Serie A side Fiorentina will lock horns with Premier League outfit West Ham in the UEFA Europa Conference League 2022-23 final at Eden Arena in Prague, Czech Republic in the early hours of Thursday, June 8. The match will kick off at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).

Under the tutelage of Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina pipped Swiss football club Basel 4-3 (on aggregate) in the two-legged semi-finals to book their place in the UECL 2022-23 final.

The Italian side has been impressive in the European competition this season. Vincenzo’s men earlier finished second in Group A with four wins, one draw and one loss to advance to the knockout round play-offs.

Fiorentina thrashed Braga 7-2 (on aggregate) in the knockout round playoffs, before hammering Sivasspor 5-1 (on aggregate) in the Round of 16. They continued their brilliant run by overcoming Lech Poznan 6-4 (on aggregate) in the quarter-finals.

On the other hand, the David Moyes-coached West Ham beat Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar 3-1 (on aggregate) in the two-legged semi-finals to stay in contention for silverware.

While West Ham struggled in the Premier League this season, they managed to excel in the European competition.

The Hammers topped Group B with six wins in six matches. They later pummelled AEK Larnaca 6-0 (on aggregate) in the pre-quarters, and followed it up by defeating Gent 5-2 to secure their place in the final four.

Both Fiorentina and West Ham have no injury concerns, and the fans can expect a great game as the winner will cement a place in next season’s UEFA Europa League competition.

Fiorentina vs West Ham head-to-head

Fiorentina and West Ham haven’t faced each other in recent times. The last time these two sides locked horns was in 1975. The Italian side registered a 1-0 victory in both their meetings.

Where to watch Fiorentina vs West Ham UEFA Europa Conference League 2022-23 final live in India?

The UEFA Europa Conference League 2022-23 final between Fiorentina and West Ham will be telecast live on Sony TEN 1 and Sony TEN 1 HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of Fiorentina vs West Ham UEFA Europa Conference League 2022-23 final will be available on SonyLIV.

Photo credit: Alamy

The Coppa Italia final 2023 will witness Inter Milan taking on Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, May 25. The match is slated to begin at 12:30 AM IST.

Inter Milan qualified for the final after beating Juventus 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, while Fiorentina overcame Cremonese 2-0 to set up a date with the Nerazurri for the Coppa Italia 2023.

Inter currently find themselves in third spot in the Serie A standings with 66 points from 36 games, while Fiorentina are 11th in Italy’s top flight with 50 points from 36 matches.

After a slow start to the season, Inter has found form at the business end of the campaign and has also secured a spot in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Manchester City.

That said, they suffered a defeat at the hands of Serie A champions Napoli in their last outing and needless to say, Inter will be eager to bounce back from the defeat on Thursday.

Fiorentina, on the other hand, will also be competing in two finals. After playing Inter in the Coppa Italia final, they have also set up a date with English club West Ham United in UEFA Conference League final next month.

However, their primary focus at the moment will be on the Coppa Italia final 2023 against Inter. All in all, Fiorentina has competed in eleven Coppa Italia finals, winning six of them and losing five.

They lost appeared in a Coppa Italia final in 2014 and lost to Napoli. Their last win in a Coppa Italia final came in 2001 against Parma.

Over the course of the ongoing campaign, Fiorentina has faced Inter twice, losing 3-4 once and winning 1-0 at the San Siro in the other fixture.

Inter are, of course, defending Coppa Italia champions after winning the trophy last season and they will be eager to mount a successful title defence and add to the eight times that they have won this trophy.

As far as the overall head-to-head between these two teams goes, Inter has won 77 of the 185 previous meetings between the sides. Fiorentina has won 50 times and there have also been 58 draws between these teams.

A win in the final will see Inter match Roma’s haul of 9 Coppa Italia triumphs. Juventus with 14 Coppa Italia triumphs is the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

Where to watch Coppa Italia final 2023 between Fiorentina and Inter Milan live in India?

There will be no live streaming of the Coppa Italia 2023 final in India.

There will be no live telecast of the Coppa Italia 2023 final on any TV channel in India.

Photo credit: Alamy

Juventus entertain Fiorentina in the second leg of the Coppa Italia 2021-22 semi-final at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on Thursday, April 21. The match will kick off at 12:30 AM IST (Indian Standard Time).

