Serie A

The first leg of the Champions League derby semifinal went to Inter Milan, and it wasn't particularly close.

Internazionale smacked around AC Milan, 2-0, putting themselves in an excellent position to advance to the final against either Manchester City or Real Madrid.

Below, we'll take a look at the day's winners and losers.

Winner: Edin Džeko

It didn't take long for Inter Milan to take command of this match, thanks to an absolute wonder strike from the seemingly ageless Edin Džeko:

How's that for 37 years of age? A finish of pure class.

And footy Twitter was loving the moment, though there was a touch of surprise it was delivered by Džeko:

If there were any questions about bringing Romelu Lukaku off the bench, they were more than answered just eight minutes into the match.

Winner: Henrikh Mkhitaryan

If a 37-year-old can score a goal like that, why can't a 34-year-old get in on the action too?

Enter Henrikh Mkhitaryan, just three minutes later:

Give the man his flowers for the touch and the finish:

Sometimes, heroes come from unexpected places. You probably didn't have "Mkhitaryan scoring in the semifinals" on your UCL bingo card to start the season, but here we are.

Loser: AC Milan's Defense

Pick your adjective of choice for the Milan defense in this match, namely in the first half: Poor. Unacceptable. Porous. Drowsy. Disengaged.

Footy Twitter had a few of their own:

The fact that AC Milan had only conceded one goal in their previous six UCL matches made Wednesday's result all the more shocking. This simply wasn't the defensive effort anybody was expecting.

Loser: AC Milan's Pride

That defensive breakdown was joined by what almost felt like an apathetic approach in the midfield, and a general flatness across the board.

And this wasn't just a Champions League semifinal first leg, it was also a derby game against a hated rival, and one who has now beaten AC Milan four times in the past six matchups, with one draw in the mix.

But AC Milan simply weren't up for it, at all.

Obviously, AC Milan have the chance to save face and move on to the UCL final with huge performance next week in the second leg. But they dug themselves a deep, deep hole.

Lazio forward Ciro Immobile is currently hospitalized after suffering rib and back injuries during a car crash in Rome.

"Earlier today, following a car accident, footballer Ciro Immobile suffered a spinal distortion injury and a compound fracture of the right XI rib," Lazio said in a statement.

"The condition is currently good. The footballer remains under observation in the emergency medicine department... of the Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Polyclinic in Rome."

Immobile told police his car collided with a tram after the tram allegedly ran a red light. He was traveling with his two daughters in the car.

Seven people in addition to Immobile were taken to the hospital to check on injuries after the crash.

No timetable for his return to soccer has been determined at this time.

Former Juventus star Gianluca Vialli died Thursday at the age of 58, per ESPN.

Vialli was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017.

"Surrounded by his family, he passed away last night after five years of illness faced with courage and dignity," his family said in a statement. "We thank the many who have supported him over the years with their affection. The memory of him and his example will live forever in our hearts."

The forward won two Serie A titles and the Italian Cup three times during his career. In 1990-91, he led the league with 19 goals while helping Sampdoria top the table. The squad also won the Italian Cup three times After a move to Juventus in 1992, he helped his club win Serie A with 17 goals during the 1994-95 season.

During his final year with the club in 1995-96, Juventus won its second-ever Champions League title with a win over Ajax in the finals.

Vialli ended his career with Chelsea, becoming a player-manager and winning both the League Cup and FA Cup.

Vialla also played a significant role with the Italian national team, appearing in two World Cups and helping the squad finish in third place in 1990.

In 2019, he was hired by Italy as the delegation chief and helped the squad win the Euro 2020 title.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba paid €100,000 ($100,000) to a group that attempted to extort him, French officials said Tuesday, per Julien Laurens of ESPN.

The group allegedly includes his brother, Mathias Pogba, and childhood friends from near Paris.

Mathias recently released an Instagram video where he promised to announce "big revelations" about Paul, per Laurens. The situation reportedly stems from a claim that Paul hired a witch doctor to cast a spell on fellow French international Kylian Mbappe.

Paul addressed the issue in a statement Sunday:

"The recent declarations of Mathias Pogba on social media are unfortunately not a surprise. They are coming after threats and attempts of extortion by an organised gang against Paul Pogba.

"This has been referred to the appropriate authorities both in Italy and in France a month ago."

The group had allegedly taken Paul in an armed confrontation in March, demanding €13 million ($13 million), per Zach Lowy of Breaking The Lines. The blackmailers allegedly returned at Manchester United training in April and then again at Juventus training in July after Paul transferred to the Serie A club.

Juventus officials notified authorities, and there has been an ongoing investigation.

According to Laurens, Paul told French authorities the group wanted to discredit him and repeatedly intimidated him as retaliation for not supporting them after he became an international star. Though he said he gave a six-figure sum to the group, it was clearly not enough to end the situation.

