A draw that saves the Azzurri's lead. Napoli leaves San Siro unscathed and goes into the break still at the top of the table, albeit with a minimum advantage compared to the (large) competition. To a length only in fact, there is a distance quartet comprised of Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter e Lazio, With the Juventus just below to complete the scudetto train. Of course, Inzaghi's team is the one that comes out worst from this round, if only because the chance of beating Conte was really big: the Calhanoglu missed penalty, the first after 17 consecutive goals, cries out for vengeance and increases the recriminations beyond measure.
Inter – Napoli 1-1: Calhanoglu responds to McTominay, then misses the winning penalty
Very tight match that of San Siro, just as expected. The stakes, already quite high, had risen further after the results of the competitors, all victorious in their respective matches between Saturday (Juve) and Sunday afternoon (Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio). It was logical, therefore, that Inter and Napoli faced each other with great respect, without however giving up playing with their respective weapons. The beginning suggested a black and blue predominance, instead it was the Conte's men take the lead first thanks to McTominay, predatory in deflecting a pass from Rrahmani into the goal from a corner (23'). Inzaghi was unsteady for another ten minutes, but the league leaders were unable to take advantage of the moment to double their lead (a great opportunity for Kvaratskhelia was thwarted by a great Acerbi) and ended up suffering the Inter comeback, sublimated by great goal by Calhanoglu (some responsibility of Meret) close to the interval (43'). In the second half the Nerazzurri increased the revs of the engine in search of the advantage, but bad luck and imprecision stopped Dimarco, first with the post and then with the save of the Neapolitan goalkeeper. The biggest opportunity comes in the 75th minute of the Inter match: contact between Anguissa and Dumfries and strictness (generous, but not invented) granted by Mariani. The specialist Calhanoglu went to the spot, fresh from 19 consecutive goals (17 with the Inter shirt), but this time the "sniper" missed his aim, hitting the post to the right of Meret. Inzaghi's men suffered the backlash and stopped attacking with the previous vehemence, Conte's men tried to take advantage, but failed to make the coup with a whisker from the end with Simeone, whose shot ended just over the beaten Sommer.
Inzaghi bitter: "If there was a team that had to win it was Inter..."
"I liked everything, there was no match in the second half – the Inzaghi's thoughts -. If there was a team that had to win it was Inter. I did Congratulations to the boys, the team was very good. We had spent a lot against Arsenal and I didn't expect a game like this: I didn't even feel like making changes, we couldn't have done more. We also improved a lot in the defensive phase, clearly we will have to grow further, but the last two games leave me calm, there is great trust. I also complimented the boys physically, I didn't make any changes for that, the team was good. We got eight wins and two draws, clearly we are Inter and therefore there should have been ten victories. We did not succeed, considering that there are also opponents called Arsenal and Napoli”.
Conte attacks VAR: “Mistakes must be corrected, otherwise second thoughts arise”
"What does it mean that VAR cannot intervene? – he blurted out Tale -. Does he only intervene when it suits him? A referee's decision could change the match, there is or there isn't VAR to correct errors, if there is one he has to intervene, period. This thing makes me angry, the VAR must intervene to correct the errors or identify situations that the referee does not see. The penalty is a glaring error that could have affected the match, these things bring back the ulterior motives of the past: the VAR is a great tool, but I am starting to feel less confident. Better to talk about the match, I said that we should not come to San Siro to act as sparring partners, but to face Inter with strength and personality. I'm satisfied, it wasn't easy, we're working hard and we're improving. The guys are showing that they're on the ball, even if from a qualitative point of view we could have done better. We work hard, I'm convinced that what we're accumulating will help us grow further".
Monza – Lazio 0-1: a magic by Zaccagni is worth the second place
smiles with thirty-two teeth instead Lazio of Barons, to sixth consecutive victory between the championship and the Europa League, which becomes the tenth in the last eleven games. Crazy numbers, just like the second place in the standings, albeit in cohabitation with Atalanta (2-1 over Udinese), Fiorentina (3-1 over Verona with a hat-trick from an unleashed Kean) and Inter. The Biancocelesti have Monza conquered with a tough performance, sometimes even painful, as a real team, demonstrating that they know how to score points even away from the Olimpico and that they are able to manage themselves both physically and mentally. Baroni had to deal with the post-Porto fatigue, which is why he chose to touch the 4-2-3-1 standard by virtue of a 4-3-3 a little more covered, with Vecino and Guendouzi helping Rovella in the middle of the field and the trident Zaccagni-Dia-Pedro in attack. The choice allowed contain the competitive spirit of Monza and to make the most of the best quality available, up to thedecisive episode of the 36th minute when Zaccagni, after hitting the post, found the right corner beating Turati with a splendid right hand. In the second half, the Brianza team tried to take advantage of their greater athletic freshness, but Lazio held firm and in the final part, thanks to the substitutions, they came close to scoring the 2-0 goal on several occasions, but missing two very important opportunities with Isaksen and Castellanos, who had replaced Dia shortly before. It doesn't matter, because Baroni's team won anyway and gained a beautiful second place, for a truly amazing start to the season (the perfect run in the Europa League also weighs on the judgment).
Baroni: “Satisfied with the path, but we haven’t done anything yet”
“I am fortunate to work and manage real men who together are carrying forward this project – the words of Baroni -. We are satisfied and happy with this start of the journey, but we have not done anything, there is still a lot of work to do. The team trains with participation and emotion that they then manage to bring to the field. We work hard on this aspect during the week and on the ability to be patient and find solutions, we controlled the match as a mature and important team, also because we were facing an opponent who had a lot at stake. It was a great game, now there is the break and many will go away to the national team: for them it will be an individual prize, but to be shared with the rest of the team".
Roma – Bologna 2-3: Juric sacked, Mancini is the favourite
Now it's really over. As of 17:34 PM yesterday afternoon Ivan Juric is no longer the coach of Roma, as explained in the club's official statement. "We want to thank Ivan Juric for his hard work in recent weeks," it reads. "He has managed a difficult environment with the utmost professionalism and for this we are grateful. We wish him all the best for his future. The search for a new head of the technical area has already begun and will be announced in the next few days”. The defeat was fatal, yet another of his bankruptcy management (5 KOs, 3 draws and just 4 wins in 12 games), even if the decision had already been made well before the challenge with Bologna, which was disastrous anyway. It was already clear at the 25th minute that the long-awaited reaction would not arrive when Castro, on the developments of a corner, he mocked Svilar for the first time. Olimpico frozen just like Juric, whose choices had already raised many doubts: above all the exclusion of Dybala due to an alleged muscular injury, denied by the player himself. Roma seemed to have revived in the 63rd minute thanks to El Shaarawy's header (big responsibilities of Skorupski), but three minutes later here comes the counterattack of Ursu to silence the Giallorossi people once again, as well as the Croatian coach. In the 77th minute, with the Giallorossi now unbalanced in search of the equaliser, the third Bologna goal with Karlsson and the curtain fell on the Juric era, well before the 2-3 (82') by El Shaarawy and the club's official press release. And now what happens? There are no certainties, as always in the Friedkin management, but the most accredited name appears to be that of Mancini, the only one with shoulders broad enough to take on the yellow and red hot potato. The fans would not like it given the Lazio past, but the Americans, as we know, are not interested in the popular will: the De Rossi affair, after all, is worth more than many words…
Ghisolfi: “We apologize to the fans and reflect…”
“We immediately wanted to issue an official statement on Juric to clarify things – explained the sporting director Ghisolfi in the press conference -. Ivan arrived in a difficult situation, but he gave his best and we thank him. Now we must reflect calmly to make the best decisions for the club. Distance with the players? I think Juric is a coach who asks a lot from a technical and tactical point of view. I take this opportunity to make the Apologies to our fans, we must take responsibility also towards our public, this is not the time for technical and tactical analyses. Future? The Friedkins want to win and we have to look for that kind of performance. We are in the midst of a crisis, but we have to overcome it because we are Roma. Friedkin will continue to invest, I don't like the word transition, but we must be ready to face it."
