Category: Inter

Marchisio highlights Juventus’ issues in Coppa Final and summer transfer window

May 11, 2022

Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio thinks Inter are ‘more complete’ than the Old Lady and highlights the Bianconeri’s issues for 2022-23: ‘They’ll have to replace Paulo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini.’

The Serie A giants meet Inter in the Coppa Italia Final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome tonight. It’s their last chance to win a trophy this season and avoid ending the campaign empty-handed for the first time since 2010-11.

“Juventus reached the Final and looking at the path, they had a tough start. If they win the cup, they will get a passing grade for the season. If they don’t no,” Marchisio told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“To me, Inter were the favourite, stronger and more complete. However, Juventus have closed the gap despite a few defects which they still have.”

Dusan Vlahovic hasn’t scored in the last four games across all competitions, while Dybala and Chiellini could lift their last trophy at Juventus tonight.

“I don’t want to make the mistake of trying to know which Allegri’s targets were. Ronaldo left at the beginning of the season, then Chiesa got injured and Vlahovic arrived. All these situations have led to tactical changes,” said Marchisio.

“Vlahovic is a pure talent, but his strong start made everyone think that he’d had no issues settling in. It can’t be that way. It takes time, but these six months were useful for him and Juventus and during the next season, he’ll have to show his qualities consistently.”

Where do Juventus need to improve next season?

“Juventus lack a real playmaker, but I think there is another problem in defence. Chiellini will stop, Bonucci must be handled. Same in attack, where Dybala has had highs and lows, but he has great figures at the club.

“It won’t be easy to replace him. Juventus need to understand what to do, whether to sign a young player or sign an ‘already made’ champion.

“Not reaching an agreement in the last few years affected both the club and the player. Juventus had a player that wasn’t mentally free, sometimes, that could be the reason behind injuries as well. Dybala hasn’t always been consistent but has scored 115 goals.”

Juventus confirmed in March that they would not extend Dybala’s contract. On the other hand, Chiellini hasn’t officially confirmed that he will leave Juventus at the end of the season but suggested so during yesterday’s pre-match press conference attended by Football Italia. The Italy defender has won 19 trophies in Turin and could either retire or move to the MLS in June.

Claudio Marchisio in a suit

Inter’s season still a success with Coppa Italia win and no Scudetto

May 9, 2022

When Edin Dzeko scored a 90th-minute winner to hand Inter a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Venezia in January, it looked like they would storm away with a second-straight Scudetto.

Inter moved four points clear of both Napoli and Milan, having played a game fewer then their rivals.

At that stage, they had recently won the Supercoppa and were two weeks away from a Champions League last-16 first leg against Liverpool. Inter were still on course to win every competition available to them.

However, they lost the following Serie A match, when Olivier Giroud’s brace gave Milan a memorable 2-1 derby victory and reignited the title race.

Fast forward to May and Inter, having once again had their title destiny in their own, threw away their advantage in spectacular fashion, when they lost 2-1 to Bologna – having been a goal ahead – following a late blunder by stand-in goalkeeper Ionut Radu.

The situation has now changed dramatically and Milan can afford to draw one of their final two matches and still win the Scudetto ahead of Inter.

So, taking all of Inter’s ups and downs throughout this campaign, would claiming the Coppa Italia, while missing out on title glory make 2021-22 a successful season?

It’s easy to forget now but Massiliamo Allegri returning to Juve and Antonio Conte leaving Inter to be replaced by Simone Inzaghi at the end of last season meant the Nerazzurri did not start the campaign as heavy favourites to retain their crown. In fact, following the 1-1 draw at home to Juve on October 24, Inter were seven points behind then leaders Napoli.

It was that result which started their 14-match unbeaten run. A sequence which only ended after they lost the derby.

Inzaghi has never won Serie A before and, while he is certainly highly-rated as a manager, it was expected that the transition from Conte, having lost influential players such as Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, would be an arduous one.

Inter have shown throughout the season they are a work in progress. A team with a strong connection, who play good football but perhaps just need a little more strength in certain areas to be competing for the biggest honours.

They matched Real Madrid at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza before being undone by a late goal and even beat Liverpool at Anfield in their last-16 second leg but were eliminated on aggregate. They showed they weren’t completely overawed by the two Champions League finalists but, despite impressing in glimpses, what they had to offer simply wasn’t enough.

Perhaps it is due to the direct contrast with the previous campaign which would make Inter’s failure to win the title so hard to swallow for their supporters.

