Everything like before. Juventus and Inter go down the hill on matchday 13 with two very important victories, thus keeping the ranking order unchanged. Successes that weigh, also because the away games in Bergamo and Turin were scary and promised many headaches. In fact it was just like that, especially at the Gewiss Stadium: if around the 70th minute someone had told us that Juve would have managed to win the match, we probably would have thought him crazy. In fact, Atalanta, in addition to being ahead by one goal, was the absolute master of the pitch, so much so that the 1-0 scored by Gosens (56') was even tight for her. But then, as almost always in the league, the black and white champions took the chair, capable of completely overturning a script that seemed already written with three plays. Once again, the Higuain-Dybala couple proved to be of an absolute level, so much so that they managed to win the match almost by themselves.
Almost, precisely, because forgetting the missed penalty from Barrow (16') would be unforgivable, as well as forgetting Szczesny's super save on Pasalic and De Ligt's save on Hateboer. Atalanta then also recriminated for a couple of referee decisions: a touch with the arm by Emre Can deemed not punishable and one by Cuadrado on the action that led to Higuain's 2-1, evidently escaped from Rocchi's whistle. Situations, especially the second, at best, daughters of an unfortunate afternoon in which Juve, despite a subdued performance, managed to find a way to take the full spoil anyway. “It was a difficult match, we started well but got lost after the penalty – explained Sarri -. Atalanta took the match in hand and deservedly took the lead, then we equalized on muddled play and had the merit of believing we could win it. Dominating the game against them was difficult, everyone will suffer on this pitch."
Gasperini was in the opposite mood, forced to deal with a loss despite his team's strong performance. “We were very good because we played continuously, even if we didn't take advantage of important opportunities – sighed the coach. – We conceded very little to Juve who are very strong and even in the second half, after the lead, we had the game in hand. The turning point was the casual draw of the black and whites. Clearly Juve are very cynical, much more than us, but perhaps this was Atalanta's best game of the season”. The fault of the Nerazzurri was not to close the game by exploiting one of the many chances created, a mistake that started in the first half with Barrow, unfortunate in sending the penalty conceded by Rocchi to Khedira's arm over the crossbar, and continued in the second half, except for Gosens' goal.
Juve thus remained standing and at the right moment he struck his blows, unleashing the infamous HD. H for Higuain, capable of scoring twice between the 74th and 83rd minute (the first with a deflection from Toloi, the second as a true area striker), D for Dybala, splendid in securing the victory with a 3-1 final after a very thick race. The success of Inter, on the other hand, was decidedly less suffered, capable of conquering Turin without major difficulties, moreover on a field more similar to a swimming pool than a football pitch. However, the deluge that hit the Piedmontese capital did not prevent Conte's men from competing, on the contrary: the greatest merit of this victory must be sought in their having been able to adapt, forcing the grenades to open up and concede spaces which later proved to be fatal.
And speaking of goal pairings, after having praised the Juventus one it would be crazy not to praise Lautaro Martinez and Lukaku, now a real sentence for everyone. With the two of them on the pitch, in fact, it's like starting at least one goal ahead, with the logical consequence of an incredible journey up to now, made up of 11 victories out of 13 available, as no one has ever managed (including Mourinho) in the era of the 3 points. Match already addressed in the 12th minute when Toro, perhaps distracted by the injury that just occurred to Belotti (later replaced by Zaza), was even surprised by a postponement from Sirigu: a header from Vecino to counter and a goal from Lautaro in counterattack. With the advantage, Inter were able to duck down and wait for the grenades, without giving up on hurting up front. Sirigu saved on Lukaku, but on the following corner he could not stop De Vrij, who popped out at the far post for the 2-0 (32').
Toro had a surge of pride but on his way they found a great Handanovic, spectacular in removing a ball fouled by Godin from the goal: it could have been the episode that reopened the match, but it wasn't like that. And when Lukaku found the 3-0 (54') at the start of the second half, Conte was able to rejoice and enjoy the 3 points, even if Barella's injury (knee problem) it will create further training problems for him, especially with the play-off-qualification in Prague at the door. “I hope that he has nothing serious, for us he is a very important player – sighed Conte. – We have to keep working and putting our best effort, the emergency is there but I prefer to thank my boys for the exceptional things they are doing. Lautaro and Lukaku are young and still have great potential ahead, I'm happy because in addition to scoring they always manage to help the team. That's good, winning this match was really important."
now the head goes to the Champions League, with Juve already qualified but chasing first place against Atletico Madrid and Inter called to conquer Prague to stay in the race. From next weekend, however, it will still be head-to-head, always with no holds barred.