Juventus vs Fiorentina odds for Coppa Italia 2021-22

Juventus: 1.92

Fiorentina: 3.95

Draw: 3.50

Click here to check football betting odds.

Note: Odds are subject to change.

Juventus vs Fiorentina recent form

Juventus secured a 1-1 draw against Bologna in their last outing to remain fourth on the Serie A points table. The Bianconeri have two wins in their last five games across all competitions and will be aiming to rediscover their winning formula against Fiorentina. The record 14-time Coppa Italia winners and defending champions will be without at least five first-team players for the tie, including the likes of Federico Chiesa and Arthur Melo.

As for Fiorentina, the Viola are unbeaten in their last five competitive matches across all competitions. Fiorentina are coming off a 1-0 win over Venezia to go equal on points (36) with Lazio on the Serie A standings. Vincenzo Italiano, have only one major injury doubt in experienced midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura as his Fiorentina side are looking to qualify for their first Coppa Italia final since 2014.

Inter Milan: D, W, L, W, L

AC Milan: W, W, W, D, W 

Juventus vs Fiorentina head-to-head

Juventus and Fiorentina have faced each other in 186 official meetings across all competitions, with Juventus leading the head-to-head with 88 wins. Fiorentina, meanwhile, have secured 40 victories.

As far as the Coppa Italia is concerned, Fiorentina have picked up more wins (6) in 15 clashes against Juventus (5).

In the last five meetings across all competitions, Juventus have fared better with three wins, a draw and a defeat.

Juventus vs Fiorentina prediction for Coppa Italia 2021-22

Juventus are outright favourites to win the second leg semi-final match of their Coppa Italia 2021-22 encounter against Fiorentina.

Juventus�?overall head-to-head advantage give them better odds of a victory over Fiorentina on Thursday, but the latter’s recent form makes them a tough opponent for the Bianconeri who are aiming to continue their title defence by reaching the Coppa Italia 2021-22 final.

Featured photo: AFP / ALBERTO PIZZOLI

Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz is days away from becoming a new Chelsea player after it was confirmed that the clubs have agreed a package of �?0m plus �?0m in add-ons for the midfielder. The official announcement is just around the corner. 

Meanwhile, Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has reportedly completed his medical ahead of his quoted £22m move to Everton. There have been a lot of developments in the transfer market as the new 2020/21 season nears, and we look at the top stories from Europe.

Fiorentina closing in on Lucas Torreira

Lucas Torreira’s future has been thrown in the air recently, and reports have emerged that Serie A side Fiorentina are on the verge of luring the midfielder away from London for a fee of around £21.3m.

The Uruguayan arrived at the Emirates in a £26m deal from Sampdoria on the back of a stellar performance in the FIFA World Cup. He took no time in establishing himself as a fan favourite, but things haven’t panned out well recently. He has fallen back in the pecking order under Mikel Arteta and given the fact the Spaniard is chasing Atletico’s Thomas Party, it’s in the best of interest for all parties to part ways.

both Fiorentina and Torino are in talks with Arsenal for Torreira. Lucas strongly wants to come back to Italy. Never had any talk for a swap with Diawara (Arsenal are not interested )

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 4, 2020

Torreira has been tipped to return to Italy and was even linked with AC Milan last summer, but Arsenal somehow managed to keep him on. As things stand, Metro Sports quote that the Gunners have reportedly agreed to loan him to Fiorentina for £7.1m, and the Italian club will have an option of making the deal permanent for £14.2m at the end of his loan tenure.

Manchester United make �?0m offer for Sergio Reguilon

Days after acquiring Donny van de Beek from Ajax, Manchester United have reportedly made a shocking �?0m (around £26.8m) bid for Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon, who spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Sevilla.

The 23-year-old full-back is being monitored by a host of European clubs including the likes of Juventus, Tottenham, Sevilla and even Napoli, and given the fact that Reguilon himself knows that he is way down the pecking order at Real, he is expected to leave the La Liga champions this summer.

