Forbidden to make mistakes. Inter are preparing to receive Bologna (17.15 pm) with the awareness of having to win at all costs, otherwise throw away the chance offered by the defeat of Lazio and say goodbye to any residual hopes of a comeback. In front there will be the indecipherable team of Mihajlovic, capable of alternating missteps and feats depending on the day. A rather common gust of madness even in the Nerazzurri, despite Conte having worked hard to try to eradicate it: the results, although better than a year ago, have not fully repaid him, with the logical consequence of a margin of error now reset.
“The rossoblù team has great values and is coached by an excellent coach like Mihajlovic, it was a difficult victory in the first leg, I expect a difficult obstacle to overcome – the analysis of the Nerazzurri coach. – It will be very hot both for us and for them, we will have to see what pace we can have for the whole 90 minutes, but we are two teams who like to press high, so I don't think the climate can totally change the idea of the game two teams". The victory over Brescia brought back the smile to an increasingly unstable environment than it should, which is why Inter wants to give continuity even today.
Compared to Wednesday there will be several line-up changes, even if the list of absentees is still important (Moses, Sensi, Vecino and the suspended Skriniar). The Nerazzurri 3-4-1-2 will see Handanovic in goal, Godin, De Vrij and Bastoni in defence, Candreva, Barella, Gagliardini and Biraghi in midfield, Eriksen in the frontline, Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in attack. Usual 4-3-3 also for Mihajlovic, who will respond with Skorupski in goal, Tomiyasu, Danilo, Bani and Dijks in the back, Soriano, Schouten and Medel in the midfield, Orsolini, Barrow and Sansone in the offensive trident. In the evening, however, the spotlights will be on the San Paolo, where Naples and Rome will compete (21.45 pm) in what could (and should have) been a Champions League play-off, but which instead will only be a fight for fifth place.
In fact, Gasperini's Atalanta, engaged in Cagliari at 19.30, is too far away to be worried by the Giallorossi and Azzurri, who are clearly beaten in direct matches. Just Thursday's defeat took away the smile from Gattuso, forced to savor the bitterness of disappointment after the joys of the Italian Cup. Not that Napoli had a big chance of a comeback, but certainly a victory in Bergamo would have helped. Obviously, this also applies to Roma, who literally collapsed within a week: before the match against Milan, in fact, the points from fourth place were 6, now instead they are 12, or rather 13 considering direct matches. In short, Napoli-Roma is a match between disappointments, but if the Azzurri have at least the Italian Cup parachute this is not the case for the Giallorossi, at this point at great risk also in terms of the Europa League.
“I have always felt, even at this moment, the support of the club and the president, I have never felt abandoned – reiterated Fonseca. – I am not satisfied with the last two games, now we have to play badly to win. But it's important to maintain balance, when we win, everything doesn't go well, when we lose, everything doesn't go badly”. Compared to Bergamo Gattuso will make some changes starting with the goalkeeper: Ospina will in fact be rested after the blow to the face sustained on Thursday, thanks to Meret who was happy to take the stage back. The rest of the 4-3-3 will see Di Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly and Mario Rui in defense, Fabian Ruiz, Demme and Zielinski in midfield, Callejon, Milik and Lozano in attack, with Mertens and Insigne excluded excellent.
The Giallorossi coach, however, subjected to criticism after the defeat against Udinese, will respond with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Mirante in goal, Zappacosta, Mancini, Smalling and Kolarov in the back. Veretout and Cristante in the median, Mkhitaryan, Pellegrini and Carles Perez behind the lone striker Dzeko, back in the starting lineup after the forced rest on Thursday.
