There is only one city in all of Europe that can boast having two Champions League winning teams, Milan and Inter adding ten Champions League and who will solve this Wednesday the first chapter of an exciting confrontation to see not only who advances to the final of the top European club competition, but to see who will have the honor of commanding the city.
A unique confrontation that will be played twice in a historic setting such as the Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro), wrapped in a nostalgic scent that recalls that golden age of Italian football. They have only met four times in the Champions League and Inter have never managed to win.
The first time they met in Europe was in the 2002-03 season, always in the semi-finals, and the double value rule for away goals (0-0; 1-1) gave Milan a place in a final which he won against Juventus Turin at Old Trafford.
The second and last time they met was in 2004-05, in what is known as the ‘Derby of Shame’ who had to be suspended for almost half an hour due to altercations in the Inter stand after the referee disallowed a ‘neroazzurro’ goal in a draw in which Milan also won to access the semi-finals.
Those times are long gone and the level of the teams is very different from that; but the atmosphere, the rivalry and the relevance of the match remain the same, even more so taking into account the number of years since the last semi-final played: 13 years have passed for Inter and 16 for Milan.
Both teams come in with a similar dynamic throughout the season. They have not been regulars in the national league but as soon as the anthem of the “Champions” played, they became the best version of themselves.
While it is true that there is no clear favorite, Inter arrives slightly better to the duel if the latest performances of both are taken into account. Simone Inzaghi’s men have added four consecutive victories in Serie Awhile Stefano Pioli’s men equalized twice.
Furthermore, Inter have won two of the last three meetings between the two this season, including the Supercoppa Italiana final.
The Inter team arrives at the duel with all the squad available with the exception of Slovakian Milan Skriniar, who has been injured for some time; despite the doubts of the Italian Danilo D’Ambrosio and the German Robin Gosens, two players who in any case do not enter Inzaghi’s plans to start from the beginning.
An Inzaghi who will have to choose between the Croatian Marcelo Brozovic or the Turkish Hakan Calhanoglu in the midfield axis and between the Bosnian Edin Dzeko or the Belgian Romelu Lukaku, who has recovered his form in the last month, form an attacking duo with Lautaro Martínez, captain and undisputed in attack.
For their part, in Milan they are still very aware of the physical conditions of the Portuguese Rafael Leao, whose loss would leave Pioli’s team more than moved, which without his star loses its most important asset in attack.
In case he fails to arrive in time, the Belgian Alexis Saelemaekers starts with more chances to start in an eleven identical to that of the draw against Napoli and in which the Spaniard Brahim Díaz and the French Theo Hernández would be the most dangerous men of the i ‘rossoneri’.
The data says that Milan has always gone further every time there have been three Italian teams in the quarter-finals., as happened this season. But football has always proved to be one step ahead of statistics and ‘big data’. Milan and Inter will set the first leg of a semi-final with a nostalgic scent this Wednesday. The most beautiful derby in Italy will focus all the Italian spotlights, as happened in 2003, for a place in an all ‘Champions’ final.
probable lineups
Milan: Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Theo; Tonali, Krunic, Bennacer; Brahim, Giroud, Leao or Saelemaekers.
Inter: Onana; Darmian, Unripe, Sticks; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu or Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Dzeko, Lautaro.
Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano (ESP).
Stadium: Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro).
Hours: 21:00 CET (19:00 GMT). EFE extension
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.