MILAN (AP) — Despite being without Christian Pulisic again, AC Milan managed to move to the top of Serie A after beating Lazio 1-0 on Saturday.
Rafael Leão scored the only goal early in the second half to see Milan leapfrog Napoli and Roma, who play each other on Sunday.
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Juventus's Kenan Yildiz scores their side's first goal of the game during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Cagliari in Torino, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Juventus's Kenan Yildiz celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Cagliari in Torino, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
AC Milan's head coach Massimiliano Allegri gestures during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Milan moved a point above Roma and three above Napoli. Inter Milan, Bologna and Como are all a point further back.
The Rossoneri were buoyed by last weekend's derby victory over city and title rival Inter and were looking to take advantage of the top two facing each other on Sunday.
However, they were again without one of their best players as Pulisic — who had only just returned from injury — had a muscle strain.
Lazio made Mike Maignan pull off several good saves before Milan broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Leão finished off a well-worked team move.
Deep in stoppage time there was chaos on the sidelines as an Alessio Romagnoli volley was charged down by the arm of Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic in the penalty area, prompting a video review. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri tore off his jacket as he was sent off for dissent along with Lazio's assistant coach.
The referee ruled the arm had been jutting out but Pavlovic had been fouled in the buildup.
Kenan Yildiz continued his fantastic form with two goals as Juventus fought back to beat Cagliari 2-1.
Yildiz had had a hand in all three goals midweek to help Juventus snatch a 3-2 victory at Bodø/Glimt and end a run of three straight draws in all competitions.
Cagliari stunned the home fans by taking the lead through Sebastiano Esposito but Yildiz leveled straight after play resumed following a one-two with Khephren Thuram.
And the 20-year-old Yildiz scored a fantastic goal in first-half stoppages, controlling the ball on the edge of the area before surging past two defenders and sweeping into the far bottom corner.
Juventus remained seventh, five points below Milan. Cagliari was 14th, just a point above the relegation zone.
Daniele De Rossi got his first win in charge of Genoa — following two action-packed draws — as they beat bottom club Hellas Verona 2-1 in a relegation battle.
Genoa moved a point above the drop zone, level with Cagliari and Parma, which lost 2-0 at home to Udinese after playing most of the second half with 10 men.
Verona remained four points from safety.
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Juventus's Kenan Yildiz scores their side's first goal of the game during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Cagliari in Torino, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Juventus's Kenan Yildiz celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Cagliari in Torino, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
AC Milan's head coach Massimiliano Allegri gestures during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lazio, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number of forces pulled out of Europe.
The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump's initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America's commitment to Europe's security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO's eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer rotating into Poland from Germany. The dispatch to Germany of U.S. personnel trained to fire long-range missiles was also halted.
But in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he would now send "an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom Trump endorsed in elections last year.
“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters Friday at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ministers from the Netherlands and Norway were sanguine about Trump’s latest move, as was Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who said allies knew the U.S. troop “posture was being reconsidered, and now there is no change of posture. For now.”
U.S. defense officials also expressed confusion. “We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
But Rubio said Washington’s allies understand that changes in the U.S. troop presence in Europe will come as the Trump administration reevaluates its force needs. “I think there’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there has historically been for a variety of reasons,” he said.
The latest surprise came despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments, including one from NATO’s top military officer, U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, on Wednesday.
Trump's initial announcement that he would withdraw troops came as he fumed over remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in that war.
Trump told reporters that the U.S. would be cutting even more than 5,000 and also announced new tariffs on European cars. Germany is the continent’s biggest auto producer.
Rubio insisted that Trump’s decision “is not a punitive thing. It’s just something that’s ongoing.”
About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment on the continent unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.
The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.
But Trump's latest post suggests that troop numbers in Europe would not change. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed the decision to send more forces to his country, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the move. On Thursday, before Trump took to Truth Social again, Rutte had underlined that it was important for Europe to take care of its own security. “We have a process in place. This is normal business,” he told reporters.
At NATO headquarters in Brussels, meanwhile, U.S. officials briefed the allies on the Pentagon's aims for its commitments to the NATO Force Model, which involves contingency planning for Europe’s defense in the event of serious security concerns. It was widely expected that a further reduction of U.S. forces would be coming.
Asked whether any cuts were announced, Rutte said: “I’m afraid it’s much more complicated than that.” He said the procedure “is highly classified” and declined to give details.
Rubio played down concerns about a shift in U.S. force levels in Europe, saying: "Every country has to constantly reevaluate what their needs are, what their commitments are around the world, and how to properly structure that.”
Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with journalists during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, front left, speak with each other during a group photo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte look at each other as they deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže speaks at the doorstep of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at Sea U in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with his wife Jeanette at Malmo Airport, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Malmo-Sturup, Sweden, ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, second from left, shakes hands with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, as he is greeted by King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergard, right, before a dinner at Sofiero Castle in Helsingborg, Sweden, Thursday May 21 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
