Napoli takes back the top. The 3-1 win over Sassuolo allows the Azzurri to overtake Juventus and Lazio and keep Inter at a safe distance, who, even in the event of success in the postponement of Verona (20.45) will "only" be able to aspire to a second place. To legitimize the primacy of the Sarri gang, yet another strong test against a so-called small one, testifying that the mistakes of the past have served and how the team has now reached an important maturity.
In the 3-1 at San Paolo we saw the usual show for a large part, although Sassuolo didn't back down and created more than one problem for Reina and his goal. The first chance of the match was the neroverdi's with Sensi (free-kick crossbar), the same one who gave the ball to Allan in the 22nd minute for a 1-0 draw against Napoli. From then on many Azzurri goals, but then, in the 41st minute, the mockery of Falcinelli who scored the equalizer with a good header.
But Sarri's team knows no breaks and shortly after (44') there is the new lead, this time in cohabitation between Callejon (author of the corner) and Consigli (deviation in his own goal). Second half full of fun and opportunities, with the Azzurri finding the 3-1 with the usual Mertens (54 ') and Sassuolo coming close to scoring the goal that would have reopened the games (another Cassata post).
"We dominate too much and sometimes we lose the perception of danger – Sarri's analysis – We think we can't concede a goal and this thing must be eliminated immediately, it had already happened in Genoa and on other occasions".
Maniacality as a grown-up, a role that by now belongs to this Napoli and to which Spalletti's Inter also aspires. The occasion in Verona is rather tempting: winning against Hellas third from last would be worth second place alone, as well as staying in the wake of Sarri's Azzurri and continuing to fuel the Scudetto dream.
"You always have to win, against certain rivals you can't have time to relax - commented Spalletti - We have to show that we are always from Inter and in any case, so now that we have found a balance we will not change anything".
So the starting eleven will follow the one already seen in Naples and against Sampdoria, a 4-2-3-1 with Handanovic in goal, D'Ambrosio, Skriniar, Miranda and Nagatomo in defense, Gagliardini and Vecino in midfield, Candreva, Borja Valero and Perisic on the trocar behind the lone striker Icardi.
Pecchia, increasingly on the gridiron after 6 defeats collected in 10 days, will attempt the feat by relying on a 4-4-2 with Nicolas between the posts, Romulo, Caracciolo, Hertaux and Souprayen in the back department, Verde, Fossati, Bessa and Fares in the midfield, Pazzini and Cerci in attack.
