Milan’s stunning stumble against Pisa opens up unexpected scenarios ahead of the Napoli-Inter weekend clash. Sunday night brings Lazio-Juventus.
What should have been little more than a formality for the Rossoneri — who ended Matchday 7 alone at the top — turned into a nightmare at San Siro. Allegri’s side at least managed to equalize in stoppage time thanks to Athekame’s first Serie A goal. Once again, Serie A proves that no match is ever easy or predictable.
Now, though, it’s time to recalibrate all expectations for the weekend starting today — one that could once again shake up the top of the table, confirming that Serie A this year has no true leader, only contenders.
First and foremost, Saturday’s marquee fixture Napoli-Inter could decide who sits atop the standings — something that seemed unthinkable as recently as Friday night, when Milan were widely expected to beat Pisa and keep Allegri’s men in first place no matter what happened elsewhere.
Personal feeling: given the current form of both sides, an Inter victory could spark the season’s first real breakaway. Even with the standings still tight, emerging from back-to-back away games in Rome and Naples (and with a Champions League win sandwiched in between) with six points would give the Nerazzurri a massive boost — momentum that could set up a solo run at the top.
In short, the clash at the Maradona is a massive sliding doors moment for the entire league. If Inter take off now, full of confidence after a shaky start, catching them later could become difficult — if not impossible — for everyone else.
Napoli, meanwhile, look in crisis. The hope for the Partenopei is that Conte’s post-PSV outburst, combined with the home crowd and big-match atmosphere, will wake up De Bruyne (name very much not random…) and company from the lethargy that turned into full hibernation during their disastrous Champions League trip to Eindhoven.
If Napoli and Inter draw, a surprising third team could benefit — one few would have predicted: Gasperini’s Roma. After two straight home defeats, against Inter in Serie A and Viktoria Plzen in Europe, many thought the Giallorossi were entering their first real crisis under Gasp. Yet they could find themselves alone at the top if they beat Sassuolo away — a side full of talent and, notably, ex-Roma players.
Even without help from other results, Roma can still finish Matchday 8 atop the standings if they defeat Matic and company. With Milan stalled at 17 points, reaching 18 would guarantee first place — either alone or shared with the winner (or survivor) of Napoli-Inter.
The weekend will close with another matchup that, on paper, doesn’t look like a “big one,” but could carry major consequences for both sides: Lazio vs Juventus. Should the Bianconeri lose, the trip to the Olimpico could mark the end of the line for Tudor, who hasn’t won since September 13 — that wild 4-3 home victory over Inter. As for Lazio, with just two wins in their first seven matches and sitting closer to the relegation zone than to Europe, this is a must-win to start climbing back. A draw would help neither side — which, paradoxically, might make it the most likely outcome. Football, after all, is strange — and has its own unwritten rules.
L’articolo Serie A: Milan Slip Up, All Eyes on Napoli-Inter proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
