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Wolves striker Raul Jimenez admits having clubs like Barcelona and Liverpool interested him is "incredible".

The 29-year-old has been in fine form this season, scoring 22 goals across 44 appearances in all competitions, while also chipping in a further 10 assists. 

Jimenez's strong form has seen rumours swirl of a potential summer move, though the coronavirus pandemic may make a transfer difficult for the Mexico international, who is currently contracted until 2023. 

While quick to point out that reported interest from clubs to date is yet to be proven, Jimenez concedes the idea of Europe's best clubs taking notice of him is motivating. 

"It is something very cool, I do not know if they will be true, they are rumours," Jimenez said in a YouTube interview with Jessica Coch. 

"Since they are talking about me, different teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool - they are teams that are important in football history.

"It is an incredible thing to be on the radar and on the lips of those teams. It is something good for me to continue growing, making an effort and taking it as an incentive so that, if possible, I can achieve it."

With so many teams being linked with the Mexican star, Jimenez was hesitant to reveal which club he'd liked to play for most in case it comes back to haunt him. 

"My dream team? Whatever one that signs me would be incredible," he said. 

"Imagine that right now I tell you one and in the end I go to the rival, they will reproach me all the time, I will get into trouble!" 

Jimenez's Wolves teammate Ruben Neves recently shutdown transfer speculation surrounding a number of players at the club, stressing they all remain focused on simply playing the game. 

“There has always been speculation since I’ve got here about our team," Neves told The Guardian. 

“But we don’t think about it. We want to be together for as much time as we can but it’s football, the speculation will always be there. Our job is to play and leave this for the people who need to take care of it.”

Wolves return to Premier League action on Saturday against West Ham.

When a league title is on the line, Real Madrid would surely prefer to avoid a match against Valencia. Los Che, as Valencia are often known, have actually been a thorn in Real Madrid’s side time and time again over the years, often causing the capital city club pain in the final weeks of the season.

In recent years, that has certainly been the case. In five of the past six seasons, these two teams have met each other down the stretch, during the final 10 matches of the league season, and Valencia have forced Real Madrid to drop expensive points on three of these five occasions.

This year, they’ll once again meet in the final 10 matches of the campaign. In what will be these two teams’ second match back following the coronavirus-enforced pause in Spanish football, they’ll go head to head in unfamiliar surroundings for LaLiga fans: the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium in Real Madrid’s training complex which will host the team for the remainder of the campaign.

The overall record between these two teams from their 169 previous La Liga meetings is 87 Real Madrid wins, 45 Valencia wins and 37 draws. However, in recent years their respective records have squeezed together significantly. Over their past 12 La Liga meetings, there have been four Real Madrid wins, three Valencia wins and five draws, making for a Real Madrid winning percentage of 33.3% and a Valencia winning percentage of 25%.

Recent Real Madrid vs Valencia matches have been some of the most exhilarating sharing of the spoils in recent memory.

Of the five draws in their last 12 encounters, four ended 2-2, each with an equaliser in the final 10 minutes. And the only 1-1 draw proved the most dramatic encounter of them all. It came earlier this season at Mestalla, back in December. With Real Madrid trailing to a Carlos Soler goal deep into stoppage time, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois went up for a corner. The Belgian got his head on the ball, forcing a save from his opposite number which fell to Karim Benzema who fired int the roof of the net. But as euphoric as Zinedine Zidane’s men were, it showed once again that Valencia are a team they often struggle against.

Valencia have a strong pedigree of their own. With six LaLiga titles to their name and the current Copa del Rey champions (having beaten Barcelona in the final last season), the side from Spain’s eastern coast are one of LaLiga’s all-time giants. When they go head to head with Real Madrid this Thursday, they’ll rightfully be confident of springing a surprise. 

Watch Real Madrid vs Valencia this Thursday on SuperSport 7 at 22:00 CAT.

