European Leagues
AC Milan stroll past Lecce to close in on Champions League
AC Milan strolled past 10-man Lecce 3-0 on Saturday to consolidate second place in Serie A and take another step towards Champions League qualification.
Early goals from Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud, and Rafael Leao’s neat finish shortly before the hour mark were enough for Milan to move 11 points behind runaway leaders Inter Milan, who are at struggling Udinese on Monday.
But with the title all but decided Stefano Pioli’s in-form side are close to securing Champions League football as they lead third-placed Juventus by nine points after a seventh straight win in all competitions.
Juve host Fiorentina on Sunday with just seven points from their last nine league fixtures and the Turin giants could find themselves fourth before kick-off should Bologna win at Frosinone.
A straightforward win at the San Siro was also perfect preparation for Milan’s Italian derby in the Europa League quarter-finals with Roma.
“We feel good, we played the game as we’d planned it in training… now we need to think about the Europa League quarter-final which is a completely different type of match and a big objective for both teams,” said Pioli to DAZN.
“The team is a in a good place physically and technically, we need to be motivated for each match as that will make the difference to the rest of our season.”
Daniele De Rossi’s Roma host Lazio later on Saturday aiming to win their first local derby in over two years and maintain fifth spot in Italy’s top flight.
Serie A is leading the race for an extra spot in next year’s Champions League meaning a top-five finish would be enough for Roma to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 2018.
Lecce stay 13th, four points above the relegation zone, but were livid about two decisions which contributed to their heavy defeat.
Nikola Krstovic was stunned at being shown a straight red card on the stroke of half-time for accidentally studding Samuel Chukwueze.
The away side were already heading to a loss by that point as Pulisic’s deflected strike sent Milan on the way to three points after five minutes before Giroud glanced home Yacine Adli’s corner 14 minutes later.
Leao then added AC Milan’s third in the 57th minute while Lecce winger Pontus Almqvist was prone on the ground after first being shoulder barged over by Theo Hernandez and then accidentally kneed in the head by the France left-back.
Lecce owner Saverio Sticchi Damiani was shown ironically applauding from the stands as home fans celebrated Leao’s sixth league goal of the season, which came on the break after Hernandez won back possession from Almqvist.
Just inside the drop zone are Empoli, who host Europe-chasing Torino in the day’s late fixture.
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**Title:** Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic **Meta Description:** Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for a second spell after Zlatko Dalic stepped down following the 2026 World Cup. **Slug:** croatia-confirm-slaven-bilic-return-head-coach **Alt Image Text:** Slaven Bilic during his unveiling as Croatia national team head coach — # Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic Croatia have officially confirmed the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, with the former West Ham United manager replacing Zlatko Dalic following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bilic returns to the national team after more than a decade away, ending a two-year absence from management as he begins a second spell in charge of his country. ## Bilic begins a second spell with Croatia The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced Bilic’s appointment after the Executive Committee unanimously approved the recommendation of federation president Marijan Kustic. Bilic previously managed Croatia between 2006 and 2012, guiding the national team through two European Championships before embarking on a successful club coaching career that included spells with West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Besiktas and Al-Ittihad. The federation believes his experience and deep understanding of Croatian football make him the ideal candidate to lead the next generation. ## Huge task replacing Zlatko Dalic Bilic succeeds one of the most successful managers in Croatia’s history. Dalic stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a remarkable tenure that included a World Cup final, a World Cup semi-final and several memorable tournament campaigns. Federation president Marijan Kustic acknowledged the size of the challenge but expressed complete confidence in Bilic. > “I would like to once again thank Zlatko for the exceptional results he achieved during his tenure. It is not easy to follow in his footsteps, but we are convinced Slaven is the right person for this role.” Kustic added that Bilic’s international pedigree and extensive coaching experience were decisive factors behind the appointment. ## Bilic honoured to return Bilic described his return as the greatest honour of his coaching career and admitted he understands the expectations that come with leading one of international football’s most consistent tournament teams. > “I would like to thank President Kustic and the Federation’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in allowing me to lead the Croatian national team once again — the greatest honour for any Croatian coach.” The 57-year-old also praised the standards established under Dalic while insisting he is ready for the responsibility. > “I am fully aware of the high expectations that follow such a remarkable period under Zlatko Dalic, but anyone who takes charge of Croatia must be prepared for that because we are a football nation that lives and breathes its national team.” ## A new chapter begins Bilic now faces the task of building on Dalic’s legacy while preparing Croatia for the next international cycle. With a blend of experienced stars and emerging young talent at his disposal, Croatia will hope their returning manager can guide them to another successful era on the international stage.
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**Title:** Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic **Meta Description:** Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for a second spell after Zlatko Dalic stepped down following the 2026 World Cup. **Slug:** croatia-confirm-slaven-bilic-return-head-coach **Alt Image Text:** Slaven Bilic during his unveiling as Croatia national team head coach — # Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic Croatia have officially confirmed the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, with the former West Ham United manager replacing Zlatko Dalic following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bilic returns to the national team after more than a decade away, ending a two-year absence from management as he begins a second spell in charge of his country. ## Bilic begins a second spell with Croatia The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced Bilic’s appointment after the Executive Committee unanimously approved the recommendation of federation president Marijan Kustic. Bilic previously managed Croatia between 2006 and 2012, guiding the national team through two European Championships before embarking on a successful club coaching career that included spells with West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Besiktas and Al-Ittihad. The federation believes his experience and deep understanding of Croatian football make him the ideal candidate to lead the next generation. ## Huge task replacing Zlatko Dalic Bilic succeeds one of the most successful managers in Croatia’s history. Dalic stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a remarkable tenure that included a World Cup final, a World Cup semi-final and several memorable tournament campaigns. Federation president Marijan Kustic acknowledged the size of the challenge but expressed complete confidence in Bilic. > “I would like to once again thank Zlatko for the exceptional results he achieved during his tenure. It is not easy to follow in his footsteps, but we are convinced Slaven is the right person for this role.” Kustic added that Bilic’s international pedigree and extensive coaching experience were decisive factors behind the appointment. ## Bilic honoured to return Bilic described his return as the greatest honour of his coaching career and admitted he understands the expectations that come with leading one of international football’s most consistent tournament teams. > “I would like to thank President Kustic and the Federation’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in allowing me to lead the Croatian national team once again — the greatest honour for any Croatian coach.” The 57-year-old also praised the standards established under Dalic while insisting he is ready for the responsibility. > “I am fully aware of the high expectations that follow such a remarkable period under Zlatko Dalic, but anyone who takes charge of Croatia must be prepared for that because we are a football nation that lives and breathes its national team.” ## A new chapter begins Bilic now faces the task of building on Dalic’s legacy while preparing Croatia for the next international cycle. With a blend of experienced stars and emerging young talent at his disposal, Croatia will hope their returning manager can guide them to another successful era on the international stage.
