Welcome back championship! After 52 days of rest, between the World Cup and the Christmas holidays, the Serie A reopens its doors with the 16th day, immediately ennobled by a big match like Inter-Napoli, but also from the travels of Milan, Juventus and Lazio on the fields of Salernitana, Cremonese and Lecce and from the home challenge of Rome against Bologna. Play only today and this is already news: advances and postponements will resume from the weekend, while this will be an old-fashioned Wednesday, albeit with the inevitable spread out hours.
Inter – Naples (20.45 pm, Dazn)
The highlight will come in the evening with the big match of San Syro, which he will put in front Inter of Inzaghi to the leaders Napoli by Spalletti. Very delicate race for both, but it is evident that i Nerazzurri to play more: the gap in the standings of 11 points requires you to win, or at least not to lose, otherwise the Scudetto dream would become truly utopian. On the other hand, however, also the blue they cannot afford slip-ups, otherwise the pursuers they could take advantage of it and come back dangerously under it, thus giving rise to the doubts of the skeptics, who see in Spalletti a technician disinclined to win trophies. In short, we are only on the 16th day but this Inter-Napoli has all the air of being quite important, for the teams in the field and also for those in front of the TV.
Inzaghi doesn't hide: "I believe in the Scudetto comeback"
“We can't wait to start again, this will be a very important match for us and we want to play it – he confirmed Inzaghi -. We know we're going to face a very strong team, the only undefeated in Europe, but we're prepared to make one great race in front of our fans. If I believe in Scudetto comeback? Absolutely yes, there are still many points up for grabs... ".
Spalletti serene: "Let's start again aware of our strength"
“We start off strong with our position in the standings, but we are not satisfied with this or with the fact that we are still unbeaten – the thought of Spalletti -. We want to start strong because we are aware of what we can do, this is the fundamental thing. Inter are a great team, but we'll have to be good at proposing our game, which many liked and benefited the whole team."
Inter – Napoli, the formations: Inzaghi and Spalletti find Lukaku and Kvaratskhelia
The break gave back to the two coaches almost all the men available, with the exception of Brozovic: the Croatian has recovered from a muscle problem in his soleus and aims to return for the Super Cup match against Milan on 18 January. Inzaghi he will thus rely on the classic 3-5-2 with Onana in goal, Skriniar, Acerbi and Bastoni in defense, Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan and Dimarco in midfield, Dzeko and Lukaku in attack, with Lautaro ready to take over from the bench. No defection instead for Spalletti, that he will indeed have plenty of choice for his 4-3-3: in the end, net of a few ballots, it will be Meret's turn in goal, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Juan Jesus and Olivera in the back, Ndombelé (favorite over Anguissa), Lobotka and Zielinski in the midfield, Politano, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia in the trident offensive.
Salernitana – Milan (12.30, Dazn and Sky Sport)
Instead, the shift will be opened Milan reigning champion, awaited by the insidious away game of Salerno. Delicate game, both for the value of Nicola's team (a fortiori in the Arechi basin, sold out for days) and for the objective difficulties of the Devil, forced to restart in total in emergence of men and moral. The bad defeats in the friendlies with Arsenal, Liverpool and PSV can also leave the time they find, but they certainly didn't please the club and the coach: the proof is the cancellation of the rest day immediately after the match in Eindhoven, a clear sign that something is wrong. And then there's the usual plague of injuries, even worse during the break: Pioli will have to do without nine players, practically an entire team. A strong performance will be needed to conquer Salerno, otherwise the risk of losing ground in the standings could become a reality.
Pioli loads his team: "We are hungry to win again"
“I am primarily responsible, we are trying to figure out how to resolve the situation even if we will have several recoveries during the week – replied the Rossoneri coach -. However, our focus is all on the Salerno match, we have a great desire to play and start well, mentally we are energized. We're in the running for four goals, for sure we want to win something, we are hungry. We made history by winning the Scudetto, but now we want to stay there and the only way to do it is to repeat ourselves again”.
