A dream called Champions. Atalanta, Naples, Rome and Lazio are also entering the final rush, with the awareness that, barring sensational twists, there is only one place left (or at most two) to enter the Europe that counts. A mini-tournament that promises to be wonderful, because everyone has what it takes to win it, without forgetting that Napoli and Lazio still have one match to recover (the Azzurri will do it on Wednesday against Juve, while the Biancocelesti's match against Turin is currently , has no date yet). The upcoming Easter holiday also gives away a very rare case of contemporaneity, given that Atalanta-Udinese, Napoli-Crotone, Sassuolo-Roma and Lazio-Spezia will all be played at 15pm.
“This is a different season, there are other situations, many teams are closer, it will be a hard-fought and battled finale – confirmed Gasperini -. The matches are all difficult, it won't be easy to make predictions: there are many teams in the middle…”. Difficult to blame him, that's why days like this, where all, apparently, meet teams within reach, become decisive. The Nerazzurri coach, now accustomed to the European atmosphere, knows well he has to beat Udinese and to do so he will rely on the 3-4-1-2 type with Gollini in goal, Toloi, Romero and Palomino in defence, Maehle, De Roon , Freuler and Gosens in midfield, Pessina behind offensive duo composed of Muriel and Zapata. 3-5-2 instead for Gotti, who will respond with Musso between the posts, Becao, Bonifazi and Nuytinck in the back, Stryger Larsen, De Paul, Walace, Pereyra and Zeegelar in the midfield, Forestieri and Llorente in attack. A match to be won at all costs also for Napoli, engaged in Maradona against bottom side Crotone.
On paper there doesn't seem to be a game, but the Azzurri mustn't underestimate the Calabrians, last but recovering, as demonstrated before the break. Gattuso was able to breathe a sigh of relief yesterday with Zielinski, whose swab gave a negative result: the Pole, one of the best in this troubled season, will therefore be regularly available. For the rest, Napoli's 4-2-3-1 will be the typical one, net of some choices in anticipation of the away match in Turin on Wednesday and the disqualification of Koulibaly, therefore Meret in goal, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Maksimovic and Mario Rui in defense, Fabian Ruiz and Bakayoko in midfield, Politano, Zielinski and Insigne in the frontline, Osimhen in attack. Almost impossible feat for Cosmi, who however will try with a 3-4-1-2 with Cordaz in goal, Djidji, Golemic and Luperto in the back, Pedro Pereira, Zanellato, Benali and Molina in the midfield, Messias behind the pair offensive composed by Simy and Ounas.
On the other hand, the choice of Sassuolo not to convene the Italian internationals, following the outbreak that exploded in the blue retreat, weighs on Roma's away match in Emilia. So far the only players involved have been Bonucci and Verratti (the other four were staff members), but the Neroverde club does not want to take risks and has decided to leave out Locatelli, Ferrari, Caputo and Berardi (the last two, however, were injured). For the Giallorossi, who instead won't do anything like that (like the other clubs), it could be a great advantage, even if the imminent away match in Amsterdam risks taking away concentration. “The priority is this match, I'm focused only on Sassuolo, then I'll think about Ajax – cut Fonseca short -. There are still 30 points left, we have every chance to finish in the top four.”
Condition that would be basic to continue the project, otherwise the turnaround on the bench (which according to many will happen regardless) would become inevitable. The coach, as always in the last period, has been grappling with heavy absences such as Smalling, Kumbulla (season over), Zaniolo, Mkhitaryan and the suspended Ibanez and Villar, but will still be able to count on a 3-4-2-1 of everything compared with Pau Lopez in goal, Karsdorp, Cristante and Mancini in defense, Bruno Peres, Pellegrini, Diawara and Spinazzola in midfield, Carles Perez and Pedro in the trocar, Borja Mayoral in attack. Many problems, as previously mentioned, also for De Zerbi, who will respond with a 4-2-3-1 with Consigli in goal, Toljan, Chiriches, Marlon Santos and Rogerio in the back, Magnanelli and Obiang in the midfield, Traoré, Djuricic and Boga behind the lone striker Raspadori.
A very delicate match also for Lazio, the only ones to have scored points even during the break: the mild sentence on the tampons affair, in fact, avoided the risk of a penalty, relaunching it in the middle of the Champions League run. The home round against Spezia could further increase the chances, provided you don't make a mistake. “We're there together with Atalanta and the other five, we have well-equipped teams ahead of us, but we want to stay in the Europe that counts – growled Inzaghi -. We come from two very important consecutive victories, but now we have to follow up. My renewal? You know, we'll see you with the president shortly, but I don't think there will be any problems". The Biancoceleste coach will have to give up on the bruised Luis Alberto, otherwise the usual 3-5-2 with Reina in goal, Marusic, Acerbi and Radu in defense, Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Pereira and Lulic in midfield, Correa and Building in attack. Ordinance system also for the Italian, who will respond with a 4-3-3 that will see Zoet between the posts, Ferrer, Erlic, Ismaili and Bastoni in the back department, Pobega, Ricci and Maggiore in the midfield, Farias, Nzola and Gyasi in the trident offensive.
