With the evil 2020 filed away, football tries to think positive with the new year, while in the Premier League the explosion of covid infections leads to a stop.
Inter continues to tail Milan and sniffs the overtaking, more likely in the Befana round in which the Rossoneri will cross the historic rivals of Juve.
Meanwhile, the commitments with the newly promoted are emerging.
Conte has to contend with the growing Crotone di Stroppa, who took seven points in four races.
But the most complicated task is for Pioli as Milan find their beloved ex Pippo Inzaghi with his Benevento who scored 12 points in seven games in a month, stopping Juve and Lazio.
Behind the Milanese obstacles that can be blocked at home for Rome (Sampdoria) and Juve (Udinese) and for Lazio outside (Genoa), Napoli's task in Cagliari is more complicated while the big match is that between Atalanta and Sassuolo.
Salvation clash between Parma and Turin and for a quiet middle class between Fiorentina and Bologna while Spezia and Verona are looking for redemption, defeated in the last round by 1-2 at home.
All the clubs are following with concern the possible stop of the tax rebate linked to the benefits of the Growth Decree.
While Ibra thinks about recovery and his show in Sanremo, Milan does not want to wake up from the dream (79 points in the calendar year), they try to keep their head and the unbeatenness with their young and tested set-up, the plays of Calhanoglu and the raids by Hernandez.
The great former Inzaghi, who predicts Inter for the Scudetto, can create headaches with his solid group.
Inter can therefore hope to overtake on the shoulders of super Lukaku: Crotone seems to have few chances but is acclimatizing well in Serie A.
However, the key match of the day will weigh: Atalanta, who must recover a match, wants to relaunch their Champions chances with the surprise Sassuolo that relaunches Caputo.
The most awaited challenge is between the jugglers Ilicic and Berardi.
Meanwhile, Rome tries to secure the third place against Sampdoria of another former beloved, Ranieri.
Without Spinazzola, but with Mkhtaryan and Dzeko Fonseca he seeks 11th victory in 15 races, waiting to grow in the challenges with the big names.
In the postponement it will be the turn of Ronaldo and Morata's Juve, with a Dybala to relaunch, to cancel the collapse with the Viola: another stop would increase doubts about Pirlo's management, but De Paul's Udinese must interrupt a series of opaque results.
Napoli risks more than the suffering Gattuso: he took a point in three games, has many injuries and something has jammed.
Now he visits a healthy Cagliari who has lost Rog but is about to hug Nainggolan again.
An obstacle not to be underestimated also for the super Immobile Lazio which has not won for almost a month and has won a poor point in four races.
A new stop is inadmissible (the 15 derby is approaching) but Ballardini began his cycle with a victory and Genoa stopped Milan in the last home game.
In terms of salvation, a heart-pounding challenge between Parma, in a regressive phase, and Giampaolo's Toro who gives occasional signs of recovery but then loses precious points at a distance despite Belotti's goals, and is sadly last.
Confidence in the grenade technician now seems to have time, but after a long absence, Baselli will be returning to give him a strong hand.
After the feat with Juve, Fiorentina wants to give continuity of results and move up the rankings towards an area that best suits them: the challenge against Bologna is very interesting, aspiring to a more ambitious position.
The Spezia-Verona program closes, an open race with the favorite guests if they have disposed of the tiredness shown in the last rounds.