As for United, they are rightly expected to be the favourites as they are willing to offer a long-term deal, while Sevilla will only look for another extension. Ole Gunnar Solskaer’s interest in a left-back has come after it was quoted that he tends to move Brandon Williams to right-back position as a cover for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. This would leave him short of options on the left side, with Luke Shaw being the only one available. And thus an interest in Reguilon.

Lionel Messi could stay at Barcelona

Lionel Messi’s father and agent Jorge Messi has hinted that there’s a big possibility that the Argentine might see off his contract - which runs until 2021 - with Barcelona after the talks between him and the clubs went ‘well�?

Messi’s representatives arrived in Catalunya on Wednesday, and several stories have since been fabricated. Upon touching down, Messi Sr. had said he did not 'know anything' when quipped about the 33-year-old’s future. As thing stand, any club which intents to land Messi need to pay his �?00m (£630m) release clause.

In a recent development, his father has told Mediaset that the talks with Barcelona have went 'well' and the player might remain with the Blaugrana until the end of his current contract in 2021.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Rafael Marchante

Four Sampdoria players, including one who had previously recovered, and three from Fiorentina have tested positive for the recent disease, the two Serie A clubs announced on Thursday.

"During the tests to which the footballers were subjected, three new cases emerged, with one player testing positive again," Sampdoria said in a statement.

Top clubs in Italy are testing team members and staff as they prepare to return to training facilities this week for individual sessions.

Earlier Fiorentina had revealed that three players and three of the club's staff had tested positive, taking this week's tally among Italy's top-flight clubs to eight after Torino announced on Wednesday that one player had the virus.

Five Samp players -- Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Morten Thorsby, Antonio La Gumina and Manolo Gabbiadini -- had previously suffered from COVID-19, along with the club doctor.

#COVID19: comunicazione U.C. #Sampdoria del 7 maggio 2020 ➡️ http://t.co/oUvawd1tDb pic.twitter.com/MQnsHtlBkF

�?U.C. Sampdoria (@sampdoria) May 7, 2020

Three Fiorentina players -- Patrick Cutrone, German Pezzella and Dusan Vlahovic -- also tested positive in March, but have since been given the all-clear.

Fiorentina said that the rest of the team will undergo tests on Friday in preparation for the start of training, which will be on a voluntary basis.

On Thursday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) met the government's technical-scientific committee to discuss the medical protocol for a potential return to group training.

Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said after the meeting he was "hopeful" team training could resume of May 18.

"There has been a very important, very in-depth meeting, with many requests from doctors and scientists to the FIGC," Spadafora said on Facebook.

"Now the committee, on the basis of these insights, will draw up its own assessment which will be sent to the Ministry of Health."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Marco Bertorello

The 2019/20 Serie A season has been an action-packed one, filled with big wins, nail-biting finishes and huge upsets along the way. It had the makings of one of the most closely-contested title races in Italy that we’ve seen in recent years until the coronavirus pandemic struck and the season had to be suspended last month.

With the season currently on an indefinite pause, SportsAdda takes a look back at five of the best matches from the 2019/20 Serie A season so far.

Juventus 4-3 Napoli (August 2019)

Aside from two early title contenders facing off, the event also marked Maurizio Sarri’s first match against former employers Napoli. Naturally, fireworks were expected and we were not disappointed.

Read | Top five matches in the 2019/20 Bundesliga season so far

Within twenty minutes, Danilo and Gonzalo Higuain had put Juventus two goals ahead, and once Cristiano Ronaldo made it 3-0 in favour of the reigning champions at the hour mark, it felt like the game was done and dusted.

However, Napoli rallied back with vigour. Quickfire goals from Kostas Manolas and Hirving Lozano brought the Partenopei right back into it before Giovanni Di Lorenzo squared things up in the 81^st minute, completing an unlikely turnaround.

The drama wasn’t over though. Into the stoppage time, Kalidou Koulibaly diverted the ball into his own net, handing Juventus a crucial win early in the campaign breaking Napoli’s heart after their sensational second-half display.

Atalanta 2-2 Fiorentina (September 2019)

Atalanta have been one of the most prolific teams in Serie A over the past couple of seasons. So, when they were two goals down against Fiorentina courtesy of a Jose Luis Palomino own goal in the first half and a Franck Ribery strike in the second, it would’ve been imprudent to count them out of the contest yet.

With a handful of minutes left and no changes to the scoreline, it started to feel like Fiorentina were going to walk away with three points. That’s when Josip Ilicic struck, in the 84^th minute, to pull one back and set the game up for an entertaining finish.

Read | Top five matches in the 2019/20 La Liga season so far

Mario Pasalic seemed to have levelled it up in the 91^st minute, but his goal was ruled out by VAR due to handball in the buildup, handing Fiorentina a lifeline. However, Timothy Castagne pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in the final minute of stoppage time, unleashing a fierce volley to send his teammates, his manager and supporters into a frenzy.

Cagliari 4-3 Sampdoria (December 2019)

This was a game in which Cagliari snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The hosts had been pegged back by Sampdoria through a Fabio Quagliarella penalty in the first half, before Gaston Ramirez had made it 2-0 early in the second period.

But Cagliari fought back hard as Radja Nainggolan pulled one back for his side in the 69^th minute. However, Quagliarella would strike in the next minute itself to restore the visitors�?two-goal cushion again. With their back against the wall, Cagliari rallied, and a quickfire double from Joao Pedro in the 74^th and 76^th minute brought the teams on level terms.

It looked like the spoils would be shared between the two sides, but five minutes into stoppage time, Alberto Cerri found the back of the net to send the home crowd into raptures, capping off a sensational comeback.

Inter Milan 4-2 AC Milan (February 2020)

The Derby Della Madonnina is always a special occasion in Serie A, with AC Milan and Inter Milan reviving their intense rivalry on the field, and on this occasion in February, it was no different.

AC Milan hadn’t had the best season, while Inter were pushing for the title. Antonio Conte’s side, therefore, went in as the favourites.

But the Rossoneri stunned everyone, as Ante Rebic handed them the lead in the 40^th minute before Zlatan Ibrahimović made it 2-0 early in the second half. Inter, though, did not lose hope. Goals from the unlikeliest of sources �?Marcelo Brozovic and Matias Vecino �?brought them right back into the game, as both teams upped the ante in search of a winner.

Read | Top five matches in the 2019/20 Premier League so far

The turnaround was complete in the 70^th minute when Stefan de Vrij found the back of the net. Romelu Lukaku then added the cherry on top, finishing off a fine counter-attacking move late in the going.

It was yet another riveting and pulsating encounter between the two behemoths of Italian football.

Lecce 2-7 Atalanta (March 2020)

To be fair, Atalanta have scored seven goals in two more games along with this and either of them would have been a justified addition to this list. However, this one makes the list as there was some sort of fightback from the opposition, at least in the first period.

Indeed, when Atalanta were 2-0 up halfway through the first period due to a Guilio Donati own goal and a Duvan Zapata strike, Lecce rallied back and levelled things up well before half-time as Riccardo Saponara and Donati found the back of the net.

However, after the restart, La Dea stepped it up a notch and annihilated their hosts. Josip Ilicic made it 3-2 just two minutes in before Zapata completed his hat-trick with two quickfire strikes.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s men were not done though as substitutes Luis Muriel and Ruslan Malinovskiy got into the act late on to add more sheen to the scoreline.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Marco Bertorello

Roberto Mancini doesn’t always get the due recognition his managerial career deserves. In what is a ruthless industry, the Italian has survived close to twenty years and has achieved plenty of success along the way.

When Mancini began his career with Fiorentina in 2001, it was a time when the Viola were in huge financial trouble and had to sell some of their best players. Yet, the Italian managed to win the Coppa Italia during his ten months in charge, before joining Lazio in 2002.

Once again, coming into a club that was cash-strapped and had gotten rid of key players, Mancini guided them to the UEFA Cup semi-final in his first season and Coppa Italia the following year.

And then, Inter Milan came calling ahead of the 2004/05 season. Under Mancini, the Nerazzurri would grow into the most dominant side in Italy, winning back-to-back Serie A titles in 2005/06, 06/07 and 07/08, to add to the Coppa Italia he had won in his debut season, as well as two Italian Super Cups.

Read | Ultimate XI of players coached by Rafael Benitez

However, the partnership came to an end in 2008 due to a lack of any significant achievement in the Champions League.

