Juventus-Inter and Atalanta-Naples, a piece of the Scudetto is at stake. For the rest we will have to wait for tomorrow evening, when leaders Milan host Bologna, but for sure this Sunday will leave an indelible mark on the championship, whatever it may be. The spotlights are primarily on the Derby d'Italia, which could exclude either Juventus or Inter from the title race, or perhaps both, but the match in Bergamo is also worth a lot, both in terms of first place and the Champions League. In short, football Sunday promises entertainment and it is certain that it will also end up conditioning Milan's match, in one sense or another.
Juventus-Inter (20 pm, Dazn)
So let's start from the Turin race, made even more fascinating than it already is by a ranking shorter than ever, still subject to any scenario. In fact, as recently as a month ago, no one would have imagined that the confrontation between the black and whites and the black and blues would be so important for both, but Inzaghi's braking, combined with Allegri's acceleration, made it so. The paradox though is that the match is more delicate for Inter, despite the extra point (and the match in Bologna still to be recovered) suggests the opposite: Juve, all in all, have more to gain than to lose, the Nerazzurri however, in the event of a defeat, would probably find themselves cut out of the race to the title, with the possibility of even being sucked into the Champions League race.
Inzaghi: "It's the right match to give a signal"
The challenge between the two coaches is tough, especially since both play a lot. However, it is Inzaghi who has something more to prove, if only because the bonuses are largely gone. "It will be a very important challenge, there couldn't have been a better match to give a strong signal to the environment and to ourselves - he confirmed the Nerazzurri coach -. We will have to play a great game against an opponent of absolute value, we will play with personality and character, using aggression and determination. Are we in crisis? At the beginning of the year, I would have signed to have this ranking in April and have won the Super Cup, playing for the Scudetto and a place in the Champions League, which is the objective requested by the club: in Turin, however, I expect the result”.
Allegri: "Dybala plays, but not renewing is a choice shared by me too"
More relaxed atmosphere at Juventus, but just by a thread. There is awareness of being able to reopen the title race, even if no one says it openly, and the paradox is that one of the key men, injuries permitting, could be that Dybala publicly unloaded by the club. "Paulo plays, but it's good to clarify that we are in line with the club on everything - Allegri explained -. I present my ideas, the managers present theirs and in the end we always find a unity of purpose to plan and move forward. We have to focus only on the game and try to beat the reigning champions, then we'll see where we are in the standings. We are not playing to make Inter lose the scudetto, but for our race to fourth place”.
Juventus-Inter, the formations
The stop gave a nice hand to the two coaches, who recover very important pieces of their respective chessboards. Inzaghi smiles above all for Brozovic, able again and enlisted after absences with Turin and Fiorentina, but also for the recovery of Lautaro (negativized to Covid) which will allow him to deploy the 3-5-2, except for the bruised De Vrij who should start from the bench. In defense, in front of Handanovic, there will be D'Ambrosio, Skriniar and Bastoni, with Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu and Perisic in midfield and the couple Dzeko and Lautaro in attack.
Even Allegri can look at the match (and the season finale) with more serenity thanks to the return of Zakaria and Locatelli, essential to give life to the midfielder considered by many to be the team's weak point. The Juventus coach will bet on a 4-4-2 with Szczesny between the posts, Danilo, De Ligt, Chiellini and Alex Sandro in defense, Cuadrado, Zakaria, Locatelli and Rabiot in midfield, Dybala and Vlahovic in attack.
Atalanta-Naples (15pm, Dazn)
The other key match on Sunday is undoubtedly that of Bergamo, where Napoli will try to take 3 points which could prove to be very heavy, perhaps decisive, in terms of the Scudetto. The feeling, in fact, is that the Azzurri will play a lot in the next three matches with Atalanta, Fiorentina and Rome, and then try the coup in the last few days, thanks to a simpler calendar than the competitors.