When Valencia fans start thinking about this Thursday’s La Liga Santander clash with Real Madrid, they’ll have painful memories of dramatic equalisers on their minds. One will be the 97th minute equaliser they conceded just days ago in their 1-1 draw to city rivals Levante. The other will be Karim Benzema’s 95th minute equaliser at Mestalla, assisted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois when these two sides met back in December.

Valencia’s season has been full of ups and downs, yet so too has Real Madrid’s. With ten matches to go for each of these teams and the sides fighting for the La Liga title and European qualification respectively, there are no signs of the drama letting up when the historic rivals square off this Thursday evening.

Real Madrid are at the heart of the title race and need three points to try to keep pace with their rivals Barcelona. Not since 2017 have Real Madrid won the league title and coach Zinedine Zidane is determined to bring the trophy back to the capital.

Valencia, meanwhile, are pushing to try to qualify for European competition in 2020/21. They’re some way off the pace in the race for the top four, which entails Champions League qualification, and the two points they just threw away against Levante at the last gasp didn’t help. Yet Valencia finished last season strong, taking 21 points from their final 10 matches in 2018/19. Coach Albert Celades, who played from Real Madrid during his playing career, will therefore be confident of springing a surprise.

The visitor’s front line of Rodrigo Moreno and Maxi Gomez is one of the most potent attacking pairs in La Liga, with Rodrigo producing an excellent finish from a tight angle in the derby against Levante on Friday. Celades also has the über-talented duo of Goncalo Guedes and Ferran Torres to call on from the flanks and though both are coming off injuries they’ll be encouraged by the fact they’ve had two days rest more than Real Madrid.

Over Real Madrid, the enforced break due to Covid-19 has given forwards Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio time to recover from injury, despite previously being ruled out for the rest of the season. Zidane can also call on young Brazilian wingers Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, whose unpredictability is always a wild card. At the other end is Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian international goalkeeper who’s currently leading the way in the race for La Liga’s top goalkeeper. And, if he does go up for a late set-piece, who knows what can happen!

No matter when in the season these two teams meet and no matter the circumstances, matches between Real Madrid and Valencia tend to be on the entertaining side. These two teams have met 169 times in La Liga over the years, with Real Madrid winning 87 encounters, Valencia 45 and 37 draws.

Over their past 12 La Liga meetings, however, it’s been more closely matched. Since 2014, there have been four Real Madrid wins, three Valencia wins and five draws: four 2-2 draws and the dramatic 1-1 from last time out.

It’s anyone’s guess what’ll happen this time around, as both teams look for three points to help with their different ambitions. Another interesting side note for this game: it’ll be played at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium, usually the home ground of Real Madrid’s reserve side Castilla, as the Santiago Bernabeu undergoes construction work.

Watch Real Madrid vs Valencia this Thursday on SuperSport 7 at 22:00 CAT.

Brescia's young star Sandro Tonali is ready to play for a "top, top club" amid strong links to Juventus and Inter, said former Italy international Federico Balzaretti.

Tonali is highly coveted following his exploits for Brescia – the Italian midfielder attracting interest from the likes of Serie A champions Juve, Inter, Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona.

The 20-year-old, compared to Italian great Andrea Pirlo, has been tipped to join either Inter or Juve at the end of the 2019-20 coronavirus-hit season.

Balzaretti hailed "special" three-time international Tonali in an interview with Stats Perform News.

"Tonali, the first time I watched him, his passing [stood out]," former Torino, Palermo, Juve, Fiorentina and Roma full-back Balzaretti said.

"His idea, to pass and to play vertical. He is totally different to Andrea Pirlo but he could play together with Pirlo. It would be a great, great partnership because he is more physical maybe than Pirlo.

"What Andrea has is a light interior and a vision to map the field, to play under pressure and understand one or two times before other players. Tonali doesn't have that yet.

"But of course, Tonali is a great character. His defensive numbers are very high in the league. When you watch him after 10-15 minutes, you say okay he will be a national team player for the next 15 years.

