A message to Juve. THE'Inter sponge Monza with a very poker game without replies and secures first place, at least for this day. Even if Juve were to beat Sassuolo in Tuesday's postponement, in fact, their positions at the top would remain unchanged, indeed now the pressure shifts entirely to Allegri, forced to win in order not to lose ground on the league leaders. Saturday of the championship then saw the success of Napoli on Salernitana, with consequent repercussions on the Champions League area, which today will provide further shocks with Lazio-Lecce, Cagliari-Bologna, Fiorentina-Udinese and, above all, Milan-Roma.
A stratospheric Inter in Monza, Inzaghi: “The controversies? We only think about the field"
Inter's victory was sensational, if only for the size of the score. The final 1-5, in fact, exceeds even the most optimistic expectations, reiterating to everyone the absolute strength of the Nerazzurri squad. A terrible Monza, perhaps the worst of the Palladino era, certainly contributed to the pokerissimo, as did the wounded pride after the post-Verona controversies: Inzaghi's team, tipped to win thanks to the referees' favors, wanted to respond with a performance to say the least, amazing. Suffice it to say that the score was already 0-2 after just 14' (goal by Calhanoglu from a penalty and Lautaro) and that the match, in fact, ended in the 60th minute after the second goal by the Turkish midfielder, who was increasingly essential ( but will miss Fiorentina due to disqualification). Monza, who had a goal disallowed for millimetric offside (Pessina), found the 1-3 on a penalty with the same captain (69'), but the episode did nothing but wake up Inter, a turn on net with Lautaro (84', another penalty) and Thuram (88'). “We had an excellent race, prepared in the best possible way – Simone Inzaghi's satisfied analysis -. The boys showed their usual great availability, they had an excellent approach against a team that had taken away important points from us last year. Pressure after the Inter-Verona controversy? No, I only looked at the pitch, there are managers talking, we only think about working. We are used to criticism and voices from the outside, I am and all the other coaches. We have done great things so far and we want to continue doing them."
Napoli suffers but wins the derby against Salernitana, Mazzarri rejoices: "We found each other again"
Three very heavy points for Napoli too, even if obtained with much more suffering. The Azzurri, in fact, managed to beat Salernitana only in full injury time thanks to a goal from Rrahmani (95'), at the end of a complicated and very painful match. Mazzarri's team takes home the 3 points, but the performance suggests caution before considering the crisis over: if it hadn't been for the Kosovar defender's strike we would be commenting on a draw, moreover obtained on a penalty (Politano in the 49th minute) after Candreva's initial lead (29'). “We have rediscovered the spirit, but also the game, the performance – underlined the Italian coach -. Salernitana played well in the last period, they have strength and speed on the counterattack, we went behind at their first opportunity, but the boys were calm, they continued to play and I have to congratulate them: given the many created opportunities, we deserved this victory." “We didn't deserve to lose, we are always penalized and this annoys us, it's time to have respect – replied Filippo Inzaghi -. I was booked without doing anything and I was warned by a warning, we take our responsibilities but we want to lose matches in the right way. The penalty for them? It's a penalty from Var, right, but just as it was from Var the foul by Demme, who elbowed my player on the 2-1 goal...".
Milan – Rome (20.45pm, Dazn)
The epicenter of Sunday is certainly San Siro, where a Milan-Roma match will be staged with no margin for error. Pioli and Mourinho, in fact, are fresh off two painful eliminations from the Italian Cup and really can't afford to make mistakes, otherwise they risk really big. The Rossoneri coach has been on the gridiron for some time and only third place, thus far defended without particular problems, is keeping him up, while the Giallorossi coach, despite the support of the vast majority of the fans, has seen his prices collapse after yet another lost derby, the fourth (out of six) of his management. This evening's clash, in addition to having significant implications in terms of the Champions League (especially for Roma), will have an impact on the two coaches, perhaps even immediately: no ultimatums to Pioli filter out from Milanello (but almost everyone takes the goodbye to June), while the Roman airwaves tell of a dangerous frost between the Friedkins and Mourinho, which could become eternal in the event of a (bad) defeat. The challenge between the two, at least physically, will not take place due to yet another disqualification of the Special One (another aspect that the Americans don't like), but little changes: the teams know that the stakes are very high and will try to take it on at all costs.
