Reports: Torres to return to Atletico Madrid

Madrid (dpa) - Striker Fernando Torres is poised to return to Atletico Madrid, according to Spanish sports dailies AS and Marca on Thursday.

Torres, 30, played for Atletico as a young

Zola takes coaching job at former club Cagliari

Rome (dpa) - Gianfranco Zola has been appointed new coach at his former club Cagliari after the dismissal of Zdenek Zeman, the Serie A club said.

A statement late Wednesday said that Zola, 48, was to

Struggling Cagliari sacks veteran coach Zeman

Rome (AFP) - Veteran Czech coach Zdenek Zeman has been sacked by Cagliari, the Serie A strugglers announced on Tuesday.

A 3-1 defeat at home to champions and league leaders Juventus

Soccer-Napoli edge Juventus in dramatic penalty shootout to win Super Cup

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Napoli ended Juventus's hopes of securing a record seventh Italian Super Cup after snatching a dramatic 6-5 shootout win in the final that stretched to 18 nerve-jangling penalties in Doha's Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Monday.

Juve lead Roma as battle heats up for third

Juventus' head coach Massimiliano Allegri speaks during a press conference in the Qatari capital Doha, on December 21, 2014, on the eve of their Italian Super Cup final match against Napoli (AFP Photo/Karim Jaafar)

Milan (AFP) - Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted the Serie A season is far from over after the champions guaranteed year-end top spot with a three-point lead on challengers Roma.

Juventus face defending Cup champions Napoli in Doha on Monday where the Bianconeri will aim to secure their third consecutive Italian Super Cup.

Lazio go third as Inter save Mancini blushes

Milan (AFP) - A first-half brace from Felipe Anderson was enough to secure third place for Lazio in Serie A prior to the festive break on Sunday in a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Inter.

Inter only claimed their maiden win under Roberto Mancini, their first in six games, last week but had the worst possible start at the San Siro where Anderson hit the first of his goals after just two minutes.

Allegri eyes 1st title in charge of Juventus

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -- Massimiliano Allegri has a shot at his first title with Juventus when it faces Napoli in Monday's rearranged Italian Supercup.

Allegri, who was fired from AC Milan in January, replaced Antonio Conte in the summer and has enjoyed a positive start at Juventus, which heads into the winter break three points clear at the top of Serie A.

Mancini positive Inter can finish third

MILAN (Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini firmly believes his team will be challenging for a Champions League berth until the end of the season.

Leaders Juventus seek return to winning ways at Cagliari

Rome (dpa) - Leaders Juventus and seventh-placed Napoli look to resume winning in Serie A outings they play Thursday to accommodate their Super Cup match set for Monday.

Juve visit at Cagliari after draws against Fiorentina and Sampdoria, plus one in the Champions League, that saw the Bianconeri score just a single goal - on Sunday against Samp.

With 31 goals netted, Juve have the best attack despite

Empoli and Torino stay on verge of danger zone

Rome (dpa) - Promoted Empoli and Torino played out a 0-0 draw Monday to remain close to the lower reaches of the Italian Serie A.

After two wins and two draws, Empoli failed to prevail despite

Inter Milan end bad run with win at Chievo

Rome (dpa) - Inter Milan won 2-0 on Monday at 10-man Chievo with Mateo Kovacic and captain Andrea Ranocchia on target to help the Nerazzurri steer clear of trouble in the Italian Serie A.

The Nerazzurri resumed winning after three defeats and two draws

Holders Real Madrid face Schalke rematch, Bayern Munich meet Shakhtar

Nyon, Switzerland (dpa) - Title holders Real Madrid have been paired with Schalke in Monday's draw for the last 16 of the Champions League while Bayern Munich take on Shaktar Donetsk.

As a non-seeded team, Schalke would have expected a tough task but

Leaders Juventus held to draw, Roma close within one point

Rome (dpa) - Roma won 1-0 at 10-man Genoa Sunday and moved within one point of Serie A leaders Juventus, who were held 1-1 at home to Sampdoria.

Radja Nainggolan drilled home a great volley on 40 minutes, helping the Rome side move reach 35 points from 15 games. Genoa are level on 26 with Samp and third-placed Lazio.

Genoa had goalkeeper Mattia Perin dismissed on the half hour for

RESULTS: Italian Serie A results and standings

Rome (dpa) - Results and standings Italian Serie A (kick-off times in GMT):

Mauri's brace pushes Lazio into third place

Rome (dpa) - Lazio beat Atalanta 3-0 from a Stefano Mauri brace and Senad Lulic header Saturday to go third in the Italian Serie A.

The Rome side moved on 26 points from 15 games, with a better goal

Milan will be great again, promises Inzaghi

MILAN (Reuters) - Filippo Inzaghi has promised that seven-times European champions AC Milan will break away from their midtable mediocrity and become great again.

"We have alternated very good matches with others which have

Liverpool and Man City face nervous path to CL knock-out phase

Berlin (dpa) - Reigning English champions Manchester City and five-time European champions Liverpool face nervous matches this midweek as they try to salvage disappointing Champions League campaigns to reach the knock-out phase.

Liverpool, at home to Basel in Group B, know nothing less than a win will suffice while Manchester City are likely to need victory away to Roma

Madrid sets club record for wins, Chelsea stumbles

LONDON (AP) -- Cristiano Ronaldo set up two goals Saturday to help Real Madrid set a club record with its 16th straight victory across all competitions, while Premier League leader Chelsea stumbled to a scoreless draw at Sunderland in

Napoli end Juventus run with Italian Cup triumph

Juventus' record-breaking 43-match undefeated run came to an end when Napoli won the Italian Cup 2-0.

Serie A champions Juventus saw their hopes of a league and cup double shattered by two second-half goals, with defeat particularly painful for skipper Alessandro Del Piero, who was playing the last match of his 19-year career with the club.

Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute when goalkeeper Marco Storari brought down Ezequiel Lavezzi.

It was Cavani's 33rd goal of the season.

End of an era at AC Milan as veterans move on

Filippo Inzaghi, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Nesta will end their AC Milan careers against Novara on Sunday as the end of an era is all but completed at the San Siro.