And now down with the Champions League. Filed on Saturday with a view on the Scudetto, attention shifts entirely to third place, the declared (and, in some cases, infallible) objective of as many as 4 teams. Roma have already played and will enjoy Sunday from the bottom step of the podium, albeit with the awareness that the games still depend on the others.
Fiorentina-Inter (at 20.45) is the gravitational center of this Champions League fight: the destinies of all the competitors will depend on what happens to the Franchi. “It's an important but not decisive match – Mancini glossed over on the eve. – They are strong but attack a lot and therefore can be vulnerable on the counterattack. We will try to win, even though we know that the Champions League fight is not just about us but also about Roma. And then there's Milan, at the moment they are behind but the championship is long and they can still shorten it”.
Paulo Sousa, on the other hand, was much more direct, determined to take advantage of the home field factor to take back third place. “For us it is like a final – he explained at the press conference. – We've worked so hard to be here, we're aware that we can also compete with a team like Inter. We are ready to play a high-level match, I expect a high-quality evening." Indeed the show, at least on paper, should not be missed.
However, after an excellent first round, the two teams went through a black January which, in addition to ousting them from the Scudetto race, also complicated the Champions League. “We lost a lot of points and threw away all the good done – confirmed Mancini. – Now, however, the team is doing well and then we are close to third place: that has always been our goal".
Two very different game philosophies will collide at the Franchi: on the one hand the "collective" football of the Viola, on the other the more "solo" football of the Nerazzurri. Paulo Sousa, forced to give up the injured Badelj and Benalouane and the suspended Mati Fernandez, will field the usual 4-2-3-1 with Tatarusanu in goal, Roncaglia, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Astori and Marcos Alonso in defense, Vecino and Borja Valero in midfield , Bernardeschi, Ilicic and Tello in the trocar behind the lone striker Kalinic, without scoring for 7 days (the last one, in fact, dates back to December 20 against Chievo).
Roberto Mancini's formation is much more cryptic but this is nothing new by now. However, some clues have filtered through the fields of Appiano Gentile, where the coach from Jesi has worked extensively on the 4-4-2. In defense, in front of Handanovic, there will be the return of Miranda who will thus become the owner together with Murillo, with Nagatomo and Telles on the wings. The wingers in midfield will be Biabiany and Perisic, with Medel and Kondogbia (favorite over Brozovic) in the middle and the Eder-Icardi attack duo up front.
The Franchi match, as previously mentioned, is not only of interest to Fiorentina and Inter. In fact, in addition to Spalletti's Roma there is also Mihajlovic's Milan, ready to take advantage of the clash between the Viola and the Nerazzurri to bring the Champions League closer together.
However, all this will only be possible if the Rossoneri beat Genoa at San Siro, in what will be the opening match of football Sunday (12.30). “I am convinced that, in the long run, we will recover points from those in front of us – thought the Serbian coach. – We can't make matches like Napoli or Juventus but we have all the qualities to finish immediately after them in the standings. It will be very difficult against Genoa but we can win, we will have to play like in the last few games but with even more cynicism and malice in front of goal”.
Sinisa believes it, there is no doubt about this. The standings say that third place is still possible, provided that the trend that has accompanied Milan throughout the season is reversed: good results against the big teams, insufficient against the small ones. “We didn't win some matches because of us – admitted the coach. – I hope this becomes the round of revenge, not that of regrets”. In this sense, today we will see a real exam, very indicative for understanding the team's real objectives between now and the end of the season.
Mihajlovic has to give up Abate (not called up due to an ankle problem) but recovers Bonaventura and Niang, able and enlisted again. The ordinance 4-4-2 will thus see Donnarumma in goal, De Sciglio, Alex, Romagnoli and Antonelli in defense, Honda, Bertolacci, Montolivo and Bonaventura in midfield, Bacca and Niang (favorite over Balotelli) in attack.
Gasperini, under pressure after the surprising victory of Frosinone in Empoli (1-2), will try to repeat the success of the first leg (1-0, even then it was played at 12.30) with the following 3-4-3: Perin in goal , Munoz, Burdisso and Izzo in defense, Laxalt, Rigoni, Dzemaili and Gabriel Silva in midfield, Suso, Cerci (both exes little regretted by the Rossoneri people) and Matavz in attack.
