Alive and well. Juventus and Naples they close on Tuesday Champions with two very important victories, perhaps even vital in terms of qualification. This is especially true for the black and whites, who have been through the roller coaster of Bodo: the 3-2 final it is worth entering the playoff zone, as well as a nice kick to the ghosts of an early elimination from Europe. A less vibrant evening. to Maradona, but even there, there were fears of a very dangerous misstep. Qarabag, in fact, held out for over an hour, falling only to the shots of McTominay, the man of decisive nights. This evening it will be up to Inter and Atalanta, busy on the pitches of Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt (21pm).
Bodo Glimt – Juventus 2-3: Spalletti saves the Champions League with Openda, McKennie and David
Juventus finally enjoys a European night: 3-2 at Bodo/Glimt, their first Champions League win of the season, and a resurgence in the standings just when there was no margin for error. But getting there required a lot of suffering. The first half, in fact, didn't promise anything good: a blistering pace from the Norwegians, the Bianconeri overwhelmed on second chances and saved only by the firepower of a highly inspired Conceiçao. Right on time, as often happens when you don't put in the intensity, the goal conceded: Blomberg leapt higher than anyone else from the corner and made it 1-0, with Bodo's cold but "hot" shot going wild with joy and Spalletti already looking ready to explode. The match, however, changed completely when Adzic left the pitch after a performance worthy of a paying spectator, thanks to a finally decisive Yildiz. Juve took control and showed courage, and within minutes they turned the tables: Openda scored his first Bianconeri goal, stealing the ball from the penalty spot, and McKennie completed the score by heading in the corner. It seemed all over, but the Old Lady had a habit of complicating things: Cabal came on uncoordinated, gave away a naive penalty, and Fet made it 2-2 when the clock said there was only injury time left. However, right there, where this team has often fallen apart, came the move that changed everything. Yildiz ran in open space, sent the Norwegian defense wild, and fired toward Haikin's goal: David got his foot in the rebound, scoring the goal they'd missed for three months, and Juve exploded with joy, finding themselves in the playoff zone after having feared a "near" elimination. Spalletti returned to winning ways at the most crucial moment. He did so amidst a thousand sufferings, but also with that pinch of courage and madness needed when the season is teetering on the edge. And this time the ending is all black and white.
Spalletti: "A crucial victory, but now I'll stick with the players to ensure consistency."
"It was crucial that we played with an open mind and dominated the game across the pitch, sometimes with difficulty because our opponents showed a speed of thought that could have intimidated us," Spalletti said. "In the first half, we missed some fairly easy chances. In the second, the team even stepped up their game, and it would have been a shame not to take it home, so it's a deserved victory. Dedicated to us and to the fans who have come this far. Openda and David? We need to develop everyone. I'm happy because in the locker room, I saw more relaxed players. Let's not forget that players are people who suffer; they're not indifferent as too many people think. We're struggling in every sense; the team sometimes doesn't take responsibility, it lacks great courage, and it's subjected to this blanket of what we're being told. It's a crucial victory, but now I'll stick with the players; we need to confirm our performance. We also need to improve our physical condition; the team has horsepower in its engine, and we need to find solutions."
Napoli 2-0 Qarabag: Conte finds his smile again in Europe thanks to McTominay.
Napoli also got their Champions League campaign back on track, thanks to a 2-0 win over Qarabag that keeps Conte firmly in the playoff spot. It wasn't a walk in the park at the Maradona: a slow tempo, plenty of duels, few passing lines, and a Kochalski who played like a superhero for an hour, mesmerizing Neres with a half-bicycle kick, neutralizing Di Lorenzo, and even saving a penalty from Hojlund. The start was even more complicated than expected, with Addai coming close to taking the lead and Napoli struggling to find pace in the 3-4-3 formation that Conte has now established as the cornerstone of his new cycle. The game remained deadlocked until the half-hour mark, when signs of a revival began to appear: Neres's bicycle kick, Di Lorenzo's missed chance, and Medina fainting after a McTominay strike. The hosts immediately received a penalty, and it was well-deserved: Jankovic brought down Di Lorenzo, but Hojlund's shot was poorly saved by Kochalski, keeping the score intact. Napoli, however, remained there, and when they stepped up their game, they really did. McTominay scored the first goal from a corner, breaking the deadlock and turning the Maradona stadium into a cauldron. From that moment on, it was a siege: Lang forced Kochalski into yet another miracle, Hojlund grazed the post, Neres hit the crossbar, and then McTominay forced Jankovic into an own goal to make it 2-0, sealing the victory. Napoli weren't flashy, but they were solid, aggressive enough, and capable of staying in the game even when it seemed doomed. Conte took the win and, more importantly, put the team back in the running for the playoffs.
Conte: "Napoli wasn't dead, but we must always have the right energy."
