Hakan Calhanoglu is Inter Milan’s diamond, Amir Rrahmani saves Napoli and Walter Mazzarri, while Jose Mourinho’s Roma remain uninspiring to watch… TEN THINGS WE LEARNED in Serie A

Inter Milan remain at the top of Serie A after cruising to a 5-1 victory away from home against Monza, with the result heaping the pressure on their nearest challengers Juventus.

Rivals AC Milan remain third in the table after securing a 3-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma at the San Siro, while Napoli scored a late winner to edge Salernitana in their derby.

The late victory eased pressure on the champions under-fire boss Walter Mazzarri.

There were big wins for Cagliari and Hellas Verona in their respective bids to avoid relegation at the end of the season.

Mail Sport’s Alvize Cagnazzo delves into the 10 things we learned from the latest round of Serie A matches this past weekend.

CALHANOGLU IS INTER’S DIAMOND

Hakan Calhanoglu is a diamond and has been elevating Inter Milan’s performances this season, as the Nerazzurri remain top of Serie A.

During this Serie A he has already scored nine goals, after a brace in Inter’s 5-1 victory over Monza. Calhanoglu has now matched his total from the 2018-2019 season in an AC Milan shirt in 35 appearances. 

The Turkish midfielder can now start to think about achieving the best record of his career, across his spells in Germany and Italy.

When he loses the ball in dangerous areas, Calhanoglu takes the responsibility to recover possession and accept physical challenges. Calhanoglu is dominating in midfield and opens up the game for Inter, with the 29-year-old now possessing the awareness of a top player.

Despite not being a giant, Calhanoglu manages to fight and create with extraordinary clarity. On Saturday, he brought the Monza midfield to its knees, humiliating his former teammate Roberto Gagliardini, who endured his worst match playing for the Brianza club. 

Inter have many players and solutions, both tactically and technically, to allow the team to calmly manage its commitments in Serie A and the Champions League. 

The feeling is that only Inter can lose this championship: they have an impenetrable defence, a midfield full of quality and an atomic attack.

The Turkish midfielder is proving a crucial player in Inter Milan’s pursuit of the Serie A title

RRAHMANI SAVES MAZZARRI AND NAPOLI

Amir Rrahmani came to the rescue of Walter Mazzarri with a 96th minute winner against Salernitana, giving Napoli three points to avoid the champions dropping into the lower parts of the table.

Rrahmani worked with Juan Jesus to control Salernitana’s giant striker Simeon Tochukwu Simy, using his physique to cage the Nigerian attacker. The forward made several tackles but was unable to manage a shot on goal. 

Salernitana is the team that has lost the most points, 15, from winning positions this Serie A season. But credit for Napoli’s comeback must be given to Rrahmani, who has been criticised several times for his recent performances. 

The goal scored by the Kosovan  defender allowed Aurelio De Laurentiis’ team to win a difficult derby against Salernitana, a match full of pitfalls after Antonio Candreva’s goal gave Filippo Inzaghi the lead. 

Rrahmani’s match was difficult like that of the whole team but the decisive goal in the final seconds significantly improved his performance. After collapses against Frosinone, Roma and Torino, Napoli managed to obtain a crucial victory for coach Walter Mazzarri who, in the event of a negative result, would most likely have been fired. 

Despite the victory, Napoli are still not convincing due to a lack of organisation and doubts are increasing about the choices that the club is making in the transfer market. The risk of a disastrous season is real but Rrahmani’s goal relieves doubts about the team’s chronic problems for a few days at least.

Amir Rrahmani scored a last minute winner for Napoli to ease the pressure on the team

The late victory may have prevented Walter Mazzarri from being sacked as Napoli head coach

ADLI’S GOAL CAN CHANGE AC MILAN’S SEASON

Yacine Adli’s first goal in Serie A in an AC Milan shirt was a small masterpiece that rewarded the discipline of a player who remained on the sidelines for over one year. 

In the team’s moment of greatest difficulty due to the many injuries, the French midfielder became an irreplaceable metronome, developing a great feeling with the whole team. 

Against him, Bryan Cristante and Leandro Paredes suffered from Roma’s tactical disorganisation, never managing to get the measure of the perfect movements of the French midfielder. 

Adli is perhaps the most technical player on the team but suffers from a lack of speed, which has slowed down his adaptation to the rhythms of Italian football. The 23-year-old is a silent leader who has earned plaudits for his constant work in every training session. This has led him Adli earning great consideration from the most experienced players in the squad.