The 29-year-old is beginning his second stint with Juventus after spending the previous six years with Manchester United. He also helped France win the World Cup in 2018.

Mathias played professionally in several countries but is now a free agent.

Yankee Global Enterprises, the LLC that owns the New York Yankees, is reportedly joining the RedBird Capital takeover of Italian soccer club AC Milan, per the Financial Times (h/t James Horncastle) of The Athletic.

RedBird Capital agreed to a €1.2billion ($1.2 billion) takeover of the defending Serie A champions in June from Elliott Advisors, which will retain two seats on the club's board.

RedBird Capital Partners is a United States investment firm founded by Gerry Cardinale, who serves as the managing partner.

The firm owns stakes in the Fenway Sports Group—which owns Liverpool, the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins—Ligue 1's Toulouse FC, the XFL and the Indian Premier League's Rajasthan Royals (cricket).

Yankee Global Enterprises also co-owns Major League Soccer's New York City FC alongside Manchester City Football Group.

According to the Financial Times, "Cardinale has worked with the Yankees for decades, including during his years at Goldman Sachs, which advised and was an early investor in the formation of the teams regional sports channel, the YES Network."

Per that report, the Yankees "will work closely with AC Milan as Cardinale tries to increase the Italian club's revenues and on-field successes," which could include "AC Milan programming on the YES Network."

The California-based investment firm Main Street Advisors—which includes LeBron James and Drake among its investors—is also reportedly joining the RedBird Capital Partners takeover.

AC Milan is one of Europe's most legendary and successful European soccer clubs, with 19 Serie A titles and seven European Cup/Champions League titles. Only Juventus has won more Serie A titles (36), while Inter Milan is even with its rivals at 19 league championships.

The club is considered one of the "seven sisters" of Italian football, joining Juventus, Inter, Lazio, Fiorentina, Roma and Napoli.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba said he is the subject of an extortion attempt after his brother, Mathias, promised "big revelations" against the world football star, per Julien Laurens of ESPN.

In an Instagram video posted Sunday, Mathias said he would reveal secrets about Paul and fellow French international Kylian Mbappe.

"The whole world deserves to know certain things so the public can decide if [Paul Pogba] really deserves the admiration, the respect, his place in the France team, if he is a trustful person and worth representing the world's youth, working-class areas and big brands," Mathias said.

Pogba responded to the threats in a statement:

The recent declarations of Mathias Pogba on social media are unfortunately not a surprise. They are coming after threats and attempts of extortion by an organised gang against Paul Pogba.

This has been referred to the appropriate authorities both in Italy and in France a month ago.

According to Zach Lowy of Breaking the Lines, Mathias was among gang members who took Paul in an armed confrontation last March and demanded €13 million for discreetly protecting him for 13 years.

Juventus' lawyers eventually notified the police after they showed up at the club's training grounds in July, per Lowy.

Paul spent the past six years with Manchester United before coming to Juventus on a free transfer this summer. It's his second stint with the Serie A club after winning four straight league titles from 2012-13 to 2015-16.

The 29-year-old also helped France win the 2018 World Cup alongside Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe.

Mathias, 32, has played in several leagues across Europe, but he is currently unsigned after leaving Belfort, a fourth-division team in France.

AC Milan midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko was searched and held at gunpoint on July 3 by Milan police, who were investigating a shooting. Video of the incident made its way to social media Monday.

Milan police said in a statement: "With reference to the video released today, related to a police check carried out against the Milan player Tiemoue Bakayoko, we underline that the check—occurred during an operation whose context justified the adoption of the highest security measures, also for self-protection purposes—was carried out in a manner that was absolutely consistent with the situation of danger. Once the person was identified and his being unrelated to the facts had been clarified, the police duties resumed regularly, without any kind of complaint on behalf of the person involved."

The Milan Police added that the situation was a "misunderstanding" but said its officers handled the situation according to procedure.

Bakayoko was released by police after being stopped.

AC Milan confirmed to CNN that the person in the video was Bakayoko but didn't comment further.

Bakayoko, 27, is heading into his second year of a two-year loan move from Chelsea. He played a part in AC Milan ending an 11-year title drought last season, appearing in 14 Serie A matches (five starts) for the club.

For his career, he's played for Rennes (2013-14), Monaco (2014-15 to 2016-17, 2019-20), Chelsea (2017-18), Napoli and AC Milan (2018-19, 2021-22 to present). While his career at Chelsea never took off after joining the club in 2017, a series of loans have seen him make an impact in France's Ligue 1 and Italy's Serie A.

While Bakayoko is on loan at AC Milan for another season, it is unclear if he will remain with the club or look to secure a permanent move at a new club. In such a scenario, Chelsea would have to end his loan and agree to his sale on the transfer market.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is sticking with AC Milan.

The Italian club announced on Monday that the star striker has signed a one-year contract extension to remain in Milan.

