Call her anyway mini-escape. The championship Sunday, nicknamed by some as “scudetto day”, smiles at Inzaghi's Inter, able to to conquer Bergamo (therefore to exclude, at least for now, Atalanta from the race) and also gain two points over Napoli, stopped in a draw by Venezia. If it is not a triumph, it is very close to it, because if it is true that the +3 is not enough to define it as null, it is also true that the message to the competition has come through loud and clear. But the Sunday just gone risks leaving traces also on the race for fourth place, currently occupied by Bologna: the red and blues have the unfortunate Lazio buried with a sensational 5-0, then they enjoyed the Juve's collapse in Florence (3-0). Thiago Motta remains in his place, but the situation is worrying. Changing coaches, after all, is not an exact medicine, but sometimes it works: watch Ranieri's Roma, officially back in the race thanks to the success over Cagliari (1-0), to believe it.
Atalanta – Inter 0-2: Inzaghi runs away to +3 on Napoli, Bergamo to minus 6
Very important victory for Inzaghi's Inter, which is worth the lead over Napoli (on a Sunday, at least on paper, unfavourable) and a push, perhaps decisive, to Gasperini's Atalanta. The match in Bergamo, just as expected, provided moments of great intensity, with the reigning champions being better and more concrete in the decisive phases. TheInter started off strong right away, almost scoring after just 7' with Thuram, stopped by the post one-on-one with Carnesecchi. The first chance for Atalanta, however, came in the 18th minute with a header from Pasalic, saved by an excellent Sommer. The balance lasted throughout the first half, then, at the start of the second (after 6' of forced break due to the illness of a fan in the stands), Inter struck: corner kick from Calhanoglu and decisive strike from Carlos Augusto (54'). Gasperini tried to revitalize his team with substitutions (Ruggeri and De Ketelaere came in), but Inzaghi's team kept their cool, preventing their opponent from expressing their best qualities. Gasp tried everything by also bringing on Maldini and Samardzic, but his all-in attempt was nipped in the bud byEderson's expulsion, capable of receiving two consecutive yellow cards for protests and ironic applause (81'). The comeback, at that point, became almost impossible and Inter, as the experienced team they are, gave them the coup de grace a few moments later with Lautaro, glacial in beating Carnesecchi and signing the final 0-2 (87'). There was still time for the Gasperini's expulsions (protests) and Sticks (double yellow), small stains on a great evening destined, perhaps, to have a huge impact on the fate of the championship.
Inzaghi: “I hear a lot of chatter around, but we just want to win as many games as possible”
“As a coach I am very satisfied especially the performance – the satisfied comment of Inzaghi -. We have ran a great race, although we have received a lot of criticism in recent weeks. Around there is a lot of talk of the fact that we might not win anything but we don't listen, we came to Bergamo with great personality and we deserved to win. We could have also closed it earlier, I saw the goal disallowed to Lautaro and for me it was regular. We played a great game, Atalanta is a great team and we really conceded very little. We were at the end of an interminable cycle of games, I had 6 or 7 recovering on the beds but I am very satisfied, I can't ask for more from the boys. With this spirit we can do important things, we want to play as many games as possible. I hear a lot of debates about the fact that Inter might not win anything, but that's sport. We are happy to play many games, now there will be a break and then we will start again".
Gasperini: “Game ruined by the referee, we don't leave diminished”
"THE'expulsion ruined the ending of the match and it's a shame for everyone – he pointed out Gasperini -. There were another twenty minutes to play at high intensity, the referee exaggerated in his assessment. Ederson he is a fair player, he has wrong in the applause but it wasn't a yellow card episode, sometimes we overlook words and gestures that are much worse than this. We often concede goals from set pieces against Inter, they are obviously stronger than us in this aspect. However, the match still had a lot to give, it was absurd to ruin such a beautiful match. Nine games left and we have to find the strength to play them at our best, but we don't come out diminished. We have gplayed with courage against one of the strongest teams in the world and even had a few more chances than them, except for Thuram hitting the post. If we don't look at the result, we have to be proud of these performances".
Fiorentina – Juventus 3-0: The Bianconeri collapse again, but Giuntoli confirms Motta
Black and white disaster! La Fiorentina's dream nightin ecstasy after 3-0 on the eternal rival, is contrasted with the nightmare of Juventus, who also left the Franchi with broken bones and were overtaken in the standings by Bologna. The news, at this point, is the Thiago Motta not sacked, confirmed publicly by Giuntoli in the post-match. It is clear, however, that the break will have to serve to regain some energy, otherwise a change of technical leadership will be inevitable. The Juve seen yesterday were too soft not to be a cause for concern in terms of fourth place, an essential objective and, at the moment, at serious risk. As soon as they were put under pressure, Motta's team seemed completely devoid of psychophysical energy, just like last Sunday against Atalanta. The script of the match was already clear in the first minutes: Juventus managed ball possession without creating real danger, while Fiorentina was aggressive, well-organized in the defensive phase and quick in verticalizations. A long throw forced Di Gregorio to come out and anticipate Kean, with the Bianconeri defense appearing disoriented. In the 15th minute Fiorentina took the lead with Gosens, quick to take advantage of a mistake by Veiga and score with a close-range left-footed shot. The doubling came just three minutes later, with Mandragora who signs the 2-0 with a cross shot on an assist from Fagioli. In less than twenty minutes Juventus is already two goals down, totally at the mercy of a tonic and highly motivated opponent, despite the European efforts of last Thursday. Things don't change in the second half either, in fact in the 54th minute Fiorentina, taking advantage of the spaces on the counterattack, finds 3-0 with Gudmundsson, author of a splendid goal from distance.
