A start with a bang. The first day of school in the new Serie A did not disappoint expectations, providing goals, entertainment and many surprises. Milan debuts without victories and this is already news: both Inter and Milan, in fact, were unable to overcome Genoa and Turin, collecting two draws at the last minute, although very different from each other. The Nerazzurri were caught by the Rossoblu, while the Rossoneri had to chase the Granata, but all things considered, we find ourselves commenting on two identical results (2-2), not in line with the expectations of the day before. Today, however, it will be the turn of Verona-Napoli, Bologna-Udinese (18 pm), Cagliari-Rome and Lazio-Venice (30 pm), while tomorrow it will be the turn of Lecce-Atalanta and Juventus-Como.
Genoa – Inter 2-2: Thuram overturns Vogliacco, Messias grabs the equalizer in the 96th minute
A light and dark debut for reigning champions Inter, held to a 2-2 draw by Gilardino's Genoa. The match at Marassi provided many emotions, also because the Nerazzurri allowed some distractions never seen before last season. In terms of opportunities created, in fact, Inzaghi's team would probably have deserved the 3 points, but giving away two goals to the rossoblu proved to be a mistake impossible to remedy. The Grifone pitch is confirmed to be haunted for Inter, al equal third in as many championships: a very strange fact to explain for someone who dominated the last Serie A, yet irrefutable. The Nerazzurri, as previously mentioned, paid a heavy price for some defensive naivety, in addition to the still precarious physical condition of Lautaro and Mkhitaryan, who are still far from their best form. The most serious mistake, however, was made by Sommer, author of a real duck that cost Genoa 1-0 by Vogliacco (20'). But for three unrecognizable Inter fans there was an absolutely bubbly Thuram, capable of finding the 1-1 with a header (30') and the 1-2 with a very valuable dig (83'). The Frenchman's goal seemed to have closed the game, but in full injury time Bisseck gave a gift, unfortunate enough to hit an apparently harmless ball with his arm, for the inevitable penalty. Former AC Milan player Messias took the spot and Sommer, despite the save, had to surrender the rebound which sealed the final 2-2 (95').
Inzaghi: "There's disappointment, if you concede two goals like that it's difficult to win..."
“There is disappointment – Inzaghi admitted bluntly -. The boys played a serious and focused game, in the first half we created a lot and conceded a goal after an incident, after which we did well to recover with the equalizer. Then in the 84th minute we find the opening goal and that's where I'm not satisfied, I had put Asllani in to manage the ball better, but if you concede two goals like that it's difficult to win. Credit to Genoa who never gave up, the boys played a heartfelt match but the draw doesn't satisfy us: a team like ours when they take the lead in the 84th minute shouldn't concede a goal, especially in that way. Winning is difficult, winning again is harder. The boys are mature and they know it, which is why I'm disappointed to play a match like this at Marassi after the difficulties we had, with a team that has only worked together in the last eight days... In the best moment we shouldn't have lose that ball after the penalty has been awarded, football leaves you nothing, we had to do a little more."
Milan – Torino 2-2: the Granata escape with a double advantage, Morata and Okafor save Fonseca
If Athens cries, even Sparta does not laugh. In fact, Milan also failed in the first match of the championship, moreover at San Siro. Fonseca's Rossoneri were stopped by Vanoli's Torino, even finding a completely unexpected equalizer only in the last minutes of the game, when the defeat now seemed to be a done deal. A clear step back compared to the luxury friendlies with Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as the one with Monza last Tuesday. Milan appeared frenetic and confused, as well as fragile just like last season, when he conceded 49 goals in the championship. Fofana, in this sense, will be able to lend a good hand, but in the meantime the Rossoneri continue to offer two-sided performances, more appreciated by neutral spectators than by the fans in the stands and on TV. Toro, for its part, went down to the Meazza without any awe, relying on the drive of the wingers Bellanova and Lazaro and the verve of captain Zapata. Thiaw's own goal, on which the inefficiency of the Goal Line Technology was evident (the ball had entered, but the sensors did not work: the intervention of the VAR was decisive), changed the inertia of the match, also because Leao he ate two goals and the others, from Pulisic to Chukwueze, through Jovic, certainly didn't play the best game. When Zapata sealed the 0-2 with a close range header (68', another warning light on the Rossoneri rearguard), almost everyone took the Diavolo's sensational defeat for certain, without however taking into account a very high level bench, capable of "churning out" people like Morata and Okafor. They were the ones who put the situation back on its feet, the first with a prey on a shot from Reijnders (89'), the second with a nice right-footed volley from a cross from Musah (95'). Fonseca thus saves face, but he certainly cannot be satisfied with what he has seen: if he wants to fight for the scudetto as declared on Friday, in fact, he will need much more.
