It was yet another motion-packed weekend in Italy as Serie A saw a lot much more twists and turns.
Napoli dropped just their next league match of the season from Lazio on Friday night time, even though Roma replaced AC Milan in the major four spots soon after Jose Mourinho’s aspect defeated Juventus.
Sportsmail delves deeper into Serie A’s weekend motion and brings you ten factors we figured out.
Vecino is Sarri’s male
Matias Vecino has constantly been a Maurizio Sarri favourite but the previous Chelsea boss – who had recognised the midfielder considering the fact that his days at Empoli – was unable to recruit him when he was mentor at Napoli.
In an ironic twist, Vecino punished Napoli and condemned them to their 2nd Serie A defeat of the year, with a ferocious shot from distance supplying Lazio all a few details.
Matias Vecino has been a favourite of Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri given that their times at Empoli
The Uruguayan is a important cog in the Lazio midfield and formed a formidable partnership with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
It was a total performance from Vecino who was robust defensively and burst forward and in powering the Napoli defence.
After arriving on a free of charge transfer when his deal with Inter Milan expired, he has begun to get additional and a lot more trust from Sarri.
This was a big overall performance from him and – immediately after formerly becoming a normal substitute – he proceeds to go from energy-to-strength for this Lazio facet.
The Uruguayan scored the winner versus Napoli with a exceptional strike from outdoors the box
Napoli’s hopes of a history points complete just take a blow
The defeat to Lazio is probably to halt Napoli’s makes an attempt to get to Juventus’ file points total of 102 from 2012-13 underneath Antonio Conte.
10 yrs ago, the Previous Girl received all 19 household matches and concluded the time with 33 wins, 3 draws and just two defeats. Throughout that 12 months Juventus also scored in every of their 38 league game titles.
There really should be no worries for Luciano Spalletti’s group even so, with Napoli nonetheless 15 details clear of second place Inter and on 65 points with just 13 online games remaining.
The defeat to Lazio is just a reminder that no workforce is at any time invincible and Spalletti will just have to make sure that there is no late period collapse with the club on verge of successful the Scudetto.
Napoli’s next defeat of the time usually means they are not likely to realize a file points haul
A amazing increase for Patrick Ciurria
The story of Patrick Ciurria has numerous parallels with former Juventus star Moreno Torricelli, who – like Cirurria – rose from beginner soccer to the top echelons of Serie A.
Ciurria is a still left-back, who until finally just lately had been actively playing in Serie C and Serie B, and would under no circumstances experienced imagined becoming a standard in the Italian prime flight.
Plans towards Inter and Juventus have been followed with a further crucial one versus Empoli, and Ciurria is substantially gifted.
Patrick Ciurria has loved a excellent increase from the reduce degrees of the Italian game to Serie A
Aged 28, he now has 4 targets and four assists from 23 Serie A appearances which is an excellent record and 1 that is remarkable to lots of top rated gamers this kind of as Juan Cuadrado at Juventus.
Each and every youthful Italian goals of enjoying for the nationwide group and Ciurria’s performances will absolutely guide to a connect with-up by Roberto Mancini above the coming months.
The left-again wears No. 84 on his shirt which is devoted to the tale of his cousin who tragically died in a significant incident when Ciurria was just 12-many years-previous.
His only purpose since then has to be grow to be a professional footballer and enjoy for the nationwide workforce – he will most likely obtain the 2nd objective incredibly soon.
The still left-back wears the No. 84 shirt in honour of his cousin who died in a critical incident
Lukaku is becoming held back again by Inter for the Champions League
4 photographs versus Leece and two aims – Inter once once more confirmed their clinicality and took edge of yet another blip from AC Milan to bounce to 2nd.
Simone Inzaghi confirmed in his staff variety about what the foreseeable future of the club in assault is likely to search like.
At the behest of the club’s hierarchy, Romelu Lukaku was still left on the bench with CEO Beppe Marotta asserting the Belgian will return to Chelsea at the finish of the period.
Inzaghi has created a mindful determination to hold him fresh for the Champions League, with Lukaku’s physical fitness struggles which means he would not be capable to participate in much too lots of matches near collectively.
He came on following 70 minutes with Inter currently 2- up to make it possible for him to develop up some substantially-essential physical fitness ahead of their Champions League next leg versus FC Porto subsequent 7 days.
There is a feeling he is getting preserved for the largest matches of the period, with Lukaku’s injuries issues and lack of sort, significantly at the Globe Cup, denting his self esteem.
Simone Inzaghi seems to be holding Romelu Lukaku again for their Champions League recreation
Vlahovic appears to be like ineffective without having Milik
Dusan Vlahovic’s performance versus Roma was likely his worst considering the fact that joining Juventus.
He appeared totally out of his depth and was marshalled with relieve by Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini.
The Serbian forward was isolated and ineffective and Max Allegri ought to work out how to ideal use him.
