Lazio remains clinging to Juve. It does so thanks to a comeback victory over Fiorentina, which is also full of referee disputes, showing itself to be fragile and solid at the same time. Fragile, because it is clear that the invincible pre-lockdown team has not yet returned, solid, because going to win such a match still denotes character and personality. However, it is inevitable to underline how the comeback has arrived also thanks to the decisions of the referee Fabbri, in particular the one that led to the penalty for a contact between Dragowski and Caicedo: a very doubtful episode, given that it is the Lazio striker who falls on the Viola goalkeeper and not vice versa. Immobile's subsequent conversion (67') raised Inzaghi's team, up to that moment in great, very great difficulty.
In fact, Iachini's Viola had not only taken the lead thanks to a jewel from Ribery (25', slalom in the middle of a three and a quick shot behind Strakosha), but they had had several opportunities to double, above all the crossbar hit by Ghezzal, but also Castrovilli's shot rejected by the Biancoceleste goalkeeper. Then the penalty episode changed the inertia of the match, giving Lazio that extra psychological push to try and win. And so, at minute 83, here Luis Alberto's stone to give away 3 points fundamental for rankings and morale, before a final marked by the expulsions of Vlahovic (elbowing Patric) and Inzaghi (protests).
“It is a victory of character and desire because it is undeniable that we are in an emergency with all the injuries – commented the Lazio coach. – I have to say thanks to several guys who had problems and hadn't trained. Fiorentina are an excellent team and it was a victory from the heart, it wasn't easy”. Today, however, it's up toInter, expected from the insidious away game in Parma (21.45). The nerazzurri are practically obliged to win, otherwise the dreams of a comeback, already very complicated after the misstep with Sassuolo, would vanish definitively, yet on the eve, more than the match, there was above all talk of the transfer market.
The purchase of Hakimi from Real Madrid it's in the finishing straight (40 million the base, it's about bonuses) and the fans, in light of the player's high profile, are literally overwhelmed. However, all this must not distract Inter from today's mission, which is to clear Parma and get back on the heels of Juventus and Lazio. “It's an important match, it comes after a rather annoying draw with Sassuolo – explained Stellini, who showed up at the conference in place of the suspended Conte. – We have analyzed the draw: lucidity and coolness in front of goal must be important weapons to lead us to victory. Skriniar's absence is heavy, as is Antonio's who won't be on the bench. But the coach will still be with us and whoever goes on the pitch has all our trust."
After Wednesday's large (and in some ways unjustified) turnover, tonight the Nerazzurri coach will once again play the typical Inter, albeit net of suspensions (Skriniar), injuries (Sensi, Vecino) and players still far from the best form (Brozovic returns to the squad but will start from the bench). At the Tardini, with the coach forced to watch the match from the grandstand due to the suspension remedied against Sassuolo, we will therefore see a 3-4-1-2 with Handanovic in goal, Godin, De Vrij and Bastoni in defense, Candreva, Barella, Borja Valero and Young in midfield, Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in attack. D'Aversa, determined to continue the race towards the Europa League, will respond with a 4-3-3 formation that will see Sepe in goal, Laurini, Dermaku, Bruno Alves and Gagliolo in the back, Kucka, Hernani and Barillà in the midfield, Kulusevski, Cornelius and Gervinho in the offensive trident.
However, Milan and Rome will inaugurate Sunday, engaged in the afternoon face-to-face (17.15 pm) at the San Siro. A match that promises to be very interesting and not only due to the anything but easy schedule, especially today when the weather promises sparks. At stake are the respective European races, but above all the possibility of making sense of a season so far below expectations. The speech obviously applies more to Milan, on the last call to try to get back into the noble part of the standings, but even Rome has no margin for error: the appeal against the very fast Atalanta, already difficult in its own right, requires a victory. “We and Roma are quite similar in terms of performance, but reality tells us that we are still far away in the standings – thought Pioli. – It will be a direct confrontation, we know the difficulties of the match, we have an opportunity to win and put all our qualities on the field: it is an opportunity to be exploited”.
“Milan are in a good moment, they played well and are stronger than the one we faced in the first leg – replied Fonseca. – But we have to think about ourselves, we have to worry only about our game. Fourth place? Atalanta is strong and doing well, but I still hope for it. I repeat: we only have to think about winning our game, otherwise it wouldn't make sense to think about others." The expected confrontation between Ibrahimovic and Dzeko will not take place: the Swede in fact, as anticipated by his coach, is not ready yet and will postpone his return for a few days. At San Siro we will therefore see the same Milan from Lecce, therefore 4-2-3-1 with Donnarumma in goal, Conti, Kjaer, Romagnoli and Hernandez in defence, Kessié and Bennacer in midfield, Castillejo, Calhanoglu and Bonaventura in the frontline, Rebic in attack.
The same game system also for Roma, who will respond with Mirante in goal, Bruno Peres (Zappacosta stopped with a muscle problem), Smalling, Mancini and Kolarov in the back Veretout and Cristante in the median, Under, Pellegrini and Mkhitaryan behind the lone striker Dzeko.
