Now it's getting serious. After the August appetizer, with break for the national team annexed, it's time to dive into the club football, ready to get into the thick of things between the championship and the cups. We start with Como-Bologna (15pm), Empoli-Juventus (18) e Milan-Venice (20:45), so immediately with two big candidates for the championship, albeit dealing with completely different moments. On the one hand the lady of Thiago Motta, fresh from victories against Como and Verona and the draw with Roma, on the other hand Diavolo of Fonseca, whose margin of error is already almost zero. Then, at the door, there is the Champions League, but we will talk about this only in a few days: first, in fact, there is a weekend to be fully experienced, finally without the “disturbance” of the market.
Empoli – Juventus (18pm, Dazn)
There is great anticipation for the return to the field of Juventus 2.0, The first in full ranks. Of course, Milik and Conceiçao are still missing, but Thiago will be able to count on the many gifts received from the market, starting with that Koopmeiners wanted at all costs. The first segment of the season begins with Empoli, a pitch that is anything but simple in light of what we have seen so far: Roma knows something about it, beaten on home soil at the Olimpico, as do Monza and Bologna, stopped by a good game organization and some interesting individuals. Of course, the Juve is a completely different thing and clearly the favourite, but its system is still to be built, both tactically and in terms of men. Thiago has already shown in Bologna that he is predisposed to innovation and this has been repeated in these first days, but now there is a new toy to assemble and the pieces will have to be handled with care. Compared to the match with Roma there will be various new features, but it is certain that the Italian-Brazilian coach will measure out his strengths in view of PSV and Napoli, especially since many of the big names are returning from commitments with the national teams. The objective, needless to say, is to reconnect with the victory for maintain the lead in the standings, perhaps hoping that the "roommates" will make some mistake.
Thiago Motta: “The double commitment doesn't change things, we only focus on Empoli”
“It’s been two excellent weeks of training,” Thiago Motta stressed. “I’m happy that many have stayed with us, but also that those who have been in the national team have played and gained experience. They are all in good condition and I’m happy because we have almost all of them available. It will be complicated against Empoli, we will be facing a team that knows what they want to do on the pitch. We must be ready to face them, respect them and at the same time impose our game to have a better chance of winning. What changes in the management of the squad with the double commitment? Nothing, we prepare, we play, we recover those who have played and train those who haven’t played. Then we have to face the matches one at a time as we have always done, with commitment and concentration. Douglas Luiz and Koopmeiners? They are two great players like many we have in the squad, we will see who will start the match. Vlahovic? He always has to do better with the help of the whole team, but he has enthusiasm and positive energy: I am very happy with what he is doing.”
Empoli – Juventus, probable formations
Empoli (3-5-2): Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Grassi, Henderson, Maleh, Pezzella; Solbakken, Colombo
On the bench: Brancolini, Seghetti, De Sciglio, Sazonov, Cacace, Marianucci, Ekong, Haas, Anjorin, Pellegri
Coach: D'Aversa (Sullo on the bench)
Unavailable: Ebuehi, Belardinelli, Zurkowski, Perisan, Fazzini
Disqualified: none
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Douglas Luiz, Locatelli; Nico Gonzalez, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
On the bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Savona, Danilo, Rouhi, Fagioli, McKennie, Thuram, Weah, Mbangula, Adzic, Anghelé
Coach: Thiago Motta
Unavailable: Milik, Conceicao
Suspended: Pogba (until 2027)
Milan – Venice (20pm, Dazn and Sky)
The peak of tension will be reached in the evening, when the Milan di Fonseca will try to grab the first victory of its championship. Objective to be achieved at all costs, both for the consistency of Venezia (in addition to San Siro) that for objective reasons of classification: failing again today, in fact, could further lengthen the distance from the leaders. But the match goes beyond the points, given that a good part of the Fonseca project is at stake, already considerably weakened by the results in August. The break has somewhat tempered the “cooling break” case, but what happened in Rome with Hernandez and Leao cannot be ignored: Furlani tried to call it a “non-event”, instead it is the sign of a nervous and disheartened dressing room, perhaps even divided between Ibrahimovic's loyalists (by the way: he will not be present tonight at San Siro either) and the new arrivals, evidently more inclined to the figure of Fonseca. The pitch, however, can still put things right, even if the tests will go well beyond Venezia, in light of a terrible week with Liverpool and Inter. It is difficult to imagine what will happen between now and next Sunday, but it is clear that for the Devils it will not be a week like the others. In the meantime, Jerry Cardinale has also arrived in the city, partly for the stadium issue, but mostly to supervise what will happen and make any decisions. In short, Milan's season has already reached a crossroads and the next three games will indicate the direction to follow.
Fonseca: “I still believe in the Scudetto and I’m moving forward with my ideas”
“Having a full stadium after the first three games is a great declaration of love from the fans, but also a great responsibility to improve and make them proud – Fonseca thought -. The games are all important, even more so at this moment given that we haven't won the first three. Winning is always important, I'm confident and focused, then we'll think about Liverpool... Obviously the goal remains to win the Scudetto, what I see every day is a team that believes in what it does and wants to improve, as well as working happily. I'm always confident because the players are giving good signals and training well. Boban and Sarri say I should play with three midfielders? I always respect the opinions of others, even more so if they are constructive, but I work with the players and maybe we also have different ideas about the game. I have to insist on what I believe in, not on the thoughts of others”.
Milan – Venezia, probable formations
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Loftus-Cheek, Fofana; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham
On the bench: Torriani, Raveyre, Calabria, Tomori, Jimenez, Terracciano, Musah, Zeroli, Chukwueze, Okafor, Morata, Jovic
Coach: Fonseca
Unavailable: Florenzi, Bennacer, Sportiello, Thiaw
Disqualified: none
Venice (3-4-2-1): Joronen; Idzes, Svoboda, Schingtienne; Candela, Nicolussi Caviglia, Duncan, Zampano; Oristanio, Busio; Pohjampalo
On the bench: Grandi, Stankovic, Haps, Altare, Carboni, Sverko, Sagrado, Crnigoj, Andersen, Doumbia, Ellertsson, Raimondo, Gytkjaer, El Haddad, Yeboah
Coach: Di Francesco
Unavailable: Bjarkason
Disqualified: none
