With the Round of 16 of the prestigious Coppa Italia concluding after a dominant Roma victory over Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico this evening, here are three key aspects that we have grasped throughout this enchanting round of the domestic cup.
Fiorentina Are the Dark-Horses of the Tournament
While many individuals predicted that Napoli would be able to leap past Fiorentina in order to claim a spot within the quarter-finals, Italiano’s men have seized their opportunity to send shock-waves across the nation, proving that they are far from a force to be taken for granted.
Throughout their cup-tie against the Partenopei, Italiano’s men were ruthless as they posed a significant threat through their free-flowing attacking style of play within the final third of the pitch. The Viola did a brilliant job of stretching the play out wide and creating quick combinations within the middle of the pitch in order to stun Spalletti’s men in a 2-5 away victory at the Stadio Diego Maradona.
Fiorentina have showcased their impressive amount of depth within their roster as Krzysztof Piatek made his return to the top-flight league of Italy known as he scored a goal within his debut for the Viola after recently arriving from Hertha Berlin. In addition, Johnathan Ikone has also made his mark as the French midfielder provided an assist in his first appearance for Fiorentina, continuing his fine run of form after departing the French giants Lille.
Sergio Oliveira Was Mourinho’s Missing Piece of the Puzzle
Since arriving from Porto, Sergio Oliveira has showed no signs of struggling to adapt within the life of a Giallorossi has the Portuguese midfielder has flourished under Jose Mourinho.
The 29 year-old earned himself another start within the cup-tie this evening after his impressive performance against Cagliari, where he scored the match winner from the penalty spot. Consequently, the Portuguese midfielder thrived under the pressure as he capitalized on the occasion to establish himself as a pillar within this Roma squad.
Throughout the cup fixture at the Stadio Olimpico, Oliviera was undoubtedly one of the best players on the pitch within Roma’s convincing 3-1 victory over Lecce. The Portuguese midfielder has implemented an immense amount of creativity within the Giallorossi’s offensive style of play through his incisive passes in between the lines of defence and his sublime ability to dribble past the opposition in extremely tight spaces. Furthermore, the 29 year-old has played a pivotal role in setting up the breakthrough goal through a well-weighted cross towards Tammy Abraham within the box.
Since arriving from the Portuguese giants, Oliveira has demonstrated to the viewers and supporters that he is a valuable asset within Roma’s squad, arguably one of Mourinho’s most valuable possessions as his tactical awareness to drop in between the lines allows the Portuguese midfielder to fit perfectly within the “Special One’s” tactical system.
Alexis Sanchez Might Have a Spot at Inter Next Season
After a difficult stint throughout the first half of this year’s Serie A campaign, rumours have dispersed all over the country regarding Inter possibly offloading Alexis Sanchez throughout the winter transfer window. However, it seems that the Chilean has managed to alter the forecast of his destiny after a string of fabulous displays.
After scoring the game-winner against Juventus in the Super Cup Finals, the 33 year-old striker managed to prevail yet again as he displayed a magnificent performance at the San Siro.
After coming off the bench as a result of Joaquin Correa’s early injury, the Chilean international has managed to make his mark within the Nerazzuri’s vital cup fixture against Empoli as he scored an outstanding header and provided an ingenious assist for Stefano Sensi to secure a 3-2 victory.
While it seems that Sanchez has found his rhythm throughout the start of the second half of the season, the Chilean has ignited a flame of hope that Inzaghi might reconsider selling the Chilean intentional within the near future as he has played a vital role through his immense amount of pace, his mesmerizing dribbling skills, and his clinical goal-scoring ability.