Il Naples mortgages the Champions League, now it's up to all the others. The 5-1 of the Azzurri on the unfortunate Udinese relaunches Gattuso in second place, obviously waiting for Atalanta-Benevento and Turin-Milan, matches which, in the event of victories for the Nerazzurri and Rossoneri, would mix the cards again. But Napoli's success evidently puts pressure above all on Juventus, forced to beat Sassuolo in order not to definitively miss the train that leads to the Europe that counts.
The Azzurri knew they had a sort of joker in hand and they used it in the best way, playing a flawless match, in which they showed clear superiority from start to finish. The one-two signed by Zielinski (28') and Fabian Ruiz (31') had already directed him in the first half, even if the splendid goal by Okaka (41') seemed to be able to leave a window for Udinese. Nothing could be more wrong, because in the second half Napoli took off with Lozano (56'), Di Lorenzo (66') and Insigne (91'), closing the dispute with a round (and deserved) five.
Now the eyes are focused primarily on the Juventus, call to a life signal on the field of the Sassuolo after the very heavy defeat on Sunday, on pain of risking a farewell to the Champions area with two games to spare. It won't be easy at all and not only for the indisputable value of the black and greens, returning from 5 wins and 1 draw in the last 6 games and in full swing for a European placement. Juve itself is the most worrying, appearing to be in free fall both technically and mentally, as well as on the verge of a real revolution, on and off the pitch.
The company is split in two, with Agnelli, Nedved and Cherubini determined to continue with Pirlo until the end of the season, against a Paratici who instead would have liked to change immediately in favor of Tudor, in an attempt to revive an increasingly flat line. In the end, as often happens in these cases, the majority won, but even the coach is well aware that his days are numbered: Juve will start again with a new coach (the names of Allegri and Zidane are mentioned), even if the participation or less to the Champions League will have far from indifferent consequences (the damage would be 90 million, to which to add today's already substantial liabilities) on the budget and programs.
"I don't want to see resignation, anything can happen in football and I know it well given that, a few years ago, I lost a Champions League after a 3-0 win at the end of the first half - the words of Pirlo – Our goal is to show that we can deserve qualification and the only way to do that is to win. After the defeat against Milan there was a lot of disappointment, but we have a duty to believe in it”.
The "break the lines" climate, however, is perceptible, starting with Cristiano Ronaldo (Monday in Maranello to buy a new Ferrari) until you get to Gigi Buffon, which he officially announced yesterday his farewell to Juve at the end of the season (“we have reached the end of a cycle and it is right to remove the disturbance”) with an at least suspicious timing. A win in Reggio Emilia wouldn't be enough to put things right, but it would give the whole environment a breath of fresh air, which is essential to better prepare for next Saturday's match against Inter.
Pirlo, after the unsuccessful experiment of the 3-5-2, should return to the 4-4-2 with Buffon in goal, Cuadrado, De Ligt, Bonucci and Alex Sandro in defense, Kulusevski, Arthur, Rabiot and Chiesa in midfield, Dybala and Ronaldo in attack. On the other hand, a lot of enthusiasm at Sassuolo, where heavy points are being sought in a Conference League key: De Zerbi will try to get them with the usual 4-2-3-1, therefore Consigli between the posts, Muldur, Chiriches, Ferrari and Kyriakopoulos in the backlog, Obiang and Locatelli in the midfield, Berardi, Djuricic and Boga behind the lone striker Raspadori.
On the one hand those who desperately try to hold on to the Champions League, on the other those who finally see the finish line near. It is the case of Milan, smiled again after the success of the Stadium, complete with a direct match in favor. The scenario means that the Rossoneri no longer have to look at the others, but only at themselves: two victories against Turin and Cagliari and it will be the Champions League, thus transforming the insidious away match in Bergamo in the last round into a pleasant outing. But woe to getting distracted and thinking that everything is taken for granted, especially since the next two matches will be against two teams that are growing but still involved in the fight not to relegate.
“One of our characteristics is balance, we rejoiced on Sunday but since Monday we have been thinking only of the Bull – he retorted Pioli – We didn't get discouraged after the defeat against Lazio, in the same way we mustn't get excited after Juve: this will be a very important match, we still need some points to achieve our goal".
