Napoli and Inter, it can be done in the Champions League! Licari’s analysis

If the first round has issued a warning it is that no one can feel safe in the Champions League. Not even the wealthy Chelsea and Tottenham, arriving from the Superpremier yet falling without an excuse against Borussia and Milan. Now there is a return of emotions to play. When the going gets tougher, hierarchies may soon be re-established. However, as far as we are concerned, Milan grew by 1-0 in 1-0, and Conte’s convalescence is a serious technical problem for Spurs because few coaches have an impact like him from the bench. The favorites are a little less favourites. Reverse of the medal: this lesson cannot be minimized by Napoli and Inter, dealing with formidable opponents but, without a false profession of modesty, surmountable. In fact, it is not a question of City and Real Madrid, against which we could hope for an honorable curtain in recent times, but of Eintracht and Porto. The Germans with the last Europa League still in their arms, the Portuguese with the reputation of Italian-killers since the ex Sergio Conceiçao leads them. Two very different teams who would have preferred another draw. The Nerazzurri are still looking for a defined identity, or at least a rational balance between the version that eliminated Barcelona and the one that stumbles with the medium-small ones, but precisely for this reason they are not easily decipherable.

EYE NAPLES

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The Spalletti gang goes like a show: they have Kvara and Osimhen, who today can decide a game by themselves like Haaland or the Salah of the good old days, and are unaware of calculations and tactics. He has only one thought in mind: to go straight towards the goal. She’s the real crazy (and feared) splinter of these round of 16, she has nothing to lose, she just lacks the experience that can make the difference in the Champions League. But his strength can be precisely this: forgetting that it is the Champions League. As in the debut with Liverpool. Eintracht lets play, concedes the field and the ball, restarts quickly and technically, is light in head and legs. He doesn’t have an impressive score, he scored fewer goals (7) than he conceded (8). A non-transcendental group with Tottenham, Sporting and Marseille made his life easier. But he knows how to do it. In May he won the cup on penalties with Rangers after beating Betis, Barcelona and West Ham, Spain and England. He no longer has Kostic, the best, but he has found in Kolo Muani an underrated champion due to the enormous competition in France but one of the most decisive of the season. He lives and lets live, and this does not displease Spalletti’s philosophy.

CONCEICAO DANGEROUS

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Porto are different, they weave a sticky canvas, they sink their opponents into a swamp of dribbles – not possession – without giving points of reference, turning heads in midfield, occupying spaces, pressing high in setting up and aiming to annoy the rivals. Taremi is a center forward with five goals in this Champions League. Since Conceiçao has been around, Porto has punished Roma, Juve and Lazio in all the cups in direct elimination and Milan in the groups. It is essential to find the Lukaku who dragged Conte’s Inter to the 2020 Europa League final or, more realistically, the Simone Inzaghi always inspired in the preparation of the challenges from inside or outside. The draw didn’t affect the Italians, not even Milan. Worse went to Psg-Bayern and tomorrow to Liverpool-Real Madrid who line up twenty Champions League together but have to contend for a place in the sun of the quarterfinals. Better went to City (there is Leipzig) but, as for Barça and Juve, the financial events risk taking away serenity. No one can feel safe. And a scenario that could polish up the image of a Serie A that is often mortified by comparison with the fast, spectacular and intense top tournaments in Europe will not be easily repeated. Let’s think about it.