ANDREW DAMPF

AP Sports Writer
Lazio's Alessio Romagnoli, left, scores his side's opening goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Roma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Rome derby ends 1-1. Atalanta revives Champions League hopes
 
Munich's Harry Kane, right, and Inter's Francesco Acerbi fight for the ball during the Champions League quarterfinals first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
A 37-year-old cancer survivor keeps shutting down Europe’s top strikers
Harry Kane. Erling Haaland. Romelu Lukaku. Mateo Retegui. Moise Kean. Inter Milan center back Francesco Acerbi has held all five of those center forwards scoreless this season.
 
Italy's Jannik Sinner plays a shot against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their semifinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
Italian Open organizers can’t wait to welcome back Jannik Sinner from his doping ban
Jannik Sinner’s return from his three-month doping ban is a month away and Italian Open organizers can’t wait to welcome back the first home No. 1 player in the tournament’s history.
 
Italy's manager Roberto Mancini talks to Alberico Evani during a training session ahead of a Euro 2020 soccer championship round of 8 match against Belgium, at the Football Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file)
Sampdoria turns to players from its golden era to avoid first ever fall to Serie C
Former Serie A champion Sampdoria is turning to some of its former star players to avoid a first-ever relegation to Serie C.
 
Overall World Cup skiing champion Italy's Federica Brignone is carried away on a toboga after she broke multiple bones in her left leg during a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships in the Lusia ski area, in Val di Fassa, Italy, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Elvis Piazzi)
Overall ski champion Brignone breaks leg in crash with home Olympics approaching
Freshly crowned overall World Cup skiing champion Federica Brignone has broken multiple bones in her left leg during a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships.
 
Napoli's Romelu Lukaku, right, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Fiorentina at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Sunday March 9, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
Lukaku leading Napoli’s unexpected title challenge with 400 goals and counting
Romelu Lukaku is rounding into form at just the right time for Napoli. The Belgium striker scored a key goal against AC Milan in Serie A last weekend after producing three in two matches for Belgium during a Nations League playoff victory over Ukraine.
 
AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Como at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
AC Milan’s only route back to Europe might be another derby win
For AC Milan it could be the only way to qualify for Europe. For Inter Milan it’s the least important of the three competitions that the Nerazzurri are still competing in this season.
 
Inter Milan's Marko Arnautovic reacts after he scored during a Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Udinese at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Serie A title race down to Inter and Napoli after Atalanta loses again
Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku scored first-half goals and Napoli beat visiting AC Milan 2-1 for a statement victory. The result kept Napoli within three points of Serie A leader Inter Milan.
 
Juventus' head coach Igor Tudor gestures, during the Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Genoa at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, Saturday March 29, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Tudor’s toss leads to a goal in successful debut as Juventus coach
New Juventus coach Igor Tudor has had a successful debut after beating Genoa 1-0 in Serie A. Kenan Yildiz scored midway through the first half for Juventus on Saturday.
 
Construction work takes place at the Cortina Sliding Center, venue for the bob, luge and skeleton disciplines at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Testing begins at Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding track for bobsled, luge and skeleton
Tests are underway at Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding track. Italian skeleton competitor Mattia Gaspari was the first athlete to go down the track to be used for next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
 
Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma reacts after the Nations League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Germany and Italy at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Embarrassing goal creates tougher road for Italy to avoid missing out on 3rd straight World Cup
An embarrassing goal might be remembered as contributing to another epic failure if Italy fails to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
 
Construction work takes place at the Cortina Sliding Center, venue for the bob, luge and skeleton disciplines at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta, file)
Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding track slated for test runs by 60 athletes next week
The track’s essential structure is done. The ice is being prepared. And next week 60 athletes will come to test the controversial sliding center for next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.
 
Italy's Jannik Sinner plays a shot against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their semifinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
Sinner adds Hamburg to his schedule for when he returns from doping ban
Top-ranked Jannik Sinner has added a clay-court tournament in Hamburg, Germany, to his French Open preparations for when he returns from a three-month doping ban in May. Organizers of the May 17-24 Hamburg Open announced Sinner’s entry.
 
Spectators watch a match at the Italy Major Premier Padel tournament in Rome, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. A successful debut at the European Games with matches played before enthusiastic crowds in Krakow's central square last month. Record prize money of nearly $1 million at this week's tournament in Rome. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Premier Padel tour to make its US debut with tournament in Miami
Lionel Messi likes to play padel in his free time with his Inter Miami teammates. Rafael Nadal was recently seen playing shots off the glass on a padel court at his academy in Spain. So what’s all the fuss about this other racket sport?
 
Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, left, celebrates after scoring during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Feyenoord and Inter Milan in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Inter Milan’s Inzaghi raises the prospect of matching Mourinho’s 2010 treble
Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi has raised the prospect of matching Jose Mourinho’s feat of guiding the Nerazzurri to a trophy treble in 2010. Inter beat Feyenoord 2-0 in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 midweek.
 
