The strokes of genius of Insigne and Leao can decide Napoli-Milan

From the sky of his stadium, Diego Armando Maradona, who is attracted by technical grace, will have eyes especially for them: Lorenzo Insigne and Rafa Leao. In the last round of the championship, the Neapolitan scored a goal and assisted Fabian Ruiz, marking the victory over Lazio; the AC Milan player signed the provisional advantage over Udinese.

They called each other from afar. With their respective feats, they met at Maradona and tomorrow they will both line up high on the left, at the ends of a long diagonal. They couldn’t be more distant than that. Like generals in the hills, on the edge of the battlefield. The two armies hang on their bets. In the previous performance at Maradona, against Barcelona in the Champions League, Insigne was replaced between the whistles, because of that crazy corner that sent Jordi Alba on the net. But now he returns to his stadium as the hero of the Sack of Rome who earned him the connection to leaders Milan. Forgot Alba.

reverse trends

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At the sunset of his Neapolitan adventure, Lorenzo can give the joy that Diego has twice given to the city. The Neapolitans know that, without the best Insigne, the enterprise would be difficult to achieve. The AC Milan fans know that, with Ibra aching, with the old Giroud who lights up intermittently, with a breathless finish (Diaz, Messias, Rebic, Saelemaekers …), with Kessie as an attacking midfielder, Leao’s powerful and solitary jerks are a good thing refuge, like gold. Lorenzo and Rafa have in common the role of technical leader, but, for the rest, they are two worlds apart and not only because the Portuguese is closer to the sky by 25 centimeters.

Insigne, Canada or not Canada, goodbye or not goodbye, has experienced a season of involution; Leao, who seems close to renewal, is experiencing the season of consecration. The Opta data show the opposite trends in a dramatic way. From the last championship to this one, the Neapolitan has worsened all his statistics, except one: the average of the opportunities created (from 1.8 to 2.2). Leao, on the contrary, has improved them all, except one: that of the assists: from 6 to 3. Even tactically, the two generals are unmarked, beyond the geographical location, as you can deduce from the pitches of the touches per zone, shown here. On the chessboard, Insigne makes the move of the knight: he advances vertically, but then deviates horizontally to dictate and conclude with the door in his face. The squares in which he touches the most balls are in the band (145, 139), but the next two are not along the chalk line, but inside, on the three-quarters (116, 91).

on the chessboard

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Leao, on the other hand, moves diagonally like the standard bearer. He too starts from the left wing, but then, picking up speed, heads straight for the goal, all the way: 29 touches in the small area, against 7 by Insigne. The AC Milan player abundantly doubles the Neapolitan in the average of successful dribbles (2.7 against 1.2). The ease of going beyond man and creating superiority is a boon in today’s football, often blocked by all-out scoring. But the Neapolitan detaches the AC Milan player in the recovered balls (4-2.7), confirming a greater participation in team play, in both phases. It is here that Leao must grow the most to become a complete player, in the work without the ball in the service of the team, as his remarkable athletic qualities would allow him.

The historian behind the two generals in the battle at stake is also different. Insigne scored his first goal for Milan ten years ago: November 17, 2012. It was Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan. After Inler’s advantage, Insigne signed the 2-0, helped by Abbiati on a bad day, before El Shaarawy’s comeback. From 2015 to 2018, Lorenzo gave the Devil 5 goals, including the brace in the 4-0 round at San Siro, on 4 October 2015. In those four years, Insigne was an avid exorcist, but then he stopped. In the following three championships, from ’19 to ’21, he no longer punished Milan in the league. Leao is still a virgin: of the 20 goals scored in Serie A since the summer of 2019, he hasn’t trimmed any at Napoli. Insigne and Leao will try to break fasting and abstinence in a highly anticipated match that rekindles the atmosphere of the fabulous eighties, when Naples and Milan played Italy football. A goal scored tomorrow risks being dismissed as a Scudetto goal in May.

special match

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For Insigne it is a special match also for another reason: it is the last of his career against a great scudetto. A direct clash (Atalanta) and a historical rival (Rome) are still waiting for him. But no more Inter, Milan and Juve, no more stripes. Only the American border. In these cases, the great actor takes care of the exit. But it is also special for Leao who received the investiture of King Ibra: “You are a monster, take the ball and go”. If he scores, perhaps he will find Ibra on the bench waiting for him with open arms, like Cristo Rei in Almada, his hometown. Insigne-Leao is down a bit Italy-Portugal. From the top of his sky, Maradona will have eyes especially for them. And, if so, even a little bit for Ibrahimovic, who would have liked to become the King of Naples.