After over a year out, Mancini returned to management, taking over the Manchester City project in 2009.

The 55-year-old helped kickstart the era of domestic domination at the club, leading them to the FA Cup in 2010/11, before championing their first-ever Premier League title the next season. He was sacked the following season though after City failed to win a trophy.

Mancini spent a year at Galatasaray, winning a Turkish Cup before returning to Inter in 2014 for a relatively uneventful two-year stint. The 55-year-old then spent a year with Zenit Saint Petersburg before taking over the reins of the Italian national team and helping the Azzurri qualify for the upcoming Euros.

In a career spanning such a long period, Mancini has had the chance to work with a lot of great players of the time �?Francesco Toldo, Jaap Stam, Diego Simeone, Marco Materazzi, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Didier Drogba, Wesley Sneijder, to name a few.

But who makes the cut for the Best XI among players coached by Roberto Mancini? Read on to find out.

GK: Joe Hart (Manchester City)

Toldo, Julio Cesar are greats in their own right and played key roles under Mancini during his stint in Italy. However, it is Joe Hart who gets the nod for the goalkeeping spot.

The Englishman grew into one of the best goalkeepers in England during his time with Mancini, helping Manchester City usher in an era of dominance. The shot-stopper played 149 of 191 matches Mancini managed at the Etihad, keeping 66 clean sheets in the process.

Read | Ultimate XI of players coached by Jurgen Klopp

RB: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)

One of the leaders of Mancini’s successful Inter Milan outfit, Javier Zanetti edges out fellow Argentine Pablo Zabaleta, who played a similar role at Manchester City under the Italian tactician.

Zanetti was the second-most frequently used player by Mancini, having turned 191 times out of 226 matches managed by the 55-year-old, captaining a fair share of those games as well.

CB: Ivan Cordoba (Inter Milan)

The third-most frequently used player by Mancini, Ivan Cordoba was a constant presence in the Inter Milan defence under the manager. The former Colombian international featured 162 times for Mancini at the club, helping form a solid rearguard on which the Nerazzurri’s success was built upon while scoring 11 goals along the way.

Cordoba would go on to miss a large chunk of the 2007/08 season, but there is no denying his importance to Inter’s success under Mancini.

CB: Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)

The captain of the Manchester City team that went on to make history under Roberto Mancini, Vincent Kompany’s selection in this side was a given, pipping the likes of Materazzi, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Walter Samuel. The Belgian centre-half led the City side with great grit and determination, making 153 appearances under Mancini during the Italian’s stint at the club.

Read | Ultimate XI of players coached by Antonio Conte

Kompany scored six goals during the pair’s time at the club, none more important than the one he scored against Manchester City at the Etihad that turned the title race on its head in the 2011/12 campaign.

LB: Giuseppe Favalli (Lazio/Inter Milan)

May not be the biggest name on the list, but Giuseppe Favalli was a regular member of Mancini’s side at Lazio, playing 77 of the 100 matches that the Italian took charge of. Then, the left-back followed Mancini to Inter Milan on a free transfer and was an important player for the first two seasons, before leaving for AC Milan in 2006.

In total, Favalli appeared 145 times under Mancini, scoring one and assisting seven, winning a Scudetto and three Coppa Italia trophies. Just about edges out Aleksandar Kolarov from the XI.

CM: Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan)

One of the greatest defensive midfielders during his prime, Esteban Cambiasso was an integral part of Roberto Mancini’s dominant Inter Milan side, after having joined the club on a free transfer from Real Madrid in the same summer as the Italian took over the reins. The Argentine midfielder racked up 164 appearances for the Nerazzurri during Mancini’s tenure, bagging 21 goals and setting up 13 more.

Effective in breaking up play in the middle, Cambiasso often gets overlooked in conversations about the best defensive midfielders, with the likes of Claude Makelele and Sergio Busquets getting all the plaudits. But the former Inter Milan man was equally good, if not better and proved critical to the Nerazzurri during and after Mancini’s reign.

Read | Ultimate XI of players coached by Pep Guardiola

CM: Dejan Stankovic (Lazio/Inter Milan)

The most frequently used player by Mancini during his managerial career, Dejan Stankovic enjoyed some of the finest years of his career under the Italian, first at Lazio and then at Inter Milan. The former Serbian international played 63 matches under Mancini at Lazio, scoring ten goals and setting up two more, before leaving for Inter Milan in January 2004.

