And we go back to talking about football, or at least we try. The bad deeds of the last few days have in fact left their mark, after all it could not be otherwise with a dead man (yet another related to football) and the despicable racist howls aimed at Koulibaly. However, the Federation has decided to go ahead and play regularly this 19th day of the championship, the last of the first round, to then address the issues in question during the winter break (or at least this is hoped).
It starts with Juventus-Sampdoria (12.30), a rather interesting match between the strongest team of all and the one, probably, in better shape: another trap, after the one in Bergamo, for those who have already graduated from winter champion some time ago and look with satisfaction at the furrow created with rest of the ranking.
“There is pride and satisfaction for what we have done – acknowledged Allegri. – I'm happy with how we're working but we haven't won anything yet. So you need to keep a low profile, shut up and win, which is the most important thing. With Sampdoria I want the 3 points to score 53, it would be a great thing but not for the record, just because it would bring us closer to the eighth championship”.
The desire to amaze everyone is perhaps the most powerful engine for this Juve, stimulated more by itself than by objectively too inferior opponents, therefore also today he will seek victory with his usual hunger. Allegri will rely on a 4-3-3 with Szczesny in goal, De Sciglio, Rugani, Bonucci and Alex Sandro in defense, Emre Can, Pjanic and Matuidi in midfield, Dybala, Mandzukic and Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. Usual 4-3-1-2 instead for Giampaolo, who decided to play it after the streak of useful results (4 wins and 2 draws in the last 6) that brought his Samp to fifth place.
The Blucerchiati will attempt the feat with Audero between the posts, Sala, Tonelli, Colley and Murru in the back, Linetty, Praet and Ekdal in the midfield, Ramirez behind the Caprari-Quagliarella offensive duo.
A few hours later (18) instead it will be the turn of the Naples, called to redeem the defeat of Milan and all the controversies that ensued. On paper, the first task seems decidedly easier than the second: Inzaghi's Bologna is much less scary than the FIGC prosecutor's office, to which the Azzurri have turned to contest the disqualifications of Koulibaly and Insigne, both punished with two matches by the sports judge.
De Laurentiis (by the way: the Public Prosecutor's Office is evaluating whether to open an investigation into his words against Mazzoleni) believes the measure is unfair and will try to assert himself in the meantime Ancelotti must beat Bologna without its most important players. The blue 4-4-2 will still be highly competitive with Meret in goal, Hysaj, Maksimovic, Albiol and Ghoulam in defense, Callejon, Allan, Zielinski and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Milik and Mertens in attack. Inzaghi, at serious risk of exemption in the event of a defeat (Donadoni, still under contract, has already been alerted), will try to save himself from the bench with a 3-5-2 with Skorupski in goal, Calabresi, Danilo and Helander in the back. Mattiello, Poli, Pulgar, Svanberg and Krejci in the midfield to support the offensive duo made up of Santander and Palacio.
