Latest articles by Matt Barker
Building a brand and pumping up TV rights: How Silvio Berlusconi's reign as AC Milan owner shaped modern football
LONGREAD In 1986, Silvio Berlusconi bought a struggling AC Milan and turned them into football's first modern superclub, paving the way for the Premier League
How Romelu Lukaku's time at Inter re-made the Belgian striker into one of the world's best goalscorers
LUKAKU Romelu Lukaku has been named on FourFourTwo's list of the world's best players after a year that brought a Serie A title and a £98m move to Chelsea
Pat Nevin interview: “My nickname was ‘Weirdo’ for a long time. I was always thinking, ‘Oh, no I’m the normal one…”
Chelsea winger Pat Nevin saw himself as a student, music critic and activist before a footballer. During his 1980s heyday, Nevin was the game's great outsider, regularly appearing in the NME, his alternative diversions featuring knife attacks, The Proclaimers and Saddam Hussein’s secret police...
Ronaldo at Inter Milan: The UEFA Cup, the goals and the injuries – the full story of his time in Italy
Ronaldo was the best player on the planet and signed for a world-record fee... but Inter Milan still didn't win the Scudetto. What happened?
"That season put Liverpool back on the European map" – remembering 2001 with Michael Owen, England's last Ballon d'Or winner
Liverpool After a season that saw Liverpool win a treble, Michael Owen was crowned Europe's best player. He and Jamie Carragher talk his annus mirabilis, and ponder why he doesn't get the credit he deserves
Milan '88: The inside story of Sacchi's all-conquering kings, as told by them
Milan Matt Barker looks back at the two-time European champions' glorious side, starring a visionary tactician, watertight backline and three superstars from the Netherlands
The big interview: Gianluigi Buffon – "Goalkeepers are perverse – you’re playing a game where everyone uses their feet, but you want to use your hands"
The Big Interview What did he think of his world record transfer fee? How did he deal with his depression? And what made him stick around in Serie B? Your questions answered in July 2014...
