Always more alone in front, the leader Naples takes advantage of the misstep of the Nerazzurri to now have an eighteen point lead over his first pursuer: winner on Saturday at Empoli (2-0), Napoli can allow themselves six defeats in the last fourteen days without losing your head!

At this rate, Osimhen and co could land the third scudetto in club history by the end of April or early May, after the two from the Maradona era (1987, 1990).

Inter, tired after the victory against Porto (1-0) on Wednesday in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, cracked at the end on a strong strike from Riccardo Orsolini (76th) after a failed recovery from the defense.

"We took a goal not to take. We are angry because, of course, we had come from an exhausting match, but we clearly have to do better", railed Simone Inzaghi on Sky Sport.

The Renato-Dall'Ara stadium is confirmed as a cursed stadium for the Milanese coach.

It was already in Bologna that his Inter lost the title last season due to a surprise defeat in April (2-1).

Bologna moves up to 7th place, close to the European folding seats.

To the delight of his coach Thiago Motta: "I am proud to see the symbiosis that has been created around the team."

Quiet Maignan, "Ibra" ovation

AC Milan did not pass up the opportunity to join their rival.

After a black month of January, the champion found Mike Maignan in the cage, after five months of absence, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who finally started his season, nine months after having knee surgery.

But above all he found legs, a defense (fourth consecutive game without conceding a goal) and a soul.

Swedish AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the end of the match between Milan and Atalanta in Serie A on February 26, 2023 in Milan © Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

Mike Maignan spent a quiet evening facing a muzzled "Dea" and it was the other Blues Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernandez who shone.

On a handover from Giroud, Hernandez volleyed from the left: his missile hit the post before entering after bouncing off the unfortunate Dea goalkeeper Juan Musso (26th).

"I count it as my goal," smiled Hernandez on DAZN.

"We had a difficult time but we have become the Milan we were before," he added.

Rafael Leao, after being clumsy, caught up at the end of the match by sending Junior Messias to sign 2-0 (86th).

Ibrahimovic, thrown into the bath in the 74th minute in place of Giroud, will have to wait to score.

But he savored the ovation of San Siro, happy to finally find his 41-year-old legend.

At the bottom of the standings, La Spezia (17th) and Salernitana (16th) performed well in the maintenance race.

The former won a good draw in Udine (2-2) for the first of new coach Leonardo Semplici and the latter easily beat Monza (3-0) for the first victory of Paulo Sousa, who arrived on the bench on February 15.

© 2023 AFP