Udinese ruins the party. The success of the Friulians prevents Juve from toasting the Scudetto, thus postponing the games to next Sunday, when Sarri's team will host Sampdoria. A real joke, especially since the bianconeri (from Turin of course) had closed the first half ahead: everything seemed set for the final success, but Gotti's men, motivated by a salvation yet to be achieved, were not of the same notice.
Let's be clear, the Italian flag remains very close and will hardly escape between now and next weekend, but it is clear that Juve continues to show too many cracks and this, in a Champions League key, it worries a lot.
The bianconeri have collected 5 points in the last 5 games and only the collapse of those chasing made the record easy: otherwise, perhaps with a more cynical Inter (hence Conte's nervousness), we would be talking about another championship. “At this stage of the season it is difficult to remain efficient for 90 minutes, the races are all strange – Sarri justified himself. – The moment is particular and it matters more to be tidy than technically strong, now let's learn this lesson: we lost out of too much desire to win. Champions? I don't look that far, I think first of all about Sampdoria."
And to think that the match had gone well with Juve first sighing with relief for an auto-pole by Danilo that would have been sensational, then finding the advantage with De Ligt, very good at finding the bottom corner with a shot from distance (42'). There was only one half left to manage, perhaps taking advantage of the spaces that Udinese would have had to concede, but once again the Lady pulled the plug too soon.
at 52' Nestorovski found the 1-1 with a close-range header in which the Juve defense literally fell asleep, then, after a series of confused and not very pungent attacks, here is thea final mockery signed by Fofana, very good at riding the unguarded Juventus half and beating Szczesny in full stoppage time (92').
Objective achieved instead for Lazio, mathematically in the Champions League thanks to the victory over Cagliari. The Biancocelesti needed 2 points to secure fourth place, they got 3 by beating Zenga's men 2-1, even if it is fair to underline how the result was kept in the balance above all by Cragno, author of numerous paratand to the detriment of Immobile and his companions. The Sardinians had also scared Inzaghi quite a bit, taking the lead at the end of the first half with Simeone, lucky to find a decisive deflection from Luiz Felipe who displaced Strakosha (45').
But in the second half, here are the plays of the most eagerly awaited men, those who had led Lazio to believe even in the Scudetto, to then drop in the final period: however, yesterday was a decisive night and so first Milinkovic-Savic (47', splendid shot under the cross) and then Immobile (60', diagonal left foot) they unhinged Cragno's door, giving the Capitoline club a qualification for the Champions League groups that had been missing for 13 years.
“It's a magical evening, even if it's normal to have a touch of regret for what happened after the break – commented Inzaghi. – Now let's enjoy the result, then we'll think about the future: we know we have to stretch the rose, but I'm lucky to have a director like Tare with whom I get along very well. We will be ready…”.
With day 35 archived, it's already time to dive into 36, which will open its doors this evening with a Milan-Atalanta (21.45 pm) really very interesting. The two teams in the best form at the moment will face each other at San Siro, one in the hunt for a direct Europa League, the other for a historic second place. However, it is clear that, beyond the discussions of the classification, it is a matter of a very special race for Pioli, the first after the clamorous confirmation on the Rossoneri bench, moreover exactly one group after the 5-0 victory in the first leg, the lowest point of the entire season, for him and for the team.
“We've been a completely different Milan since then – glossed over the coach from Parma. – I still struggle not to think about the renewal, it's what I wanted and hoped for. But now we have to focus only on the season finale, after August 2nd we will think about the future”. “They are the team in the best shape at the moment, so it will be an important test for the Champions League as well – thought Gasperini. – Confirming second place would be a great result for us, even if for someone the seconds are the first losers…”.
The reference to Conte is obviously not accidental at all, but now it's time to think about the game. Pioli is in a situation of great emergency, as evidenced by the absences of injured Romagnoli, Musacchio and Conti and the disqualifications of Hernandez and Bennacer. The Rossoneri 4-2-3-1 will thus see Donnarumma in goal, Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia and Laxalt in defense, Kessié and Biglia in midfield, Saelemaekers, Calhanoglu and Rebic in the frontline, Ibrahimovic in attack.
Some problems too Gasperini, forced to do without the usual Ilicic and Djimsiti. The 3-4-2-1 from Bergamo will be made up of Gollini in goal, Toloi, Caldara and Palomino in the back, Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler and Castagne in the midfield, Malinovskyi and Gomez behind the lone striker Zapata.
Updated at 08am Friday 15 July 24
