Naples enjoys, Juventus sinks. The night at the San Paolo sends the Azzurri into ecstasy, who can now apply for important objectives, and the Bianconeri in full crisis, now very far from the positions that count. Incredible what is happening to the Italian champions: if Inter were to win again tonight, the points gap would become 13, a huge amount considering that we are only on matchday six. “There are years that go like this but I'm sure we'll recover – commented Allegri. – We will fight for the top ranking, plus we can reverse the trend with the Champions League and the Italian Cup”. Such optimism is not easily explained, at least not with the performance on the field. Juve was called to a showdown, they came out with broken bones and it doesn't matter that the result was in the balance until the end. In reality, Napoli controlled the match well and the gap could have been even wider. “We are in trouble, it is useless to hide it – continued Allegri. – We make too many mistakes, we have to improve on everything. I keep thinking that we shouldn't have 5 points but football, sometimes, is bestial: a corner in the 94th minute and everything changes…”. The Juventus coach points the finger at the episodes, but the reality is more complex. The team has lost certainties, the tactical identity is non-existent, the physical condition is precarious, the top quality men (Pogba above all) are unable to drag the others along. If we add to all this the morale under the ground, a picture emerges so ugly as to seem almost fake.
Instead it's all true: the great first half of Napoli, the goals of Insigne and Higuain, the embarrassing defensive mistakes. Allegri, against the indications given the day before, chose a 4-3-3 with Padoin as full-back, Hernanes in the control room, Dybala and Zaza in attack and Cuadrado on the bench. Wrong and correct choices in the run, first switching to a 4-4-2 and then, in the frantic final, to a 3-5-2. The result was a tactical and men's soup that didn't bring anything good, except for Lemina's first Italian goal (63'). For a struggling Juve there was a great Napoli, as convincing as in the best nights of Fuorigrotta. Because the problems of the Azzurri, as we know, come against the provincials and Sarri will have to work on this: if he were able to give continuity, he could even aim for the Scudetto. “I can't say exactly where we can get, certainly our place is with the first ones – the thought of the Tuscan coach. – Until yesterday there was talk of a team in crisis but I want to remind you that we scored 10 points in 4 games, scoring 12 goals and conceding 1". The potential is worthy of a title, after all, when you have someone like Higuain in your squad, it can't be otherwise. Yesterday Pipita was simply devastating: a beautiful goal (62') and an assist for Insigne. By the way, Lorenzinho's injury is the only sour note. After unlocking the match (26'), he was forced out with a knee problem: in the next few hours of exams, he sees cautious optimism. What Allegri preaches instead seems more like a work of conviction. Towards the team, the environment and, perhaps, even himself.