Now, however, an important climb is needed, partly because the Goddess is still in the middle of the Champions League race, partly due to the absences of Osimhen, Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo, which make everything more complicated than it already is. Moreover, the Nigerian was the most talked about protagonist of the eve: the fault of the failure to return from Nigeria, which made many around Vesuvius turn up their noses, including teammates.
Spalletti: "The club will talk about Oshimen, but let's not play the three-card game.."
“If something needs to be clarified, the director or the club will talk about it in the pre-match interviews – Spalletti cut short -. Having said that, I am happy because in the Gazzetta dello Sport you dedicate a large space to us, even a reference on the front page on Covid, capital gains, Alemao, Osimhen who is not appreciated by the locker room … If you had also talked about the match, the speech would have been complete. You have to be careful playing the three-card game with the Napoli fans, because they easily catch you…”. The controversy, not so veiled, is the result of an alleged attempt by the rosea (a newspaper historically disliked by De Laurentiis) to destabilize the blue environment in favor of the "big players from the north", but only the field will tell if it will have compacted Napoli or no. On the other hand, just so as not to miss anything, there is a Gasperini who has been boycotting press conferences for some time, limiting himself only to the (mandatory) European ones.
Atalanta-Naples, the formations
The choices of the two coaches will be strongly conditioned by the absences, even if today the problems are above all with Spalletti, forced to give up his striker par excellence (but Zapata has also been missing from Atalanta for some time) and in the middle of the starting defence. His 4-3-3 will see Ospina in goal, Zanoli, Koulibaly, Juan Jesus and Mario Rui in defence, Anguissa, Lobotka and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Politano, Mertens and Insigne in attack.
Gasperini instead embraces again Shoe, back in the squad after two months of absence, even if the Colombian is likely to watch the match from the bench: however, having him back is already important, especially in a final rush which, between the championship and the Europa League, can give different emotions. The 3-4-1-2 of the Goddess will see Musso between the posts, Djimsiti, Demiral and Palomino in the back department, Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler and Zappacosta in the midfield, Koopmeiners behind the offensive duo made up of Malinovskyi and Boga.
Sampdoria-Rome (18pm, Dazn). Mourinho denies the Zaniolo case
Sampdoria-Roma also completed Sunday's championship, a very important challenge both in terms of Europe and salvation. In fact, the Giallorossi hope that Juventus and Atalanta will slow down to try to enter the Champions League again, but to do so they must first conquer Marassi and give continuity to the great victory in the derby.
However, the eve was marred by Zaniolo case, absent due to a flexor problem but still destined for the bench, just like against Lazio. The relationship with Mourinho is therefore struggling to take off and this, combined with a contract ever closer to expiry, could give way to the sale in the summer (Juventus are in the front row). “I knew you would only ask me for this, but I don't want to talk only about him – glossed over the Portuguese -. I can say that there are many players who go on the bench with their clubs and it's a normal thing, I don't see this type of question with other coaches. Zaniolo was on the bench against Lazio, we adopted a different strategy with the aim of winning the game and we did it, period”.
We'll talk about it again soon, but in the meantime Mou is looking 3 key points with a 3-4-2-1 that will see Rui Patricio in goal, Mancini, Smalling and Ibanez in defense, Karsdorp, Cristante, Oliveira and Zalewski in midfield, Mkhitaryan and Pellegrini behind the lone striker Abraham. Classic 4-3-1-2 instead for Giampaolo, who will respond with Audero in goal, Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley and Murru in the back, Candreva, Rincon and Thorsby in the midfield, Sensi in the trocar, Sabiri and Caputo in attack.
Lazio-Sassuolo 2-1, Sarri redeems the derby sees Europe again
Meantime Lazio he resumed the path interrupted in the derby by beating Sassuolo at the Olimpico, a 2-1 signed by Lazzari (17') and Milinkovic-Savic (51'), before Traoré scored the flag goal in full stoppage time (94'). Victory is not enough to cancel the very heavy 0-3 collected by Roma, but still worth fifth place in the standings, obviously waiting for all the others: in short, the race for Europe has started again and the Biancocelesti are fully part of it.
