Claudio Ranieri’s latest rescue act cements status as true Cagliari hero | Nicky Bandini
Veteran coach gave Serie A a much-needed good news story on a weekend overshadowed by off-pitch events
The penultimate weekend of the Serie A weekend was overshadowed by events off the pitch. On Friday, Juventus announced they had fired their manager, Massimiliano Allegri, citing his behaviour at the end of their Coppa Italia final triumph over Atalanta. Two days later, as Inter prepared to mark their league title with a trophy lift at San Siro, fans were wondering who their club would belong to next week.
Monday marked the official deadline for their owners, Suning Capital, to repay debts of close to €395m to Oaktree Capital, stemming from a loan taken out in 2021. A bank holiday in Luxembourg effectively extended the term until Tuesday, but an official statement from the Inter president, Steven Zhang, on Saturday accused the lender of “a lack of meaningful engagement” toward finding an “amicable resolution”.
