Milan knocks out Roma and puts Mourinho in trouble. Fiorentina Udinese ends equal, with two goals on each side. Ranieri’s Cagliari knocks out Bologna and wins three precious points in the key to safety. Petagna’s capital test. Sarri’s Lazio achieved their fifth victory in a row against Lecce.
Milan-Roma 3-1
Three goals for three points: Milan multiplies to pedal ever higher, towards third place. Also thanks to the chain jumps of Fiorentina (tie with Udinese) and Bologna (KO in Cagliari), Pioli gets up on the pedals at the moment of maximum effort and discovers that he has more than those behind him. With Roma it ends 3-1 and the result manages to shake off disappointments, bad thoughts and opponents. To forget, first of all, there was the fresh elimination in the Italian Cup, which occurred at the Meazza no later than Wednesday. However, similar intentions were those of Roma, defeated in the quarter-finals in the derby of the capital, but accompanied in Milan by the usual enthusiasm of the Giallorossi wall of fans. As usual, there were many absences on both sides. And five changes compared to the match against Lazio among the Giallorossi, with the former El Sharaawy winning the run-off with Belotti from the start. That Roma has fire inside is also demonstrated by the outfits of Kristensen, Mancini, Cristante, El Shaarawy and Bove, the only ones with their forearms uncovered to brave the cold and without the metaphorical need to roll up their sleeves. In fact, the start is at a high pace, just as the rivalry between the fans also lights up the context of the match. Already in the 11th minute the inertia of the match changes: Adli – in his sixth start – swerves on Kristensen and crosses his left where Svilar is unable to reach. Without the suspended Mourinho, on the bench for the Giallorossi it’s up to Foti to conduct the orchestra. Which completely lacks the high notes of Lukaku, without the accompaniment of the background of whistles, sounded at the end of October for the return to the Meazza against Inter. The Belgian returns to the lawn that was his on the day when Ibrahimovic also sees himself again in the locker room: never so close since the derby in January 2021, also remembered for head-to-head, provocations and insults. Ibra in the locker room with Cardinale and a motivational speech before the kick-off, Mou (targeted by very unkind chants from the Curva sud) at the first red with a woolen hat to defend himself from temperatures very close to zero and trying to remote control a change that does not he arrives. The opportunities on both sides all arose after the half hour mark (Pulisic, Celic and Spinazzola), but it was in the second half that the result changed again: cross from the left and tower from Kjaer for Giroud to head in an encore. The match remains alive and when Calabria knocks out Lorenzo Pellegrini in the area, Paredes reopens it from the spot. Pellegrini is still the most dangerous, but the jewel is Theo’s: 39th minute, the Frenchman asks for a triangle from Giroud, good with the heel with a tunnel to Kristensen, before the right-footed shot in the 19th which touches the lower part of the crossbar and enters the goal . More attempts by Pellegrini and Musah (post), without changing the scoreboard. Given how it matured, the victory acts as a panacea for Milan’s ills. In terms of ways, it instead accentuates the problems of a Rome far from what it would like to be. On the field, but also in the standings.
Fiorentina-Udinese 2-2
It ended in the match between Fiorentina and Udinese is a draw, a point each which the Viola need to consolidate their position fourth place after taking a big riskto serve friulani to catch up with Cagliari and leave third-last Verona behind. Cioffi’s team, however, wasted a wonderful opportunity to conquer Franchi and win their third victory of the season: twice ahead, in the first half with Lovric, in the second half with Thauvin just coming on, they were always overtaken by a Fiorentina team who in the the first part of the match appeared to be in difficulty: if he didn’t suffer the second knockout in a row after the one a week ago in Sassuolo, this time he had to thank his two centre-forwards who often ended up in the crosshairs of criticism, Beltran headed the goal for the momentary 1 -1, Nzola (substituted in the second half) was precise and cold on the penalty awarded by the referee Nichelino (after the warning to the monitor) for an evident handball by Ferreira on Beltran’s shot. In the frantic final Success missed the possible trio and Bonaventura hit the post.
Awarded at the start of the match by the Serie A League as the best coach of December, Vincenzo Italiano showed up with Beltran as central striker supported by Ikoné-Bonaventura-Brekalo. In defense Milenkovic was out and Ranieri was preferred.
Arthur was initially excluded, Mandragora replaced. As for Cioffi, he surprisingly relaunched Samardzic who had been at the center of transfer rumors for some time, together with him Pereyra and Ebosele in support of Lucca, while in the midfield there was room for Lovric and Walace, with Okoye confirmed between the posts. Udinese were well placed on the pitch, so much so that they managed to get through after ten minutes thanks to a quick restart started by Lucca and finished off by Lovric who, in a one-to-one with Ranieri, started an uncatchable strike for Terracciano. The advantage gave even more conviction to the Friulians also because Fiorentina appeared to be in difficulty: the first real attempt on goal was at the end of the half, with Ikoné who messed up in front of the goal, otherwise only a few crosses which mostly ended up prey to the opposing defenders. Udinese, with their determination and physicality, came close to doubling their lead on at least three other occasions before the break, always neutralized by Terracciano: first Lucca tried, then Pereyra, then Samardzic on a free kick.
