Il Milan throw the match point in the air. The San Siro match against Cagliari it was supposed, in the plans of via Aldo Rossi, to seal the qualification in the Champions League, especially after the draw between Benevento and Crotone, which had armored the salvation of the Sardinians, instead it turned into a sensational misstep, which risks compromising an entire season . Yes, because now the Rossoneri see their advantage over Juventus shrinking to just one point, but above all they are preparing for a hellish final day, in which they will be forced to win in Bergamo or risk finding themselves in fifth place.
Incredible scenario until kick-off, when few thought that Cagliari, having just entered the climate of salvation, could stop the very fast-moving Diavolo, capable of scoring 10 goals in the two away games in Turin, moreover without conceding any. Instead, the reality is precisely this, so much so that now, despite the advantage over Napoli (in direct matches) and Juventus, it is Pioli's team that is shaking the most: Atalanta is already qualified, it's true, and they will also have the final on Wednesday of Coppa Italia, but it certainly won't give away anything, also because around 10 million dance between second and fourth place and these days nobody can afford to do charity. Milan have the task of overturning the predictions again, first of all by eliminating the disappointment of yesterday's 0-0 draw, yet another home misstep in a double-faced season.
“We knew that by winning we would close the accounts, we had tension and pressure or maybe the belief that we could win it one way or another – the bitter comment of Pioli – However, if we don't play well we don't win, we should have moved the ball faster and done better, but we didn't succeed. Now we already have to think about the match against Atalanta, it's useless to think about what we could have done. We didn't live up to the last few performances, but now we'll have the match of our life in Bergamo and we'll try”.
We will need a very different Milan from yesterday, subdued throughout the match, unable to create dangers at Cragno's goal and indeed clinging to Donnarumma: if Cagliari did not take the 3 points, in fact, the credit goes above all to the goalkeeper, phenomenal in countering two headers by Pavoletti and Godin with a sure blow.
Very important victory instead for the Napoli, who is now just one away from joining the Champions League club. Everything will be decided next weekend, when the Azzurri receive Verona, in the meantime, however, the Fiorentina obstacle, apparently the most difficult, has been overcome without a hitch. The 2-0 final signed by Insigne (56', tap-in on the rebound of a penalty rejected by Terracciano) and an own goal by Venuti (67', decisive deviation from a shot by Zielinski) allows Gattuso to better prepare the last week of the season, with the awareness of being really close to the goal.
Sure, Milan and Juve won't give up and will cheer with all their might for Juric to snatch at least one point, but the predictions go in a completely different direction, both for a matter of objective superiority and form. The hopes of the rivals, in fact, were focused above all on Fiorentina, determined to avenge the 0-6 draw in the first leg despite having nothing more to ask from the championship. And the Viola, in fact, played it out, forcing Napoli to draw for almost an hour, until the episode that shuffled the cards: Milenkovic's retention on Rrahmani and a penalty kick for the Azzurri who Insigne, albeit with a few too many thrills, he transformed into the precious 0-1. From then on, Gattuso's team was able to do what they do best, which is to close up and start again in the spaces. In one of these situations the doubling propitiated by Zielinski was born, on which however Venuti's deflection was decisive, for the most classic of own goals. “Great victory, but maximum concentration because it's not over yet!” De Laurentiis wrote on Twitter that he doesn't want any mental decline before the last match. Yesterday, after all, there was yet another demonstration that in football there is nothing, absolutely nothing, taken for granted.