"It's impressive. I watched him three years ago, he is very young. It's unbelievable. He is an incredible player. He is ready to play for a top, top club in Europe – if it's Juventus, Inter, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, I don't know, it doesn't matter. He is ready for the next step."

Tonali is set to shape the future of Italian football alongside fellow 20-year-old and Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo.

Zaniolo has flourished in the Italian capital since arriving from rivals Inter in 2018, establishing himself as a key player for Roma and Italy.

The attacking midfielder, who is continuing his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, has been linked with a move away from Roma.

A possible return to Inter has been mentioned, while Juve have reportedly had an offer rejected amid reports Roma could be forced to sell prized asset Zaniolo due to their financial situation.

"It's very important to keep the best player, of course," Balzaretti, who spent three years playing for Roma before retiring in 2015, said.

"But also, there is the financial part, which is sometimes more important because if you have a big debt, you have to sell, sometimes the management doesn't want to sell but they need to.

"When you need to sell, the offer comes for the best player you have. Clubs aren't stupid. They don't want to buy your worst player, they want your best player. Sometimes you need to.

"The problem is not to sell this kind of player, maybe it's a problem, but the first thing is to have a good balance financially. You have to be stable. You don't need to sell players, Zaniolo or someone else. This is the goal for this kind of club for me. Sometimes, you don't want but if you have less €100 million, you need to sell because if not, FIFA will kill you.

"If you want to win the league, be stable in the Champions League, compete with the best clubs, you have to keep your best player. If they are young, like Zaniolo and [Lorenzo] Pellegrini, that can improve and be part of your future, of course it's not good. But if you ask everyone in Rome, the president and sport director, no one wants to sell their best player and sometimes you have to."

The 38-year-old added: "Zaniolo is a modern player physically. The power, amazing power. He is fast, he kicks well, he is a very modern player. He can play in midfield, wide, he can play number 10. A complete midfielder, an offensive midfielder.

"His impact in Serie A is so huge. You have to think that he played in Primavera, so under-19. His step was U19 direct to Serie A and not direct to Serie A to one 'normal club', with Roma and the pressure you have at Roma is amazing, so huge. His impact was more huge than the pressure he has. When you are special, you do something like that."

Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak became the fastest goalkeeper to reach a century of La Liga clean sheets after the team's 5-0 demolition of Osasuna.

Osasuna were put to the sword on Wednesday as Atletico star Oblak made history by keeping his 100th clean sheet from just 182 league appearances.

Slovenia international Oblak shattered the record set by Miguel Reina, who managed the same feat after 222 matches.

Speaking after reaching his milestone, Oblak declared he's feeling sharp despite the recent break from football and is eager to improve his number of clean sheets. 

"I'm feeling very good. It doesn't feel like we had a three-month break," he said. 

"I'm feeling good in goal and I think the team is too. Maybe you could tell after the first game, but now we're improving and I hope we attack the upcoming matches like we did today. 

"To be honest, I don't pay much attention to stats. I hear what people say. It's a nice milestone to reach but I hope it doesn't stay there!" 

Oblak has established himself as one of the world's best keepers since joining Atletico from Benfica in 2014.

The 27-year-old has tasted Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa de Espana success with Atletico, while he was a Champions League runner-up in 2015-16.

The Slovenian has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in Atletico history and is also the first foreigner to to bring up 100 La Liga clean sheets.

Oblak has won the Zamora Trophy, given to the La Liga keeper with the lowest goals-to-games ratio each campaign, for the past four seasons but recently stressed his focus remains on achieving Champions League glory with Atleti and not winning the individual award once again. 

"This season has been strange, one like no other, and it will not be the same when we play behind closed doors as our fans are like an extra player, but who knows how this season will end?" he told Marca. 

"Regarding the Zamora Award, I never think about it. This year it isn't just Thibaut Courtois, as there are two or three goalkeepers that are having a great season.

