A point each that leaves everything unchanged. The big match between Juventus and Napoli it ended with a draw that doesn't really satisfy anyone, but it doesn't displease either. At the beginning of the season, after all, the right automatisms are still missing and not losing becomes even more important than winning, especially in delicate matches like this one between Thiago Motta and Antonio Conte. The 0-0 in Turin smiles above all on the opponents, starting with the Milanese ones: tonight's derby (20:45) could allow Inter to double overtake, or relaunch Milan, for which the entire Fonseca project is up in the air. A fiery Sunday for the Capital too, with Lazio awaited by the treacherous transfer to Florence (12:30) and Roma Udinese (18:00) receives the revelation, all in an Olimpico in turmoil after the sensational De Rossi-Juric upset.
Juventus – Napoli 0-0: few chances, Thiago Motta and Conte do not hurt each other
In the general greyness of a less exciting challenge than expected, it is certainly Conte who comes out better: his team has passed the test at the Stadium unscathed, while Thiago Motta has to deal with the third 0-0 in a row, demonstrating excellent defensive solidity, but also great difficulty in scoring. That said, the final draw gives the feeling of two open construction sites, with the coaches still struggling with tactical and man experiments.
Conte surprised everyone abandoning the traditional 3-4-2-1 for an unprecedented 4-2-3-1, with the new signing McTominay behind the Politano-Lukaku-Kvaratskhelia trident. An interesting move that will certainly be repeated, as explained by the coach himself in the press conference, but not entirely profitable not so much for the Scotsman, one of the best, but for the bad night of the top offensive players, Lukaku first and foremost.
Thiago Motta, for his part, has not changed anything from a tactical point of view, but once again he has shown that he has no interest in the hierarchies. The right wing has been entrusted to Wool soap.a, with Kalulu paired with Bremer and the “poor” Danilo watching, for the umpteenth time, the game from the bench. The strongest move, however, came at half-time, with the evanescent Vlahovic replacing Weah: it is obviously not a definitive failure, but it is clear that the coach cannot be satisfied with his striker, dry for the fifth game out of six of the season (he scored only in Verona). The game did not provide any particular ideas, with Napoli dangerous with McTominay and Politano (twice) and Juve responding with Koopmeiners, without ever really stinging. In short, 0-0 is the right result. from what was seen on the pitch, in a match that was decidedly less lively than expected.
Thiago Motta: “The path is right, but we need to improve. Vlahovic? No problem”
“When a team closes up like this it's not easy for anyone to play, but the road is the right one, the performance was good – Thiago Motta's analysis -. We got to the last thirty meters, but then we were unable to change pace and look for depth with quality. In these situations we must also look for shots from outside, because we have players with these characteristics. To win we must and can do more, we met strong teams and put in a good performance, but we can't be happy of the result. The path is the right one though. We crushed Napoli, but we have to improve in the final meters. Vlahovic out at half-time? He's fine, he has no problems, he had a good first half and helped the team."
Conte: “Moderately satisfied. The 4-2-3-1 is the most suitable system for us”
“I know how difficult it is to get a result here, against a team that gave us 18 points last year – Conte pointed out -. We did an excellent performance in terms of attention, but we had to do better when we had the ball to exploit offensive situations. The change in tactical system comes from the fact that on the last day of the transfer market I had more choice in the middle of the pitch, now I have a strong enough department to exploit. We have been working on this playing system for a long time, alternating it with the 3-4-2-1 which will be useful on other occasions, I chose the 4-2-3-1 because with the squad I have available it is the one that is a little simpler for us, also to have alternatives. I don't have the squad for the 3-5-2, I ruin the characteristics of too many. I am moderately satisfied even if we did well."
Inter – Milan (20pm, Dazn)
From one big match to another. The epicenter of Sunday is certainly San Siro, where Inter and Milan will give life to the Madonnina derby number 240, the 203rd in the championship. It is useless to repeat that the teams arrive there at diametrically opposed moments, not so much for the standings (the Nerazzurri have only 3 points more than the Rossoneri), but for performances and environment. Inzaghi's team is traveling serenely, even more so after the beautiful draw in Manchester that has definitively elevated it to "largest in Europe”, Fonseca's team, on the other hand, lives in a climate of disappointment and nervousness, ready to degenerate into protest in the event of yet another defeat.
