After the second international break, Serie A is back. The action kicks off tomorrow with four Saturday matches, highlighted by the 8:45 p.m. clash at the Allianz Stadium between Juventus and Lazio. Sunday will feature five more games, including the marquee match at the Stadio Olimpico between Roma and Inter, while the round concludes Monday night with the fixture between Verona and Monza at the Bentegodi Stadium.
Off the pitch, Milan and Roma have been making headlines for different reasons. Milan is dealing with rumors of player insubordination, while Roma faces fan unrest. In their last match before the break, Milan lost a chaotic game in Florence, missing two penalties in the process. Post-match, manager Paulo Fonseca sparked controversy by openly criticizing his players for not following his instructions. Theo Hernandez missed the first penalty, and Tammy Abraham missed the second, despite Fonseca explicitly naming Christian Pulisic as the designated penalty taker. The second penalty miss was particularly frustrating for Fonseca, as it came after he had reiterated the pecking order during halftime. To make matters worse, Tomori, Abraham’s fellow countryman, aided in the decision to let Abraham take the shot, leading to what Fonseca described as a “tragicomic” outcome.
For Milan’s upcoming home match against Udinese, consequences for the rebellious players seem inevitable. While Theo Hernandez’s absence is already confirmed due to a two-match suspension, it’s highly likely that both Tomori and Abraham will be benched, with Pavlovic and Okafor expected to start in their place. There are also rumors that Theo may lose the captain’s armband—a punishment Fonseca has used before when he stripped Edin Dzeko of his captaincy during his time at Roma following an act of insubordination.
Speaking of Roma, their captain, Lorenzo Pellegrini, has recently found himself at the center of fan discontent. He’s been accused of contributing to Mourinho’s departure in January and has faced criticism for his inconsistent performances, especially considering his high salary and captaincy. However, a banner supporting Pellegrini appeared near his home yesterday, signaling a possible thaw in fan relations.
There seems to be no such thaw between Roma’s supporters and the club’s ownership. The Curva Sud has announced a 15-minute fan strike at the start of Sunday’s crucial match against Inter to protest against the Friedkin family, who are increasingly seen as out of touch with the sentiments of the Roman fanbase.
