Restart with a bang. The championship returns after the break for the national teams and he does it with one of his challenges par excellence, namely Inter-Milan (18 pm). The derby della Madonnina number 226 (195 in Serie A) will be the highlight of this round, but certainly not the only one: in fact, Crotone-Juventus (20.45 pm), Napoli-Atalanta (15) will also enrich the day and Sampdoria-Lazio (18), for a truly unmissable Saturday. For the first time in its history, the Milanese derby will lack the usual audience and choreography setting: the thousand present, however noisy, will go almost unnoticed. After all in these times of Covid being able to play is already a lot, as demonstrated by the myriad of positives of the last few weeks, but also, if not above all, the chaos of Juventus-Napoli, which culminated with the 3-0 win on Wednesday.
The concerns mainly concerned Inter, which after 6 cases last week was anxiously waiting for yesterday's tampons: the results, fortunately, did not add anyone to the already long list of absentees, giving the final go-ahead for the match. “Unfortunately we didn't have much time to prepare, also because the internationals only returned on Thursday – sighed Conte -. An even more difficult match than usual awaits us, partly because the derbies are always special, partly due to the strength of Milan, who started off strong again after finishing last season in an important way. We will have to give our best and be ready." On the other hand, a more serene climate at Milan's home, where the positivity from Covid (Duarte and Gabbia) have been overshadowed by the returns of Romagnoli and, above all, Ibrahimovic.
The challenge between Zlatan and Lukaku is one of the most anticipated clashes of the derby, although the Rossoneri have shown that they have good qualities even without their totem. “Ibra is charged and determined, even if I don't know how much autonomy he may have – explained Pioli-. However, we have our own identity and a well-defined way of playing, we know that we will face an important and difficult challenge, prepared in a short time, but we feel ready." And then the word passes to the field, for a match that promises to be much more balanced than expected. The many absences at Inter (Nainggolan, Skriniar, Gagliardini, Young, Radu, the suspended Sensi and Bastoni too, who, despite the negative swab, will still have to undergo further tests) could weigh heavily, but despite this Conte will still be able to field a respectable 3-5-2 with Handanovic in goal, D'Ambrosio, De Vrij and Kolarov in defense, Hakimi, Barella, Brozovic, Vidal and Perisic in midfield, Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in attack.
Only one forfeit instead for Pioli, but a significant one: Rebic, one of last season's protagonists, still has problems with his elbow and therefore won't be there. The Rossoneri 4-2-3-1 will thus see Donnarumma between the posts, Calabria, Kjaer, Romagnoli and Hernandez in the back, Bennacer and Kessie in the midfield, Saelemaekers, Calhanoglu and Diaz behind the lone striker Ibrahimovic. As soon as the derby is over, the spotlights will move to Crotone, where one Juventus without Cristiano Ronaldo will look for 3 obligatory points. The lack of Portuguese, combined with Dybala's still precarious condition, could prove to be a problem, especially since the Lady will also miss McKennie (also positive for Covid), Ramsey, Alex Sandro and the usual De Ligt.
Pirlo, who canceled the press conference yesterday due to the fiduciary isolation to which Juve is subjected, knows well that when you sit on such a bench you can't have an alibi, especially against a newly promoted team like Crotone. The absences, combined with the imminent debut in the Champions League (Tuesday in Kiev against Dinamo), will force him to launch a 3-4-1-2 never tried before with Buffon in goal, Danilo, Bonucci and Chiellini in defence, Cuadrado, Arthur, Bentancur and Frabotta in midfield, Kulusevski in the frontline, Morata and Chiesa in attack. Classic 3-5-2 instead for Stroppa, who will try to stop the Lady with Cordaz between the posts, Magallan, Marrone and Golemic in the back department, Molina, Messias, Cigarini, Petriccione and Reca in the midfield, Siligardi and Simy as an offensive duo. But the match with the highest coefficient of entertainment could be that of Naples, where the Azzurri will face Gasperini's Atalanta.
This is the first outing after the "chaos" of October 4, which culminated (at least for now, given the long process of appeals, sporting and otherwise) with a 0-3 penalty and a penalty point in the standings. Scenario that forces Gattuso to win in order not to stray too far from the lead train, but also to raise the morale of a wounded city. The "usual" Zielinski, Elmas and Insigne will be missing, the same ones who would have also missed the away match in Turin, however the blue coach will have an extra Bakayoko, which is why he seems oriented to field a 4-2-3-1 with Ospina in goal, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly and Hysaj in defense, Fabian Ruiz and, indeed, Bakayoko in midfield, Politano, Mertens and Lozano in the trocar, Osimhen in attack. The best news for Gasperini, on the other hand, is the return of Ilicic, who can be recruited again after the summer malaise, which had made him miss the conclusion of the championship and the Final Eight of the Champions League.
The Slovenian could start from the start, in a 3-4-2-1 that will see Sportiello between the posts, Toloi, Romero and Palomino in the back, Hateboer, De Roon, Pasalic and Gosens in the midfield, Gomez and, of course, Ilicic behind the lone striker Lammers, favorite over Zapata. To complete the super Saturday of A, finally, Sampdoria-Lazio, with Simone Inzaghi looking for points for the upper part of the standings and the "Romanist" Ranieri trying to stop him. For the biancocelesti it is a rather delicate crossroads, to be faced with the usual long list of unavailable, among which the disqualified Immobile stands out. In short, choices reduced to the bone, for a 3-5-2 with Strakosha in goal, Patric, Acerbi and Hoedt in defense, Parolo, Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Luis Alberto and Anderson in midfield, Caicedo and Correa in attack. All available (except for Gabbiadini) instead for Ranieri, who will respond with a 4-4-2 that will see Audero between the posts, Bereszynski, Tonelli, Colley and Augello in the back, Candreva, Thorsby, Ekdal and Jankto in the midfield, Keita and Quagliarella offensive couple.
