Inter collapses, Roma rises again. On Sunday, the Nerazzurri and the Giallorossi starred in stark contrast between two very different 4-1 draws. Because if Di Francesco imposed it on Sampdoria, Spalletti ended up suffering it from Atalanta, thus closing in the worst possible way a cycle of results that had even sent him to second place.
A swallow does not make spring and therefore this knockout cannot and must not cancel the good done so far, but it is certain that the four-of-a-kind cashed in by Gasperini at least makes you think. What is the real consistency of this Inter? A legitimate question given that Spalletti's team melted away like snow in the sun on the weekend that could launch them definitively into the paradise of the championship.
In fact, the 4-1 in Bergamo is well deserved and if it hasn't taken on greater proportions it is only thanks to Handanovic, author of a super performance despite the poker suffered. It was he who kept Inter in the game at least until Mancini's header (62'): at that moment the resistance of Spalletti's Nerazzurri finally collapsed, but the 1-1 result was still a lie and unfair.
In the first half, as well as scoring with Hateboer (9'), Atalanta missed at least four clear goals, partly due to Handanovic's skill and much due to an incredible inaccuracy in front of goal. And so, when Icardi equalized from a penalty (47') at the start of the second half, many thought of the materializing of the prank, without however taking into account how much more Atalanta were on the ball.
In fact, after Mancini's goal there was no more game: zero reaction from Inter and two other goals from Bergamo, one with Djimsiti (88'), the other, splendid, with Gomez (94'). "We gave in against a tough team that beat us in all the tackles, let's say we took it easy - Spalletti's bitter comment - Unfortunately we have been carrying a defect with us for some time that we are unable to completely correct: the lack of concentration in the long run".
Strong accusations that, in recent times, have also accompanied Rome. Not this Sunday however, because against Sampdoria we saw the best version of Di Francesco's men, in their second consecutive success after the one in Moscow. They were two fundamental games for the Giallorossi and very convincing answers arrived: only time will tell if the crisis is definitively over but in the meantime the car is back on track.
The 4-1 at the Olimpico showed a rather convincing offensive phase, with El Shaarawy on the shields (two goals, one beautiful in the 72nd minute and the other easy in the 93rd minute) and Schick finally protagonist (his goal of 2-0 in the 59th minute). In the middle, the feline touch of Juan Jesus to break the balance (19'), a lot of Var (two episodes watched by Irrati, both without consequences) and a masterpiece by Defrel (89'), as beautiful as it is useless.
"The boys are growing through very good performances, we are improving - Di Francesco's analysis - Important results have arrived with Sampdoria and Moscow, now we welcome the break that will allow us to recharge our batteries".
Here the criticism is divided: there are those who think that the breaks are especially useful for those who lose and those who, on the other hand, are convinced that 15 days of post-defeat controversy do more harm than anything else. We will only know the truth in two weeks, when Inter and Roma will return to the field to give us the necessary answers.
