Nerazzurri at +4 on the Rossoneri and Azzurri, even if the direct clash against Conte is set in stone before the recoveries which will complete the first leg only on 15 January, after the first return leg
The chances are very low because Milan haven’t lost in 16 league games and are unlikely to perform harakiri tonight at home against Genoa, but with the results achieved on Wednesday (Napoli’s 2-2 home draw with Verona weighs heavily) Inter could become winter champions with a round to spare (here is the ranking). The recoveries of the 16th first leg (Inter-Lecce, Como-Milan, Napoli-Parma and Verona-Bologna) for the Super Cup played before Christmas, however, create a paradox: the Nerazzurri could technically reach the mid-league mark in the lead, but find themselves behind Napoli in a week’s time.
unlikely, but…
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Yes, because the first return match is not only played before the injury time that will complete the first leg but also sees Inter and Napoli facing each other. Again in the event of Milan’s unlikely knockout against Genoa, if Conte were to silence San Siro on Sunday evening he would move himself to -1 behind Chivu, with the possibility of overtaking him in the event of a recovery win against Parma scheduled for next Wednesday. All this if Inter also lost at home to Lecce on the same day. While Milan, even if they won in Como on January 15th, would remain -1 behind their cousins. All very unlikely, but there is nothing impossible in football. And in any case the title of winter champion would be calculated on the first leg matches. So it doesn’t cost Chivu anything to ask his friend De Rossi for a favor.