Let the show begin. On this atypical pre-Easter Saturday, the San Siro match stands out, where Inter and Juventus will take the field. The Derby d'Italia number 220 (187 in the championship) promises to be at least as crackling as the press conferences on the eve. To further spice up the challenge, Antonio Conte above all thought about it, the protagonist of a very unexpected declaration. “What if one day I could coach Inter? In football we are professionals, never say never – replied the Juventus coach. – I'm a Juve fan, but if I had to coach Milan or Inter I would behave the same way, because I'm a professional. I am the biggest fan of the team I coach. I've been to Arezzo, Siena, Atalanta and Bari and I do everything to make them win”. Logical speech, but raise your hand who would have expected it on the eve of Inter-Juve. Also because, shortly after, Andrea Stramaccioni's reply arrived. “Conte knows better than me how the dynamics work in this world – replied the Nerazzurri coach. – But it's difficult for me to see myself on the Juve bench. If I have to leave, in a few years, maybe I'll go to another bench, but I think it will be different from the black and white one".
After the personal parenthesis, the two technicians talked about the match, which the insiders are anxiously awaiting. Bookmakers give Juve as favourites, but some fear that the Bianconeri could be distracted from the Champions League. A risk that Conte does not want to take: “I spoke to the boys and I reiterated that we are in an important moment that we have earned. We have 6 games in 21 days, all beautiful and with great incentives. We are at stake to play for something important, to win the championship and nurture the dream of going forward in the Champions League. We will have to be good at handling these situations. Making calculations is not in our mentality and in our culture, we think from game to game as we did against Bologna". The concept is clear, woe to thinking about Bayern, even if some line-up adjustments will be inevitable. "I'll try to line up the best taking many situations into account: how the internationals arrived around the world and who stayed to train and showed availability and excellent form". Vucinic won't be there: the Montenegrin has a fever and hasn't even been called up. Instead of him, together with Giovinco, there will be one of Matri (favourite) and Quagliarella. For the rest, however, the training should not include many changes. Chiellini has recovered and Conte could deploy him from the start together with Barzagli and Bonucci. In midfield, doubts on the right (Padoin favorite over Lichtsteiner) and in the middle (Marchisio – Pogba ballot).
Training problems also on the Inter side, albeit due to force majeure. Samuel and Palacio are not at their best, the air delays of Gargano, Pereira and Guarin did the rest. It is above all the Colombian who has aroused more than one perplexity, because his flight would have left regularly if only he had shown up on time. “I think it didn't depend on him – Strama's defense – but in any case it will be the club that decides on any measures. I will evaluate only on the basis of the state of form”. Who is not at the top, so he will start from the bench. On the other hand, the match is one of those that count, and not only for the historical rivalry between the two teams. “We meet the team that is proving to be the best – admitted Stramaccioni. – The motivations are at their best, it's the right game to field everything we have. Against Juventus I will be attentive to the performance, I hope that Inter can play it openly. The result will certainly be important, but the performance even more so”. Only by finding continuity will Inter be able to seriously undermine third place in the standings, the last one valid for the Champions League and, perhaps, for the confirmation of the Nerazzurri coach. “The speeches about Mourinho? José is an example and a point of arrival for every player coach. I don't feel in competition, I know how much he is loved. And I know what the president's truth is on this matter. I am sorry that false expectations are created towards the fans. Moratti's trust is crucial, I can't do anything but thank him". During the week, the Nerazzurri president confirmed the coach, reiterating that his bench would not wobble even in the event of today's defeat. But, we are sure, Stramaccioni will not want to take the risk.
POSSIBLE FORMATIONS
Inter Milan (4-3-1-2): Handanovic; Zanetti, Ranocchia, Chivu, Pereira; Gargano, Kovacic, Cambiasso; Alvarez; Palacio, Cassano.
On the bench: Carrizo, Belec, Samuel, Silvestre, Nagatomo, Jonathan, Kuzmanovic, Schelotto, Stankovic, Guarin, Benassi, Rocchi.
Trainer: Andrea Stramaccioni.
Unavailable: Obi, Mudingayi, Milito, Castellazzi.
Disqualified: Juan Jesus (1).
Beware: Palacio, Cambiasso.
Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Mothers, Giovinco.
On the bench: Storari, Rubinho, Marrone, De Ceglie, Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Peluso, Giaccarini, Anelka, Quagliarella.
Trainer: Antonio Conte.
Unavailable: Caceres, Bendtner, Pepe, Isla, Vucinic.
Disqualified: nobody.
Beware: Chiellini, Barzagli, De Ceglie, Pirlo, Matri, Padoin.
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Bologna).
Line Assistants: Niccolai - Giordano.
Port Assistants: Bergonzi – Valeri.
Fourth official: Paduan.
