A Scudetto for four. The victory of Juve on Salernitana, combined with the draw ofInter, transforms the 2021/22 championship into the most open in recent years, with Milan, Naples, Inter and, indeed, the bianconeri in just 7 points, with 8 games still to play (9 for the nerazzurri). The break comes at the right time, especially since in the next few days we will have other things to think about (Italy are playing for the World Cup, therefore a good chunk of their credibility at a football level), but immediately afterwards, hoping that things went well , a really nice final rush awaits us, one of those to be followed all in one breath, without breaks of any kind.
Juve-Inter: immediately after the break a decisive challenge
We will start with the "Clasico" par excellence of the Italian championship, a Derby d'Italia among the most beautiful and hard-fought in recent years, second only to that of 28 April 2018, which decided the Scudetto amidst a thousand controversies. This time, however, it will be played in Turin, with the possibility of overtaking that was absolutely unthinkable until a few weeks ago, albeit with the usual asterisk relating to the recovery of Bologna. Of course, Juventus didn't suddenly become a super team by beating Salernitana, on the contrary they still have to deal with the bad elimination from the Champions League, but their run-up in the league is there for all to see: 16 consecutive useful results, with 11 victories and 5 draws, are not achieved only thanks to chance and luck. Inter, on the other hand, is experiencing a now chronic involution, certified by the only victory obtained in the last 7 Serie A games, which leads us to a consideration that is so simple but difficult to dispute: if the Nerazzurri still legitimately believe in the Scudetto, why can't Juve do it too?
The calendar smiles at Milan: Bologna, Turin and Genoa to go on the run, but if they don't win...
But the Derby d'Italia won't be important only for the Bianconeri and Nerazzurri: those who could really benefit from it are Milan and not only for their position in the standings, which sees them in the lead with 3 points ahead of Napoli. Pioli, taking into consideration the next 3 games, undoubtedly has the best calendar with Bologna (home), Turin (away) and Genoa (home), which gives him a very important chance to go on the break and proclaim himself the favorite in the race to title. A string of victories would bring him very close to triumph, but there is also the counterpart: the finish is very tough (Lazio, Fiorentina, Verona, Atalanta and Sassuolo), which is why one or more missteps, gifts from the others permitting, would overturn every prediction.
Naples to Bergamo without Osimhen, Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo: Spalletti, now it's your turn
Immediately behind is Napoli, but grappling with a much more challenging triptych, at least on paper. The first match after the break will be in Bergamo against an Atalanta team that has remained in the Champions League thanks to the success in Bologna, moreover to be faced without Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo (he will also miss the World Cup playoffs with Italy) and, above all, Osimhen, true and own key man of the team. The numbers speak for themselves: with him on the field, the Azzurri are first in the standings, without them they only compete for the Champions League area. It will be up to Spalletti to come up with something to make up for the absences, especially as Atalanta risks having many more. Too many times the Azzurri have failed in the decisive matches, the ones in which they could have taken flight, but now we have reached the moment of no return: Atalanta, Fiorentina and Roma will say a lot about their journey, with the prospect of a season finale all 'other than prohibitive (Empoli, Sassuolo, Turin, Genoa and Spezia), but subject to the results of the previous 3.
Inter: the bonuses are over, Inzaghi will play everything in Turin
It seems incredible, but the Italian champions, as well as everyone's favorites this year as well, are backs to the wall. Their race, unstoppable until the Christmas break, suffered a sudden halt, so much so that the Turin match against Juventus is practically decisive. It's not just about the points, because those, with 9 games still to play, are relative, but about morale: failing even at the Stadium would be very heavy, perhaps definitive in terms of the Scudetto. Inzaghi, as is inevitable, ended up under accusation, accused of guilt both from a tactical point of view (the 3-5-2 seems to be an essential dogma, but perhaps it is appropriate to think about some modifications) and from a moral point of view many, in fact, wonder if there would have been the same problems with Conte), yet the future is still in his hands. Winning the Derby d'Italia would give a crazy confidence boost, after which the calendar would be relatively simple with Verona, Spezia, Rome (the only direct match), Udinese, Empoli, Cagliari, Sampdoria and, sooner or later, Bologna, vice versa, however things would become enormously complicated, also because Milan, barring unexpected slip-ups, could escape, perhaps irreversibly.
Juve, the comeback is still a dream, but if they beat Inter…
Yes, if he beats Inter? It is useless to reiterate how the company, because this would be what it would be, is at the limits of achievable, if only because of the three teams that are above them, but Juventus can no longer turn a blind eye to the Scudetto, not after 16 results consecutive earnings and, above all, Inter's braking. The problem is that the Nerazzurri are no longer up there, but rather two other teams that seem to have another pace, but in the meantime the Lady continues her ascent and after the break, in the event of victory, she could make a sensational overtaking. In that case, and only in that (it should be underlined), the possibilities would multiply, all the more with a calendar that, immediately afterwards, would see Cagliari, Bologna, Sassuolo, Venice and Genoa, before the last two days with Lazio and Fiorentina. Believing in it, beyond the facade declarations, is a duty, especially since the first three, albeit in different ways, continue to show some cracks, which make every game open and unpredictable. Just like the Scudetto fight, perhaps qualitatively less high than in the past, but certainly as balanced and spectacular as ever.
