No holds barred. Juventus and Inter continue the duo race towards the Scudetto, adding two more victories to their season baggage. Three points that are anything but obvious from yesterday and the speech, it should be emphasized, is valid for both. The Bianconeri defeated Toro only in the final part, the Nerazzurri even waited for the 90th minute to overturn Bologna: in short, the fight continues at a rapid pace, without reverential fears from any opponent. The greatest pressure, both for environmental and calendar issues, was on Sarri's Juve, forced to win the derby in order not to lose the championship lead, moreover at the hands of the grenade cousins.
Mission within reach, God forbid, especially in the face of the tame Bull these days, but still to be accomplished and given the previous weeklies with Lecce and Genoa, there was no need to take it for granted. Mazzarri's team started off strong just as expected, putting all his proverbial heart on the field, a plan that Juve, however, had evidently studied. In fact, Sarri, in addition to the untouchables Ronaldo, Dybala and Pjanic, had decided to play the derby with Matuidi, Bentancur and De Sciglio, in an attempt to counteract the opponent's aggressiveness, then making use of the highest technical rate available.
This precisely happened because the grenades, in the long run, were unable to avoid defensive mistakes and those, in the face of certain champions, are paid for with almost absolute certainty. Juve also has so many that they can also make up for someone's "cues": Cristiano Ronaldo and Dybala, for example, will certainly not be remembered for this derby. On balance, the move to insert Higuain in place of Joya in the 60th minute was decisive, with Pipita who first came close to making it 1-0 with a terrific turn (remarkable Sirigu), then propitiated him by serving De Ligt a chocolate only to be discarded, for the Dutchman's first heavy goal in Serie A (70 '). Finally, the exclamation point was put by Szczesny with a great save on Ansaldi, the only one of his apparently calm but still decisive evening.
“This was a difficult match, we needed a very high level of determination because we knew they would put it on aggression – commented Sarri. – It was a dirty and intense game, therefore not very suitable for our characteristics, but I'm happy with what I saw, the team also reacted with weapons that weren't exactly theirs and this is a good sign. Inter? There are still 27 games to go, the ranking now leaves the time it finds…”. Matches, especially such sensitive ones, are often directed by episodes and this one was no exception.
De Ligt's touch with the arm in the 12th minute could have cost the Lady dearly but the referee Doveri and Var Maresca, unlike what happened in Lecce (the episode was almost identical), decided to let it go. A choice that, evidently, Turin didn't like and which actually leaves us perplexed by the enormous subjectivity of the rule. “Why did they give Lecce a penalty and not us? – thundered the dg grenade Comi. – I've seen it many times, the two episodes are very similar only that there it was rated differently, not here. Certain things need to be pointed out...". In any case, Juve took the derby and first place, without however being able to outdistance Inter, also victorious in Bologna. Success of great importance for the nerazzurri and not only for questions of standings.
In fact, Dall'Ara's comeback struck above all for the mentality shown, daughter of a coach who never gives up, not even when things seem to have taken another direction. Obviously everything starts from the bench and translates into the field with the players, above all Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez. At the moment they are Inter's calling card, a practically perfect couple who are shifting the balance game after game, without exception. Yesterday the "stamps" on Bologna were placed by the Belgian, while the Argentine "limited" himself to getting the penalty when time was almost up: in short, with two like this, we start with at least a goal lead.
Mihajlovic's team thus had to bow despite a good performance and, above all, having found the 1-0 in the 59th minute with Soriano, whose shot, thanks to De Vrij's decisive deflection, slipped behind Handanovich. It seemed difficult at that point that Inter, author of a good first half but without sharp points, could not only draw but even win, thus reversing the destinies of the match. And instead the nerazzurri succeeded, also because Lukaku found the 1-1 in the 75th minute, giving him a quarter of an hour to try. Many would have been satisfied with a very acceptable point, but not Conte and his squires, who they had the merit of not getting caught up in the rushbut to wait for the right moment.
Who arrived in the 90th minute with Martinez, good and clever at inducing the naive Orsolini to commit a foul that is as naive as it is deadly: because Lukaku these days has no problem converting from the penalty spot, not even if the rigor in question weighs like a boulder. “There was a great response after the goal conceded in an unfortunate way – thought Conte. – The boys have shown character and it's excellent news for us, because it's not easy in games like these. We deserved the win and it was an important signal, I'm very happy with these players who never give up." Appointment in Dortmund, where Inter will play a good chunk of qualifying for the round of XNUMX of the Champions League. Difficult game, open to any scenario, but if the spirit is yesterday's, then the Nerazzurri will really be able to have their say.
