Once the sparkling final of the Italian Super Cup is over, we return to focusing on the championship and, shortly, on the final sprint as regards the regular season of the Champions League. In February, also the Italian Cup… In short, now it’s forbidden to make mistakes! How are the big names? Who is better? Market aside, the feeling is that everyone will have to take a further step forward.
Let’s start with Inter. The three slaps suffered in the Italian Super Cup Derby were terrible. Inzaghi was convinced he had his hands on the fourth consecutive Super Cup and, instead, he had to watch the celebrations of the Rossoneri (who didn’t steal anything). Inter, in my opinion, remains the best team, with the highest quality roster and the most proven game. The infirmary gets crowded a little too often lately and, perhaps, some of the co-owners aren’t at their best (I’m thinking of Asllani). However, if Inzaghi maintains the right concentration and the necessary calm, Inter is certainly ready to face the many matches that await them. Taremi’s first goal, from open play, could have unlocked the Iranian and Inzaghi knows that, with an intermittent Lautaro Martinez, he needs everyone up front… At the back, however, Acerbi is sorely missing…
Let’s move on to Milan. Before the start of the Italian Super Cup Final Four, the Devil seemed one step away from the precipice. Then, thanks to the change on the bench and the favorable astral conjunctions, everything changed. Theo and Leao have found their smile again, Pulisic continues to do what he knows how to do and Abraham has understood how to make a difference as a substitute. Now, however, comes the difficult part. Sergio Conceiçao must transform the positive energy resulting from the victory of the Italian Super Cup into lifeblood to continue growing, both physically and mentally. Cagliari and Como on the horizon, two matches to win at all costs to warn everyone that Milan is truly back…
And Juventus? She returned from Ryad with her ears not lowered. Many are starting to doubt Thiago Motta’s continuous and perhaps excessive experiments.
The new arrivals do not have an impact as they should (except for some cases such as Conceiçao, Kalulu and Thuram). Then there is the “Milik case”. It is not yet clear when he will return. Let’s say that the Vecchia Signora, among all the big names, is the one that really needs a major overhaul during the winter transfer window. Furthermore, Thiago Motta needs to find certainties and, probably, a fixed starting team (or almost). Atalanta is definitely better and will certainly have understood a lot from the defeat against Inter in the semi-final of the Italian Super Cup. Gasperini knows he has some irreplaceable players. It must grow its “luxury reserves” to aspire to something extraordinary…
Also a mention of Lazio, Rome and Fiorentina. Lazio turned out to be beautiful but also quite nervous. The Derby is a game in itself but losing it always hurts. It’s up to Baroni to make the Biancocelesti forget their latest lackluster outings… The same goes for Fiorentina who cannot think of always moving forward only with Kean’s goals. Palladino absolutely must record the defense as soon as possible. And Rome? Thank you Ranieri for having, once again, explained to everyone how football is a simple and human game. Pellegrini’s move in the Derby was spectacular. And if Dybala maintains this physical form, watch out for the Giallorossi…