Inter slips to 7th place: if they don’t beat Lazio, they risk big

Now beating Lazio is even more important. Maybe it’s even vital. Because Atalanta’s victory on the Turin field slipped Inter to seventh place in the standings, theoretically (even) out of all the 2023-2024 European cups. Let’s underline it: theoretically…

the detail

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The Nerazzurri have the possibility of qualifying in various ways: 1) by winning the Champions League on 10 June in Istanbul (they would play in the Champions League in 2023-24), 2) by winning the Coppa Italia on 24 May in Rome (they would participate in the Europa League) , 3) finishing in the top four in the league (they would guarantee the Champions League), 4) finishing fifth or sixth (they would make the Europa League or the Conference League). All bearing in mind that they have Juventus ahead of them who can be penalized again by sports justice or excluded from the European cups by UEFA.

the fears

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It is clear, however, that for the managers of viale della Liberazione, obtaining registration for the next Champions League is not like taking part in the Europa League or the Conference League. For a matter of prestige, but above all economic. The difference in terms of millions of euros is abysmal: staying out of the top four would force you to review your transfer plans and sell at least one big player. That’s why D’Ambrosio and his companions must absolutely beat Lazio today, repeating the victory obtained last Sunday in Empoli.

OVERTAKING AND CALENDAR

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The goal with which Zapata sank Turin did not please Inzaghi because the Goddess is thus back in the running for fourth place. Gasperini, now -2 behind Milan and Roma and +1 over Inter, has the advantage of being able to play one game a week. Unlike the Milanese, Giallorossi and Juventus, still in the running in Europe. In addition, Atalanta is expected to play against Inter at the San Siro on the penultimate matchday, in what could be a real play-off for the Champions League. The calendar certainly does not lend a hand to Zhang’s club which, in these last seven days, will have big matches against Lazio, Roma, Napoli and Atalanta, an insidious spin like the one on Wednesday against a Verona thirsting for salvation points and two matches not to be underestimated against Turin and Sassuolo. All with a double Champions League semi-final against Milan to be played in 6 days and with the Italian Cup final on May 24th which can give the second trophy of the season after the Italian Super Cup.

TURNOVER

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Currently, Inter are already certain they will play 56 matches in their 2022-23 season, but hope that they will become 57 by qualifying for the Champions League final. He knows he has a squeezed team, physically but above all psychologically, after the quarter-final against Benfica and the second leg of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday with Juventus. It would have been tremendously convenient to have some of the points left by the wayside thanks to the 11 knockouts in Serie A and instead he has to deal with a reality that forces Inzaghi into a turnover that he had avoided in the past. Today against Lazio, for example, there will be four changes compared to Wednesday. And regardless of how it goes, there will be more (perhaps more) on Wednesday at the Bentegodi. Because the first Euroderby is on the calendar in 10 days. It being understood that in the meantime, points cannot be lost in the championship because the classification is delicate: by beating Lazio, Inter would be tied for fourth with Roma and Milan, losing would remain seventh behind all the other competitors. Certainly not the same…