Inter-Milan, a derby worth a piece of the season. After the 33rd season of the championship with a draw between Naples and Rome (1-1) and Atalanta's home defeat against Verona (1-2), it's time to dive into the Coppa Italia, which has reached the second leg of the semi-finals. We start immediately very strong, that is with a very heartfelt and delicate Milanese derby, both because the final on 11 May is valid, and for the moment in which it arrives, in which a positive (or negative, depending on your point of view) result can really affect the continuation of the season. Inzaghi and Pioli know that, in the light of what happened yesterday in Naples, the Scudetto will most likely be theirs alone, but fate also pits them against each other in the Coppa Italia: whoever wins risks taking the whole pot, whoever loses instead will have to make a huge effort to get up and avoid the collapse.
Inter-Milan at 21, Canale 5. The Investcorp fund (Bahrain) ignites the derby: "We are negotiating for Milan"
However, it's not just the derby that is hovering over Milanese football: the now official negotiation between Elliot and Investcorp for the purchase of Milan, which would become one of the richest clubs in the world, is causing a stir. The conditional, until the closing has taken place, is a must, but the prospect of a Rossoneri club in Arab sauce is very concrete, as communicated by the Bahrain embassy in the United Kingdom. "Bahrain-based asset manager Investcorp has entered exclusive talks to buy Italian club AC Milan for $1,1 billion - the official statement - Investcorp was founded in 1982, offers a diversified investment portfolio and globally and manages over $42 billion in assets worldwide. In short, a very advanced and concrete scenario, so much so that there is talk of a closing by mid-May for the record figure of one billion euros. News of this magnitude cannot fail to have effects on the team, but now all that remains is to understand whether they will be positive or destabilizing.
“We haven't talked about it and nothing will make us deconcentrate from the seasonal goal – glossed Pioli in the press conference -. We have a solid club and a club that is close to us and always supports us. The future may even be better." Inzaghi, on the other hand, has only the game in mind, therefore a derby to be won at all costs: the 0-0 in the first leg, considering that the away goal rule still applies (it will be changed next season), does not give the coach any another possibility. “The team arrives at this semi-final charged and motivated – explained the Nerazzurri coach -. We know the importance of the match and what it represents for the fans and for the club, but we're coming off three consecutive victories and we're preparing well for the match. We will have to be good at separating the two competitions, now the priority is the Coppa Italia, then, regardless of the result, we will focus on Roma because it will be a decisive match for our championship".
Inter-Milan, the formations: Inzaghi and Pioli focus on the very owners
The championship remains the main objective, but tonight neither Inzaghi nor Pioli will be able to afford to think about Rome and Lazio, their next opponents over the weekend. The two coaches will rely on the best possible formations, therefore on the very owners who have made their respective rides possible. Inzaghi will focus on the usual 3-5-2 with Handanovic in goal, Skriniar, De Vrij and Bastoni in defense, Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu and Perisic in midfield, Dzeko and Lautaro in attack. Pioli, who can gamble with two results out of three available, has to deal with the defection of Calabria; therefore, he will have to revise the 4-2-3-1 type a bit by choosing Maignan between the posts, Kalulu, Gabbia, Tomori and Hernandez in the back, Bennacer and Tonali in the midfield, Messias, Kessié and Leao behind the only Giroud tip.
Roma shuts down Napoli's Scudetto dreams, but Mourinho explodes against the referee: "I'm ashamed"
Easter Monday yielded two important results both in terms of the Scudetto and Europe, but the most important, with all due respect to Atalanta (defeated by Verona and now out of the race), is that of Maradona, who will most likely extinguish the tricolor hopes of Naples. A win would have kept Spalletti's team in Milan's wake, so instead, in the light of the 1-1 final (Insigne's goal from a penalty and El Shaarawy equalized in the 91st minute), dreams of glory almost certainly end up in the attic. However, what made the most news was the fiery post-match that once again saw José Mourinho as the protagonist, author of a press conference that would be an understatement to define as pyrotechnics. The Portuguese, despite the draw reached in extremis which still keeps him in the running for the Champions League, lashed out against Di Bello and Di Paolo, respectively referee and Var of the match, due to some decisions, in his opinion, sensationally against the Rome.
"There are teams that play to win the Scudetto, we're not among them, but we have the right to play to win matches - growled Mou - Here, however, it seemed to me that we didn't have this right, during the week I had read something about the fact that the championship will be decided by the referees' errors against the three in the running, but it can also be decided if the referees are wrong in favor and today it seemed impossible for us to win this match. Mr. Di Paolo (the Var, ed), not to mention Di Bello (the referee, ed), in some moments of the match made me ashamed to be there. There was a red card for Zanoli, they didn't call a penalty against Zaniolo and then much more. Enough, we want some respect for our fans who are at home. I want to have the right to play it”. Strong statements, completely disproportionate to what happened on the pitch: refereeing was rather uncertain, I agree, but not to the point of questioning the entire regularity of the championship. In any case, however one thinks of it, the ground for Inter-Roma next Saturday is already more than plowed: and this, perhaps, is the real mission of the Special One, determined to be regretted, once more, by his exes fans.
