SCUDETTO FORMULA: FABIO CAPELLO WARNS MILAN DESPITE LEAO AND MAIGNAN BRILLIANCE
Fabio Capello praised Rafael Leao (goal) and Mike Maignan (saves) for Milan's victory, but highlighted Luka Modric's uncharacteristic mistakes and the team's passive first half.
Fabio Capello said Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan stood out in Milan's 1-0 win against Lazio on Saturday. He also thinks Davide Bartesaghi is gaining trust from Massimiliano Allegri. Capello noted that Luka Modric had a rare off-game.
Milan is at the top of the Serie A table for now because of their win over Lazio. Rafael Leao's goal, his fifth this season, puts him among the top scorers along with Christian Pulisic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Nico Paz, and Riccardo Orsolini.
Milan hopes Napoli will lose to Roma on Sunday, as Roma needs to win to pass Milan and take back the top spot.
Capello commented on the Milan-Lazio game, saying Leao is getting sharper with his scoring.
Capello thinks Milan had some problems in the first half because Modric didn't play his best.
Capello mentioned in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column that Lazio controlled the game for about 20-25 minutes in the first half. He added that Maignan's saves stopped Milan from potentially losing. He believed Sarri's team could have troubled Milan with their tight setup and ability to close down space. Capello pointed out that Modric made more mistakes than usual, which hurt his team.
Despite Modric's quiet game, Maignan and Leao played very well.
Capello added that Maignan and Leao led the team to victory and to the top of the table. He said they were key players in the 2022 Scudetto win and are important this season as Milan tries to win another title.
Capello emphasised Maignan's importance, saying he makes crucial saves in every game. He also noted Leao’s growth, pointing out his shots on goal, headers, and goals. Capello stated that Leao is playing well as a striker and is becoming more dangerous.
Capello said that Leao is now one of Serie A's top scorers and is helping his teammates more, becoming more responsible and happier.
Capello believes Bartesaghi’s consistent play has made him a key player for Milan under Allegri.
Capello said Bartesaghi is a starter on the left because he is talented and reliable. He noted Bartesaghi's physical presence, courage, and communication skills.
Capello thinks Milan has a good chance to win the Scudetto because of their players and their determination.
Capello ended by saying that these are good signs for Milan fans and that Milan continues to win against tough teams, even if the wins aren't always pretty.
THE MCTOMINAY VOID: WHY NAPOLI STATISTICALLY STRUGGLE WHENEVER THEIR SCOTTISH STAR IS SIDELINED
With Scott McTominay sidelined by tendon inflammation, Napoli relied on a late Lukaku strike to keep their top-four hopes alive.
Napoli finally got a win without Scott McTominay, thanks to a wild stoppage-time goal against bottom-of-the-table Hellas Verona on Saturday. It’s the first time all season they’ve managed a victory without him.
McTominay missed his fourth straight game for Gli Azzurri. He’s been out since aggravating an injury in that 3-2 win over Genoa back on February 7. Right now, Napoli aren’t taking any risks with their star midfielder. He’s still dealing with tendon inflammation between his hamstring and groin, which has kept him from really training at full speed.
There’s talk in Italy that McTominay could be back for the Torino match on Friday. Scotland manager Steve Clarke has his fingers crossed, hoping his 29-year-old midfielder will be fit in time for friendlies against Japan and the Ivory Coast later this month. That’s when Scotland’s World Cup prep really kicks off.
Napoli have looked lost without McTominay. They hadn’t won any of the four games he missed, including a 1-0 loss to Torino back in October when he was out with an ankle strain.
But they finally broke that bad run in Verona. Romelu Lukaku came off the bench and buried a huge winner in the 95th minute, after Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro had cancelled out Rasmus Hojlund’s early goal for Napoli.
The win keeps Napoli third in Serie A. They’re 14 points behind Inter Milan, so the title is probably out of reach, but they’re still fighting for a Champions League spot.
McTominay wasn’t the only Scot involved. There were actually two Scotland internationals on the pitch at the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium. Kieron Bowie played the whole game for Verona and nearly put his team ahead just minutes before Lukaku’s winner. The former Hibs man, who netted his old club a £7 million transfer fee in January, got on the end of a deep cross. Napoli’s keeper Alex Meret missed it, but Bowie, stretching at a tight angle, couldn’t steer the ball home. It rolled right across the empty goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Bowie. Moments later, he was marking Lukaku in the Verona box. The Belgian shrugged him off and slotted in the winning goal. Another tough blow for Verona, who are now bottom of the table, nine points from safety with 11 games left, and they’ve played a game more than everyone they’re chasing.
Billy Gilmour also got a run for Napoli, coming on with Lukaku in the 73rd minute. He earned praise from the Italian media for giving Napoli a late boost. This was only his second appearance off the bench since coming back from nearly four months out with a groin injury. He also played in the 2-2 draw against Roma on February 15.
THE DE ROSSI EFFECT: CAN THE ROMA LEGEND SAVE GENOA FROM SERIE A RELEGATION?
Daniele De Rossi admits Inter Milan were the superior side after Genoa's 2-0 loss, but remains confident in Serie A survival.
Daniele De Rossi didn’t sugarcoat things after Genoa’s 2-0 loss to Inter. “We have to accept Inter are just better than us,” he said. Even so, he still believes Genoa can fight its way out of the relegation mess.
Genoa had just beaten Torino 3-0 and came into San Siro riding that high, but facing the Serie A leaders was always going to be a whole different challenge.
Inter pulled ahead thanks to a ridiculous bit of skill: Federico Dimarco volleyed in Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s chipped pass, and it was one of those goals you just have to applaud. Later, Hakan Calhanoglu made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Alex Amorim’s handball.
De Rossi wanted more from his team. “We let in the second goal while we were pushing for the equaliser," he told Sky Sport Italia. “Honestly, I’m not happy with how we played. Sure, Inter are the best team in the league, but we didn’t do enough to make things difficult for them. I knew we’d need to be perfect to get a result here. We didn’t show up just to lose, but sometimes you just have to admit when the other side is better.”
Genoa have clawed their way out of the relegation zone with some good results lately, but even solid performances haven’t been enough against teams like Lazio, Napoli, and now Inter.
“Our spot in the table still isn’t great, but there’s a lot of football left,” De Rossi said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction, and we’ve got what it takes to get out of trouble. Just look at how we played against Lazio and Napoli.”
Since taking over from Patrick Vieira on November 6, De Rossi has led the team to five wins, six draws, and six defeats in Serie A.
“I’ve got a picture in my head of the team I want us to become, but time isn’t really on our side. The transfer window’s closed, so we work with what we have. Still, we’re making progress. These guys give me hope,” De Rossi finished.
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