Here we go, Covid permitting. The day of Juventus-Napoli, originally scheduled for October 4, should finally have arrived, even if the conditional, in light of the outbreak that has affected the Italian national team, is a must. There Bernardeschi's positivity, which thus adds to that of Bonucci (Demiral, on the other hand, turned negative and resumed training), it is not enough to put the game at risk, but if other names were to come out this morning, the Turin ASL could intervene. The specter of Covid, moreover, has been hovering over Serie A for some time and also Inter-Sassuolo, the other recovery scheduled for today, has certainly not been spared. In any case, if there are no surprises in the morning, we are preparing to experience a great Wednesday, with the leaders ready to take flight definitively (in case of victory, the points over second-placed Milan would even be 11) and, above all, a real Champions playoff like Juventus-Naples.
This is undoubtedly the match with the highest stakes, because the result will have inevitable implications for the standings, for them and for all the others. Whoever wins takes third place alone and moves closer to second than fifth, whoever loses instead finds himself outside the goal, with all the consequences of the case. Which, evidently, are likely to be heavier for Pirlo that for Gattuso, in the light of the meeting between Agnelli and Allegri: many, after lunch on Saturday, argue that Max is ready to return to Turin, even in the running if today's match should go badly.
"The president had warned me about this meeting, friendship is one thing, work is another – the current Juventus coach glossed over – I know I have his trust, even if it will then be up to me to prove that I can be the Juve coach again next year. An important match awaits us, Napoli are experiencing a positive moment but we want to score points: I expect an open match".
However, the latest performances do not help to be positive, because the team seen in the derby still showed several cracks, both technical and mental. The Azzurri, on the other hand, in perennial press silence, are returning from four consecutive victories and arrive in Turin to take full loot and enter the Champions League area permanently. At the end of the season then, regardless of the final result, the roads between De Laurentiis and Gattuso will separate, but the coach still wants to leave with his head held high and therefore with the precious European pass.
Even at the level of formations then his Napoli is certainly better off, considering that, apart from Ghoulam, they are all skilled and enrolled, in the face of a Juve that must instead give up Demiral, Bonucci and Bernardeschi. However, Pirlo finds McKennie, Arthur and Dybala, reinstated after last week's feast, and is ready to line up a 4-4-2 with Szczesny in goal, Cuadrado, De Ligt, Chiellini and Danilo in defense, McKennie (favorite over Kulusevski) , Rabiot, Bentancur and Chiesa in midfield, Morata and Ronaldo in attack. Classic 4-2-3-1 also for Gattuso, who will respond with Ospina in goal, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly and Hysaj in the back, Demme and Fabian Ruiz in the midfield, Lozano, Zielinski and Insigne behind the lone striker Mertens.
At the same time as the match in Turin there will also be Inter-Sassuolo, recovery of the twenty-eighth day. It goes without saying that the expectation is completely different, also because the success in Bologna, combined with Milan's misstep, has further widened the Nerazzurri's margin of advantage. Many are already talking about the finished championship, but Tale he doesn't want any brownout.
“You must always have enthusiasm and desire – he reiterated on the eve – We are doing important things, but at the same time the path has yet to be completed”. Three points today would help a lot, vice versa, while still maintaining a respectable advantage, the championship would remain open. An eventuality that the coach absolutely wants to avoid, which is why, net of the absences of Perisic and the suspended Bastoni and Brozovic, he will field an absolutely competitive 3-5-2 with Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, De Vrij and Darmian (favorite over Ranocchia) in defense, Hakimi, Sensi, Eriksen, Barella and Young in midfield, Sanchez (Lautaro could rest) and Lukaku in attack. Emergency eleven instead for De Zerbi, who will give up on the Italian internationals just like against Roma, where he also risked winning. His 4-2-3-1 will see Consigli between the posts, Toljan, Marlon, Chiriches and Rogerio in the back, Obiang and Magnanelli in the midfield, Traoré, Djuricic and Boga behind the lone striker Raspadori.
