Milan, victory in Naples. Giroud brings the Devil back in front of everyone

The scudetto obviously cannot be as strong as it was 34 years ago, but Milan can now really breathe it in deeply and with full rights. From here to the end there are still ten corners and anything can happen, but this is the strongest candidacy that the Devil could drop on the table at a crucial moment in the tournament. In Naples it was a Rossoneri feat, at Diego Armando Maradona all dressed in blue it ended 1-0 and Milan returned to the championship lead. With an exciting novelty compared to the old ranking: this time it is a solitary record. Double overtaking against Inter who scored, obviously always with the appendix of the game less played by the Nerazzurri. Everyone warned, including Juve. A Milan that confirms itself as queen of the seven sisters – 21 points in 10 crossings – in the most important match, against the most fit opponent of all in 2022. A result, among other things, which also brings direct clashes with the Campania region, which should not be underestimated in perspective. Pioli, who beats Spalletti for the first time in his career, assured him on the eve that the Coppa Italia derby had not stolen energy, but if anything he had given new ones. He was right.

The choices

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Spalletti can field the best possible formation. Particularly important is the return of Lobotka in the median from the first minute in place of Demme. It is the only novelty compared to the victory of Rome with Lazio. In the trident behind Osimhen also confirmed Politano, preferred to Elmas, with Zielinski doing the cutting and sewing between attack and median. Pioli has finally found Ibrahimovic. After a month and a half in the pits, obviously only the bench for the Swede. In front of a new call for Giroud, the seventh consecutive as a starter in a month. Once again the news (announced) arrived at the center of the trocar: after Krunic in the derby, here is Kessie – a déjà vu – in charge of hammering Fabian Ruiz. Messias on the right. He then median with Tonali and Bennacer, Kalulu in place of the injured Romagnoli. The first half of Napoli-Milan is an excellent example of how a match can be enjoyable and fun even without too many scoring opportunities: news practically non-existent, but a spectacle guaranteed by high intensity. From a defensive phase of both teams studied under the microscope, from the mutual defusing of key players with targeted treatments. And then: Zielinski on Tonali on one side, Kessie on Fabian Ruiz on the other, Lobotka and Bennacer snarling at each other taking their breath away (better the Algerian anyway). Few real gates managed to materialize on either side. Napoli was able to do it more than anything else on the right thanks to the excellent intuitions of Di Lorenzo and Zielinski, who was going to expand in the territories of Politano. Milan always on that band, with Leao as always devastating in the moment of aiming at the man – sometimes even two – and Hernandez who wisely dosed the insertions to avoid defensive chasms.

Approach

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A tactically beautiful chess game to observe, two teams with a similar system and an obvious difference: Naples in frequent search of Osimhen, even with long balls, Milan more inclined to collective maneuver to try to arm Giroud. As we said, in the first 45 real occasions equal to zero. The only thrill – Messias head, Ospina super reflex – was canceled out by a foul in attack by Giroud. For the rest, the first twenty minutes as angry as they were unproductive for Napoli, who pitched their tents in the Rossoneri half, and the second half of a decidedly more balanced fraction, with the Rossoneri who raised the center of gravity and rearranged the balance of the match. Small change notes: protests on both sides for an intervention by Koulibaly on Bennacer and Tomori on Osimhen, both in the area, Naples which in the 37th minute found himself with the two central defenders booked. In the second half, Milan presented themselves on the pitch with the same approach as Napoli at the beginning of the match: convinced, bad, lucid. And in this case the fruits arrived immediately. Minute number four: free kick by Tonali, shot by Kessie countered, another shot – tiraccio – by Calabria destined abundantly and slyly deflected into goal by Giroud, left alone by Rrahmani and Koulibaly. The scratch of the experienced center forward.

Sparks

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At that point the game was turned upside down and opportunities began to rain on both sides, with the Azzurri charging with their heads down and at the same time opening the Rossoneri gates which had been locked up until then. Dangerous Osimhen, then Bennacer, but what stands out is above all the imprecision of Napoli on the trocar. More belly pressure than technical. Halfway through the second half in Krunic and Rebic for Tonali and Giroud (injured), Elmas and Ounas for Politano and Insigne. Sparks Osimhen-Hernandez and both warned: the Frenchman was warned, he will miss Empoli. In the last quarter of an hour practically anything can happen because it skips any tactical logic. Napoli can equalize, Milan can double, every action is potentially worth a goal but the Devil defends well, without ever losing his clarity, and does not concede more than the lawful. Ounas goes close to the post (31 ‘), Osimhen slams against Maignan (41’), Hernandez transforms Ospina into spider man (41 ‘) and Saelemaekers devours the two to zero. The curtain falls, Napoli returns behind the scenes, Milan remains on the stage to celebrate.