Salernitana - Milan, the formations: Pioli asks for overtime from Leao, Giroud and Theo Hernandez
Pioli he would have liked to indulge in a little rest to veterans of the World Cup, in particular to the French Giroud and Theo Hernandez, but also to Leao: instead it will not be possible, in the light of an injury list that sees nine elements (Maignan, Origi, Krunic, Messias, Rebic, Kjaer, Ballo- Touré, Florenzi and Ibrahimovic). The 4-2-3-1 AC Milan will thus see Tatarusanu in goal, Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori and Hernandez in defence, Bennacer and Tonali in midfield, Saelemaekers, Diaz and Leao behind the lone striker Giroud. Actually too Nicola he has several headaches, given the injuries of Mazzocchi, Sepe and Maggiore and the disqualification of Candreva: for the moment, the club has only solved the goalkeeper problem by buying the Mexican Ochoa, ready to make his debut as a starter. Before him, in 3-5-2 ordinarily, space for Lovato, Daniliuc and Fazio in the backline, Sambia, Coulibaly, Bohinen, Vilhena and Bradaric in the midfield, Dia and Piatek in attack.
Cremonese – Juventus (18.30 pm, Dazn)
Easier, at least on paper, the restart of the Juventusengaged in the field of Cremonese third last in the standings. The corporate chaos and numerous defections, However, they might leave you draw, which is why it is good to keep your antennas straight and face Zini's away match with the right mentality. That, to be clear, which was seen in the last six games before the break, which allowed the black and whites to get back on track and get to the third place solo: a roster that authorizes you to believe in any goal, provided you never stop. Allegri will have to be good at handling one not easy situation, isolating the team from off-field problems and, at the same time, taking care of the entire technical structure. Not an easy mission, but certainly stimulating, even if the priority remains the same as always, therefore winning as much as possible.
Allegri preaches attention: "Let's start again with humility"
“We're starting again after 52 days of hiatus and we're doing it with one complicated match – the warning of the technician -. In the last two home matches the Cremonese he didn't concede a goal and with Napoli he put in a tough and aggressive performance, we'll have to have great humility”. The conference was then an opportunity to take stock of the injured, with the exception of Di Maria: in fact, the Argentine, announced by Allegri as available, suffered a contusion in training and was removed from the squad. “Pogba is running and his knee doesn't bother him, if he continues like this he can be with the team within 15-20 days. Chiesa is better, he has worked with the group and is ready to do a part of the match, Vlahovic, on the other hand, cannot be drafted yet, but I expect to have everyone within three weeks".
Cremonese – Juventus, the formations: Allegri also loses Di Maria
The fact remains that today's line-up will be very far from the typical one, given that in addition to the aforementioned Vlahovic, Pogba and Di Maria, Cuadrado and Bonucci will also be missing. Allegri will summon several young people, for a 3-5-1-1 rather experimental with Perin in goal (Szczesny, not at his best, will go on the bench), Gatti, Bremer and Danilo in defense, Soulé, McKennie, Locatelli, Fagioli and Kostic in midfield, Miretti on the trocar, Milik in attack. Alvini he knows that it's mission (almost) impossible, but he'll try the same with the usual 4-3-2-1 with Carnesecchi between the posts, Sernicola, Bianchetti, Hendry and Valeri in the back, Pickel, Castagnetti and Meité in the midfield, Bonaiuto and Okereke behind the lone striker Dessers.
Lecce – Lazio (16.30 pm, Dazn and Sky Sport), Rome – Bologna (16.30 pm, Dazn)
To complete the picture Lecce-Lazio and Rome-Bologna, Besides Spezia-Atalanta, Fiorentina-Monza, Sassuolo-Sampdoria, Turin-Verona and Udinese-Empoli. The focus is mainly on the two Romans, engaged in a run-up to the Champions League somewhat watered down by the pre-break results. The good news for Sarri and Mourinho are the re-enter on a permanent basis of Immobile and Dybala, both fundamental to the economy of the two teams. The dream of fourth place cannot be separated from them, as well as from a good restart after the autumn hardships, especially for the Giallorossi, called to change gears this afternoon.
