The last effort before the break. There Serie A is about to leave room for Qatar 2022, but first there is one last weekend to live all together passionately, which will sanction the classification of the current calendar year. Filed on first advance with Empoli's 2-0 win over Cremonese, we start again this afternoon with Naples-Udinese, with Spalletti's leaders who will try to take the eleventh consecutive victory in the championship, to fly, albeit momentarily, to +11 on Milan and Lazio, in turn engaged tomorrow with Fiorentina and Juventus.
Naples-Udinese (15 pm, Dazn)
A match that, until some time ago, would have been included in the list of big matches, in light of the amazing journey that the Friulians were making. In recent weeks, however, the team of Sottil it stopped, collecting only five draws and one defeat (two if we also consider the Italian Cup) in six games. Too little to aim high and in fact the ranking has definitely changed, with i bianconeri slipped to eighth place: the excellent start keeps dreams alive, God forbid, but it is clear that it is urgent to get back to racing, otherwise the only possible ambition will be a peaceful salvation. It is almost superfluous instead to reiterate the sensational moment of Naples, photographed to perfection by a record that is impossible to discuss, at least until 2023: the 8 points of advantage on the latter, in fact, they infuse great serenity into the environment, decided however not to stop here and to extend further, even if only with an asterisk.
Spalletti loaded: “Match to tear! World stop? We'll do even better after that."
In short, the only danger could be a drop in tension, a bit like in pre-Christmas matches in which sensational twists often occur. That will be why Spalletti, in the usual press conference on the eve, decided to raise the bar, significantly raising the emotional load on the challenge of the Maradona, moreover sold out in any order of place. “It will be a difficult match, now it seems that Udinese both of the second tier but won 1-0 with Fiorentina, 4-0 with Roma, 3-1 with Inter and with Sassuolo, drawn with Atalanta and Lazio, also won away in Monza and Verona – underlined the coach sky blue -. There is someone who thinks this match is easy, but my players don't believe it, in fact they know they will have to tear her apart from start to finish. With Udinese ends the first cycle of the championship, after which there will be a lot of time and it will be necessary to use it well, I am convinced that it will be useful for us. Then there are variations that we don't know about, there are statistics to prove, but together with the top management of the club we have planned a job that will make us improve further".
Naples – Udinese, the formations: Kvarastkhelia does not recover, Elmas favorite over Raspadori
The directive is therefore clear and plans to close the year with a victory, the umpteenth of this extraordinary part of the season. Spalletti he'll have to deal with it without kvaratskhelia, still in the pits due to back problems that emerged a week ago, but his team has already amply demonstrated that they can do it even without him, at least for a short time. The 4-3-3 the blue will therefore see Meret in goal, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Juan Jesus and Mario Rui in defense, Anguissa, Lobotka and Zielinski in midfield, Lozano, Osimhen and Elmas in the offensive trident, even if Raspadori still has some hope of getting a shirt. Classic 3-5-2 as well for Sottil, who will try to find the thread with the victory lost since 3 October (1-2 in Verona) with Silvestri between the posts, Perez, Bijol and Nuytinck in the back, Ehizibue, Lovric, Walace, Pereyra and Ebosse in the midfield, Beto and Deulofeu in attack.
