Mauro Icardi has confirmed that he has not closed the door on a possible return to Inter, although he still remains free until 30 October. The Argentine striker, who spoke of a future in which he "wouldn't accept a project he doesn't fully believe in", expressed interest in the Rossoneri, defining the return as "special" and underlining that it would only be acceptable if there was mutual belief. Icardi also recalled the pain of the season finale, stating that "I would like to be able to close the circle in a different way".
Meanwhile, Gerry Cardinale reiterated his trust in Ruben Amorim, declaring that he does not want to abandon the coach and will remain by his side. The club president explained that the reconstruction of the team is still a quarter of the way through and that at least two further transfer sessions will be needed to complete the project. For January, Cardinale announced an aggressive and opportunistic strategy, with the aim of strengthening the bench above all and guaranteeing more alternatives in case of injuries, without however wasting money.
The Sports Judge has published the decisions relating to the ninth matchday of SerieA 2026/27. The only player disqualified for the next round is Sassuolo's Kristian Thorstvedt, penalized for a serious foul against Lazio. Fines of 1,500 euros were also issued to Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo) and Jesper Karlström (Udinese). The most sanctioned clubs are Genoa and Turin, both fined 5,000 euros: the first for a laser light beam directed towards the referee by their fans, the second for a four-minute delay compared to the starting time. Fiorentina have received a fine of 2,000 euros for their supporters throwing a firecracker on the pitch.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to bring the Africa Cup of Nations back to every two years, canceling the 2025 reform which envisaged a four-yearly competition. The decision was made to ensure sufficient time for the proposed new competition, in order to generate significant financial resources. President Patrice Motsepe underlined the importance of protecting the interests of the 54 African federations and the players. The next edition will be held in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with subsequent ones scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.
For Milan, Mike Maignan received a one-match ban after his sending off in the Europa League away game against Bournemouth. The French goalkeeper was sent off in the 27th minute for hitting Tyler Adams in the face during a corner kick, an episode which also generated a penalty converted by Tavernier. The suspension will only cover the match against Ferencváros, scheduled for Thursday 5 November at 6.45pm at SanSiro, with Lorenzo Torriani ready to replace him. Maignan will return to the field for the next European away match against Olympiacos, set for November 26th.