A great answer, a record-breaking answer. Napoli beat Lazio with a clear 4-1 and regained the lead in the standings, effectively nullifying Juve's victory in Florence on Friday evening. Everything as before then? Not a chance. Because from a turn like this it was legitimate to expect some jolts and the simple fact that it hasn't arrived, in itself, is already news. Allegri's team launches the challenge, Sarri's team not only takes it up but sends it back to the sender: and so the most exciting Scudetto duel in recent years is better than served. In any case, the signal coming from San Paolo is an important one: the Azzurri not only won (and well) against an important opponent like Lazio but they also did it in a comeback, canceling a decidedly first half with a great second half. under tone. Ready and go and the first goal arrives, only it is not Sarri's team but Inzaghi's, thanks to a flying paw from De Vrij that freezes Fuorigrotta. Napoli feel the pinch and for almost the entire first half fail to scratch the rocky Lazio, well placed in the field and ready to restart whenever the opportunity presents itself: almost everything however, because in the 44th minute Jorginho cues Callejon on offside edge and the Spaniard scores the 1-1. It's time for a turning point: Lazio, in fact, will never recover from the blow. The second half is a hymn to football by Sarri, who from the stands (he had been expelled for protests) enjoys one of his best seasonal performances. Callejon propitiates Wallace's 2-1 own goal (54 '), Mario Rui (or Zielinski, depending on what the League decides) finds the 3-1 with a shot from distance (56'), Mertens blocks everything by finalizing a spectacular action like few others (73'). “In the first half we were nervous and physically inferior, in the second half we repeated the usual dribble and the quality came out – commented Sarri. – The team has shown maturity and with it the public, we certainly don't suffer from vertigo”. Lazio, on the other hand, comes out with broken bones, grappling with a third consecutive defeat and forced to "gufare" Inter and Roma like never before: in the event of victories for both, in fact, they would even find themselves out of the Champions League zone. “The second half was unacceptable, we weren't a team and we deserved to lose – sighed Inzaghi. – If you play like this at the San Paolo you pay for it, now we have to understand our mistakes and get back on track immediately”.
Napoli smiles but also Milan, who archive the 24th day with a resounding success against Spal. The 4-0 in Ferrara, in addition to representing the roundest victory of this championship, is an excellent answer to those who, like us, wondered what the team's real ambitions might be. The Europe area is essentially hooked, now we just have to see how the direct clashes will go (Sampdoria, Roma and Inter are the next matches on the calendar) to understand if a window can even open up for the most important one. Merit of Gattuso, capable of revitalizing a group that seemed on the verge of the abyss and which, however, evidently still had something to say. “This success shouldn't confuse judgments, it wasn't easy at all – the AC Milan coach's analysis. – We have to look forward to the next match, but we mustn't think that the result will solve all our problems. The only thing I ask the boys is not to stop believing in their ability, I know they are excellent players and can give even more”. Humility, hunger and self-esteem, here it is the recipe that led Milan to score 4 wins and 2 draws in their last 6 games. Yesterday's was the most convincing, at least in terms of results: a 4-0, moreover on the road, hasn't been seen for a long time. Decisive, once again, that Cutrone launched from the beginning due to the unavailability of Kalinic and who now, however, rightly claims permanent ownership. It was he who unlocked the match in Ferrara with a strike in the 2nd minute, it was always he who directed him with another one in the middle of the second half (65'), when Spal pushed and Gattuso began to relive the ghosts of Udine. Biglia (73') closed the game, before Borini, who took over from Kessie in the final, put the exclamation point with a powerful and precise left foot (90'). A morale-boosting victory that allows us to launch the challenge to the European zone: Milan are back, now we can say it seriously.
