Inter slow down Milan e Naples they want to take advantage of it. The Monday night of the championship promises to be even more interesting after the all-Nerazzurri 0-0 draw between Gasperini and Inzaghi, which in fact gives the pursuers a good chance to shorten the standings, provided however that they don't stumble against Bologna e Spezia (both at 18.30pm). On paper, the most insidious match seems to be that of the Azzurri, expected from the not simple away match of Dall'Ara, but even the Rossoneri must not take Thiago Motta's team too lightly, already capable of beating Maradona. The key therefore lies above all in the approach, because the Devil, as we saw on Thursday in the Italian Cup, must always go 100%, otherwise risk making a sensational fool.
"We will have to play as a team, we face an opponent who hasn't conceded a goal in the last few away games, winning both in Naples and Genoa - he confirmed Pioli – We come from a not 100% approach and we know how important it is to face the match against Spezia with decision, determination and lucidity. We have always shown that we are intelligent and responsible: we believe in ourselves, destiny is in our hands".
At the time of these statements, the coach could not yet have known that Inter would slow down, but the gist of the discussion does not change, on the contrary if possible it takes on an even greater value. Last year's precedent kept AC Milan wide awake, albeit with reversed pitches: the 2-0 with which the Ligurians, then coached by the Italian, won the match costing Pioli first place, definitively overtaken by Conte's Inter.
In short, maximum concentration, at least this is what the Rossoneri coach hopes for, forced to do without Tomori (meniscus surgery, he will be out for a month) and the disqualified Tonali, as well as Romagnoli, Kessié and Bennacer. His 4-2-3-1 will therefore be practically obligatory with Maignan in goal, Florenzi, Kalulu, Gabbia and Hernandez in defense, Krunic and Bakayoko in midfield, Saelemaekers, Diaz and Leao in the trocar, Ibrahimovic in attack.
Thiago Motta, always in the balance despite the two victories collected in the last three games, will respond with a 4-3-3 with Provedel between the posts, Amian, Erlic, Nikolaou and Reca in the back department, Maggiore, Kiwior and Bastoni in the midfield, Gyasi, Manaj and Green in the offensive trident.
Complicated Monday even for the Naples, that if he wants to keep Scudetto hopes alive he must necessarily conquer Bologna. But ambitions aren't the only reason to play a good game: behind the table the standings are shrinking, with Juventus looming menacingly and the margin for error is no longer very wide. The moment is not at all happy, as we saw on Thursday in the elimination from the Italian Cup and, more generally, in the last two months, where the Azzurri lost the incredible advantage they had built up in the first few days.
“To win matches it is essential to have players available and in condition – he sighed Spalletti – I foresee a better future than the difficult period experienced in the last month, but we mustn't be afraid of the teams that aspire to the Champions League area. We want to finish in the top four and we have what it takes to achieve this goal."
To lend a hand to the coach there will be Osimhen and Zielinski, available again after their respective absences (that of the Nigerian, in particular, lasts from November 23), but both are not 100% sure and will start from the bench. The list of absentees, between injuries (Insigne and Ospina) and the African Cup (Koulibaly, Anguissa and Ounas) is still long, which is why the blue 4-2-3-1 will be rather reworked with Meret in goal, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus and Mario Rui in defense, Fabian Ruiz and Lobotka in midfield, Politano, Elmas and Lozano behind the lone striker Petagna.
Many absences also for Mihajlovic, although the situation has improved compared to a week ago. The Rossoblu coach will thus rely on a 3-5-2 with Skorupski between the posts, Soumaoro, Binks and Theate in the back, De Silvestri, Soriano, Viola, Svanberg and Hickey in the midfield, Arnautovic and Sansone in attack.
