Milan-Empoli and Sampdoria-Juventus, the race starts again. The advances of the 28th day give us two very interesting challenges involving the Rossoneri and the Bianconeri, as well as obviously all the direct competitors, both in terms of title is Champions. We can't talk about big matches, but given the unpredictability of this championship it's good to keep your antennas straight: in fact, the so-called small ones are regularly taking away points from the big ones, influencing the high rankings not a little.
Milan-Empoli (20 pm, Dazn and Sky Sport)
Pioli's Milan knows something about it, very good in direct clashes and decidedly less in those with the other teams. The last segment of the championship (draw with Salernitana and Udinese, victory in Naples) confirmed the trend, but the examples are many and date back to the first leg. But now, with 10 days to go, it becomes essential to change gears, also because the high-altitude challenges are decidedly fewer than the others. To understand if the Devil has learned his lesson, it will be enough to observe the next triptych with Empoli, Cagliari and Bologna: 9 points, regardless of what the competitors do, would give a big boost towards the Scudetto.
Tonight's race, in a San Siro full of public and enthusiasm, it thus becomes a test that is anything but trivial, as well as very important both for ranking and moral issues.
Milan-Empoli: the words of Pioli and the formations
"There was no need for my intervention to make people understand how important this match is, past experiences leave us something, but we are focused only on the future - he underlined Pioli talking about the Milan-Empoli match -. All championships are played and won even with dirty, suffered and fought matches, we will have to be humble and believe in our qualities. The team is determined, convinced, but also serene. We will be able to face all matches with the right concentration and the right determination. The competition? Only Empoli scares me, they're a team that created many difficulties for us in the first leg, even if we won by scoring 4 goals”.
The coach is aware of how much this challenge counts beyond the 3 points, because failing it after winning in Naples would give a real blow to the morale of the environment. For the first time in a long time, however, he will have almost the entire squad available, even if he will have to give up a key element like Hernandez, in the pits due to disqualification. The Rossoneri 4-2-3-1 will thus see Maignan in goal, Calabria, Tomori, Kalulu and Florenzi in defence, Bennacer and Tonali in midfield, Messias, Kessié and Leao in the frontline, Giroud in attack, with Ibrahimovic ready to take over from the bench . Andreazzoli, relatively calm given the 32 points in the standings (+ 10 over Venice third from last) but without victories since last December 12, will respond with a 4-3-2-1 with Vicario in goal, Stojanovic, Romagnoli, Luperto and Parisi in the backline, Zurkowski, Asllani and Bandinelli in the midfield, Bajrami and Henderson behind the lone striker Pinamonti.
Sampdoria-Juventus (18:00 on Dazn)
The other key match on Saturday is that of Marassi, where Allegri's Juventus will go in search of 15 consecutive useful results in the championship. A very important role, obtained with little show but a lot of effectiveness, which allowed the Lady to overtake Atalanta in fourth place and even try to think about the Scudetto. The thought, at the moment, is not yet completely concrete, but the next two matches will be very important: 6 points between Genoa and Salernitana, in fact, would allow the bianconeri to go and play for everything in the direct clash with Inter of the 3rd April.
Failing the two games mentioned above would instead be equivalent to raising the white flag, which is why Allegri he wants to see the usual cynical and concrete team, able to snatch the full booty without spending too much energy, especially as Villarreal will arrive on Wednesday for the inside or outside of the Champions League.
Samp-Juve: the words of Allegri and the formations
“This challenge comes at a decisive moment in the season, even if there are still two months left in the league – confirmed the Juventus coach -. Before the break there is a busy week and we hope it will be a lot of fun. With Giampaolo at home, Sampdoria did very well and it won't be easy, seeing the data, they are a team that approaches the challenge well and will attack us, they need points to save themselves and we need to finish in the top four. It's enough for us to be there, then if we're second, third or fourth, it doesn't change much”.
In short, the word scudetto remains taboo, even if private Allegri does the calculations. Dybala should lend a hand in this final rush, whose contractual affairs continue to hold much more than his matches. And so, while the stalemate continues between the Juventus management and his agent Antun (the postponement of the match was interpreted by many as a sign of rupture), the Argentine warms up the engines in view of the Champions League, an appointment for the probable return between the summoned.
At Marassi, on the other hand, Juve will have to do without him and 7 other players again, for a 4-3-3 that will see Szczesny in goal, Danilo, De Ligt, Rugani and Pellegrini in defense, Locatelli, Arthur and Rabiot in midfield, Cuadrado, Kean and Morata in attack, with Vlahovic who could (conditionally) rest in view of Villarreal. Giampaolo, back from two defeats in a row against Atalanta and Udinese, will focus on the usual 4-3-1-2 with Falcone in goal, Bereszynski, Yoshida, Colley and Augello in the back, Candreva, Ekdal and Thorsby in the midfield, Sensi at shoulders of the offensive duo made up of Caputo and Quagliarella.
