La Serie A has a new owner. Virtual, sure, but theAtalanta can enjoy the top spot in the standings at least until tomorrow evening, when the Napoli will try to get it back against Lazio, and this is already news. The victory over Milan (2-1), in addition to certifying the Goddess's championship ambitions, definitively cuts the Rossoneri out of the race, now too far away to think about it realistically. The Devil will do well to focus on the Champions League zone, in the hope that the UEFA Ranking will also grant fifth place, trying to take advantage of the next two games with Genoa and Verona, definitely more within reach than yesterday's.
È Inzaghi's Inter, however, was in full conflict, victorious over Parma in the other advance match (3-1), he hopes to get back there also there Thiago Motta's Juventus, awaited by today's match against Bologna (18pm). No ambitions for the Rome, forced to beat Lecce (20pm) to avoid sinking further and even risking the relegation zone.
Atalanta – Milan 2-1: Lookman freezes the Devil in the final and brings the Goddess to first place
The ninth symphony is the most beautiful, but this time Beethoven has nothing to do with it. In fact, the one playing is Gasperini's Atalanta, capable of conquering, precisely, the ninth consecutive championship victory and fly to the top of the championship. Of course, Napoli still has to play and in case of success against Lazio they will look down on everyone again, in the meantime however Bergamo dreams and its eyes are wide open, with the knowledge that this team can really have its say in the championship.
Il Milan, for his part, returns home with a very heavy defeat in terms of standings and morale, even if the performance was more than decent, especially in the first half when the match was very balanced. Fonseca's problem It's not a narrow KO in Bergamo, but rather the path of the first three months of the season: the points lost against Torino, Parma and Cagliari cry out for vengeance, although it is fair to point out that his team has won only one direct clash (the derby), losing three (Fiorentina, Napoli and Atalanta) and drawing two (Lazio and Juventus). The match started with a bang, but the first to take the lead were the Bergamo team with theex De Ketelaere (12', an episode which, as we will see shortly, infuriated Fonseca). Milan did not lose their composure and at 22' found the equaliser on the Leao-Morata axis, with the Spaniard finishing off the Portuguese's assist. From then on, the game calmed down and both teams slowed down, aware that a goal would have changed the balance once and for all.
Atalanta certainly created more, forcing Maignan to a great save on Lookman, while the Devils, thanks to Pulisic's injury at the end of the first half, ended up losing their dangerousness, and yet the match was heading towards a draw, despite Gasperini's offensive changes (Retegui and Samardzic in). But in the 87th minute, Lookman's header give away a dream to the Goddess and to do sinking Milan to 12 points from the top, for what looks a lot like a sentence, in one sense and another.
Fonseca furious: “Refereeing against us, no respect for Milan”
“There's no doubt about it De Ketelaere's goal was irregular, it's a foul – he thundered Fonseca -. It's a clear situation, a mistake that changes the whole game: I'm tired, very tired and angry about these things. This referee (La Penna, ed.) was here as Var against Udinese, let's remember what happened that day (the Friulians were denied a penalty for Hien's arm, ed.). I was afraid of this referee, and in fact... But it's been like this for a long time, it's always been like this until now. There is no respect for Milan, so many mistakes, every week, always the same way: I repeat, there is no respect for Milan. In the second half we were lacking, playing few balls for the players up front and never getting to Morata and Leao, but in the end we still lost by two goals from two set pieces. The first half was beautiful, the second no. The ranking? It's not nice but we deserved more. I've always kept quiet about the referees, not this time: mistakes like that weigh heavily".
Gasperini: “Fonseca wants to divert attention… The Scudetto? It’s right that the fans sing”
“There is the trying to talk about something else and not the match – he retorted Gasperini -. I didn't have the sensation of the foul, the De Ketelaere's goal was splendid, jumped very high: I don't remember any other disputed episodes, except for some throw-ins. I am absolutely convinced that we deserved the victory and we are very happy about this, it is a great victory against a team that has very strong players. We started with a chance for Milan, then we had one ourselves. After the lead we soon had a bad run, their speed worried us but we always managed to close. We built with clarity and avoided their pressing, creating excellent situations. In the second half they did less, while we were never satisfied. We never wasted time, we never threw ourselves on the ground, we always tried to score. The crowd's chants about the Scudetto? We have never found ourselves first in the standings after so many games, let's let them sing that. Then the people here in Bergamo have their feet on the ground: we are there, there is a celebration, if in twenty games we are still there everything will make sense, but like this it is only a manifestation of joy and also justified ... ".
