The seventh seal for fourth place. Inter don't play jokes and, thanks to Lazio's clamorous defeat against Chievo, they take three points which are worth a further step forward in the standings. Of course, the minus 2 from Napoli is fictitious (the Azzurri have yet to play), but the Nerazzurri certainly confirm that they are now distant relatives of those seen up to two months ago and are loudly launching their candidacy for the Champions League. The 3-0 over Pescara shouldn't be considered as a feat, God forbid, having won 7 consecutive games (9 also considering the Europa League and Coppa Italia) yes. All at the gates of a decisive week, which will see two decidedly more important exams against Lazio and Juventus. “We played and won as a team but we are not yet at our best – thought Pioli. – Pescara created some difficulties for us but we were good at managing the match, even if we could have done better. Now two important matches arrive: we will go to the Stadium with the desire to win, but first we will have to think about Lazio in the Italian Cup". The plan has therefore succeeded perfectly: to close the cycle without "slips" and then play it all in the week that is about to begin. It didn't take long to unblock the match at San Siro: in the 23rd minute D'Ambrosio, following the development of a corner kick, shot down Bizzarri for the 1-0 which broke the balance. From then on, Inter was able to manage the match without too many problems, so much so that they doubled their lead even before the end of the first half (43', Joao Mario on an assist from Perisic). The second half went off without particular rings, apart from a chance by Verre and a goal by Eder, immediately on the net after coming on for Perisic (Icardi, author of the assist, however, was offside). The climb in the standings continues, waiting for more probative tests that will be able to tell us something more about the real consistency of this Inter.
Today, however, the spotlights will move to the Rossoneri part of the Naviglio, with Milan engaged in the difficult away match in Udine (15 pm). This was an important match and not only in terms of the standings: the last five years (only one win, 2 defeats and 2 draws) caused Montella's team to lose a lot of ground, which had also just been eliminated from the Italian Cup. “Winning is fundamental – declared the coach without too many words. – Udinese won't let you play, they're good at counterattacks, moreover they come from some negative results and therefore they'll want to redeem themselves. It will take a great performance to take away the 3 points but we want to do it". Indeed, a misstep would have a very bitter taste and, in addition to definitively extinguishing dreams of glory, it would clear the word "crisis", hitherto kept away from Milanello and its surroundings. A concentrated and compact team is therefore expected from the start and not only in the second half, as happened against Turin (both in the Cup and in the league), Naples and Juventus. "We didn't start the last two games so badly, we paid for the skill of the opponents" Montella defended himself, however the numbers are merciless: if Milan had only played the first half they would be 12th in the standings, with only 7 goals scored. An immediate jolt is urgently needed, which the coach will seek through the usual 4-3-3 with Donnarumma in goal, Abate, Paletta, Romagnoli and De Sciglio in defense, Kucka, Locatelli and Pasalic in midfield, Suso (ballot with Deulofeu), Bacca and Bonaventure in attack. Delneri, back from three consecutive defeats (Inter, Roma and Empoli), will try to redeem himself with an equal game system, which will see Karnezis between the posts, Faraoni, Danilo, Felipe and Samir in the back department, Fofana, Halfredsson and Jankto in the midfield , De Paul, Zapata and Thereau in the offensive trident.
