Stefano Pioli believes Fiorentina “deserve to play in the Europa League for the club’s reliability” as pre-season started with a 17-0 win.

The Viola finished eighth in Serie A and would’ve missed out on Europe, but with Milan excluded due to Financial Fair Play violations, Atalanta are bumped up to the group stage with Lazio.

This means Fiorentina will, if the Rossoneri appeal is rejected, enter from the preliminary rounds.

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The full 33-page document on why Milan were excluded from Europe for Financial Fair Play violations points to an unrealistic business plan.

The Rossoneri had originally tried to work out a Voluntary Agreement with UEFA after Yonghong Li bought the club from Silvio Berlusconi for €740m in April 2017.

When that was rejected in December, they were stunned to find out the Settlement Agreement was also turned down, eventually leading UEFA to exclude them from Europe for the 2018-19 season.

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Gennaro Gattuso insists Milan are preparing ‘with Europe on our minds’ and that Simone Zaza is too similar to Patrick Cutrone.

Speaking at his first Press conference of the new season, Gattuso also touched on a tough 50 days coming into the campaign, Milan new boy Alen Halilovic being used as a central midfielder and who will start in goal after Pepe Reina’s arrival.

“It’s not been an easy 50 days, I can assure you, but I’ve felt much better for the last two days,” began the Coach.

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New Fiorentina signing Alban Lafont would likely miss the Europa League qualifier, if Milan’s appeal is unsuccessful.

The Rossoneri have been barred from European competition for this season, having breached UEFA’s Financial Fair Play laws.

That means Atalanta take their group stage spot, while Fiorentina move up to enter the second qualifying round.

Milan are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but if they’re unsuccessful then the Viola will be in action on July 26.

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Gigi Buffon admits “at one point I really believed Napoli would win the Scudetto, because they had the psychological advantage” over Juventus.

The 40-year-old has left Juve, but is ready for a new chapter of his career and expected to have a medical with PSG next week.

“I gave what I could, in terms of talent and of nervous energy. Now I leave space to the younger players who must get accustomed to taking on even small amounts of responsibility so they can get bigger and bigger,” Buffon told Sky Sport Italia.

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FIGC Vice-Commissioner Alessandro Costacurta said UEFA excluding Milan from Europe was “not a surprise. We must ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

The Rossoneri were penalised for Financial Fair Play violations with a one-season ban from European competition, after they had qualified for the Europa League group stages.

“To be honest, the warning signs were there and it really wasn’t a surprise. We knew the UEFA verdict would go this way,” former Milan defender Costacurta told reporters.

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Atalanta unveiled their 2018-19 first, second and third choice kits today, but used models rather than players for the presentation.

The Orobici have new main shirt sponsors, the Radici Group, and a sponsor on the base of the back too.

The new kit includes the Europa League patch, as if Milan lose their appeal against exclusion for Financial Fair Play violations, then Atalanta will be bumped up from the preliminary rounds to the group stage.

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Milan have, as expected, announced their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after UEFA excluded them from Europe for one year.

The punishment was handed down for Financial Fair Play violations and announced this afternoon.

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Milan have been excluded from the Europa League, which will cost them around €20m, but it’s not necessarily all bad news.

UEFA finally announced its verdict today, excluding the Rossoneri from European competition for one season for Financial Fair Play violations.

There was expected to be a fine of up to €30m too, but that does not seem to have materialised.

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