Atalanta runs away, Milan stays in the wake. The question and answer between the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri, waiting to see what Roma and Inter will do, certifies that the Champions League race will continue until the last breath and that Gasperini and Gattuso's men will be great protagonists. For the second time in a row, Atalanta played (and won) first, momentarily moving to +6 over Milan: a condition that forced the latter to take the 3 points, on pain of saying goodbye to any ambition for fourth place. The Bergamo players were good at beating Genoa despite the fact that their heads could already go to the Italian Cup final (by the way: Lazio also won in Cagliari), the Rossoneri were equally good at doing the same on the field of a Fiorentina that was in crisis. but still eager for redemption. Both knew that this turn could prove to be decisive, in one sense or another, and that winning was almost obligatory, but perhaps between the two it was Milan who risked something more. To begin with, those who are chasing have less and less margin for error, and then Florence, calendar in hand, was certainly the biggest obstacle between now and the end of the championship.
Next week, however, Atalanta will have the worst game, with the Rossoneri forced to cheer for Juve and, at the same time (in the true sense of the word, Lega Calcio permitting) to beat Frosinone, in the hope of making the very heavy hook in the standings which, by virtue of the direct clashes in favor, it would mean overtaking. The dream, because this is it, remains alive thanks to yesterday's 3 points, obtained with a test of character and good play, at least at times. In the first half, Milan approached very well, making the most of the confusion of the Viola, forced to play in the atmosphere of a decidedly hostile Franchi. And so, after the chances of Suso, Calhanoglu and Kessie, here is the Turkish goal with a beautiful header, propitiated by a cross to the Spaniard's kiss, to beat Lafont and make Gattuso explode.
But then, as often happened this season, the classic "braccino" came to the Rossoneri and the second half was decidedly more painful, with Fiorentina dangerous several times. Between the 58th and 63rd minute Donnarumma saved his teammates twice with as many decisive saves, one from Mirallas, the other from a deflection by Kessie who was turning into an own goal. Cutrone, inserted in the 74th minute in place of Piatek, had the ball to make it 0-2 on the counterattack, after which the Rossoneri preferred to defend their advantage, moreover without risking anything. Gasperini, on the strength of the 2-1 obtained in the afternoon against Genoa (46' Barrow, 53' Chestnuts, Pandev in the 89th minute for the rossoblu), thus had to abdicate the dream of cutting out a competitor 180' in advance: this Milan, despite all its problems, is still alive. “Fiorentina always creates problems for you because they have fast players up front – Gattuso's analysis. – In the first half the environment also helped us, in the second we didn't dribble anymore and we even risked equalizing. Up until 25 days ago we were in the Champions League, we regret the drop but we have to believe it. If we go to see the championship we had done it is normal that we had made our mouth in fourth place but nothing is lost: now head to Frosinone, we can still do it ".
All postponed to the next round, when the standings will perhaps be different (Roma and Inter, moreover, still have to play) but the Champions League race is still very open. The ball, rightly so, is in the hands of Atalanta, so far the most convincing of all but Juve, on the day of the Scudetto celebration in front of their fans, cannot and must not make a fool of themselves. Precisely for this reason, Milan asked the League to be able to play against Frosinone at 20.30 pm and not at 18 pm, as originally planned, especially since it was the black and whites who changed the time of their match. Because having arrived this far, evidently, you have to try them all to grab the coveted fourth place.
