Napoli maintains the primacy but Juventus and Rome are getting closer. On the Sunday when Inter drew and Lazio didn't play (match with Udinese postponed due to rain) it was the black and whites and the yellow and reds who smiled the most: the victories against Benevento and Fiorentina made it possible to consolidate prestigious positions and, thanks to the draw blues, to undermine even more the top of the standings. It was supposed to be a discounted Sunday, instead the big names struggled more than expected and the same goes for everyone, without exception.
Evidently the European struggles make themselves felt and so it happens that Napoli offers the most colorless performance of the season and that Juve even risks not winning against the small Benevento.
A separate discussion instead for Roma, the only one capable of giving a show on the difficult field of Florence, demonstrating a physical and mental state among the best in the league.
Sarri's Azzurri, on the other hand, are tired: the break, net of the commitments from the national teams, will be useful for rediscovering that brilliance displayed until a few weeks ago.
“Something was missing from our decisive players – admitted the blue coach. – We were physically tired, playing against City takes a lot of energy, somehow you end up paying for it. Having said that, I saw a good match, we were very orderly and conceded practically nothing."
Good behind and bad up front: an unfunny 0-0 came out in which the only real goal came in the 90th minute with Insigne, stopped by a great intervention by Sorrentino.
Many more emotions in Turin but not of those expected on the eve: the Juventus goleada on Benevento, in fact, was not there. Indeed, De Zerbi's team was even ahead for almost an hour, scaring the Italian champions like few others this season.
However, the usual Higuain ended up responding to Ciciretti's goal (19'), finding the equalizer with a left-footed shot as beautiful as it was heavy, after which the advantage was only a logical consequence of a territorial dominance that had already brought two posts (Douglas Costa) and several wasted opportunities. The 2-1 was signed by Cuadrado with his head (65 '), giving the Lady three hard-earned but still very precious points.
"It looked like a haunted match, the ball didn't want to enter – Allegri's analysis – Luckily we managed to overturn it even if we risked it in the final, unfortunately we can't understand that matches end only when the referee blows his whistle".
Roma, on the other hand, do not have these problems, currently one of the most fit teams in the championship (the other is Lazio who did not play). Winning in Florence wasn't obvious, especially after having spent a lot of energy in the Champions League match against Chelsea, but the Giallorossi managed it and also offering another convincing performance, the umpteenth of this last part of the season.
The great protagonist is the Brazilian Gerson, a young Brazilian bought by the Sabatini management but who has only exploded now. The striker, deployed surprisingly in Perotti's place, first unlocked the match in the 5th minute, then brought him back to the lead with a great shot (30') after Veretout's momentary equalizer (9').
Fiorentina caught up with their rivals again thanks to Simeone's header (39'), but then Roma came out in the second half and goals from Manolas (50') and Perotti (87') arrived to certify the 2-4 final, in addition to the definitive stamp on his candidacy for the Scudetto.
"It was a beautiful match, of great intensity, it wasn't easy to win on this field - thought Di Francesco - I was afraid of this away game, after Chelsea I was afraid of seeing a little satisfaction but instead I got great responses".
