AC Milan Stalemate Piles on Misery for Juventus

Early strike: Juventus forward Alvaro Morata celebrates his fourth-minute opener. Isabella BONOTTO AFP
Early strike: Juventus forward Alvaro Morata celebrates his fourth-minute opener. Isabella BONOTTO AFP
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AC Milan Stalemate Piles on Misery for Juventus

Early strike: Juventus forward Alvaro Morata celebrates his fourth-minute opener. Isabella BONOTTO AFP
Early strike: Juventus forward Alvaro Morata celebrates his fourth-minute opener. Isabella BONOTTO AFP

Juventus were left struggling in the unlikely surroundings of Serie A's bottom three on Sunday after a 1-1 draw with AC Milan kept them searching for a first league win this season.

Alvaro Morata's fourth-minute goal gave Juve the lead but Ante Rebic headed in a 76th-minute equalizer as Milan ended the weekend in second place on goal difference behind city rivals Inter who crushed Bologna 6-1 on Saturday, Agence France-Presse reported.

Milan could have won the match in the dying moments but Juve keeper Wojciech Szczesny pulled off a brilliant point-blank save to deny Pierre Kalulu.

Juventus, still reeling from the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United, are 18th with just two points from four games with only Cagliari and Salernitana propping them up.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri had harsh words for some of his stars.

"You have to be determined, to bring home the tackle, keep focused. This is part of the general growth process of some players," he said.

"I will admit that I made mistakes on the substitutions, I got it wrong. I should've put more defensive players on and put the 1-0 lead under lock and key, so I take responsibility for that."

Milan, missing both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud, dropped their first league points of the season.

However, they will be relieved not to have lost back-to-back games having gone down to Liverpool in the Champions League in midweek.

Spanish international Morata temporarily allowed Juventus fans to forget about Ronaldo when he sped away from Theo Hernandez before coolly slotting the ball past Mike Maignan in goal.

Milan only threatened through three long distance attempts from Sandro Tonali in the fitst half.

But Croatian winger Rebic preserved Milan's unbeaten league start by heading in a Tonali corner with 14 minutes left.

"We came here to win the game," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli told DAZN.

"Juventus did better in the first 20 minutes, were more determined and focused, but we continued playing and did much better towards the end with chances to win, so it was overall a positive performance."

Roma dropped their first points in Serie A under Jose Mourinho as Verona came from behind to earn new coach Igor Tudor a 3-2 victory on his debut.

Lorenzo Pellegrini's clever backheel flick gave visitors Roma a half-time lead in the pouring rain as they sought a fourth successive win to start the season.

- Mourinho beaten -Antonin Barak equalized for Verona shortly after the interval and Gianluca Caprari put the hosts ahead with a precise finish five minutes later.

Ivan Ilic turned a Pellegrini cross into his own goal to bring Roma level before the hour, but Davide Faraoni's brilliant volley secured the win for Verona to halt a run of three straight losses.

"I knew their qualities, even before the change in coach," Mourinho told DAZN.

"They'd already posed big problems to their opponents. And when there's a coaching change there's often a reaction mentally, it can happen."

Roma's city rivals Lazio needed a late goal from Danilo Cataldi to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Cagliari.

Ciro Immobile struck for the fifth time in four games as Lazio went ahead just before the break.

Joao Pedro's looping header pegged Lazio back right at the start of the second half, with Keita Balde then firing home against his former club to put Cagliari on top.

But the Sardinian club couldn't hold on for victory in Walter Mazzarri's first game in charge as Cataldi fired into the top corner seven minutes from time to rescue Lazio.

Venezia's first Serie A home match since the 2001-02 season ended in a crushing 2-1 loss to Spezia.

Simone Bastoni curled in a sensational effort as Spezia grabbed an early lead at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, an intriguing ground set on the south-eastern tip of Venice's main archipelago.

Pietro Ceccaroni headed Venezia level on the hour but Mehdi Bourabia's brilliant injury-time strike from distance claimed Thiago Motta's Spezia a first win.



