A broth that serves little purpose and a heart-stopping comeback. The challenges at the Olimpico and Maradona provided emotions and twists from start to finish, but ended with two very different results. The draw between Lazio and Milan, in fact, does not make anyone happy, even if it is above all the Rossoneri who return home with low morale: the appointment with the first victory in the championship is postponed again and the only 2 points collected so far have the bitter taste of crisis. The same that chewed Conte for a good part of the match with Parma, long in the lead and in control, until the apotheosis of the final comeback triggered precisely by that much-desired Lukaku. The roll call of this third day is still missing Juventus-Rome, which takes on further importance after the results of others: Thiago Motta aims to regain first place in the rankings, currently occupied by Inter e Turin, De Rossi to begin the pursuit towards the top positions.
Lazio – Milan 2-2: Castellanos and Dia overturn Pavlovic, then Leao enters and equalizes
The challenge at the Olimpico promised a spectacle and expectations were met, even with a 2-2 that changes almost nothing. Not at all. Lazio, remained detached from the noble zone of the championship, but above all not at the Milan, already 5 points behind Inter and at risk of 9 points behind Juve. Fonseca had promised a different team from Parma's and that was actually the case, at least looking at the lineup. As we anticipated yesterday, in fact, the Portuguese coach left out both According to the Hernandez and Lion, relying on Terracciano e Chukwueze. Strong choices, which create even more controversy in light of what happened on the field: the two "purged" first packaged the 2-2 goal (with decisive participation by Abraham), then they decided to stay aside during the subsequent cooling break, all while Fonseca spoke to the rest of the team. Striking and significant images of a coach in great difficulty, incapable of correcting errors (yesterday he also conceded two goals, very similar to those of the Tardini) and, above all, of winning matches. And to think that things had started to go smoothly thanks to the Pavlovic's goal, one of the few to be saved, good at anticipating Provedel with a header following a corner (8'), also due to a dull and almost never dangerous Lazio. In the second half, however, here are the 4' of madness that make the red and black castle collapse, with Castilians (62') and Day(66') to take advantage of the double assist from Tavares for the delirium of the Olimpico. Fonseca finally decided to bring on Theo Hernandez, Abraham and Leao and it was the Portuguese who gave them the 2-2, beating Provedel two minutes after entering the field (72').
Fonseca glosses over: “Hernandez and Leao? Let’s not create problems where there aren’t any”
“First of all there are no problems with Theo Hernandez and Leao, we are not creating any problems because this week I spoke to both of them explaining my choice, which they accepted – he glossed over Fonseca -. I didn't see that they stayed on the pitch during the cooling break, but they had been on for two minutes and didn't need to stop or get instructions. The players' reaction when they entered the pitch was positive, so we don't create problems that don't exist. In the first half we did well managing the ball, controlling the pace and the challenge, while the second half was completely different because we stopped playing football. We always lost the ball in the left corridor, we didn't have the courage to continue playing when they were pressing. For us it would have been an advantage since we could have opened up spaces, but we didn't manage to do it. The moment is probably not positive, in the players' heads there is perhaps the desire not to concede goals, but it's not by stopping playing that you don't concede…”.
Baroni: “A draw is too tight for us, but I had good responses”
“The draw is too tight for me, in the second half we pushed hard and clearly in the first half we conceded something – the comment of Baroni -. The team needs time, but we played a good game even if we obviously have to improve. We can manage the transition better, but this aggressiveness is the attitude I want to see. I gave a signal to the team by putting four offensive players. We had to take risks, obviously we need to find the balance, but we will work on it. This team has to pass the ball and is good at it, but it also has to be vertical to go and score and fill the opponent's area. I have to take some risks, we have an important collective and the group has to believe in its own means through play and sacrifice. Those who run a lot and well go on the pitch, I had important responses”.
Napoli – Parma 2-1: Lukaku and Anguissa turn the match around in injury time
An evening for strong hearts also at the Maradona, where more than a match a psychodrama took place that lasted 116'. In Napoli-Parma, in fact, practically everything happened: three goals, two crossbars (one for each team), a post (ducal), a penalty given (ducal), one taken away by the VAR (azzurro), but above all the expulsion of goalkeeper Suzukiwhen Pecchia had already finished the substitutions. And so the coach had to send the Defender of the Prato, not for a short time but for the beauty of 41 minutes between regulation time and maxi injury time. Despite this, Parma has truly caressed the dream of conquering the Maradona and reaching Inter e Turin at the top of the championship, given that the advantage of Bonny (19' on strictness born from a foul by Meret) lasted until the 92nd minute, well beyond the aforementioned event. The Azzurri, in fact, despite Conte's hyper-offensive attitude (in the final minutes on the pitch Lukaku, Simeon, kvaratskhelia e Neres), they couldn't find a way to beat Del Prato, regardless of his obvious (and understandable, let's be clear) limitations in the role of goalkeeper. Then, however, at the umpteenth attempt at a pass, Big Rom stepped up to the plate, immediately decisive with a left-footed shot for the temporary 1-1 and Maradona understood that a comeback was possible. Four minutes later, here's the perfect cross from Neres(second consecutive assist) for the head of Anguissa, a central header that went past Del Prato's hands (96'). The Azzurri thus go to 6 points, with the awareness of having had a narrow escape, well beyond their own merits.
