Conte is looking for a signal after two defeats in Italy and the Champions League, Allegri doesn’t want a Christmas with two goals already failed
Today the Italian Super Cup kicks off. First semi-final in chronological order, but also by total championship points: Milan and Napoli amass 63; Inter and Bologna, on the pitch tomorrow, 58. But first also due to match tension, because whoever falls tonight will take home bruises. Without dramatising, let’s be clear, at this height of the season, then.
Naples and Milan scenarios
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However, aligning a third defeat with the two in the Champions League (Benfica) and in the championship (Udinese) would not go unnoticed in an environment sensitive to good and bad events, such as the one in Naples. Only after the defeat in Turin against the Granata did Napoli follow up with a defeat, the dramatic one in Eindhoven. After other falls, he always got back up with a victory. Just two games ago, Milan were at the top of Serie A and are +10 compared to the unfortunate last season. The Rossoneri world is experiencing its small Renaissance with satisfaction and confidence and a rediscovered technical-managerial solidity, the result of the advent of Allegri and Tare. However, after the exit from the Italian Cup, should they find themselves at Christmas with two goals out of three already failed, Milan’s panettone would have a different flavour. However unfortunate, the previous Devil reached the final of the Italian Cup and took home the Super Cup. It’s true that the big target is the scudetto which Allegri will now be able to chase with his diary completely free of commitments, but Max would certainly like to repeat Sergio Conceiçao’s return journey from Riyadh, even without a cigar: with the cup in his arms, after perhaps having won another derby and officially handed over the challenge ticket for the scudetto to league leaders Inter. So tonight at King Saud University Stadium we will see a hot match.
leao wait
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Conte (3) and Allegri (5), the first relay runners in the golden cycle of the 9 Juventus championships, are similar in terms of ferocity in the technical area, excellent drivers on the field and in terms of essentiality of play, very attentive to defence. In the summer Conte tried to distance himself and dared a new sea, more international waters, thinking about the Champions League: a more aggressive and possession-based football with an extra point guard (De Bruyne). The Napoli that lost at San Siro were still in 4-1-4-1 shape, with McTominay (too) wide to facilitate the new idea. The Belgian’s injury and the tactical turning point, after the collapse in Bologna, brought the Azzurri back into harmony with the Rossoneri: Neres darting like Pulisic into the spaces freed up front; a low directing pivot (Lobotka-Modric); fundamental vitamin midfielders to attack the area: McTominay, Rabiot, Loftus… Similar attitude and architecture, therefore, apart from the center forward: Conte has Hojlund, Allegri’s forbidden desire. The Livorno hopes to see further improvements from Nkunku in Arabia, after the not exaggerated ones with Sassuolo, awaiting the imminent arrival of the German Fullkrug. Naples and Milan are brothers even in emergencies. Absences like those of Anguissa, De Bruyne and Lukaku, or like those of Fofana, Leao and Gimenez have disfigured the painting, stabbed on the canvas. For this reason, the choices of the two coaches, who have reduced squads and must take into account a possible final, are not simple. Especially those of Allegri who must manage Leao’s return and calibrate the energies of Modric and Rabiot, in difficulty on Sunday. For Rafa, who hasn’t trained, at most one presence in the eventual final. The Croatian and the French, mainstays, will also be there in this round. Fofana, fully recovered, starts on the bench. The possibility of starting him immediately was also considered, advancing Loftus-Cheek into the Pulisic area. But, ultimately, Nkunku should retain his place as first striker.
political idea
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What game can we expect? Starting again, in every sense. Restart after the disappointing Sunday of both and tactical restart, without mass attacks at kick-off. Waiting and navigation by sight. But that doesn’t mean the two helmsmen will surprise us. After all, Max already did it at San Siro in the championship match, with an authoritative first half, perhaps the best of the season. Allegri should dust off that spirit, cultivate it and preach it more often. The Italian Super Cup is a good opportunity. Transforming a Milan that reacts to disadvantages into a Milan that acts first and does not retreat after scoring a goal could be the key to not hitting the walls of the small teams and squandering all the points lost so far. But a test of personality, as Italian champions, would also be useful for Napoli to recover morale and self-esteem. Also for this reason, Conte should give a boost to the right: the more offensive Politano at full flank, instead of Di Lorenzo, who climbs arm in arm. A shot balanced to the left by tactician Elmas who was preferred to Lang. Finally, seeing those two penalty savers between the posts, in the absence of extra time, how can you not imagine an epilogue from the spot? Who knows if we will see Maignan save Milinkovic-Savic’s attacks…
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