The technician in contact with the director, starting tomorrow in Appiano. The injury is not scary, against Milan he is the decisive man
It wasn’t the best game seen live – the Dolphins’ victory over the Commanders with a decisive interception in overtime – but, on Madrid’s historic NFL Sunday, Cristian Chivu definitely had fun: he enjoyed the world-class show of the event set up at the Bernabeu, but also on the pitch he enjoyed the good work of the Miami director. Even in Florida, in fact, there lives a Hakan Calhanoglu, rational when he has the ball and tactical without it: his name is Tua Tagovailoa, a quarterback of Samoan origin who has overcome a mountain of physical problems. Chivu, a voracious football enthusiast, also has his quarterback at Inter and is keeping him very close, even more so in an Inter week before the derby.
deliveries
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This new-old Calha, rebuilt in mind and body by the Romanian coach himself, is still the key to “open” Milan: Sunday evening’s match against the former team, and now also against his golden alter ego, Luka Modric, is the one that most excites the ambitious Hakan. Allegri’s Croatian playmaker is considered, even by Calha himself, as the best performer of the decade in that role: being able to mirror himself in front of him, trying to beat him with running and dribbling on his own ground, remains a privilege for every midfielder. The instructions given by the coach to Calha then complete the picture: the Turk, who keeps the pulse of the Nerazzurri in the possession phase, is also the middle man designated to launch the high attack. After all, much of this derby of high nobility will depend on Hakan’s ability to win the direct duel with the former Ballon d’Or winner.
illuminated
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Already Calhanoglu left Montella’s Turkey retreat on Sundayaccompanied by a medical statement which gave an account of a small problem in his hand still to be carefully evaluated: the captain of the Turkish national team would not have played today against Spain anyway because he was booked by a booking, no one would have taken the risk of letting him get another yellow card with disqualification in the very delicate World Cup playoff. In the end, that little pain “served” to bring him back to the city last night, then today the Inter brain will enjoy the day of rest that Chivu reserves for all national players without exceptions. In any case, the Nerazzurri medical staff immediately got in touch with the Turkish one and were reassured about the condition of Hakan’s hand: tomorrow, on the return to Appiano, he will be revisited, but there don’t seem to be any clouds on the horizon. Chivu also personally checked on his player’s health and found reassurances from the number 20. In short, Calha will be in the fighting positions from the start to lead a vertical and furious football from the center of the field, as are certain battles in the NFL. For Chivu, in fact, football is not just a passion to follow, even abroad like two days ago in Madrid, but a high source of inspiration. The quick service for the forwards and the high pressure are concepts common to the two sports, but at Inter they are only possible ideas because the squad has an enlightened quarterback like Hakan.
touchdown
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This Sunday will be chapter 17 of his saga against Milan which over time has become decidedly less dramatic: the most heated feelings have faded, for some time now it has no longer been experienced as the war of the worlds, but for the Turk it will always be a story in itself. And to think that the spiciest rivalry of this derby could have disappeared in the summer, when the former AC Milan player who became a “black and blue idol”, as San Siro’s Nord sings, seemed to have decided to return to his homeland. In the end, the Bosphorus remained where it is, Calha is fine here on the Navigli. Indeed, he has been happily adapted to a new way of playing and re-motivated by his coach, so there is still ample room for growth. The next few months will be aimed at this, at harmonizing Hakan’s characteristics with the new system, which in the meantime will bring the aggression right into the Modric area. Seeing him like this, a “total” director, no one would think that he is the same midfielder who stamped his feet in the summer. More astonishing, then, is the top scorer ranking: the Turk also leads there, one touchdown after another.
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