This Milan he's serious. The victory of Naples it certifies once and for all the value of Pioli's team, solo leaders with 20 points and still unbeaten in the league, while it marks a clear step backwards for the Azzurri, in their second consecutive home defeat (third also considering the Europa League). On the eve, while reiterating that it was still too early to talk about the Scudetto, we underlined the importance of this match and not just for questions of standings. Well, the Rossoneri come out enormously strengthened, because leaving Naples with full loot is not for everyone: it is no coincidence that Sassuolo, the other team to have succeeded, are second (yesterday 2-0 in Verona with goals from Boga and Berardi).
“It is an important victory, which confirms that we are working in the right direction – commented by Boner – Scudetto? It seems premature to me to talk about something that can only be won in May. For now we are up there and we want to stay there as long as possible, but there is still a long way to go from here to the end…”.
The words of Pioli's assistant, evidently in agreement with him, are understandable, but it is clear that hiding is becoming increasingly complicated. Also because, in addition to a team that performs very well, there is a Ibrahimovic really amazing. Finding adjectives to celebrate him without repeating himself is becoming difficult, in light of the 9 goals scored in just 6 games played: top-level numbers, just like the quality of his goals.
Yesterday's first (20', header in the corner) made Koulibaly look like a rookie, the second (54', knee tap-in on Rebic's assist) wiped out Napoli's self-esteem, helpless in the face of such a class. To complete the work, after Mertens had reopened the match with a kick under the goal (63 '), Bakayoko (expelled for a second yellow card) and Hauge took care of it, very cold in closing the games in full recovery (95'). In short, a festive evening for Milan, even if with a fly in the ointment: Ibra in fact suffered a muscle problem and was forced to leave the field (in the next few hours there will be exams to understand the extent).
Around Milanello they cross their fingers, in Castelvolturno instead big words fly. Gattuso he took the defeat very badly, as is widely understood from his words in front of the microphones. “When important matches arrive, something always happens, you have to raise the bar – explained the coach bluntly – I can't accept that in moments of difficulty my team doesn't have a knife between their teeth. You can see the attitudes, sometimes we act like teachers because the ball doesn't arrive well, or we waste time complaining to the referee. If we analyze the match, Napoli did what they had to, but quality is not enough, something more is needed. I'm primarily responsible, I have to be able to pass these things on to the players."
No outburst at home instead Inter, but only thanks to the daring victory over Turin. The 4-2 final, however, must not deceive: the grenades, in fact, dominated for over an hour, even reaching a double advantage thanks to goals from Zaza (47') and Ansaldi (62' from a penalty). At that point in the match, the Nerazzurri were literally under a train, unable to react to a vigorous Bull despite the numerous absences, above all that of Belotti, who stopped in the warm-up due to a muscle problem.
But when Inter are involved, you know, you should never take anything for granted, pace Conte, who a year and a half ago, on the day of his presentation, announced the end of the crazy and unpredictable team , in favor of a stronger and more constant. Yesterday, however, he must have liked the reaction of him a lot, because just when the abyss was advancing mercilessly, here was the shock capable of overturning everything.
Sanchez, up until then one of the worst, first found the goal of hope with a kick under the goal (64'), then sent Lukaku on goal for the sensational 2-2 (67'). Going from an almost certain defeat to a draw in 3' had a very important effect for the Nerazzurri, who at that point took control of the match, waiting for the decisive episode. Which arrived in the 84th minute from a penalty (foul by Nkolou on Hakimi) transformed by the usual Lukaku, before the Belgian himself closed the game by serving the 4-2 ball to Lautaro close to the gong (90').
"The approach wasn't the best, we should have been much more ferocious like Torino, instead we weren't able to win even a tackle - the analysis by Tale – In the second part, however, we have to congratulate the lads, the 2-0 would have killed anyone, instead we proved once again that we have something important even in terms of character. Sometimes we have to look deeper, to dig, and I have to be good at it. It wasn't easy to come back, we're happy."
To complete the emotional swings of the weekend, here is the case Eriksen, certified by Marotta's pre-match statements ("We must never hold back a player who asks to be transferred"): the exchange with Paredes from PSG, at this point, seems increasingly probable.
Quiet day instead for the Roma, capable of easily beating Parma despite numerous absences. Fonseca was looking for a test of maturity after the pre-break praise and he definitely found it, thanks to a game that now works wonderfully regardless of the performers, but also to the top-level plays of his champions. Over all Mkhitaryan, who rose to leadership precisely in his moment of need, or in the absence of Captain Dzeko.
The Armenian, who scored a hat-trick in the match in Genoa, repeated himself by scoring two more goals, one beautiful in the 32nd minute and the other from a robbery at the end of the first half (40'). However, it was Borja Mayoral who unlocked the match, more than effective in replacing the owner Dzeko: his kick under the goal had broken the balance of a Parma who appeared to have given up from the start, as if he couldn't wait to leave the Olimpico and return in Emilia.
“We played an excellent game, especially in the first half and not just for the three goals – commented by Fonseca – In the second half we managed, but we could have scored again”. With this victory, the Giallorossi are confirmed as one of the best teams in this championship, as demonstrated by a ranking which, it should be remembered, took away Verona's point due to a bureaucratic irregularity. In short, the Scudetto race has officially been enriched by another suitor, in a tournament that, at the moment, seems to be the most fun and balanced in recent years.
