Too much Naples for this Milan. A beautiful, fun and crazy match was staged at the San Paolo, marked by goals (6), expulsions (3 including that of Sarri) and lots and lots of entertainment. It was thus Napoli who triumphed on the evening of open-faced football, stronger on a technical level and benefiting from a courageous but clearly inferior Milan. A good spot for Serie A, in spite of those who consider us only a country of defenders, but the feeling remains of having seen two incomplete teams, far from the maturity necessary to achieve their respective objectives.
If Napoli wants to fight against Juve, they cannot afford to concede 4 goals in 2 games, the same goes for Milan (6 and don't forget the penalty saved by Donnarumma against Toro), although the premises are decidedly different. Heroes of the evening Mertens and Milik, the first author of a crazy game, the second of a brace that is not enough to cancel Higuain but which certainly makes the memory a little less bitter. Even Milan, despite the defeat, can go home with something good: from the waist up the qualities are there and if Montella manages to balance the defense it could even lead to a positive season. “The team started very well, unfortunately we conceded goals and the momentum changed – the Rossoneri coach said. – We need to work on match management and also improve in shrewdness, you can't take two expulsions like those of Kucka and Niang. The market? I knew we would have a limited budget, seeing what is happening elsewhere I think that the Chinese have sent the bank transfer to the wrong address…”.
Jokes with reference to Inter aside (we'll talk about it in a bit), Montella can look to the future with a bit more optimism, perhaps hoping for Berlusconi's latest football gift (but Galliani spoke of a closed market yesterday) . Napoli are also anxiously living these last days of the transfer campaign: Kalinic seems nuanced but the eventual departure of Gabbiadini could reopen the front (in the meantime, Rog, now the new blue player, was in the stands). Meanwhile, however, Sarri (expelled for protests) can enjoy a great Mertens, author of an extraordinary match even without scoring. The Belgian has been involved in almost all the offensive actions of him, from the first goal of Milik (18') to that of Callejon (74'). In the middle another goal by the Pole (33') and also a good Milan, able to get back into the game at the start of the second half with Niang (51') and Suso (55'), before collapsing under the blows of Napoli (in the final Kucka and Niang himself were sent off, as well as Callejon's fourth goal).
Today, however, the spotlights will move to San Siro, where De Boer's Inter will try to beat Palermo (18 pm) to cancel the knockout in Verona. The latest market successes (Gabigol and Joao Mario were taken for a total of 70 million) have restored enthusiasm to the square, but now the answer from the pitch is needed, which has always been the most important. “These purchases will give us many more solutions – explained De Boer. – But now we're only thinking about Palermo, I'm sure we'll see a different Inter than last Sunday. I want to play with the 4-3-3 but to do it well you need a different physical shape, much more suitable. And I think it will take at least 4 weeks to get it”. The fans are warned but meanwhile they expect a victory against a rather submissive Palermo, at least on paper. That's why De Boer will launch his favorite system with Handanovic in goal, Santon, Miranda, Murillo and D'Ambrosio in defence, Medel, Banega and Kondogbia in midfield, Eder, Icardi and Perisic in attack. Ballardini will try to annoy with a 3-5-1-1 that will see Posavec in goal, Cionek, Vitiello and Gonzalez in the back, Rispoli, Gazzi, Hiljemark, Chochev and Aleesami in the midfield, Quaison in the trocar behind the only nestorovsky tip.