"But I don't care about the Zamora Award, I just want to reach the Champions League."

Atletico are fourth in the La Liga standings through 29 matches following their midweek rout of Osasuna.

Diego Simeone's men are two points clear in the fourth and final Champions League spot, though Real Sociedad are scheduled to face Deportivo Alaves on Thursday.

Lille boss Christophe Galtier has explained that Victor Osimhen’s absence from the Mastiffs’ pre-season camp is due to compassionate leave.

The young forward is currently in Nigeria to spend time with his family following the passing of his father.

Osimhen could yet re-join the French outfit for their preparatory schedules before the end of June but it is yet unclear when that would be.

With the French football season cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lille are left with no option than to prepare for next term  - as they would be campaigning in the Europa League.

Speaking to the club’s website, manager Galtier gave an update about his team as well as the whereabouts of the Super Eagles star.

“Everyone is here. Timothy Weah, who returns from injury, has a week of tests, as does Yusuf Yazici who is in an evaluation phase following his return,” he said.

“The only person missing the call is Victor Osimhen, who had the misfortune of losing his father during this terrible period and who has not been able to be close to his family.

“So we decided, with the club, to leave him with his family for the funeral. He is therefore absent for a few days.

“I send to him, like all of LOSC, my full support in this difficult period.”

The 21-year-old was announced as the club’s Player of the season, following his startling displays for the French side in the 2019-20 campaign. 

Osimhen was recruited as a replacement for Cote d’Ivoire international Nicolas Pepe who joined Arsenal in a club-record fee of £72 million.

In his debut season at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, he finished as Ligue 1 top scorer in Christophe Galtier’s team, contributing 13 goals and four assists in 27 games as they finished fourth in the league table.

The in-demand Nigerian striker has been linked to Serie A outfit Napoli as well as Premier League outfits Tottenham and Liverpool.

Meanwhile his agent Ariyo Igbayilola has insisted that the striker will not be joining Spurs unless Harry Kane leaves the club.

“We told Mourinho that if he wants Victor, will Harry Kane be leaving? If Harry Kane is still playing for Tottenham will Victor play? Because he will always be benched for him,” he told The Cable.

“Kane is their number one striker and he is the captain of England, all these will always work for him in the club but at Victor’s detriment. He needs a club where he will always play full games week in, week out. Not to be kept on the bench.”

Kalidou Koulibaly and Faouzi Ghoulam have taken to social media to celebrate Napoli’s Coppa Italia triumph over Juventus on Wednesday.

Gennaro Gattuso’s men defeated the Old Lady 4-2 on penalties after playing a goalless draw at the end of 90 minutes.

Koulibaly was in action for the entire duration of the encounter and he played a crucial role in neutralising the attacking threats of Maurizio Sarri’s side at the Stadio Olimpico.

Meanwhile, Ghoulam was an unused substitute as he continues the wait for his first competitive match since October 2019.

During the penalty shoot-out, Lorenzo Insigne, Matteo Politano, Nikola Maksimovic and Arkadiusz Milik all converted their chances for Napoli but Paulo Dybala and Danilo missed their efforts for Juventus while Leonardo Bonucci and Aaron Ramsey scored the last two.

The victory was Koulibaly's first Coppa Italia title while Ghoulam made it his second success after the 2012-13 campaign.

“The finals are played to be won. Lots of excitement: I'm happy. Napoli deserved a great win like this,” Koulibaly tweeted.

“It is such an immense joy. For us and for the fantastic Neapolitan people,” Ghoulam tweeted.

Maurizio Sarri believes Cristiano Ronaldo and his other Juventus stars are lacking sharpness after their Coppa Italia final loss to Napoli on Wednesday.

Napoli recorded a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Juve after a goalless draw in the decider in Rome.

In two games since returning to action following the coronavirus-enforced break, Juve have been held goalless.

Sarri said Ronaldo and his other attackers are lacking the level of fitness required after not playing competitive matches for more than three months.

