For Inter, Milan and Naples a stage without climbs, but Inzaghi takes risks

Transfer stages are not all the same, even if they may seem so. Empoli 31 points, Salernitana 28, Lecce 27: the value of the opponents of Milan, Inter and Napoli – says the standings – is similar, practically identical if we consider that Pioli faces the Tuscans at home, those with the most points, while Inzaghi and Spalletti play away. Paths that are not very simple, insidious, but apparently without great tears and without leg-breaking climbs, waiting to get to the comparisons that are worth history: the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Yet this transfer stage is still dangerous for some. Very dangerous.

POISED

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The stormy draw in the Coppa Italia against Juve helped hide the very delicate moment of Inter and Inzaghi in a corner of memory, at least for a couple of days. There was a lot of talk about what happened in Turin on the pitch and in the corner, as it should be, and almost nothing about the bad game played by the two teams. From the Bianconeri, of course, but also from the Nerazzurri. And yet the words spoken by Marotta slipped away into the indifference of the majority, clouded by brawls, expulsions, racist chants: “If we don’t get into the Champions League, we’d be forced to review all the plans”.

The prospects for Inter would become decidedly bleak, the most onerous contract renewals would be unattainable, just as it would be essential to sell a large number of high-level players. And a club like the Nerazzurri – rich in history, fans and ambitions – cannot afford all this to happen, to the point that the managers are ready to make any decision to try to save at least fourth place. The Salerno stage, observed in such a scenario, becomes terribly important, because the three consecutive defeats – with Spezia, Juve and Fiorentina – have made the rankings unsettling and the environment turbulent. Inter today are in fourth place on a par with Roma, who however won the first leg of the direct match at San Siro: if the championship ended now, Inzaghi would be out of the Champions League. Zhang’s managers expect Simone to shake things up and get the team going again, at least enough to secure fourth place, but he has to do it quickly, otherwise no decision would be ruled out or impossible. After all, it is difficult to deny that, with a staff of this level, the nerazzurri should occupy a very different position in the standings, without having lost ten games out of twenty-eight and without accusing a gap of twenty-one points from Napoli.

THE BURDEN

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In short, Inter are approaching Tuesday’s match against Benfica with enormous pressure on them, because they can’t go wrong in Salerno. Milan and Napoli have much less pressure, although they themselves have some dough: the Rossoneri are just one point ahead of Inter in the standings, so they too are in full tussle in the chase for fourth place; the Azzurri come from 0-4 immediately from Pioli’s team and need to restart immediately so that the mind is not crossed by bad thoughts (the Scudetto is certainly not at risk, if anything the serenity to face the quarter cup in the best way) . Today the matches with Lecce and Empoli, then Napoli and Milan will launch towards the Champions League derby on Wednesday. How much will the thought of the European challenge weigh in the choices of Spalletti and Pioli in the championship? Will they give up any owners with a view of Europe? And how much will the same players be able to put their heads in the transfer stage instead of turning it to the challenge that is worth the glory? Certainly the thought will also be directed to what will happen in five days, it is no coincidence that Giroud could be spared at the start. And it is no coincidence that Osimhen has been working since his injury with only one event in mind: Milan-Naples.