Inter and Naples, there is still life! Wednesday in the Champions League closed with two very important results, which keep both hopes of qualification unchanged. The Nerazzurri's victory in Prague and the Azzurri's draw in Liverpool, in fact, allow the former to be able to play it all at the San Siro against Barcelona and bring the latter to just one point from the round of XNUMX, to be conquered at the San Paolo against Genk.
December 10th will be another evening of passion, there's no doubt about that, but in the meantime, however, it's time to enjoy the one that just passed, overcome in the best possible way by both of you. Conte's Inter had a precise plan: to win in Prague and hope that Barça beat Dortmund, so that they can then face them already qualified and first.
Mission accomplished in full, despite an accident emergency that forced the coach to even dust off Borja Valero, his first starter of the season on the most important night, at least so far. It wasn't a walk in the park because Slavia, just like in the first leg, put them in shape and ran, forcing the remodeled Nerazzurri line-up into a painful first half.
But the Czechs, unlike then, needed to win and this, fatally, forced them to overbalance, leaving the Lautaro-Lukaku pair all those spaces they love so much. And so, just like on Saturday in Turin, the so-called "LuLa" ended up dominating, devastating their opponents under a veritable bombardment of chances and goals.
Lautaro took care of unlocking the match, obviously assisted by his team mate, very good at hitting the counter and putting a ball in the middle on which Toro threw himself with his usual fury (19'). The favor was reciprocated in the 35th minute, but it was a pity that Var had recognized a foul by De Vrij in the previous action, thus canceling the Belgian's goal and awarding a penalty to Slavia, coldly converted by Soucek.
In the second half Inter, also refreshed by the news from Barcelona, plunged into the opposing frontline, coming close to scoring the much desired goal several times, a pity however that Lukaku and Brozovic pressed against the crossbar and that Lautaro failed to counterattack face to face with Kolar. And when Masopust, taking advantage of a mistake by Borja Valero, appeared only in front of Handanovic, the specter of elimination materialized, however rejected by the usual great Slovenian goalkeeper. The liberating goal instead came in the 81st minute with Lukaku, lucky to be faced with someone else's slip but good at dribbling the goalkeeper and throwing into the net.
However, the party exploded in the 88th minute, with the overflowing Belgian to cross from outside and the unleashed Lautaro to score in goal with a volley from applause. Then there was also time for the 4-1 but Lukaku was once again stopped by the Var, this time for offside. But it didn't matter: Inter needed the 3 points and they had already been in the bank for some time.
“Already on the eve I said that we were much more of a team than in the first leg – Conte's analysis. – At San Siro their defenders always played early, but here we knew what awaited us, the match was different. I'm happy for Lautaro and Lukaku, the strikers are always happy when they score goals."
Now we will have to play it all against Barcelona, knowing however that we will face them already qualified and sure of first place, as well as a few days from the Clasico: in case of victory it will be qualification, vice versa we will have to look at the result of Dortmund-Slavia.
“In the meantime, I hope to arrive in the right way on Sunday against Spal, we must be prepared and concentrated to continue our journey in the league – glossed over the coach. – Against Barça it will be tough but we will be able to count on 80 people who will come and push us, we are happy, we have given meaning to this last match. Now let's recover energy for Spal which is the match that worries me the most".
December 10 will also be an important day for the Naples, determined to take the last point he still needs to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Little Genk, already eliminated and last, shouldn't be a big problem, also because a draw would be enough for the Azzurri. Ideal scenario, son of the good point won at Anfield in the presence of the reigning European champions.
Of course, Liverpool seen yesterday did not live up to its fame but this is also thanks to the Azzurri, back on track just like at the beginning of the season, when they seemed able to contend for the Scudetto against Juve and Inter. In the championship things have been compromised, in the Champions League everything is still possible, especially after matches like these, which strengthen team spirit and self-esteem. Here, more than the 1-1 final (opening goal by Mertens on the counterattack and equalizer by Lovren with a header in the 65th minute), what made the fans happy was above all the rediscovered sense of team that had gotten lost amid contractual squabbles, controversies arbitrations and various mutinies.
“It wasn't easy, we suffered and let ourselves down, but you have to play like this against Liverpool if you want to stay alive – commented Ancelotti. – Now the group is in good shape, it was an excellent evening. The thaw with De Laurentiis? It already exists, the environment is healthy”.
The ADL himself confirmed the words of the technician, with a decidedly satisfied tweet. “Well done to the coach and well done to our players – wrote the president. – Now everyone heads down to work hard and consider the next matches as if they were all against Liverpool. We don't have to talk about corporate measures with the players today. We will resolve these events among ourselves without external pressure or conditioning”.
Power of results, capable, within three weeks, of passing from the anger of a post-Dortmund Conte and from the nasty business of the post-Salzburg San Paolo to a beautiful, satisfying, happy evening of celebration. We will only have the verdicts on December 10, but the road seems to be the right one.
