Another painful stall for Max Allegri's Juventus, which lost 1-0 to Igor Tudor's Lazio, in his first match as Maurizo Sarri's replacement. The bench on which the Juventus coach sits is getting hotter and hotter, and there are already rumours about his possible replacement at the end of the season, which could be Thiago Motta, hands down the best coach in Italy right now. There was also a surprising draw for Daniele De Rossi's Roma, stopped by an excellent Lecce: Luca Gotti's cure is working. Let's see what happened in the latest round of Serie A...
MATCH OF THE WEEK - FIORENTINA v AC MILAN
Rafael Leao is Milan's extra man right now, an unstoppable winger, but it is impossible not to point out the consistency with which Ruben Loftus-Cheek is finding his way to goal, one game after another - or at least near enough!
Stefano Pioli has been achieving important results in recent weeks even with less-than-stellar performances, and that is always a credit, it is the factor that makes the difference at the end of the season. Negative moments happen and it is inevitable, but having the strength and quality to be able to come out on top even after so-and-so performances is a recipe for success.
Saturday night's clash between Milan and Fiorentina was absolutely entertaining: lots of chances, on both sides, with Mike Maignan and Pietro Terracciano the absolute stars of the match. The French saved the Rossoneri on several occasions, especially from Andrea Belotti and Rolando Mandragora, while the latter had to put up the wall multiple times to keep the result alive in the final moments of the game.
Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina conceded so many chances to their opponents, but certainly had the merit of managing to build just as many, that's their style. The same goes for Milan, which, however, at this moment can count on Leao in a state of absolute top form. Leao in Serie A makes the difference. Always.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK - RICCARDO CALAFIORI
Some time ago no one could really have said that. At Roma he was barely a sub, so many, indeed too many, injuries had slowed his growth and development. But Thiago Motta is really making him one of the best defenders in Europe. He has reinvented him in the role of central defender, and there Calafiori, who grew up at AS Roma, has found his place in the world.
Now Motta's and Bologna's greatest weapon, he is the man who turns every defensive action into an offensive one, he is probably Bologna's big secret, more than Josh Zirkzee and Lewis Ferguson. Clean in his tackles, precise in his handling and passing of the ball, the key man for the Felsinei's build-up from the back, he always manages to find a free partner to serve.
In recent matches he has also been decisive in attack, with assists in the last match (3-0 against Salernitana): he is much more than just a central defender, he is much more than a full-back, he is almost a midfielder loaned to the defence. Ahead of the summer, many teams have already set their eyes on him, especially Juventus, and it will be difficult for Bologna to avoid his departure, because we are talking about a defender who is unique on the international scene.
Left-footed central defenders are rare - brave and clean even more so. Bravo to Motta for recognising this evolution, bravo to Calafiori for never giving up. Today he enjoys the fruits of his labor.
TEAM OF THE WEEK - ATALANTA
Atalanta has started running again and now they're getting tough for their competitors. Gian Piero Gasperini is finding the best form from some of his important players, for example Gianluca Scamacca, who found his way back to goal on Saturday against Napoli. The usual perfect shot, the best quality of the young striker who grew up in Roma's Academy.
Few players can shoot better than him, and Alex Meret experienced it up close. The man of the match was probably Alexei Miranchuk, who had the merit of breaking the deadlock and then assisting one of his teammates for another goal.
Teun Koopmeiners, who came in from the bench and is the absolute star of Atalanta at the moment, (his chances of leaving the club in the summer are increasing week after week), also managed to find the goal. The credit for regaining rhythm, confidence and condition belongs to Gasperini, who managed to keep the helm of the ship in a complicated moment and now the route has been resumed.
The prospects in the league are rosy and there is also a European cup to honor to the end. The 0-3 win at the home of Napoli relaunches Atalanta in the Champions League race, and with the game against Fiorentina still to be played they are in a potentially advantageous position over De Rossi's Roma, victim of the Giallorossi's first half of the season under Jose Mourinho.
