A thrilling evening. Championship Wednesday gives us a big match with a high rate of unpredictability and show like Atalanta-Lazio (21.45), but also two side dishes not bad like Inter-Sassuolo (19.30) and Rome-Sampdoria (21.45). Very delicate matches both in terms of the Scudetto and the Champions League, without forgetting the fight for salvation: in short, the ingredients for having fun are all there. The spotlights will inevitably be focused on Bergamo, where a confrontation between the most anticipated of the championship will take place.
Before the stop Atalanta and Lazio they were undoubtedly the teams in the best shape: the nerazzurri, in the light of Sunday's bombastic victory against Sassuolo, are still in shape, the biancocelesti are not known. The great unknown therefore concerns Inzaghi's team, up to the lockdown benefiting from playing only one game a week, an advantage which, evidently, it will no longer have.
“There will be problems for all the teams – he cut short the biancoceleste coach – We have some ailments but also a great desire to start again, keeping the same spirit that brought us to second place. We know the value of Atalanta, it will be a great match and a very tough testing ground”.
True, so much so that Juventus and Inter, without declaring it openly, place great hopes in Gasperini's team. Inzaghi will then have to do without Lucas Leiva, Luiz Felipe, Lulic and Marusic, with all the consequences of the case. In any case, Lazio will take the field with a more than competitive 3-5-2 with Strakosha in goal, Patric, Acerbi and Radu in defense, Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic, Parolo, Luis Alberto and Jony in midfield, Immobile and Caicedo in attack.
One big doubt instead for Gasperini, dealing with a bruised Ilicic: the Slovenian could do it, but it is also possible that he will start from the bench. The Nerazzurri 3-4-1-2 should see Gollini between the posts, Toloi, Palomino and Djimsiti in the back, Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler and Gosens in the midfield, Gomez behind the two strikers Ilicic (or Malinovskyi, with a consequent pass to 3-4-2-1) and Zapata.
The teams will also take the field already knowing the result of Inter-Sassuoloscheduled at San Siro at 19.30pm. A Nerazzurri success would put further pressure on Lazio, at least this is what Conte hopes, determined to take advantage of this potentially favorable turn to bring at least one of the two preceding him closer.
"In my career I've found myself both staying in front and chasing, it's normal for those who stay ahead to be masters of their own destiny - he explained the Nerazzurri coach – Whoever wins does his duty and the others have to increase the laps to keep up; Lazio and Juve have done better than us and have more margin for error. For us, every match is that of life, we can't go wrong if we want to stay there and annoy until the end."
The one against Sassuolo is in fact an opportunity not to be missed, otherwise dreams of a comeback, already somewhat weakened by Juventus' victory, would risk evaporating in the Milanese heat. Precisely for this reason Conte seems oriented towards limiting turnover as much as possible, at least until the engine allows it. His 3-4-1-2, now a reference system, will see Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, De Vrij and Bastoni in defense, Moses (favorite over Candreva), Barella, Borja Valero (slightly ahead of Gagliardini) and Young ( ballot with Biraghi) in midfield, Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in attack.
Desire for redemption at Sassuolo, where the match against Inter has always been deeply felt. De Zerbi wants to cancel the heavy knockout in Bergamo, but to do so he will have to record a decidedly superior performance, otherwise there will be trouble. However, the Neroverde coach will not deviate from the usual 4-2-3-1 with Consigli between the posts, Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari and Kyriakopoulos in the back, Obiang and Locatelli in the midfield, Berardi, Djuricic and Boga behind the lone striker Caputo .
Rounding out the football evening will then be Rome-Sampdoria, another rather delicate challenge. The Giallorossi hope to be able to get back into the Champions League (but this would mean supporting Lazio, a rather difficult eventuality), the blucerchiati to gnaw at a few points in the safety zone: for both it is a complicated moment, both for corporate issues (the allocation of Petrachi, but also Ferrero's troubles) and techniques, which is why the margin of error is really very low.
“This is not the time to think about these things, but only about Sampdoria – he replied Fonseca – We have to think about the attitude to have on the pitch, the ambition we have to show, be concentrated on the opponent and in this sense the team is ready”.
The hunt for the 3 points will start with the usual 4-2-3-1 with Mirante in goal (Pau Lopez is unavailable), Zappacosta, Smalling, Fazio and Kolarov in defense, Veretout and Cristante in midfield, Carles Perez, Pellegrini and Kluivert on frontline, Dzeko in attack.
Changes in sight for Ranieri, who after the defeat in Milan contemplates some changes, even if he will have to do without Quagliarella again, still struggling with a physical problem. His 3-5-2 will see Audero in goal, Yoshida, Tonelli and Colley in the back, Depaoli, Vieira, Ekdal, Jankto and Murru in the midfield, Bonazzoli and Gabbiadini as an offensive duo.
