A victory that saves the…bench. Milan wins in Genoa and Giampaoloas a result, you are given a stay in Milanello, as well as a slightly more serene break. But since the analyzes cannot be limited only to the result, it is right to underline the enormous suffering of this 1-2 in Liguria, testifying that the Rossoneri's technical-tactical crisis is still there, almost as tangible as the standings. Which, unlike the game, benefits enormously from this result: just think that the same, at the interval, saw the Devil in the relegation zone together with Sassuolo, Brescia, Lecce and Spal
On the other hand, the turnaround is worth 9 points, still few but still a step forward compared to the day before, a figure that will help the club think better during the break, in the hope that it will be a real reboot and not a simple palliative. Because, on Marassi's Saturday, there are only the 3 points that are good, certainly not the performance and not even the choices, which once again proved to be wrong.
Milan's first half, with Paquetà and Leao on the bench, was simply unwatchable, so much so that Genoa seemed penultimate to be a team in great physical and mental health. The 1-0 of Schone (41') arrived on a duck from Reina, deployed in Donnarumma's place due to a problem that arose in the warm-up, but the substance does not change: rossoblu deservedly ahead and Giampaolo with suitcases in hand. Perhaps this must have inspired him in the substitutions, decisive in directing the recovery almost as much as the referee Mariani and his colleague at the Var Mazzoleni, for a mix of emotions and continuous and sensational twists. In fact, the match resumed with Leao and Paquetà in place of Piatek and Calhanoglu, but above all with a draw by Hernandez, good and clever in exploiting a Genoese ingenuity and beating Radu on his post (51').
A heavy punch for Andreazzolli, but nothing compared to what happened shortly after, with Biraschi stopping Leao with his arm, for a penalty converted by Kessié (57 '), with expulsion for a clear goal chance attached. Match completely overturned and in the hands of Milan, who, however, faithful to their criticisms, were not only unable to close it but not even to manage it, ending up suffering progressively up to the climax of the 79th minute, when Calabria, already booked, thought well to detain Kouamé, thus remedying aexpulsion both just and silly. However, Mariani gave the last jolt to the match, who in the 89th minute conceded a strictness to Genoa for an alleged, but very presumed, foul by Reina on the Rossoblu striker himself: questionable decision yet confirmed by the Var, and turned off only by the porter Spaniard, splendid in repelling Schone's shot and redeeming the duck of the first half.
“The match was difficult and we went breathless, then we were good in the second half to stick our heads out – commented Giampaolo. – There was a lot of pressure around this match, let's not forget that ours is the youngest team and it's not easy to manage it well. I had asked the boys for the most characterful match of their lives and I'm happy with their answer". Today, however, it's up to Naples and Rome, engaged respectively with Turin (18pm) and Cagliari (15pm).
A hot Sunday for both, especially as the clash at the top between Inter and Juve will inevitably make it possible to recover a few points. Provided you don't make a mistake of course, and in this sense the precedents of both are too fresh not to be taken into consideration. This is especially true for the Azzurri, who started with Scudetto ambitions and therefore forced to go back up the ladder standings, which, at the moment, sees them 6 points behind Conte and 4 behind Sarri. Beat the bull and sit in an armchair to see the derby of Italy would make sense, vice versa it would only be an evening for disinterested spectators, ruined by the regret of what could have been and which instead was not.
However, we will only know this after the match at the Grande Torinofurther inflamed by the case Mazzarri, expelled in Parma but rehabilitated by the sports judge, and therefore present on the bench. “It gives me justice, I hadn't done anything – the grenade technician rejoiced. – We look for continuity of results and performances even if they are strong, they made some missteps when they thought they had already won but this time they won't underestimate us. We will do everything to make life difficult for a great team."
AncelotHowever, he is grappling with a real defensive emergency, as evidenced by the absences of the suspended Koulibaly and the injured Maksimovic and Mario Rui. The turnover back there, in short, it will be more a necessity than a choice, with Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Luperto and Ghoulam to protect Meret's goal. For the rest, however, everything is confirmed, therefore Callejon, Zielinski, Fabian Ruiz and Insigne (case resolved) in midfield, Llorente and Mertens in attack. Classic 3-5-2, net of the suspended Bremer and the injured Zaza, also for Mazzarri, who will respond with Sirigu in goal, Izzo, Nkolou and Bonifazi in the back, De Silvestri, Baselli, Rincon, Meite and Ansaldi in median, Belotti and Verdi in attack. Delicate match also in Rome, where Fonseca's giallorossi are called to beat Cagliari in order not to lose, perhaps definitively, the early train.
“It will be a complicated match, we had little time to recover but the team is responding well from a physical point of view – the analysis of the Portuguese coach. – The pressure of the environment? In football it exists and you have to accept it, anyone who can't stand it can't be a professional footballer, they should probably get a large piece of land and start growing potatoes. So for sure he would be more relaxed…”. Strong words, from those who know about him but also the need to get results, in one way or another. If Ancelotti has absence problems, Fonseca he's in much worse shape: Zappacosta's injury is yet another in a long list, which also includes Under, Perotti, Pellegrini, Florenzi and Mkhitaryan. A disaster, which will force him to line up a botched 4-2-3-1 with Pau Lopez in goal, Spinazzola, Fazio, Smalling and Kolarov in defense, Cristante and Diawara in midfield, Zaniolo, Veretout and Kluivert in the trocar. Dzeko in attack. Mara will attempt the coup of the definitive consecration with a 4-3-1-2 which will see Olsen between the posts, Cacciatore, Ceppitelli, Pisacane and Pellegrini in the back department, Nandez, Nainggolan and Rog in the midfield, Castro in support of the offensive pair composed of Joao Pedro and Simeone.
