Napoli, Inter, and Atalanta fail to win, all three draw 1-1.
Matchday 23 of Serie A will be remembered as the day of missed opportunities: at the top, none of the top three teams managed to secure all three points, leaving the standings unchanged in terms of numerical distance. However, the psychological impact could make a difference: how will the teams emerge from this round?
The team with the biggest regrets is undoubtedly Atalanta. The home match against Torino was, on paper, more manageable than the commitments of their competitors, and Gasperini had every right to hope that his team could take advantage of this round to narrow the gap with the top two, who seem to be preparing for a breakaway. Instead, La Dea’s clash with Torino left only a bitter taste for the hosts, who had even taken the lead but failed to hold onto it until the end. Moreover, Retegui’s shocking missed penalty about ten minutes from time only increased the regrets.
Inter faced the derby test, aiming to shake off the unpleasant feeling that Milan had become their bogeyman (having beaten them both in the first league encounter and in the Super Cup this season) and to send a strong signal to Napoli, who were playing in Sunday’s late match at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma. The match suggested that the “bogeyman” theory might not be unfounded, as Inter came within a whisker of suffering their third defeat of the season against their city rivals, only to be saved by De Vrij’s stoppage-time goal, assisted by new signing Zalewski. Milan had taken the lead in the first half through the usual Reijnders, who was quick to follow up on a Leao sprint down the wing and a dangerous cross that Maignan had parried centrally. Given the circumstances, Inter might see the draw more as a point gained than two points lost, but the fact remains that Inzaghi’s team is objectively stronger than Milan this season (as the standings clearly show), yet they have failed to prove it on the pitch for the third time this year.
The train of regrets on Matchday 23 also inevitably stops in Naples. It was well known that Conte’s side faced a tricky away fixture against a Roma rejuvenated under Ranieri, but at the 90th minute, Napoli had three crucial points in their grasp in the title race—only for Angelino’s goal to deal a devastating blow to the Italian coach.
This championship never ceases to deliver drama: had any one of Napoli, Inter, or Atalanta secured a win, they would have significantly boosted their ambitions at the expense of their rivals, who all stumbled. Instead, everything remains as it was before the round began.
The team with the most chances (and a favorable fixture) to win was Atalanta. The team that came closest was Napoli. The team that, all things considered, can smile the most (especially in light of the late match at the Olimpico) is Inter. However, they must reflect on this seasonal “Milan syndrome” which, beyond costing them valuable points in the standings, certainly does not sit well with their demanding Nerazzurri supporters.
