Roma is getting closer to the Champions League, Milan will probably say goodbye. On the Sunday in which it was necessary to take advantage of Inter's misstep, it was the Giallorossi who smiled the most, thanks to a victory in Verona which is worth a decisive leap towards fourth place in the standings. Of course, the Nerazzurri remain ahead by one point but with Di Francesco's team immediately behind: further pressure in a Champions League race that is increasingly in the balance.
Milan, on the other hand, does not close the gap, on the contrary they see themselves overtaken by Atalanta: the fault of a draw on the Udinese field which in itself can also be there, a pity however that things had turned out well and that the result, without the naivety we'll talk about, it could have been so much better. Gattuso's problem is that bonuses have already been largely spent in the Montella era, and so the only way to climb the table is to always win.
Impossible for a team that has indeed improved but which has too many points to recover compared to those in front of them: the viaticum for the Champions League is called the Europa League, the championship instead will have to serve as a "training ground" to close the season in the best possible way and prepare the future. The Rossoneri return from Udine with several regrets: of course, the draw against Oddo's team can easily stay there but if you find yourself leading by a goal with a quarter of an hour to go it ends up turning into a semi-disappointment.
Suso's goal (9', a splendid left foot from outside the area) seemed to pave the way for the fourth consecutive victory, but then, midway through the second half, the episode that changed everything: Calabria, already booked, kicked Jankto, getting sent off as naive as heavy. At that point Udinese, already convinced of him, put even more determination in crushing Milan and ended up finding an equalizer thanks to an own goal from Donnarumma, mocked by a cross from Lasagna deflected by Bonucci (76 ').
“There is great regret because we made one of the best performances of the season – thought Gattuso. – This team is not bad and yet it has already had six expulsions, we must absolutely improve this thing. Unfortunately we are missing out on the knockout blow and we need time, but we are growing".
Instead, those who return home with full loot, as previously mentioned, are Di Francesco's Roma, victorious again after almost two months of fasting. A goal from the young Under after less than a minute was enough to clear Verona, then an overall calm management of the match (despite Pellegrini's expulsion in the 51st minute) and the usual great difficulty in finding a double that would have lessened the worries finals.
“We also suffered because there were only 10 of us left but without conceding shots on goal – But it was important to win here, we had to find compactness again and we succeeded. Now I always repeat the same things, we need more malice but that's okay too ". What mattered most, however, was the result and Roma got it. While waiting for Lazio (tonight in the postponement against Genoa) the Champions area is once again within reach: Inter will do well to watch their backs…
