Roma takes third place, Inter licks their wounds, Milan dreams of a sensational comeback. Saturday in the championship sees Di Francesco overtake Spalletti and gives Gattuso (but also Giampaolo) the chance to dream really big. Everything, or almost everything, revolves around the Nerazzurri's defeat in Genoa, yet another misstep by a team which, at this point, must become aware of an increasingly serious crisis, to which not even its coach seems to find a solution . Marassi's 2-0 hurt and forced to deal with truly terrible numbers: only one victory in the last 2 and a half months, against 6 draws and 3 defeats. Ranocchia took care of this, author of an own goal that photographs the Nerazzurri moment better than any word: Skriniar's postponement on his knee and ball behind an astonished Handanovic (45 '). And when Pandev blew up Marassi with yet another seal to his former teams (two weeks ago it was Lazio's turn), the knockout of Inter became a reality, as well as the possibility of finding themselves out of the Champions League in the event of a Simone Inzaghi's success in Monday's match against Verona. “We were in the match, then the own goal arrived and everything became more difficult – Spalletti's bitter comment. – But now we have to go back to working seriously and to believe in our potential. There are still many races to go, it is necessary to maintain a level of results and classification to fight to the end with those at the top".
Among these there is certainly Roma, since yesterday officially out of the crisis which, between December and January, had plunged them out of the Champions League area. The victories against Verona and Benevento had been a good sign, the test came in Udine: the yellow and reds found their unity and desire to fight and the rankings, as a result, smiled again. The 0-2 of the Dacia Arena marks the return to third place and gives a good injection of confidence in view of the away match in Kharkiv against Shakhtar Donetsk, the first round of the round of 70. Also because Di Francesco has found a star: with an Under like this, in fact, everything is easier. The young Turkish player, after the first months of acclimatization, literally exploded and in his goals against Verona and Benevento he followed up with yesterday's, a real jewel in terms of beauty and importance. Up until his unstoppable left foot (3') it had been a balanced game, then the 91 points went in the direction of the Capital and Perotti's paw (XNUMX') was only the exclamation point. “The team had been growing for a few races, we went through a difficult time but as we worked, the certainties of before returned – Di Francesco's analysis. – I won't answer Spalletti (he stung him on Friday when he recalled that "his" Roma were fighting for the Scudetto, ed.), I have more important things to think about like Wednesday's match, we have to prepare it in the best possible way".
This evening however it will be Milan's turn, engaged at San Siro against Sampdoria (20.45 pm). Very interesting match that takes on even more value after yesterday's results: the last "hole" of the Champions League passes from this direct clash, which sees Giampaolo's Blucerchiati lead by 3 points. “They can make mistakes, we can't – confirmed Gattuso. – We have great respect and the awareness of facing an opponent who can put us in difficulty, organized and well trained by a coach from whom I copied several things at the beginning of his career. In the first 20' with Ludogorets I wasn't happy because it seemed to me that we were saving ourselves, if we face Sampdoria like this then we risk a lot”. Humility, grit and concentration: the Rossoneri coach's recipe doesn't change, after all it's working quite well given that Milan are back from 9 consecutive useful results between the championship and the cups. Gattuso, to obtain the tenth, will rely on the usual 4-3-3, obviously net of the disqualification of Kessié, which will force him to give up the most employed man of the whole season. His place is contested by Locatelli (favourite) and Montolivo, for the rest choices made with Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli and Rodriguez in defense, Biglia and Bonaventura in midfield, Suso, Cutrone and Calhanoglu in attack. Classic 4-3-1-2 also for Giampaolo, who will rely on Viviano between the posts, Bereszynski, Silvestre, Ferrari and Murru in the back department, Barreto, Torreira and Linetty in the midfield, Ramirez behind the Zapata-Quagliarella offensive duo.
