Milan Come from Behind to Beat Juventus 2-1 in Super Cup Semi-final

Soccer Football - Italian Super Cup - Semi Final - Juventus v AC Milan - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 3, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
Soccer Football - Italian Super Cup - Semi Final - Juventus v AC Milan - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 3, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
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Milan Come from Behind to Beat Juventus 2-1 in Super Cup Semi-final

Soccer Football - Italian Super Cup - Semi Final - Juventus v AC Milan - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 3, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
Soccer Football - Italian Super Cup - Semi Final - Juventus v AC Milan - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 3, 2025 AC Milan's Christian Pulisic scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini

AC Milan reached the Italian Super Cup final after coming from behind to beat Juventus 2-1 on Friday in Sergio Conceicao's first game in charge, setting up a derby decider with Inter Milan.

A second-half penalty from Christian Pulisic and an own goal by Federico Gatti completed Milan's comeback after Kenan Yildiz had fired Juve into a 21st-minute lead.

Milan will play Inter in Monday's final, after the Serie A champions overcame Atalanta 2-0 in their semi-final meeting on Thursday, where Conceicao could immediately get his hands on a trophy after replacing the sacked Paulo Fonseca as Milan manager on Monday.

The expected intrigue of a father against son battle failed to materialise, after Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao was named in the starting 11 but was withdrawn after picking up an injury in the warm-up, according to Reuters.

Conceicao's place was taken by Yildiz, and after a slow, cagey start to the game, it was the Turkish forward who broke the deadlock.

A through pass from Samuel Mbangula caught the Milan defence off guard and found Yildiz who took the ball into the area before smashing his shot into the roof of the net, beating Milan keeper Mike Maignan at his near post.

The second half began with another Yildiz effort going just wide in the opening seconds, and shortly afterwards, he played a low pass across the area but Dusan Vlahovic sent his effort wide.

Milan had a massive chance to equalise from a corner kick when the ball fell to Theo Hernandez, but he somehow managed to send a shot over the bar from close range.

The game at last opened up and Nicolo Savona's foul on Hernandez gave Milan a penalty kick in the 71st minute which Pulisic sent straight down the middle to beat Michele Di Gregorio.

Milan went ahead four minutes later, through an own goal. Yunus Musah's cross took a wicked deflection off Juve defender Gatti which took the ball past Di Gregorio who had come off his line.

"For our second-half performance, we deserved the final. In the first half I saw a Milan with many doubts, like a few weeks ago," Conceicao told SportMediaset.

"Then we spoke at halftime. We had to understand what we had to do to win and they were really brave."

Deep into added time, Juventus had one last chance to send the game to penalties, but Gatti's volleyed effort from close range went just wide.

The Milan manager embraced his son after the game before celebrating with his players, and Conceicao will now aim to stop Inter from winning their fourth consecutive Super Cup trophy.

"The second half was completely different, but we haven't done anything yet," Conceicao said.

"We have one less day of rest and this is an important factor."



Players Would Boycott French Open Over Prize Money Dispute, Says Sabalenka

17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
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Players Would Boycott French Open Over Prize Money Dispute, Says Sabalenka

17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)

Players would boycott the French Open if their prize money at the claycourt Grand Slam's is not increased, women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka said on Tuesday.

The Belarusian's threat came amid a heated disagreement between players and Roland Garros organizers over prize money distribution, despite this year's tournament offering a 9.5% increase to 61.7 million euros ($72.19 million).

Several top players released a statement ‌on Monday ‌saying they were set to receive prize money ‌that ⁠would likely still ⁠be less than 15% of tournament revenue, well short of the 22% they demanded to match ATP and WTA combined 1000 events.

When asked how far players might push their demands, Sabalenka told reporters at the Italian Open: "I think at some point we will boycott it (the tournament), yeah. I feel like that's going to be the only way to ⁠fight for our rights.

"Let's see how far we ‌can get, if it's going to take ‌players for boycott... Some of the things, I feel like it's really ‌unfair to the players. I think at some point it's going ‌to get to this."

However, the world number one struck a hopeful note about ongoing negotiations.

"I just really hope that all of the negotiation that we are having, we at some point are going to get to the right ‌decision, to the conclusion that everyone will be happy with," she added.

Reuters has contacted the French ⁠Tennis Federation for ⁠comment.

The prize money boost of 5.4 million euros compared to 2025 still leaves Roland Garros trailing its Grand Slam rivals.

The US Open offered $90 million last year while Wimbledon paid out 53.5 million pounds ($72.51 million) and the Australian Open a record A$111.5 million ($80.06 million) this year.