Months later, he would be reunited with Mancini in Milan and the pair would go on to achieve great glory at San Siro. Stankovic featured in over 80 per cent of the matches Mancini took charge of at Inter Milan and won a lot during this period.

In total, the midfielder amassed 224 appearances under the Italian tactician, scoring 29 goals and assisting 34 more.

RW: Luis Figo (Inter Milan)

One of the finest wingers of the generation, Luis Figo showed up at Inter Milan after having already conquered Spain with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The Portuguese would go on to do the same in Italy as well, becoming a key member of Mancini’s team, helping the side to three back-to-back Serie A titles. Figo won the club’s Player of the Year award for his exploits in his debut season itself. In all, under Mancini, the Portuguese managed 115 appearances for the Nerazzurri, bagging 10 goals and assisting 26 more.

Figo played for another season at Inter after Mancini left, before retiring.

Read | Ultimate XI of active players coached by Carlo Ancelotti

CAM: Yaya Toure (Manchester City)

One of the cornerstones on which the success of the Manchester City side was built over the last decade, Yaya Toure was among the earliest signings Mancini made in England. Arriving from Barcelona in 2010, the Ivorian midfield powerhouse took the Premier League by storm, helping Mancini’s side scale the heights of success.

Toure was key to the Cityzens�?FA Cup success in his debut season, assisting a goal each in the semi-final and the final, and was one of their best players in the subsequent season as they lifted the Premier League title for the first time ever.

In total, the former Ivory Coast international played 132 times under Mancini, bagging 28 goals and assisting 24 more.

LW: David Silva (Manchester City)

Another player who arrived at Manchester City in the same window as Yaya Toure was David Silva. He became a pivotal part of the team that has dominated domestic football in England for the better part of the last decade, and the creator-in-chief for the Mancunians under Mancini for years after the Italian left.

The Spanish playmaker notched up 141 appearances for City during Mancini’s tenure, scoring 19 goals and assisting 47 more. For his role in the title-winning season in 2011/12, Silva was named Manchester City Players�?Player of the Year.

Read | Ultimate XI of players coached by Jose Mourinho

ST: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Two Argentines are in contention for this slot, both centre-forwards who played important roles in Manchester City’s rise to the top �?Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.

The former has scored the most goals among any anyone who played under Mancini, with 64 strikes from 126 matches.

The latter may have scored fewer goals �?46 in 86 games �?but he scored arguably the most important goal in the history of Manchester City and Mancini’s managerial career. The last-minute goal against QPR on the final day of the 2011/12 season that clinched the Premier League title for Manchester City will be cherished for ages by the supporters while haunting the United fans for aeons.

Tevez’s role cannot be questioned in City’s rise, but his relationship with Mancini did go sour soon after. But, that goal, that moment of magic and madness at the same time clinch it in favour of Agueroooooooooooo.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Andrew Yates

 

The Indian Super League 2020-21 season will see the entry of a new, merged entity after the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, owners of two-time champions ATK, announced that they acquired a majority stake in Mohun Bagan Football club. In an interview with esteemed journalist Boria Majumdar, Sanjiv Goenka announced that the new club will be renamed ATK-Mohun Bagan in a move which will see the century-old club permanently join the ISL.

Although this is the first merger in the history of Indian football, such events are not uncommon, with many European clubs as we know it having merged to form their present-day entities. Here is a list of five such clubs.

Read: ATK complete merger with Mohun Bagan; to play in ISL next season

AS Roma

AS Roma was founded in 1927 when Italian legend Italo Foschi initiated the merger of three older Italian Football Championship clubs from the city of Rome: Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS. The purpose of the merger was to give the Italian capital a strong club to rival that of the more dominant Northern Italian clubs of the time.

The Rome-based side won one Scudetto before being relegated at the end of the 1950-51 season and coming back up a season later and winning two more Scudettos. The Italian side has won nine Coppa Italia trophies as well. 

