Who will play the honor against those looking for points for the Champions League. Milan and Rome are preparing to face off (20.45 pm) with very different perspectives. On the one hand the Giallorossi, relaunched by the victories over Sassuolo and Genoa and eager to further distance Lazio, on the other the Rossoneri, now without any goals in the standings but eager to at least save face. Those who have the most to lose are certainly Roma, but even Milan wouldn't easily digest a fourth consecutive defeat: that's why, at San Siro, an open match is expected. “The only thing that matters is winning – growled Garcia at the press conference. – I don't look at Lazio, I'm only interested in my team and I want it to continue on the path of the last few games". Who got the atmosphere back in motion, rather depressed after the defeat against Inter and instead relaunched by the successes against Sassuolo and Genoa, which were achieved without conceding a goal. Quite the opposite of Inzaghi's Milan, back from three consecutive knockouts and awaited by the protests of the fans, the umpteenth of this bad season. “We will have to play as a team, show the spirit seen in Naples – the words of the Rossoneri coach. – If we play like in the first leg we can even win, we'll need an almost perfect match”. Less than 5 months have passed since that 20 December, when the Rossoneri emerged unscathed from the Olimpico despite Armero's expulsion. It seemed like the final spurt, the one that would have launched the team to conquer third place: instead it turned out to be the last happy moment of the season. “From then on we had many injuries but we should have done better – sighed Inzaghi. – Woe to playing without stimuli though, when you wear a shirt like this you have to have them regardless. I want to end the championship with some good victories”.
He'll try with the usual 4-3-3, in which the only doubts concern the attack. Apart from Bonaventura, sure starter, two shirts remain to be assigned, currently being contested by Honda, Cerci, Destro and Pazzini. The latest projections see the Japanese and the former Giallorossi ahead, but given the general mediocrity, last-minute reversals cannot be excluded. Everything else confirmed with Diego Lopez in goal, Abate, Alex, Mexes and Antonelli in defence, Poli, De Jong and Van Ginkel in midfield. Certainties also for Garcia, oriented to confirm Doumbia as owner again at the expense of Francesco Totti. “Every time we talk only about him – snorted the French coach. – What matters to him is to win in Milan ”. Thus we go towards the third consecutive exclusion of the captain, something unthinkable at the beginning of the season. But Garcia has to lock down second place and wants to rely on the fittest men. So space for a 4-3-3 with De Sanctis in goal, Florenzi, Manolas, Astori and Torosidis in defense, Pjanic, De Rossi and Nainggolan in midfield, Ibarbo, Doumbia and Gervinho in attack. Reaching the Champions League is really fundamental, especially after the sting from UEFA. The sanctions, relating to failure to comply with the Financial Fair Play, consist of a fine of 6 million (2 immediately, 4 suspended with probation), a reduction of the squad from 25 to 22 players (for the next two European seasons) and a draw budget by 2017. Predictably, things went even worse at Inter: a 20 million fine (6 suffered, 14 suspended with probation), reduction of the squad to 21 players and a balanced budget by 2017.
