The weekend before Christmas in Serie A – so what did we learn?
Well, we witnessed a little bit of history as two Englishmen scored in an Italian top-flight game for the first time; we saw that the gap between top and bottom is still a gulf and we realised that, while he may lack some of the ‘magic touch’ of old, Jose Mourinho can’t be written off as a busted flush despite the views of some of his critics.
Oh yes, and there was the small matter of the big top of the table clash and Serie A highlights galore on Sunday night.
Serie A – I still can’t take my eyes off it!
Napoli rediscover winning ways at just the right time
We know it’s not a vintage time for Serie A clubs, the performances of the leading sides in Europe have shown that.
Yet the levelling out at the top has made for more excitement as reflected by the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds and a three-horse race for the title.
It is very much still a three-horse race after Napoli earned only a second win in five to see off AC Milan at the San Siro and leapfrog their opponents into second spot in the table.
Former Milan and Roma defender Cafu this week said he believes the Rossoneri are the favourites for the Scudetto.
Not so, based on this showing.
A Piotr Zielinski corner found Elif Elmas after just five minutes and his low header at the near post proved to be the winner.
In the final minute, Olivier Giroud knocked down a cross and, after some pinball in the box, Franck Kessie thought he had swept in an equaliser.
That is until VAR intervened and Milan were defeated.
Roma are second best in style
Mourinho’s side finished their match in the Gewiss Stadium game with 29 per cent possession and eight shots to Atalanta’s 17, yet they were far more efficient with their chances.
Indeed, Roma put on a counterattacking masterclass to stun Atalanta 4-1 and climb to fifth in Serie A.
Tammy Abraham opened the scoring in the first minute and Nicolo Zaniolo doubled Roma’s lead by finishing off a quick break.
The substitute Luis Muriel pulled a goal back when his strike deflected in off Roma’s Bryan Cristante on the stroke of half-time but Chris Smalling restored Roma’s two-goal advantage 18 minutes from time.
That marked the first time in Serie A history that two different English players have scored in the same game, before Abraham swept in his second.
Gap between top and bottom is a gulf
That was highlighted in stark fashion on Friday night as Inter Milan again defied the doubters, me included, that the reigning champions could be in contention again.
Alexis Sanchez scored for a third game in a row as they thrashed bottom-of-the-table Salernitana with the former Arsenal and Manchester United forward netting his side’s third to take his tally for the season to four goals.
Ivan Perisic had opened the scoring early on and Denzel Dumfries made it 2-0 before half-time.
After Sanchez’s goal, Lautaro Martinez struck and Roberto Gagliardini wrapped up the win late on.
The Nerazzurri have now scored nine goals in the last two games and more than 100 across 2021 – 103 under Antonio Conte and Simone Inzaghi.
Few saw this happening only five months ago when the Serie A champions saw Romelu Lukaku, Achraf Hakimi and Conte leave.
Defeat Torino at the San Siro in midweek and Inter will be top for Christmas.
Viola comeback and Vlahovic tension
Fiorentina didn’t get the result they wanted against Sassuolo.
In fact, I believe it is dropped points like this which is why Juventus and Lazio will both finish ahead of them by the end of the season.
Yet there was much to admire as they fought back from 2-0 down to goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Frattesi.
Vlahovic and Lucas Torreira completed the comeback, though their momentum was compromised by two quick yellow cards for Cristiano Biraghi.
Manager Vincenzo Italiano clearly irritated Vlahovic in the closing minutes by substituting the Serbian to help the 10-men see out the game.
Yet that didn’t detract from his goal – his 33rd in Serie A during 2021.
Vlahovic has also scored in all of his last six league appearances, only one Fiorentina player has done better in a single Serie A campaign in the three points per win era: Gabriel Batistuta (11 in 1994).
Good company indeed!
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