AC Milan missed a huge chance to cement their position at the top of Serie A on Saturday when they failed to beat bottom club Salernitana.
A trip to Salerno seemed to be the perfect opportunity for I Rossoneri to take another three points in their quest for the Scudetto, but the underdogs fought ferociously, matching Milan’s five shots on target and, crucially, they came away with a well-earned 2-2 draw. The host are still in deep relegation mire, seven points from safety while they put a massive dent in Milan’s title hopes.
Stefano Pioli’s men made a great start when Junior Messias gave them a fourth-minute lead, but Federico Bonazzoli levelled for Salernitana before the break. Two dropped points could be disastrous for Milan, but it could easily have been worse when Milan Djuric met a cross with a firm header to set up a potential shock on 72 minutes.
But Pioli will be thanking his Croatian winger Ante Rebic, who spared the club’s blushes. He took a pass from Olivier Giroud outside the penalty area and fired a bullet into the bottom left corner on 77 minutes to extend Milan’s lead at the top of the table to two points.
Inter have two games in hand and Napoli, in third place, are three points behind the leaders with one game in hand. And next up Inter face Sassuolo at the San Siro on Sunday while Gli Azzurri visit Cagliari on Monday night. The latest Serie A 2022 betting odds pitch Inter as favourites with Napoli and Milan in pursuit.
This was a missed chance for I Rossoneri.
Turin derby blow for Juve
The Old Lady has clambered back in the frame in recent weeks and still held out some hope of challenging for the Scudetto, but their faint hopes look even less likely after they failed to overcome Torino in the derby on Friday night.
The Bianconeri are seven matches unbeaten in all competitions and going well in the Champions League and Coppa Italia, but draws are no good in the Serie A title race. Recent stalemates with Atalanta and Milan aren’t bad results in isolation, but throw in a point against mid-table Torino and the Old Lady’s progress is just too slow.
Centre-back Matthijs de Ligt thundered home an early header to put Juve in charge but, veteran striker Andrea Belotti smashed home a volley to give Torino a deserved point. That result leaves Juventus nine points off the pace which is an added bonus for Il Toro fans!
The Bianconeri needs a spectacular set of Serie A 2022 results to stay in the race now.
Aussie teenager wows for Roma
Roma legend Francesco Totti has been mentoring 18-year-old Aussie star Cristian Volpato, and excited fans are already comparing the youngster to their former hero. Totti made the number 10 position his own in a stratospheric career in Rome, and Volpato is modelling himself on the Azzurri star.
He scored his first senior Serie A goal in Roma’s 2-2 draw with ninth-placed Hellas Verona and now football fans in Australia are hoping and praying he makes a debut for the senior national team before he is approached by Italy head coach Roberto Mancini. Volpato was born in Sydney, Australia and is eligible to play for either nation… and Italy is obviously a bigger draw.
His side was two goals down before Volpato halved the deficit in the 65th minute and fellow teenager Edoardo Bove completed the Romans’ comeback, which sees them just outside the automatic Europa League places in seventh.
Roma boss Jose Mourinho was sent off for gesturing at the referee in a hot-tempered affair, but Volpato seems to have has a cooler head than his fiery boss!
Serie A clubs in Europe
The Italian league’s top six are all in European action, with all but the Old Lady having completed their first legs. In the Champions League, Inter Milan have an uphill struggle having lost at home to Liverpool 2-0.
Meanwhile, Juventus are away to Villarreal on Tuesday and that’s a tie they will be happy to take on, though Unai Emery’s Yellow Submarine won’t be easily sunk, currently fifth in La Liga after beating Granada 4-1 on Saturday.
In the Europa League Napoli earned an impressive 1-1 draw away to Barcelona while Atalanta beat Olympiacos 2-1, but Lazio suffered defeat away to Porto by the same score line.
All the second legs are scheduled for Thursday, we’ll be reporting on the action here at SBOTOP when all three have a very good chance to progress.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