Inter and Milan were neck and neck for much of the first half of the 2020-21 and it was in their meeting around the same times as this season’s seemingly definitive derby that Conte’s side stormed to a 3-0 win and never looked back. They would win the title by 12 points.

Of course, having the title destiny in your own hands and then seeing your arch rivals take advantage of a mistake is painful and difficult to accept.

But victory in the Coppa Italia would make Inter winners again. Before the 20-21 title win, Inter hadn’t won a trophy since the FIFA Club World Cup in 2011.

A win at the Stadio Olimpico would make it three trophies in two seasons and that is huge progress for Inter.

Success becomes a habit. It may not be the one they want but it would be a trophy and continue to raise expectations, which is something a club of this stature can only thrive under.

When the Serie A title was decided by a play-off

May 9, 2022

Milan need four points to guarantee the Serie A title, but there was a time when the Scudetto had to be decided by a play-off involving Inter, Bologna and a tragic death.

The Serie A rules now separate teams based on head-to-head record, so if Milan and Inter do finish level at the top of the table, the title will go to the Rossoneri.

This is because they earned four points from their two matches in the Derby d’Italia this season.

However, before these rules were introduced, teams who finished together in the Serie A standings had to go into a play-off, whether it was for a place in Europe or to avoid relegation.

Only once did it involve the Scudetto itself, a dramatic encounter at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on June 7, 1964.

Bologna and Inter had finished level on 54 points and it was the Rossoblu who emerged 2-0 winners with goals in the final 15 minutes, as Giacinto Facchetti put into his own net and Harald Nielsen made sure of the victory.

Not only was it Bologna’s first Scudetto in 23 years, but also a very emotional occasion, because President Renato Dall’Ara had died of a heart attack just four days before the match.

He was taken ill during a meeting in Milan at the Lega Calcio headquarters to discuss arranging the play-off with Inter President Angelo Moratti.

The stadium in Bologna, until then known as the Comunale, was renamed the Stadio Dall’Ara in his honour in 1983.

Allegri’s doubts ahead of Coppa Italia final

May 9, 2022

Massimiliano Allegri has a few doubts 48 hours ahead of the Coppa Italia final against Inter, namely to do with the midfield and defence.

La Gazzetta dello Sport details how the Italian coach received some good news today as Luca Pellegrini showed incredibly positive signs at the training session, meaning he could be fit enough to start over Alex Sandro in the final. He’s still not made a final decision yet but this is only one of his many doubts.

Another uncertainty is the Juventus midfield; the recovery of Manuel Locatelli means Allegri will now have to decide whether to deploy a two or three-man midfield, and whether the former Sassuolo man will find space or not. For now it seems likely that Denis Zakaria and Adrien Rabiot will start in a two-man midfield.

The final doubt surrounds Juventus’ centre backs. The Bianconeri coach is considering starting Matthijs de Ligt and Giorgio Chiellini in defence, but then he’d be forced to leave out Leonardo Bonucci. Again, no final decision has been made yet, leaving Allegri some things to ponder as the final approaches.

Tardelli on if Dybala’s move to Inter constitutes betrayal

May 9, 2022

Marco Tardelli discussed if Paulo Dybala could be considered a traitor if he made the move from Juventus to Inter on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old Argentinian forward’s contract expires with the Bianconeri at the end of this season and his deal will not be renewed, meaning his seven-year association with the Old Lady is drawing to a close.

Many top clubs are keen to pick him up on a free transfer in the summer but one in particular seems close, Inter. Talks between the two will progress after the Coppa Italia final.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tardelli discussed a possible Dybala move to Inter and whether that constitutes betrayal or not.

“There is no betrayal in today’s football, today you go to the teams that offer more money. For an Italian, perhaps the concept of club loyalty can be valid.

“For a foreigner it isn’t, he goes where they offer him the best opportunity or where whoever is in charge sends him. Whether it’s a club, an agent or whoever you want. I hope he signs for the best team for his future.”

The 28-year-old Dybala, who joined Juventus in 2015 from Palermo, became the club’s joint 9th all-time top scorer following his 115th goal in the 2-1 loss to Genoa on Friday, tied with Roberto Baggio.

This season has been a little difficult for the Argentinian, who has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 27 Serie A appearances.

Orsato still being punished for missed red on Pjanic?

May 9, 2022

A debate is currently raging regarding referee Daniele Orsato, who was not given the honour of officiating the Coppa Italia final despite his top level experience.

Earlier today the announcement came that Rome-born referee Paolo Valeri would lead the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter, an honour for a referee. Some had expected Orsato to be given the right to referee the match, considering his top level experience, which includes the 2020 Champions League final between PSG and Bayern Munich.

