Inter won again, as did Juventus, which beat Napoli 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Fede Gatti. There was an important three points in the Champions League zone for Gian Piero Gasperini's boys, who managed to beat Milan: just one point for Roma and Lazio, stopped respectively by Fiorentina and Verona, the latter perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend. Let's see what happened in Serie A...
MOMENT OF THE WEEK - PAVOLETTI'S GOAL
This is not the first time this season that Cagliari have found a last-gasp goal, not the first time in the season that Claudio Ranieri's team has come back from an extremely bad situation and found itself rejoicing at the end of the game.
Against Sassuolo on Monday night, the usual script: the opponents take the lead, this time early in the game, thanks to a headed goal scored by Martin Erlic. Many minutes passed and the only possible outcome seemed to be victory for Sassuolo.
It all seemed written, but Ranieri's teams have a strong will and never die. For the umpteenth time his boys first found the equaliser and then the winning goal, in the last minutes of the game, from 94' to 99', when celebration broke out in Cagliari.
First the 1-1 goal scored by Gianluca Lapadula, then Leonardo Pavoletti's magic (nicknamed Pavoloso), who in the last second of the match managed to find the goal with a bicycle kick. The standings remain difficult and worrying, but with such a big heart and this desire to never give up nothing is impossible. They will fight to stay in Serie A until the end.
MATCH OF THE WEEK - ATALANTA vs AC MILAN
Milan are increasingly struggling, torn by injuries and too many disappointing and negative results, while Atalanta continues to show both of its faces. Let's go step by step, though.
The match ended 3-2, it was a game full of emotions and shots on goal, with Mike Maignan as usual among the best on the field, although the Rossoneri still lost the game. Atalanta took the lead, with the first of the two goals scored during the match by Ademola Lookman, best on the field for his team and almost unstoppable for the entire ninety minutes.
At the end of the first half Olivier Giroud found the equalising goal. The second half saw mostly Atalanta, which found the 2-1 goal in the 55th minute, again thanks to an extraordinary Lookman. In the 80th minute the match seemed to have found its balance, thanks to the goal scored by Luka Jovic, who finally seemed to have regained a good physical condition and some confidence in his own qualities.
It seemed over, by that moment the final 2-2 seemed a foregone conclusion, when in the 95th minute a discontinuous and often underestimated player showed everyone the potential and talent that has always marked his career: Luis Muriel scored an extraordinary goal, some real magic, spoiling the party for Stefano Pioli and Milan and taking Atalanta higher in the standings.
TEAM OF THE WEEK - INTER MILAN
Who will stop Simone Inzaghi's Inter? Someone will have to, sooner or later, although at the moment it really seems like an impossible task. The Nerazzurri are a force of nature and whoever plays against them is often forced to surrender to the incredible talent the former Lazio's coach has at his disposal.
Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Fede Dimarco, Nicolo Barella, Davide Frattesi (currently a sub...), Henrikh Mkhitaryan: the list seems endless, the potential is immense, and on the pitch you can see the results of such a well-equipped team. Few teams can hold the fort against Inter, and this was certainly not the case for Udinese, which was forced to surrender to a heavy 4-0 defeat - a result that could have been even heavier.
Four different players scored, all showcasing different talents and skills, forcefully ending all Udinese's resistance. In chronological order, Çalhanoğlu (penalty kick), Dimarco, Thuram and Lautaro Martinez found the way to the goal, the latter with a stupendous individual play that started in midfield and ended with a shot from outside the box that was impossible for Marco Silvestri to save.
Who will be able to stop Inter? It will not be easy, only Juventus can hope to keep up with Inzaghi's boys and they will try until the end.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK - JOSHUA ZIRKZEE
This is a name that should be marked on the notebook of all fans and all sports managers ahead of next summer: Joshua Zirkzee, who started at Bayern Munich, born in 2001, is now the real revelation of the Italian league.
Infinite class, movements and technique reminiscent of the great number 10s of the past, now the goals are also coming, as on Sunday against Salernitana, a match in which he scored two of them, both beautiful.
Zirkzee is Thiago Motta's extra weapon and on Sunday there will be a moment of truth when Bologna host Jose Mourinho's Roma in a match that will effectively award the momentary fourth place in the standings.