Already after the Liverpool match, there were chants against the players, but a KO in the derby (it would be the seventh in a row!) would literally upset the bank, that is, the bench of the Portuguese coach, who for many is already beyond redemption. The drafts of Milanello they tell about a difficult relationship with Ibrahimovic, who in turn has been targeted by critics for the unorthodox (let's say boastful) tone he used in his argument with Boban ("my role? I'm the boss, I'm in charge and everyone works for me").
Officially Fonseca still enjoys the club's trust, in reality everything is at stake tonight: in the event of a defeat, in fact, he would be fired, with Sarri and Tudor in pole position to take his place. This is why he will try everything, sending two "untouchables" on the bench like Pavlovic and Loftus-Cheek for an ultra-offensive 4-4-2 with Pulisic, Morata, Abraham and Leao in attack. Inzaghi, as previously mentioned, does not have these problems and lives the derby as a great opportunity, first of all to cut Milan out of the game, then to find the thread with the victory and take advantage of the draw between Juve and Napoli.
Inzaghi: “Past derbies don’t count, it will be an open match”
"We still have a lot to prove, the season has just begun, we must not think about past derbies because they do not bring points and goals – Inzaghi underlined -. We will have to play a game of great determination, because derbies go beyond predictions and every detail will be fundamental. We know what kind of game we will find and what the derby represents for us, for the club, for our fans. It will take a special Inter, after the match we played in Europe we spent a lot of physical and mental energy, but sometimes in derbies you find energy that you didn't even think you had. I don't think about how I will find Milan, only about what we will have to do: It will take running, aggression and determination. What happened was, they are a great team with a great coach, we have to be ready with the organization and the qualities that we have”.
Fonseca: “We are frustrated, but united. I feel the trust of the company”
"There is great frustration, but we are united to get out of this situation – Fonseca's thought -. The team understands the moment, we work together to do better, knowing that the only solution is to work. We are playing against a great opponent, but we have a lot to gain in this match, we must think positively: it can be important for us. I know that in Italy the game is not valued but the result, and yet they brought me here because they wanted to change. I continue to believe in my ideas, with the quality we have we must have the ball much more and create much more. My future? I don't think about that, I only focus on what I can control. I came here with confidence today, it is said that the players are not happy, I would have liked to show you the last training sessions: they were fantastic, that's why I have confidence in the future. I can't say anything else, this is the truth, but I have always felt the confidence of the club".
Inter – Milan, probable formations
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro
On the bench: Martinez, Di Gennaro, De Vrij, Bisseck, Darmian, Carlos Augusto, Asllani, Frattesi, Zielinski, Taremi, Arnautovic, Correa
Trainer: Inzaghi
Unavailable: Buchanan
Disqualified: None
AC Milan (4-4-2): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Tomori, Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Pulisic, Fofana, Reijnders, Leao; Morata, Abraham
On the bench: Torriani, Raveyre, Pavlovic, Terracciano, Bartesaghi, Loftus-Cheek, Musah, Zeroli, Chukwueze, Okafor, Jovic
Trainer: Fonseca
Unavailable: Sportiello, Thiaw, Florenzi, Bennacer, Calabria
Disqualified: None
Roma – Udinese (18pm, Dazn and Sky)
Tension is also sky-high at the Olimpico, where the match will take place Juric's first on the Roma bench. The crazy week of the Giallorossi, which began with the dismissal of De Rossi and continued with the choice of the Croatian coach, will thus culminate in a very complicated match against Runjaic's Udinese, the best surprise of the entire championship so far. It goes without saying that the Giallorossi, stuck on three points after four games, are obliged to win, just as the atmosphere will be anything but complacent.
The Curva Sud took DDR's dismissal very badly and has already announced the protest for the first half hour of the match, in which he will leave the hottest sector of the fans empty, also followed by the Roma Clubs scattered around the stadium. Then, once inside, it is not clear what the attitude will be, but much will depend on the response of the team, called to start strong so as not to further exasperate the spirits.
It is not clear whether Ryan and Dan Friedkin will be in the stands, while there is no doubt about the presence of CEO Lina Souloukou and of the ds Ghisolfi: it is easy to imagine the reception of the public, very angry even with the so-called "senators" Pellegrini and Cristante, guilty (according to them) of having rowed against the now ex Captain Future. Juric, in all this, must isolate himself and prepare for the race as best as possible, aware that a positive start, never like this time, is necessary, but also damned complicated.
