The magnificent Ivan Perisic had finally beaten AC Maignan to give Inter Milan the lead in Saturday’s Derby della Madonnina. Perisic’s expertly-taken volley came amid a dominant first-half display from the league leaders, who were on their way to extending their lead over Milan at the top of Serie A to seven points.
But then Simone Inzaghi got involved.
The former Lazio boss has done a brilliant job as Antonio Conte’s successor so far and he’s got Inter playing a brand of football that most teams in Europe admire but paradoxically envy.
However, if there’s been one criticism of Inzaghi this term, it’s been his in-game management. Against Juventus and Lazio during the first half of the season, the Nerazzurri squandered leads after ceding too much control. The same happened again on Saturday as Olivier Giroud transformed from ridiculed “statue” to match-winner in the blink of an eye.
Inzaghi’s decision to replace Ivan Perisic, Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu with Federico Dimarco, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal respectively deflated the Nerazzurri, while Brahim Diaz’s introduction at the uninfluential Franck Kessie’s expense buoyed the Rossoneri.
A once beleaguered looking Milan restored parity two minutes after Vidal’s 73rd-minute introduction before Giroud, evoking memories of his strike at Anfield six years ago, spun Stefan de Vrij and curled the game-winner home with 12 minutes to go.
Milan’s rapid rejuvenation combined with Inter’s capitulation has breathed fresh life into the Scudetto race. Inzaghi’s side had seemed calcio’s supreme force for quite some time, but Saturday’s defeat – their first in Serie A since mid-October – means the gap at the top has been cut to just one point.
Are Juventus in the Scudetto race?
Napoli joined Milan in second on Sunday after they beat Venezia 2-0 with the returning Victor Osimhen heading home the opener. Luciano Spalletti’s side are certainly one to keep an eye on in the context of the title race after they admirably mitigated an availability crisis in January to stay within touching distance of the leaders. They’ll now be boosted by the return of African Cup of Nations winner Kalidou Koulibaly, who’s currently playing at an extremely high level.
However, much to the dismay of, well, everybody outside of Piedmont, ominous signs are beginning to emerge in Turin. Calcio’s tyrannical beast of the 2010s had enjoyed a silent retreat for 18 months, but the rumblings of a resurgence are manifesting rather like the initial tremors of a high-magnitude earthquake.
Juventus’ work in the January mercato has set the tone and laid out the club’s intentions: They want to re-assert themselves as the very best Italy has to offer in no time at all and it’s their “anti-depressant” or, more colloquially, “viagra”, as La Gazzetta dello Sport labelled him, who’s poised to lead the charge.
It took Dusan Vlahovic just 12 minutes to open his Juventus account on Sunday as the Bianconeri produced a flawed but fun performance to beat Hellas Verona 2-0. Fellow debutant Denis Zakaria was also on the scoresheet as the Bianconeri moved into fourth at Atalanta’s expense. They’re now eight points adrift of Inter at the summit, although both teams have a game in hand on Juve.
Nevertheless, the Old Lady’s victory in the mercato, the swift vindication of their business against Verona and Inter’s defeat in the derby has many wondering: Are Juventus in the Scudetto race?
In short, no. Not yet.
When asked about his side’s potential title aspirations after Sunday’s victory, Massimiliano Allegri said (via @BianconeriZone): “Scudetto? At the moment it’s a matter for Inter, Milan, and Napoli. We have to take it one step at a time, Atalanta has one game to spare and there’s a direct match on Sunday.”
The boss is spot on. Despite their recent business, Juventus can’t go from down and out to sudden contenders because they beat a Verona side without two key attacking stars. Only the most fickle will believe that the Bianconeri are in the race.
Unfortunately, their historically poor start to the domestic campaign will cost them when it’s all said and done. They’ve left themselves with far too much to do down the stretch. Allegri’s side haven’t tasted defeat in Serie A since the end of November and to have any shot of securing an unthinkable Scudetto triumph, Juve will have to replicate such form for the remainder of the season. They can’t afford to lose again with 14 games remaining.
Finishing in the top four remains the primary objective and that goal is most certainly attainable. As Allegri said, the Bianconeri have just got to keep trudging along and, who knows, perhaps a miracle could happen? But, there were times during Andrea Pirlo’s reign when many felt the Old Lady could hang with Conte’s juggernaut over in Milan before the Nerazzurri pulled away as Juve sunk. The Bianconeri can’t endure a similar fate this time around.
Nevertheless, while Matchday 24 opened a few doors in the Scudetto race, Matchday 25 has the potential to blow the whole thing wide open as Napoli host Inter and Juventus visit Atalanta.
Perhaps we’ll reassess this question in a week’s time.