Is back! Is back! In line with the extravagances of this incandescent summer, the championship started again on the August bank holiday when, just a few years ago, under this sun, it would have been played between bachelors and married people at Bagno Liliana in Cogoleto.
Or, again in this period, it happened that Juventus, in Villar Perosa, played against the boys of Nebbiuno, overwhelming them for 14 to 1. They were the old retreats of the past. Other times, my lady, when the lawyer was still there and Fiat asked for three weeks for vacation. Now we are all on the track, with the transfer market still open (closes on 31 August) and with the prospect of making a very long pit stop (from 13 November to 4 January) due to the World Cup in Qatar scheduled for this fall.
Does this seem reasonable to you? To us, the last nostalgic of the twentieth century, it seems like a blissful madness. But isn’t this election campaign in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops crazy too? It is useless to be surprised. Better to dive right into the challenges of the first day.
Let’s start with Milan, the defending champion, and back on the launching pad with Inter, Juventus and whoever you want depending on your heart and future market developments. So: Pioli’s team, in front of 70 thousand cheering fans, started again more or less as it had finished. With the feeling that it will not be easy to snatch the Scudetto from her. The victory against Udinese (4-2), albeit with some defensive distractions, confirms that the group is compact. And that its mechanisms are well oiled. That even the mistakes (two goals conceded on a header) are more due to an exaggerated euphoria than to structural problems. We need more order (since Kessie ‘is gone), a more inspired Leao and a pinch of patience. In his 24 minutes on the field De Kateleare, the Belgian attacking midfielder with the Rivera forelock, gave a first taste of his class by making it clear that the best is yet to come. In the meantime, a Diaz almost reborn and a Rebic again rapacious in the conclusions (two goals) have been seen again. Less loose, indeed with some rust, the Inter cousins. In the end, but just in extremis, Dumfries gives the three points to Inter: but how much effort to get over it. Above all taking into account that Lukau (giant take care of it) after about 80 seconds had already hit Lecce. A Lecce with seven rookies who, reasonably, should have dropped immediately. And instead, after having suffered a draw from Ceesay, it was Inter who struggled to stay afloat. In short, despite being a battleship, the Inzaghi team is still rowing at times.
Bravo Di Marco with his brushed crosses, good Dumfries who puts a patch on it. But then only so much suffering. Inzaghi does well to repeat that the company should not sell anyone anymore. He is already being blamed for a championship he lost last year. Another half fiasco would not be forgiven. And Mourinho’s Rome? For the Pied Piper, after the fireworks in the market, a debut without trumpet blasts (1-0 over Salernitana) which however gives the Giallorossi the first three points. The beauty that the decisive goal comes from Bryan Cristante, who was put on the field by surprise instead of Matic. Fire and flames were expected from the quartet of artists (Zaniolo, Dybala, Pellegrini and Abraham) and instead the difference is made by a luxury wingman. Oddities of a midsummer football that, in addition to smiles, however, reveals positive signs: the percussion of Zaniolo, a pole by Dybala, the constant feeling that it takes little to make the leap in quality.
A little more concreteness doesn’t hurt, but the Roma fans, who forgive Mourinho everything, have the patience for passion. For the championship, however, the road is long. A narrow victory even beyond the Tiber. Sarri’s Lazio beat Bologna (2-1) with an effort worthy of a better cause. The biancocelesti win a comeback thanks to a goal from the stainless Ciro Immobile and an own goal from Silvestri. It is true that Lazio plays almost the entire first half with ten players (due to the expulsion of goalkeeper Maximiano). And that only in the second half, when Bologna also loses Soumaoro (another red card), the numerical parity is re-established. But what a pain…. “A game that seemed bewitched” commented Sarri. With what Lotito has spent (50 million) it will be good for Sarri to find an exorcist to free Lazio from witches and bad thoughts.
Bad thoughts that continue to accompany the goalkeeper Radu, author of a new blunder, which condemns the Cremonese to an unjust defeat against Fiorentina. Radu, who had been a negative protagonist in Bologna-Inter in the spring, this time in full recovery lets a cross from Mandragora slip out of his hands. A clumsy mistake that gives the Viola the 3-2 goal. Even for the unfortunate Radu that saying holds true: being superstitious is ignorant, but not being one is bad for you. Positive start for Atalanta who, thanks also to an inexplicable referee help (very regular goal canceled at the opening in Caputo) gets three points in Marassi with Sampdoria. Gasperini, who apart from reversed would have made a hell of a four, must thank above all Zapata, the wise inspirer of the two goals from Bergamo (Toloi and Lookman).