Former referee Graziano Cesari gave his thoughts on the Coppa Italia final and Orsato when speaking on Italia Uno, underlining why the 46-year-old Italian referee shouldn’t be given the match.

“For the Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter, I would prefer a referee from Rome, with great experience, who knows the players well. Paolo Valeri would be the best.

“In this match, where there are consecutive mistakes by different referees, I wouldn’t send a referee who did what Daniele Orsato did three years ago.”

The mistake Cesari is referring to is the infamous missed red card for Miralem Pjanic in a tense Serie A clash between Inter and Juventus back in April 2018. It’s a mistake that has haunted Orsato and has often been brought up over the last few years.

Journalist Giovanni Capuano highlighted how Orsato has only officiated one big match between the top three Serie A teams across the last four seasons, a sign of his low stock in Serie A. In that period he officiated the Champions League final as well as three Euro 2020 games.

Dybala turns down offers as he waits for Inter

May 9, 2022

Paulo Dybala is close to joining Inter on a free transfer and he’s turned down a number of offers as he waits for the move to be completed.

The 28-year-old Argentinian forward will leave Juventus on a free transfer next month, ending a seven-year association in Turin, but he won’t be moving far away as the Nerazzurri work hard to try and secure his signature. Fans are divided regarding the move, with some calling him a traitor but others understanding his position.

As highlighted by Alfredo Pedulla, Dybala has decided to wait for Inter to complete the deal and so he’s turned down a number of unspecified offers in recent weeks, including some particularly valuable ones.

Genuine developments are expected once the Coppa Italia final has been played later this week and it might not be long now until the Argentinian forward is seen wearing the Nerazzurri shirt.

Dybala has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 27 Serie A appearances this season for Juventus.

Dybala turns down offers as he waits for Inter

May 9, 2022

Paulo Dybala is close to joining Inter on a free transfer and he’s turned down a number of offers as he waits for the move to be completed.

The 28-year-old Argentinian forward will leave Juventus on a free transfer next month, ending a seven-year association in Turin, but he won’t be moving far away as the Nerazzurri work hard to try and secure his signature. Fans are divided regarding the move, with some calling him a traitor but others understanding his position.

As highlighted by Alfredo Pedulla, Dybala has decided to wait for Inter to complete the deal and so he’s turned down a number of unspecified offers in recent weeks, including some particularly valuable ones.

Genuine developments are expected once the Coppa Italia final has been played later this week and it might not be long now until the Argentinian forward is seen wearing the Nerazzurri shirt.

Dybala has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 27 Serie A appearances this season for Juventus.

Valeri to officiate Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter

May 9, 2022

Referee Paolo Valeri will leading the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter.

The match between the Bianconeri and the Nerazzurri will kick off at 20:00 UK time at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday May 11. It is the third Coppa Italia final meeting between the two rivals and Inter will be hoping to shake-up historic precedent, as they lost both the previous Derby d’Italia finals.

As reported by TuttoMercatoWeb, Rome-born referee Valeri will be the referee for the Coppa Italia final, leading the officiating team as Juventus take on Inter. He will work alongside assistant referees Alessandro Giallatini and Fabiano Preti.

The fourth official for the final will be Simone Sozza. Managing the VAR will be Aleandro Di Paolo and Rosario Abisso.

This will be the biggest match that Valeri has officiated so far; he’s previously overseen the Supercoppa Italiana final twice, the first in the 2020-21 season as Juventus and Napoli faced off, and the second in the 2014-15 campaign, when the same two teams met.

Valeri to officiate Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter

May 9, 2022

Referee Paolo Valeri will leading the officiating team in the upcoming Coppa Italia final between Juventus and Inter.

The match between the Bianconeri and the Nerazzurri will kick off at 20:00 UK time at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday May 11. It is the third Coppa Italia final meeting between the two rivals and Inter will be hoping to shake-up historic precedent, as they lost both the previous Derby d’Italia finals.

As reported by TuttoMercatoWeb, Rome-born referee Valeri will be the referee for the Coppa Italia final, leading the officiating team as Juventus take on Inter. He will work alongside assistant referees Alessandro Giallatini and Fabiano Preti.

The fourth official for the final will be Simone Sozza. Managing the VAR will be Aleandro Di Paolo and Rosario Abisso.

This will be the biggest match that Valeri has officiated so far; he’s previously overseen the Supercoppa Italiana final twice, the first in the 2020-21 season as Juventus and Napoli faced off, and the second in the 2014-15 campaign, when the same two teams met.