I admit that I dreamed for a while that Gasperini would repeat the Anfield feat and that throughout the match I was afraid that Juventus would not be able to beat the Cemac wall. At about twenty-one, in complete ecstasy, I even fantasized about receiving this message from Fabio Barracci of London: “I wasn’t buying the bad guys: de Ligt, Demiral.” Atalanta were winning 2-0 at Old Trafford, while Juventus were still young in St Petersburg, but they dominated. She moved from Sky to Amazon and from Amazon to Sky as Alberto Tomba was not involved in a complex television giant.
Juventus played the game they couldn’t do for at least a month and a half: taking advantage of Zenit’s skepticism, they moved the ball with reasonable accuracy, but found very few outlets in attack. Morata tried to shorten the team by offering his hand over the trocar, Chiesa was always at a safe distance and Bernardeschi played the midfielder, leaving the attacking role to McKinney. The result: Juventus rarely put more men in a small area, which reduces the risk. If in front of him is someone like Osimhen, Liao or Abraham (I’m not out of our league), Allegri can offer more ambitious thinking.
Atalanta have long shown the character that their Champions League commitments have instilled in them, particularly in the many moments of difficulty between the end of the first half and almost all of the second half: just two years ago with Guardiola City, also in Manchester, Gasperini’s side suffered greatly. Hazem even muscles supported Demiral: his exit was too dangerous for a defense that counted more absences than presence.
Another defender’s performance on the field last night deserves a brief confirmation, I’m referring to Mattia de Sciglio who seems to have finally come out of his seasons of torment and rebound: there are players who need to make mistakes even in two or three matches. Respectively, especially in the many days to recover from an injury, and De Sciglio is one of them. Surprising and condescending at first, nine years ago, but hampered excessively by meniscus and jumping muscles, at twenty-nine, he’s making the most of the opportunity presented by Allegri he has always believed in. If he continues like this, Mancini will find an important alternative both on the right and on the left.
On the Kulusevski network, I looked at my smartphone to see if I had received another fictional text message from Paratici, like this: “Kulusevski’s target too. They score in the Champions League, so don’t forget that I robbed them after 7, 8 Serie A matches.” None: There was none.
FIFA and UEFA, change or dealer jumps
Gianni Infantino has gone from a two-year World Cup project to a seasonal one, but of sorts: one year for males, year after females etc. It also assumed an extension to the many countries organizing each version: the non-primary suffrage. However, a very authoritative voice inside revealed to us that the FIFA President is in fact one step away from regressing. A long debate (and the loss of Asian votes) led to a joint choice with UEFA: the four-year tournaments would last. On December 20, the official celebration of what has been renamed the World Summit, formerly the FIFA Conference, is scheduled.
Instead of continuing to put pressure on their minds to put more emphasis on football, institutions should start focusing on the quality of the presentation to fans, on protecting the health of players and on respecting the national leagues and therefore the clubs that players pay for and always. Most often they lose — cause injury — for weeks or months. Insurance companies do not score any goals or points in the ranking.
If Infantino and Severin do not make good efforts to return to the role of regulators and watchdogs, the bank will jump in and they will join the bank.
note. Infantino is about to move to Doha: in a year it will be the world championship and the eye of the master must fatten the horse. Near.
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