Talking points from the weekend in Serie A.
SASSUOLO COACH PLEASED HIS TEAM GIFTED OPPONENTS GOAL
Most coaches would have been furious if their team gave away a goal in the manner Sassuolo did during their 4-3 win over Bologna on Sunday. But not Roberto De Zerbi.
Trailing 2-1 with an hour gone, Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli received the ball in his own half, dribbled through his own penalty area and then gave it away to Riccardo Orsolini, who scored Bologna's third.
"I am actually happy we conceded a goal when caught in possession with Manuel Locatelli," said the Sassuolo coach.
"We must not be afraid of losing the ball, because that can happen. If we want to play from the back and take the initiative, we will be repaid in the long run."
ERIKSEN STUCK ON THE BENCH AT INTER
Christian Eriksen again found himself on the Inter Milan bench for the derby against AC Milan as coach Antonio Conte preferred Marcelo Brozovic in the "trequartista" role behind the forwards.
The Dane joined Inter from Tottenham Hotspur in January but has failed to make the expected impact, starting only one of Inter's four games this season. He made his feelings known last week after playing for Denmark.
"Every time I come back to the national team, I'm happy because I play here," he said. "Of course, as everyone knows, some things have changed for me: I am no longer used as much as I was at Tottenham."
After his side's 2-1 defeat Conte, who has repeatedly backed Eriksen, said balance was always key in his team selections.
"It's inevitable that playing with two wide players we might leave ourselves open ... and there's someone who also wants the trequartista role and is pulling faces."
CHIESA UNLIKELY TO GET SYMPATHY FROM FORMER CLUB FIORENTINA
Federico Chiesa, sent off one hour into his debut for Juventus in their 1-1 draw at Crotone, is unlikely to get much sympathy from former club Fiorentina.
Chiesa, 22, was raised at Fiorentina where his father Enrico also played but had been linked with a move to Juventus for around a year and the saga alienated many Fiorentina fans.
Shortly before Juve's game against Crotone, Fiorentina's American owner Rocco Commisso expressed his disappointment with Chiesa's departure.
"I treated him like a son but he did not do the right thing," he said. "He’s a kid, so it’s better not to discuss this any more, although in America we say: 'If you go, try not to burn your bridges.'"
(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