Conte: “Lukaku and the others gave their all! The market? Let’s hope the rules change”
“After Lukaku's goal I came on the pitch to say to come back immediately since there were 10 minutes of added time – he underlined Tale -. We scored the second goal, a heartfelt performance against an excellent team. Parma has excellent players who hurt you, we could have done better on the goal we conceded. We take these three points knowing that as always there will be work to do, but credit to the players who gave their all. Goals must be found by everyone, from defenders to attackers, we must take everything from everyone, as much as possible, we must involve everyone in the game. After the absurdity of the transfer market that ends with three days with players you train and then maybe leave, I found myself without midfielders on the bench. Let's hope for new market rules, because currently it's an absurd situation that doesn't allow us to work. Lukaku entered the field with two training sessions, same thing Neres. Now we will use the break to train, while with McTominay and Gilmour we will not have the opportunity to work, we will find them again in two weeks".
Juventus – Roma (20pm, Dazn and Sky)
The weekend of big matches is still to be completed Juventus-Rome, Sunday postponement together with Udinese-Como. The wait is high, both for ranking issues and for pure rivalry: the Bianconeri aim to take the lead alone, the Giallorossi to get back up after the bad start against Cagliari and, above all, Empoli. On paper, evidently, the Old Lady is the favorite, if only for what has been shown in this very first part of the season. Critics point out the lack of consistency of Como and Verona, but Thiago Motta's team has shown ideas of play and enthusiasm, moreover without the contribution of the new purchases. The bulk of the market, in fact, was done in the last few days, with the Italian-Brazilian coach "forced" to rely on many gambles, all of which have been won. Mbangula e all in the province of Savona they took the covers, while the various koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, Conceiçao, Thuram e Douglas Luiz, for one reason or another, were still unusable. The black and white people are rubbing their hands at the thought of what will happen after the break, when the big names will enter the "Mottian" project on a permanent basis, but in the meantime they are already enjoying the undeniable progress compared to recent seasons, both in terms of results and play. De Rossi, on the other hand, is experiencing an opposite situation: his Roma, which started amid general enthusiasm for the Soulé and Dovbyk purchases, first life was complicated in the transfer market (but if Smalling goes to Arabia, free agents Hermoso and Hummels could arrive), then on the pitch, where they have collected only one point in the two games against Cagliari and Empoli. The defeat against the Tuscans, in a packed Olimpico stadium, has left its mark and the trip to Turin is certainly not the best way to get going again. DDR hopes that the spark will light up, otherwise they will have a complicated break, in which they will have to digest criticism and fierce attacks.
Thiago Motta: “We are ready to play a great game. Transfer market? I am happy”
“We will face a strong and determined team – he warned Thiago Motta -. The stadium will be full and we have done a good preparation with enthusiasm and responsibility. We are ready for anything on the pitch, it will be a beautiful match. We are only on the third day, I always try to maintain balance and not listen to too much praise and criticism, but I maintain a daily line of work with commitment and responsibility. We will meet a strong opponent, determined to play their game, we will give our all to take them where it suits us, the rest matters little. I am happy with the market because important players have arrived who will complete a strong team, the new ones will make themselves available to the group, they are all in shape and can be called up. I am very happy, even if something can still happen on the way out with Djalò, Kostic and Arthur”.
De Rossi: “Happy with the transfer market, we will soon be able to fight for the Scudetto”
“It will be difficult, they started well and made an important and very expensive market – the thought of The Rossi -. With Thiago the team can always surprise you, but we know we can do our job there in Turin too. Us? Paradoxically we had a better market than Inter, who however only needed some tweaks and against Atalanta they scared everyone a bit. We took the right direction and there was collaboration, the goal is to become in a few months, and with few market sessions, a strong team that only needs to be tweaked from time to time: if that is the case they will be able to fight for the Scudetto in a short time. The arguments with Cristante and the CEO Souloukou? The only thing that is true is the discussion with Cristante, but it was a normal thing without putting our hands on him, as has been written. And it is a very serious thing, because it means that someone wanted to give him a different nuance. I have no choice but to sue, because I don't allow certain things to be said...".
Juventus – Roma, probable formations
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Bremer, Cabal; Fagioli, Locatelli; Cambiaso, Yildiz, Mbangula; Vlahovic
On the bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Danilo, Kalulu, Rouhi, McKennie, Douglas Luiz, Koopmeiners, Conceiçao, Nico Gonzalez, Anghelé
Coach: Thiago Motta
Unavailable: Weah, Thuram, Adzic, Milik
Disqualified: Pogba (until 2027)
Rome (3-5-2): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Angelino; Celik, Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini, Saelemaekers; Dybala, Dovbyk
In bench: Ryan, Marin, Smalling, Dahl, Abdulhamid, Sangaré, Koné, Pisilli, Zalewski, Baldanzi, Soulé, El Shaarawy, Shomurodov
Coach: De Rossi
Unavailable: The Fairies
Disqualified: nobody
