Serie A Superthread

ERG89

Is the league position not based on head to head?
Drew 0-0 earlier in the season

Mr.Nice Guy

It's on the head to head so an Inter win would be enough.

Another significant game taking place at the minute between Atalanta and Milan in the battle for Europa League places.

Atalanta XI: Berisha; Masiello, Caldara, Toloi; Gosens, Cristante, Freuler, De Roon, Castagne; Papu Gomez; Barrow.

Milan XI: Donnarumma; Abate, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Bonaventura, Biglia, Kessie; Calhanoglu, Kalinic, Suso.

0-0 at Half-Time in this game. Rain is really bucketing down.

Update: Shocking miss from Caldara following a Donnarumma save with the goal at his mercy. 35 minutes remaining.

Mr.Nice Guy

Great strike from Kessie to make it 1-0. Big goal. Didn't celebrate against his parent club.

Update: Now Toloi sent off stupidly. Momentum of this game has swung dramatically. 25 minutes left to play.

Cristante just put another good chance wide. Atalanta are going to have a lot of regrets about this game.

Red card for Montolivo now for a two-footed tackle. Fifteen minutes remaining and it's ten vs ten.

ERG89

Both down to 10. Milan to 9 if you don't count Kalanic as a footballer.
Hope Atalanta make Europe one way or another.

Mr.Nice Guy

Equaliser! Masiello heads in after a lovely cross from Ilicic.

Full-Time: It ends 1-1. Milan guaranteed to have European football but the late goal conceded means they haven't secured 6th place, which sees teams go directly into the Europa League group stage. 7th would mean a qualifying round. Looks like Atalanta are effectively in Europe, but will be hoping to nick 6th.

ERG89

Big sarcastic thanks to Donnarumma for dealing with the header like the ball was on fire.

MD1990

dor83 wrote: »

Switched over for the last couple of minutes really hoping Crotone could get a winner, both Lazio and Inter have tried their hardest to throw away fourth. I think Inter need to win by 4 to go ahead of them and I can't see Inter scoring 4 never mind winning by that much, I suppose at least there is a very small chance so we might get an interesting game.

Still 5 teams who could end up in the last relegation spot, Napoli v Crotone could be a really interesting game next week with Napoli having nothing to play for and Crotone needing to a win really.

Inter just need to win. Previous result was 0-0. It goes be head to head.

dor83

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

It's on the head to head so an Inter win would be enough.

MD1990 wrote: »

Inter just need to win. Previous result was 0-0. It goes be head to head.

I knew it used to be but thought it had changed, I had read that Inter needed to beat Sassuolo by 6 to go ahead Lazio on goal difference and the commentators on BT mentioned yesterday as well as saying at the end today that Inter needed a big win to qualify so I figured it had changed. I should know better than to believe what the BT commentators say but it makes me happy, actually means that Lazio equalising late on today didn't changed a thing then.

ERG89

https://twitter.com/footballitalia/status/995980647993872384?s=19

Interesting if true as they need someone to convince a lot of players to stay although Jorginho will leave as his agent has spent the last few months saying he's talking to clubs instead of y'know focussing on the title race.
Hopefully the new manager will rotate the front 3 when they are tired or drop in form and not blame having to play after Juve like Sarri would do too often.

MD1990

Napoli I think will struggle next year. Will lose players.

This year was there chance as it is the weakest Juventus in years.
Emre Can will be a good signing for them & Caldara in from Atlanta is a very good player.

ERG89

https://twitter.com/footballitalia/status/997575001523019776?s=19

Mr.Nice Guy

Pleased to see them back. It would be quite the fairytale if Buffon were to return there for one final season.

Stephen15

No killing off that club. Watch when they go bankrupt again in 10 years.

Mr.Nice Guy

Final day of Serie A today. Going to give Cagliari vs Atalanta a watch now. Any chance of surprises in the relegation battle I wonder?

Update: SPAL lead against Samp though an Antenucci penalty.