Fonseca: “I want a more aggressive team, we still have a lot of work to do”
“I didn't expect a perfect match at this time of year, but in the first half we were too passive and without intensity – the Portuguese coach commented -. In the second half we were more aggressive, recovering the ball further forward and also creating opportunities to win the match. We have to work because we have a lot to improve, now we will have a week to work and improve the condition of Hernandez, Morata and the others. When they came in they did well, but we need to get them back as soon as possible with good physical form. The goals conceded? The problem is collective, it's not just the defenders' problem, in the first half we weren't able to press further forward, forcing the Granata to stay further back. I repeat, we all still have a lot to improve, I want a more aggressive team than what I saw against Torino. Leao? He must be more active and cynical, he has worked very well defensively, but he must stay closer to the goal and be more concrete”.
Verona – Naples (18pm, Dazn and Sky)
The first spotlights on Sunday will turn on the Bentegodi in Verona, where Conte's Napoli debut in Serie A will be staged. In an absolute sense, in fact, the “first” already took place last Saturday against Modena, with the Azzurri forced to take penalties to avoid a fool that would have risked leaving its mark. The coach from Lecce evidently didn't like that "victory" at all, just like the company's work on the market. Soon we will tell you about yet another outburst at the press conference, but in the meantime we need to make some clarifications. The first is that Conte is certainly right to complain about the current scenario, which sees him with an incomplete team, without the most important player (Osimhen) and also his replacement (Lukaku). De Laurentiis had promised him a quick and painless solution, but in late August everything was up in the air, even if the arrival of Neres (25 million at Benfica) and the increasingly probable one of Gilmour (13 at Brighton) demonstrate that something is it's moving. In all of this, the moment has come for the pitch and the treacherous away match in Verona, which Conte wants to defeat at all costs: the complaints, in the face of a flop, could even turn out to be an own goal.
Conte: “I thought I would find a better situation, but instead the market is blocked”
“The market is blocked, the situation is very complicated and I'm sorry – underlined Conte without mincing words -. When I came here I hoped to find a better situation, but instead I struggle to find positive aspects. I'm not saying we're at year zero, but almost and it's better to be clear. This doesn't scare me, I don't know how long it will take to bring Napoli back to the top, I know that we will encounter difficulties and we shouldn't worry. We will have to be badass on and off the pitch, there are no similarities with my first Juve. There is the big trap of the scudetto two years ago which confuses ideas and throws the wool over people's eyes, I don't feel like making predictions, I'm just saying that it will be a year where we should prepare to suffer and be united and united in suffering."
Verona – Napoli, the probable lineups
Verona (4-2-3-1): Montipò; Tchatchoua, Magnani, Coppola, Okou; Serdar, Duda; Suslov, Harroui, Lazovic; Mosquera
On the bench: Perilli, Berardi, Dawidowicz, Corradi, Ceccherini, Ghilardi, Frese, Belahyane, Dani Silva, Cisse, Livramento, Kastanos, Mitrovic, Tavsan, Tengstedt
Coach: Zanetti
Unavailable: Pharaoni, Cruz
Disqualified: none
Napoli (3-4-2-1): Meret; Rrahmani, Good morning, Olivera; Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; Politano, Kvaratskhelia; Raspadori
On the bench: Caprile, Contini, Juan Jesus, Marin, Mezzoni, Mazzocchi, Saco, Iaccarino, Ngonge, Simeone, Cheddira
Coach: Conte
Unavailable: none
Disqualified: Zerbin
Cagliari – Rome (20pm, Dazn)
There is also a tense climate at home in Rome, where the enthusiasm of a few weeks ago has given way to the anger of the fans. It's the fault of Dybala affair, now on the verge of being sold and destined (barring sensational twists) to move to Saudi Arabia. The offer (for him, of course) is one that is impossible to refuse (60 million in three years, 80 upon reaching all the bonuses), but the widespread feeling is that Roma couldn't wait for anything else. The Argentine's contract weighs heavily on the Giallorossi's budgets, furthermore his physical condition often sees him in the pits: Lina SoulokouIn short, she certainly did not oppose the courtship of Al-Qadsiah, an attitude that was not liked at all by the fans, who are very attached to the man who has become a real idol of the square. In all this there is the debut in the championship on the Cagliari pitch and it is useless to specify that a negative result, at such a moment, would have very serious effects on the Giallorossi project. De Rossi, someone who knows Rome like few others, knows this well and expects a strong start, perhaps thanks to the play of Soulé and Dovbyk, great signings of the Capitoline summer, but Nicola's Sardinians have no intention of becoming sacrificial victims .
