MILAN (AP) — For the first time in 22 years, there is a Maldini in the Italy squad.
Daniel Maldini was called up by Italy coach Luciano Spalletti on Friday for Nations League matches and could follow in the footsteps of his father Paolo and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains.
The 22-year-old Maldini, a forward, plays for Monza after coming through the ranks at AC Milan.
Paolo Maldini retired from international soccer following the 2002 World Cup. He played 126 times for Italy.
Cesare Maldini’s last Italy appearance was in 1963, and he also coached the Azzurri.
Spalletti named three other players who could make their debuts: Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, Milan defender Matteo Gabbia and Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli.
Italy plays Belgium in Rome on Oct. 10 and Israel in Udine four days later.
The Azzurri have won both of their Nations League matches so far against France and Israel, and top their group.
Goalkeepers: Michele Di Gregorio (Juventus), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Matteo Gabbia (AC Milan), Caleb Okoli (Leicester), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).
Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Monza), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta).
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
AC Monza's Daniel Maldini, right, and Bologna's Jens Odgaard, left, challenge for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Monza and Bologna in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Studio Buzzi/LaPresse via AP)
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 33 points, 20 in the first quarter, and the Phoenix Suns pulled away in the second half for a 129-102 victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Dillon Brooks scored 18 points and Mark Williams had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who have won five of their last six. They bounced back from Wednesday’s loss at Cleveland. Booker, Brooks and Williams all sat the entire fourth quarter.
Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro each had 15 points for Phoenix. Reserve Jamaree Bouyea scored 12 for the Suns, who led by 28 points late in the game.
Booker finished 13 of 21 from the field — just 1 for 6 from 3-point range — and 6 of 7 from the free throw line in 28 minutes. He was 8 of 12 in the first quarter in scoring 20 of the Suns’ 32 points. It was Booker's highest-scoring quarter since April 2024, when he also scored 20.
The Suns led 62-56 at the half but opened it up in the third quarter, leading by as many as 18 before ending the period with a 97-83 lead.
Keegan Murray led the Kings with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Sacramento lost its fourth in a row, and sixth straight on the road to fall to 8-27.
Russell Westbrook had 17 points and six assists for the Kings, and Keon Ellis finished with 14 points.
Kings: Host Milwaukee on Sunday.
Suns: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Sacramento Kings guard Demar Derozan (10) fouls Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) goes up to shoot over Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
