The Champions League "playoff" is taken by Napoli. The Azzurri conquer San Siro with a convincing victory and take second place in the standings, albeit tied with Roma and with one game to spare. Milan, on the other hand, remains dry, forced, perhaps, to abandon dreams of glory and focus on the Europa League, an objective that is within reach but not safe. Vibrant match that of San Siro, with a Naples that started very strong, so as to suggest a real walk. But then Milan came out, and the script remained in the balance until the end, just like you remember in a big match. “We have shown that we also know how to suffer – commented Sarri. – Unfortunately, our limit is not understanding that the opponent is on the verge of a knockout, but we have grown a lot and we want to continue like this”. The Azzurri have good reasons to rejoice: the classification is excellent and the game as well. If anything, there is a discussion on the mental strength of the team, far too wavering to be defined as good. Yesterday too a game that seemed to be won (0-2 after just 9', goals from Insigne and Callejon) clamorously reopened, and this beyond the goal by Kucka, the man who seemed to be able to call everything into question. At the start of the second half, the Rossoneri came close to making it 2-2, to the point of suggesting an imminent draw (Pasalic's crossbar), but then, as time went by, Napoli took over the reins of the game, and the result has never changed . “We played on par, indeed in some places even better than them – Montella's words. – They have been at the top for 7 years, while we are growing and we must not be discouraged by a defeat. I'm proud of my parents because I saw pride, we were good at not losing our heads and playing it to the end”.
The result at San Siro therefore offers Inter a great opportunity to overtake their cousins, provided they conquer Palermo (15pm). A far from impossible mission, at least on paper: the rosanero, in fact, navigate in the stormy relegation zone and don't seem to be able to stop the nerazzurri. Which, lately, have really started running. The 5 consecutive victories in the league (7 also considering the Europa League and the Italian Cup) have given new breath to all the Champions League ambitions at the start of the season and the credit, inevitably, can only go to Stefano Pioli, so far very good at putting a situation that seemed very complicated. “But now we don't have to sit down, Palermo will be very determined and will fight with a knife between their teeth – explained the coach. – Compliments are nice but they must be handled with care, I have the necessary experience to know that the sums will only be drawn on May 28th. We just have to stay focused and work to win all the games that remain." The Nerazzurri will go to Barbera in full force (no one is unavailable) but the 4-2-3-1 formation will essentially be that of the last few games: Handanovic in goal, D'Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo and Ansaldi in defence, Brozovic and Gagliardini in midfield , Candreva, Banega and Perisic in the front line behind the lone striker Icardi. Corini, surprisingly confirmed during the week by Zamparini, will attempt the feat relying on a 3-5-1-1 with Posavec between the posts, Cionek, Gonzalez and Goldaniga in the back, Rispoli, Henrique, Jajalo, Gazzi and Aleesami in the midfield , Quaison in support of Nestorovski.
