dirty gloves s2 e7Filip Stankovic’s surprising insightIt was a sensational Saturday for the Serbian goalkeeper against the Neapolitans – the sort of day that doesn’t come along very often for a goalkeeper. A series of decisive saves began after sixty minutes of play and reached its climax with the save that denied Stanislav Lobotka the joy of scoring.byGiovanni Battistuzzi20 OCT 26
Serie AIn Monza, Ivan Jurić has got back on track, but there is still a long way to goDespite picking up seven points from seven matches, the style of football displayed by the Biancorossi paints a very different picture. The four goals they scored against Cagliari – until yesterday the league’s best defence – are proof of this. Now they face an extremely tough run of fixturesbyFederico Giorgetti20 OCT 26
2026–2027George, James and Antetokounmpo. The new NBA season is a star-studded startTonight marks the start of the 81st season of the American top flight. The Celtics’ line-up will also feature the former Sixers player, but all eyes are on The King’s first regular-season match with Philadelphia. It’s also a fresh start for the Greek former Milwaukee player, now wearing the Heat’s colours. byAlessandro Villari20 OCT 26
olive s5 e7Gianluca Gaetano has not been left behindFootball in recent years can be paradoxical: it fields big, physical strikers with a fierce tackling style and an exuberant competitive spirit, whilst leaving behind those who can do marvellous things with the ball. The Atalanta midfielder is a prime example of thisbyGiovanni Battistuzzi19 OCT 26
In the basketBen Simmons and the curse of talentIt looked as though he was enjoying a renaissance with Sacramento. Instead, a new, serious injury has once again derailed the career of the former Australian star, which has been in limbo for years amid dashed expectations, psychological fragility and physical problemsbyMarco Gaetani19 OCT 26
nflFor the L.A. Chargers, the McDaniel approach isn’t working: from Super Bowl favourites to 0–6 The arrival of the Dolphins’ former offensive guru was supposed to cement Justin Herbert’s status and revive Los Angeles. Instead, the franchise remains winless and the coach’s future is already the subject of debatebyMichele Tossani19 OCT 26
Still imageIsaksen’s déjà vu against JuventusThe Danish winger at Juventus Stadium took a photograph of a photograph, allowing Lazio to continue enjoying a day at the very top of the tablebyEnrico Veronese19 OCT 26
ovalia“Rugby is a peaceful war”. Interview with Michela Sillari“The standard has risen enormously – both technically and physically – amongst both the men’s and women’s teams. And there’s been a shift in attitude too. Even now, in Italy, 99 per cent of people think rugby is exclusively a men’s sport. All we can do is explain, patiently, that women’s rugby is also a contact sport, a game of skill.” Says the centre for the national teambyMarco Pastonesi19 OCT 26
THE PORTRAIT OF BONANZAThe fear of winningItalian women’s teams in Europe lack self-confidence; they get nervous even before the match begins. And if they start strongly – as Roma did when they literally dominated Real Madrid – at a certain point they almost feel guilty, and they slip back into the depths of despair.byAlessandro Bonan17 OCT 26
Il Foglio Sportivo – That wins the bestNot even Shakira will be able to get Infantino off our backsIt remains to be seen whether the Manchester City scandal will persuade Pep Guardiola to abandon his moralisingbyJack O'Malley17 OCT 26