Now it gets serious. The last (and fortunately positive) stop has been archived National, it's time to dive back into the championship, this time not to stop until March. In fact, club football will not have any breaks even during the Christmas period, giving rise to a real tour de force in which it will no longer be possible to stop and reflect: from here on out it will be a brawl, both as regards Serie A and the European cups. Looking forward to the challenge between Juventus and Inter of tomorrow, which will tell us a lot about the Scudetto race, we start with three very interesting previews such as Milan-Fiorentina, Atalanta-Naples e Salernitana-Lazio, definitely indicative for the fight for the Champions League zone.
Milan – Fiorentina (20.45pm, Dazn and Sky)
A San Siro a delicate competition will take place, between a Milan looking for revenge after the draw in Lecce and one Fiorentina determined to confirm the signs of awakening seen with Bologna. An almost decisive week begins for Pioli, in which the Scudetto discussion will be outlined (the clash between Juventus and Inter must be exploited) and, above all, the future in the Champions League. Unfortunately for him the emergency continues to take center stage injuries, even worsened during the break, given that Okafor was also added to the already long list, forcing him to call up the very young player camarda. If the boy (15 years, 8 months and 15 days) were to take the field he would become the youngest debutant in the history of Serie A, surpassing the current record of Wisdom Amey, launched in 2021 by the late Mihajlovic at 15 years, 9 months and 1 day. The moment is delicate, also because up front there will be an unpredictable team like Fiorentina, capable of alternating great performances (Napoli's victory above all) with sensational flops (see the home defeat against Empoli).
Pioli goes beyond the emergency and launches Camarda: "Talent has no age"
“This injury issue is the only worry I have, unfortunately we haven't managed to lower the number – he admitted Pioli at the press conference -. They're not just happening to us, but our numbers are bad. We have never worked with such clear situations at hand for data and analysis: we are trying to arrive at a better performance to lower the average. The problem is the calendars, something needs to be done to ensure they are diluted a little: the current one is bad for the players' health and for the entertainment. We work to grow, not to look for a culprit, but to improve. I know very well what my role represents, many honors and many criticisms. I move forward with my ideas, my club and my team. Camarda? Talent has no age and he is talented. Destiny creates certain opportunities for you, he is very young, but already mature in character. He is happy, happy to be with us and ready to lend us a hand if there is already an opportunity."
Milan – Fiorentina, the lineups: Pioli relies on the Chukwueze-Jovic-Pulisic trident, the Italian finds Beltran again
The entrance of baby Camarda, given the shortage of attackers, it is not at all unlikely, on the contrary: Pioli hopes he won't need them, but if the match were to go badly he would have only one solution. Giroud's disqualification (he will also miss Frosinone) and the injuries of Leao (difficult to recover in the Champions League too) and Okafor will force him to focus on a trident that is at least unusual, while in the other departments things are a little better, in light of the returns of Loftus-Cheek and Calabria. The 4-3-3 Rossoneri will thus see Maignan in goal, Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori and Theo Hernandez in defense, Musah, Reijnders and Pobega in midfield, Chukwueze, Jovic and Pulisic in attack. Italian, without the suspended Ranieri, will respond with a 4-2-3-1 with Terracciano between the posts, Parisi, Martinez Quarta, Milenkovic and Biraghi in the defensive department, Arthur and Duncan in the midfield, Nico Gonzalez, Bonaventura and Brekalo behind the lone striker Beltran.
Atalanta – Naples (18pm, Dazn)
Even more incandescent atmosphere at the Gewiss Stadium, where Gasperini's Atalanta will inaugurate Mazzarri's new Napoli. The coach from San Vincenzo is undoubtedly the tastiest news of the post-break, but certainly not the only reason of interest in this never banal challenge. The ranking, in fact, says that it is a Champions League play-off, with the Bergamo team who, in the event of victory, would actually overtake the Azzurri. Chilling scenario, resulting from the sensational thud against Empoli that cost Garcia his job, which Mazzarri will try to avoid by working first and foremost on the players' heads. His Napoli, as we will see shortly, will not be different in terms of playing system and men, but it will have to be different from a mental point of view, the true Achilles' heel of the Garcia era. Gasperini, for his part, hopes to find an opponent who is still fragile and scared, which is why he will start strong, trying to knock him out immediately: as the minutes pass, in fact, the Azzurri could make the most of their technical advantage, perhaps playing the card Osimhen, called up again and ready to take over from the bench.
