The first success of the new Rossoneri coach.
Inter and Milan played 90 minutes of football in Saudi Arabia. A match worthy of the Italian Super Cup final – a brilliant match, a big score and a comeback a team in crisis.
The first 50 minutes are a familiar scenario for Inter
The Nerazzurri show traits of Real Madrid. The team acts at the usual pace and does not allow the opponent to impose its game – and you cannot relax with it until the final whistle. Even if the game is sluggish, a few chances are enough for Inter to take the lead.
Gasperini’s Atalanta tormented the Nerazzurri with active pressure and high pressure in the Super Cup semi-final. But the Milanese simply did not pay attention – organized quick attacks to break the pressure, and thus gain free space.
In the derby with Milan, Inter were also in no hurry to develop events. Inzaghi’s team crouched and watched the development of their opponents after Conceicao’s appointment. At the break, they seemed equal, but the Nerazzurri took the lead by punishing the Rossoneri for a single mistake. Milan lost the ball in a positional attack and Inter quickly launched a throw-in. So, we took the lead in the counterattack, brought the ball to Lautaro Martinez – and he shot directly at the nearby man. Immediately after the break, the Nerazzurri scored the second. A big score did not follow from logic – but Inter had a two-goal lead. The assets worked and the substitution of Thuram
The question is how the Nerazzurri maintain their phenomenal performances. The team understands their qualities very well. Quick attacks, long passes, a goalkeeper who plays with his feet, all help to break pressure and gain an advantage. Against Lazio, Inter showed one of their strengths: according to the summary, they played fullbacks (participated in three goals out of six).
This time, long-distance passes took over. The central defenders actively threw the ball to the attackers in the fight. So they changed the pressure and increased the pace. The second objective is the best illustration of this project. De Vrij threw the ball into the opponent’s half to Taremi, and Mehdi himself found the perfect moment and lost his guard. The Nerazzurri found themselves 1 against 1 and 2-0. The Iranian also had a perfect evening. He replaced leader Marcus Thuram at the start – and in addition to the goal, he scored an assist on Martinez.
Water was leader in the derby
There are numerous complaints against the Portuguese. The team leader must not be a moody player – but one night Rafael plays the match of his life and the next day he walks across the field. Conceicao chose to focus on young Alex Jimenez during the Super Cup matches. Leão remained on the bench for two consecutive matches. This time, his appearance on the field divided the match between “before” and “after”.
Almost immediately, the winger won a free kick close to the goal. It was directed by Theo Hernández. After 10 minutes, Rafael created the most exciting chance for Reynders – he dragged the ball into the penalty area with Bissek on his shoulders, then threw it away and forced the goalkeeper to move forward, waiting for a break. Tijani only had to hit the empty net – the opposing player saved it.
Water also played a decisive role in the winning goal. The Portuguese moved towards the center and saw an imminent pass for a run (a zone was formed between Inter’s central and left defenders). Again he forced the goalie forward and passed it to Abraham to make it empty. Milan were lucky to get a good Leau yesterday – without him such a comeback would not have happened.
Performance of Pulisic and Theo, the return of Abraham
Several other Milan players deserve special mention – Pulisic and Hernandez played the best game. The Rossoneri came back into the match with their individual talent. Théo started the comeback with a goal from a free kick – the shot proved to be close. The second ball they created as a couple is another story. Theo managed to find a moment to cross under pressure – and initially the pass found no recipient. Christian himself moved to the desired area, seeing the impending pass. Perfect timing and mutual understanding.
Tammy’s role in the victory was not so important – he scored the winning goal, which, by the way, was created for him by Leau (all that remained was to hit the target). But the striker is going through a difficult period in his career. He stagnated in Rome, and eventually they didn’t need him. Renting in Milan is an opportunity to rehabilitate yourself. In competition with Morata, it is difficult to catch him – but the Englishman scores.
Conceição found a foothold
Sergio arrived in Milan quite recently. At the time of his appointment, the Rossoneri were far behind in the title race. We must correct what Fonseca did not do. At the same time, a trophy for the second match in charge of the team is a good start and a good basis for moving forward. Following the results of the derby, the coach notes:
I’m very happy for the team, it wasn’t easy, the atmosphere wasn’t the best. It was a feat that was also highlighted by the tears at the end of the match. We had a few days to work on important details and we faced two very strong teams.
The magic was created by the players who bought into our ideas, even if we needed to improve a lot. With humility, we can have four good months in the championship and succeed in the Champions League. We celebrate the victory, but from tomorrow we will think about the match with Cagliari.
The Rossoneri must at least get into the zone
Liga чемпионов – that’s the only way to talk about rehabilitation. The team has character and there is now a positive atmosphere after winning the Super Cup – that is very important for a newly arrived manager. Milan with the trophy
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