Al-Mouallimi at the Investment Forum: SRMG Committed to Advancing Saudi Sports Media

A large gathering of media professionals and participants enriched the forum’s events. (Ministry of Sports) 
A large gathering of media professionals and participants enriched the forum’s events. (Ministry of Sports) 
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Al-Mouallimi at the Investment Forum: SRMG Committed to Advancing Saudi Sports Media

A large gathering of media professionals and participants enriched the forum’s events. (Ministry of Sports) 
A large gathering of media professionals and participants enriched the forum’s events. (Ministry of Sports) 

The Sports Investment Forum concluded its sessions on Wednesday, featuring high-level participation from global leaders in the field of sports investment.

On the final day, senior officials explored the role of sports media as both a strategic national tool and an economic driver, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities shaping this rapidly growing sector.

Bassil Al-Mouallimi, Chief Strategy Officer at the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), emphasized that media success is closely tied to the growth of the sports economy. He highlighted broadcasting rights as one of the most critical revenue streams in sports, with media playing a pivotal role in amplifying and promoting athletic events.

Al-Mouallimi noted that the core value of media in sports lies in sustained coverage before and after matches and tournaments—something SRMG is dedicated to providing across all its platforms.

He described sports as “the most authentic form of local content,” due to their universal appeal and the strong emotional connection they foster with audiences. He stressed the importance of storytelling in sports journalism and content creation.

Addressing the evolving landscape, Al-Mouallimi pointed to the challenges posed by AI in content production while urging industry professionals to seize the vast potential it offers.

Speaking about SRMG’s role, he said: “We’ve dedicated several of our publications—including Asharq Al-Awsat, Manga, Arriyadiyah, Al-Eqtisadiah, and Thmanyah—to support sports media and contribute to the development of its economic ecosystem.”

Saudi Viewers and the Future of Sports Broadcasting

Fahad Al-Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer of SSC Channels, stated that Saudi Arabia’s sports sector is currently undergoing a phase of remarkable growth, supported by forward-thinking regulations and a massive fan base. This, he said, positions the Kingdom as a global hub for major international sporting events.

During a session titled “Television Broadcasting and the Future of Sports Streaming”, Al-Ahmad observed a rising demand for sport-specific content, reflecting the maturity of the Saudi viewer and their growing interest in technical and analytical depth. He described this trend as a promising opportunity to expand the reach and quality of sports broadcasting.

Al-Ahmad called for greater investment in media talent: “We need specialized training programs for each sport. With over 90 sports federations and a passionate generation of Saudi youth, we can build a professional media system capable of delivering world-class coverage.”

Content Quality and Media Responsibility

Turki Alajmah, presenter at Rotana Channels, stressed the importance of maintaining high standards in media production. He warned against treating television like social media, emphasizing the need for professionalism, credibility, and editorial integrity.

“Content quality remains the cornerstone of trust between media and the public,” Alajmah said. “A media professional’s role is not just to entertain, but to inform and shape public understanding.”

He also pointed to challenges facing local media, including limited access to athletes and events due to a lack of broadcasting rights and the increasing appearance of sports figures on international platforms—factors that weaken local media’s influence and reach.

TikTok Launches Saudi Sports Program

Mohamed Harb, Director of Partnerships at TikTok for the Middle East and North Africa, announced the launch of a dedicated Saudi sports program on the platform. He stated that the initiative would significantly boost engagement across a range of sports and increase visibility for athletes and clubs on a larger scale.

Navigating the Digital Shift in Sports Media

In a session titled “Sports Media: Between Challenges and Aspirations”, Adel Alzahrani, Deputy Minister of Sports for Media and Marketing, discussed the ongoing disruption brought by social media and digital platforms. He emphasized the importance of adapting to these changes to maintain relevance and visibility.

Alzahrani underlined the need for deep audience research, noting that consumption patterns and communication habits have evolved. Understanding platform algorithms and engagement mechanisms, he said, is now essential to crafting effective media strategies.