Next. While the world of football wonders about judgment that shocked Juve and the entire league, the Napoli continues to win and closes the first round with 50 points. The success of Salerno (0-2 signed by Di Lorenzo and Osimhen) brings the blues to +12 on Milan (engaged on Tuesday in Rome with the Lazio), but above all it confirms what has been known for some time now: this Napoli is not afraid to fly, indeed the higher up it is, the more it seems serene and aware of its own strength. The message to the pursuers is very strong and unequivocal, so much so that at the moment, rather than the Scudetto, it is better for them to think about watching their backs from Lazio. Atalanta e Roma, all determined to climb the standings and take a place in the Champions League, even more so after Friday's ruling. In this sense Juventus-Atalanta tonight becomes even more important and not only for the points: we need to understand the mental state of the Lady, who could accuse the blow of the Federal Court, or pull out the claws and relaunch forcefully.
Salernitana – Napoli 0-2, Spalletti admits: “Scudetto? Unrepeatable opportunity, but humility is needed”
However, Napoli does not have these problems: their advantage in the standings, in fact, is so large as to protect them from any jolt, at least immediately. Even yesterday, against a Salernitana determined to cancel the fool of Bergamo and without Kvaratskhelia, one of his best men, Spalletti he knew how to seize the right opportunity and take the 3 points with a goal in each half, the first with By Lorenzo, just a moment before the referee sent everyone to the locker room, the second with the usual osimhen, increasingly top scorer in the league. In short, yet another showdown, also and above all from a mental point of view: when the legs run less and morale may not be at its best (the elimination from the Italian Cup burns), the team he answers present and continues to win. A good answer for Spalletti, who is increasingly heading towards a historic Scudetto, for Naples and for him. “These matches can be conditioned by enthusiasm, by too much responsibility, you have to manage them correctly from a mental point of view, play ball well and have the pace you need to bring home the result: the boys did everything they had to – the analysis of the blue coach -. Scudetto? It's right that we talk about it, we know that we have an unrepeatable opportunity and it's right not to squander this possibility, but we have to play our football while remaining humble and professional".
Juventus – Atalanta (20.45 pm on Dazn)
Most of Sunday's attention was focused on Juventus, not so much for the match against Atalanta (although very important), but for the very heavy ruling in the capital gains case, which inevitably upset the club's standings and ambitions. If up to 48 hours ago, albeit in a lukewarm way, someone was still thinking of a comeback Scudetto, from Friday evening as well Champions it seems a chimera: the minus 15 in the standings, in fact, made the bianconeri slip to tenth place, 12 points behind Lazio, Atalanta and Rome. The climate is incandescent, with the Juventus people on a war footing and the club determined to fight against the Coni Guarantee Council to cancel the effects of the trial, but in the meantime the ball passes to Massimiliano Allegri and to his players, called to consolidate and attempt a comeback on the field that would be sensational: the mission, difficult but not impossible (still 20 days left), begins today against Atalanta.
Allegri loads his own: “Minus 15? Nothing changes, it's time to regroup"
“What changes with this minus 15? Absolutely nothing – thundered Allegri -. We need to close the first round in the best possible way. It will be a particular race, we will all have to regroup even more, but we just have to think about the field and work. We have to score points and against Atalanta it will be difficult because they are really fit, but we play at home and we will have to do it in the best possible way to secure seventh place. Then there are also theEuropa League , Coppa Italia, we will keep a low profile to do the best we can. The judicial events concern the club and there will be an appeal, but in two months (when the new sentence arrives, ed) I don't want to have any regrets of any kind: let's just think about the pitch and try to score 25 points. In the second round we will have to slowly climb the positions trying to do our best".
Juventus – Atalanta, the formations: Allegri relies on Di Maria and Milik, Chiesa on the bench
And then below with Atalanta, in a match which promises to be really open: Juve will have an infinite load of motivations on their side, but the Goddess is very well and smells the scent of the Champions League. Allegri will bet on the usual 3-5-2 with Szczesny in goal, Danilo, Bremer and Alex Sandro in defence, McKennie, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot and Kostic in midfield, Di Maria and Milik in attack, with Church ready to take over from the bench just like Thursday in the Italian Cup. Gasperini, forced to do without the disqualified Koopmeiners, will respond with a similar game system, therefore 3-4-1-2 with Musso between the posts, Toloi, Palomino and Scalvini in the back department, Hateboer, De Roon, Ederson and Ruggeri in the midfield, Pasalic behind the composed offensive duo by Lookman and Hojlund.
Spezia – Rome (18pm on Dazn)
The other cartel race on Sunday is that of La Spezia, where the Rome of Mourinho will go on the hunt for Champions points. Yes, because Juve's penalty has evidently increased the Giallorossi's chances of fourth place, who can now play against Lazio and Atalanta: strong teams, God forbid, but certainly within reach. Roma know that the opportunity is almost unrepeatable and therefore to be exploited to the maximum, especially in a round that they will also see Juventus-Atalanta e Lazio v AC Milan. Two direct clashes that will take points away from someone and that could project Mourinho into the full Champions area, provided however that he doesn't stumble in Gotti's Spezia.
Rome – Zaniolo, it's breaking: negotiation with Tottenham, Mou wants Deulofeu
However, the Giallorossi did not reach the maximum level of serenity, given that the eve was marred by chance Zaniolo. The attacker, after last Sunday's diplomatic influence, came out into the open, first calling himself out of the away game in La Spezia and then officially requesting the sale to Tottenham, already in this January transfer market. Pinto and Paratici (still operational, although it is not known for how long) have ten days to find an agreement, i.e. a definitive sale for 25-30 million: only in this way will the Giallorossi be able to have the money for the replacement. already identified in Deulofeu, for which Udinese are asking for a dozen.
Spezia - Rome, the formations: Mou finds Ibanez and focuses on the Pellegrini-Dybala-Abraham trident
In the meantime, however, Mourinho will have to get by with those left, just like last Sunday with the Fiorentina, even if this time he finds the starting defense with the returning Ibanez. The Giallorossi 3-4-2-1 will thus see Rui Patricio in goal, Mancini, Smalling and Ibanez in defence, Celik, Cristante, Matic and Zalewski in midfield, Pellegrini and Dybala behind the lone striker Abraham. Similar game system also for Gotti, which in a few days lost both Kiwior (sold to Arsenal for 23 million) and the striker Nzola, stopped by an injury to the soleus. The coach will thus rely on a 3-5-2 with Dragowski between the posts, Amian, Caldara and Hristov in the back, Holm, Bourabia, Ampadu, Agudelo and Reca in the midfield, Gyasi and Verde in attack.