The match, in fact, ended there, because the Viola rightly thought about managing their forces, while Juve was not never managed to seriously worry De Gea. A red alert situation, just like a ranking that is starting to take on worrying contours. After the break there will be the home game against Genoa and Thiago Motta will have to win it by force, otherwise continuing with him would become almost impossible, even for those who chose him.
Giuntoli: “Sorry about the moment, but convinced we can get out of it with Thiago Motta”
“In these delicate moments we must stay united - he precised Joints -. We are very sorry for the last two below-par matches, but we are convinced that get out of it all together always with Thiago Motta. We all get out of difficult moments together, the project started a long time ago by lowering salaries and rejuvenating the squad. We have to think about our primary objective of entering the Champions League which is still within our reach. We will try to analyze clearly what happened in the last two weeks, but we need balance, we cannot go from the stars to the stables. After the match against Verona the media had us in the running for the Scudetto... We have to have balance on and off the pitch, we were the best defense in the championship and then we conceded 7 goals in two games. After a bad game, the team had always played the right game the next time, it's the first time that it's jammed for two in a row. In these situations we have to touch on all the issues: on a tactical level the coach will take care of it, as well as on a psychological level. All together we have to give him a big hand to find the balance we need".
Venice – Napoli 0-0: Conte fails in the lagoon and drops to -3 from Inter
Bogged down and…detached. The Naples stops in the lagoon, collecting the fifth draw in the last seven games and losing the opportunity to take advantage of the direct clash in Bergamo: the Azzurri, in fact, concluded a Sunday that seemed favorable by losing further ground on Inter, now ahead by 3 points. At Penzo, the uConte's men played a great first half, but hitting the post and a Radu in a state of grace, author of at least four great saves. Venezia also had their chances (with Perez and Rrahmani's save on the line on Fila), then in the second half he managed to contain the Azzurri, still finding a way to be dangerous with Nicolussi Caviglia. The standings remain disappointing, but the draw keeps alive the hopes of salvation, even if Di Francesco will have to start winning starting from the match against Bologna after the break.
Oristanio starts on the bench after the flu, and in 3-5-2 by Di Francesco, the attack is formed by Fila and Maric. Conte recovers Anguissa, but confirms the 11 with Gilmour alongside Lobotka and Lukaku-Raspadori up front. The first half is full of emotions: in the 5th minute Raspadori hits the post, while in the 13th Meret saves from Fila. Radu is the absolute protagonist, parrying two headers from McTominay and saving from Lukaku and Di Lorenzo. In the 42nd minute Venezia has a double chance with Perez and Fila, but Meret and Rrahmani save Conte from the joke. In the second half Napoli tries to close Venezia in their own half of the field, but without managing to worry Radu as previously: the coach tries to break the balance with the substitutions, but with poor results. In the 82nd minute Gytkjaer misses the appointment with the cross-shot from Zerbin, while in the 93rd minute Simeone comes close to scoring on a cross from Okafor. The last chance, however, is for Venezia with Nicolussi Caviglia, but Meret rejects. Penzo celebrates, while Napoli licks its wounds, wasting yet another opportunity to scare Inter.
Conte: “We deserved to win, but the pitch wasn’t wet and the ball wasn’t flowing”
“At the match level I don't think they put us in difficulty, the Naples has done its part on a difficult pitch against a healthy team – the Count's thought -. Those who have played against them have always struggled, but when you have so many chances you have to score. Their chances are our carelessness, what must never happen is the counterattack that we took at the end, we risked bringing home a defeat that at this point in the championship would have been different than a draw. We played the game, I don't know why the the field had not been wet and the ball wasn't flowing. Maybe it was the first time something like this has happened this year, I asked Eusebio if it was their choice but he said no. It doesn't change anything for us, we have to look at ourselves and give everything like we did here, then in the end we'll see the products of our efforts. I've always been critical when I had to be, like in Como, but not this time, it's a match we deserved to win but a draw is fine. But the brain must always stay on..."