Despite not being gifted with an extraordinary physique, Adli confirmed that he can be considered an important option for Milan, effectively a new signing.

He impressively inserted himself in the gap between Roma’s defence and midfield, taking advantage of the lack of dynamism of the Giallorossi players. His performance rewarded a perfect strategic move by coach Stefano Pioli.

ROMA LACK SOUL AND ORGANISATION – MOURINHO’S TEAM IS A COLOSSAL FLOP

Is there a team in the Italian championship that is less aesthetically pleasing than Roma? Probably none. 

The defeat against AC Milan represents the clearest snapshot of the tactical problems of Jose Mourinho’s team, which in two-and-a-half years has never managed to build a pleasant football identity. 

The midfield and defense were too close, almost overlapping, which left Romelu Lukaku isolated up front against the AC Milan defenders. 

The choice of Mourinho and his assistant Salvatore Foti, sitting on the bench in place of the Portuguese coach, to promote goalkeeper Mile Svilar to the role of No 1 in place of Rui Patricio is a clear signal of the desire to shake up the squad.

Yet Roma appeared even more confused, at times even timid, in managing a match. Only a powerful shot from Zeki Celik worried Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during the match.

Olivier Giroud’s second goal for Milan made a mockery of Roma’s defensive organisation and raised serious doubts about the quality not only of the individual players of the team coached by Mourinho but also about the poor positioning of the entire defence. 

Rather than looking like a Serie A team, Roma appeared against AC Milan to be a group of individuals who are not used to playing together. In this regard, Mourinho cannot escape criticism because after 20 games this season his Roma have never offered the feeling of being masters of their own destiny.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma side continue to lack an identity in his third season in charge of the club

GOOD MORNING, BUONGIORNO!

Alessandro Buongiorno is today one of the four best Italian defenders and the best Torino defender have had in the last 20 years. Physically strong, aggressive in the aerial duel, he is precise in the most delicate interventions and reads the game superbly.

Physically he seems even superior to Kamil Glick and with time could become a starter for the Italian national team. Last summer, despite offers from top Italian clubs, he chose to stay in Torino. But this summer it will be difficult to keep him in the team. 

Due to his style of play he would also be one of the best performers in Premier League too but the hope is that he can continue to mature in Serie A.

He is physically different from Angelo Ogbonna, the West Ham defender, and probably has less dynamism than Gleison Bremer at Juventus. But with manager Ivan Juric, Buongiorno can continue to grow and improve every technical and tactical aspect. 

The Croatian coach an attentive and helps to improve players, paying particular attention to his defenders. Buongiorno against Genoa defused Albert Gudmundsson and Mateo Retegui, leading the three-man defence without losing concentration. 

Buongiorno is experiencing a outstanding period in his career and the academy product has filled the void left by Bremer’s departure.

Alessandro Buongiorno, right, is continuing to develop at the heart of the Torino defence

WILL CLAUDIO RANIERI DELIVER A MIRACLE IN CAGLIARI?

Four shots on target, two goals. Just 36% of ball possession with 300 passes less than Bologna coached by. Yet Cagliari earned a 2-1 victory and begins to think they have found the right tactical formula to hope for an unlikely salvation. 

Claudio Ranieri is the doyen of Italian coaches in Serie A and uses his extraordinary experience to improve the solidity of Cagliari. Ranieri is back in the Mister Magoo version, short-sighted and lucky, reckless and nice. Despite some odd choices he often manages to fix difficult and apparently unsolvable situations. 

He didn’t put together the best of his Cagliari games but Ranieri gained three points which will be very important in the development of their season. In the second half he throws on Paulo Azzi, a winning choice that changed the balance of the match. 

As always, Ranieri had courage and removed a previously disastrous Tommaso Augello to have greater control over Riccardo Orsolini by bringing on Azzi. The substitution worked perfectly as it defused Bologna.

The change demonstrated how Ranieri is still decisive today in the latter stages of his career. Andrea Petagna is the perfect player for Ranieri’s football, fighting for every ball and opening up the pitch for Nicolas Viola and Nahitan Nandez. 

The survival formula has now been decided and the next matches will be crucial to understand Cagliari’s real chances of remaining in Serie A.

Veteran coach Claudio Ranieri looks like he could lead Cagliari to safety in Seria A this season

IS MONZA’S FAIRYTALE OVER WITHOUT BERLUSCONI?

Without Silvio Berlusconi is the Cinderella story of Monza over? Since the President’s death the team has undoubtedly suffered an emotional collapse.

