In the twilight of a day full of surprises, with both Inter and Juventus being defeated, Milan and Napoli played an amazing match in terms of intensity, speed and desire to win.
The pace of the match reached a height typically reserved for the Premier League.
With Leao out due to disqualification and Osimhen injured, Kvaratskhelia, Giroud and Simeone were the stars: the former provoking the penalty which Politano then scored, the Frenchman scoring the momentary equaliser, and the former Hellas Verona player signalling the overtake.
Then Kalulu, in the action initiated by Hernandez, hurled an incredible opportunity over the crossbar. A draw would probably have been fairer. What made the difference was Napoli's defensive resilience; the team withstood the opposition’s pressure even though they struggled to mark Hernandez, a fury on the left.
The Rossoneri’s rearguard was more fragile on the opponents' sprints. The substitution of Raspadori for Simeone was a mistake. Now Spalletti’s and Gasperini's teams are leading the championship. But Napoli and Milan will fight for the shield until their last breath.
What a show for Udinese. The Friulian team deservedly beat Inter in the midday kick-off, and found themselves at the top of the table for a few hours with their fifth consecutive victory.
Yet the road had been uphill after Barella's magical free-kick goal. Sottil's men, however, are not only brilliant finisseurs but excellent climbers. And, thanks also to Skriniar's own goal - unlucky yet meagre at the same time - at the start of the season, they overtook and finished in glory.
In addition to the victory in Monza, Udinese overcame Fiorentina, Roma, Sassuolo and, yesterday, Inter. They enjoyed a game topped by no fewer than 15 goals: no one has done better.
I’d like to underline the performance of Deulofeu, executor of a goal, two assists and at least five valuable plays. Sottil gives him ample freedom, and he repays him magnificently. He would be extremely useful to all the big or pseudo-big teams, starting with the Nerazzurri, who are paying for Perisic's departure on the left. At the recommencement of the championship it will be Verona's turn to try to put a brake on the Friulan side's streak, fresh from a modest performance in Florence.
Inter, on the other hand, is in its third defeat of the championship (last year there were four defeats in total), which is also the third away defeat with three goals on its back, and the third in the last four rounds. This is a real and grave crisis. The midfield suffers for Brozovic's precarious form (why?), the defensive phase is unwatchable, Martinez has low energy. Handanovic, Barella and Dzeko come to the rescue.
Inzaghi seemed bewildered, unable to find the right cure for an illness quickly becoming chronic. The decision to make two substitutions on the half-hour mark, without even waiting for half-time, was tumultuous: off came Bastoni and Mkhitaryan, both cautioned, in came Gagliardini and Dimarco. But the motivation seems more punitive than strategic. Imagine the reaction of the two players called back to the bench. Bastoni vented his anger by kicking the seats, Mkhitaryan retreated, red in the face.
The former Lazio coach, like Allegri, more alone than ever in the Juventus fold, is not thinking of resigning in the slightest. And let's be honest, who would? With these salaries that shower them in gold? In many ways Juve's disaster, being defeated yesterday by Monza, appears even more serious. It is the fault of the coach, criticised even within the locker room for too many changes of module and formation. But it is also the fault of the club, which instead of building a group with perspective, sought millionaire hits, to little effect.
Di Maria, back from a muscular ailment, has been sent off for excessive nervousness and, in any case, he is not contributing to the team as he should; Pogba will be available in January, who at United had missed over 100 games in six years due to various injuries – yet no one knew; Chiesa could return after the World Cup conditionally; Vlahovic has suddenly gone soft.
Gasperini is laughing now, the architect of a new Atalanta, less spectacular than the one of the past, but steadier, and defensively secure: four games away from Bergamo, and as many victories, with six goals to his credit, and zero to the negative.
In the afternoon they overcame Udinese, as Napoli would later in the evening. But Atalanta’s victory at the Stadio Olimpico over Roma carries with it a good dose of luck for two reasons: firstly, because the Bergamo team only kicked once on goal, through Scalvini, and won the match with that shot; secondly, because the Giallorossi missed at least three set-pieces. Curious that the best player on the pitch, Zaniolo, was left at home by Mancini to make way for Zerbin. An unfortunate choice. Let's hope the coach reconsiders.
