Atalanta is officially in the Champions League, now it's up to Milan and Naples. Who come to this day with different assumptions, given that it would be enough for the Rossoneri to beat Cagliari (20.45 pm) to reach the Bergamo players in the Europe that counts, while for the Azzurri, conquering Florence (12.30), would above all serve to override Juve, who returned in fourth place thanks to the success against Inter.
Since yesterday therefore, in addition to Conte's nerazzurri, also those of Gasperini they qualified for the next Champions League, getting the 3 points that were still missing on the Genoa field. An important and well-deserved victory, albeit with a few more worries than expected, especially in light of the first half, which was dominated just as the 0-3 score says. Zapata (9'), Malinovskyi (26') and Gosens (44') seemed to have closed all discussions, also because Ballardini's Genoa, already safe after the success in Bologna, did not put up any kind of resistance. The trend remained the same even in the initial part of the second half, given that Pasalic (1') immediately responded to Shomurodov's 3-48 goal (51'), sending the rossoblu back to a safe distance. But then Pandev found the 2-4 from the penalty spot (67') and when Shomurodov, taking advantage of Pessina's ingenuity, signed the 3-4 (84'), Gasperini saw the ghosts of the prank. Which, fortunately for him, did not materialize, on the contrary of one Champions League qualification, third in linedefinitely become a reality.
“This year it seemed even more difficult – the coach exulted -. The team had a great reaction from December onwards and we did it a day early. Qualifiers are all good, but this one tastes better. Now we can only think about the Coppa Italia, for us it would be the icing on the cake”. Match point exploited in short, just as Milan hopes to do, which however will have to contend with a Cagliari not yet safe. Of course, the latest results have reassured the Sardinians, especially as the fight now seems reduced to a duel between Turin (yesterday defeated 4-1 by Spezia) and Benevento (today against Crotone), but the Rossoneri will still be faced with a opponent motivated and determined to close the accounts. However, it must also be said that the Devil seen in the last two matches cannot be afraid of anyone, as demonstrated by the 10 goals scored in front of zero suffered. A sensational acceleration, which has put back into place a classification that became complicated after the knockouts with Sassuolo and Lazio: now a last effort is needed, or a victory that would sanction the return to the Champions League after 7 years.
“We have been missing for too long, this raises expectation and expectations and rightly so – the thought of Pioli -. We know that we have worked well and that we have prepared well for the game, we are prepared to fight against an opponent who will play his game with physicality, strong and dangerous offensive players on dead balls. I'm living these hours with concentration and attention, this match can represent the ideal closure, we were good at having balance and courage: qualities that we will also have to put on the field against Cagliari".
The coach hopes that his team's renewed offensive streak will continue tonight as well, given that he will have to end the season without Ibrahimovic, whose knee injury turned out to be more serious than expected: the Swede will be out for 40 days, with the inevitable consequence of missing the European Championship. His constant physical problems lead to a whole series of reflections that the club, for obvious reasons, cannot ignore: it will not be enough to look for a deputy for Ibra on the market, but a reliable owner. However, we will only think about this in the next few days, because first there is a Champions League to conquer with a 4-2-3-1 that will see Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori and Hernandez in defense, Bennacer and Kessié in midfield, Saelemaekers, Diaz and Calhanoglu in the frontline, Rebic in attack. Usual 3-4-2-1 also for Semplici, who will respond with Cragno in goal, Ceppitelli, Godin and Carboni in the back, Zappa, Nandez, Marin and Lykogiannis in the midfield, Joao Pedro and Nainggolan behind lone striker Pavoletti .
The most delicate match on Sunday, however, is that of Napoli, forced to win in Florence to respond to Juventus. The cabal, in this sense, does not help, given that precisely at the Franchi in 2018, 24 hours after a derby d'Italia (also the one won 3-2 by the bianconeri), the azzurri said goodbye to the Scudetto losing badly. The then coach Sarri spoke of "lost championship in the hotel", giving rise to a whole series of controversies destined to remain in the memory. Who knows if Gattuso, as a man of the field, will have worked psychologically on him, what is certain however is that Napoli arrive at the appointment in great shape, very fast after the goals against Spezia and Udinese. Today, in the presence of a Fiorentina already saved, it will be enough to make one more to win and postpone each speech to the last day, when everything will be decided.
The coach will confirm the usual 4-2-3-1 with Meret in goal, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Rrahmani and Hysaj in defense, Fabian Ruiz and Bakayoko in midfield, Politano, Zielinski and Insigne behind the lone striker Osimhen. Iachini will try to give himself one last satisfaction at Franchi (he will leave and his replacement, according to increasingly insistent rumors, will be Gattuso) with a 3-5-2 with Terracciano between the posts, Milenkovic, Pezzella and Caceres in the back , Venuti, Bonaventura, Pulgar, Castrovilli and Biraghi in the midfield, Ribery and Vlahovic in attack.
