Juventus takes a step towards the Champions League, Napoli tries again to take the top. Definitely juicy championship weekend what we are experiencing, started with the double misstep of Milan and Inter, continued with the victory of the bianconeri in Empoli and the defeat of Fiorentina against Sassuolo, ready to give us a heart-pounding challenge between Sarri's Lazio and Spalletti's Azzurri. Certainly, while waiting to see what will happen at the Olimpico and the Monday Night between Atalanta and Sampdoria, it is Allegri's team who smiles the most, who perhaps cuts the Italian Viola out of the race for fourth place.
Empoli-Juventus 2-3, the analysis of the match
The Juventus coach had asked for a "serious match", one to be won regardless of the difficulties it might present. He was satisfied, because his players left Castellani with 3 heavy points in a Champions League key and beyond: the 7 points from the top, 11 days from the end and with the direct clash with Inter still to be played, are not that many to definitively abandon the hopes of the Scudetto. Today, however, there is no need to make flights of fancy, although the Lady has a striker that the others dream of: Dusan Vlahovic is simply unstoppable, especially if the opponents allow him a few centimeters too much. And Empoli, as we know, are not structured to defend, which makes them dangerous in the offensive phase but rather vulnerable when the others have the ball. So the Serbian, after the hard work against Atalanta's pressing and Bremer's man marking, finally found some space, but he did the rest, just like in Vila-Real.
The former Viola opened the action that led Kean to unlock the match on assist by Rabiot (32'), then, after the hosts had found an equalizer with Zurkowski (40'), he took the chair with a brace of excellent workmanship, first with a double feint that sent half of the Tuscan defense to the bar (45 +2'), then with a shot that killed Vicario (66'). Empoli then scored the 2-3 goal through La Mantia (76'), but the substance hasn't changed anymore, with Juventus consolidating the fourth place in the standings, albeit virtually (Atalanta is minus 6 but with two games less), and restores some hope as well for something more.
Allegri's words
“The share of the Scudetto is 84-85 points, we think about 4th place, the rest is the affair of the three Ave Maria – glossed over Allegri -. You have to take one small step at a time, winning at Empoli is never easy, it's always a difficult field, then today there was wind and this made everything more complicated. Must improve on the dribble, on some handlings of the ball, but there was a good spirit that I like. Vlakhovic? He's an important player in terms of character as well as technically, we didn't have someone like him in the team. Not that I didn't expect it, knowing the boy from a character point of view: he is someone who wants to win and has the desire to learn a lot, as well as ample room for improvement ”.
Lazio-Naples (20:50 Dazn)
The most important and delicate match on Sunday is certainly that of Rome, where Sarri's Lazio will host Spalletti's Napoli. It goes without saying that there are very heavy points up for grabs both in terms of the Scudetto and the Champions League, which is why it is reasonable to expect a balanced race, between two teams aware that they can no longer make mistakes. In fact, both, albeit with different rankings, have often missed the leap in quality, as we saw on Thursday in Europe against Barcelona and Porto, but now the time has come to take flight, also because the competition is certainly not irresistible.
Here Naples, Spalletti speaks
“There's the disappointment of not having been up to par against Barcelona, this bothers me a bit – confirmed Spalletti -. We have a game identity that has given us some satisfaction, but this cannot be separated from putting a lot of quality into it. And if you miss it in the game, this is a boomerang that comes back to you. The Scudetto race? I see you a good fight, can become a beautiful and cruel ride for strong men. I know my players, I know they have recognized this moment, it has to be from here on out a breakneck ride".
The blue coach, after having denied his involvement in the fight for the title for a long time, can no longer hide, especially as Milan and Inter have offered him another chance to leap to the top of the standings, albeit on a par with the Rossoneri. Tonight, net of absentees (Anguissa, Lozano, Lobotka, Tuanzebe, Malcuit), we will see the best training possible, therefore 4-2-3-1 with Ospina in goal, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Koulibaly and Mario Rui in defense, Demme and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Elmas, Zielinski and Insigne on the trocar, Osimhen in attack.
Here Lazio, Sarri does not speak
No press conference instead for Maurizio Sarri, who remained in silence on the eve of a very important match also for his Lazio. Juve's victory further moves the bar in the Champions League area, which means having to make a very important season finale if you want to try to annoy them. In short, the Biancocelesti are forced to score pointsotherwise the dream of fourth place, never really abandoned by Lotito, would become almost impossible to achieve. Apart from Lazzari, the coach has the entire squad available, so he will be able to rely on the 4-3-3 type with Strakosha between the posts, Hysaj, Luiz Felipe, Patric and Marusic in the back, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva and Luis Alberto in the midfield, Felipe Anderson, Immobile and Zaccagni in the offensive trident.
Spezia-Rome (18:05 Dazn)
An insidious match also for the Giallorossi cousins, expected from the trip to La Spezia. A not too hidden trap, given that Thiago Motta's Ligurians have already made it the tripping in Naples and Milan and put Juventus and Fiorentina in difficulty. In short, an opponent not to be underestimated, especially since Rome in the last period has certainly not shone to the point of being able to afford to be snobbish.
Indeed, the challenge at the Peak tastes like a last call for Mourinho's team, forced to accelerate if they don't want to risk staying out of Europe. The Special One will not be from the match, in the light of the hard clash he had with the referee Pairetto during the match against Verona, which cost him 2 days of disqualification, as well as the usual sea of criticisms, mostly from outsiders. Portuguese, at the moment, remains loved by the vast majority of the Romanista population, but in the end the results will be decisive, in one sense or another.
Spezia-Rome, the formations
Compared to the difficulties with Verona Mou recovers several players, but he will still have to do without Oliveira, Felix, Carles Perez and the usual Spinazzola. His 3-4-1-2 will thus see Rui Patricio in goal, Mancini, Smalling and Ibanez in defense, Karsdorp, Pellegrini, Cristante and Vina in midfield, Mkhitaryan behind the offensive duo made up of Zaniolo and Abraham.
Thiago Motta, forced to give up the suspended Manaj, will respond with a 4-2-3-1 with Provedel in goal, Amian, Erlic, Nikolaou and Reca in the back, Kiwior and Sala in the midfield, Gyasi, Maggiore and Verde in the front , Nzola in attack.