Mazzarri (re)introduces himself: “I've changed, I don't complain anymore. Scudetto? Talking about it makes no sense."
“I have to be careful how I speak, I'm famous for complaining and so now there's another Mazzarri – began the new Italian coach -. We had important, decisive matches in a delicate moment, but I always felt good when I threw myself in without thinking about the consequences. If I had been concerned about the calendar I wouldn't have come. When you enter a period like this you can't set yourself goals, you think about dying in the next match, improving the team, creating enthusiasm, fighting in the 90 minutes and then taking stock. If we don't win again it's useless to talk about the championship. We lost the last one, we are 10 points from the top, it would make no sense to make proclamations and think about the Scudetto... What do I reply to those who call me 'boiled'? If it's good, I'll eat it too."
Atalanta – Napoli, the lineups: Mazzarri with Zielinski in doubt, Gasperini without De Roon
The doubt on the eve concerns Zielinski, recovering from a bad tonsillitis which forced him to leave the Polish retreat prematurely. Mazzarri hopes to be able to field him from the start, but if not he would focus on Elmas, one of the most neglected by Garcia's management. For the rest it will be 4-3-3 with Meret in goal, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Natan and Olivera in defense, Anguissa and Lobotka in midfield, Politano, Raspadori and Kvaratskhelia in attack, with Osimhen ready to come on from the bench. Gasperini has found Scalvini and Toloi again, but will have to do without the suspended De Roon: his place will be occupied by Koopmeiners, with Pasalic acting as an attacking midfielder. The Nerazzurri 3-4-1-2 will see Carnesecchi between the posts, Scalvini, Djimsiti and Kolasinac in the defensive department, Hateboer, Ederson, Koopmeiners and Zappacosta in the midfield, Pasalic behind the attacking pair formed by Lookman and Scamacca.
Salernitana – Lazio (15 pm, Dazn)
Salernitana-Lazio completes the championship on Saturday, with points up for grabs both for Europe and for salvation. Sarri, fresh from the draw in the derby, knows well that the time has come to accelerate, but Inzaghi, fresh from the equalizer on the Sassuolo pitch, can no longer afford missteps and will do everything to stop him. It is reasonable to expect a fiery match, also because Salerno sees red every time they meet Lotito and sees no better opportunity than this to take the first three points of the season. Of course, Lazio are clearly superior and have already made too many mistakes to make more: fortunately for them, however, the table is still short and the direct clashes mentioned above could finally make it pleasant, provided they conquer Arechi. Woe to think about Celtic, in short, because if it is true that playing in the Champions League round of XNUMX doesn't happen often, it is also true that qualifying for the next one is equally important. Up front, as previously mentioned, there will be a Salernitana team with water up their throats, albeit encouraged by the draw in Reggio Emilia: Inzaghi hopes it wasn't an exception, but rather the right spark to rekindle their hopes of salvation.
Salernitana – Lazio, the lineups: Sarri without Luis Alberto and Romagnoli, Inzaghi loses Ochoa and Dia
Several problems for Sarri, first of all due to the disqualification of Luis Alberto, who has so far been untouchable, but also due to the injuries of Romagnoli and Vecino. Furthermore, the coach has to deal with the ailments of Zaccagni and Rovella (recovered, but only for the bench), which will force him to modify the usual 4-3-3 by relying on Provedel in goal, Lazzari, Patric, Gila and Marusic in defense, Guendouzi, Cataldi and Kamada in midfield, Felipe Anderson, Immobile and Pedro in attack. Inzaghi will respond with a 4-3-2-1 with Costil between the posts (Ochoa returned injured from the national team), Mazzocchi, Fazio, Pirola and Bradaric in the defensive department, Coulibaly, Bohinen and Legowski in the midfield, Candreva and Kastanos behind Ikwuemesi, who will replace the injured Dia.