He is considerably far more successful together with Arek Milik, but the Polish forward is nevertheless hurt until at minimum the stop of March.
When Paul Pogba and Federico Chiesa are completely in shape, it will no question benefit Vlahovic, but right until then he wants to be better all around the pitch.
As opposed to when he was at Fiorentina, he is acquiring to do far more work off the ball and this is substantially impacting his capability to complete in attack.
Dusan Vlahovic’s overall performance versus Roma was possibly his worst considering the fact that joining Juventus
It may well be time for Juventus to go on Szczesny
Gianluca Mancini’s second 50 % winner was just the second shot Roma had during their 1- gain above Juventus.
About the past two many years, Wojciech Szczesny’s actual physical and complex drop has been really obvious.
This has led to some true soul-searching obtaining to get area above no matter whether Juventus require to carry in a replacement.
The Pole’s errors and indecision has value Juventus about five or six points in recent many years – a really superior quantity provided how wonderful the margins are in Serie A currently.
Mancini’s target was not a substantial miscalculation but it was not unstoppable possibly and the decline of Szczesny is something which is beginning to frustrate fans.
He lacks concentration and this signifies that one particular instant he tends to make a excellent help you save, just before all of a sudden generating a large mistake and he ought to increase.
Wojciech Szczesny’s actual physical and technical decline is turning into far more and more apparent
Gianluca Mancini’s goal wasn’t an error but Szczesny carries on to make costly mistakes
Tottenham undertaking looks scarier for Stefano Pioli now
Immediately after 4 wins in a row, it was an particularly disappointing defeat for AC Milan in opposition to Fiorentina on Saturday.
In the game, when a attract would have perhaps been a truthful final result, AC’s defence looked worryingly shaky, highlighting numerous problems.
Even with the returns of Mike Maignan and Malick Thiaw, they were being nevertheless minimize open up by an intense Fiorentina side.
Their defensive fragility is one thing that Antonio Conte and Tottenham will glimpse to exploit in the second leg of their Champions League previous-16 tie this week.
Stefano Pioli’s facet struggled to offer with the dynamism of Fiorentina and this is one thing that Conte will request to do way too when the groups encounter off in north London on Wednesday.
Stefano Pioli’s aspect experienced an exceptionally disappointing defeat against Fiorentina on Saturday
Napoli are not the exact workforce with out Mario Rui
Mario Rui has been revitalised below Spalletti this calendar year and Napoli badly missed him through Friday’s 1- defeat to Lazio.
Regardless of Napoli shedding four situations throughout all competitions this period, Rui has been absent on each celebration, highlighting his significance to the side.
After flattering to deceive when Carlo Ancelotti and Gennaro Gattuso had been in cost, he has long gone from power-to-toughness this yr.
He is reportedly settled with his family in Naples and with a contract right until 2025, is probably to continue to be a critical member of the club about the coming a long time.
Despite the fact that a important sale is predicted in excess of the summer time of a person of Napoli’s important property, the presence of Rui in the altering room will make the transition into upcoming time a lot much easier.
Every single activity that Napoli have lost this season has been when Mario Rui was unavailable
Morocco World Cup hero Abdelhamid Sabiri enduring a torrid spell
With Abdelhamid Sabiri agreeing a move to Fiorentina in January, right before observing out the year on bank loan at Sampdoria, he would have hoped to conclude his vocation with ‘La Samp’ in good trend.
Nonetheless, the Morocco striker is having difficulties for sort and self-assurance and was hooked by Dejan Stankovic immediately after just 30 minutes in their – draw with Salernitana on Sunday.
He was booed onto the bench by admirers in what was his first start off in far more than a thirty day period.
Subsequent the sport Stankovic let rip at Sabiri when he advised Dazn: ‘I didn’t like the initially twenty minutes of football. No participant reacts the very same way, some do it effectively, some others are extremely pressured. I can not help it.
‘Coming to the stadium I observed men and women from 7 to 77-many years-previous who were being applauding us, encouraging us. I observed the choreography of our supporters, I’ve viewed people sing – I feel a large amount of emotion.
‘I will not know what more our followers can do for us. The position is that there are those who can take care of stress and people who can not.’
Abdelhamid Sabiri (L) was booed off after he was hooked 30 minutes into Sampdoria’s video game
Simone Perilli shines on debut
Simone Perilli was surprisingly handed a uncommon start for Hellas Verona in their crunch Serie A clash with Spezia.
Getting been the club’s 3rd preference keeper this year, he was most well-liked to No. 2 Allessandro Berardi with to start with decision stopper Lorenzo Montipo unavailable.
Perilli – who created his identify with various wonderful performances as Serie C side Pordenone’s keeper in a unforgettable run to the previous-16 of the Italian Cup 6 decades in the past – place in a fantastic display.
He produced 4 exceptional saves to safe a vital level for Verona in their battle to stay away from relegation to Serie B.
Perilli will now have to battle with Montipo to earn the No. 1 shirt complete time.