Teen titan worsens Milan's woes

Nineteen-year-old forward Domenico Berardi scored all of his team's goals to give Sassuolo a 4-3 comeback win over AC Milan on Sunday after it overturned an early two-goal deficit against the seven-time European champion.

Berardi became the first player in Serie A's 85-year history to score four goals against Milan in a league match as he wrote another chapter in the club's miserable season.

Milan's loss, against a team that hadn't scored in its previous five league games, left it languishing in 12th place in Serie A and renewed speculation over coach Massimiliano Allegri's future.

Allegri announced over Christmas he will leave at the end of the season, but Italian media were speculating on Sunday that he might not even last that long.

"I've no intention of resigning," Allegri told television reporters.

"If I had, I would have done it a while back. The club can make its judgment, I accept responsibility for this defeat."

Speculation mounted when club director Barbara Berlusconi, the daughter of club president Silvio Berlusconi, told media the team's performance was unacceptable.

"It was a disappointing evening, which confirms that it's necessary to change," she said.

"It's not tolerable for our fans to watch unacceptable performances such as this."

Berardi, a lanky striker, didn't play organized soccer until he was 16. His fortunes changed when he visited his brother at university, took part in a match and caught the eye of a youth team coach.

After helping Sassuolo out of Serie B last season as it reached the top flight for the first time, Berardi was bought by Juventus, which then loaned him back.

(China Daily 01/14/2014 page23)