Maximum results with minimum effort. Inter conquered Frosinone thanks to a goal from Icardi and relaunched their candidacy for third place, albeit waiting for Roma (tomorrow against Bologna) and Fiorentina (today in Empoli, at 12.30) to make their moves. Success away from San Siro had been missing since 6 January: that day the Nerazzurri beat Empoli with a cynical and painful 1-0, yesterday they did roughly the same thing. In fact, Frosinone can legitimately recriminate for the 3 hit woodworks (!) that denied the joy of the goal, as well as a great chance for salvation, still very possible. “In the first half, however, we could have been ahead by at least two goals – replied Mancini. – They created above all in the second half but we have always had the ball in our hands ". Questionable vision (as always, after all) of an unspectacular but certainly intense match, between two teams unable to make discounts of any kind. Mancini has chosen to gamble with a somewhat surprising 4-4-2 formation, with Melo and Brozovic in central midfield, Biabiany and Perisic on the flanks and the Jovetic-Icardi duo in attack. A lot of push on the wingers has produced various dangerous situations, although Frosinone, ever closer to relegation to Serie B, has certainly not stood by and watched. After a Nerazzurri-tinged first half, the second half saw the hosts on the shields, in an attempt to find a goal that would have given new impetus to their salvation ambitions. Between 56' and 72' the Ciociari hit two posts (Blanchard and Paganini) and a crossbar (Pavlovic from a free-kick), causing Stellone to curse and all of Matusa with him. Then, as often happens in football, the most classic and ruthless of laws materialized: wrong goal, conceded goal. In the 74th minute Perisic brushed from the left and Icardi, like a true striker of breed, converted into the net with a powerful and precise header. The 1-0 put out Frosinone's ardor, also because, a few minutes later (80'), Blanchard got his second yellow card, thus leaving his teammates in 10. Mancini can smile for the 3 points, a little less for his performance but this, with just over a month to go before the end of the championship, is certainly a secondary note.
Victory will also have to be for Napoli (15 pm), otherwise not only will their dreams of glory end (Juve are momentarily 9 points away) but they will risk a sensational approach from Roma, which could even compromise second place in the standings. To ruin the Azzurri's plans will be Delneri's Verona, bottom of the championship but not yet dead, as demonstrated by the victory in Bologna last week. Sarri, disqualified and in silence from the press, will have various training problems, children of the nervousness of Udine which has brought tension and disqualifications. Above all that of Higuain, in the first of the 4 days to be served (provided that the appeal is not successful), but also of Koulibaly and Mertens, forced to watch the match from the stands. However, Sarri's only real doubt concerns the goal: Reina is called up but still has pain in his calf, if he doesn't make it, Gabriel is ready. For the rest, the anti-Verona moves are decided: Hysaj, Albiol, Chiriches and Ghoulam in defense, Allan, Jorginho and Hamsik in midfield, Callejon, Gabbiadini and Insigne in attack. Delneri will attempt the almost-impossible feat with the 4-2-3-1 already seen in Bologna, including the grandstand for Toni. Gollini will be between the posts, in front of him Pisano, Bianchetti, Samir and Albertazzi, Marrone and Ionita in the midfield, Wszolek, Gomez and Rebic in the trocar behind the lone striker Pazzini.
