Inter returns the favor to Milan, but above all it gives Napoli a sensational chance to take the lead in the championship. The sensational 0-2 with which Sassuolo has cleared the San Siro gives a further twist to an incredible weekend, with the first two of the class unable to win and the third ready to take advantage of it. This evening in Cagliari (19 pm), in the first of the two postponements on Monday (the other is Bologna-Spezia at 20.45 pm), the Azzurri will have a great opportunity to overtake Inter and catch up with Milan, even if it is fair to remember that the Nerazzurri still have one match left.
Inter-Sassuolo 0-2, the analysis
A totally unexpected result that of San Siro, which is paired with that of Salerno on Saturday. Here the opponent was superior, there's no doubt about that, but Inzaghi's team failed to pick up a single point, thus making Milan's misstep much less bitter. Sassuolo confirms itself as a relentless killer of greats, managing to beat the Milanese and Juve in the same season, moreover at home: only Napoli is missing from the list, however stopped on the draw.
Inter had many chances and, with a little more precision, they could have avoided defeat, but the 0-2 final cannot be explained only in this way. In fact, in the first half, the Emilians took the field much better, attacking high and without any awe, just as Dionisi wanted. The result was that Breakers he found the advantage after just 8', even the goal was born from a limit intervention by Berardi on Calhanoglu: the referee, well positioned, considered it regular, yet the images leave some doubts.
Inter tried to react, but Sassuolo didn't let themselves be intimidated and in the 26th minute even managed to double with a header from Chess, after a splendid 32-second action without letting the opponents touch the ball, and when Berardi hit the crossbar to beat Handanovic, there was the sensation that the Nerazzurri were on the ropes.
In the second half, the balance, as could be expected, was reversed, also because Inzaghi introduced Dzeko and Dumfries, forcing the neroverdi to lower and Consigli to perform real miracles. On balance however, without wanting to belittle the Sassuolo goalkeeper, it was mostly a case of missed goals, with Lautaro unable to score even with an empty net: the problem of the network, in short, is confirmed as important, as well as the inability to replace Brozovic, whose absence (he was disqualified) weighed a lot.
"I am very angry about the approach, Sassuolo had won here with Milan and then with Juve, a team that wants to win the Scudetto cannot start a match like this – thundered Inzaghi in the press conference – We had to start differently, we will calmly analyze this defeat. The goal problem? It's a bit of a moment like this, but we're still the best attack in the league and we'll be back to scoring. We are all there in the standings, from now on there will be 13 finals”.
Cagliari-Naples (19 pm): the formations
The match in Cagliari thus becomes the most important of the entire round, because it can sensationally overturn the championship standings. Napoli thus finds in their hands a chance of the big ones, not to be mistaken for any reason, otherwise the missteps of Milan and Inter would go unpunished, but not easier for this. The away match in Sardinia presents numerous pitfalls, first of all because Mazzarri's Cagliari is growing rapidly, as demonstrated by the three consecutive useful results collected with Fiorentina, Atalanta and Empoli, then due to an inevitable tiredness resulting from the match in Barcelona, which is next Thursday opponent.
“Woe to think that the match is simple, if we want to aim for the maximum we have to be perfect – he warned Spalletti – The Scudetto? We don't set limits, we think game after game, but I'd like to experience 13 joys in a row ".
In short, Napoli seriously believes in it and has good reason: with the creaky Milanese, it would be a crime not to try. However, the blue coach again has to deal with injuries which, combined with the tight schedule, definitely complicate his life: tonight, in addition to the already known Lozano, Politano and Lobotka, Anguissa and Insigne will also be missing, struggling with muscle problems.
The 4-2-3-1 of Napoli thus he will see Ospina in goal, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Koulibaly and Mario Rui in defense, Demme and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Elmas, Zielinski and Ounas behind the lone striker Mertens, favorite over Osimhen and Petagna. Ordinance formation instead for Mazzarri, therefore 3-5-2 with Cragno between the posts, Goldaniga, Ceppitelli and Altare in the back department, Bellanova, Marin, Grassi, Dalbert and Lykogiannis in the middle, Pavoletti and Joao Pedro in attack.
Fiorentina 1-0 Atalanta, Udinese 1-1 Lazio
Sunday in Serie A, in addition to the draw in the safety zone between Venice and Genoa (1-1), saw two important results in Europe, which smile on Fiorentina and…Juventus. The Viola's victory over Atalanta, in fact, launches the Italian into the full Champions League fight, but above all it does a nice favor for Allegri, who remains in fourth place despite the misstep with Turin. The Bergamo players, on the other hand, are unable to celebrate the new American ownership in the best possible way, indeed they fail a very important match, the umpteenth of this unfortunate 2022. A very balanced and less spectacular match than expected was staged at the Franchi, decided by a goal by Friday (56') and a very questionable whistle from the refereeing team, which he disallowed a goal from Malinovskyi for an offside by Hateboer considered active: at least a questionable choice (the Dutchman does not participate in the action and does not prevent Biraghi from attempting to save the Ukrainian), which infuriated Gasperini, expelled and again in press blackout.
La Lazio he could have taken advantage of it and overtaken the Goddess, going just two points behind Juventus and therefore in the middle of the Champions League fight, instead he was unable to go beyond the draw in Udine, picking up a point that is of little use. The 1-1 final, however in comeback (Deulofeu had given the Friulian advantage in the 5th minute, Felipe Anderson equalized in the 45th minute), he confirmed the difficulties of the biancocelesti whenever they have to do without Immobile, the only full-time striker left in the squad after the winter transfer market. Sarri, also forced to give up on Luis Alberto, Leiva, Acerbi and Lazzari, cannot expect much more, on the contrary he takes home a point that perhaps will not serve to attempt greater Europe, but will still have value for the final classification. The rest should have been done by society, which instead remained guiltily on the sidelines while the others got stronger.
