Il Milan climbs to the top of the standings, Juventus recapture the Champions League area. Sunday in Serie A gives the Rossoneri the overtaking of their cousins from Inter, but also the draw in extremis for the bianconeri on the Atalanta field. Two very different results from each other, yet equally important: we certainly didn't get bored, caught up in an increasingly exciting championship, in every area.
Very important victory for the Devil, obtained with minimal effort, even if the final 1-0 does not do justice to what was seen on the pitch. Pioli's team, in fact, had many opportunities to enhance the result, but the inaccuracy of the Rossoneri forwards, combined with Falcone's great day, meant that the goal Lion remained the only one in the game. It was the Portuguese, in fact, who colored the Rossoneri's 3 points, in cohabitation with maignan: the goalkeeper, however, was not the protagonist of saves, but of the winning assist for his colleague, just like in the first leg.
Yes, because Sampdoria managed to concede two copycat goals in the same championship, with the unusual goalkeeper-striker scheme: in Marassi it was Diaz who benefited from the launch of Magic Mike, yesterday instead it was Leao who enjoyed, splendid in the control of the ball that burned Bereszynski and in the right foot of the 1-0 (8').
From then on, the match went downhill, also because the blucerchiati remained closed just as if the result was still stuck at 0-0: fear of taking on new runs, all right, but also inability to create problems for Milan . Instead, after a soporific first half, he tried several times to find the 2-0, without succeeding despite the many opportunities he had. The result thus remained in the balance until the end, after which the Devil was able to rejoice for 3 platinum points which are worth overtaking Inter, albeit with one game to spare.
“It was the perfect week – satisfied comment of Pioli – Difficult and delicate matches awaited us for the standings, having achieved victory in all three is an excellent sign. Obviously there are many games to go... Now let's recover our energy, then start thinking about one game at a time again, as if it were the most important exam. If as a fan, would I believe in the Scudetto? If I were a fan I'd be in the stands, I just try to work hard to make the dreams I have at night come true."
Since yesterday the fight for the title is even more open, but it will almost certainly remain a deal for three. There Juventus, in fact, already detached by several points, failed to win the direct clash with Atalanta, conditio sine qua non to prove the sensational comeback. Indeed, Allegri has to thank Danilo for the header that, in full recovery (90+1'), the he avoided a bad defeat, which would have complicated, even a lot, the assault on fourth place, back in the hands of the Goddess: should he win recovery with Turinin fact, he would be in the Champions League again.
The Gewiss Stadium game was a good one, intense, vibrant, never dull, just as expected. The fact that the score was only released in the 76th minute is just one of football's many quirks, as the chances had been plentiful from the outset, with two teams determined to battle it out to take all the stakes. Instead the ball, partly due to collective inaccuracy, a lot due to chance, never entered the goal until the goal of Malinovskyi, who took over for a dull Muriel shortly before, did not find the splendid 1-0 goal with a screaming free-kick.
Juve wobbled, risked taking the second goal (Hateboer's crossbar), but then got up just a hair's breadth from the end with Danilo, who flew into the sky on a Dybala corner to find the precious equalizer. "It would have been a shame to lose a match played technically well, we had several chances and missed many goals – the analysis of Allegri – In the first half we only risked three minutes, while in the second half we did well even if Malinovskyi was good, but we believed in it right up to the end, equalizing through Danilo. The Scudetto? Let's think about fourth place, Inter wins that and I say it with all due respect to Milan and Napoli”.
The climate in the house is very different Atalanta, where anger prevails for having lost the victory right in the final, as well as for some disputed refereeing episode. "It was an excellent match for Atalanta, there was always the right spirit and we just lacked a little luck – explained the general manager Marine – But then there were also two dubious situations, Szczesny had to be sent off and we are missing a penalty for a hand from De Ligt ”.
Rounding out the championship day too the draw between Sassuolo and Roma, which sees Mourinho again with a bad taste in his mouth. Of course, the 2-2 grabbed at the photo finish is still better than nothing, but the idea of exploiting the direct clash in Bergamo to gnaw at a few points sadly foundered, in perfect harmony with the rest of the season. And to think that the Giallorossi had managed to take the lead with a penalty of Abraham at the end of the first half (45+1'), a more than favorable scenario against a Sassuolo that had popped up due to the absences of Scamacca and Raspadori.
Instead, at the beginning of the recovery, here is the turnaround propitiated by Traoré, first with a cross deflected by Smalling (47'), then with a goal of his own following an assist from the usual Berardi (73'). In full recovery Roma, in numerical superiority due to Ferrari's expulsion, managed to equalize with Cristante (90+3'), but the glass is still half empty. “I would not have signed on the eve, but obviously it is better to draw than to lose, at least we remain unbeaten for four rounds – the words of Mourinho – In recent days I have read many lies, it can be said that we are scarce and have limits, but not that the group is not united".
