Napoli-Fiorentina 1-3
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret 5.5; Di Lorenzo 6, Ostigard 5.5, Natan 5, Oliveira 5; Anguissa 6 (32′ st Raspadori 5.5), Lobotka 5.5 (32′ st Gaetano 6), Zielinski 5.5 (31′ st Lindstrom 6); Politano 6 (12′ st Cajuste 5.5), Osimhen 7 (32′ st Simeone 6), Kvaratskhelia 5.5. On the bench: D’Avino, Contini, Idasiak, Mario Rui, Zanoli, Demme, Elmas, Zerbin. Coach: Garcia 5.
FLORENTINA (4-2-3-1): Terracciano 6.5; Kayode 6.5 (38′ st Ranieri sv), Milenkovic 5.5, Martinez Quarta 6.5, Parisi 6; Arthur 6 (38′ st Infantino sv), Duncan 6.5 (38′ st Mandragora sv); Ikone 6.5 (44′ st Comuzzo sv), Bonaventura 7, Brekalo 7 (27′ st Gonzalez 7); Nzola 5.5. On the bench: Martinelli, Vannucchi, Amatucci, Biraghi, Lopez, Barak, Kouame, Sottil, Beltran. Coach: Italian 7.
REFEREE: The Pen 6.
NETWORKS: 7′ pt Brekalo, 50′ pt Osimhen (rig.); 18′ st Bonaventura, 48′ st Gonzalez.
NOTE: peaceful evening; playing field in good condition. Booked: Terracciano, Martinez Quarta, Bonaventura, Ranieri, Simeone. Corners: 6-4 for Napoli. Recovery time: 5′; 6′.
In the clash between the two teams that have the most ball possession in the championship, Fiorentina clearly got the better of Napoli and won at “Maradona”, exercising a clear superiority throughout the match. It ends 3-1 for the Viola despite seven Italian changes compared to the team that played last Thursday in the Conference League. Napoli are always in trouble, chasing their opponent throughout the match and only finding the goal on a penalty kick, obtained due to the naivety of the Tuscan defence. The defeat (the second at home for the Italian Champions) brings with it the protest of a part of the ‘Maradonà public who boos the team while a large part of the fans support them with chants and applause as they leave the pitch . With the victory, Fiorentina joins Juventus in third place in the standings and confirms itself as one of the most brilliant teams in the championship. The Viola took the lead after just 7’ thanks to a cross from the right by Bonaventura on which Martinez Quarta anticipated Ostigard and deflected the ball onto the post. Brekalo pounces on the rebound and scores with a low diagonal shot. The responsibility for the goal conceded in this case falls entirely on Meret who lets the ball pass between his legs following the Croatian’s conclusion. Napoli reacts, but for Garcia’s men the problems in the middle of the pitch are notable and mainly due to Fiorentina’s continuous aggression which prevents quick counterattacks and forces the Azzurri defenders and midfielders to continuously move the ball around which inevitably slows down the maneuver.
Despite this, Napoli found the equalizer with Osimhen, who however concluded an action spoiled by an offside by Politano, resulting in the cancellation reported by the linesman and confirmed by the VAR. In the central part of the first half, Fiorentina accentuated its dominance in the middle of the pitch and in some moments in Naples it seemed helpless, unable, except with great difficulty, to break the web of passes from the opposing team. In the 31st minute Garcia, following a muscle injury suffered by Anguissa, decides to change the match tactics and sends Raspadori onto the pitch, transforming the initial 4-3-3 into a 4-2-3-1. However, Politano, Raspadori himself and Kvaratskhelia are forced to make greater sacrifices to create density in midfield and not leave Lobotka and Zielinski alone with the task of protecting the defense and the offensive actions are negatively affected. The turning point came in the 49th minute when on Olivera’s cross which went out in front of the goal, Parisi deflected the ball with his chest to make it easier for Terracciano to catch. Osimhen pounces like a hawk and anticipates the goalkeeper with a touch who can’t help but crash into him. This time it is Osimhen himself who takes possession of the ball and sends it from the spot to the back of the net. In the second half the teams play even more openly. Ikonè hits the post and Osimhen, taking advantage of a mistake by Kayode, appears in front of Terracciano but shoots at him. In the 18th minute Fiorentina took the lead again. Duncan enters the area and a rebound from Olivera puts Bonaventura in a position to score without problems. Napoli tries to react, but it is Italiano’s team that maintains dominance of the game thanks to the perfect organization of the team. The changes of the two coaches did not change the progress of the match which ended with Fiorentina’s third goal which arrived a few seconds before the end of injury time. Gonzalez, who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, deflected Parisi’s cross into the goal, putting his signature on his team’s masterpiece of the day.
