Last round of national teams, then a nice bow to the break and back to the dear old habits (bye break, bye). For goodness sake, Italy was beautiful against France and also did well against Israel (final aside), but 15 days without a championship is too severe a punishment. Not to mention that almost everyone does the fantasy football auction with the market closed, therefore right at the time of the break, which means having to wait 15 days before fielding the team (I took Nico Paz, I like him a lot). Ultimately the break can only turn into an inexorable countdown, for us average but also very average Italians. But perhaps also a little for the coaches, all gathered in prayer, in the hope that the national teams give them back players who are intact or at least just bruised.
Here, for example, Inzaghi trembled a bit when he saw Frattesi collapse on the ground during Italy-France, after all Inter’s schedule will not be easy at the restart, with Monza, City and Milan (even that of the others, for goodness sake). As they say “we will need everyone” and, in fact, starting from the restart we will also see the second lines (which are not second, Frattesi first and foremost).
For Marotta, Ausilio and Baccin these will be hot months, also in terms of the market. What do you say? Has it just ended? Don’t forget that Taremi and Zielinski are deals concluded in November and it will have to be the same for the new free parameters present in the notebook of the managers in Viale della Liberazione. Jonathan David, for example, is very popular, even if he has a kilometre-long queue behind him
(the number of sporting directors ready to snap up the Lille youngster is remarkable and, believe me, none of them will wait until January to make an advance).
And let’s go to the other side of the canal. The good Fonseca must regain the trust of the fans and show that he has his Milan in hand, which appeared tactically “lost” in the first three games. At the moment the enthusiasm is not sky-high and the data relating to tickets sold for the home Champions League match against Liverpool testify to this. Certainly the high prices have also contributed, but last year at this time there was a completely different atmosphere around the team (and in any case in the end the stadium will fill up). The American ownership must get into the mindset that “playing football” in Italy also means going through choices that contemplate a minimum business risk (minimum, for goodness sake). Vice versa, there will always be the risk of having shining accounts but pissed off fans.
Enthusiasm that, instead, was able to generate Thiago Motta in Turin, getting to work on a Juventus revolutionized by Giuntoli. After the break, the Bianconeri will work on the full-time inclusion of Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz, the latter so far little used compared to initial expectations.
Also watch out for other market leaks, because Jonathan David is not just liked by Inter and it is likely (indeed, very likely) that the Bianconeri have already organized a legitimate offensive.
Speaking of strikers, Roma also have their work cut out for them. Daniele De Rossi has the full trust of the owners and the fans (and of course he does), but he has to find the magic formula to make Dybala and Soulé coexist, which is no easy task. As for Dovbyk, top scorer in La Liga last season and still without goals… it’s just a matter of time, he’ll score a lot.
Great closing with Conte’s Napoli, because we were talking about tactical solutions and it seems that the Salento coach is preparing the big surprise: after the first matches played with the 3-4-2-1, Napoli, it is said, could return to adopting the 3-5-2, with Kvara supporting Lukaku. It is possible that it will only happen in the big matches and, in any case, the good Neres will have a lot of space. Translated: do not tremble, fantasy football managers, you who spent a lot at the auction for the Brazilian, the boy will do his job in abundance (but the real crash will be McTominay). Ps. No one is able to make his president spend money like Antonio Conte from Lecce, maestro.
And come on, come on, come on, Totò Schillaci.