«We poor people, two points lost»- Corriere.it

ROME

Final fireworks, like in the first leg. And, just like in the first leg, it ends even: not 2-2, but 1-1, only this time the bitter taste remains for Roma, who had deluded themselves with Abraham’s goal in the 94th minute, a right-footed low shot under the Curva Sud which made the Giallorossi Olimpico explode with joy. In the 97th minute, when it seemed to be gone and someone was already celebrating on the home bench, the mocking touch from two steps by Saelemaekers, with the ball slipping between Rui Patricio’s legs, under the opposite curve, that of the Milan fans, to rebalance the evening, bringing a very precious and now unexpected point to Pioli’s team. The Champions League play-off therefore ends without winners and above all without losers, but with the result probably more just for what is seen or rather not seen on the pitch.

The truth is that it was a bad game, very tactical, fragmented, angular, with few real scoring chances and far too many interruptions. Pioli said it, at the end of the game, he who has always been an advocate of actual game: Out of 106 minutes, there were 49 active players, it’s difficult to have such a rhythm, too many breaks. a point that makes us improve, but we still don’t go home happily ever after. Not the result we wanted. To qualify for the Champions League, you need more. In the first leg the 2-2 with a shock comeback in the final had opened the winter crisis of his. Those lost points never come back, like those wasted in the last 4 games too: 3 draws and only one win. Points that would have been very useful now, with the Champions derby in sight and the sprint for fourth place to be experienced. Cremonese arrives at San Siro on Wednesday: failing is forbidden.

I’m proud, but they are two points lost – Mourinho smiled bitterly -. We are not a rich squad and we have lost two other players to injury. Ask for a defender from the women’s team, which won the Scudetto. The Mou plan — reinforced five-man defense and counterattack, to remedy the very heavy absences of Dybala and Smalling — worked in the end: the Devil remained entangled, held the ball, but sterilely, never managing to find the decisive starting point in the last twenty meters . Leao and Hernandez played under the rhythm, lighting up only in the rare moments in which they found space. Roma waited, choosing the right moment to try the coup, with Pellegrini and Matic dictating the pace. The Devil, on the other hand, had the merit of not giving up after the goal with expired time, throwing himself forward with lucidity in the desperate assault, with seconds counted.

Balance was and balance remains: the Giallorossi and Rossoneri are now at 57, jointly in fourth place. Watch out for Inter, who are pressing from behind and don’t seem to have any intention of giving up. If he beats Lazio tomorrow, he will hook up with Roma and Milan. The wild pile continues. The impression that we will see the fireworks until the end.