Inter – Parma 3-1: the Nerazzurri remain in the slipstream with Dimarco, Barella and Thuram
Inter also stays in the slipstream, victorious in the other advance against Parma. A one-sided match at San Siro, with the Nerazzurri pushing from the first minutes and the Ducali trying to resist, without however managing to create any particular problems for Sommer. It must be said that Pecchia's team was managing to close the first half 0-0, thanks to the usual imprecision of the reigning champions and a bit of luck (see the crossbar at Dumfries). Had they succeeded, perhaps, things could have taken a different turn, but Dimarco took the stage in the 40th minute and the wall fell. The goal by the full-back, who was also a former player in the match, was splendid, not so much for the shot itself, but for a truly applause-worthy back-heel control. In the second half, Inter ran riot, finding the second goal with Barella (56', sublime assist from Mkhitaryan) and the third with Thuram (67'), predatory in deflecting a pass from Bisseck on a Calhanoglu corner. The Nerazzurri's mission, once the matter was over, became to get Lautaro to score, but the Argentine is going through a bad period, one of those in which he doesn't even enter by mistake. And so the one to smile (so to speak, given the result) was Parma, who at least stamped the card thanks to theDarmian's own goal (81'), who had replaced Bastoni shortly before. L'Inter thus rises to 31 points, 3 less than Atalanta and 1 less than Napoli: the ranking, in light of the many asterisks, is certainly provisional, but the trio looks like they can compete for the Scudetto until the end.
Inzaghi: “I am very satisfied! Lautaro? He must continue like this”
"I guys were very good, Parma is an excellent team that had only lost away to Naples – the comment of Inzaghi -. I am very satisfied for the first two goals, it's a shame Lautaro didn't score but he has to continue like this, I'm happy with his performance. The only regret is having conceded a goal, the team didn't deserve it: Darmian was angry but the mistake had started upstream, he is the least guilty of all. Stretcher? He is an extraordinary player, last season, the one in which he scored the fewest goals, I consider it the best of my management. Naples? Preparing the matches with more time is always a help. Then everyone will do their own thing, I'm concentrating on Inter's, we'll have a tour de force, even with the Super Cup. I have 25 players that I'm in love with, they are giving me everything. Thinking about the journey of these three and a half years I am very proud, having reached the Club World Cup is the reward for the work of these years".
Juventus – Bologna (18 pm, Dazn)
Win. The Juventus must succeed at all costs, otherwise the drawitis would become truly chronic. The consequences, in addition to the inevitable criticism, would have repercussions above all on the standings, even more so after the successes of Atalanta and Inter. Thiago Motta should think about giving a hand Vlahovic, returning after absences against Milan, Aston Villa and Lecce: matches that ended in a draw, with only one goal scored (that of Cambiaso at Via del Mare, which was also a decisive deflection). A turning point is urgently needed, otherwise the objectives declared at the beginning of the season would risk becoming much more complicated, including reaching the Champions zone, which would certainly not be good for the project launched by Joints and Thiago Motta. The technical director, on the sidelines of the Gran Gala del calcio, showed confidence and security, but he too is aware of how the Juve is going slower than expected. The there are definitely too many draws (8 in 14 days, which becomes 10 in 19 considering the Champions League), so like muscle injuries, on which the club has opened an investigation. The January market could lend a hand (in the crosshairs are the defenders Hancko of Feyenoord and Antonio Silva of Benfica, but also keep an eye on the possible connection with Napoli involving Danilo, Fagioli and Raspadori), but first there are Bologna, Manchester City, Venezia, Cagliari (Coppa Italia), Monza and Fiorentina: a very respectable cycle, decidedly important to understand where this Juventus can arrive.
