And now it's up to Milan. The midweek round has so far seen all the contenders in the Champions League area win, which adds further pressure on the Rossoneri, who are forced to do the same on the Empoli pitch in order not to risk missing the so-called train. Three mandatory points therefore for Gattuso, who will however have to win them without the best man of him.
In fact, Gonzalo Higuain has not been called up: the fault of a flexor resentment, which led to a precautionary rest shift. Pipita should make up for Sassuolo, but in the meantime Milan will have to give it up on the evening when the margin of error is very small, if not eliminated. The draws with Cagliari and, above all, Atalanta have weighed down the air around Gattuso and only a victory would bring it back to breathable levels.
“We need it like bread – confirmed the person concerned at the press conference – Unfortunately we are leaving many points on the road, we lack conviction. I'm convinced that we're getting sick for fear of not bringing home the result, we have to work on this and find continuity. Better to be less beautiful but concrete”.
The diktat is to win, without ifs and buts, and Gattuso will try relying on a 4-3-3 with Donnarumma in goal, Abate, Musacchio, Romagnoli and Laxalt in defense, Kessie, Biglia and Bonaventura in midfield, Suso, Cutrone and Calhanoglu in attack. Andreazzoli will respond with a 4-3-1-2 with Terracciano in goal, Di Lorenzo, Maietta, Silvestre and Veseli in the back, Bennacer, Capezzi and Krunic in the midfield, Traoré in the trocar behind the La Gumina-Caputo offensive couple.
The Castellani match will have many interested spectators, both in terms of salvation and as regards the cup race. In this round, in fact, everyone won: Inter on Tuesday, Lazio and Roma yesterday. Just the Giallorossi had ended up in the crosshairs of the critics for the latest results and the success of the cousins in Udine (2-1, goals from Acerbi, Correa and Nuytinck), obtained in advance of 19, had done nothing but raise the pressure.
However, Frosinone came to Di Francesco's rescue, in a decidedly less combative version than that of Sunday against Juve, which gave the entire Giallorossi world a festive evening. In the 4-0 win at the Olimpico there was glory for everyone, from Under (great shot from distance in the 2nd minute) to Pastore (29', another back-heel in the style of the one already done at Atalanta), passing through El Shaarawy (35', tap-in with an empty net) and Kolarov (87', powerful left foot).
Poker enough to close the crisis? One would have to say no. Frosinone doesn't want it but this Roma, to really smile again, needs confirmation in a much more probative test and Saturday's derby, in this sense, happens just ad hoc.
“I would like the boys to face it as the match of their life – confirmed Di Francesco – We will have to have fire inside and think as if we were about to start a new championship. These three points were fundamental, but now we need continuity." On Saturday we will see if the treatment has been really effective.
