Italy

Napoli clinched the Serie A title on Thursday with five games to spare as they ended a 33-year drought stretching back to when Diego Maradona led them to the Scudetto in 1990.

At the start of the season it would have been difficult to envisage Napoli becoming champions ahead of heavyweights such as Juventus and the two Milan clubs not to mention AS Roma.

AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud said that USMNT star Christian Pulisic was a “happy boy” at Chelsea when they played together, compared the American to Eden Hazard and claimed he’d be welcomed in Milan.

Giroud made a guest appearance on the CBS Sports GOLAZO! Network on Thursday and shared his experiences of playing with Pulisic. The 36-year-old Frenchman and Pulisic played together for two seasons at Chelsea in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, winning the UEFA Champions League in the process.

Here’s what Giroud had to say about Captain America.

AS Roma manager José Mourinho stole a move straight out of the pages of a spy novel when he wore a wire on the touchline during his team's 1-1 draw at Monza in Serie A on Wednesday, which he said was to protect himself from the match officials.

Mourinho, who is no stranger to clashes with referees, tore into Daniele Chiffi after the game, describing the 38-year-old official as "the worst I've ever encountered."

Europe's top soccer nations face a broadcast blackout for this year's Women's World Cup unless media can improve on their "disappointing" offers for the rights, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

Offers from "Big 5" European countries were not acceptable to football's world governing body and a "slap in the face" of the players and "all women worldwide", Infantino said.

The 'Big 5' nations are Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

MILAN — Italy's top sports body on Thursday canceled a decision to dock Serie A club Juventus 15 points in a case centered on the club's transfer dealings, ordering soccer authorities to hold another hearing.

With eight games left to play, the decision will lift Juventus from seventh to third in the Serie A table - with 59 points, still 16 behind leaders Napoli but back into the qualifying spots for the lucrative European Champions League.