Now it's getting serious. After the appetizers of the first two days come the main courses, or three big matches come Rome-Milan, Napoli-Lazio e Inter-Fiorentina. We start tonight with the match at the Olimpico, on a Friday full of topics like never before: in addition to the match, in fact, the chiusura of the market, set for 20. It's difficult to close big deals, but the big names (in particular the Devil, mocked on the Taremi front) continue to look around in search of the classic last-minute coup.
Rome – Milan (20.45 pm, Dazn)
Very delicate match that of the Olimpico, both for the Rome that for the Milan. Looking at the standings, it is clearly the Giallorossi who need the points the most, but the Rossoneri too cannot afford any missteps: slipping into the capital would reduce their victories with Bologna e Turin, especially since after the stop there will be the derby with Inter. No one can make mistakes and this brings us back to the last precedent of April 29, when Mourinho and Pioli challenged each other for a place in the Champions League. Since it was the end of the season, the stake was decidedly higher, yet the pressure load remained almost unchanged, even more so after the latest market events. Rome gave itself the blow Lukaku, which increased potential, ambitions and expectations, Milan instead saw it fade Taremis (we'll talk about it shortly), but still remains the protagonist after the summer revolution. Of course, the very complicated Champions League draw (Psg, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle) invites the club to try one last shot, even if the feeling of having done an excellent job remains decidedly strong.
Taremi definitely missed for commissions, Milan divided between Pavlidis and Willian José
Pioli would have liked the icing on the cake, namely a weight forward to alternate with Giroud. The chosen one seemed to be Taremis of the Port, at one point so close as to seem almost taken. But then, as has already happened in other negotiations (Samardzic-Inter above all), have arrived problems di commissions right at the photo finish, so big as to blow up the whole operation. The insertion of a new intermediary, in fact, would have increased the initial costs (15 million plus 3 bonus) by around 10 million, decidedly too much for Milan, forced (also due to an inevitable irritation) to raise the white flag. At this point Furlani e Moncada they will try to find an alternative at the same prices (we are talking about Pavlidis of Az Alkmaar e Willian José of Betis Sevilla), with the enormous difficulty of having to fight against time: the market closes at 20pm, just before the match against Roma.
Pioli doesn't fear Lukaku: "On paper he's a great signing, but the pitch is something else..."
“If we start to define each game as a turning point, we will end up saying it all the time – he glossed over Pioli -. We are Milan and we play to win, we face a strong team that has only one point in the standings, but which was the best in the league in terms of offensive and defensive data. We don't know what Roma will propose, but we are ready and prepared to play our football. The market? I have such capable managers that we are not even speaking, they know that I am preparing an important match. The enthusiasm unleashed by Lukaku? Certain circles stimulate us, then it's certainly an important acquisition on paper, but we'll have to see what the field will say, that's another thing”.
Rome - Milan, the formations: Mou brings Lukaku and Dybala to the bench, Pioli confirms the eleven-type
At Roma, for obvious reasons, the focus is all on Lukaku e Dybala: the news is that both will be called up and available, even if not from the first minute. Big Rom, who landed in the capital a couple of days ago, is still far from the best shape, but Mou and his staff were pleasantly surprised by the first athletic tests, which revealed an at least acceptable condition. The Argentine, on the other hand, despite the exams ruling out any injuries (he stopped in Verona due to a problem with his adductor), must always be managed with great care, therefore the Special One, when he returns to the bench after the disqualification, will leave him on the bench for then throw him into the fray when the need arises. The Giallorossi 3-5-2 will see like this Rui Patricio in goal, Mancini, Smalling e N'Dicka in defence, Kristensen, Pellegrini, Crystalline, Aouar e Zalewski in midfield, El Shaarawy e Belotti in attack, with Lukaku e Dybala ready to take over ongoing tenders. No doubts instead for Pioli, determined to confirm the team that won and convinced with Bologna and Turin. The Rossoneri 4-3-3 will be made up of maignan between the poles, Calabria, Thiaw, Tumor e Hernandez in the back department, Loftus Cheek, krunic e Reinders in the median, Pulisic, Giroud e Lion in the offensive trident.
