Overtaking becomes reality. Inter beat Lazio and took first place in the standings at Milan's expense, pending next Sunday's super derby, which will be able to overturn the verdict, or sanction the Nerazzurri escape. Conte thus hits a goal that he had in his sights for many months, but which, thanks to the Rossoneri's performance, always remained the same: yesterday however, faced with the opportunity kindly offered to him by Spezia, he did not fail, biting Lazio on his favorite ground , or restarts. In fact, Inter won it like this, defending almost perfectly and unleashing their strikers in the spaces, Lukaku above all. The Belgian, criticized in the week after the colorless test in Turin, responded present, dragging his players with a performance like a true leader, topped off with two goals and an assist. Thus Lazio had to give up, but despite the defeat they returned home with good sensations: net of the lower technical rate, they played it great, ending up losing above all on episodes.
The first came already in the 22nd minute when Hoedt, deployed in extremis due to Radu's injury, knocked Lautaro Martinez down in the area: a penalty that Lukaku, with his usual coolness, converted by displacing Reina, for Inter to make it 1-0. The second instead materialized in the 45th minute, just a moment before the referee sent everyone to the locker room, with the usual Belgian sent on goal by a fortuitous touch from Lazzari, which made an unassuming pass from Brozovic lethal. Favorable episode also for Lazio, who reopened the game in the 61st minute with an absolutely involuntary touch by Escalante on a so-so free-kick from Milinkovic-Savic, but then, just when the Biancoceleste pressure seemed about to explode, here was the great play by Lukaku to put Lautaro in goal, for the final 3-1 (64 ').
"Staying at the top was a goal we've been pursuing for some time, but tonight's is a starting point and certainly not an arrival - the words of Tale – We played against an excellent team: I congratulate Lazio and Inzaghi, they came from a string of important victories, having beaten them demonstrates our mental strength. I'm very happy because it's good to get to the derby like this, it will be a good game, between two teams who want to impose themselves".
“There is so much regret, we could have achieved much more – he replied Inzaghi – We were dominating, there was no match, then that penalty changed the game. After that we had to go ahead and play, but they were good at defending themselves low and for that they deserve compliments. I repeat, there is a lot of regret but let's go ahead and think about the next match”.
To complete the championship Sunday they also arrived the victories of Rome and Atalanta, very heavy in the Champions League key. Let's say right away that these were two very different matches: the Olimpico match was easy, where Udinese almost never managed to worry the Giallorossi, while the Sardegna Arena match was very tight, with the Nerazzurri only able to win in the last breath .
Fonseca's team he confirms himself as implacable with the medium-small ones of the championship, with which, moreover, he has practically built his entire ranking. Yesterday too the approach was the right one, as demonstrated by the double advantage signed by Veretout (in the 5th minute with a header and in the 25th minute from a penalty) already in the first half hour of the match. In the second half, Udinese tried to do something more, but without succeeding: and so, when Pedro made it 93-3 in the 0rd minute, there was no room for any kind of recrimination.
“We entered the field very well, I'm satisfied – commented by Fonseca – We created many chances, then we managed, doing well in general. Now we have to improve in the big games, even if it's above all a question of results: with Juve, for example, we played well".
Definitely less easy on SundayAtalanta, who only managed to take charge of Cagliari in the 90th minute thanks to a great play by Muriel. The players from Bergamo seemed lackluster right from the start, weakened by the many high-intensity matches, such as the semi-final they just won against Napoli, which is why this success has an even more important value than usual. Once again, the entry into the field of the Colombian, specialist par excellence in taking over the match in progress, was decisive. His freshness, as well as obviously his quality, made the difference, blasting the draw from a willing and combative Cagliari, but forced to deal with another defeat, the umpteenth this season.
“If it hadn't been for that feat we wouldn't have won – he admitted Gasperini – They are a physically strong team, it is not easy to overcome them. This is a difficult championship, also because we don't have time to think about anything: on Sunday we will have the match against Napoli, then Real Madrid. And to think that after the 0-0 draw with Spezia they criticized us…”.
Now a day off, after which it will be time for European thrills again. On Wednesday Juventus will go to Oporto for the round of XNUMX of the Champions League, on Thursday Milan, Rome and Naples will compete against Stella Rossa, Braga and Granada in the round of XNUMX of the Europa League. In short, a beautiful week in a season that knows no breaks of any kind.