Juventus players react after losing a penalty shootout in an Italian Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Juventus and Empoli at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
Thiago Motta ‘ashamed’ as Juventus follows Champions League elimination with Italian Cup exit
Thiago Motta might have only one solution left to stay on as Juventus coach. After two successive eliminations in the space of a week the pressure is on for Juventus to secure a top-four finish in Serie A and a spot in next season’s Champions League.
 
Roma's head coach Claudio Ranieri stands by the bench before the Europa League playoff first leg soccer match between FC Porto and AS Roma at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
Ranieri sweeps the crisis aside at Roma and has the Giallorossi on a 10-match unbeaten run
Claudio Ranieri required about one month to set Roma straight. After taking over a team in turmoil in mid-November Ranieri has the Giallorossi on a 10-match unbeaten run in Serie A.
 
Athletes compete during the Women's 1500 mt. quarterfinal race of the ISU Short Track World Tour, Olympics Milano-Cortina 2026 test event, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Transport strike affecting Olympic test event underscores risks facing Milan-Cortina Games
A transport strike during an official test event for the Milan-Cortina Olympics highlighted why organizers are negotiating with trade unions to avoid a similar scenario during next year’s Winter Games.
 
United States' Lindsey Vonn is airborne during a women's downhill race, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Lindsey Vonn’s peers say her return at 40 is ‘pretty freaking awesome’
Lindsey Vonn’s peers are inspired by her comeback to ski racing at age 40 with a new titanium knee. They say she’s “a big role model” and that it’s “pretty freaking awesome.”
 
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, left, and United States' Breezy Johnson listen to the national anthem as they wear their gold medals for a women's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
It’s not just Shiffrin and Vonn. The US Ski Team has multiple medal contenders for the Olympics
A year before the Winter Olympics the U.S. Ski Team just had a performance to remember. The women’s squad won medals in four out of five events at the world championships in Austria and also had two fourth places.
 
Brazilian fans cheer on Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen at the finish area of a men's giant slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Snow samba Pinheiro Braathen says ‘let’s just keep dancing’ after debut for Brazil at skiing worlds
Alice Robinson earned New Zealand’s first medal. Dave Ryding posted Britain’s best result in recent memory at age 38. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen put Brazilian skiing on the map simply by showing up.
 
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin competes in a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Shiffrin OK with 5th place despite missing a worlds slalom medal for the first time
All that talk about a record-breaking 16th medal. And extending her perfect run of six medals in six career slalom races at the world championships.
 
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, right, poses for selfies with fans at the medal ceremony for a women's giant slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti
Gold, silver or bronze. Mikaela Shiffrin has never finished off the podium in a slalom at the worlds
Mikaela Shiffrin is chasing a record-breaking 16th medal at the world championships in the slalom on Saturday. She’s currently tied for the record set by German skier Christl Cranz in the 1930s.
 
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen at the starting gate of an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Wengen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025 (AP Photo/Giovanni Maria Pizzato)
Brazil is suddenly a contender at the skiing worlds with Lucas Pinheiro Braathen
“Campeonato Mundial. Vamos Dançar.” World championships. Let’s dance. That was the social media message from Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on the eve of his debut for Brazil at the Alpine skiing world championships.
 
United States' Paula Moltzan shows her bronze medal for a women's giant slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
From the same Minnesota hill that produced Lindsey Vonn, Paula Moltzan wins bronze at ski worlds
Finishing fourth when medals are on the line can feel like cruel punishment. Paula Moltzan knows the feeling all too well after just missing out on the podium so many times.
 
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates after winning the gold medal with teammate United States' Breezy Johnson, left, in a women's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Mikaela Shiffrin, fellow ski racers, clear mental hurdles after traumatic injury at their own speed
From a physical standpoint, Mikaela Shiffrin’s back to her winning form after a serious crash. From a mental standpoint, there remains work to be done.
 
United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, talks to United States' Lauren Macuga, center, and United States' Jacqueline Wiles, right, at the finish area of a downhill run of a women's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Lindsey Vonn says she ‘would be proud to race with anyone’ in team combined at the Olympics
It’s not just downhill and super-G that Lindsey Vonn wants to compete in at the age of 41 at next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.
 
Clockwise from left, Switzerland's Alexis Monney, Stefan Rogentin, Loic Meillard, Marc Rochat and Nef Tanguy celebrate at the finish area of a men's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
New team combined format wins over skiers ahead of Olympic debut at next year’s Milan-Cortina Games
The new team combined making its debut at the Alpine skiing world championships is getting positive reviews.
 
United States' Breezy Johnson at the finish area of a downhill run of a women's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Knitting, dancing and SpongeBob are all part of the show for US medalists at skiing worlds
Two gold medals and one very special headband. American skier Breezy Johnson is leaving the world championships with more hardware than she expected and with a headband dedicated to host Austria.
 
United States' A.J. Hurt and United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smile at the finish area of a slalom run of a women's team combined event, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Lindsey Vonn says ‘I didn’t help myself’ with social media posts involving Mikaela Shiffrin
Lindsey Vonn acknowledges that “I didn’t help myself” by firing back on social media after learning that she wasn’t paired with Mikaela Shiffin for the team combined race at the skiing world championships.
 
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