"He's in the same shape as the others, like Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa, he is lacking the sharpness to do what works best for him," he told RAI.

"I didn't say much to the players after the game. I was angry and disappointed just like them, so at these moments it's best to stay silent. We'll talk better tomorrow morning."

Paulo Dybala and Danilo missed penalties for Juventus, who are a point clear atop Serie A ahead of resuming their league campaign against Bologna on Monday.

Sarri lamented his side's defeat and believes they are lacking some "brilliance", with Juve failing to score in back-to-back games for the first time since October 2015.

"There is disappointment for the boys, for the club, for the fans, but this is a particular moment, both for the physical condition and for some important absence," he said.

"We made different choices than usual, pressing less high to have a better grip at a distance and we played the game with good levels of application.

"Right now, however, we lack brilliance to make the amount of game produced dangerous and without that brilliance it becomes more difficult to beat the man, which our players are usually used to doing easily, and finding other solutions.

"Two 0-0s are an unprecedented fact and I think it is characteristic of this period."

Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso meanwhile felt Napoli's hard work was rewarded by a "God of football" as he claimed his first major piece of silverware as a manager. 

The Italian coach is now keen to see Napoli kick on in the closing weeks of the season in Serie A, in which they sit sixth, nine points behind fourth-placed Atalanta.

Gennaro Gattuso felt Napoli's hard work was rewarded by a "God of football" as they defeated Juventus to win the Coppa Italia.

Napoli came out on top in Wednesday's penalty shootout after a dismal 0-0 draw, with Paulo Dybala and Danilo failing from the spot in a 4-2 reverse.

The Partenopei deserved their success after seeing some big opportunities come and go, largely thanks to the brilliance of veteran Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

It represents a first major triumph for Gattuso as a coach, and he told Rai Sport: "Whoever does this job must have respect for it.

"We are lucky. This is why I get angry; there must be passion, respect, seriousness. Then there is a God of football who rewards you when you work well."

In the moments after Napoli's success, Gattuso's mind turned towards his sister, Francesca, who passed away earlier this month following a battle with cancer.

"The world of football has given me more than I deserved," he said. "But you always think of your family first. In life, when what has happened happens to you, you don't digest it."

The coach is now keen to see Napoli kick on in the closing weeks of the season in Serie A, in which they sit sixth, nine points behind fourth-placed Atalanta.

"We have a duty to play these last 12 games with respect," Gattuso added. "We must not think about giving up."

Maurizio Sarri has now lost two finals since taking over at Juventus and felt his side are still struggling to perform at their best following the coronavirus pandemic. 

"There is disappointment for the boys, for the club, for the fans, but at the moment we cannot express more," he told Rai Sport.

"We have tried to press less high, our condition is not the optimal one, but we did the game with excellent levels of application.

"I think that at the moment we are struggling especially in terms of individuality and that this lack of brilliance is characteristic of this period.

"I didn't say anything to the players, we were all very angry and disappointed and I think it's better to be silent right now. We will talk about it."

AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer has reacted to reported transfer interest from PSG and Manchester City, claiming he is honoured by the transfer links.

The Algeria international has been a standout player in Milan's midfield this season, playing in 24 matches across all competitions so far.

Bennacer has struck a partnership with Ivory Coast's Franck Kessie Stefano Pioli's team with their commanding displays in the heart of the midfield, and he is said to have a release clause of €50 million that won't be active until the summer of 2021.

The Algerian midfielder joined AC Milan on a five-year deal from Empoli last July, and he has disclosed that he feels 'great' at the San Siro Stadium.

“I am not aware of anything. I just work, give everything on the pitch and I am at the service of AC Milan. My focus is on my club, where I feel great. Obviously the interest of big clubs honours me,” Bennacer told Le Buteur via Milan Live.

He joined Arsenal from French club Arles in 2015 but he was restricted to just one first-team appearance which came in a League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday that same year before he was sold to Empoli.

