Matchday 25 of Serie A concluded yesterday with the late match between Genoa and Venezia: the defeat of the Lagunari, which came in the final minutes, almost feels like a sentence, as Empoli remains five points ahead and Verona seven points ahead of Di Francesco’s team, which, like Monza and Parma, has not won any of its last five matches. For Genoa, on the other hand, the victory tastes like salvation because now the lead over the third-to-last team has grown to ten points, proving that Vieira’s impact has truly worked.
In the battle at the top, Napoli could not go beyond a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Olimpico against Lazio: this was the third consecutive match in which the Partenopei squandered a lead, following draws against Roma and Udinese. If three clues make a case, Conte’s team has an unexpected problem managing results, an issue that has cost them six points in the last three matches. The debate remains open about a January transfer market that seemingly weakened the team rather than strengthening it.
Taking the field in Sunday night’s match at the Stadium, already aware of their rival’s misstep, Inter not only failed to take advantage but did even worse, losing 1-0 against Juventus. In the first half, Inzaghi’s men failed to capitalize on their dominance and numerous goal-scoring opportunities, and in the second half, they succumbed to a goal by Conceicao Jr, who made the most of an assist from the usual Kolo Muani, who pulled off a stunning play in the box surrounded by three defenders.
Between the two contenders, the third one does not benefit. On Saturday, Atalanta, playing at home against Cagliari, only managed a draw, missing a great opportunity to close the gap on the top two and get back into the title race.
It truly seems like the matchday of missed opportunities, a club that Fiorentina also joins after losing at home to the increasingly surprising Como led by Fabregas, a team that plays great football and, if anything, has collected less than it has deserved this season. Como is now five points ahead of Parma, third from the bottom in the standings and also defeated by Roma. Parma’s fourth consecutive loss proved costly for Pecchia, who was dismissed to make way for Chivu, in the hope of replicating Genoa’s successful choice with Vieira. With Chivu, there are now three players from Inter’s 2009-10 Treble-winning squad managing Serie A teams, alongside Thiago Motta at Juventus.
Speaking of Juventus, the Bianconeri will be the last Italian team attempting to secure a spot in the Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday, and the only one starting from a favorable position, thanks to their 2-1 win in the first leg against PSV. The victory in the Derby d’Italia against Inter could serve as an emotional boost for Motta’s men, who seem to have overcome the chronic draw syndrome that characterized the first phase of their season. A key factor has been the inclusion of Kolo Muani in the starting lineup, which has relegated Vlahovic to a secondary role (zero minutes played even against Inter), making his departure at the end of the season increasingly likely, possibly to finance the permanent signing of the Frenchman, who is currently on loan from PSG.
The three-day stretch of European competitions will begin tonight with Milan and Atalanta, both needing to overturn a one-goal deficit suffered in their respective first-leg away matches. The Rossoneri are relying on the goal-scoring form of former Feyenoord striker Gimenez, signed in January, to defeat the Dutch side by at least two goals. Meanwhile, Atalanta hopes to see Retegui return to his early-season form to overturn the deficit brought back from Bruges. On paper, both teams are stronger than their opponents, so the task is not impossible, and victories securing qualification would be crucial in trying to catch up with Spain in the UEFA rankings, which determine the top two federations that receive an extra Champions League spot for the next season.
In the Europa League on Thursday night, Ranieri’s Roma will attempt to reach the Round of 16. In recent seasons, Roma has always made it at least to the semifinals of the competitions it has played, even winning the Conference League in 2022 under José Mourinho. However, Porto has historically been a tough opponent for the Giallorossi in European play, and that was evident again in the first leg, where they avoided defeat and, aided by a controversial refereeing performance that was strongly criticized by Ranieri and the club, even came close to winning in a comeback. The second leg will start from a 1-1 draw in Porto, but this time, Roma will have over 70,000 fans at the Stadio Olimpico pushing them towards the Round of 16.
