DRIES MERTENS NEWS

World Cup 2022 highlights: Belgium bounced after draw with Croatia

The 2022 FIFA World Cup continued with Croatia and Belgium ending in a scoreless draw Thursday. Here are the top plays!

DECEMBER 1, 2022

How things stand in Europe's top leagues before World Cup

Arsenal looks like the real deal after building a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League

NOVEMBER 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sarri's Lazio surging as Mourinho's Roma struggles again

José Mourinho and Maurizio Sarri are going in opposite directions in their second seasons in the Italian capital

NOVEMBER 6, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Inside the Napoli juggernaut: Spalletti in full control

Napoli is off to its most exciting start since the days when Diego Maradona played for the club

OCTOBER 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Milan-Napoli, Roma-Atalanta highlight a big weekend in Italy

All of the big Serie A clubs face intriguing tests this weekend before the season’s first international break

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Raspadori is Napoli's latest new weapon in unbeaten start

Reserve striker Giacomo Rasapdori scored a last-gasp winner in Napoli's 1-0 over Spezia in the Italian league

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Napoli overwhelms Liverpool in 4-1 Champions League win

Liverpool has a long way to go to regain the form that took it to the final of last season’s Champions League

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

MATCHDAY: Liverpool, Barça, Bayern play in Champions League

Barcelona hosts Czech club Viktoria Plzen to kick off a campaign in which it will try to avoid a second straight group-stage elimination

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Napoli signs Argentina forward Simeone on loan from Verona

Napoli has signed Argentina forward Giovanni Simeone on loan from Hellas Verona

AUGUST 18, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Di María shines as Juventus tops Sassuolo; Napoli wins 5-2

Ángel Di María enjoyed a fantastic debut for Juventus with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Sassuolo in their Serie A opener

AUGUST 15, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

MATCHDAY: Liverpool-Palace in England; Atlético season debut

Darwin Nunez could be handed his first competitive start for Liverpool in its home game against Crystal Palace in the Premier League

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tensions rising in Napoli as fans wake up to a team shorn of its legends David Ospina, Faouzi Ghoulam, Kalidou Koulibaly, Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne have all left Napoli, where supporters were already angry

JULY 30, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Creates one chance versus Spezia Mertens had one successful take-on, won one duel and created one scoring chance in 23 minutes in Sunday's 3-0 win over Spezia.

Impact Mertens saw limited action in the season finale, differently from previous games. He finished strong after being a backup for most of the campaign and wound up bagging 12 goals, adding one assist, 55 shots (24 on target) and 39 chances in 36 appearances (18 starts).

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Belgium at full-strength for Nations League training camp

Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku have all been called back into the 32-man Belgium squad ahead of upcoming Nations League matches

MAY 18, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Napoli wins at Torino 1-0 despite Insigne penalty miss

Napoli has won at Torino 1-0 despite missing a penalty and consolidated third place in Serie A

MAY 7, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bags brace in Sassuolo romp Mertens took four shots (two on target), won seven duels, had one interception and scored two goals in Saturday's 6-1 win over Sassuolo.

Impact Mertens drew the second start in a row and made the most of it by hitting the net twice with crafty shots from inside the box. He has been playing over a few midfielders lately since the coach is going with a more aggressive lineup, and that should continue going forward. He has bagged four goals and added seven shots (three on target) and five chances in the last five games. Napoli will face Torino away Saturday.

APRIL 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Napoli crushes Sassuolo 6-1 to end miserable run

Napoli salvaged some pride as it crushed Sassuolo 6-1 to consolidate third place in Serie A

APRIL 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

AC Milan reclaims Serie A lead from city rival Inter

Sandro Tonali scored in stoppage time as AC Milan came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at Lazio that restored the Rossoneri’s position atop the Italian league table

APRIL 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scores against Empoli Mertens took one shot on target, created five scoring chances, drew one foul and scored a goal in Sunday's 2-3 loss to Empoli.

Impact Mertens co-led his team in chances and opened the scoring with a clutch finish from inside the box in the first half. He replaced the injured Stanislav Lobotka in the XI, as the coach went with a more offensive lineup. That could be the case again in Saturday's home game versus Sassuolo. He has scored twice and added five shots (three on target), seven chances and one inaccurate cross in the last five appearances.

APRIL 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Inter gains as Milan, Napoli falter in Serie A title race

Inter Milan has taken a big step toward defending its Serie A title without even playing

APRIL 10, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Draws three fouls versus Atalanta Mertens won five duels and one tackle, sent in one inaccurate cross and drew three fouls in Sunday's 3-1 win over Atalanta.

Impact Mertens did not fully take advantage of a rare opportunity to start since Victor Osimhen was suspended. While he failed to take a shot or create a chance, he drew an early penalty. He has notched three shots, three chances and three crosses in the last five appearances. Napoli will face Fiorentina at home next Sunday.

APRIL 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Disappointing versus Cagliari Mertens took one off-target shot, sent in one inaccurate cross, created one scoring chance and drew one foul in Monday's 1-1 draw with Cagliari.

Impact Mertens drew the start for the first time in four matches due to a few injuries in the role, but he did not take advantage of the full minutes and was almost invisible. He could get the nod again in Sunday's away match versus Lazio if Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano remained sidelined. He has posted seven goals, one assist, 31 shots and 18 chances in 20 Serie A appearances (11 starts).

FEBRUARY 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

New signings Vlahovic and Zakaria star for Juventus

Dušan Vlahović has made a dream debut for Juventus

FEBRUARY 6, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scores and assists in win Mertens scored one goal from five shots and assisted another from three chances created in Sunday's 4-1 win over Salernitana, while also sending in one inaccurate cross.

Impact Mertens was the man of the match, first converting a PK just before halftime to give them the 2-1 lead before assisting Amir Rrahmani in the 47th minute to make it 3-1. The forward now has eight goals and one assist in the season. He will look to keep the momentum at Venezia on Feb 6.

JANUARY 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Milan loses Ibrahimović to injury in 0-0 draw against Juve

AC Milan lost more ground on league leader Inter Milan and also lost another important player ahead of the derby as it drew 0-0 against Juventus at San Siro

JANUARY 23, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS