Derby of Milan or Italy in the round of 16, Atalanta in the quarterfinals after the benevolent crossing with Lille or Aston Villa: we had already made our Eurovision, we have only the Europhication. The Champions League playoffs (RI) put in front of a raw reality: our ideal dimension is the Europa League. Won by Atalanta, touched by Rome and Inter, now dreamed of reasonable ambitions from Lazio. Nothing dishonorable, the important thing is to take note of it and work to improve. We can have a locomotive like Juve of Allegri’s first cycle or like Inzaghi’s Inter, who awaits the Campaign of Holland with reasonable optimism in the round of 16. We can even dream of an exploit like that of two years ago, a mini-series from from the quarterfinals onwards, or like that of Atalanta in the Covid edition. But the general difficulties remain and are of a technical and athletic order, as PSV-Juve has shown above all.
Someone had been affected, even offended, when I had defined the first leg of the Stadium “a game closer to the European League level than the Champions League”. The update of the Philips Stadion is this: it was a match from the Champions League for intensity, emotion and also technical pearls of Perisic and Weah on goals. And Juventus came out precisely because he did not hold the rhythms and did not have the speed and precision of the PSV, which presented itself with a staff very similar to the one that a year ago, after two unjusting comparisons, had been eliminated In the round of 16 from Borussia Dortmund then finalist. A year more experience at these levels, which has been seen against Juve. Today the executions of execution are lined up against Thiago Motta as they were only a few months ago against Allegri.
And today as yesterday the absolute value of the players is neglected. From Nicolussi Caviglia and Iling Junior, although owners in the Italian Cup final, has passed to Kelly and Savona, surrounded by alleged leading leaders to apologize to favor of a camera than to drag on the field. The company asking the coach “The minimum goal of the eighth” made him available a team that yesterday started with 4/11 to the first career Champions League. Same “curriculum” for four more taken over by the bench. More: Kelly and Veiga (immediately ko) were in the second absolute presence and among those available yesterday only Conceiçao, McKennie, Kolo Muani (with Eintracht, never with PSG) and Vlahovic had already played as owners a Champions League challenge a Direct elimination before this with PSV.
Is any doubt about the value of the rose, net of injuries, is it lawful? After six months, can it be said that the value of experience, of the habit of certain pressures, has been tragically underestimated? And what paid the consequences also Thiago Motta, also in the first year as a coach in Europe and accomplice of the company in the epuction of the senators? On such a fragile base, some choices of Eindhoven did not convince: the dynamic Thuram outside, the feverish koopmeiners on the field, who entered and who (not) came out.
However, the Europhrazion leaves a clear message: what glitters in Serie A is not gold in the Champions League. It applies to Kolo Mouani, devastating in the championship but not in his 165 ‘against PSV and also for Leao, who with Verona gives a show but in the first leg against Feyenoord has failed a sensational goal betraying Milan as Maignan (goal suffered) and Theo (tragicomic expulsion). The most awaited, their own (semicit.). And it also applies to the Atalanta of the shy prince, Charles De Ketelaere. On an evening of contrary episodes, the Bruges verve re -proposed the inability of the goddess to “become great”. Perhaps because nobody really asks him, perhaps because he is applauded if he goes on in Europe but even if he comes out. And perhaps because Gasperini also struggles to hold pressure when expectations rise.
The perspective choices, like the many reserves lined up against Inter in the super cup semifinal to have the owners at the top in this period, did not bring the expected performance. In the championship, the Scudetto remains a beautiful and possible dream, as long as you do not desert other invitations to sit at the great table, accepting the pressure it involves, without being overwhelmed by adrenaline. If you lose balance, the declarations also exceed the limits: the sensational j’avuse to Lookman for the penalty gate risks having ruinous consequences on the season finale.
