Inter tries to escape, but Milan doesn't give up. Championship Sunday under the sign of the Milanese, who continue their long-distance question and answer for the Scudetto. But if there weren't many doubts about the Nerazzurri's success, it wasn't for the Rossoneri's, so much so that many had speculated that this could be the weekend in which Conte would run away, especially after Juve's draw on Saturday. Instead Pioli found his side again on the night in Rome, taking away 3 very heavy points for various reasons: the Scudetto race, of course, but also, if not above all, the Champions League, which could sensationally suck him down.
The 2-1 of the Olimpico therefore has a platinum value, because now the points from fifth-placed Rome are 8; behold, if this was the best weekend that Milan could imagine, the same cannot be said for the Capital, who have seen both of their teams slip out of the top four.
Il Milan deservedly won the match, attacking the Giallorossi right from the start, as evidenced by the 10 shots on target in the first half alone (in the end it will be 14 against 10). To unlock it, however, the Rossoneri had to wait for the 43rd minute, when Kessié converted the penalty earned by Calabria shortly before (foul by Fazio seen from the Var). But the advantage did not last long, because at the beginning of the second half Veretout caught the seven with a right-footed shot from him, putting everything back on a level (50 '). However, Milan didn't give up, on the contrary they continued to attack and in the 58th minute they moved forward with Rebic, who was very good at freeing himself and finding the right corner with a crossed left foot. Opportunities followed on both sides, but the result remained unchanged, thus handing Pioli 3 very heavy points. However, the coach cannot smile 100%: in the "Roman battle", in fact, he lost Ibrahimovic and Calhanoglu due to muscle problems and Rebic due to a blow to the hip.
“It's a decisive moment of the season, let's hope it's not serious things – sighed the coach, before talking about the match -. It couldn't have been two defeats that took away our certainties after a year of work, we hoped to do better than the last few days. We did very well in the first half, we just didn't take advantage of the chances. Afterwards, however, we succeeded, obtaining an important victory, of pace and intensity cas we like it”. Opposite mood in Rome, where for the umpteenth time it is necessary to comment on a direct match lost, moreover with important consequences on the standings.
“It's difficult to understand, we're always missing something, it's a defensive as well as an offensive issue and the details often count – admitted Fonseca -. We can't hide, against these teams we often make mistakes and we can't afford it."
In short, Milan on the cover, but the number one winner on Sunday remains Conte's Inter. Net success that of the nerazzurri against Genoa, never in question. In fact, the balance lasted just 32 seconds, the time necessary for Lukaku to beat Perin after a progression of his. It looked like the beginning of a goal, but instead the Rossoblu remained standing until the 69th minute, even if the credit goes above all to their goalkeeper, who was able to stop Inter's attacks several times.
However, Darmian thought of definitively breaking down the wall, good at exploiting yet another great action by Lukaku and finding the 2-0, before Sanchez, who had just entered in place of Lautaro, found the 3-0 with a close, propitious touch , obviously, from the irrepressible Belgian (77').
A victory as clear as it is heavy: the points on Milan remain 4, but those on Juve even become 10, albeit with one more match. “There was the right approach and the right will to win, we were good at scoring three goals leaving very little to the opponent – commented Conte -. We are happy because the work is paying off, the team is becoming aware of its own means, growing as an individual and as a team. Now let's think about Parma, it's useless to make calculations on the calendar, we have to give everything game by game, putting in the best line-up ".
The Sunday just passed saw on the shields also the Atalanta of Gasperini, capable of disposing of the post-Real dross and conquering the Sampdoria Marassi. Even Samp, just like their Genoese cousins, undoubtedly put Wednesday's derby ahead of them, but the Nerazzurri's response was still excellent. Malinovsky took care of unlocking the match, after 40' substantially balanced, good at killing Audero after a good combination with Muriel. Then, in the second half, Atalanta took over the field, finding the 2-0 with Gosens (70') and frightening Ranieri several times, so much so that the final result is even tight for her.
“By now we are a tested group, the boys go on automatic pilot and can even do without me – joked Gasperini, in the stands due to the expulsion he got with Napoli -. Everyone suffers against teams that close in and don't allow space, we too struggled at the beginning, then we improved and after the 1-0 we were good".
Day of celebration, finally, also for Napoli, returned victorious in the Campania derby against Benevento. Maradona's 2-0 coincided with Mertens' return from the first minute, restoring a pinch of substance to Gattuso's figure, for too long forced to play every three days without much of the starting lineup. "Ciro", as they call him in the shadow of Vesuvius, found that goal that had been missing for a long time and that put the match downhill: in fact, up until then the Azzurri, despite showing good leg, hadn't managed to create big problems in Inzaghi's Benevento. After the Belgian's goal (34'), however, Napoli unblocked themselves, but had to wait for the 66th minute to close the games, when Politano, albeit in a lucky way, found the 2-0 with a close touch. However, the negative note came from Koulibaly who, already booked, saw fit to commit a foul as useless as it was blatant on Letizia, leaving Gattuso in 10 for the last few minutes, but above all depriving him of a fundamental element for Reggio Emilia's away match against Sassuolo.
Yes, because in a few hours it will be time to think about the championship again: tomorrow, in fact, we start again with the advances of the 25th day, or Lazio-Turin (at risk of postponement due to the Covid outbreak that hit the grenades) e Juventus-Spezia, to then come alive with the packed Wednesday (Milan-Udinese, Fiorentina-Roma, Sassuolo-Naples, Atalanta-Crotone, Genoa-Sampdoria, Benevento-Verona and Cagliari-Bologna) and conclude Thursday with leaders Inter, engaged on the field of Parma.
