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Lukaku Scores 2 in Roma’s 4-1 Win at Cagliari, as Napoli Loses at Home to Fiorentina 

Roma's Romelu Lukaku jubilates after scoring the 4-0 lead during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari calcio vs AS Roma at the Unipol domus in Cagliari, Italy, 08 October 2023. (EPA)
Roma's Romelu Lukaku jubilates after scoring the 4-0 lead during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari calcio vs AS Roma at the Unipol domus in Cagliari, Italy, 08 October 2023. (EPA)
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Lukaku Scores 2 in Roma’s 4-1 Win at Cagliari, as Napoli Loses at Home to Fiorentina 

Roma's Romelu Lukaku jubilates after scoring the 4-0 lead during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari calcio vs AS Roma at the Unipol domus in Cagliari, Italy, 08 October 2023. (EPA)
Roma's Romelu Lukaku jubilates after scoring the 4-0 lead during the Italian Serie A soccer match Cagliari calcio vs AS Roma at the Unipol domus in Cagliari, Italy, 08 October 2023. (EPA)

Romelu Lukaku is making an immediate impact at Roma. Paulo Dybala, meanwhile, remains injury prone.

Lukaku scored twice in Roma’s 4-1 win at last-place Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday to raise his tally to seven goals in eight matches across all competitions with the Giallorossi.

“A lot of things were said about me, but I worked hard over the summer,” Lukaku said. “I’m a professional.”

Dybala exited the match in the first half with a left knee issue — having missed long stretches of last season due to injuries.

Lukaku used his chest to redirect in a cross from Rick Karsdorp following a set up from Leonardo Spinazzola early on. Then he took a pass from Leandro Paredes to score again with a precise shot from inside the area in the 87th.

Houssem Aouar had put Roma ahead a minute before Lukaku’s first goal and Andrea Belotti also scored for the Giallorossi after replacing Dybala.

Nahitan Nandez converted a late penalty for Cagliari.

Lukaku, who joined Roma on loan in August, has also been key in the Europa League. He scored the winner in Roma’s opening 2-1 victory over Sheriff and had the first goal in a 4-0 win over Servette on Thursday.

Lukaku said Roma coach Jose Mourinho was fundamental in his decision to move to the capital.

“I have a special relationship with (Mourinho). He knows my family. He knows my kids,” Lukaku said. “I really have confidence in him and he really has confidence in me.”

Roma moved up to 10th while Cagliari remained winless — leaving coach Claudio Ranieri at risk.

Napoli beaten

Defending champion Napoli was beaten at home for the second time in the league this season, falling 3-1 to Fiorentina — last season’s Europa Conference League finalist.

Giacomo Bonaventura scored the second goal for the Viola midway through the second half, shooting in from 12 yards after an accidental assist from Alfred Duncan.

The 34-year-old Bonaventura has been involved in the most goals among Serie A midfielders this season with four scores and two assists and on Friday was named to Italy’s squad for the first time in three years.

Josip Brekalo had put Fiorentina ahead early on by shooting through the legs of Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret from a tight angle. Then Victor Osimhen equalized with a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Substitute Nico Gonzalez sealed it for Fiorentina by finishing off a counterattack in second-half stoppage time.

Napoli was also beaten by Lazio at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in early September.

Fiorentina moved up to fourth, three points ahead of fifth-place Napoli.

It was the second home loss in six days for Napoli after also getting beaten by Real Madrid, 3-2, in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Lazio leaves it late

Lazio gave up a two-goal advantage but still managed to beat visiting Atalanta 3-2 at the Stadio Olimpico.

An own-goal from Charles De Ketelaere and a strike from Valentin Castellanos, who started at center forward in place of the injured Ciro Immobile, put Lazio up 2-0 after 11 minutes.

Ederson and Sead Kolasinac then drew Atalanta level before substitute Matias Vecino won it for Lazio seven minutes from time with an acrobatic half volley after getting set up by Castellanos, who formerly played for New York City FC.

Monza seventh

Monza moved up to seventh with a 3-0 win over struggling Salernitana, with goals from Andrea Colpani, Samuele Vignato and Matteo Pessina.

On loan from Real Madrid, Reinier Jesus scored in his Serie A debut for Frosinone in a 2-1 win for the promoted club over Hellas Verona. Matias Soule also scored for Frosinone — which is up to eighth — before Milan Djuric pulled one back for Verona.

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Sports

Arteta Urges Arsenal to Stand Up After ‘Punch in the Face’

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP)
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Arteta Urges Arsenal to Stand Up After ‘Punch in the Face’

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP)

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was a "big punch in the face", calling on his players to stand up as the club's Premier League title charge threatens to unravel.

Junior Kroupi gave the visitors a well-earned lead after 17 minutes before Viktor Gyokeres clawed a labored Arsenal back into the game from the penalty spot.

But Alex Scott restored Bournemouth's advantage in the 74th minute and Arteta's team failed to find a response, slumping to their second home defeat in the league this season.

The Gunners remain nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City with six matches to go but Pep Guardiola's men, with two games in hand, are right back in the title race.

The two teams meet next Sunday at the Etihad in a game that could be a potential title decider.

"It's a big punch in the face, that's what I said to the boys, and now it's about how we react to that," said a disappointed Arteta.

"We were very far from the level that we're shown," he added. "That's for certain, especially in certain areas that are critical and when you play against a team like Bournemouth, they were very clear.

"But again, I don't want to criticize any player, especially here, publicly."

Arsenal, on course for an unprecedented quadruple just weeks ago, have now suffered three straight defeats in domestic competitions.

They remain favorites for their first Premier League title since 2004 following three consecutive second-placed finishes.

- Mental challenge -

But Arteta admitted he faced a big challenge to lift his players mentally.