Thiago Motta: “Two beautiful years in Bologna. The criticism? I only think about the game”
“Il Bologna is doing well, it's a great team, it plays very vertically and puts a lot of pressure on the opponent – he explained Thiago Motta -. We have to concentrate very much on what we have to do and what we have to avoid, at the moment they are doing very well and will put a lot of intensity into it. We come from some games that we didn't win, in some we had good performances, but in any case we have to improve. Today the Our offensive phase is everyone's responsibility starting from our goalkeeper, at the same time we have to defend well and prevent our opponent from creating anything. The injured? Vlahovic, Adzic and Savona return, while McKennie, Nico Gonzalez, Milik, Bremer, Cabal and Douglas Luiz will be missing. The criticisms? We are only focused on playing our game, for the rest I have no control over opinions: it is you who make judgments. What do I expect from Bologna fans? I lived two wonderful years there both on a human and sporting level, I have nothing else to add”.
Juventus – Bologna, probable formations
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Danilo, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Fagioli; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Weah; Vlahovic
On the bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Rouhi, Savona, Thuram, Mbangula, Adzic, Yildiz
Coach: Thiago Motta
Unavailable: Milik, Bremer, Cabal, Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz, McKennie
Disqualified: nobody
Bologna (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Lucumí, Miranda; Pobega, Freuler; Ndoye, Odgaard, Dominguez; Castro
On the bench: Ravaglia, Corazza, Posch, De Silvestri, Casale, Urbanski, Moro, Fabbian, Karlsson, Dallinga, Ferguson, Bagnolini, Iling Jr, De Silvestri
CoachItalian
Unavailable: Orsolini, Lykogiannis, Aebischer, El Azzouzi, Cambiaghi
Disqualified: nobody
Roma – Lecce (20pm, Dazn and Sky)
The Serie A Saturday will be closed by Rome and Lecce, engaged in what, according to the rankings, has sensationally become a battle for salvation. In fact, the ranking sees them tied at 13 points, only 2 more than third-last Como, but if for Giampaolo's team it is even a positive result (helped by the 4 points collected in the last two matchdays), the same cannot be said for Ranieri's team, sunk after the 4 consecutive losses made up for it with Verona, Bologna, Napoli and Atalanta. The coach from Testaccio had a very tough start and the results took a back seat to the performances, which were rated positively by most critics and fans. Now, however, points are needed, starting this evening against Lecce: a further misstep, in fact, would be received very badly and would risk undermining even his image, which up to now has been on the verge of untouchability. Sir Claudio (or Sor, as they call him in the Capital) knows he can boast a huge credit, not unlimited, so the time has come for him to win, possibly by offering a good performance. In front of him will be a Lecce who are inferior (and by a lot) on a technical level, but encouraged by the victory over Venezia and the draw against Juventus, the latter achieved in a manner that was anything but casual. The idea of making a splash at the Olimpico tempts Giampaolo, but Ranieri cannot allow this for any reason, otherwise the threat of relegation could really materialize.
Ranieri: “December will tell us who we are, but there are no easy games”
“There are no easy matches, the Lecce is a team that is used to never giving up because he is looking for the third consecutive salvation – the thought of Ranieri -. We saw that they won in Venice, they drew with Juventus scoring in the ninety-third minute, they have good players who know how to fight, they have a new coach who wants them to play well, so we will have to be smart, intelligent and determined, every ball will be important. I want a team that go on the field without knowing the name of the opponent and play his game, that on every ball as we did in Naples, in London and against Atalanta. This is the Roma that I want, there is a ball and we have to win it every time and when we have it we have to play it quickly. You'll have to be good against a team that knows how to play its game, close down, restart and keep the ball when it wants it. Where do we want to go? We are the first ones who have to give ourselves these answers, I think that December will tell us 'Rome, who are you? What do you want to do?'”.
Roma – Lecce, probable formations
Rome (4-2-3-1): Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, Ndicka, Angelino; Koné, Paredes; Saelemaekers, Pellegrini, El Shaarawy; Dybala
On the bench: Ryan, Marin, Sangaré, Abdulhamid, Hermoso, Celik, Dahl, Soulé, Pisilli, Le Fée, Zalewski, Baldanzi, Dovbyk, Shomurodov
Coach: Ranieri
Unavailable: Cristante
Disqualified: nobody
Lecce (4-3-3): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Jean; Coulibaly, Rafia, Berisha; Dorgu, Krstovic, Morente
On the bench: Fruchtl, Samooja, Borbei, Pelmard, McJannet, Helgason, Ramadani, Kaba, Hasa, Burnete, Oudin, Rebic, Pierotti
Coach: Giampaolo
Unavailable: Band, Bonifazi, Marchwinski, Pierret, Gallo, Samson
Disqualified: nobody
