Packed table makes for exciting finish in Italy

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This article was published 01/02/2019 (2752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Blink and you’ll almost certainly miss the latest round of Serie A’s game of musical chairs.

With Juventus headed for an eighth successive Scudetto and Napoli and Inter Milan fixed to the table’s second and third positions, the next nine places in the Italian top flight are separated by only seven points, with just three separating fourth from eighth. It’s that fourth spot, and a coveted berth in next season’s Champions League, that is the coveted seat.

AC Milan are currently perched on it, however precariously, having been sixth as recently as Boxing Day. Lazio were fourth back then, which seems an age ago, given that they’ve since fallen to eighth. Sampdoria, who were fifth, thanks largely to the fine form of 36-year-old Fabio Quagliarella, are sixth now, although they were eighth last week. And Roma, sitting seventh after Christmas, moved to sixth and then fifth.

Then Roma was torched 7-1 at Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia, leaving manager Eusebio Di Francesco fighting for his job. He has said he won’t resign, and with the Giallorossi having gained 10 points from the last four match-days it’s surely a statement he won’t have anticipated making.

But that’s this year’s Serie A campaign for you — a volatile mish-mash of results in which the search for trends is as futile as trying to predict the heart of the standings from week to week. By all accounts Milan should consolidate fourth when they face Roma on Sunday (1:30 p.m., TLN), but that would be ruling out a bounce-back performance from the hosts. And if this season has taught us anything, it’s that nothing can be ruled out. Other than a Juventus championship, of course.

Milan do, however, have something their nearest rivals lack: money, lots of money. And they’ve been using their financial strength to try to muscle their way back into European soccer’s elite.

During the summer transfer window they spent more than 80 million euros on squad upgrades, acquiring Samu Castillejo from Villarreal, Diego Laxalt from Genoa and Mattia Caldara from Juventus.

They also took Tiémoué Bakayoko on loan from Chelsea, with an option to buy the midfielder’s rights for 35 million euros. Juve striker Gonzalo Higuaín arrived on loan as well, but his breakdown at the club seemed symbolic of overall underachievement.

Following that scoreless Boxing Day draw at Frosinone, manager Gennaro Gattuso was under pressure as rumours swirled that Roberto Donadoni, Francesco Guidolin or Arsène Wenger would replace him before the new year. There likely would have been a change had the Rossoneri not eked out a 2-1 win at home to SPAL on Dec. 29.

Since then — and granted, it’s been barely a month — the mood has totally changed at San Siro. Displeasure went into hibernation during the winter break and, crucially, Higuain was allowed to leave for Chelsea. Then Milan spent a further 35 million euros on Poland striker Krzysztof Piatek.

As if to emphasize the new, positive energy in the side, Piatek scored both goals in Milan’s 2-0 Coppa triumph against Napoli on Tuesday. In the four days since — and granted, it’s been only four days — the 23-year-old has become something of a social media hero, with Milan fans depicting him as a Lego figure and Simpsons character.

One cringes to think what they’ll make of him should Milan suddenly hit the skids, but ahead of their showdown with Roma, fourth versus fifth, it’s the Rossoneri who are feeling considerably better about themselves.

Just don’t blink. Don’t look away. Milan may be in the ascendancy and Roma might be reeling, but nothing will be known for certain until that fourth chair is occupied at the moment the music stops.

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