He turned heads in Italy after his arrival in 2017, helping Empoli gain promotion to the Serie A in his debut season but his effort was not enough to help them maintain their top-flight status in the 2018-19 campaign.

Last summer, the 22-year-old shone on the continent as he was crowned the Player of the Tournament and the Best Young Player at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as a reward for his contributions in Algeria’s triumphant campaign in Egypt.

Bennacer decided to play for the Desert Foxes in July 2016 after playing for France youth teams across the U18 and U19 levels.

He has made 22 appearances for the North African country since he made his debut outing against Lesotho in September 2016.

David Luiz has equalled Ibrahima Sonko’s undesirable Premier League following having conceded a penalty in Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

He becomes the first player to have given away four penalties in a single top-flight season since Jose Fonte at Southampton in 2016-17, living up to his reputation as one of the most unreliable defenders in European football.

Also in this rank includes the ex-Senegal international, Gary Caldwell, Claus Lundekvam, Ken Monkou and Luc Nijholt.

The English topflight returned on Wednesday after over three month of suspension following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Luiz was brought in as a replacement for injured Pablo Mari with just 24 minutes into the first half, and the hosts profited from his howler to take a first-half lead.

The Brazilian’s miserable miscalculation allowed Raheem Sterling fire past goalkeeper Bernd Leno before the break – his first goal of 2020.

Things got worse for the 33-year-old after he was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor for a clumsy challenge on Algeria international Riyad Mahrez – as the Citizens were awarded a penalty.

Kevin de Bruyne stepped up to score as Pep Guardiola went two goals up before Phil Foden completed the damage in the closing stages of the game.

With that, Luiz becomes the first player to be sent off, concede a penalty and commit an error leading to an opposition goal in a Premier League match since Carl Jenkinson for West Ham against Bournemouth in August 2015.

Sonko achieved that unwanted feat during the 2007-08 season while at Reading where he spent four seasons before heading for Stoke City, then loan spells at Hull City and Portsmouth.

Following his release by the Potters, the defender was signed by Championship team Ipswich Town on a one-year deal before moving to newly promoted Turkish Süper Lig side Akhisar Belediyespor on 15 August 2012.

Defeat for the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium mean they now have a slim chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. They are ninth in the log having accrued 40 points from 29 league games – eight points adrift of fourth-placed Frank Lampard’s Chelsea with nine games to play.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has insisted that he chose to leave Mesut Ozil out of his squad to face Manchester City for "tactical reasons".

The Gunners got their latest Premier League campaign back underway against the reigning champions at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Arsenal came into the match protecting an unbeaten record in 2020, but ultimately fell to a 3-0 defeat against City due to a combination of bad luck with injuries and a nightmare performance from David Luiz.

Mikel Arteta's team selection also raised more than a few eyebrows, as he fielded a youthful line-up while leaving the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac on the bench. 

Meanwhile, Ozil, who had been a fixture in Arsenal's starting XI before the coronavirus crisis stopped play in March, was not even asked to travel with the squad, despite the new rules allowing five substitutions per game.

When asked why the German playmaker was left out of his plans, Arteta told reporters post-match: "It was a tactical reason."

In the end, Ozil's absence counted for little, as Arsenal were undone by lapses of concentration in defence and ill-discipline.

The man most chiefly responsible for the defeat was Luiz, who came on to replace the injured Pablo Mari after 24 minutes.

Raheem Sterling capitalised on the Brazilian's failure to deal with a lofted pass from Kevin De Bruyne, stealing in behind before firing past Bernd Leno in the Arsenal net just before the interval.

Four minutes after the restart, Luiz was sent off for bringing down Riyad Mahrez in the penalty area, which allowed De Bruyne to step up and double City's lead from the spot.

Phil Foden's late effort rounded off an easy night's work for City, and Arteta was left bemoaning the sequence of unfortunate events which left his side with a mountain to climb.

He said: "Everything went wrong from the first minute. Every possible accident that could have happened hopefully happened today."

Arteta added on Luiz's horror show at the back: "He is someone that is very honest and straight forward. My opinion of David Luiz hasn't changed. It won't change because he had a difficult performance tonight."

The Arsenal boss concluded by expressing his belief that the players' pre-match show of solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement will go a long way to helping eliminate racism in English football.

"I think it is bringing everyone back together again in a very strong message," he said.

Cristiano Ronaldo lost a second consecutive final for the first time in his career when Juventus lost to Napoli in the Coppa Italia decider on Wednesday.

After a goalless draw in normal time, Napoli secured the trophy in a penalty shootout, beating the Bianconeri 4-2 after Paulo Dybala and Danilo missed their efforts.

While Ronaldo played the entire game – he had three shots and hit the target with one – he did not get the chance to take a spot-kick as Gennaro Gattuso's men were declared winners before the Portugal star's turn came around.

After losing the Supercoppa Italiana to Lazio at the end of last year, it is the second straight final defeat for Maurizio Sarri's side.

While Ronaldo has contested many domestic and continental finals with every team he has represented so far in his illustrious career, the 35-year-old had never before lost two in a row.

This year's Coppa Italia is the first in 11 years to be decided by a penalty shootout, while it is the sixth time Napoli have lifted the trophy in their history - only four teams have won it more often. 

It is also the third time Napoli have triumphed over the Turin giants on a neutral field, adding to their 2011-12 Coppa Italia and 2014-15 Supercoppa victories.

With the Coppa Italia wrapped up, Serie A will return on Saturday, with Torino taking on Parma in the first game back from the coronavirus-enforced suspension.

Juve’s first game back will be against Bologna on June 22, with Napoli taking on Hellas Verona the following day.

Sarri’s team are one point ahead of Lazio at the top of the table after 26 matches, while Napoli sit sixth in the table.

They are already sure of a place in the Europa League group stage after Wednesday’s win, but are just nine points behind the Champions League places with 12 games left to play.

Meanwhile, Lazio striker Ciro Immobile is leading the race to be the league’s top scorer with 27 goals, while Ronaldo lingers behind him in second place having scored 21 times in his 22 appearances.

David Luiz has accepted responsibility for his role in Arsenal's 3-0 loss to Manchester City and stressed his desire to remain at the club next season. 

The Brazilian was subbed on in the 24th minute on Wednesday and went to make a key error for City's opener before also conceding a penalty and being sent off shortly into the second half . 

With his contract at the Emirates due to expire at season's end, pundits have declared Luiz has no future at the club , but the man himself thinks otherwise. 

Speaking post-match, the defender conceded he was to blame for his side's loss and admitted his Arsenal future needs to be sorted with both he and manager Mikel Arteta eager for a contract extension. 

"It was not the team's fail,  it was my fault. The coach is amazing, all the players did amazing, it was just my fault," Luiz told  Sky Sports . 

"I should have taken a different decision in the last two months. I didn't - it was all about my contract. I don't want to use that as an alibi or excuse, it's just my fault and that's it. 

"I love to be here that is why I continue to train hard and that is why I came today. Nobody asked me to speak, it is up to me to show my face.

"I want to stay. The coach knows and wants me to stay, we are waiting for the decisions."

Arsenal's return to Premier League action was a night to forget with Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari both forced from the field with respective injuries . 

Arteta admitted post-match that it was a horror night for his side as he refused to throw Luiz under the bus for his performance. 

"Everything went wrong from the first minute. Every possible accident that could have happened hopefully happened today," Arteta told Sky Sports . 

On Luiz, Arteta added: "He is someone that is very honest and straight forward. My opinion on David Luiz hasn't changed. It won't change because he had a difficult performance tonight."

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira  recently suggested Luiz was close to signing a new deal with Arsenal  as his own club couldn't afford to sign the Brazilian.