Milan-Napoli 1-2, goals from Politano, Giroud and Simeone

After Inter and Juve, Milan also falls: Sunday of passion for the three most numerous supporters in Italy (it hadn’t happened since the 6th day of the 2015-16 season), who watch the others celebrate and go to the championship break with full doubts . Naples enjoys, mad with joy: a blue undertaking at San Siro and first place hung up, thanks to a flash of Simeone and a bit of good luck. Pioli relives the defeat he had not known in Serie A since January: 22 games ago, Spezia and that terrible evening of the referee Serra.

The choices

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There are two unexpected names in Milan’s starting eleven: if the presence of Kjaer in place of Kalulu amazes above all thinking about the speed of the Neapolitan offensive trio Politano-Raspadori-Kvaratskhelia, that of Krunic on the left side of the attack is surprising because the Bosnian has recovered from an injury. So it is not Saelemaekers who replaces the disqualified Leao by changing the range of competence, but Messias is at the expense, because “Saele” is still the starter on the right, next to the other Belgian De Ketelaere. Spalletti – and Domenichini who is on the bench in his place – instead play as expected, with 4-3-3 that sees Anguissa, Lobotka and Zielinski in the median.

Cross of Giroud

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Ready-away and Pioli’s defensive move immediately seems risky, because Kjaer knocks out Kvaratskhelia who was picking up speed on the left. It will happen again in the 18th minute, but in the meantime AC Milan has risen with blows, executing the “Piolian” plots at a good pace. Krunic also puts quality in it: there is his hand when Giroud hits the crossbar (Meret very good at deflecting) and there is his spoon when the French involuntarily takes away a potential goal from Calabria, after an insertion with a flying side by De Ketelaere . Again he, Krunic, almost interrupts the drought of Milan under the heading “goal from a corner kick”, but nothing, Meret does not cooperate. So Napoli, for a long time forced to chase and recoil as Spalletti does not like, takes courage and puts out his nose. First with a “back door” that recalls the best interpretations of Insigne and Callejon: Zielinski’s launch from the left trocar, Politano stamps the card on the right post, but does not find the winning impact. Then with a couple of flashes of the sly Kvaratskhelia, who warns Calabria, so far careful to contain it. He goes to rest without nets and with the feeling that everything has yet to happen.

Question and answer

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The admonitions put Pioli in apprehension, who at the interval decides two changes: inside Dest for Calabria (who actually comes out due to muscle fatigue) and Kalulu for Kjaer. The crash-Dest, sorry, the crash-test arrives immediately: Kvaratskhelia points the American in the area and goes to the ground, Mariani leans towards the corner but Irrati al Var invites him to the on-field review, penalty. Politano transforms him, the third green ring occupied by the visiting fans explodes, while the number 21 in the blue jersey responds to the insults of the Rossoneri South. The inertia goes to the side of Napoli, Pioli then throws the Diaz-Messias couple into the fray and the Brazilian almost does not equalize immediately. But it is a matter of little: minute 69, Hernandez breaks through on the left and puts in the center for Giroud, who from the small area does not forgive. San Siro roars, 1-1, game that runs again.

Lightning Cholito

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In the meantime, however, Cholito Simeone joined the match, joining with Zerbin. And in these situations, when the matches lose some order and instinct counts, the Argentine gives his best. Less than ten minutes have passed since Giroud’s goal when Simeone cleans a ball on the edge of the Rossoneri area, touches it for Mario Rui and goes to receive the return pass into the area: perfect header and Maignan cannot avoid the 2- 1. Over? Absolutely not, because Milan have heart and pride, the main weapons to win a Scudetto. Luck is lacking, however, at least tonight. And so, when Kalulu begins and ends an eighty-meter percussion hitting the second crossbar of the evening, even Pioli understands that the first defeat of the season is destined to materialize. Napoli goes to the stop in the lead, in the company of Atalanta. Milan are fourth, behind Udinese too. Jokes of a strange season, and not just because there is a World Cup in between.