Cagliari-Roma 1-4
CAGLIARI (3-5-2): Scuffet 5; Wieteska 5, Obert 5 (24′ st Dossena 6), Hatzidiakos 5 (1′ st Zappa 5); Nandez 6, Sulemana 4.5 (39′ pt Luvumbo 6.5), Prati 6, Makoumbou 5, Azzi 5; Oristanio 5.5 (29′ st Shomurodov sv), Petagna 5 (23′ st Pavoletti sv). On the bench: Radunovic, Aresti, Goldaniga, Augello, Di Pardo, Viola, Deiola, Pereira, Jankto, Desogus. Coach: Ranieri 5.
ROME (3-5-2): Rui Patricio 6; Mancini 6.5, Cristante 6, Ndicka 7; Karsdorp 7 (24′ st Kristensen 6), Bove 6.5, Paredes 7 (34′ st Celik sv), Aouar 7 (24′ st Pagano 6), Spinazzola 6.5; Dybala 6.5 (39′ pt Belotti 7), Lukaku 7.5. On the bench: Boer, Svilar, Zalewski, Pisilli, Azmoun, Joao Costa, El Shaarawy. Coach: Mourinho 7. REFEREE: Sozza di Seregno 6.
NETWORKS: 19′ pt Aouar, 20′ pt Lukaku; 6′ st Belotti, 14′ st Lukaku, 42′ st Nandez (rig). NOTES: clear evening, pitch in good condition. Booked: Paredes, Sulemana, Bove, Obert. Corners: 4-3 for Cagliari. Recovery time: 3′; 4′.
All too easy for Roma who overwhelm Cagliari at home in the match valid for the eighth matchday of Serie A. At the Unipol Domus it ended 4-1 for the Giallorossi thanks to a brace from a lively Lukaku and goals from Aouar and Belotti, while Nandez’s penalty was of little use in the final.
On a festive afternoon, however, there is apprehension in the Roma team over Dybala’s injury, who left almost in tears during the first half following a bad blow to his left knee. With this success, Mourinho’s team rises to 11 points in the standings, while Ranieri’s men, with their sixth defeat in eight rounds, remain dangerously in last position with only 2 points won.
As expected, it was the Giallorossi who held the ball in the opening stages, even if the first ring came from the Sardinians Petagna, who headed a cross from the left, calling in Rui Patricio. The guests were not intimidated and, after a goal for Dybala thwarted by Scuffet in the 18th minute, within another couple of minutes they found a deadly one-two that directed the match: Aouar opened with an assist from Spinazzola, Lukaku doubled a few second later, chesting in from Karsdorp’s cross.
Cagliari seems discouraged but proudly tries to come out on top, reaching the conclusion a couple of times with Nandez and Azzi who however don’t find luck. In the second half the script of the match did not change, Roma remained in total control and in the 51st minute found the goal that definitively closed the score with Belotti, who received a pass from Paredes and after having maneuvered in the area he hit the right-footed shot which made it 3- 0. Mourinho’s men play on the velvet and at the hour mark they drop the poker again with Lukaku, who receives another illuminating ball from Paredes and with his left foot scores his fifth goal of the championship and his first double in the Giallorossi.
In the 73rd minute Cagliari would find the goal with Prati, but the intervention of the VAR punishes a previous offside position by the new substitute Pavoletti. Goal from the Sardinian flag which nevertheless arrived at the end thanks to a penalty from Nandez, caused by a handball from Cristante in the area. Thus it ends 4-1 at the Unipol Domus.
Lazio-Atalanta 3-2
NETWORKS: 5′ pt own goal De Ketelaere, 11′ pt Castellanos, 33′ pt Ederson; 18′ st Kolasinac, 38′ st Vecino.
LAZIO (4-3-3): Provedel 6; Marusic 6, Casale 6, Romagnoli 6, Hysaj 6; Guendouzi 6.5 (19′ st Kamada 6), Rovella 6 (32′ st Cataldi sv), Luis Alberto 6.5 (11′ st Vecino 7); Felipe Anderson 6 (32′ st Isaksen sv), Castellanos 7.5, Zaccagni 6 (11′ st Pedro 6.5). On the bench: Sepe, Mandas, Patric, Pellegrini, Gila, Lazzari, Basic. Coach: Sarri 7.
ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Musso 6; Djimsiti 5.5, Scalvini 5.5, Kolasinac 7; Zappacosta 5.5 (36′ st Bakker sv), de Roon 6, Ederson 7, Ruggeri 6.5 (36′ st Holm sv); Pasalic 5.5 (1st st Koopmeiners 6.5); De Ketelaere 5.5 (25′ st Muriel 6), Scamacca 5.5 (15′ st Lookman 6.5). On the bench: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Palomino, Zortea, Adopo, Hateboer, Miranchuk. Coach: Gasperini 5.5.
REFEREE: Orsato di Schio 6.
NOTE: sunny day; playing field in good condition. Expelled: Sarri, in the 41st minute, for protests. Booked: Ruggeri, Vecino. Corners: 6-4 for Atalanta. Recovery time: 3′; 5′.
Lazio wins late, 3-2, against Atalanta on the eighth day of Serie A, at the end of a match full of emotions. The Biancocelesti seemed to have taken on the challenge in the first half, with De Ketelaere’s own goal and Castellanos’ goal. Then the reaction of the Bergamo players, who closed the gap at the end of the half with Ederson and took a draw with Kolasinac on the hour mark. In the 83rd minute, however, the signing of substitute Vecino gave the Biancocelesti the three points.
Monza-Salernitana 3-0
NETWORKS: 9’pt Colpani, 18’pt Vignato; 37’st Pessina (rig).
MONZA (3-4-1-2): By Gregory 7; D’Ambrosio 6.5, P. Marì 6, Caldirola 6; Kyriakopoulos 6 (27’st Birindelli 6), Pessina 7 (40’st Akpa Akpro sv), Gagliardini 6, Ciurria 6.5 (19’st Pereira 6); Colpani 7.5 (19’st Gomez 6); Vignato 7 (27’st Bondo 6), Colombo 6. On the bench: Lamanna, Sorrentino, Gori, Donati, Machin, V. Carboni, A. Carboni, Mota, Maric, F. Carboni. Coach: Palladino 7.
SALERNITANA (3-4-2-1): Ochoa 6; Daniliuc 5, Gyomber 5.5, Pirola 5; Kastanos 5.5 (38’st Coulibaly sv), Legowski 5.5 (1’st Martegani 6), Bohinen 6 (1’st Maggiore 6), Mazzocchi 5.5 (1’st Bradaric 6); Candreva 6.5, Cabral 5 (15′ st Stewart 6); Dia 6. On the bench: Allocca, Costil, Bronn, Fazio, Lovato, Sambia, Botheim, Tchaouna. Coach: Paulo Sousa 6.
REFEREE: Termoli highs 6.5.
NOTE: clear morning, pitch in excellent condition. Booked: Vignato, Bradaric, Coulibaly. Corners: 7-6 for Salernitana. Recovery: 1′; 5′.
Clear victory for Monza, who beat Salernitana 3-0 in front of their fans and achieved their second consecutive victory after the one in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo, condemning the Campania team to their third failure in as many games.
Frosinone-Verona 2-1
NETWORKS: 46’pt Reinier; 21’st Soulé, 49’st Djuric.
FROSINONE (4-3-3): Turati 6; Oyono 6, Monterisi 6.5, Okoli 6.5, Marchizza 7; Mazzitelli 6 (46’st Lirola sv), Barrenechea 6.5 (38’st Bourabia sv), Garritano 6.5 (32’st Brescianini 6); Soulé 7 (46’st Ibrahimovic sv), Cheddira 6.5, Reinier 7.5 (31’st Romagnoli 6). On the bench: Frattali, Cerofolini, Baez, Lulic, Caso, Cuni, Kvernadze, Bidaoui, Lusuardi. Coach: Di Francesco 7.
VERONA (3-4-2-1): Montipò 6; Magnani 5.5, Coppola 5 (15’st Faraoni 6), Amione 5.5; Terracciano 5, Duda 6 (16’st Serdar 6), Folorunsho 6.5, Lazovic 65.5 (38’st Tchatchoua 6.5); Suslov 5.5, Saponara 6 (15’st Djuric 6.5); Ngonge 6 (32’st Bonazzoli 6). On the bench: Berardi, Perilli, Cruz, Gomez, Hongla, Charlys, Calabrese, Mboula. Coach: Baroni 5.5
REFEREE: Caputi of Livorno 5.5.
NOTE: playing field in good condition. Spectators 13,034. Booked: Coppola, Okoli, Duda, Amione, Suslov. Corners: 4-2 for Verona. Recovery time: 3′; 10′.