Bologna – Lazio 5-0: the rossoblu ecstasy is worth fourth place, biancoceleste collapse
A fourth-place triumph. The Bologna proves to be widely running for a Champions League placement, regardless of Juve's collapse: the ease with which he Lazio defeated (5-0), in fact, is a clear warning to all the others. For Baroni, however, it is a resounding flop., not even justifiable by post-Europe fatigue: the close commitments wear you down, agreed, but Fiorentina and Roma show that they can be managed in a very different way. Italiano's team concedes very little and, when it can, attacks with great effectiveness. The opening goal came in the 16th minute, the result of a splendid action created by Miranda and finished by Odgaard, perfect in the insertion behind Gila for the 1-0 rossoblu. The advantage does not calm the ardour of Bologna, so much so that Provedel is forced to do extraordinary things to block a curling left-footed shot from Orsolini.
At half time Baroni leaves Isaksen, one of the least negative players in Lazio's offensive department, in the locker room and brings on Pedro. But it is precisely thestart of recovery to prove fatal for the white and sky blues: at 48' Ndoye serves Orsolini, who beats Provedel with a magnificent touch. There is not even time to restart the game that Bologna scores again with ndoye and so Lazio, in less than 100 seconds, finds itself three goals down. The Biancocelesti's terrible day is confirmed by Zaccagni's post, a prelude to a frankly unjustifiable collapse: Castro scores the fourth goal in the 74th minute e in the 84th minute Fabbian serves the pokerissimo on an assist from a possessed Miranda. The final 5-0 certifies Italiano's European ambitions, while Baroni can only wonder about the reasons for such a negative moment, as demonstrated by the only victory collected in the last five days of the championship.
Baroni: “We arrived short and with little energy against a great Bologna”
"We arrived at this match short, with little energy, after a morning spent talking to those who had little strength – the bitter comment of Baroni -. The team played a good first half, then conceding the second and third goals in a few minutes took away our mental energy. When you find an opponent like that it becomes difficult to contain him. When a coach loses like this, he always looks for motivation, but at this moment I also see that we found an opponent who was twice as fast as us, and we weren't even lucky. I repeat, there was too much Bologna. I always go in front of my team and this time I accompanied the team to our fans, taking responsibility. They asked us to give our best from here to the end and that's what we'll do. Our fans will never fail to support us and with a defeat of this magnitude it seemed right to me to put our face on it".
Roma – Cagliari 1-0: Dovbyk brings Ranieri back into the Champions League race
La Rome responds present in the tight fight for a place in Europe. Ranieri's team beats Cagliari 1-0 and closes the gap in the standings, moving to -2 from sixth-placed Lazio and just 4 points from the Champions League zone. Forced to do without the flu-ridden Pellegrini, the Giallorossi coach lines up Soulé and Baldanzi behind Dovbyk, Saelemaekers on the right and Rensch in defence. Nicola, on the other hand, responds with Prati in midfield, Zortea and Obert on the wings and Viola behind Piccoli. Immediately high and aggressive, Roma starts with greater determination in the midfield duels and takes control of possession. Caprile thwarts a cross from the left, then the Sardinian defense rejects a shot from Soulé and the first half ends without any particular excitement.
In the second half the music changes, also thanks to a Cagliari definitely dangerous: a right-footed shot from Deiola ends up wide, then Svilar makes a great save on a close-range deflection from Piccoli on a cross from Zortea. Opportunities that give the Sardinians confidence, but Roma goes through with Dovbyk, who first misses the lead one-on-one with Caprile, then finds him in a melee following a corner (62'). The Ukrainian's strike breaks the balance and starts the carousel of substitutions, with Ranieri inserting Dybala, El Shaarawy and Cristante in place of Soulé, Baldanzi and Kone. The moves would go fairly unnoticed, if it weren't for the fact that Jewel, ten minutes after his entrance, must leave the field due to injury. A big blow for the Giallorossi, because if it is true that the squad offers several alternatives, it is also true that the Argentine remains the technical leader par excellence of the team. Losing him just now that the standings have become interesting again would be a big problem, but in this case Ranieri will certainly not worry: considering the difficulties resolved from November to today, in fact, this would really be a trifle.
Ranieri: "We got back on our feet after the Europa League! Dybala? Let's hope it's nothing serious"
“To the boys I had asked us to get up again after the Europa League – explained Ranieri -. We had to play a game of grit, commitment and will. The championship in the second half of the season has another gear, even the other games have shown that it is not easy to win. When I arrived I only thought about putting on my helmet, working and asking the best of the boys. team was without self-esteem and he had the public against him, now the fans support us and this helps us and it's wonderful. We have to continue like this because it won't be all roses and flowers in the next races, but with this audience we will be able to overcome every obstacle. Dybala? He felt pain in the back and stopped. It shouldn't be anything to his knee, but he'll do all the usual tests to check, let's hope nothing happened. Dovbyk? He is a boy who needs affection and understanding, me and the team give him all of this. He must not live only for the goal, he must be in the right place at the right time and try. I am happy for him, it was important that he unlocked himself”.