PSG

Arguably the most successful team on this list, Paris Saint-Germain was founded in August 1970 after the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain. PSG made an immediate impact, claiming the Ligue 2 title and winning promotion to Ligue 1 in their first season. However, their momentum was soon checked and the club split in 1972. Paris FC remained in Ligue 1, while PSG kept their name but were administratively demoted to Division 3. They got their revenge in 1974 when they returned to Ligue 1 and Paris FC slipped into the division below. 

Since their inception, Paris Saint-Germain have played 48 seasons. PSG holds many records, most notably being the most successful French club in history in terms of major trophies won- 39. They are the only club to have never been relegated from Ligue 1, and one of only two French clubs to have won a major European title.

AFC Fiorentina

AFC Fiorentina was founded in 1926 by National Fascist Party member Luigi Ridolfi, who initiated the merger of two older Florentine clubs, CS Firenze and PG Libertas. The main objective of the merger was to give Florence a strong club to rival the more dominant Italian sides of the time from Northwest Italy. The rediscovery of Calcio Fiorentino, an ancestor of modern football and rugby that was played by members of the Medici family was another reason for the merger.

The club finally reached the Serie A in 1931, going on to win two Scudettos before bankruptcy forced their relegation to the fourth tier of Italian football in 2002, promptly returning to top-flight football in the 2005-06 season.

FC Köln

The German club from Cologne was created by the merger of Kölner BC and Spielvereinigung 1907 Köln-Sülz in 1948 after the second world war. In 1963, FC Köln was selected as one of the original 16 teams to play in the Bundesliga and became the first ever Bundesliga champion in the league's inaugural 1963�?4 season. As German champions, Köln entered the 1964�?5 European Cup where they lost to Liverpool at the quarter-final stage.

In the early years of the Bundesliga, FC Köln was the most successful club in West Germany in terms of total points won. However, the early 1990s saw the club's performance fall, and in 1998 it was relegated for the first time. Since about 2000, the side has been a "yo-yo team", moving between the first and second divisions. They hold the distinction of the worst goalless run in Bundesliga history when in 2002, the club took 1034 minutes to find the back of the net again. 

Newcastle United

Among the earliest clubs to have merged into one, Newcastle united was created by the merger of Newcastle West End and Newcastle East End in 1892. The two clubs were rivals in the Northern League. In 1889, Newcastle West End were in serious financial trouble and approached East End with a view to a take-over. The club was eventually dissolved, and several of their players and backroom staff joined Newcastle East End, effectively merging the two clubs, with Newcastle East End taking over the lease on St James' Park (originally belonging to Newcastle West End) in May 1892.

After bouncing in the lower divisions, Newcastle gained promotion to the newly formed Premier League, and the club experienced their most successful period ever. They earned two consecutive runners-up finishes in the league in 1995�?6 and 1996�?7, coming very close to winning the title in the former season which included a 4�? game against Liverpool at Anfield. However, they were relegated on two different occasions, once in 2010, and then in 2016, before Champions League winning manager Rafa Benitez led them back to the Premier League in the next season.

Feature image: AFP/ Valery Hache

Franck Ribery has apologised after being suspended for three matches on Monday for pushing an assistant referee following Fiorentina's dramatic late loss to Lazio the night before.

Ribery was handed the ban after he approached assistant referee Matteo Passeri "threateningly" and uttered "disrespectful words" before pushing him after the final whistle on Sunday, said the Italian Football Federation's disciplinary panel.

"I'm very sorry for last night, I apologise to my teammates, the coach and fans," Ribery said on Twitter on Monday.

"I also apologise to Mr Passeri because at the end of the game I was very tense and angry and I hope he can understand the state I was in."

The French striker was already furious when he was taken off by coach Vincenzo Montella after 74 minutes. Television cameras showed him agitated on the bench, shouting repeatedly at Montella.

That anger had not subsided by the end of the match, which Fiorentina lost 2-1 after Lazio scored a controversial goal in the 88th minute. He pushed one of the assistant referees twice on the way to the dressing room.

The Serie A website said the former Bayern player received a red card at the time.

It also said he was fined 20,000 euros.

Ribery had made a strong start to his first season with Fiorentina, effective on the pitch and charming Italian fans and media.

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Featured image courtesy: AFP / Vincenzo Pinto