Crotone 1-0 down to Napoli via a Milik goal. Lose the game and they are down for sure.

Half-Time: Crotone are 2-0 down so it looks like curtains for them. Needed them to get at least a point to make things interesting. SPAL lead 1-0 with Sampdoria also down to 10 men; Udinese lead Bologna 1-0; Cagliari vs Atalanta is goalless. Doesn't look like there will be any twists unless Crotone can get two goals which I can't see happening.

ERG89

How did Napoli blow any chance of a title race against Fiorentina
Disappointed Gattuso took off Cutrone for Andre Silva who like Kalanic has been a complete joke this season.

Mr.Nice Guy

Cagliari have taken the lead over Atalanta through captain Luca Ceppitelli's header. Won't have any effect on the table as Crotone are down due to their loss and Milan have ensured they take 6th spot.

Atalanta have just been awarded a peno now. Ceppitelli with the foul.

And it's missed! Defender Caldara took it and blazes it over.

Update: Crotone have got one back against Napoli.

Rekop dog

Good performance to sign off the season for Milan but really dreading Europa league football again next season. It's just a very difficult cycle to get out of, playing on Thursdays is a killer with weekend football and you then ultimately underperform in the league and end up in the same spot the following season.
When you won Champions leagues in your relatively recent past it's hard to get excited for the 2nd tier European completion.

Headshot

I cannot wait for this CL qualification match

Should be epic

Mr.Nice Guy

Crotone relegated to Serie B along with Verona and Benevento. There will be plenty of clubs interested in Simy no doubt.

Milan finishing 6th will be a relief since they go straight to the group stages of the Europa League; Atalanta finish 7th and have to deal with the headache of qualifying rounds.

Looking forward to tonight's Champions League showdown game between Lazio and Inter with Inter needing the win. It's being described as a €40m game. Also Serie A's Golden Boot is on the line with Immobile on 29 goals and Icardi on 28.

Game kicks off at 7.45. Team news:

Lazio XI: Strakosha; Luiz Felipe, De Vrij, Radu; Marusic, Murgia, Leiva, Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic; Felipe Anderson; Immobile.

Inter Milan XI: Handanovic; Cancelo, Skriniar, Miranda, D’Ambrosio; Vecino, Brozovic; Candreva, Rafinha, Perisic; Icardi.

Who do you reckon will take the spot? More pressure on Inter since they need to win but I've a sneaky feeling they will do just that.

Johner

Should be a cracker, I have a feeling Inter might do it as well!

Rekop dog

I hope Lazio do it. They've been infanitily more entertaining this season. It may also stop wholesale clearance of their stars this summer.

I'm also against head to head records settling positions. In a 38 game long season goal difference should take precedence over the results of two matches involving tied sides.

dor83

Really looking forward to the match tonight, hopefully it lives up to the hype and is a good game. While I obviously hope Inter win I also hope the ref doesn't gift it to us, I know it's probably just me over thinking it but Lazio have been on the end of some really bad refereeing this season and I wouldn't like it to happen tonight. I also hope De Vrij doesn't make any mistakes, I have no doubt he'll be professional and give his best but if he makes a mistake that costs Lazio people will question if he did it on purpose.

Mr.Nice Guy

Goal from Marusic via a deflection. Been a great start to the game. Inter not looking good defensively.

dor83

It was a very lucky deflection but Lazio deserve the lead, good start to the game but Inter don't look like scoring because Icardi doesn't look to be at his best today or last week. Inter lucky not to be 2 down after the free from Savic, I'll also be surprised if there isn't a red card in this game.

ERG89

Fortunately for inter it's 1-0. Icardi could have scored but Lazio are all over them.

Headshot

What a great game so far.

Mr.Nice Guy

1-1. Or will VAR rule this out?

No. D'Ambrosio's goal stands.

Headshot

This living up to my expectations

I need to get popcorn

dor83

Well regardless of the result the game has definitely live up to the expectation so far, Lazio look much better so far and I can't see them not scoring another.

Headshot

Put your house on a red card