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Inter vs Milan: Two giants have finally woken from their slumber - Sunday's derby is a huge game


Inter vs Milan: Two giants have finally woken from their slumber - Sunday's derby is a huge game

Inter have the edge at the moment, but a Milan win on Sunday would have them right back in mix in Serie A.

THE underground metro rumbles northwest out of the city centre and, as it reaches its final stop, the carriages empty and fans begin to pour up the steps and out into the cold evening air.

Instantly there’s the sound of traffic and excited chatter, the smell of onions frying and numerous other food items being cooked amid stalls selling shirts, scarves and other memorabilia.

Then they see it.

No matter how many times a person makes this journey, the sight of the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza – also known as San Siro – is never any less impressive, its giant concrete pillars towering above supporters and supporting the huge red metal frame.

Imposing, even brooding, it dominates the landscape in this area of the city, looming large over the car parks and other nearby buildings. It is among the most stunning venues world football has to offer and, at least when it is sold out, the view from the inside is equalling stunning.

Steep on all four sides, the three tiers touch the edges of the pitch, allowing fans to turn into a cauldron with a cacophony of noise, flares and of course their banners.

Shared by Milan and Inter, San Siro always saves its best for derby day when the red and blue halves of the city go head-to-head. Together the two clubs have written the history of Italian football, their rivalry having even played out as a Champions League semifinal back in 2003 when the Rossoneri went on to lift the trophy.

They would be crowned Europe’s best again four years later, Inter picking up the baton in 2010 when they sealed an unprecedented treble under Jose Mourinho. Yet since then, Milan’s pair of heavyweight clubs have struggled, mired in mid table mediocrity and financial mismanagement rather than routinely battling for silverware as they once did.

Indeed, between 2012/13 and 2017/18, they won just a single Italian Super Cup between them and neither even played in the Champions League let alone came close to glory. Long term owners Silvio Berlusconi (Milan) and Massimo Moratti (Inter) had pumped billions into making their beloved sides successful, but they too moved on and those who replaced them could no longer simply spend their way back into contention.

Coaches came and went with alarming regularity too, overseeing a revolving cast of players as they searched for a way back to relevancy, stumbling from one mistake to the next like a drunk fumbling to get his key in the lock. Games at San Siro became almost tragic as fans stayed away, the 2016/17 campaign seeing Milan’s average attendance plummet to 39,001 while Inter managed just 46,622 at a stadium with an 80,000 capacity.

When the latest instalment of the Milan derby kicks off on Sunday evening however, it is likely to not only be in front of a full house, but also between two fanbases buoyed by recent improvements in their respective sides.

Inter have carefully assembled a well constructed squad which provides coach Luciano Spalletti with a variety of options in almost every position and with far greater depth than in previous seasons. Their key moves this summer saw Radja Nainggolan, Sime Vrsaljko and Kwadwo Asamoah added to a squad that finished fourth last term, although it was arguably two players they retained that provide the biggest boost.

Defender Milan Skriniar was wanted by Europe’s top sides, but they were all rebuffed as the Slovakia international reaffirmed his commitment to the Nerazzurri, and he was joined by skipper Mauro Icardi in doing so. The Argentina international has scored 103 goals in 165 Serie A appearances for Inter, vital to their hopes of success and absolutely crucial in helping them qualify for this season’s Champions League.

They only did so on the final day of last term, but the Nerazzurri have already recorded wins over Tottenham and PSV to sit atop their group alongside Barcelona, a position their cross town rivals would love to emulate.

Milan have made some serious investments over the last twelve months, the arrivals of Franck Kessie, Mattia Caldara, Andrea Conti and Ricardo Rodriguez transforming their own hopes of a return to success. Gennaro Gattuso has made a strong start to life on the bench, instilling the fighting spirit that seemed lost under numerous predecessors and bringing the best from many of the new faces.

Another Argentinian striker will be crucial to their ambitions, Gonzalo Higuain landing from Juventus this summer in order to facilitate Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Turin. He has certainly found his form at San Siro, netting six goals in his last five appearances as the derby approached.

The 30-year-old might not be as prolific as Icardi but – as this previous post explains – he is arguably a more well-rounded player and is making vital contributions elsewhere in order to help Milan prevail.

Yet a head-to-head perhaps even more central to this clash will take place on the sidelines, both Spalletti and Gattuso desperately seeking an edge over the other. The former is certainly more experienced and has displayed greater tactical variety in shaping his side, but the Milan boss is far exceeding expectations thus far.

“He is just like when he was a player,” Rossoneri winger Suso told Marca last week when asked about playing for the former Milan and Italy midfielder. “He’s obviously still passionate and intense, but off the field he is totally different, you can talk to him about anything. He’s the number one!”

Whether Gattuso can prove that against Spalletti and Inter this Sunday remains to be seen, but another trip to the famous old stadium awaits. The Milan Derby will take place between two giants who have finally woken from their slumber, and there could be no stage more fitting than the wonderful San Siro.

 

 


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