Pioli: “No one can be satisfied with this season, we have to improve”
“We must try to have a very specific objective, that is to improve the first round – the thoughts of the Rossoneri coach -. None of us can be satisfied with the season, the glass is half empty, we had a month of decline and we can score more points than 39 in the return. Having said that, the ranking does not come into play, with the Rome will be an open and fought challenge against a physical and experienced opponent. Mourinho is a top player, he's smart, he's shrewd and always exalts his opponents before certain matches. At this moment we need prompt redemption, we have a duty to do so towards ourselves and towards the fans. We must have the ambition and belief to be a team that can always win."
Mourinho defends himself: "I am an example of professionalism, but my name is not Harry Potter"
“I do not accept in any way that my professionalism and dignity, my heart for this work be questioned, if there is a perfect example of professionalism, it's me – thundered the Special One in the press conference -. We are four points behind the Champions League zone and the potential of some teams is not comparable to ours, but the coach is called José Harry Mourinho Potter and raise expectations, we are fighting for something that is very difficult and no one will tell us that we can't do it. We face a team playing for the title, who won it two years ago and who knows our limits: everyone has noticed them, apart from a few journalists or commentators."
Milan – Roma, the lineups: Pioli returns to 4-2-3-1, Mou without Dybala
The word goes to the field, the true judge of a delicate challenge like never before. Pioli, after the unsuccessful experiment of the Italian Cup, will abandon the 3-4-3 by virtue of the much more consolidated 4-2-3-1, in an attempt to rediscover the geometries of recent weeks. The coach, net of the usual defensive absences, will thus deploy Maignan in goal, Calabria, Gabbia, Kjaer and Hernandez in defence, Reijnders and Adli in midfield, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek and Leao behind the lone striker Giroud. Mourinho, forced to do without Dybala (the tests have ruled out injuries, so he will be available as early as next Sunday against Verona), will respond with a 3-5-2 with Rui Patricio between the posts, Mancini, Llorente and Hujsen in the defense back, Kristensen, Cristante, Paredes, Bove and Zalewski in midfield, Belotti and Lukaku in attack.
Lazio – Lecce (12.30 pm, Dazn and Sky)
The opening match on Sunday will be staged at the Olimpico, where Sarri's highly successful Lazio will try to continue their comeback towards the Champions League. Lecce will be trying to prevent them, already capable of beating them in the first leg match, but it is clear that the Biancocelesti are clear favourites: the numbers, moreover, tell of an excellent moment of form, made up of four consecutive victories between the championship and Coppa Italia, the last in the derby on Wednesday. Beating Roma, as we know, gives a particular boost to the whole environment, as long as you stay on track and don't lower the tension: Lecce, in fact, don't start already beaten, especially since their ranking allows them to play with ( relative) tranquility. Sarri knows well the importance of the challenge, also because then there will be the Super Cup and going to Arabia with 3 points would help a lot in terms of enthusiasm. A false step, on the other hand, would leave a good dose of bitter taste in the mouth, even in view of a calendar that is anything but simple. After Riyadh, in fact, Lazio will face Napoli, Atalanta, Cagliari, Bayern Munich and Bologna, therefore making a mistake today could significantly complicate the Champions League objective.
Lazio – Lecce, the lineups: Felipe Anderson false nine, Immobile on the bench
Castellanos' muscle injury deprives Sarri of the only active striker in addition to Immobile, who is available again but far from the right form. The coach seems oriented not to risk his striker from the first minute, but rather to move Felipe Anderson to the center of the attack, just like last season. His 4-3-3 will thus see Provedel in goal, Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli and Marusic in defense, Guendouzi, Rovella and Luis Alberto in midfield, Isaksen, Felipe Anderson and Zaccagni in attack. Same game system also for D'Aversa, who will respond with Falcone between the posts, Gendrey, Baschirotto, Pongracic and Gallo in the defensive department, Kaba, Ramadani and Gonzalez in the midfield, Oudin, Krstovic and Strefezza in the offensive trident.
