Now Inter are in charge. The victory over Udinese, combined with Juve's draw in Florence, is worth the changing of the guard at the top of the standings, as well as a new signal for the whole championship. Who, to tell the truth, also comes from Naples: the 3 points over Sampdoria, in fact, allow him to better archive the stadium knockout and stay in the wake of the top. But let's start with the new solo leaders, albeit waiting for the Monday night between Turin and Lecce, or Conte's Inter, who reached their third victory in as many games played. A Filotto that still does not authorize flights of fancy, if only because the calendar was rather favourable, but it is certain that the music, compared to the last championship, has definitely changed and this can be said regardless of the opponents.
Next Saturday's derby (but also the Champions League match against Slavia Prague on Tuesday) will tell us more, in any case the Conte effect has already done its duty, both as regards electricity in the environment and for the revitalization of some elements, Candreva above all. In terms of play, however, there is still room for improvement, as demonstrated by yesterday's 1-0 against a Udinese team with 10 players from the 35th minute of the first half: what's more, the red card was De Paul, his man of greatest quality. Up to that moment the Nerazzurri, after a rocketing start (Politano pole), had encountered a few too many difficulties in breaking the Friulian wall, so much so as to suggest a much more complicated match than expected. But then De Paul's madness (a slap to Candreva) unbalanced forces further and Inter certainly don't need gifts these days. Also because in the nerazzurri there is a player kissed by the King Midas of football, or Stefano Sensi: everything he touches, basically, becomes gold. And so a ball well placed in the area by Godin turned into a kiss assist that the former Sassuolo, despite his 168 cm, sent into the net with a twist as if he were the best Lukaku (44 ').
Liberating goal for Conte, aware that, from that moment on, everything would have been downhill. Indeed, in the second half, Inter managed the match serenely, failing to double up more due to inaccuracy than anything else (even if Musso, in the 84th minute, performed a real miracle on Sanchez). “We won a very difficult match against a strong team with excellent players – Conte's analysis. – But now we mustn't fall into easy enthusiasm, I read too much nonsense around, we mustn't think about it and we must know that there will always be a fight. The road is still very long, we got off to a good start but nobody gave us anything, we deserved it”.
However, Juve's slowdown also determined the new standings, forced to draw by an excellent Fiorentina. Complicated match that of the Franchi so much that the 0-0 final, net of the chances and the territorial dominance, goes much better for the bianconeri than for the viola. In short, we have certainly not seen the best commercial for Sarri's new philosophy, also because the athletic condition continues to arouse many perplexities. If already before the break, in fact, we had seen the Lady deflate sensationally after just an hour of play, yesterday things went even worse. In less than a half, Sarri lost Douglas Costa and Pjanic to muscle injuries, and when Danilo collapsed to the ground with cramps in the 61st minute, he too had to be replaced: substitutions finished after just an hour, when Montella had none none done yet. The rest was done by the heat, the post-national team tiredness and the very good performance of the Viola, charged a thousand by a full Franchi like in the golden age and by a Ribery in great form.
The Frenchman won the duel with Ronaldo, but in general it was all of Juve that had a hard time: in addition to the crossbar from Chiesa, they were saved by the imprecision of Fiorentina, with the black and whites dangerous only in a couple of counter-attacks. “It wasn't a high-level race, we need to improve from a qualitative, physical and tactical point of view – admitted Sarri. – We wasted replacements due to injuries, with 35 degrees in the middle of the pitch having three substitutions with fresh players would have helped us a lot. In this period, playing at 15 or 20 pm makes a difference… We've had players in the America's Cup, others in the infirmary, others still returning from a period of inactivity: we still need some time to find brilliance”.
Juve's draw, as well as Inter, also makes Napoli smile, back in the wake again. Consequence of Franchi's 0-0 but also of the victory over Sampdoria, the first of the season without conceding a goal, albeit thanks to Meret. In fact, in the 2-0 win at San Paolo the blue goalkeeper stands out, who together with the usual relentless Mertens made Ancelotti celebrate the 3 points. However, Napoli, perhaps galvanized by the result in Florence, got off to a strong start immediately, splitting the match in two already in the 13th minute thanks to a good action by Di Lorenzo, aimed at the best by the Belgian "false nueve". However, it must be said that shortly before Sampdoria had become very dangerous with Ferrari, stopped only by a feline intervention by Meret.
However, the best of the goalkeeper's repertoire was seen in the 19th minute on Rigoni, with a save as complicated (the Argentinian had presented himself in front of him) as it was decisive. From then on, however, Napoli, which had also gone close to 2-0 with Mertens (crossbar), rediscovered balance and solidity, so much so that in the second half, except for a thrill caused by Ekdal, they practically risked nothing, finding indeed the doubling again with the Belgian (69', assist from Llorente) and coming close to 3-0 several times. In short, a good coupon in view of Liverpool, also by virtue of the turnover of Ancelotti (save, from the beginning, Insigne, Llorente, Manolas, Allan and Ghoulam) and the good responses of Elmas and Lozano, ready to become real own co-owners.
“We played a good game, in the initial phase we pushed a lot and in the second half we were concrete – commented Ancelotti -. Well done those who entered who gave freshness to the team. We didn't concede a goal and we breathe a sigh of relief but we're taking some risks by wanting to play the ball at all costs. The renewal of Mertens? Hurry!". Now the heads of Inter, Juventus and Napoli move on to the Champions League, for a two-day debut that promises sparks, but always with an eye to the championship: in fact, the feeling is that this year there will be fun there too.