They will have to be obtained without Ibrahimovic, who stopped on Sunday with a knee problem, but this is no longer a novelty: the Swede has only played 27 games this season out of a total of 50, 19 out of 35 limited to the championship. Numbers that will have to induce the company to make various reflections in the market (the dream is Vlahovic, but Commisso asks for 60 million), provided however that they win the precious qualification for the Champions League. Pioli knows well that everything depends on this and tonight, in an attempt to conquer Turin again, he will rely on a 4-2-3-1 with Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori and Hernandez in defense, Bennacer and Kessié in midfield, Castillejo, Diaz and Calhanoglu behind Rebic. Classic 3-5-2 also for Nicola, who will respond with Sirigu in goal, Bremer, Lyanco and Buongiorno in the back, Singo, Baselli, Mandragora, Lukic and Rodriguez in the midfield, Belotti and Zaza in attack.
Race for strong hearts also in Bergamo, where the very fast Atalanta of Gasperini will receive the desperate, but furious, Benevento by Inzaghi. A sort of spin, however very different from that of Parma: there there was an opponent who had already been relegated, here instead there will be one who is determined to go all out, especially after last Sunday's wrongful refereeing. In any case, the Nerazzurri coach wants to close the game as soon as possible: two victories with Benevento and Genoa would mean the Champions League, thus allowing all forces to be concentrated on the Italian Cup final with Juve.
So tonight we will see the best possible 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Palomino, Romero and Djimsiti in defence, Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler and Gosens in midfield, Malinovskyi and Pessina in the trocar, Zapata in attack. 4-3-2-1 instead for Inzaghi, who will attempt the impossible mission with Montipò between the posts, Depaoli, Glik, Caldirola and Barba in the back department, Viola, Hetemaj and Ionita in the midfield, Improta and Caprari behind Lapadula.
More detached, but still involved in the race, the Lazio of Inzaghi, who will try to beat the Parma and to hope for some misstep by whoever is in front of her. The biancocelesti still have one game to recover, but the defeat in Florence has in any case drastically reduced the chances of the Champions League: however, this does not authorize them to give up, especially against an already relegated opponent. However, Inzaghi will have to invent the midfield, given the absences of Milinkovic-Savic and the suspended Lucas Leiva: his 3-5-2 will thus see Strakosha in goal, Patric, Acerbi and Radu in defense, Lazzari, Parolo, Cataldi, Luis Alberto and Fares in midfield, Muriqi and Immobile in attack. D'Aversa, by now devoid of any ambitions for the standings, will respond with a 4-3-3 with Sepe between the posts, Busi, Osorio, Dierckx and Gagliolo in the back, Grassi, Hernani and Sohm in the midfield, Kucka, Pellé and Brunetta in the offensive trident.
Finally, the most prestigious, but at the same time least significant race, that is Inter-Roma. Normally it would be a big front-page match, but this time, thanks to the Nerazzurri's Scudetto and the Giallorossi's sidereal distance from the Champions League and the Europa League (only the Conference remains, disputed with Sassuolo), it will above all be an exhibition, with José Mourinho is a very interested spectator: the Portuguese will experience an evening between the past and the future, anticipating what will happen in a few months.
However, all of this is of little interest to Inter, caught up as they are between the well-deserved celebrations of the Scudetto and economic worries. The club has already made it known that it wants to drastically reduce costs, primarily with a cut in salaries (refused by the team), secondly with a savings market, which could also include some excellent sales. Scenario that Conte does not like at all, who not surprisingly canceled yesterday's press conference, preferring to avoid saying his opinion (inevitably ending up attacking the club) on the subject.
Meanwhile, he will think about beating Roma, relying on a 3-5-2 with Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, Ranocchia and Bastoni in defense, Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Sensi and Perisic in midfield, Lukaku and Lautaro in attack. Fonseca, for his part, will try to say goodbye with a prestigious result, relying on a 4-2-3-1 with Mirante between the posts, Karsdorp, Mancini, Ibanez and Santon in the back, Cristante and Darboe in the midfield, Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan and Pedro behind Dzeko.
