Final goal. Juventus and Inter meet face to face for the second time in a week (the third in 23 days, also considering the championship) to reach the last act of the Italian Cup, scheduled for May 19, probably at San Siro (the official still lacks, but the Olimpico will be requisitioned by UEFA for the European Championships). Compared to last Tuesday, it's a completely different story, because here there will no longer be room for any kind of error: those who make mistakes simply go home. It starts from1-2 in the first leg, a result that greatly favors the bianconeri, who could even be satisfied with a one-goal difference. In short, the qualification percentages are biased towards Turin, but Inter have every intention of trying the great comeback.
“We will have to play for Juve as we have been doing lately, they are very organized – he warned Pirlo – We know Conte well, we know that they have very strong players, they have recovered Hakimi and Lukaku who are fundamental, great attention will be needed. This great challenge gives us the chance to go to the final, a goal we want to achieve. It will be a tough match, but we are prepared to face it in the best possible way”.
“We worked well, it's the best way to try to win the match and try to go through – the thought of Tale – We have to play it with desire and determination, trying to be perfect, because you have to be perfect to beat Juventus. We know that we must be the pride of our fans, whoever wears this shirt has an obligation to do so regardless of victory: this is our mission".
Respect yes, fear no. Juventus-Inter, at least according to the two coaches, presents itself as an open and balanced challenge, where there will be no room for any kind of awe. They certainly can't have it the black and whites, returning from 6 consecutive victories between the championship, the Italian Cup and the Super Cup, in which they scored 14 goals conceding only one. A change of gear that started right from the match against Inter on 17 January, lost badly, all right, but a harbinger of new stimuli and motivation. From that evening he returned to the field with a certain stability Giorgio Chiellini, but more generally, Pirlo seems to have finally found the starting eleven in all departments.
Not even Conte, however, can be afraid, because the two previous seasons have shown that his Inter, in terms of results (in the league) and performance (in the Italian Cup) not only played it on equal footing, but was even able to Better. Of course, to overturn the result against Juve at his home you need a perfect match, both from an offensive point of view (it takes two goals difference or, alternatively, a success by scoring at least three) and defensively.
The choices of the coaches, in short, become fundamental, especially as both are grappling with important absences. Pirlo has to do without the bruise Bonucci (the aim is to recover it for Naples), he is also struggling with the intestinal virus that has struck Arthur e Morata (the Brazilian is out, it will be decided for the Spanish this morning after finishing). His 3-5-2 will thus see Buffon in goal, Demiral, De Ligt and Danilo in defense, Cuadrado, McKennie, Bentancur, Rabiot and Chiesa in midfield, Kulusevski and Ronaldo in attack.
Conte's problems, on the other hand, are called Sanchez e Vidal, disqualified due to bookings received in the first leg (Arturo was also hurt in Florence and Lazio should also miss out): compared to last Tuesday, however, they are back Hakimi e Lukaku, essential to give the assault on Juve. The Nerazzurri 3-5-2 will therefore be made up of Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, De Vrij and Bastoni in the back, Hakimi, Barella, Brozovic, Gagliardini and Young in the midfield, Lautaro Martinez and Lukaku as an offensive duo.
