Four big names were out against Cagliari at San Siro, including Leao and Theo. Napoli-Bologna is worth heavy points for Europe
Milan And Naples, two of the more or less great disappointments of this season, take to the field today for equally important commitments. The Azzurri, now former Italian champions, open, hosting the Bologna in a highly technical and strategic match for the rankings. Calzona’s team needs to win to win at least a place in Europe, Thiago Motta’s terrible boys want to secure the historic Champions League. High tension also at San Siro, where Pioli will present himself with a revolutionized lineup and without four big names, including Leao and Theo Hernandez. Up front they will have a Cagliari team desperately looking for the last points for an almost guaranteed survival.
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Milan
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MILAN-CAGLIARI AT 8.45 PM
Milan’s ‘lightning rod’ who this time seems intent on making drastic choices. Stefano Pioli could exclude four starters from the lineup against Cagliari: Leao, Theo Hernandez, Calabria and Tomori or in any case he would have studied the standard training without them. The manager knows he has protected players, staff and in a certain sense also the club. He never complained, he always had positive words for everyone but now that there are three games to go and without being able to win for over a month, Pioli could keep out as many as four starters due to a technical choice. If the indiscretion were confirmed, the left wing, the jewel in the crown of the Rossoneri team, he would remain watching on the bench. Mike Maignan, not in his best condition, wasn’t even called up. Certainly without goals to achieve, with the European Championship just around the corner and the World Cup missed due to injury, it is likely that the French goalkeeper will not force his return. For others, however, Pioli may not have seen the best motivation. Thus, while another support strike by the Curva Sud could take place at San Siro, as already happened with Genoa, Pioli is aiming for victory with a heavily restructured team. On the other side he will find a Cagliari revived by Ranieri and in search of the last points to obtain a salvation that only a few weeks ago seemed unattainable.
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Naples
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NAPLES-BOLOGNA 6PM
Conquer the last points that separate the team from the Champions League miracle, defend eighth place which guarantees at least access to the Conference League. Napoli-Bologna is a fundamental crossroads for Europe, even if the state of mind in which the two clubs arrive at the match against ‘Maradona’ is diametrically opposite. Thiago Motta’s boys see the ambitious goal one step away, even if the recent record of the Bolognese – four draws and a victory in the last five outings – has slowed down the rossoblù’s quest for gold a little; the outgoing Italian champions, after a more than disappointing season, have instead pulled the plug some time ago and sadly await the conclusion of a year to forget, which began with Rudi Garcia, continued with Walter Mazzanti and closed by Francesco Calzona. In front of their fans, however, the Azzurri are called to a test of pride, even more so in the face of the revelation of Serie A. The good news for Napoli is the recovery of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who will regularly start from the 1st minute in the trident completed by the owners Politano and Osimhen. However, Zielinski is still out and will be replaced again by Cajuste in midfield with Lobotka and Anguissa. The Campanians have not won for over a month, since the 4-2 comeback triumph in Monza, and find themselves defending eighth place from the onslaught of Fiorentina. The direct clash on the penultimate day will probably prove decisive, but in the meantime Di Lorenzo and his associates are awaiting another complicated test against Bologna, who in turn hope to reach the Champions perhaps also taking advantage of the direct clash between Roma and Atalanta. The Emilians find Beukema again after the disqualification – even if Motta seems oriented towards confirming Calafiori at the center of defense – and rely above all on the imagination and class of Joshua Zirkzee in attack.