"Napoli wasn't dead. Games can be won or lost, but we know we have to always give it our all," Conte said. "It's a very difficult time. We had seven players on the bench, two goalkeepers, and two promising players. We've been going through a very difficult period since the start of the year, but we still have to find different solutions and use the same players almost always, increasing the risks. Let's move forward. We've played two good games. There are no easy teams in the Champions League. I was convinced we'd score. I need to have great energy and then transmit it to the team. In Bologna, I took responsibility because I wasn't transmitting energy, and it was my fault. Energy is crucial; the players must release it in every game and be a team. Now we'll rest, but then we have to put our helmets back on and prepare for Roma."
Atletico Madrid – Inter (21pm, Prime Video)
They say the best thing to do after a bad defeat is to get right back on the pitch. Inter is holding on to this, trying to shake off the derby disappointment by diving into the Champions League, where the context is completely different from the league. In Europe, Chivu's team sits on full points, has conceded only one goal, and shares the top spot with Bayern and Arsenal. It's true, their path has been facilitated so far by opponents far from the continental elite (Ajax, Slavia Prague, Union SG, and Kairat), and for this very reason, the night at the Metropolitano has a dual purpose: erasing the defeat against Milan and, above all, understanding just how credible this Inter team is when the bar is raised. The trip to Madrid has brought up many unresolved issues, starting with injuries. Dumfries will still be injured for a while, as will Darmian, while Mkhitaryan is looking ahead to the next league match against Pisa. Then there's the goalkeeping issue, back on the news after Sommer's error in the derby. The criticism has been strong, fueled by past uncertainties, but nothing suggests an imminent change: Chivu had already defended him after Turin, confirmed him in Europe, and will do so again tonight, with all due respect to Martinez. There will be some changes in the Nerazzurri's 3-5-2 formation. Akanji, De Vrij, and Bastoni will be in defense, with Luiz Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, and Dimarco in midfield, and Esposito and Lautaro up front. The match, given the league table, is far from decisive, but Chivu is called upon to react after losing yet another direct clash of the season, to avoid further doubts about his Inter team's consistency. They will face a highly motivated Atletico (their mere six points, in fact, force them to win) and on the rise, as evidenced by their five consecutive victories in La Liga and the Champions League. They are determined to capitalize on the usual chaos at the Metropolitano to get back into the Champions League race.
Chivu: "The derby was unfair, but we're alive and we'll bounce back."
"We've always bounced back after a defeat," Chivu emphasized. "The match against Atletico is as important as the others, but there are defeats and defeats. I like the attitude and the proactive team we are, but we need a little more incisiveness up front and... luck. We played a solid game against Milan, but it wasn't enough, but my Inter is alive and well; the beauty of football is that there's always revenge. We showed quality and determination in the derby, but unfortunately we lacked clarity and luck. I take credit for the attitude, the maturity, and the quality I saw, the desire to be proactive with or without the ball; the growth is evident. We gained almost nothing in the head-to-head matches, but I'm confident. Defeats aren't all the same; in other matches, we've conceded more. Against Milan, we played a solid match, and this defeat makes me reflect. It wasn't enough to add something extra, so we'll work to break the taboo of head-to-head matches. The team is alive and wants to get back to winning ways." high”.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Atalanta (21 p.m., Sky and Now)
Atalanta returns to the place where, paradoxically, they seem to feel safest: the Champions League. A place where Atalanta, struggling with countless league difficulties, is managing to rediscover its rhythm, identity, and even confidence. The numbers speak for themselves: seven points in four games, an average of nearly two per game, and a whopping seven points in their last three, excluding their debut slip-up against European champions PSG. It's as if the team is better able to metabolize the impact of the European nights and emerge with a more lucid version of itself. And considering the mere 13 points collected in 12 Serie A matchdays, the idea that the Champions League can become a refuge and, at the same time, a catalyst for recovery isn't so far-fetched. Frankfurt also features Raffaele Palladino's second debut, having first tasted the Nerazzurri dugout in Naples and now finding himself directly in the most challenging cup. Eintracht have conceded at least three goals in seven of their seventeen matches this season, a detail that suggests a comfortable margin for a team that has only twice surpassed three goals this season. And then there's the weight of the standings: a win would mean moving up to ten points, which would bring them closer to the playoffs, while looking at the rest of the season (Chelsea, Athletic Bilbao, and Union Saint-Gilloise) with much more optimism. Palladino will try with his usual 3-4-2-1, with Carnesecchi in goal, Kossounou, Hien, and Djimsiti in defense, Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, and Zappacosta in midfield, and De Ketelaere and Lookman behind lone striker Scamacca.
Palladino: "There's no room for emotion; we want to rediscover our DNA."
"The word 'Champions League' already evokes emotion, but there's no room for that. We need to be focused because Eintracht is a very strong team that scores a lot of goals," Palladino explained. "We'll leave the excitement until kick-off. I saw the lads give it their all in training, and that's what gives me hope. I've had great responses these past few days, and I'm proud of that. We want to rediscover our DNA. The Champions League raises the bar: the intensity, the atmosphere, the stadiums make everything more exciting, and we always have to be up to par. We have the utmost respect for Eintracht, but we came here with high self-esteem and can put in a great performance."
