A victory that drives away the ghosts, a draw that multiplies them. Very different Sundays for Inter and Napoli, characterized by results that leave a strong and clear mark on their respective championships. The Nerazzurri's success against Sampdoria puts things back in order, or at least a part of them, after a turbulent week to say the least, the Azzurri's 0-0 draw at home to Turin, on the other hand, as well as making the distance from Juve embarrassing (13 points are really too many), certifies a crisis of goals and motivations, as can be seen from the third draw in the last 4 games (to which we must add the elimination from the Italian Cup).
It must be said that a victory would not have changed the scenarios in terms of the Scudetto by an iota and perhaps this is the biggest problem. Napoli no longer seems to be hungry for victories in the championship, "prisoner" as they are of a second place that is too far from the first but also from the third: the lack of stimuli is evident (just look at the empty San Paolo) and it's up to Ancelotti to find a solution, on pain of risking a very complicated second part of the season.
“It's not possible that in two games, with all these chances, he ends up with zero goals – sighed the blue coach bitterly. – I defy anyone to say that we play badly. The team plays well, has an identity and creates chances. We miss the goal, and it's our fault, and we need to improve on this. Because we can't afford to shoot so much without scoring."
Carletto's speech has foundations, there is no doubt about this: just think of the opportunities had by Insigne (above all the sensational post hit in the second half) and by Milik but it is not completely convincing. Your Napoli, while creating more than their opponents, doesn't have the bite needed to win "dirty" matches, quite the opposite of the first round when, in one way or another, they brought home points after points. Evidently the classification begins to weigh, as well as the resignation of an environment very far from its historical habits of deafening cheering and presences bordering on the touching.
One certainly could not speak of a lack of stimuli for Inter, however, who showed up for the match against Sampdoria with a load of tensions even higher than logic. The big doubt that gripped the eve concerned how the Nerazzurri would be able to manage it: angry reaction or psychological breakdown? He won the first answer, coincidentally with one of the most discussed men (after Icardi of course) of the season, that Nainggolan who arrived in the summer to annoy Juve and instead turned out to be a half-flop.
At least until yesterday, because the goal against Sampdoria could be a watershed moment for his experience with the Nerazzurri. His right-footed shot from outside the area in the 78th minute swept away the ghosts of a draw that would have brought Milan dangerously close and, perhaps, even Roma, calling even the Champions League zone into question. In short, a very heavy goal, especially since Sampdoria had just equalized with Gabbiadini (75') canceling D'Ambrosio's momentary advantage (73'): the air at San Siro was starting to get heavy and the Icardi case, present in grandstand with the ever-present Wanda, risked taking on even greater proportions.
"I'm glad he was at the stadium but I would have liked it more if he had come to the locker room to celebrate after the match - commented Spalletti - We're all on the same bandwagon, there are further steps to take to get him back to the locker room and experience the emotions with the group. Even for the team it's not easy to be surrounded by these things all the time...".
In the meantime, however, the classification is safe again and this, given the moment, is already a good result. Milan, in fact, is back to minus 4 and Roma, in the event of a victory in today's postponement against Bologna (20.30 pm), will reach 5. The pressure, thanks to the calendar-stew, therefore passes on the shoulders of the giallorossi, forced to take the 3 points in that of the Olimpico so as not to lose sight of the Champions train. A more insidious match than it might seem, partly because the rossoblu are in a clear recovery (one win and one draw since Mihajlovic arrived), partly because of the post-European tiredness, already fatal yesterday for Lazio, defeated in final in Marassi against Genoa. But Roma must demonstrate that they are stronger than all of this, otherwise they really risk compromising part of the season.
“With Porto we have spent a lot from a physical and mental point of view, but the team has shown that it has a better balance – said Di Francesco. – This must be a starting point, an attitude that we must also carry with Bologna. To hit the target, we'll need to get more results than our opponents, at the moment Milan is giving great continuity".
In short, it is forbidden to make mistakes, which is why, net of some injuries (Schick and Under will not be there and El Shaarawy is also in doubt), the Giallorossi coach will field the best possible formation, therefore a 4-2-3-1 with Olsen in goal , Santon, Manolas, Fazio and Kolarov in defense, Cristante and Nzonzi in midfield, Florenzi, Zaniolo and El Shaarawy (the alternative is Kluivert) in the trocar, Dzeko in attack. Mihajlovic, again with water in his throat after the victories in Udinese and Empoli, will try to take points away from the Olimpico by relying on a 4-2-3-1 that will see Skorupski between the posts, Mbaye, Danilo, Helander and Dijks in the back department, Poli and Pulgar in the midfield, Sansone, Soriano and Edera behind the lone striker Santander.