Sabalenka said the players deserved more prize money.

"When you see the number and you see the amount the players are receiving... I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn't be a tournament and there wouldn't be that entertainment," Sabalenka added.

"I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage. What can I say?"


Arsenal Keen to End 20-Year Wait for Champions League Final When It Hosts Atletico Madrid

 Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
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Arsenal Keen to End 20-Year Wait for Champions League Final When It Hosts Atletico Madrid

 Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)

Arsenal has waited 20 years to get back into another Champions League final, and 22 years for another Premier League title.

Now both are within reach, starting with the second leg of their semifinal at home against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The first leg ended 1-1 in Madrid last week after offsetting penalties for two teams looking for a first European Cup title. Arsenal will be hoping its home field advantage at Emirates Stadium makes the difference in the return.

“After 20 years to be in this position again,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.”

Arsenal routed Atletico 4-0 at home in the league phase in October, but expect Diego Simeone's side to be a lot more solid defensively in the return to London.

“I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.”

Both teams have been boosted by injury returns as forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico and Arteta said captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are both available.

Atletico reached the final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to crosstown rival Real Madrid.

Arsenal lost its only final in 2006 to Barcelona. This time, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich will await the winner. Those two play their second leg on Wednesday after a pulsating 5-4 win for PSG in the first leg.

Arsenal's quest for a first Premier League title was also boosted on Monday by Manchester City drawing at Everton 3-3, meaning the Gunners can clinch the trophy by winning their last three games.

Atletico is only fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona.


A Coaching Great? Luis Enrique Has PSG on Brink of Another Champions League Final

 PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
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A Coaching Great? Luis Enrique Has PSG on Brink of Another Champions League Final

 PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)

Luis Enrique will join a select group of coaching greats if he leads Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory again this season, and it is his remarkable management that has the French club tantalizingly close to reaching the final once again.

PSG head to Munich for the second leg of their semi-final against Bayern on Wednesday defending a 5-4 lead from an incredible first meeting which was one of the greatest matches in the competition's history.

"It was the best game I have been fortunate enough to be involved in as a coach," Luis Enrique said after that encounter at the Parc des Princes.

He nevertheless believes his side will need to score another three goals at the Allianz Arena in order to see off the German champions and secure a place in the May 30 final in Budapest.

But he and his side need not look too far back for inspiration -- their last visit to Munich ended in PSG hammering Inter Milan 5-0 in last season's final as they won the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Maybe, after all he has achieved in his career, Luis Enrique could have simply walked away following that triumph, his job done. But his motivation has remained intact this season.

"Last season we achieved the objective that everyone around us had been dreaming of. But we want to continue making history and that now means winning two Champions Leagues in a row," said the Spaniard on the eve of this campaign.

He has now taken PSG to the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in as many seasons since being appointed in 2023.

Thanks to him, PSG have moved on in spectacular fashion from the era of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and of regular European disappointments.

To put their consistency under Luis Enrique into more context: before his arrival, PSG had reached the Champions League semi-finals three times in their history.

His success seems to come down to that motivation, and an intensity of personality which comes across in the way his team plays -- high energy, incessant pressing, terrifying pace.

"He is the most positive person I have met in my life. He is always motivated and always in a good mood. We all learn from him and his way of seeing things," said PSG's Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaifi.

- Intensity -

His side also stand on the verge of another Ligue 1 title -- albeit their financial advantage over the rest of France's clubs makes that far less remarkable.

Luis Enrique turns 56 on Friday, but that intensity also comes across in how he lives his life.

This is a man who has competed in triathlons and run several marathons -- once going under the three-hour mark in Florence. Sometimes seen walking around the training ground barefoot, in September he fractured a collarbone after falling off his bike.

He was quickly over that injury and fully focused on PSG. So much so that the man who played in three World Cups and coached Spain in Qatar in 2022, is apparently not remotely interested in the approaching tournament in North America.

"I am the coach of PSG. I don't care about anything else. I'm not interested," he said recently in response to one World Cup-related question.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder really made his name as a coach when he led the Catalans, featuring Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey in 2015.

This season his squad management has been remarkable, albeit undoubtedly helped by that margin PSG have in Ligue 1.

Captain Marquinhos, for example, has started more games in Europe than in Ligue 1. Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele has started just nine times in Ligue 1, as many as in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, the devastating Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been arguably the best player in this season's Champions League.

Up to now it has been a triumph of management, but the biggest test awaits in Munich on Wednesday.

If PSG can see off a brilliant Bayern team, Luis Enrique will be a step closer to becoming just the fifth coach to win three European Cups or Champions Leagues, after Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola.