The race starts again. The last weekend of the championship before the national break is always special, let alone now that we are returning from a very intense week of European cups. Today's Sunday, after a Saturday that saw the Lazio beat Frosinone comeback (2-3 with Martusciello on the bench, the Tudor era will officially begin tomorrow), will compare the two great disappointments of recent days, namely Inter and Naples, both eliminated from the Champions League with many regrets. The comparison, however, only holds up on this aspect, because for the rest the two seasons are diametrically opposed: the Nerazzurri are now traveling quickly towards the Scudetto, while the Azzurri are even 10 points behind fourth-placed Bologna.
La Champions race however it remains very open, in the hope that the UEFA Ranking will also open the doors to the fifth. Here because Rome-Sassuolo e Atalanta Fiorentina they must be followed with great attention, without forgetting Verona-Milan e Juventus v Genoa, important both in terms of second place and salvation.
Inter – Naples (20.45 pm, Dazn)
The one at San Siro is a real one handover between the reigning Italian champions and those of the future. Only the next matches will tell how far away they are, but now not even the most superstitious Nerazzurri are putting the conquest of the Scudetto in doubt. After all, this Inter is traveling at supersonic speed, so much so that they actually have 4 points more than Napoli last year. For Calzona's team, however, the opposite reasoning applies: if in 2023 they were flying towards glory with 71 points in 28 days, they are now sadly seventh at 44 and far from certain of participating in the next Champions League. Looking at the numbers, in short, it wouldn't seem like there could have been a match, but football, as we know, is not made up of statistics alone, so a straight match between Inter and Napoli can always bring twists and turns.
Then there is the question of which of the two will have better disposed of the elimination suffered during the week, a hard blow for both of them which may have left some consequences, as well as inevitable physical toxins. At a media level, for obvious reasons, there was more talk about the Nerazzurri's collapse in Madrid than the Azzurri's defeat in Barcelona, if only because the expectations on Inzaghi's team were very high, to the point of considering it inferior only to Manchester City and Real Madrid, but Calzona also suffered a great disappointment and only a good finish (fifth place) could give him reconfirmation.
Inter – Napoli, the probable lineups
European struggles also affect the choices of the two coaches, either for some physical ailment, or simply to recharge your head and legs. Inzaghi should give a rest to Pavard, De Vrij, Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan, thus relying on a 3-5-2 with Sommer in goal, Bisseck, Acerbi and Bastoni in defense, Darmian, Barella, Asllani, Frattesi and Dimarco in midfield, Thuram and Lautaro in attack.
The great Calzona's doubt concerns Osimhen instead, struggling with a muscle strain: the Nigerian has been called up, but his use will be decided only after today's final match. The 4-3-3 blue will see Meret between the posts, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus and Olivera in the defensive department, Anguissa, Lobotka and Traoré in the midfield, Politano, Osimhen (or Simeone) and Kvaratskhelia in the offensive trident.
Verona – Milan (15pm, Dazn)
Very interesting challenge also at Bentegodi, where Verona and Milan will face each other with the usual fervor, son of a woman historical rivalry never really subsided. For the Devil, in fact, the trip to Verona always holds many dangers, even if the latest victories (above all the one on 8 May 2022, decisive for the scudetto) have weakened his "fatality" a little. However, the fact remains that theHellas needs points salvation, therefore the Rossoneri will have to sweat a lot to achieve victory, without saving energy of any kind.
Baroni hoped to find a Milan exhausted by the trip to Prague, but instead Pioli's Thursday went smoothly, despite the ailments of Maignan and Calabria, who were however fully recovered. His team, thanks to their numerical superiority, closed the qualifying round in less than one half and used the second as a training session, thus saving their strength for Bentegodi. The Europa League has become the first objective, but the championship cannot be snubbed: the Pioli's confirmation also goes from second place and the Devil also doesn't want to risk overtaking Juve after just a week. Verona, for its part, is in a good moment and is looking for its third victory in a row after the very heavy ones against Lecce and Sassuolo, without, however, excessive worry about the standings (third-last Frosinone remained two points away, but with one match more).
Verona – Milan, the probable lineups
Pioli recovers Maignan, despite the knee injury suffered against Slavia: the tests, however, have ruled out any particular complications and the goalkeeper is considered fully recovered. For the rest there will be no maxi-turnover, also because the Prague match, as previously mentioned, turned out to be much less expensive than expected. The 4-2-3-1 AC Milan will thus see Maignan in goal, Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori and Theo Hernandez in defense, Bennacer and Reijnders in midfield, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek and Leao in the attacking midfield, Giroud in attack.
Same game system for Verona too of Baroni, who will respond with Montipò between the posts, Tchatchoua, Magnani, Dawidowicz and Cabal in the back department, Duda and Serdar in the midfield, Folorunsho, Suslov and Lazovic behind the lone striker Noslin.
Juventus – Genoa (12.30 pm, Dazn and Sky)
Other home match for Juventus of Allegri, who returns to the Stadium a week after the draw with Atalanta. That 2-2, combined with Milan's victory over Empoli, cost them second place, but the drop in the standings is mainly due to a nightmare month and a half, in which the Lady scored only six points in seven games, with only one victory (3-2 against Frosinone, even in full injury time), three draws and as many defeats. A relegation average, mitigated, obviously, by the previous four months of very high speed, which had even made people think of the scudetto. The reality lies in the middle and means that Juve is still firmly in the Champions League zone, even if now the time has come to get back to racing, otherwise risking a rather complicated end to the season.
La The match against Genoa isn't exactly simple, like none in this period: the rossoblu have no particular ambitions for the standings and can play without the worry of points, although the defeats against Monza and Inter have annoyed Gilardino a lot, determined to stop the bleeding of points already from Today. However, only Juve has the obligation to win, as underlined by Allegri in the press conference.
Allegri: “Very important match, that's why we went into retreat a day early”
“I spoke with the team and we decided to stay one more evening at Continassa – explained the Juventus coach -. It's a time when we need to get back on track which unfortunately we have missed this last month, this match is important for everyone. We know that we have objectives to achieve such as qualification for the Champions League and the semi-final of the Italian Cup, we don't have to look ahead or behind, just try to beat Genoa. In the last four home games we have only won once against Frosinone, there are moments in the season where on the first or second occasion, due to a carelessness or a detail, you concede a goal. So we must continue to work to try to improve and above all have a little more attention when we defend as a team, not just in individual players."
Juventus – Genoa, the probable lineups
Compared to the match against Atalanta Rabiot returns, but Milik stops for an injury to the adductor of the left thigh (will be re-evaluated in 10-15 days). Allegri will opt for the canonical 3-5-2 with Szczesny in goal, Gatti, Bremer and Danilo in defense, Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot and Iling Jr in midfield, Chiesa and Vlahovic in attack.
Gilardino, forced to give up the suspended Sabelli, rwill respond with the same system of play, with Martinez between the posts, De Winter, Bani and Vasquez in the defensive department, Frendrup, Messias, Badelj, Malinovskyi and Spence in the midfield, Retegui and Gudmundsson as an offensive pair.
Rome – Sassuolo (18pm, Dazn)
Great attention will also be paid to the 18pm matches, which will feature Roma, Atalanta and Fiorentina. It is the Olimpico, in particular, that takes center stage, because De Rossi's team, at the moment, is the most credible alternative to Thiago Motta's highly successful Bologna. THE yellow and red they slowed down a bit in Florence (even if the draw, as things turned out, is almost a victory), but by beating Sassuolo they would return to within 3 of the Emilians, therefore from fourth place which is worth the Champions League. In the capital they know perfectly well that the current fifth position could prove invaluable at the end of the season, but making calculations makes no sense: today there is only one result available, especially since Ballardini's Sassuolo is certainly not a transcendental opponent. Of course, the hunger for safety points still makes him fearsome, furthermore Roma, as we will see shortly, has to give up very important players, so there is no point in taking him lightly, even more so now that the rankings are starting to smile. After the break there will be the away match in Lecce, the derby with Lazio, the double European match against Milan and the direct clash with Bologna: a very tough schedule, which is why today's 3 points must be taken at all costs.
Roma – Sassuolo, the probable lineups
Problems in attack for De Rossi, who has to give up both Dybala, stopped by a muscle injury to the adductor of his right thigh, and Lukaku, struggling with hip pain. The technician will therefore have to review the standard training, relying on a 4-3-3 with Svilar in goal, Celik, Mancini, Ndicka and Angelino in defense, Cristante, Paredes and Pellegrini in midfield, Baldanzi, Azmoun and El Shaarawy in attack.
Usual 4-2-3-1 instead for Ballardini, who will try to continue the success against Frosinone with Consigli between the posts, Missori, Erlic, Ferrari and Pedersen in the defensive department, Racic and Matheus Henrique in midfield, Defrel, Bajrami and Laurienté behind the lone striker Pinamonti.
