Purple Hurricane on theInter. And on the championship, given that now the standings take on very different contours, both in terms of the Scudetto and the Champions League. Fiorentina 3-0 over Inter certifies the Napoli's primacy, now real in all respects: Conte will no longer have to look at the asterisk, but only enjoy the +3 in the standings. But the thump of Inzaghi's men also has effects on the race for fourth place, with Palladino who catches up with Baroni and forces the rivals to respond present. The first, in chronological order, will be Juventus, on stage tonight (20:45 pm) in the advance of the 24th day on the Como pitch. Thiago Motta, coming off a 4-1 win over Empoli, will have to win at all costs, otherwise they risk moving dangerously far away from the Champions League zone.
Fiorentina – Inter 3-0: Ranieri and “super Kean” triumph over an unrecognizable Inter
The recovery match between Fiorentina and Inter, a continuation of the challenge interrupted on December 1st due to Bove's illness, turned out to be a masterpiece for the Viola, but at the same time a real disaster for the Nerazzurri. A masterly performance for Palladino's men, dragged by a Kean in amazing form, while Inter, the reigning champion, sank without managing to resurface. The Nerazzurri, who should have won to catch up with Napoli at the top, left the Franchi with broken bones, as well as with the worry of having to play against the same opponents again next Monday, albeit in the friendly cauldron of San Siro. Inzaghi, after the draw in the derby, has to deal with another setback, this time much more worrying: losing 3-0, and without fighting, is not good for the standings or the mood of the environment. Compared to the derby, Inter took to the field with some changes, relying on Bisseck and Carlos Augusto, with Dimarco and Barella on the bench. Fiorentina, without their new signings due to regulatory issues (only those who were already under contract on December 1 could play) and with Gudmundsson limited by the flu, opted for a 5-3-1-1, with Beltran supporting Kean. Initially, Inter seemed to be taking control of the game, with Lautaro and Bastoni trying to threaten the Viola defense, but finding a very attentive De Gea. As the game progressed, Fiorentina managed to find the right defensive set-up, increasing their self-confidence and giving rise to dangerous counterattacks. In the first half, the most dangerous chances were all for Fiorentina, with Kean hitting the post and Dodo wasting a great counterattack opportunity. The music didn't change in the second half either, with Inter slow and predictable, unable to react: and so Fiorentina struck twice in a few minutes, first with Ranieri (59'), then with Kean (68'). Inzaghi tried everything by bringing on Arnautovic, Dimarco and Barella, but his team never managed to find the right spark, a conditio sine qua non to reopen the contest. In fact, it was Fiorentina who found the goal again with Kean who scored his personal brace (89'), inflicting heavy damage on the Inzaghi battleship. Which since yesterday, numbers in hand, is no longer the master of its own destiny, having left the scepter of power to Napoli, almost without understanding why.
Inzaghi: “Deserved defeat, I take full responsibility”
“The defeat is deserved and I am the first responsible – he admitted Inzaghi without mincing words -. In the first half we did badly, in the second half even worse. We didn't show any running, aggression and determination on the pitch. Fiorentina was very good and we're going home angry. This group hadn't lost for four and a half months, but now this KO has arrived and we'll analyze it. We'll start again on Monday with Fiorentina, but it's not the time to make tables, but to work to understand and improve. We faced a team that got to the ball before us and believed in it more. In the first half there were warnings, but despite this we did worse in the second half. Now let's try to understand why, this is a defeat that slows down our path".
Palladino: “Magical evening, everything was perfect”
“It was a perfect evening, magical, from every point of view – he exulted Palladino -. We were in a total emergency, every day we lost a player: Gudmundsson with a fever, Adli with a sprain... In the difficulty you can see the strength and determination of this group. Everything was perfect, we made an excellent game plan, the boys were exemplary from all points of view, even with people adapted and out of position. The victory must not excite us too much, it gives us awareness and makes us understand that this is a group with great human values, but we must keep our feet on the ground. Whoever goes on the pitch knows what to do, they have self-esteem and values, they defended like animals and all attacked hard. We are a great group. Dodò says that we can get to the Champions League? I am happy that the boys have this desire and this ambition, but we must continue to work and recover energy, because on Monday we have an even more difficult match than this one”.
Como – Juventus (20pm, Dazn and Sky)
There hasn't even been time to file away the match in Florence and it's already the 24th matchday: the first to kick off the dance will be How and Juventus, engaged in the advance of the Sinigaglia. For the Bianconeri it is an important test, both for the standings (the Champions zone is still 2 points away, but in addition to Lazio there is also Fiorentina) and for morale, given that on Tuesday there will be the delicate away match in Eindhoven. The victory over Empoli has brought back some enthusiasm in the environment, but now there is a need for continuity, otherwise life will be complicated in the race for fourth place. Thiago Motta knows this well, which is why he could confirm last Sunday's lineup, Kolo Muani first and foremost. The Frenchman, who arrived on loan from PSG, has already won everyone over with goals (three in the first two games in the Bianconeri jersey, better than anyone else before him). In fact, no one in the history of Juve had ever scored so many goals in January.: in 2011 Matri had stopped at two, while in 2022 Vlahovic had scored one. In the past, players like Borriello (2012) and Esnaider (1999) had limited themselves to assists, while Osvaldo (2014), Anelka (2013), Toni (2011), Paolucci (2010) and Henry (1999) had not even managed those. If Kolo Muani were to score in Como, he could equal the impressive impact Piatek had at Genoa in 2018, the only player in the last thirty years to score four goals in the first three games in Serie A. Formidable numbers, which are further obscuring Vlahovic's star, even if Motta's descent in the hierarchy had already begun before. The Serbian, due to a muscular problem, has never started in 2025 and the scenario will not change even today, despite the beautiful goal scored with Empoli. Many would like to see them together, but Thiago prefers only one centre-forward and it is unlikely that he will change his mind, especially if the Frenchman continues like this.
Thiago Motta: “Kolo Muani and Vlahovic together? Balance comes first…”
“It will be a difficult match against a strong team, which has put many top-level opponents in difficulty – he warned Thiago Motta -. We will have to play a great match, Fabregas was a great player and is proving to be a very good and very well-prepared coach, capable of competing with everyone while coaching a newly promoted team. The best moments are always when you win matches, the boys are giving their all and have great dedication, as long as I see this I will be happy, even if in the end the result always counts. Teams are always judged by this and when they arrive it is better to live… Kolo Muani and Vlahovic together? It is not that simple, we are a team and the most important thing is the collective. We need balance on a defensive and offensive level, they are two very high-level players regardless of their role. They will be able to play together when I consider it the ideal moment, otherwise they will alternate. There could also be matches in which neither of them plays, but what matters is always that the team works”.
Como – Juventus, probable formations
Como (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Goldaniga, Dossena, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Diao, Nico Paz, Strefezza; Cutrone
On the bench: Vigorito, Reina, Iovine, Douvikas, Jack, Lesjak, Ikoné, Engelhardt, Braunoder, Van der Brempt, Caqueret
Coach: Fabregas
Unavailable: Gabrielloni, Vojvoda, Kempf, Moreno, Azon, Sergi Roberto
Disqualified: Fadera
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Weah, Gatti, Veiga, Savona; Koopmeiners, Locatelli; Nico Gonzalez, McKennie, Yildiz; Kolo Muani
On the bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Costa, Kelly, Rouhi, Thuram, Douglas Luiz, Adzic, Conceiçao, Mbangula, Vlahovic
Coach: Thiago Motta
Unavailable: Milik, Bremer, Cabal, Cambiaso, Kalulu
Disqualified: None
