Milan hunting for the Europa League, Atalanta for the Champions League and… for Juve. The thirty-fourth day begins today, the one that, at least on paper, offers the best races from now to the end. It starts with Verona to Atalanta (17.15 pm), Cagliari-Sassuolo (19.30) and Milan-Bologna (21.45), for a Saturday overlooking Europe, looking forward to Roma-Inter of tomorrow and Juventus-Lazio on Monday.
The eyes are mainly on the teams of Gasperini and Pioli, both in great shape and determined to achieve their respective goals. Since Serie A has restarted, it has been them, together with De Zerbi's Sassuolo, who have run stronger than all, some confirming the good done previously like the Bergamo players, others overturning every scenario like the Rossoneri. Pioli then experiences the paradox of having found "his" Milan just when they decided to take him away: a situation that would have weakened anyone but him, capable of working at his best and relaunching his name as well as the team, at this point a valuable piece of the next transfer market.
"The work we did before couldn't bear immediate fruit, now we've become a team and we don't need to think about the future, but live in the present - the Rossoneri coach glossed over, as usual - The team knows we're doing well, but we have to continue score as many points as possible, we have not yet achieved the goal. I feel good at Milanello, I've found an exceptional group. We don't have time to think about anything else, we need to score as many points as possible to reach the Europa League, preferably directly from the group stage".
Which means do the race on Fonseca's Rome, currently +4 in the standings, so try to win all five remaining games between now and the end, starting with this one against Bologna. "We'll need an excellent game from a technical point of view, they're doing well and they had a great game against Napoli - continued Pioli - We have to give everything on the pitch, we're doing well but we have to insist".
Winning team is not touched but this super-compressed championship imposes the turnover almost for survival, which is why we will see a Milan lined up with a 4-2-3-1 that is a little different than on Wednesday, with Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Kjaer , Romagnoli and Hernandez in defense, Kessié and Bennacer in midfield, Saelemaekers, Calhanoglu and Rebic in the frontline, Ibrahimovic in attack. Some changes also for Mihajlovic, who will respond with a 4-3-3 that will see Skorupski in goal, Mbaye, Danilo, Tomiyasu and Dijks in the back, Soriano, Medel and Dominguez in the midfield, Skov Olsen, Sansone and Barrow in the offensive trident .
Great curiosity also for the Bentegodi match between Verona and Atalanta, a sort of challenge between the revelations of the season, moreover with two technicians who look alike like two drops of water. Juric, a pupil of Gasperini both as a player and coach of the Genoa spring, has admitted to being inspired by him in all respects, but today the master will not be able to make discounts if he wants to conquer the mathematical qualification in the Champions League, and why not try to stay clinging to leaders Juve, currently 7 points behind (8 with direct clashes against).
"Two mathematical points are missing for the Champions League goal, but then another is added, the important thing is to always have new and different ones - the Nerazzurri coach thought - There are three teams in two points, five days left with difficult calendars for all three: it will be a good fight to keep our motivations high and prepare ourselves in the best possible way in view of the Champions League match against PSG".
In Verona, after the maxi turnover seen against Brescia, the typical Atalanta should meet again, therefore 3-4-2-1 with Gollini in goal, Toloi, Palomino and Djimsiti in defense, Castagne, De Roon, Freuler and Gosens in midfield , Malinovskyi and Gomez behind lone striker Zapata. Juric, now too far from the Europa League dream, will respond with the same system as his colleague with Silvestri between the posts, Rrahmani, Gunter and Dimarco in the back department, Faraoni, Amrabat, Veloso and Lazovic in the midfield, Pessina and Verre in the trocar, Di Carmine in attack.
