Yet it is played. In the midst of the earthquake that is shaking the world of football there is a championship that is back to life, ready to restart with the 32nd day, which began yesterday with the Fiorentina victory in Verona (2-1). Waiting to certify the Superleague flop, wrecked in the bud with the abandonment of the English and Inter, let's go back to dealing with the Serie A final, on the verge of deciding on the Scudetto, Champions League qualification and salvation.
On paper, the most delicate challenge is tomorrow night between Naples and Lazio, real play-off for fourth place, while today the highlight is AC Milan-Sassuolo (18.30), with the neroverdi determined to avenge the honor of the little ones against the big ones of the Superleague. Spezia-Inter e Juventus-Parma (both at 20.45pm) instead they don't seem to be able to reserve big surprises, even if in football, especially these days, it's better not to take anything for granted.
Tale, yesterday in press silence, wants to close the Scudetto speech as soon as possible also at a mathematical level, therefore he will try to reconnect the thread of victory, temporarily interrupted in Naples, regardless of the enormous advantage in the standings. After all, the superiority over Spezia is evident, even if the Ligurians have already shown in the past that they can create problems for the big ones.
In any case, the Nerazzurri coach will have an almost complete squad and will be able to field a 3-5-2 type with Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, De Vrij and Bastoni in defence, Hakimi, Barella, Brozovic, Eriksen and Perisic in midfield, Sanchez (favourite on Lautaro) and Lukaku in attack. Usual 4-3-3 also for the Italian, who will respond with Provedel between the posts, Ferrer, Terzi, Ismajli and Marchizza in the back department, Pobega, Ricci and Maggiore in the midfield, Farias, Piccoli and Gyasi in the offensive trident.
Inter will take the field already knowing the result of Milan, engaged in the late afternoon against the Sassuolo. Challenge ignited by the words of De Zerbi, who in the press conference on the eve of the match lashed out against the Rossoneri, guilty of having founded (together with the others) the famous Superlega. “If it were up to me, I wouldn't even go to play – thundered the coach – If the club obliges me, of course, I will go, but I was disappointed: this initiative is equivalent to a coup d'état, in terms of content and modality”.
"The club has asked me to focus only on work and on the Champions League goal, then we'll evaluate what will happen in the future - he glossed over Pioli – Milan have never finished in the top four in recent years, it would be a great achievement and it would mean that we have done a great job."
The match therefore promises to be tough, also because the Rossoneri have several players in doubt, from Ibrahimovic to Calhanoglu, passing through Hernandez and Bennacer. Pioli's 4-2-3-1, barring some last-minute recovery, will thus see Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer and Dalot in defense, Kessié and Meité in midfield, Saelemaekers, Leao and Krunic on trocar, Rebic in attack. Sassuolo, still without Caputo, will respond with a 4-2-3-1 with Consigli between the posts, Muldur, Marlon, Ferrari and Rogerio in the back, Locatelli and Obiang in the midfield, Berardi, Djuricic and Boga behind the single point Raspadori.
From a Champions point of view, while waiting for tomorrow's matches (in addition to Napoli-Lazio there will also be Roma-Atalanta), it will also be very important Juventus-Parma, with the bianconeri forced to win in order not to risk overtaking. “We are projected on the present and therefore on this match – he reiterated Pirlo, thus avoiding the thorny Superlega issue – It is a fundamental match, especially after the defeat in Bergamo, Parma are not going through a good moment in terms of results but they are doing well on the field. We will find Ronaldo again and I think Dybala will also play, he needs to find his condition again ".
On the other hand, nothing to do for Chiesa, who stopped due to a muscle problem against Atalanta, for the rest everyone is available, thus allowing the coach to do some turnover and rotate the men: the Juventus 4-4-2 will see Buffon in goal, Danilo, Bonucci, De Ligt and Alex Sandro in defense, Cuadrado, Arthur, Rabiot and McKennie in midfield, Dybala and Ronaldo in attack. D'Aversa, now almost resigned to relegation, will try to save face with a 4-3-3 formation with Sepe in goal, Laurini, Bani, Osorio and Pezzella in the back, Grassi, Brugman and Kurtic in the midfield, Man, Cornelius and Mihaila in the offensive trident.
