Former Manchester United forward Federico Macheda has told La Gazzetta dello Sport he will always be grateful to Sir Alex Ferguson after finding form again with Serie B club Novara.

Macheda, 25, joined Novara in December -- a move that had Ferguson's backing -- after being released by Cardiff City last summer and then training with Watford.

He returned to the headlines after scoring twice in a 3-2 win over third-placed Frosinone at the weekend.

And speaking nine years after making his United debut...

Serie B strugglers Cesena stunned Empoli to reach the last-16 of the Coppa Italia following a 2-1 extra-time victory at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

Substitute Giuseppe Panico opened the scoring for the visitors just one minute after coming on with a header from Mattia Vitale's left-wing cross following a great passing move from the second-tier side.

Former Italy striker Alberto Gilardino levelled for the top-flight hosts to take it into extra time with a deft lob over on-coming goalkeeper Michael...

Free agent Giorgos Katidis hopes his move to Serie B side Novara will represent a new beginning in his career.

Katidis, 20, was offloaded by AEK Athens and excluded from all Greece national team selections after making a fascist salute in a game last March.

In spite of the controversy his salute caused, Novara have offered him a route back into the professional game and the midfielder is willing to seize his chance.