Inter Milan took the lead in the Champions League semifinal against city rivals AC Milan with an early brace by Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The first leg of the Derby della Madonnina double-header saw a raucous atmosphere on a punishing and visceral night. Veteran striker Dzeko held off Milan skipper Davide Calabria and dispatched an imperious back-post volley from Hakan Calhanoglu’s left-wing corner, before Martinez cleverly dummied Federico Dimarco’s cross for Mkhitaryan to complete a flowing move.
Milan kept losing ground defensively, and Inter took advantage of it by constantly imposing their attacking gameplay on their rivals. Their fine ball players in midfield, Mkhitaryan, Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barrella, always found themselves in an advantageous position. This left Milan center-backs Tomori and Kjaer stranded while trying to deal with Dzeko and Martinez.
Dzeko, who played as a center forward, was the key player and the one who stood out for Inter. With his vast experience and unique strengths, he led the Milan center-backs in a merry dance. Lukaku’s diminished form for Inter on loan does not seem to match Dzeko’s current form, and he is a concern for Inter’s future opponents, Real Madrid or Dzeko’s old employers Manchester City in the final.
Milan’s tactical setup under Pioli did not work well against Inter, who found themselves dominating the match. The team lacked attacking conviction without start attacker Rafael Leao, and Inter could take advantage of several gaps in defense. Milan was set up to play expansively, but they lacked the right attacking strategy, which Kingsley Coman and others have used so well in recent years, to dominate teams.
There were worrying applications of the video review system that should concern UEFA at the business end of its flagship tournament. The video assistant’s assertion that he saw enough on the replays to overturn his on-field colleague’s decision was a perplexing moment and showed how VAR is sometimes misused.
In conclusion, the Inter vs. AC Milan match was potentially Inter’s and the Derby della Madonnina double-header’s critical match, and Inter took advantage of their positional setup, creating several chances and dominating play. Despite the VAR controversy, Inter demonstrated great squad depth and tactical awareness. They pose a genuine threat to their future opponents, and we could witness an entertaining clash between Inter and Real Madrid, sending Milan out of the competition.
<< photo by Edoardo Busti >>
