Milan and Naples, now it's your turn. After Inter's victory over Verona (2-0 signed by Barella and Dzeko) the ball passes to the Rossoneri and Azzurri, called to win to respond to the Italian champions, again in the front row in the Scudetto race. The roles are reversed, because if a week ago it was Pioli who had the best calendar (even if it turned out exactly the other way around) now it's Inzaghi who is smiling, moreover with the 3 points already in his pocket. Milan will have to visit Turin, Napoli will host Fiorentina: insidious competitions, which can prove to be decisive in a tricolor key. But the gold medal isn't the only one to count on this Sunday in Serie A, indeed the Champions League race, budgets in hand, is probably the one that interests presidents and sports directors the most. In this sense the victory of Juventus in Cagliari (1-2, goals from De Ligt and Vlahovic to overturn the initial one from Joao Pedro) has every appearance of being very important: a misstep would have given Rome, Atalanta, Lazio and Fiorentina a breather, so instead the gap, in the at best (for them of course), it will remain unchanged, obviously with one less day.
Turin-Milan (20.45, Dazn)
Pioli: “Are we anxious? In the summer nobody thought about the Scudetto”
A very delicate match that of the Olimpico Grande Torino, with a Milan called to win to respond to Inter and keep Napoli at a safe distance. The misstep against Bologna is still alive and it is clear that another one, given the pace of the competition, could prove fatal in terms of the Scudetto. The ingredients for a thrilling evening everyone is there, but Pioli doesn't even want to hear about performance anxiety. “I don't see an anxious team, at most it's normal to be in the last 10 minutes of a match, but I don't see excessive concern – underlined the Rossoneri coach -. It is a privilege to be here, we are here and we have the qualities to do it, without forgetting that last summer no one thought we could fight for the Scudetto. Now let's think only of Turin, I respect Juric a lot and I know it will be a difficult game, very different from last year's 7-0. We are aware that we need to improve in the scoring and final phase in the last 20 metres, which is why we have tried to work even more precisely and effectively".
Turin-Milan: the formations
Two novelties compared to the draw with Bologna on Monday, actually quite announced. The negative performances of Diaz and Messias have been underlined by all, which is why Pioli will leave them out and return to focus on Kessié and Saelemaekers, considered more suitable for a physical and intense match like tonight's. For the rest, net of the injuries of Florenzi (operated on the meniscus, season practically over) and Romagnoli, they are all available, for a 4-2-3-1 with Maignan in goal, Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori and Hernandez in defense , Tonali and Bennacer in midfield, Saelemaekers, Kessié and Leao in the frontline, Giroud in attack. Juric, on the other hand, finds Pobega again after last week's disqualification and is ready to entrust him with the keys to Toro, aware that the boy will not be influenced by being owned by Milan, on the contrary, if possible, he will want to make an even better impression. The 3-4-2-1 grenade will see Berisha in goal, Izzo, Bremer and Rodriguez in the back, Singo, Lukic, Mandragora and Vojvoda in the midfield, Pobega and Brekalo behind the lone striker Belotti.
Naples-Fiorentina (15 pm, Dazn)
Spalletti doesn't hide: "We can win the Scudetto"
However, the most intriguing challenge on Sunday, both for the ranking and for the quality of the teams, is that of Maradona, not surprisingly sold out just like in the big matches. And this, evidently, is, given that the blues are really in the running for the title, perhaps even more than in 2017 with Sarri. The hope is that Turin will lend a hand in the evening postponement, but first we have to beat the Italian Fiorentina, already capable of conquering Fuorigrotta in the Italian Cup. “There are four teams fighting, it's clear by now and it would be ridiculous not to admit it – Spalletti confirmed in the press conference -. We go our own way beyond what will be the results of our direct competitors, resilience will make the difference. We have to try to win these 7 games, then it will depend on the game situations and the qualities of the opponents, but we have a clear path from here to the end. We can win the Scudetto, but regardless of how it goes, it must have been a beautiful journey, let's not forget that at the beginning of the season the goal was to return to the Champions League".
Napoli-Fiorentina: the formations
The big difference compared to Bergamo is called Osimhen, ready to come back from the first minute after last Sunday's disqualification, but also after the small injury he picked up during the week, which seemed to put him out of the game. Instead, the Nigerian will be there and is ready to put Napoli on his shoulders, even though his teammates have done very well even in his absence. Spalletti also hopes to have Rrahmani back, knocked out by the flu: should he make it, the starting shirt would be his, vice versa Juan Jesus is ready, just like in Bergamo. Anguissa's suspension forces the coach to review the midfield, so we'll see a 4-3-3 (or 4-2-3-1, depending on the interpretation) with Ospina in goal, Zanoli, Juan Jesus, Koulibaly and Mario Rui in defense, Fabian Ruiz, Lobotka and Zielinski in midfield, Politano, Osimhen and Insigne in attack. The same game system also for Fiorentina, determined to score points to continue pursuing the European dream: Italian, despite the absences of Bonaventura and Odriozola, will try to conquer Maradona for the second time this season with Terracciano between the posts, Venuti, Milenkovic, Igor and Biraghi in the backline, Castrovilli, Amrabat and Duncan in the midfield, Nico Gonzalez, Cabral (favorite over Piatek) and Sottil in the offensive trident.
The other matches
The rest of 32nd, except for Venice-Udinese (15 pm) and the Monday night between Bologna and Sampdoria, will live on the axis Rome-Genoa-Reggio Emilia, where interesting clashes will take place both in terms of Europe and salvation. The most interesting spin will be that of Marassi, where Sarri's Lazio will try to overcome the Genoa obstacle, charged to a thousand after yesterday's defeat by Cagliari, but also the Olimpico will host a match with a double twist, although Salernitana seems now resigned to relegation. However, Mourinho must be careful, because the environment is now very concentrated on the return match against Bodo Glimt on Thursday, especially after the nasty facts of the first leg (the Norwegian coach attacked a Portuguese collaborator), with the risk of underestimating the bells and meet bad impressions. The same can be said of theAtalanta, whose head is definitely turned to Leipzig: here, however, the pitfalls are much greater, given that Sassuolo certainly has no problem putting the big ones down. In short, Sunday promises to be really beautiful at all latitudes, none esc
