s side in control during the first half, but substitute Diego Moreira changed the contest after the interval. The Milan forward scored twice in the space of two minutes, in the 65th and 67th minutes, to secure a point for Ruben Amorim’s team. Christian Pulisic also returned for Milan after the World Cup, making his first appearance since recovering from the bone injury sustained during the tournament.

Gattuso said Lazio had struggled to maintain their approach for the full 90 minutes after dropping deeper at the beginning of the second half. He described Moreira’s goals as “wonder strikes” and admitted the hosts might have conceded twice more before the final whistle. The result ended Lazio’s perfect start after three consecutive victories, while Milan remained unbeaten at the beginning of Amorim’s tenure. The match was played in front of a sparse crowd as Lazio supporters continued their boycott in protest against club president Claudio Lotito, an atmosphere Gattuso compared with the COVID period.

Cagliari won 2-1 away to Atalanta on Saturday, extending an impressive opening to the Serie A season under Fabio Pisacane. Paul Mendy scored for the Sardinians before Daniel Maldini converted the decisive penalty against his parent club, while Gianluca Scamacca equalised for Atalanta. The victory moved Cagliari to nine points after four rounds, with their only defeat a 1-0 loss to champions Inter. Atalanta entered the match on six points after three games, but their early momentum was checked in Bergamo as Cagliari produced another notable result against one of the division’s higher-profile sides.

Pisacane said Cagliari needed movement, positional coverage and a spirit of sacrifice to collect points at Atalanta. He also praised Alessandro Romano, calling the young player “a gem in my hands”, after the visitors executed their plan against a side adapting to Maurizio Sarri’s ideas. Mendy’s goal was his third in Serie A, all against Atalanta, adding an unusual detail to a result that underlined Cagliari’s competitiveness. For Atalanta, the defeat followed a stoppage-time loss to Roma and left them searching for greater consistency after wins over Sassuolo and Bologna.

Fiorentina defeated Venezia 4-2 on Friday, earning their first points of the Serie A season through a landmark performance from Franco Mastantuono. The Real Madrid loanee scored three times, twice in the first half and once after the interval, as Fiorentina moved away from the foot of the table. The teenager’s treble also marked his first goals for the club. Venezia had previously been among the teams struggling near the bottom, but they were unable to contain Fiorentina after Mastantuono established the hosts’ advantage.

Mastantuono became the youngest Argentine to score a hat-trick in one of Europe’s top five leagues, beating Lionel Messi’s previous mark. He achieved the feat at 19 years and 28 days, compared with Messi’s age of 19 years and 259 days when he scored his first professional treble for Barcelona. The Real Madrid loanee also became Fiorentina’s youngest hat-trick scorer. The performance immediately placed him in wider discussion about Argentina’s next generation, while its practical value was just as important for a Fiorentina side seeking to recover from a difficult start.

Massimiliano Allegri said Napoli had to prioritise victory when they host Bologna on Sunday evening. Napoli had lost their previous three matches, each by a single goal, against Como, Inter Milan and Arsenal, despite Allegri being satisfied with aspects of their performances. The manager said the home fixture represented an opportunity to start winning at the Stadio Maradona, where Napoli had not yet secured three points this season. Bologna had collected one point from their opening three league games, but Allegri warned that they were well coached and technically capable.

The Napoli manager said the team needed to improve at both ends of the pitch and sustain their technical quality for longer periods rather than producing it only in short spells. He described the match as one of great responsibility and said the result mattered more than the performance. Napoli would be without André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Scott McTominay, Marianucci and Giovane, while David Neres was improving and Noa Lang was available. The fixture therefore offered an early test of Napoli’s ability to turn encouraging displays into points and halt their slide.

Luciano Spalletti urged Juventus to avoid an “alibi mentality” before Sunday’s visit to Sassuolo. Juventus had seen their 100 per cent start interrupted by a 1-1 draw with Milan, with Federico Gatti scoring a late equaliser, and were carrying a lengthy injury list. Manuel Locatelli, Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie, Khephren Thuram, Jeremie Boga, Andrea Cambiaso, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal were among the absentees cited ahead of the fourth-round fixture. Spalletti said the loss of a starter should create an opportunity for another player to become a protagonist rather than weaken the group’s mindset.

The Juventus manager said training had been serious and that the squad had responded to Locatelli’s absence with greater responsibility. He also indicated that Nick Woltemade was ready to start, while Randal Kolo Muani’s condition was being monitored. Spalletti’s comments set a clear expectation for a side attempting to maintain its early momentum despite disruption. The Sassuolo match would test whether Juventus could compensate collectively for missing players, rather than allowing injuries to dominate the narrative around their campaign.

Nick Woltemade said Sandro Tonali responded “Class, class” when told the Germany international was discussing a move to Juventus. Woltemade made the switch from Newcastle on deadline day on a dry loan deal, meaning Juventus did not receive an option to make the transfer permanent. He told DAZN that he informed Tonali before Newcastle’s match against Tottenham, his final game in England, and joined Juventus two days later. The conversation offered a personal connection to Woltemade’s arrival in Italy after the striker had previously played alongside Tonali at Newcastle.

Woltemade also spoke positively about Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti and the group’s character, recalling how he and Tonali had shared meals with former Milan defender Malick Thiaw during last season. Tonali later sent a congratulatory message after the transfer was completed. The comments provided an early glimpse into the relationships surrounding Woltemade as he begins his Serie A spell. His loan arrangement also gives Juventus an immediate attacking option while leaving the player’s longer-term future with Newcastle unresolved.

Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Como midfielder Nico Paz ahead of a possible move in January 2027. Goal reported that the Premier League club were watching the 22-year-old Argentine after his strong performances in Serie A and could make a formal approach during the winter window. Paz remained with Como after establishing himself as one of Italian football’s notable breakout players, keeping him at the centre of transfer interest. The report described Arsenal’s attention as exploratory rather than a completed deal or confirmed bid.

Any move would be complicated by Real Madrid’s continuing influence over Paz. The Spanish club retained an €80 million buy-back clause after allowing him to remain in Italy, giving Madrid significant control over his next destination. That clause would affect both Arsenal’s negotiating position and Como’s ability to determine the player’s future independently. Paz’s development at Como has therefore created a three-way situation: Arsenal are monitoring him, Como retain his services for now, and Real Madrid hold the strongest contractual lever.