This week we focus on Napoli losing their unbeaten home record against top four candidates Lazio, Milan’s defeat at Fiorentina, and take a look at the Marco Materazzi-inspired stylings of Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
By Matteo Bonetti, US Serie A expert
Lazio stun Napoli
Lazio handed Napoli their second loss of the Serie A season by beating Luciano Spalletti’s first placed team 1-0 at the Maradona Stadium over the weekend. This result reinforces Lazio’s legitimacy as a top four contender in what is their second season under Maurizio Sarri.
Once again, the Biancocelesti showed off their much improved defence by keeping Napoli’s incredible attack scoreless. While Napoli had much more quality possession, it felt like most of their attacks were stunted the second they made their way into the final third. Keeper Ivan Provedel hardly had a save to make against the unstoppable Osimhen/Kvara tandem, and that’s down to the way Lazio defend as a unit. While Sarri’s tactics are mostly known for their offensive prowess, his teams have historically had watertight defences. Sarri knew he couldn’t try to out possess this Napoli team in their own home, so he conceded that aspect of the game to make sure the defensive transitions were very quick. The second Lazio lost possession, they’d instantly retreated back into a low block and get everyone behind the ball, pressing in waves to maintain their energy for the second half.
It was a tactic that worked. In fact, the other loss Napoli suffered this season was away to Inter in a game that played out in a similar manner – the Nerazzurri defended in a compact manner and prevented those tricky Napoli one-twos on the edge of the box.
What’s even more impressive from a Lazio standpoint is how good this defence has been with this current cast of characters. They’re not world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but players who Lazio were cleverly able to acquire on the cheap for a host of different reasons. Take the centre-back Alessio Romagnoli for example. Romagnoli spent a long time at Milan but had an involution at the tail end of his time with them which saw him go from captain of the backline to fourth choice defender under Stefano Pioli. Romagnoli endured a period of error-strewn showings, which saw his confidence drop and it was clear he was a player who needed a change in scenery. With Lazio, Romangoli is able to show off his best attributes – he’s an elegant defender with a composed left foot in building out play from the back, exactly what’s expected of a centre-back in a Sarri system that likes to play the ball short.
The starting goalkeeper Ivan Provedel probably can’t believe his luck either. He went into the season expecting to be the backup to Luis Maximiano, another goalkeeper that was signed last summer as part of Lazio’s re-build. Maximiano picked up a red card minutes into his debut on Matchday 1 and hasn’t seen the pitch since. Provedel took over and has been too brilliant to take off.
It’s a credit to the scouting work that Lazio did last summer to refresh the backline and find a squad that was tailor-made for Sarri’s tactics. At the moment, they’re punching well above their weight and look destined for a top four spot.
Milan take two steps back
After a new year run of no win in seven, February marked an uptick in performances for Milan, with four wins from four and four clean sheets.
However, that run came screeching to a halt when Fiorentina were able to beat the Rossoneri 2-1 at home, in what was one of the finest displays of the season from the Viola, with a standout performance from the striker Arthur Cabral – who dazzled with his movement and work rate. Fiore were both a step ahead of their opponents, both in midfield play and creating dangerous chances, often playing vertically with their quick wingers against a team that wasn’t just going to sit back in a low block like so many others do against the Viola in Serie A.
For Milan, the issues had to do more with rotation than anything else. Without Rafael Leão and Brahim Díaz in the lineup, Stefano Pioli took a gamble on the enigma that is Charles De Ketelaere. CDK had less time on the ball than any other one of his teammates in the first half, which isn’t ideal from the player who is slotted into the no.10 position. Up front, Ante Rebić replaced Leão and had a poor game. The rotations from Pioli were necessary as Milan take on Tottenham in North London this Wednesday in the Champions League. While Leão hasn’t been scoring recently, his presence alone keeps defences honest and fundamentally changes the way they can approach a game.
In league play, Milan’s loss means they now fall to fifth place, as Lazio and Roma both picked up important wins against tough opposition over the weekend. It’s hard to overstate just how important finishing in the top four is for the Rossoneri given their young jewels in the squad. With rumours swirling around Leão’s future, exiting Europe’s premier competition would be a blow to Milan’s chances in keeping last season’s league MVP. The Champions League is a great recruiter during the summer negotiation window for players, and also brings in the necessary funds for Milan to pay the young stars they already have and that will undoubtedly draw a ton of attention from richer clubs in Europe this summer.
Gianluca Mancini’s ‘unique’ style
Gianluca Mancini was voted as the player of the game in Roma’s 1-0 win over Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico. The Roma centre-back is probably the most effective provocateur in the league. While he’s never going to be compared to the elite Italian defenders of the past decades, Mancini has carved out his own unique style. The aggressiveness of his play stands out in particular. No other player in the top five European leagues picked up as many yellow cards in 2022. Mancini has often had to balance the fine line between aggressiveness and recklessness.
In this game against Juventus, we saw the full range of the Gianluca Mancini experience – scoring a spectacular long distance strike, nearly scoring an own goal, then getting Juventus striker Moise Kean red carded just seconds after coming into the match. Kean’s first touch of the game was with his back to goal with a salivating Mancini behind him. As he usually does, the Roma centre-back approached the play with full aggression by kicking, prodding, pulling and tussling for far longer than the play needed. Kean’s reaction was instant – he got up and viciously kicked Mancini in the leg, prompting a quick red card from the referee.
It’s no surprise than Mancini counts Marco Materazzi as his football idol, and has even worn the no.23 in honour of the ex-Italian centre-back, who was known as one of the most aggressive/crazy players of his generation!
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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