De Rossi: “Dybala? I don't know if he'll stay, but no one is more important than Roma."
“Dybala has been called up and is with us, like other players who have open transfer situations – explained De Rossi -. I spoke with him and with the club, I was clear, then I don't know what will happen, but certainly no one is more important than Roma. I said what I had to say both to the club and to him, I always talk to everyone, I have a good relationship and I say things to their faces, then I can't do anything else. Tomorrow it will be up to him too to speak, but I repeat that no one is more important than Rome, last time my words were misrepresented. I only want strong players and a strong team, I'm here to have a great season with Roma and my goal is only that. Sometimes teams, even losing important pieces, rebuild themselves: two years ago Napoli lost Ruiz, Koulibaly, Mertens and Insigne then won the scudetto. I'm not saying this will happen or that someone has to leave, I'm saying that sometimes teams rebuild in unexpected ways."
Cagliari – Roma, the probable lineups
Cagliari (3-4-2-1): Scuffet; Zappa, Wieteska, Luperto; Azzi, Deiola, Marin, Augello; Luvumbo, Small; Lapadula
On the bench: Sherri, Hatzidiakos, Iliev, Palomino, Di Pardo, Kingstone, Makombou, Prati, Pavoletti, Adopo, Jankto, Felici
Coach: Nicola
Unavailable: Viola, Zortea
Disqualified: none
Rome (4-3-3): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, N'Dicka, Angelino; Le Fee, Cristante, Pellegrini; Soulé, Dovbyk, El Shaarawy
On the bench: Ryan, Marin, Smalling, Dahl, Baldanzi, Sangaré, Dybala, Bove, Pisilli, Zalewski, Abraham
Coach: De Rossi
Unavailable: none
Disqualified: Paredes
Lazio – Venice (20pm, Dazn)
At the same time as Cagliari-Roma there will also be Lazio's seasonal debut, playing at the Olimpico against Venezia. On paper it's a soft debut, but even here it's best to tread carefully. The Biancoceleste summer, in fact, was not at all peaceful, as demonstrated by the anti-Lotito demonstrations (with explicit banners hanging in every corner of the city), although it is fair to underline that the protest did not affect the coach and players, who are currently supported loudly. The people of Lazio are not angry with Baroni and his group, while they see Loti's policies as smoke and mirrors. This is nothing new given that the dispute with the president has been going on for almost 20 years, but after a period of truce (essentially dictated by the results) it exploded again after the summer choices, which saw big names like Immobile, Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson leave to much less glamorous shopping front. However, this does not mean that the fans are necessarily right, indeed it would not be the first time that Lotito skillfully mixes up the cards. Only the field will say how things are, in the meantime the owner, after having closed the purchase of Dia, prepares the coup Folorunsho, born in Lazio and protégé of Mister Baroni. Di Francesco's Venezia, already in the crosshairs after being eliminated from the Italian Cup by Brescia, comes forward to create further confusion, with the knowledge that leaving the Olimpico with one or more points will be really complicated.
Baroni: "Ready for the debut, signed good players to improve last year"
“We're making our debut well. The championship will be difficult as usual and we will have to be up to it – Baroni's thoughts -. There will be difficulties, but together with our fans we must play a game of great unity and competitiveness. We changed a little bit, but we want to create a strong identity where everyone works together. I like to see a team that gives everything for itself and for the fans, this must never be missing. We have signed good players and we want to improve last year's championship. What if I expect help from the market? There is always a direct confrontation with society, for now we are these and we will carry on like this. God? He is a good player, he will be able to give us a great hand."
Lazio – Venice, the probable lineups
Lazio (4-2-3-1): Provedel; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Guendouzi, Vecino; Tchaouna, Noslin, Zaccagni; Castellanos
On the bench: Mandas, Furlanetto, Casale, Hysaj, Rovella, Marusic, Cataldi, Dele-Bashiru, Tavares, Castrovilli, Isaksen, Pedro
Coach: Baroni
Unavailable: Gila
Disqualified: none
Venezia (3-4-2-1): Joronen; Altar, Svoboda, Sverko; Zampano, Andersen, Duncan; Sagrado, Pierini, Oristanio; Gytkjaer
On the bench: Stankovic, Grandi, Lucchesi, Rioda, Haps, Crnigoj, Lella, Ellertsson, Raimondo
Coach: Di Francesco
Unavailable: Busio, Jajalo, Bjarkason, Pohjanpalo
Disqualified: Idzes, Candela, El Haddad