The seemingly ageless Ibra played an important part in AC Milan's Serie A title last season, scoring eight goals and adding three assists in 23 league appearances (11 starts).

It was the club's first title since 2011, and the 40-year-old—who rejoined AC Milan in the 2019-20 season after leaving in 2012 and making stops with PSG, Manchester United and the LA Galaxy along the way—enjoyed the triumph greatly.

"It's my greatest satisfaction. When I returned, at the press conference, I said that I would bring Milan back to the top," he said in May. "Many were laughing and now we are here, and we won the Scudetto. We made many sacrifices, but nothing is impossible. I have suffered a lot this year."

In his three seasons back with the club, Ibra has notched 33 goals and 10 assists across 60 league appearances.

While AC Milan has Olivier Giroud and summer signing Divock Origi at forward, Ibrahimovic should still provide cover at the position. It's the right role for the veteran striker after he dealt with a number of injuries in the 2021-22 campaign, including an ACL injury he underwent surgery for in May that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the calendar year.

"For the past six months I played without an ACL in my left knee," he wrote on Instagram in May (h/t The Athletic). "Swollen knee for six months. I was only able to train with the team 10 times in the last six months. Took more than 20 injections in six months. Emptied the knee once a week for six months. Painkillers every day for six months. Barely slept for six months because of the pain. Never suffered so much on and off the pitch."

But when called upon, he offered goals and a major threat in the box. AC Milan will be glad to have him back.

Paul Pogba is reportedly returning to Juventus, where he played from 2012 through 2016, on a free transfer following the conclusion of his contract with Manchester United.

ESPN's Julien Laurens reported Wednesday that Juve agreed to a four-year deal with the 29-year-old midfielder, who will formally announce the reasons behind his decision Friday on the Amazon documentary, The Pogmentary.

It's the second time Pogba will complete the United-to-Juventus switch. He started his senior career with the Red Devils in 2011 before joining the Italian club the following year.

The France international enjoyed ample success during his first stint with the Vecchia Signora, including four consecutive Serie A titles, before returning to Old Trafford.

Pogba's second stint with United didn't yield nearly as much success as the club raised just two trophies, the Europa League and EFL Cup titles in 2017, and his role diminished throughout the 2021-22 season. He tallied one goal and nine assists in 20 Premier League matches and no goals or assists in six Champions League appearances.

Last week, the midfielder explained on Uninterrupted (h/t ESPN) he was using his opportunity to move on a free transfer to find the best personal situation.

"I need to enjoy what I do because otherwise I cannot perform well," Pogba said. "I don't want to be thinking negatively. We can be losing games, trophies but you have to be happy and enjoy yourself—that's what I'm looking for."

The 2018 World Cup champion, who's expected to help France defend that title in Qatar starting in November, opted for Juventus amid reported interest from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

He'll attempt to provide a boost to the Juve attack. In 2021-22, the club finished fourth in the Serie A table and got knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16.

Pogba, who's scored 34 goals in 178 matches across all competitions for Juventus, is a strong bet to produce a bounce-back term starting in August.

Former Los Angeles Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes he's the greatest player to ever step on an MLS field.

Ibrahimovic, who spent two seasons in L.A. before joining AC Milan to continue his decorated European club career, said Friday on ESPN's Gab & Juls Show the North American league helped him "feel alive" but didn't provide enough competition to seriously challenge him.

"But the problem was I was still too alive," he said. "So I was too good for the whole competition. That is what I showed. And I'm the best ever to play in MLS and that is not me having ego or trying to show off now. That is true."

Ibrahimovic was speaking in terms of players' overall accomplishments, not the best player based solely on their MLS performance.

The 40-year-old Swede did enjoy success during his short stay stateside. He recorded 53 goals in 58 appearances for the Galaxy, including several highlight-reel moments.

He's far from the only European star who's made the MLS move during the latter stages of their career, however, so he might face a debate about whether he's clearly the best player to grace the North American league.

Some notables include David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka. None of them were at their peak when they arrived, but they all helped bring some prestige to help grow MLS.

Ibrahimovic said on the Gab & Juls Show he didn't encounter the lack of interest that players warned him about before he signed with the Galaxy in 2018.

"And I'm very proud I played for the MLS, because they were saying to me the stadiums are pretty empty when you play in that," he said. "There was no empty stadiums when I was playing. It was even overbooked, so I cannot complain, and I'm very happy I was there."

The 11-time Ballon d'Or nominee added it's possible he could follow in Beckham's footsteps, eventually returning to the MLS as a club owner following his on-field retirement.

He didn't give a timetable for when that could happen, but his performance has dipped a bit for AC Milan during the 2021-22 season. He's tallied just eight goals in 24 matches across all competitions while splitting time between starting and reserve roles.

That said, Ibrahimovic's legacy as one of the best strikers in history is already set in stone after a decorated career that also featured stops at Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.