There is something between Inzaghi and Allegri… Pippo: arguments, exclusions and a feeling that never arose

The bone of contention was an early morning phone call. “Pippo, I’m sorry, but you’re not on the Champions list”. And suddenly the light disappeared from the Inzaghi house. The best Italian scorer in the big cup left at home by Allegri. The record holder of European goals sacrificed on the altar of physical problems, age and a never-born feeling, especially given how it ended. According to the tip, it was Allegri who lowered the ax on his career, as recalled in his autobiography, “The right moment”. Now, more than 10 years later, the ax of revenge is in the hands of his brother Simone, who with a victory can make a deep cut to the championship ambitions of Max’s Juventus, on Sunday against Inter.

discord

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“We hated each other so much” is the title of the novel involving Inzaghi and Allegri. Hardly tolerated, rather. And the first crack in the relationship has a date and place: September 1st 2011, the eve of the Champions League, Max communicates the UEFA list excluding Pippo and El Shaarawy. Lèse majesté: “Pippo has a calf problem, I only made this decision yesterday after Nocerino’s arrival. I hope he can return in January.” Inzaghi never forgave him for it. Also because winter will bring another exclusion, this time to the round of 16. At the end of the season Pippo scored at San Siro and retired in tears, taking leave of Milan just a couple of months shy of turning 39. If it hadn’t been for Allegri’s “no”, however, he would have continued at least another season: “In the spring of 2012 we had reached an agreement to extend the contract. Galliani was happy to have found this solution together with me. Allegri, however, rejected it, he no longer wanted me in the locker room and told the manager. It was a blow.” This is the story entrusted to his autobiography.

memories

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Goofy carried it around for a while. He got out of it thanks to the support of his parents and brother. After stopping playing he put on his jacket and immediately placed himself on the bench. Him, then. The man who always hated wearing the reserve bib and taking over in ongoing races. He played his first match in charge of the Allievi at Vismara on 9 September 2012, a month after turning 39. There are about a hundred fans in the stands. Some banners read “We miss you Goofy” and “We love you”. Milan won 5-1, and at the end of the match Inzaghi declared that he had heard Ancelotti, but not Allegri. “I have no problems, everyone knows how it went. Everyone sets up human relationships as they see fit.” Max always coaches the first team, but the results don’t arrive and the rumor starts to spread in the first few months: Inzaghi instead of Allegri.

quarrel

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A suggestion, nothing more, but the tension between the two boiled over in mid-September at the Vismara sports centre, during a visit by Allegri to the boys from the youth sector. From here on we go on conditionals, but the argument took place. It seems it was a failure to greet the tip that set off the spark. “What are you doing, don’t you say hello to me?”, Allegri would have said. “You don’t exist for me”. “You want to take my place, right? Don’t break my balls, Pippo”. “Don’t break them, we’re training, now go away” All under the embarrassed eyes of Filippo Galli, head of the youth sector at the time. The episode immediately lands on the table of Galliani, who downplays it: “I spoke to both of them, they diffused the argument. For me it’s as if it hadn’t happened. nothing ever happened”. A couple of days later, assisted by Adriano, Allegri and Inzaghi gave an interview to the Milan Channel in which they admitted the discussion: “There was an exchange of opinions lasting one minute without offence, between us ‘It’s collaboration.” The two only meet their gazes at the end of the chat, for the ritual handshake, then every man for himself. From then on, total coldness.

comparisons

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Inzaghi and Allegri have met four times as coaches, but the result is all in favor of the Juventus coach: four successes to zero. Simone was luckier: he snatched two Super Cups and an Italian Cup from Allegri, losing only the 2017 final. His first as coach (Lazio-Juve). The balance sheet is balanced: six successes, three draws and nine defeats. Max never spoke publicly about what happened with Goofy, but he once threw a small dart. On 17 May 2017, after winning the Italian Cup against Lazio, this is how he responded to a question about Simone. “You have always spoken well of him, while you had problems with Filippo”, they ask him. “I can only congratulate Pippo for the ‘treble’ with Venezia, now it’s our turn”. In reference to the Champions League final against Real Madrid, which was then lost 4-1. All with a smile. Now there will be another round. And Simone’s coach, sitting on the stool on the other side of the ring, is always his brother.