Juric introduces himself: “The club asked me to go to the Champions League”
“The ownership has been clear, they are setting up a change and have taken many young players to grow – Juric's first words in yellow and red -. There is a very good expert base, They asked me about results and player development, as well as taking Roma to the Champions League and keeping them there. I've been doing this job for fourteen years between Primavera, Serie B and assistant coach, I've been in Serie A for eight and Roma is the biggest club I've ever coached, this is a huge opportunity and I certainly didn't go thinking about the contract, but only if I were able to coach them and I think we can do well. De Rossi did a great job and you can also see it in the players' behavior. The team has reached a very good level, even if I aim to introduce things already seen in the past and that can be applied".
Roma – Udinese, probable formations
Rome (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Hermoso, Ndicka; Celik, Kone, Pisilli, Angelino; Dybala, Pellegrini; Dovbyk
On the bench: Ryan, Marin, Hummels, Dahl, Abdulhamid, Sangaré, Cristante, Paredes, Baldanzi, El Shaarawy, Soulé, Shomurodov
Trainer: Juric
Unavailable: Saelemaekers, The Fairies
Disqualified: None
Udinese (3-4-2-1): Okoye; Kristensen, Bijol, Giannetti; Ehizibue, Karlstrom, Lovric, Kamara; Thauvin, Brenner; Lucca
On the bench: Padelli, Sava, Ebosse, Touré, Kabasele, Abankwah, Zemura, Rui Modesto, Zarraga, Payero, Atta, Ekkelenkamp, Davis, Bravo, Pizarro
Trainer: Runjaic
Unavailable: Sanchez
Disqualified: None
Fiorentina – Lazio (12:30, Dazn)
Opening on Sunday will be Fiorentina and Lazio, engaged in a rather lively lunch match. This first glimpse of the championship has shown two lively and attack-oriented teams, but with rather different results: Baroni's team, aside from the misstep in Udine, has collected two victories and a draw and shown interesting game ideas, Palladino's team, on the other hand, has limited itself to three draws and a defeat, to which we must add the hardships in the Conference League (the passage of the round against the very modest Puskas Academy occurred only on penalties).
In short, Viola needs to change gear., while Lazio seeks continuity that would give morale and self-esteem, as well as the authorization to dream big. The match, let's say it right away, promises to be a spectacle: both teams have conceded a lot regardless of the opponents they faced, but at the same time they have shown offensive ideas of a very good level. Baroni, in this sense, will have to give up Castellanos and reinvent the attack, while Palladino will finally be able to play the Gudmundsson card, so far held back by physical problems and off the pitch (trial for "sexual misconduct" in Iceland). We will see if the premises are respected, certainly Fiorentina and Lazio need points to chase the European objectives announced in the summer.
Baroni: “I want to see the same Lazio as the Olimpico away from home”
"It will be one complicated match like everyone else, we know the difficulties but also how we get there – explained Baroni -. The team is fine, they have done a good week of work, even if short. Fiorentina have played good games, they have an important squad and will look for their first win in their stadium. We go there and it is the first new away test, we have to focus on the performance with the same assumptions as the last two at home. They face each other the two teams that had the most shots on target, they play and attack like us, it will be a spectacular match. The turnover? I see it in the opposite way to Sarri, we cannot ignore the use of everyone, I carry forward this thought with the team and I have to be consistent. We must all grow, they must be kept at a high level of performance, so you have to use the players available. And then I don't like to call it turnover, I think of 20 starters who can pass the baton during the game and in important competitions".
Fiorentina – Lazio, probable formations
Fiorentina (3-4-2-1): De Gea; Martinez Quarta, Ranieri, Biraghi; Dodo, Cataldi, Bove, Gosens; Colpani, Gudmundsson; Kean
On the bench: Terracciano, Martinelli, Comuzzo, Moreno, Kayode, Ranieri, Parisi, Adli, Richardson, Mandragora, Sottil, Kouamé, Beltran, Ikoné
Trainer: Palladino
Unavailable: Pongracic
Disqualified: None
Lazio (4-2-3-1): Provedel; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Guendouzi, Rovella; Chaouna, Dia, Zaccagni; Noslin
On the bench: Mandas, Furlanetto, Gigot, Patric, Pellegrini, Marusic, Vecino, Dele-Bashiru, Castrovilli, Isaksen, Pedro
Trainer: Baroni
Unavailable: Castilians
Disqualified: None
