Returning to the slow progress of our league, in free fall is the Como, put on the ropes by Sassuolo in an almost mocking manner. The team of Fabregas was supposed to be the new advancing and then, in twenty days, everything rolled back. Disappointing also the Roma that, exhausted by internal polemics, is further and further away from the Champions League, after the home draw with Atalanta.
Verona-Milan 0-1
After two consecutive defeats, the Rossoneri regained success. Three (painful) points that allow Milan to hook Napoli in second place. But the only valid reason for dedicating a spring Sunday to this match was Rabiot's goal (41'), propitiated by a billiard shot by Leao with which he closed the triangle started by the Frenchman. A beautiful phrasing, by two star players, that illuminated an otherwise dull challenge like a focus on the sexual mores of the platypus. The Scaligeri, with Belghali, also had a chance to equalise, but Maignan opposed. For the rest, as Allegri underlined, Milan 'minded the business' looking for the three points to secure the Champions League. That was the goal and it was achieved with the usual risks in the final. Now the Diavolo has the same points as Napoli (66) and 8 points more than Como and Roma, fifth. If we then want to talk about play, spectacle, speed and other amenities considered useless in Italia football, better leave it alone. Finally, note the usual episode of racism (whistles and booing) from the Veronese curve towards Leao and Maignan. After half-time, before the match restarted, Maignan himself called the referee Chiffi, who had the announcer read out the announcement on the prohibition of 'expressions of violence or racial discrimination'. Then Leao, was replaced in the 18th minute of the second half by Allegri. The Portuguese, annoyed, asked him for an explanation and went to the bench amidst the booing.
Inter-Cagliari 3-0
By now, more than the Scudetto (which even the most superstitious of fans takes for granted), it is likely that Chivu is already thinking about the eventual double (title+Cup Italia), which would be a welcome icing on the cake. Tomorrow the Nerazzurri meet Como at the San Siro in the return semi-final to reach the final at the Olimpico scheduled on 13th May. The whole club is very interested in this appointment. A match would also be very appreciated by the fans because only once this double has been achieved in Inter's history: that is, in Mourinho's unforgettable season, an occasion that shakes memories and emotions. So against Como everything will be done to skip this obstacle (the first leg ended 0-0) and then think about the away match with Torino.
To speak of Inter-Cagliari, after Napoli's disintegration with Lazio, is almost a waste of time, since everything went according to plan, apart from a first half of slight suffering. But goals from Thuram and Barella at the start of the second half and Zielinski's final 3-0 in the second half also archived this stage of the approach to the 21st Scudetto in the smoothest manner. Everything comes easy, as the 12 goals in the last three games prove. This, combined with the 78 points from 78 goals, says a lot about the Nerazzurri's ease of going to the net. However, even if everything did not go smoothly in defence, the most important recognition goes to Cristian Chivu, who succeeded Simone Inzaghi on the rubble of the Nerazzurri's resounding thud in the Champions League final. That 5-0 loss against Psg had been a devastating knockout, from which it could have been very difficult to emerge. The choice of Chivu, with his 13 benches with Parma, had aroused much perplexity in an environment already so tried and inflamed. Instead, the Romanian coach, with effective psychological work, rebuilt self-esteem in a group that was only asking to prove its worth. Chivu was good at entering on tiptoe, avoiding to turn over like a glove a team that nonetheless had many outstanding players. His Inter team was more aggressive, more 'deep' than Inzaghi's. But Chivu did it progressively, without proclamations and cloying professions of humility. Not everything has gone smoothly, of course. Especially in the Champions League, where Inter paid the price with all the big boys and were then eliminated in the playoffs by Bodo Norwegians. In retrospect, perhaps it was for the best. Inter are the best in the league, but to excel in Europe they still have a long way to go.
Napoli-Lazio 0-2
A vertical collapse that of Conte's team. He calls it 'a kick in the teeth', but pain is not everything. What was most impressive was how the partenopei collapsed in on themselves. Losing is one thing. With Sarri's Lazio, almost always winning with the best, it can be. It's another to raise the white flag without even trying. Apart from having wasted their home unbeaten streak, which had lasted for over a year, and having lost the Scudetto in the saddest of ways, there remains the feeling of an environment that, having vanished the great dream, has lost all motivation. The well-founded fear, with all the chatter on the sidelines about Conte's possible exit to the national team, is that everything will come to a head. First the draw with Parma, now this severe football lesson from Lazio, excellently fielded by Sarri, adept at exploiting every Neapolitan crack. Emblematic was Cancellieri's goal after 6 minutes, with the comical botch between Spinazzola and Anguissa. It was the seventh time it happened this season. It was a drained Napoli, disappointed with a season that never really got started. It's up to Conte to avoid further disasters.
