Champions League, Inter close. Milan step forward. Juve and Atalanta can be done

It can be a Champions 4X4. Inter, Milan, Atalanta and Juve, in strict ranking order, are all in the running for the round of 16. Arithmetic doesn’t deny it, common sense suggests that at least the playoffs are within reach. The Italians would really have to get hurt to miss the play-off in February, but direct qualification is not excluded. The Champions League table is very short: excluding the runaways Liverpool (18 points) and Barcelona (15), from third place (Arsenal 13) to nineteenth (Bruges 10) there is a still enigmatic mix. All in play.

Ranking: 2nd

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Naturally, discussions to be updated in mid-January, when the “long” Champions League will resume after the winter break. Two more matches, the last on Wednesday 29 January at the same time, to guarantee maximum sportsmanship. Still in theory, Bologna can hope for the last useful place for the playoffs: but special astral conjunctions will be needed, as well as two successes. Any result is still useful: since last night Italy has returned to second place in the UEFA seasonal rankings. The fifth slot in the Champions League remains the objective. England is far away, we have overtaken Portugal, we are also ahead of Spain and Germany. But already from this evening Europe and the Conference will be designing new scenarios.

Inter almost done

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Mukiele’s goal choked the qualification cry in the 92nd minute. With a draw in Leverkusen, Inter today would be at 14, third alone. Instead the points are 13, the ranking reads sixth place, but it’s total chaos. What matters is the not impossible path: in fact, we start again from Sparta Prague, who took four from Feyenoord and have already lost at home against Brest and Atletico. A less speculative Inter will have no problems. And in any case it ends at San Siro against Monaco who were beaten yesterday (3-0) by Arsenal: football has no transitive property, but Inter seems really close to the round of 16.

Milan rising again

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What the ending gives, the ending gives back. Abraham’s goal straightened out a situation that was becoming complicated. Milan immediately shook off the consequences of a terrible initial schedule and, from Bruges, racked up four consecutive victories, including Real Madrid. Today he is twelfth with 13 points. Girona are missing at San Siro, within reach, and the uncomfortable Dinamo Zagreb, but it is not impossible to reach 18. And they would be eighth direct.

Atalanta from Barça

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Nobody will take away the applause from Atalanta for the match on par with Madrid, but Retegui’s late ball in the sky could be long missed: Atalanta stopped at 11, on par with Juve. Knowing the attitude of the Gasp Boy, 14 is within reach: the next match in Bergamo is with Sturm Graz who lost to Lille yesterday, despite fighting until the end. So far, for the Austrians, five defeats and one success against Girona. The problem is that Barcelona are away from home at the last minute: Atalanta will play on equal terms, it’s not the easiest of matches, but the Catalans could already be qualified. One more point, or one less, can now make a huge difference.

Juve now you can

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The success against City changes everything. There couldn’t have been a better time to find Pep, and Juve made the most of it. Now he is at 11 and, compared to Atalanta, he has a calendar without big names but also without small ones. Bruges and Benfica are there, at 10 points, and cultivate legitimate dreams of qualification. At home the Belgians defeated Aston Villa and Sporting. Then Benfica at Da Luz: Portuguese team inconsistent, but recovering and expected by City before the Bianconeri. In theory Juve can reach 17 and thus avoid the playoffs. Of course, the points lost against Stuttgart, in the most incomprehensible of defeats, are still felt.

Bologna see you next time

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Another draw (0-0) for Bologna and still 33rd place in the standings. Now Borussia (at home) and Sporting (away): two successes will hardly be enough for the playoffs, but as long as the arithmetic doesn’t say stop you can dream. And fight. Also for the ranking: Bologna is the one that took the additional place in the Champions League. Do you ever see…