Roma won the derby, and this is inevitably the game of the weekend, Inter won again and moved 14 points ahead of second-placed Milan, although the Rossoneri also won their game. Juventus beat Fiorentina, while Bologna and Atalanta recorded two missteps. Let's see what happened in Serie A...
PLAYER OF THE WEEK - GIANLUCA MANCINI
The new derby hero, the man who decided the game on Saturday afternoon and signed the three points won by Roma in the match against Lazio.
Gianluca Mancini was the man of the match in the derby not only for the goal he scored with his header, but also for his performance in general and for his unforgettable celebration at the end of the game, a gesture that angered many Lazio fans.
The central defender at the end of the match took a white and blue flag with a mouse instead of an eagle and waved it in front of the Curva Sud: pure mockery, a classic of derbies. Roma wanted the victory much more than Lazio: Igor Tudor and his team never soiled Mile Svilar's gloves, never managed to shoot on goal, unlike the Giallorossi which several times came close to scoring first to lead and then to double Mancini's winner (a post hit by Stephan El Shaarawy).
In any case, the man of the weekend is also the man of the match and it could not have been otherwise: Mancini with this goal in the derby wrote a page of history for the club and for this particular match, Roma fans will never forget the one he scored on Saturday.
It almost seems like a sign of destiny that he scored: he is one of those defenders you love if he plays for your team and can dislike if he plays for the rival, because he is strong and rough, difficult for anyone to deal with like the defenders of the past. And going back to Roma more generally, the standings are definitely positive thanks to Atalanta's defeat and Bologna's draw.
TEAM OF THE WEEK - NAPOLI
Napoli needed three incredible goals to win against Monza. Raffaele Palladino and his boys had taken the lead in the first half, a great goal by Milan Duric, with a header that was impossible to save, but in the second half Francesco Calzona was able to touch with his own hands, perhaps for the first time this season, what it means to coach the Italian champions.
First Victor Osimhen's great goal, then Matteo Politano's magic, a goal you will see and see again in the coming days, then Piotr Zielinski's as well. In short, one goal more beautiful than the next (then came also the fourth, from a proper number 9, scored by Giacomo Raspadori) that highlighted all the quality of a team that this year has struggled and is struggling much more than expected after dominating the league last year.
Three coaches in one season make the race for a place in the next Champions League virtually impossible, but Calzona will try until the end to make the season as decent as he can. The reaction shown during the match against Monza, however. was worthy of the reigning Italian champions.
SURPRISE OF THE WEEK - CAGLIARI STUN ATALANTA
Here, this is without any doubt the surprise of the weekend. Atalanta seemed to be on their way towards fifth place (at least) in the standings, with excellent results achieved in recent matches thanks to the magic of its best players. But in the most beautiful moment came an unexpected stop, even a defeat, against Claudio Ranieri's Cagliari, a team engaged in the fight not to be relegated to Serie B.
Surprising indeed, but in reality the Sardinians stole nothing, on the contrary, Atalanta never managed to play their game and always seemed to be out of the match. The hosts had many chances to score and Ademola Lookman and his teammates always seemed late and in trouble.
Gian Piero Gasperini perhaps underestimated the difficulty of the match and Cagliari took advantage of the situation. The decisive goal came in the final minutes, as has often happened this year with Ranieri's boys, who clearly have no intention of going to Serie B: against them, matches never end, they can score and tie or win until the very last second of a match.
Important was the offensive contribution provided by Eldor Shomurodov and Zito Luvumbo, two players who could give Ranieri and Cagliari a big hand in the final part of the season.