The organisational earthquake has effectively eliminated the bonuses acquired during the first year lived in Serie A. Raffaele Palladino’s team is no longer the pleasant surprise of a few months ago and now sailing in a rather rough waters. 

The five goals conceded in the defeat against Inter also puts the Italian coach under pressure, despite the confidence gained after his magnificent debut in Serie A. 

Against Inter, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Roberto Gagliardini and Luca Caldirola played a disastrous match, transforming an apparently balanced match into a clear failure. 

Palladino’s ideas were to aggressively attack Nerazzurri from the first minute, with high pressing and the continuous search for attackers, but Inter immediately broke the deadlock, bringing Monza’s weak playing system to its knees. 

Reviewing the match during the week in technical meetings will be essential to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future, perhaps changing some players who are short of fitness, ideas and fatigued. Monza have 25 points in Serie A, eight more than Verona, who are third from bottom in the table.

Monza appear to be in a calm situation, but they could be in for an unpleasant surprise if concrete answers to the team’s problems do not arrive in the transfer market.

Monza suffered a heavy defeat against Inter Milan with the team still not safe from the drop

FELIPE ANDERSON SCORES BUT DOES NOT RENEW LAZIO CONTRACT

With one goal from their two shots Lazio is starting to be cynical and win matches without dominating the game. In the 1-0 win over Lecce, Lazio consolidated the strength of character shown in the Italian Cup derby against Roma and again highlighted the talent of Felipe Anderson. 

The Brazilian player has a European mentality, adapting to any tactical set-up employed by his coaches. Against Lecce he played at the centre of the attack under the instruction of Maurizio Sarri and adapted well to a role that is not suited to his characteristics. 

He used his intuition to score the a winning goal which restores Lazio’s European ambitions, making everyone immediately forget about an anonymous first half. 

Felipe Anderson achieved a historic record for Lazio against Lecce, making his 126th consecutive appearance for the Italian club. It was confirmation of his silent importance to the club in recent years. 

His contract expires in June 2024 but the conditions for a extension are unlikely to be created, which could see him become a free agent.

Juventus is very interested in him but up to now there have only been informal talks.

Felipe Anderson continued to show his importance to Lazio in their 1-0 win against Lecce

DJURIC SCORES VERONA’S SECOND FASTEST SERIE A GOAL

Milan Djuric’s goal after two minutes and 30 seconds is the second fastest goal in Verona’s history in Serie A. His effort was only bettered by Federico Ceccherini’s effort on 24 October 2022 against Sassuolo after one minute and 29 seconds. 

A goal that gave Verona the perfect start, helping the team to a 2-1 win over Empoli in a key match at the bottom of the table.

Hearing is the Bosnian player’s specialty and with this excellent match he removed the fear of being taken out of the starting eleven for the French giant Thomas Henry. 

The three points gave Verona renewed hope of survival and Djuric did well to immediately direct the match in the right direction. His, like that of the whole team, was a test of maturity as the team aim to prove they can play in Serie A. 

Despite a lack red card, the team showed desire to defend the result and the whole team were resolute against Empoli’s attack. Djuric didn’t have many scoring opportunities available but he made the most of his only chance of the entire match.

In last 25 minutes the coach decided to remove him from the pitch, because Djuric was exhausted after a match in which he was busy fighting for every ball. The Veronese defence resisted Empoli’s attack to move one point away from 17th placed Cagliari.

Milan Djuric early goal proved crucial as Hellas Verona earned a narrow victory over Empoli

CANDREVA CONTINUES LONG SHOT PROWESS

Antonio Candreva has been in the top five of players with goals from outside the box since the start of 2023, finding the net on six ocassions.

Salernitana’s box to box full-back is the only one in his role to have scored at least five goals per year in Serie A in the last five seasons. At 36 years old he is a player of crucial tactical and technical value and is giving Salernitana hope of surviving in Serie A again.

The statistics demonstrate how Candreva is a serious and reliable professional, who has become a talisman of Salernitana and for all the coaches who trained him. 

His game was perfect, running all over the pitch to plug the holes left in defence by his teammates, attacking Mario Rui and managing all the balance in the right area of ​​the pitch. 

Points, however, are starting to slip away too easily and perhaps Filippo Inzaghi is not the right man in the right place at a time when Salernitana need more courage and fewer barricades in defence to defend results. 

Many signings in the transfer market have been wrong and many players, especially in attack have disappointed. Yet, Candreva represents the most important player on the team despite fact that will turn 37 year in 2024.