Serie A Special: What we learnt from round 20 matches - (Part 1)
The second half of the Serie A season officially started on the weekend, as 20 teams locked horns on match day 20. Twenty-six goals were scored across the nation with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 48th minute strike against UC Lecce making all the headlines.
Sadly for Ibra, Milan couldn’t make the quality count, as Giallorossi pegged them back later in the same half to restore parity; two more dropped points for AC Milan.
However, Leonardo’s Inter Milan continued their revival, defeating Bologna by a 4–1 score line. The victory was the fourth on trot for the Brazilian manager, who has answered his critics in ideal fashion.
Elsewhere, AS Roma, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lazio-c39775 and Juventus also eked out hard-fought victories over their respective rivals. Udinese meanwhile, continue to rack in goals left, right and centre. Zebrette thrashed Genoa 4–2 away from home.
Bettor.com now analyses the key points for its readers:
Inter Milan revival continues
When Leonardo was appointed as the Nerazzurri tactician at the start of the New Year, many scoffed at the selection. To most, Massimo Moratti had lost his marbles, but who could blame them. The Brazilian had spent just a single season managing city rivals
AC Milan, whereas defending a historic treble needs someone like Jose Mourinho. However, four victories from four games mean http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan have truly put their season back on track.
Leonardo is a smart man, not even his critics would argue against that. He learned from Rafa Benitez’s mistakes and played the team to its strengths. Instead of forcing them to play possession football, Leonardo has adopted the counter-attacking strategy,
which paid rich dividends under Mourinho.
To top it all off, the winning mentality, the desire to succeed and squad harmony seem to have returned. The players celebrate each goal with their manager as if it was their first for the club. If Jose Mourinho has taught us anything about management, it’s
the fact that one should treat the players as friends and not subordinates.
Leonardo has done just that, and has won over the dressing room. Support of senior players such as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marco-Materazzi-c23709 – both fatherly figures at Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti – has played a critical role. Things will only improve for the
manager.
Inconsistent Palermo running the risk of missing out on Europe
Deli Rossi’s men have been a hit-or-miss phenomenon this season. While they defeated the likes of AS http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roma-c31603 and Juventus, points were dropped against inferior teams such as AS Bari, UC Lecce and Brescia Calcio.
The pattern continued yesterday against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cagliari-Calcio-c38716. Rosanero slumped to a 3–1 defeat at Stadio Sant'Elia. Mauro Zamparini wants his side to play European football, Champions League preferably. However, dropping points against the under-dogs of Serie
A will hardly help the cause.
Key players such as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Josip-Ilicic-c19564 are struggling to reproduce the excellent form they displayed in the first half of the season. Delio Rossi must weave his motivational wand, tinker with a defence that has conceded 25 goals in just 20 appearances,
and get his troops back on track.
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