Call them jokes of the cups. Verona did it against Lazio, prevailing 2-1 at the Olimpico in one of the advances on Saturday (the others were Crotone-Spezia 4-1 and Turin-Udinese 2-3) and who knows if more will arrive today: the European commitments, moreover, drain energy like nothing else, especially when they are decisive. On Tuesday, the Biancocelesti had spent a lot to get through the group and yesterday, in the presence of a tough and brilliant Verona as usual, they paid the consequences. It's not just a question of performance, but of individual errors, typical of when the legs turn less and the head loses clarity.
The two goals from Hellas are the perfect photograph: on the first Lazzari deflected a shot by Dimarco on goal (45'), on the second Radu practically sent Tameze on goal with an unfortunate back pass (67'). Caicedo's great play (56') was not enough to avoid defeat, the fourth in the championship, the second in a row at the Olimpico, valid for a slightly edifying eighth place in the standings, moreover with two games more than the Atalanta ninth. “We knew we might have problems from a physical point of view, but the performance was there – Inzaghi's discouraged analysis -. We practically scored the goals ourselves and it's difficult when it happens like this. Two days ago we were celebrating a great goal, now we are here angry and disappointed, but we know that the Italian championship is like this, we will try to make up for it against Benevento on Tuesday".
Today instead it's up to Naples and Rome, calls to win to hang on to the top end of the standings. The Azzurri will receive Ranieri's Sampdoria at Maradona (15 pm), while the Giallorossi will visit Mihajlovic's Bologna at the same time. For both these are challenges to be won, but also not to be underestimated: the European struggles, especially for Napoli, could make themselves felt. In fact, Gattuso's men spent a lot with Real Sociedad, both in physical and mental terms, while the blucerchiati were able to concentrate on the match for the whole week. However, it must also be said that the Azzurri have a large squad, built precisely to cope with the double commitment, but it is clear that certain key players cannot be replaced lightly.
Sure, there will be the big match against Inter at San Siro on Wednesday, but this, paradoxically, only increases the weight of today's match: winning it would give the team a huge boost, failing it instead would create many bad moods and regrets. Gattuso knows it, which is why today, despite his tiredness, he will ask the team for a sacrifice, relying on the 4-2-3-1 of the very titular players, with the exception of Bakayoko, Lozano and Mario Rui, the only ones starting from the bench. Everything else confirmed with Meret in goal (alternation with Ospina is a consolidated habit), Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly and Ghoulam in defense, Demme and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Politano, Zielinski and Insigne on the frontline, Mertens in attack.
Usual 4-4-1-1 also for Ranieri, who will respond with Audero in goal, Ferrari, Yoshida, Colley and Augello in the back, Candreva, Thorsby, Ekdal and Jankto in the midfield, Ramirez behind Quagliarella. An even more necessary victory for Roma, who are looking for 3 points after slowing down between Naples and Sassuolo. Up until a couple of weeks ago, the Giallorossi were flying, so much so that they were listed as possible outsiders in the Scudetto keyNow however, thanks to the latest results, they have slipped further back, but can still have their say. Of course, no other missteps are allowed in Bologna, regardless of the quality of Mihajlovic's team, not at all inclined to give gifts.
"Our goal is to do better than last season, therefore arriving from fourth place upwards, but we still lack time to be able to compete with Juve and Inter, they have made other types of investments – thought Fonseca -. In Bologna it will be difficult, against a strong team, but all matches are important and we always want to play to win." The coach, in the stands due to the expulsion remedied against Sassuolo, will recover Pellegrini and Veretout, while Smalling will only go on the bench. In fact, his 3-4-2-1 will see Mirante in goal, Ibanez, Cristante and Kumbulla in defense, Karsdorp, Veretout, Villar and Spinazzola in midfield, Mkhitaryan and Pellegrini (Pedro is suspended) behind Dzeko. Mihajlovic, after the interlude in Milan, will return to the 4-2-3-1 type with Ravaglia in goal (Skorupski should be out for a month), De Silvestri, Danilo, Tomiyasu and Hickey in the back, Poli and Svanberg in the midfield, Vignato, Soriano and Barrow in front, Palacio in attack.
