Try to stop her, if you can! After Lazio and Inter, Roma also overcame the Naples obstacle and consolidated their leadership in the standings with frightening numbers. With last night's victory, the Giallorossi reach 8 out of 8, thus equaling Juventus' record and getting even closer to the absolute record of 9 of the Lady herself (but the championship in question was later revoked following Calciopoli).
To embellish the picture even more is the performance of the defence, hitherto only violated by Biabiany's header on 16 September last. Five games have passed since then but De Sanctis and his teammates don't seem to have noticed. In short, Roma fly to such an extent as to push their coach to rather heavy comparisons: "We have reached Platini's Juve, and for me Michel was a very important player...". Rudi Garcia only makes fun of the word Scudetto ("We're taking away satisfaction, but it's too early to talk about anything else"), but deep down he's starting to believe it too.
Regardless of the result, it wasn't an easy evening at the Olimpico. In fact, Napoli played it out and also had the best chances of the match, moreover at 0-0. Pandev first and Insigne then pardoned De Sanctis and Roma as a whole, however deprived of Totti after just half an hour of play (flexor problem). In short, it seemed like a bad night, then Pjanic arrived. His free-kick was delightful and, at the end of the first half, he unlocked the match by effectively directing him towards the capital. In the second half, Benitez, forced to do without Higuain and, during the game, Britos, raised his center of gravity and the move seemed to bear fruit.
Roma went into trouble, also because Gervinho's injury made his famous counterattacks impossible, and Napoli's draw seemed imminent. But then Cannavaro, as previously mentioned who took over from Britos, combined it big by jerking blatantly (at least at first glance, because the replay shows that the hold is mutual) Borriello in the area: expulsion, penalty and 2-0 signed by Pjanic, hero, in cohabitation with De Sanctis, of the evening. Higuain's entry was useless, because Roma, now free from any fear, put their opponent in check with a delightful phrasing. Fioretto but not only, because such a De Rossi hasn't been seen for a long time...
Roma enjoys, Napoli returns home disappointed with the result, but not with the performance. “I think the team only suffered in the first 20 minutes – thought Rafa Benitez. – Afterwards we did very well and if we had made better use of the two chances in the first half we would have won the game. Then, in the 71st minute, the penalty arrived with Cannavaro being sent off… It's not up to me to judge the referee, but there are ten contacts like this in a game”.
A small controversy on a beautiful evening of football, enhanced by the presence of Diego Armando Maradona at the stadium. "Excited? But it seems to you, we lost! – exclaimed the Pibe de oro. – Unfortunately I don't play anymore…”. Yes, but this Naples can still lead the way. Yesterday she simply found an opponent in a state of grace, currently unbeatable by anyone. Rome does not yet know where it will arrive, but in the meantime it is dreaming. And given how he plays, he has every right to.
