Thunder on the championship. There Inter's victory in Naples, rather than giving a signal to the competition, ends up scaring them, just like what happens at the beginning of a storm: only time will tell if it will be real rain or just a mistake, but in the meantime the Nerazzurri return to the top to the ranking e they cut out, unless there are sensational twists, the reigning champions. Mazzarri's team slips to within 11 of the leaders and the referee's recriminations (we'll talk about it shortly) do not change the substance: the real objective, at this point, is to maintain the Champions League zone, currently shared with the Roma by Mourinho, victorious over Sassuolo and jumped to fourth place.
Napoli – Inter 0-3, Calhanoglu, Barella and Thuram bring Inzaghi back ahead of Juve
Very important victory that of Inter, especially on an evening that seemed to have started in the name of suffering. In the 17th minute Inzaghi, already without Pavard and Bastoni, lost De Vrij due to a muscle injury and was forced to adapt Carlos Augusto, transformed into the left wing's "arm boy" due to lack of alternatives.
Il Napoli then he showed legs and hunger, so much so that the first opportunity came after just 3' with Elmas, whose shot was blocked by Sommer. In the 12th minute Thuram found the goal after a combination with Lautaro, but Massa canceled it out for offside by a few centimeters: a good sign of how strong the understanding is between the two, currently members of the best duo in the championship. at 44', after a cross by Politano (36') and a great exit by Meret on Lautaro (39'), here is the episode that made Inter enjoy and Napoli explode, namely the goal by Calhanoglu. A wonderful shot from the Turk, at the end of an action spoiled however by a foul by Lautaro on Lobotka: Massa let it go and the VAR, for reasons of protocol, respected the decision without further investigations.
The Azzurri returned from the changing rooms determined to get back on track and in the 58th minute they came close to making it 1-1 with Kvaratskhelia, whose shot called Sommer to the miracle. First, however, there was a very suspicious contact in the area between Acerbi and Osimhen and Massa's decision to let it go, in light of what would happen a few seconds later, turned out to be the real sliding door of the match. In fact, on the turnaround in front, Inter found the doubled with Barella and the dispute, in fact, ended. Down by two goals and weakened in spirit as well as in their legs, Napoli gave up and the Nerazzurri came close several times to 3-0, until you find him with the usual Thuram, surgical in realizing the assist of the newly introduced Cuadrado (85').
Inzaghi: “Winning like this in Naples makes us happy, it was a test of strength”
“I hugged the boys one by one, they deserve it – ha Inzaghi cheered -. It was the fifth away match in the last six matches, winning like this in Naples makes us happy, but we know that there is still a lot of work to do. Was a test of strength and team, by those who started the match and also by those who entered. We needed a test like this and after the 2-0 we became masters of the pitch. We had to take into account that we would suffer a bit in this stadium, the more Napoli are kept away from the area, the better: when we suffered the most it was because we dropped too low. Is Inter killing the championship? Now they will write that we have no rivals, but in Lisbon at 3-0 in the first half they were already preparing other titles. We are used to it, the boys have already been touched other times...".
Mazzarri doesn't speak, sporting director Meluso: "Bad day for Massa and the VAR, we don't deserve humiliation"
"Mazzarri preferred not to come also because we prefer to avoid disqualifications - the analysis of the blue sporting director Mauro Meluso -. We are very dissatisfied, it is a mortification that we do not deserve. Massa and the VAR had a bad day, it can happen to anyone, even the players, but I think it was like that. The first goal gave us a blow and was certainly tainted by a foul on Lobotka, who deserved immediate intervention. Then there's the penalty on Osimhen: I was a footballer, if they take your Achilles tendon you lose your support and go down, it's a foul and should have been sanctioned. We don't want to make conspiracy theories, but scoring that first goal had a huge impact on us. I don't want to argue in a senseless way, but in my opinion we didn't deserve it, we feel too penalized."
Sassuolo – Roma 1-2, Dybala and Kristensen bring Mou to the Champions League zone
Heavy result also in Reggio Emilia, where Roma take home three gold points in a Champions way. A very hard-fought victory for the Giallorossi: just think that the match, in the 76th minute, saw an in Sassuolo advantage thanks to the goal scored by Matheus Henrique in the first half. In the end, however, it was Mourinho's team that smiled, carried away by Kristensen, one of the least expected men who instead proved decisive, first getting the penalty of 1-1 (76', converted by Dybala), then finding the definitive 1-2 with one shot deflected by Ruan Tressoldi (82'). The turnaround is worthconnection to Napoli in the Champions League zone, but it wasn't enough to calm Mourinho's combative streak, despite the good refereeing of the Marcenaro-Di Bello duo (serene in every key decision, including Boloca's expulsion in the 63rd minute).
Mourinho does interviews in Portuguese as a sign of controversy, Dionisi replies to him
"I speak Portuguese because my Italian is not sufficiently polished and strong to express certain concepts, when I spoke about emotional stability I meant a quality which, in life and in football, is necessary to perform at the highest levels – explained the Special One, controversially, in his native language -. Regarding what caused discontent among the fans and members of Sassuolo when we did not return a ball, I told their bench that to receive fair play you have to give it, but one of their players is lacking in this (any reference to Berardi is not purely coincidental, ed.). I want to thank the owners and director Pinto who have given me support and trust in the last 24 hours, this was an important, hard-fought and deserved victory. Even at 1-0 ours was the best team on the pitch."
"Luckily I'm polite and allow me to only talk about my players and my team – ha replied Dionisi -. If there is a team that has fair play it is us and not the one we had on the other side, and in any case it is done regardless. You continue to praise unacceptable phrases, for me it's not even worth talking about."