"We know what is at stake and the fact that as a club we haven't done it for so long is a reason for that," said the Spaniard.

"It talks about the difficulty but I just want to focus on the things that we can control, dominate and we have done.

"It's not that we have to do a lot of new things that we haven't done, no, let's keep doing a lot of it, or almost all the things that we've done for nine months because that's what has taken us all the way there."

The Arsenal boss said he desperately needed all his first-choice players back.

Absentees on Saturday included Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.

"We need everything, first of all we need everybody fit and available," he said.

"So the ones that are not involved, the ones that are not with us, that are really big, important players, we need them immediately with us because then we're going to be much stronger.

"And then the other ones, they need to stand up, me the first one, and embrace this challenge and go for it.

"So today we have to suffer. It's painful, it's a terrible feeling but tomorrow is a different day and if somebody would have said to me in August, we are in this position right now in April, I'm sure we would all take it."

Arsenal face Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday after a 1-0 win in the first leg.

Then four days later comes the summit meeting at City that could make or break their season.

Sports

Vacherot Savors Home Semi-Final Showdown with Alcaraz

Monaco's Valentin Vacherot celebrates after winning against Australia's Alex De Minaur during the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament quarter final tennis match on Court Rainier III at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, south-eastern France on April 10, 2026. (AFP)
Monaco's Valentin Vacherot celebrates after winning against Australia's Alex De Minaur during the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament quarter final tennis match on Court Rainier III at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, south-eastern France on April 10, 2026. (AFP)
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Vacherot Savors Home Semi-Final Showdown with Alcaraz

Monaco's Valentin Vacherot celebrates after winning against Australia's Alex De Minaur during the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament quarter final tennis match on Court Rainier III at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, south-eastern France on April 10, 2026. (AFP)
Monaco's Valentin Vacherot celebrates after winning against Australia's Alex De Minaur during the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament quarter final tennis match on Court Rainier III at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, south-eastern France on April 10, 2026. (AFP)

Monaco's Valentin ‌Vacherot said he was relishing the chance to take on world number one Carlos Alcaraz in front of friends and family after his fairytale run at the Monte Carlo Masters took him into the semi-finals on home soil.

Vacherot, who was ranked outside the top 200 before his shock Shanghai Masters triumph last year, downed Alex de Minaur 6-4 3-6 6-3 in front of roaring fans on Friday ‌and became ‌the first Monegasque player to reach ‌the ⁠last-four at Monte ⁠Carlo.

World number two Jannik Sinner, who has the opportunity to reclaim top spot from Alcaraz, meets the third-ranked Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final.

"It's such an honor to be part of the semi-finals with the three best players of the past ⁠few years," Vacherot said shortly after his ‌win in Monte Carlo ‌on Friday.

"I can't wait to play Carlos in my ‌hometown, it's amazing.

"The guys in the crowd chanting, ‌they're my best friends from when I was nine or 10 years old. It's rare for a player to have this chance to have this many people around.

"I'm ‌so lucky to have a tournament in my club."

Vacherot is projected to ⁠break into ⁠the top 20 when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday. Alcaraz was left impressed by the 27-year-old's rise.

"It's impressive, his story. He has a lot of motivation playing at home," Alcaraz said shortly before Vacherot set up their last-four clash, which takes place later on Saturday.

"He has won great matches this tournament this year. I've never played against him before, I just practiced with him once at Indian Wells. I know he's a pretty tough opponent to play."

Sports

Arteta Urges Arsenal to Pile Pressure on Man City in Title Race

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta gives thumbs up during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match between Sporting CP and Arsenal FC at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 07 April 2026. (EPA)
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta gives thumbs up during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match between Sporting CP and Arsenal FC at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 07 April 2026. (EPA)
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Arteta Urges Arsenal to Pile Pressure on Man City in Title Race

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta gives thumbs up during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match between Sporting CP and Arsenal FC at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 07 April 2026. (EPA)
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta gives thumbs up during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match between Sporting CP and Arsenal FC at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 07 April 2026. (EPA)

Mikel Arteta challenged Arsenal to pile pressure on Manchester City by extending their lead at the top of the Premier League before their title rivals play 24 hours later.

Arteta's side host Bournemouth on Saturday and second-placed City travel to Chelsea on Sunday as the title race approaches a pivotal moment.

The Gunners are nine points ahead of City, having played a game more than Pep Guardiola's team.

That lead would increase to 12 points if Arsenal defeat Bournemouth, putting City under intense pressure to take maximum points from their tricky trip to Stamford Bridge.

Asked how important it would be to move further ahead of City, Arteta told reporters on Friday: "The closer we get, the relevance and importance of the match increases, obviously, and tomorrow is a big day for us.

"The players know it, our supporters know it, it's early kick-off, so get up early, have an early breakfast, bring your lunch, bring your dinner, as you say in England, and let's go all together for it because it has to be a big day."

After losing to City in the League Cup final and to second tier Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Arsenal bounced back with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg on Tuesday.

The Gunners are chasing a first English title in 22 years, as well as their maiden Champions League crown.

And Arteta is convinced that they can finish the season with both trophies, which would finally end their six-year silverware drought since lifting the FA Cup.

"First of all, the capacity we have as a club and as a team, the will to win," Arteta said to explain his belief.

"We recognize the opportunity ahead and we are going to do our best to achieve it."

Arteta's Arsenal contract expires in 2027 and the Spaniard remains fully committed to the club after reports of talks over a new deal.

"There's no news on that. We have no time to discuss that now. The full focus is on what we have to do from here until the end of the season," he said.

"I am fully committed and really happy and I feel good. My family is good and I still have so much ambition to do with this football club, and for now we are in a good place.

"This job is about the present and what you do on the day. Give your very best and feel that you are the person that can lead and inspire the group to achieve great things for the club."