Pride, redemption, compactness. These are the three key words put on the table by Pioli. Three like the matches that definitively changed the face of the Rossoneri season, with consequent headlines on the coach’s pursuit of confirmation for next year. The present counts, the dutiful public refrain common to players, coach and club. Said and said again, reiterated and repeated yesterday in the previous conference. But the days that have just passed, which fell like hail to sweep away the previous and inviting harvest of seven consecutive victories between championship and cup, still weigh heavily.
The final word on the European dream written in bold letters by Roma, the sixth derby lost in a row and ended with Inter celebrating in the Devil’s home, can only still be on the shoulders of the team. And from the coach: “Delicate, difficult days. In my five years here there have been very positive or very negative moments, with no middle ground. This is very negative, the closest and therefore the most painful. I would give everything I have for change the results of the derbies: but it’s not possible now.
The shoes remain tight, however. And at least a couple of pebbles the coach throws away: “For four years Inter have been the strongest team and have only won two championships. We have never been the strongest and we have always tried to fight for the top positions. top, sometimes succeeding. We reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, but our progress was diminished precisely because we were eliminated by them. Last year they finished 18 points behind Napoli, this year they finished first: the year next season it will reset again.”
And then: “Did Inzaghi compliment us? Easier when you win.”
For the rest, Pioli hits hard on the keys to unity of purpose: “Leao will be captain (given the disqualifications of Calabria and Theo Hernandez as well as Tomori), he is experiencing the strong pain of losing the derby and seeing his rivals celebrate like all of us. Ibrahimovic is always there to support us and give us confidence. We are united: we just have to react, demonstrating that we can overcome even these moments.”
Pioli had tried with the three-man defense deployed with both Roma and Inter, albeit with variations on a single (and not achieved) objective: compactness. This afternoon we will most likely return to four, given the central emergency amplified by Kjaer’s unavailability: Musah moved to right-back, more Adli than Bennacer in midfield (“Ismael is not yet in top condition, Yacine is the most reliable player of the department in the defensive phase”). Jovic out due to fatigue. Second place remained the ultimate objective of these last five days. Juventus are five points behind. The redemption, even in the face of an already marked future, in the name of acclaimed pride, must come now.
Probable lineups: Juventus (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Church. All. Allegri.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Musah, Gabbia, Thiaw, Florenzi; Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud. All. Pioli.
Referee: Mariani from Aprilia.
TV and time: 6pm, Dazn and Zona Dazn (Sky channel 214), Allianz Stadium in Turin.
