A matchday without big clashes turns into an earthquake at the summit: Napoli fall, Milan stumble, Inter surge clear at the top. A hugely important win for Juventus.
It was supposed to be a classic transition round, with no shocks at the top of the table. Instead, it turned into a nightmare for the two joint leaders, Napoli and Milan, both leapfrogged in one fell swoop by Inter, ruthless and efficient away at Genoa against a side that were lively and never gave in.
Inter’s win was anything but routine, especially given the human — even before technical — value of De Rossi’s Genoa, a team increasingly molded in the image of their coach. It was no coincidence that De Rossi, after the final whistle, stressed how proud he was of his players’ second-half performance.
All Inter needed was a champions’ start: two goals in the first 40 minutes, courtesy of Bisseck and Lautaro, to build a decisive lead. Vitinha’s strike with 20 minutes to go threatened to reopen the contest, but it never truly dismantled Inter’s grip on the game.
The Nerazzurri kicked off already aware of Napoli’s and Milan’s slip-ups, further fueled by the prospect — later realized — of going solo at the top. But what exactly went wrong for Conte’s Napoli and Allegri’s Milan?
In truth, nothing new — and that, if anything, makes their respective collapses even more surprising. Napoli fell once again away from home, confirming a trend that has become increasingly worrying: when Conte’s side leave the Maradona fortress, the music often changes. The Azzurri have now suffered seven defeats across Serie A and the Champions League, all of them on the road. The most recent came midweek in the Champions League at Benfica under Mourinho; before that, heavy losses arrived in Bologna, Eindhoven (a true disaster), Turin, Milan (against Milan), and Manchester (City).
At home, Napoli post elite-level numbers. Away, they struggle — and it’s clear this can’t be blamed solely on injuries, however numerous, because those absences exist even when they dominate at the Maradona.
Milan’s recurring issue under Allegri is different but just as costly: dropped points, especially at home, against smaller sides. In chronological order: the opening-day loss at San Siro to Cremonese (still Milan’s only defeat, amid a 14-game unbeaten run), a 2–2 home draw with Pisa, a 2–2 away draw at Parma, and Sunday’s lunchtime 2–2 draw at the Meazza against Sassuolo.
It feels like déjà vu. Four matches following almost the same script, with lapses in concentration squandering leads and producing stunning comebacks. Four games that looked manageable on paper, in which Milan conceded eight goals — an average of two per match — almost surreal when you consider that the Rossoneri average just 0.86 goals conceded per game overall and have kept clean sheets in big matches against Juventus, Roma, Inter, and Lazio, conceding only once in the top clash (still won 2–1) against reigning champions Napoli.
If Napoli have a home version and a far less effective away version, Milan appear to have a “big-match Milan” and a far less reliable Milan against mid-table and lower sides. Allegri will need to address this, as it’s more a psychological issue — the approach to matches — than a purely technical one.
While waiting for the intriguing Monday night fixture at the Olimpico between Roma and Como, where Gasperini’s side aim to consolidate fourth place, Juventus picked up a hugely important away win at Bologna, launching their first serious assault on the Champions League positions.
The three points at the Dall’Ara saw Spalletti’s Juve leapfrog Italiano’s Bologna and move to within one point of Roma, with the added prospect of hosting Gasperini’s side at the Allianz Stadium next weekend. The decisive goal was scored by Cabal — hardly a natural goalscorer — and, as has often been the case at Juventus, the players whose job it should be to score (David, and Openda as well) seem to have completely lost their attacking edge.
Jonathan David’s offensive drought is no longer news. Signed with a striker’s pedigree, he has yet to deliver in Turin. What did raise eyebrows was his second straight start granted by Spalletti after the post-Napoli press conference in which the coach had effectively benched him publicly, stating that starting roles must be earned, not expected.
Against modest Pafos in the Champions League, David responded with a goal. Against Bologna’s far more organized defense, however, he never found his position or the ball, drifting aimlessly across the pitch. If he looked dejected, Spalletti looked even more so, replacing him with Openda, who at least attacked depth — though with the same lack of end product.
L’articolo Serie A: Wasn’t This Supposed to Be a Quiet Round? Everything Changes at the Top… proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