A phase of Fiorentina-Udinese (Ansa)
Too many dangers that pushed Italiano to change in the second half: Arthur in to provide quality (Duncan out) and the new signing Faraoni to replace a tired Kayode. And the cross came right from the feet of the former Verona captain and Beltran headed it into the net. The draw energized Fiorentina and this pushed Cioffi to introduce fresh forces: Ehizibue, Success and Thauvin for Ebosele, Lucca and Samardzic. Udinese revived and started to push again, coming close to scoring with Thauvin on a free kick (Terracciano was saved thanks also to the post) until they took the lead again, always with the French striker ready to take Lovric’s suggestion and mock the opponent’s defenseless defense. At this point Italiano played the double center forward card by removing Brekalo, who was whistled, to insert Nzola: a good move given that the former Spezia player, who hadn’t scored in Serie A since the end of October, equalized from a penalty. Having avoided the knockout, tomorrow the Viola will leave Bologna for Riyadh to focus on the Super Cup.
Cagliari-Bologna 2-1
Petagna rises again. And Cagliari rises again: 2-1 against Bologna. A victory that had been missing for a month and which allows Ranieri’s team to recover out of the bottom three again. There is more than one hand of Petagna: the former Monza player scored the equalizer as a striker after Orsolini’s opener. And he then led Calafiori to an own goal after a Wieteska number ended with a low cross. For Petagna it is the first goal in this championship. And also the first with the Cagliari shirt. Bologna perhaps betrayed by the illusion of having already made it after an excellent start and especially after Orsolini’s lead. Zirkzee’s absence was significant, in the hottest moments of the match Thiago Motta lacked the decisive touch of the goal man. A setback that causes the Bolognese to slip to sixth place. A game of moves and countermoves from the bench. Bologna, without Zirkzee, starts with Van Hooijdonk in front and three in support. But Thiago Motta decides to attack Zappa’s flank en masse (with Urbanski and Ferguson). Forcing Ranieri to divert Nandez, in theory an attacking midfielder in the Christmas tree drawn on the table, on the wing to avoid numerical inferiority. In the first 20 minutes there was a back and forth with a shot from Urbanski decorated by Scuffet and a lob from Viola which almost surprised Skorupski, who was back between the posts in place of Ravaglia. Bologna, without their ace up front, looks a lot for Orsolini on the right. And the episode that unlocks the game is born from number 7. A spell, contested by Cagliari, but ultimately judged to be good. Orsolini does everything alone, reaches the bottom, with Augello collapsing next to him, returns and puts in on Scuffet on the way out. Right attitude and somewhat deserved goal for Bologna. But he gets distracted. The equalizer comes almost out of nowhere: it’s a long throw from Dossena, but in the one-on-one situation Calafiori isn’t able to hold on to Petagna, not even by grabbing his shirt. The former Monza player runs away, overtakes Skorupski and heads into the empty net. It is the heart, more than the game, that supports Cagliari.
Cagliari rejoices (Ansa)
Bologna resumes dominating ball possession, but Ranieri’s players bring determination and character to every ball. And finally comes the key episode. Unpublished protagonist Wieteska, deployed surprisingly: he tames a ball on the left from a corner. He is a central defender, but the number is that of an attacking midfielder. On the low cross, Calafiori is afraid of Petagna and touches backwards, betraying Skorupski. In the final assault and scrums to try for luck with the newly entered Fabbian. But the defender is missing, the man of weight capable of punishing a Cagliari who are too crowded behind. A few opportunities, but Dossena and co’s wall is unbreakable.
Lazio-Lecce 1-0
Lazio, after the hesitations at the beginning of the season, is definitively back: Sarri’s team finds their fifth victory in a row at home against Lecce (the fourth in the league), and regains their fourth place in the Champions League (waiting for Fiorentina to play). Today’s three points, however, were partially ruined by the yellow cards received by the banned Zaccagni and Immobile, who will therefore miss the big match with Napoli. The Biancocelesti were fresh from the efforts of the derby won in the Italian Cup against Roma, and this makes the success over the Salento team even more precious (who in the last three games had beaten Lazio twice and drawn once). Not only that: Sarri, before today, had defeated Lecce only once in his career, and never at the helm of the Biancocelesti.
At the Olimpico the Lazio post-derby enthusiasm has not yet evaporated, as evidenced by the two mocking banners dedicated to Roma: ‘He who injures by penalty, perishes by penalty’, and ‘O Roma o Marte’, both displayed in the Distinct Sud. In the pre-match there is also room for applause and chants for Sven-Goran Eriksson, manager of the 2000 championship, suffering from cancer: “The battle has begun. Mr. Sven we are with you!”, reads a Nord banner. Meanwhile, Provedel and above all Luis Alberto see each other again on the pitch after the fever: the number 10, absent since the injury which occurred in Empoli on 22 December, has sped up his return.
Ciro Immobile (Ansa)
With Castellanos injured and Immobile not fully recovered, Sarri fields Felipe Anderson as starter: this move, together with Luis Alberto as starter, will pay huge dividends in the second half. The first half was poor in emotion and full of annoyances for Lazio: only two shots on target, Patric’s shoulder injury and Zaccagni’s warning for his being booked for a booking. Lecce, on its side, shows itself with Oudin, first with a shot from outside the area deflected for a corner, then with a cross for Baschirotto’s head and a verticalization for Krstovic. Shortly after the half hour mark, Kaba scared the hosts by shooting at Provedel. It was in the second half that Lazio, initially inconsistent, increased their pace: in the 58th minute Luis Alberto picked out Felipe Anderson who fired a violent shot into the net in the area.
The 1-0 gives the Capitoline team confidence and makes Lecce come forward, who however is unable to find the door with both Krstovic and Kaba. In the end, Sarri also had Immobile test the pitch again (also absent since 22 December), but the captain made a mistake, getting himself booked for a skirmish with goalkeeper Falcone: he would miss, like Zaccagni, the super match against Napoli. Lazio will now begin preparing for the Italian Super Cup semi-final against Inter, in Riyadh, on January 19th.