Let the binge begin. The championship restarts today after the break for the national teams and thus kicks off a month of fire, in which games will practically always be played. For the teams involved in Europe, in fact, the calendar provides even 10 games between now and 23 December, therefore one every three days. A real tour de force made even more complicated by the unknown Covid, unfortunately always around the corner, but that's it: these days there's no need to be too squeamish, especially after a stop that has Mancini's Italy on display, but also exhausted football addicts. It starts with Crotone-Lazio (15 pm), Spezia-Atalanta (18 pm) and Juventus-Cagliari (20.45 pm), or three of the four teams involved in the Champions League (Inter instead will play tomorrow).
Needless to say, on paper, these are affordable challenges, more important to underline the thousand pitfalls deriving from the break which, inevitably, affect those who have had the most squads, therefore the big ones. Juve, in fact, only had yesterday to prepare for today's match, against a Cagliari who were able to work with more men for two weeks, even if they ended up losing Godin and Nandez, one positive for Covid and the other stopped as a precaution being his companion in Uruguay. “It will be a fundamental match for us, because we come from inactivity due to national team commitments, we need it for our growth path – admitted Pirlo in no uncertain terms -. Now our championship has to start, the period of adaptation is over ”.
Difficult to blame him, because the path of the last month has been far below expectations, as demonstrated by the draws with Crotone, Verona and Lazio, the latter just a few seconds from the end. Throwing away more points at home against Cagliari would be unforgivable, which is why Pirlo, in light of the previous talks about the break, will look above all at his form, relying on who is better off. The Juventus 3-4-1-2, without the injured Chiellini and Bonucci, will thus see Buffon in goal, Demiral, De Ligt and Danilo in defense, Cuadrado, Arthur, Rabiot and Chiesa in midfield, McKennie in the frontline, Morata and Ronaldo in attack, with Dybala and Kulusevski ready to take over in the second half. Training almost obligatory instead for Di Francesco, who will respond with a 4-2-3-1 with Cragno in goal, Pisacane, Walukiewicz, Klavan and Tripaldelli in the back, Marin and Rog in the midfield, Zappa, Joao Pedro and Sottil behind the lone striker Simeone.
Complicated Saturday also for Lazio and Atalanta, dealing with two certainly fresher newly promoted ones such as Crotone and Spezia. For the Biancocelesti it was another two weeks of passion, grappling with the now chronic problems of Covid, without forgetting the internal clash with Luis Alberto, guilty of an anti-Lotito post on Instagram. This time Milinkovic-Savic and Luiz Felipe ended up in the pits, against the returns (this time confirmed by the ASL of Rome) of Immobile, Lucas Leiva and Strakosha. “Ciro has a great desire to play, he only worked a day and a half with the team, but I saw him in fair condition – explained Inzaghi – Luis Alberto? From a personal point of view it was a difficult week, but he trained very well, I'm happy with him. He knows that he has done some bullshit and will be fined… ”.
To extinguish the powder keg it would be good to conquer Crotone, a feat that is not impossible (the Calabrians have only 2 points) but in any case not obvious (one, just to remember, was snatched from Juventus). The Biancoceleste coach would love to be able to save someone in view of Zenit, but the squad problems don't allow him, therefore he will opt for the best possible 3-5-2 with Reina in goal, Patric, Acerbi and Radu in defense, Lazzari, Parolo, Leiva, Luis Alberto and Fares in midfield, Correa and Immobile in attack. The same game system also for Stroppa, who will respond with Cordaz between the posts, Magallan, Marrone and Golemic in the back, Rispoli, Zanellato, Cigarini, Vulic and Pereira in the midfield, Messias and Simy as an offensive duo.
Training problems also for Atalanta, forced to give up Muriel, Hateboer and Djimsiti, in addition to the already known Malinovskyi and Caldara. Gasperini, however, knows well that missteps are not allowed, even if Spezia, so far, has been one of the revelations of the tournament. The risk is to take him lightly, perhaps already thinking about the big match in Liverpool on Wednesday, an eventuality that the coach doesn't even want to consider. “The values are obviously different, but it's about the game after the break. – He reiterated in the press conference-. For us, it's the first day of the new championship, because there won't be any international teams for quite a while. So far it's been a running-in, but now we'll play continuously between the championship and the Champions League: each challenge becomes increasingly important to give a higher meaning to the season."
In short, Gasp doesn't want to be joking, which is why he is ready to rely on a 3-4-2-1 with Gollini in goal, Toloi, Romero and Palomino in defence, Depaoli, De Roon, Freuler and Gosens in midfield, Gomez and Miranchuk on the trocar, Zapata in attack. Classic 4-3-3 instead for the Italian, who will try the coup with Provedel between the posts, Mattiello, Terzi, Chabot and Bastoni in the back department, Deiola, Ricci and Estevez in the midfield, Agudelo, Nzola and Gyasi in the offensive trident.
