It was supposed to be a decisive big match for the Champions League area, instead it risks being useful for the show and little more. Lazio-Inter will not affect the high ranking: fault of the biancocelesti, confined to ninth place in the standings, but above all of the nerazzurri, detached by 7 points from Roma and now close to abandoning dreams of glory. In fact, only mathematics says that the lowest step of the podium is still reachable: logic, on the other hand, makes it impossible to think of a total collapse of the Giallorossi in just 3 days.
“We will try to the end – sighed Mancini. – We have to close the championship well also in order not to affect the work done, this has not been a disastrous season and I want the fans to know that. We are fourth behind teams better equipped than us and for 20 games we did well, then unfortunately we suffered a physiological decline. I continue to give myself an insufficient mark because I'm demanding and I wanted to bring Inter back to the Champions League, but the overall judgment remains excellent".
The coach from Jesi is well aware that the Nerazzurri are divided and as a good leader tries to consolidate them under a single vision. But the failure to reach third place smacks of failure and the main defendant, ça va sans dire, is really him. Many Inter fans dream of Simeone (who won't leave Madrid next year), Mancini shrugs and is already thinking about working for the next season. “Cholo has built an important team, I can only congratulate him – the thought of him. – We have to improve the current squad but it's difficult to talk about the transfer market now, we don't know yet what will happen".
Better to stay focused on Lazio then, the opponent in the postponement of the Olimpico (20.45 pm). Mancini, ex of the match and great friend of Simone Inzaghi (it was he who convinced Cragnotti to buy him in the summer of 1999), should opt for a 4-2-3-1 with Handanovic in goal, Nagatomo, Miranda, Murillo and D 'Ambrosio in defence, Medel and Kondogbia in midfield, Brozovic, Jovetic and Perisic in the frontline, Icardi in attack. Lazio, on the last call to try and reach the Europa League, will respond with a 4-3-3 with Marchetti in goal, Basta, Bisevac, Gentiletti and Konko in the back, Onazi, Cataldi and Lulic in the midfield, Candreva , Klose and Keita up front.
But the Milanese Sunday will begin a few hours earlier, when Milan will receive Frosinone at the San Siro (15 pm). Very delicate match for both teams, albeit for different reasons. If the Ciociari are playing their residual hopes of salvation and have to win above all for the standings, the Rossoneri are called to save face after the very bad figures with Carpi and Verona.
Sixth place counts, of course, but at this point Milan must get up regardless of the points, without ifs and buts. “The first thought is to see an eager and concentrated team, just like in training – explained Brocchi. – The hope is that all this will also come out in the match, unfortunately in this period we easily disunite and find many difficulties”.
The coach doesn't give up even if it is now clear that, barring sensational twists, he won't be the one to lead next year's revolution. The names circulating (Lippi above all) are the logical consequence of a general distrust of him, although the responsibilities certainly cannot be placed on him, snatched from the Primavera in a hurry and called to an almost impossible task.
In fact, the 4-3-1-2, as already experienced by Mihajlovic, is not the panacea for all ills but Brocchi has no intention of raising the white flag. “I don't think about changing form at all – he explained at the press conference. – Here it is all a matter of balance, not of numbers: the mistakes we make are individual, not systemic. Unfortunately the boys try to solve it on their own and not through their teammates, this is what we have to work on ”. He will therefore go on like this, at least until the end of the season. In defense, in front of Donnarumma, there will be Abate, Alex, Romagnoli and De Sciglio, in midfield Kucka, Montolivo and Josè Mauri, on the Honda trocar (one of the few to save themselves from the Verona disaster), in attack Bacca and Balotelli.
Stellone, called to win to keep the hope of salvation alive, will respond with the usual 4-4-2: Leali in goal, Matteo Ciofani, Russo, Blanchard and Crivello in the back, Frara, Gori, Sammarco and Paganini in the midfield, Daniel Ciofani and Dionysus in attack.
