Milan vs Rome, second act. After Inter's victory over Roma it's up to Lazio-Milan, which has become even more decisive in light of the result at San Siro. In fact, the Nerazzurri's 3-1 was worth Inzaghi's overtaking of Pioli and if the Devil didn't respond in the same way tonight, the Scudetto would definitely take the road to Appiano Gentile. On the Sunday menu, however, there is also Empoli-Naples, with the Azzurri clinging to a flame of hope linked only and exclusively to a success, worth having to watch your back from those behind, Juventus above all. Inter's success, signed by Dumfries, Brozovic and Lautaro (Mkhitaryan's useless goal for the Giallorossi), is a strong hook in the championship, but Milan (above all) and Napoli can still have their say.
Lazio-Milan, Pioli: "It's the most exciting moment of the season"
A fundamental match for both, even if it is clearly Milan who play the most. Pioli knows he can't be wrong, especially after losing the Coppa Italia derby, which robbed him of a title chance. The other and only one remains the Scudetto, but it is clear that keeping up with this Inter, numbers (and calendar) in hand, is very complicated. A victory today would give a strong and clear signal to the reigning champions, reaffirming that the Rossoneri, whatever happens, will not give up until the end, a negative result however, logically it should be, would have opposite implications, leaving everything open only under of mathematics, the only bulwark to cling to.
“With five races to go we are fighting to win the Scudetto and we are focused, motivated and ready – thought Pioli – We are aware of our strength, this is the most exciting and exciting moment to live. We face a team with important offensive potential, Immobile is the beacon, but there are many other good players, we will have to have high quality and dribble well. Referee mistakes? They will compensate each other only if something happens in the next matches that, until now, has never happened…”. The coach believes it, also because Milan are still fully in the running. To give him a further push, for the umpteenth time, the public will think about it, given that the Olimpico will be sensationally red and black: the hard core of the Lazio in fact, in protest with the prices imposed by Lotito, will desert the stands, handing over the stadium to the devil.
Lazio-Milan: Pioli loses Bennacer, Sarri finds Milinkovic-Savic again
Pioli finds Ibrahimovic and Rebic again, at least for the call-up, but loses an important piece like Bennacer, who stopped due to a sprained ankle sustained in the derby. The Rossoneri 4-2-3-1 will thus see Maignan in goal, Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori and Hernandez in defense, Tonali and Kessié in midfield, Saelemaekers, Diaz and Leao in the frontline, Giroud in attack. Sarri's doubt, on the other hand, is called Milinkovic-Savic, back from a week complicated by fever: the Serbian, however, has already resumed training for a couple of days, so it is almost certain that he will take the field from the first minute, in what could be the last call for Europe of his Lazio. The biancoceleste 4-3-3 will be made up of Strakosha between the posts, Lazzari, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi and Hysaj in the back, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva and Luis Alberto in the midfield, Felipe Anderson, Immobile and Zaccagni in the offensive trident.
Empoli-Napoli: Spalletti still believes in it
The other important Scudetto match on Sunday is that of Castellani, where Spalletti's Napoli will try to reconnect the thread with the victory interrupted in Bergamo. That seemed to be the decisive push towards the title, instead the Azzurri got lost within the friendly walls of Maradona, making up just one point between Fiorentina e Roma. “I'm always inclined to look to the future, to live well what I'm experiencing, feeling responsibility and guilt for what happened, but I'm going forward – thought the Tuscan coach -. But now we have a duty to believe in it, to fight: we must all feel responsibility towards our fans: injured, not injured, who is there, who isn't, you have to be good at thinking not in the past, but in the present, you have to win games with those who are there”.
Empoli-Naples: Koulibaly disqualified, Fabian Ruiz-Zielinski runoff
Napoli's troubles are called Koulibaly and Lobotka, the first stopped by a disqualification, the second by the injury remedied against Roma. In short, heavy absences, but not enough to make Empoli, without victories for over four months (ironically against the Azzurri), an insurmountable mountain. Spalletti doesn't have many choices, especially since the young man too Zanoli, launched to replace Di Lorenzo, has gastroenteritis (he should grit his teeth, otherwise it will be Malcuit's turn), but he has a training doubt and it concerns Fabian Ruiz and Zielinski: let them play together as in the first part of the season, in the light of the respective states of form, does not pay, which is why the coach will choose only one. The blue 4-3-3 will see Meret in goal, Zanoli (or Malcuit), Rrahmani, Juan Jesus and Mario Rui in defense, Anguissa, Demme and Fabian Ruiz in midfield, Lozano, Osimhen and Insigne in attack. 4-3-2-1 instead for Andreazzoli, who will try to break the fast of successes with Vicario between the posts, Stojanovic, Romagnoli, Luperto and Parisi in the back department, Zurkowski, Asllani and Bandinelli in the midfield, Bajrami and Di Francesco behind of the only Pinamonti tip.
