It's Juventus-Milan again. They will be the ones to contend for the final of the Coppa Italia (21 pm) in Rome, just like in May 2016 and, albeit in a different competition, in December of the same year (Super Cup in Doha).
Three finals in just under two years and the certainty (not mathematical yet but very close) that, in August, there will be another one: for heaven's sake, the golden times of the great rivalry are far away but in the meantime, the Bianconeri and the Rossoneri I'm here again to play another trophy. Which, obviously, they both want, albeit with different values: for Allegri's team it would be yet another notch on the bulletin board, for Gattuso's the first, with an attached pass for the Europa League.
"It's very important for us - the Juventus coach said in the press conference - We will have to play with great enthusiasm, in the last two championship games we have experienced too many thrills and here there will be a very difficult team to face".
“For us, it's like the World Cup – echoed the Rossoneri colleague – We play against a great team that, in recent years, has gone to the Champions League final twice but I have to think about us. We will have to play with intelligence, courage and not have a little arm: only in this way can we achieve a very important victory".
It's hard to say who is the favourite. Juve are certainly better equipped but also more tired after a Scudetto race experienced on the edge of nerves, Milan, after a period of decline, would seem to have found some leg up but are much less familiar with the nights "in or out" ”. The feeling is that the match will live on balance and that the mental aspect, once again, will make the difference, one way or the other.
“Since Manchester 2003 I have understood that with Milan there are no favorites – Buffon glossed over with a mix of wisdom and irony – I played four finals against them, three ended in penalties and one in extra time: these are matches in which the technical differences are smoothed out and balance reigns”.
“We'll play a great game – commented Bonucci – We'll face a very important team but I'm confident that Milan will sell their skin dearly, even if a perfect match will be needed to lift the Cup”.
Formations chapter: both Allegri and Gattuso have the usual doubts in attack, for the rest the choices seem made. The Juventus coach will rely on a 4-3-3 formation with Buffon in goal, Cuadrado, Barzagli, Benatia and Alex Sandro in defence, Khedira, Pjanic and Matuidi in midfield, Douglas Costa, Higuain and Mandzukic in attack, with Dybala ready to take over from bench.
Same game system for Milan, who will respond with Donnarumma between the posts, Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli and Rodriguez in the back department, Kessié, Locatelli and Bonaventura in the midfield, Suso, Cutrone (favorite over Kalinic) and Calhanoglu in the offensive trident.
The referee of the match will be Damato, with Irrati in front of the Var monitors in a completely sold out Olimpico, despite the weekdays not making the Roman away match particularly easy. Because nobody wants to miss this Juventus-Milan.
