Serie A round-up: Juventus confident in re-signing Pirlo and Pogba

Sassuolo's Acerbi is under fire after failed drug test, former Serie A club Ascoli are bankrupt and Inter Milan will face partial closure of San Siro in Sunday's derby match with AC Milan.

Juventus are hoping to re-sign their standout midfielders Paul Pogba, right, and Andrea Pirlo. Giuseppe Cacace / AFP

Juventus are confident their star midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba will sign contract extensions with the club.

Both players have attracted the attention of leading European clubs and have been strongly linked with a move away from Turin next season.

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta is not letting that speculation concern him, and he remains optimistic about the duo staying with the Italian Serie A champions.

“There are no new developments regarding Pirlo and Pogba’s contract extensions,” Marotta told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I don’t think these deals will be completed before Christmas.

“However, we are calm. The two players consider Juve their natural habitat.

“Our squad is world-class, and it is difficult to find any other team better than ours.”

Italian World Cup winner Pirlo, 34, becomes a free agent next summer and is a reported target of Real Madrid.

France international Pogba, 20, is under contract with Juve until June 2016, but is expected to sign an improved deal with the Turin outfit.

Pogba, who has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, scored five goals in 27 league appearances to help Juve win the Serie A title last season.

Sassuolo

Sassuolo defender Francesco Acerbi denied he is guilty of doping and demanded the Italian media grant him respect after confirming that he failed a drug test.

Acerbi was provisionally suspended last week by an Italian anti-doping agency after he failed a test for high levels of the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) following his team’s Serie A victory against Cagliari on December 1.

The Italian, 25, who underwent an operation for testicular cancer in July, told Italian TV Italia Uno: “I have never taken any illegal substance and it’s painful to be accused of that.

“I understand that the press has a job to do, but these accusations have been very annoying, not so much for me but my loved ones.”

Sassuolo confirmed Acerbi was not undergoing any treatment and, therefore, had not requested any special dispensation for the former AC Milan and Chievo player. High levels of HCG can be produced by a cancerous tumour.

“The high-level hormone can be a consequence of many things,” Acerbi said.

“I will have some tests done. You cannot point the finger at someone without knowing the situation. I demand respect for my health and for my family.

“I’ve had doping tests done before the game against Cagliari and had I taken something, I would have already tested positive before that.

“Those that have branded me as a cheat have disgraced me, my club and my doctors.”

Ascoli

Former Serie A club Ascoli were declared bankrupt by an Italian court yesterday. Attempts to save the 115-year-old club from financial ruin were unsuccessful.

“Ascoli’s bankruptcy was inevitable,” judge Raffaele Agostini said in the courtroom.“I am a judge, but also a great fan of Ascoli, but unfortunately, we have to respect the law.

“There was no possibility of postponing the ruling, because there are demands that have to be taken care of immediately.”

Ascoli competed 16 seasons in Serie A since 1974, the last in 2006/07 before being demoted and falling into financial trouble.

The club is playing in the third-tier Lega Pro Prima Division.

Inter Milan

Inter Milan will face the partial closure of the San Siro in Sunday’s city derby against AC Milan.

Inter will have the north section of their stadium closed for two games – against Milan and Chievo – as punishment for repeated racial incidents among fans.

Inter fans were found guilty of abusive chants directed at Napoli supporters during Inter’s 4-2 loss in Naples on Sunday.

They have also been fined €50,000 (Dh252,784).

Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE