He who hesitates is lost. Or at least it seriously risks being, given the far from idyllic moment that Rome and Inter are going through. The match at the Olimpico (tomorrow evening, 20.45 pm) is not only the big match of the 7th day but also the most delicate of the same and the speech, ça va sans dire, primarily concerns the two coaches. Luciano Spalletti and Frank de Boer are not at risk but, in case of defeat, they would be. A draw would probably save them both, but knowing them you can bet they wouldn't sign before the match to get it. The purebred "player" is never satisfied with a safe bet and here we are faced with two specialists in attacking football, always ready to score an extra goal rather than defend it.
Therefore, a show is expected at the Olimpico, although the stakes are very high and certainly not for a question of points. Those, all in all, are in line with expectations, at least until tomorrow night. In fact, if one of the two were to lose, they could find themselves light years away from the top of the class, not the best for those who have openly declared their aim for the Scudetto (Spalletti) and not even for those who have defined it as a possible goal (De Boer). It's hard to say who, between Roma and Inter, will arrive better at tomorrow's match.
The round of the Europa League would favor the yellow and reds but Astra Giurgiu is not exactly Barcelona, that's why Thursday's poker is so reminiscent of last week's against Crotone which, it should be remembered, was followed by the blow from Turin. Spalletti is grappling with a more mental than technical crisis, which however began over a month ago with his elimination from the Champions League and has never really been resolved. And then there's the Totti case, always at the top of the thoughts of the entire Roman ether. The Captain is in great shape, he continues to dispense football from all points of view, yet the 40 candles blown out during the week mean that this is more of a problem than a panacea. After him there is a worrying vacuum in terms of leadership, which is why Spalletti experiences the paradoxical situation of having to line him up when he would gladly do without him.
Different scenario at Inter, where De Boer is grappling with an insertion that proceeds with disconcerting ups and downs. He beats Pescara and loses against Hapoel, wins against Juventus and Empoli and then draws against Bologna and recovers a blowout in Prague: continuity, for now, is certainly not his strong point. Compared to his Giallorossi colleague, he can boast more extenuating circumstances but also fewer credits, given that many continue to consider him unsuitable for the Italian championship. Roma-Inter will serve to give confidence to one of the two, leave them in limbo or definitively bury their ambitions. Three cards in the deck, no more. That the best (or luckiest) "player" can make the right choice.
