Milan and Roma grab Napoli, while Inter slows down. This is the synthesis of Sunday's championship, which saw the (deserved) success of the Rossoneri against Lazio, the (incredible) success of the Giallorossi against Sassuolo and the draw for the Nerazzurri against Sampdoria. The classification therefore sees Pioli, Spalletti and Mourinho in the lead all together passionately, with Inzaghi immediately behind; a little further behind Sarri, while Allegri is even at minus 8, sunk to 16th place.
The heaviest victory of the day is definitely that of Milan, capable of canceling Lazio's most dangerous weapon, or rather its much-celebrated offensive phase. This time however, after the goal binge against Empoli and Spezia, the biancocelesti were unable to create almost anything, partly because of them, much thanks to the Rossoneri, who were definitely more on the ball from the first minutes. With Ibra on the bench and Giroud in the pits, Pioli bet on Rebic "falso nueve" and the Florenzi-Diaz-Leao trident behind him: it paid off, in particular from the Portuguese and the Croatian, authors of a splendid performance from the start in the end.
The result was a controlled match in crescendo, with the decisive episodes straddling the first half. The minutes between half-time saw Leao score (45', assist by Rebic) and Kessié first get hold of (foul by Immobile) and then miss a penalty by sending it over the crossbar to Reina beaten (45+6'). In the second half, Lazio tried to rev up the engine, but the Rossoneri didn't allow it, driven by a great Tonali (the best ever since he moved from Brescia) and by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored after just 7' from his entrance (67'). Success thus became a reality, also because Sarri's team never managed to get back into the game, almost as if they were now resigned to defeat.
"We had to show that Milan can play well and must be convinced of their qualities, today we did better than Lazio and deservedly won - he exulted Pioli – Ibra entered the field very well since he hadn't played for four months. He never gets old, he has a great passion and an incredible fire inside ”.
In the opposite mood the blue and white coach, sent off in the final for a dispute with Saelemaekers. “He made a gesture that isn't done to elderly people, but that's it, they're things on the pitch – he glossed over in the press conference – This wasn't the match we had prepared, for me it's a source of disappointment, then you also have to be clear-headed , it is clear that I am asking for something very different than what they were used to. The team must have the courage to go and defend in the opposing half of the field, if they are to lose by not playing our football…”.
For a Lazio that takes a clear step back there is one Roma who wins again and goes to hook Milan and Naples, thus completing the unprecedented trio of leaders. It was a crazy match for the Olimpico, with two teams creating series of chances as if they were two boxers without guards, leaving the result open to any scenario: in the end, however, as often happened in his long and very rich career, Mourinho won, thus able to celebrate the 1000th bench with a wild run under the South, mad with joy after the goal in full stoppage time by El Shaarawy (91'), decisive for the final 2-1 after Djuricic (57') had responded to Cristante (37').
“During the week I was also lying to myself in telling everyone that it wasn't a special match – explained Lo Special One – It was, it was a special issue for me. Now I will remember that my 1000th bench was this: it could have finished 7-7, but we won instead".
Nothing happened instead for Inzaghi, blocked at 2-2 by D'Aversa's Sampdoria. Marassi's game was a thrilling one, with Inter unable to take the 3 points despite going ahead twice, first with a splendid free-kick from Dimarco (18'), then with a choral action rousing applause started by Barella and finished by Lautaro Martinez (44'), on the pitch from the start despite the intercontinental trip in recent days. However, the Sampdoria had the merit of not giving up, finding an equalizer twice, the first with Yoshida (32', Dzeko's unfortunate deflection was decisive), then with Augello, author of a beautiful goal from an assist from Bereszynski (47 ').
"I'm sorry because we had to and wanted to win this match - Inzaghi's bitter comment - We missed three simple chances, it would have been very important, a team like ours, in these conditions, must bring home the victory: we are left with a bitter mouth, but the performance was there”. Now a day off, after which the big locals will dive into the European cups, for a terrific week that will see, among others, Liverpool-Milan and Inter-Real Madrid.
