Feature Photo: Marco Luzzani – Inter via Getty Images
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The Derby di Milano (aka Derby della Madonnina) is always a match that is massive in the football world. As a result of this season so far, both clubs are desperate to win. This may seem obvious, but it’s true. So, here is my article previewing the Milan Derby this Weekend.
Inter
It’s no secret how good Antonio Conte’s men have been this season. Currently, they’re second place in the Serie A standings. As a result, Inter have performed above expectations, at least in my opinion. Conte’s men have been challenging Juventus and Lazio for the most part, this season. In Antonio Conte fashion, the Nerazzurri have rapidly become title contenders. They’ve made some mistakes this season. Despite that, they’ve been nearly perfect in the league campaign. Antonio Conte has also made the 3-5-2 work for another club. Inter’s defence has been solid. Also, both their strikers have been productive.
Inter’s squad has definitely performed well this season as I mentioned. However, the most impressive part of the squad has been their midfield. Despite, Nicolò Barella and even Stefano Sensi not playing for long periods of this season, their midfield has still impressed me. Marcelo Brozovic has been picking up the slack as well as Matìas Vecino. Although, I’m willing to bet that a lot of Inter fans think otherwise. The midfield’s creativity, as well as its discipline, has made a good impression. It’s difficult to have balance in the midfield as they’ve had so far this season.
Last time, Inter played Milan, it was early in the season. Inter won 2-0, thanks to goals from Marcelo Brozovic and Lautaro Martinez. During that game, Inter played better than Milan by a lot. As a result, it demonstrated how good this team could be. Their midfield was very dominant and forced the Rossoneri into making a lot of mistakes. In that game, it was also obvious how superior Inter’s attackers are compared to Milan’s. It will definitely be interesting to see if Inter will be dominant once again.
Milan
So far this season, Milan have gone through a lot. They appointed Marco Giampaolo as coach early in the season. Then, they hired Stefano Pioli to replace him. They’ve definitely improved as the season has moved along. As a result, they’re currently in eighth place in the Serie A standings. However, they’re seven points away from being in a Champions League spot. They’ve made many mistakes this season. But, the one mistake they didn’t make was that they signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They may still have issues in their midfield and defence. But, at least, Ibrahimovic’s presence has led to them to go on an undefeated run.
Milan’s Main Flaw This Season
The worst part of Milan’s squad has definitely been their backline. They’ve only conceded 24 goals so far this season. But, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Alessio Romagnoli is definitely their best defender. However, the rest haven’t performed that great so far. As a result, the defence has been below average this season. Their main issues are at the fullbacks positions. Ricardo Rodriguez was their starting left-back. Now, he’s on-loan at PSV Eindhoven. Also, Andrea Conti tends to be their starting right-back. Those two can definitely make good runs with the ball going forward. However, their issues have been that their less than average play off the ball. As a result, that has been a big part of them performing below expectations.
Heading into the Milan Derby, Milan will definitely want their revenge against Inter. Last time, these two teams faced each other, it was a mess for this squad. However, they’ve definitely improved over the course of this season. They’ll be facing a tough test against the Nerazzurri. But, it shouldn’t be worse than the last time around. Maybe, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s presence will inspire them to victory. There’s only one thing that is certain during this derby. It’s guaranteed to be a thrilling game.
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Read more from Joseph Porco on www.calciofanblogs.com