The Juventus Turin, decided not to give up her title of champion of Italy, stopped the invincibility in A league of the’AC Milan (3-1) Wednesday at San Siro on Matchday 16, ending a 27-game unbeaten streak.
In addition to this capital victory which allows Juve to return to seven lengths from Milan and six from Inter, Turin coach Andrea Pirlo can congratulate himself on having found alternatives this time to Cristiano Ronaldo, on whom he has relied so much since the start of the season.
The light this time has come from the speed and punching power of Federico Chiesa, whose period of acclimatization at Juve seems to be ending, and the regained technique of Paolo Dybala.
On a delicious heel from the Argentinian, the Italian, who had sent a missile on the post three minutes earlier, concretized the good start in Turin with a cross strike (18th). And it was he again, after the Milan equalizer at the end of the first period, who gave the advantage back to the Bianconeri with a powerful strike close to the post (62nd), after a new service from Dybala.
Juve took the physical ascendancy
This duo “Chiebala” made San Siro forget the pair “Moraldo” in the absence of Alvaro Morata (injured), in a team which was also deprived of the speed of Juan Cuadrado (Covid-19).
Also handicapped by major absences, including that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, spectator in the stands, Milan has never closed the game to try to keep a draw that would have been enough for his happiness.
The bianconero goalkeeper Wojciech Sczcesny was initially relieved to see Rafael Leao’s strike graze his skylight (22nd) but he could not do anything on a strike in the top of the skylight from Davide Calabria (41st), after a good job. Leao’s left side. A goal, however, contested by the Turinese for a charge at the start of Hakan Calhanoglu’s action on Adrien Rabiot.
This energy deployed to equalize, the Milanese however paid for it when they returned from the locker room, when they died out a bit. What Juve, with all his experience as a nine-time defending champion, took advantage to shoot his arrows, Chiesa for the 2-1 first, then Weston McKennie, author of the 3-1 at the start of the last quarter of hour.
Milan had not been beaten in Serie A since their loss to Genoa (1-2) in March last season. The Rossoneri had then not lost in the league since the resumption in June, after the suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic, a series of 27 matches (twelve last season and fifteen this season).
Naples surprised, Gattuso shot down
Despite this defeat, the Rossoneri remain in the lead as Inter Milan also lost, in Genoa against Sampdoria (1-2). Brutal end to the series also for the Nerazzurri, who remained on eight consecutive victories.
Antonio Conte’s men, who missed a penalty early in the match by Alexis Sanchez, lost on two goals from former Inter residents (Candreva from the penalty spot, 23rd, then Keita Baldé, 38th).
In the second half, Inter tried everything with the successive entries into play of Romelu Lukaku, not established after a muscle alert last weekend, Christian Eriksen, who started in the transfer window, and Arturo Vidal, also left on the bench at kickoff after being cropped last weekend. But she only succeeded in reducing the score by Stefan de Vrij (65th).
“It was a strange match, we found ourselves from a missed penalty to a penalty and a goal, and in difficulty”, noted Conte, while considering that “The team had played well, had chances” and “Deserved a little better”.
The fall of the first two in the championship is the business of AS Roma (3rd), who are three points behind Inter before their meeting on Sunday at the Olimpico stadium.
The Giallorossi easily won on the field of the red lantern Crotone (3-1), thanks to the Spaniard Borja Mayoral (two goals, a penalty obtained) who perfectly replaced his captain Edin Dzeko, spared due to a muscle problem.
Most of the other candidates in Europe also assured, with the notable exception of Naples (6th), who were surprised at the end of the game by the relegated La Spezia (1-2) yet reduced to ten.
Enough to leave his trainer Gennaro Gattuso dejected after this first defeat in this stadium since he was renamed “Diego Maradona”, after the death of the Argentine star: “It’s not bad luck, this season we let go of incredible matches, we have to understand what happened”, said the former Milanese.
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