Fiorentina-Inter, Lautaro-Gonzalez: goals and relays, the Argentine derby in the Italian Cup

Argentines from different destinies opponents tonight in the Italian Cup final. In Doha those four could have all celebrated together. Embracing Leo Messi and with the World Cup in hand. And instead this luck fell only to Lautaro Martinez, while the other three watched from the grandstand of the Lusail stadium. Martinez Quarta, out of the Seleccion squad since March 2022, has fewer regrets, while Joaquin Correa and Nico Gonzalez had been included in the list of 26, but were excluded after the last friendly against the United Arab Emirates, in which the Tucu had also scored the 5-0 goal, as he was struggling with physical problems. In their place Ángel Correa and Thiago Almada. A crazy joke because a month (and a few days) after that test, Argentina would have won the World Cup. With Messi crying with joy on the pitch together with Lautaro, while Gonzalez, Correa and Quarta, although happy, were on the sidelines of the party. Not protagonists of a historic event that in Argentina had been awaited for 36 years, from the triumph signed by Diego Armando Maradona in Mexico.

Speedy and Chino

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Gonzalez, whom everyone called Speedy due to his speed, looked set to retire in January due to ongoing injuries. Leicester would have welcomed him with open arms, doubling his salary of 2 million euros that he currently receives, but Commisso said no to the transfer of the most expensive purchase in the history of the Viola club (27 million). Nico remained on the banks of the Arno, treated himself, solved once and for all the muscle problems of the first part of 2022-23, and from March onwards he slowly started to fuel up. The best left him for this final: his brace in Basel which allowed him to qualify for the final of the Conference League, but he also scored in the semi-final first leg of the Italian Cup against Cremonese. In short, he is back to being a decisive player. With 12 goals he is, together with Jovic, the second scorer of the team behind Cabral and tonight he will be the starter, while Martinez Quarta, who was nicknamed El Chino due to his resemblance to the former Inter player Recoba, is still not sure of his place because in the ballot with Rainier. Toro, before in Italy, crossed him when both were at home and in River-Racing 2-3 in June 2017 the future Nerazzurri scored the 1-0 goal and was important for his victory. Things went even worse for the new Viola last October at the Franchi, when the brace from the Bahia Blanca striker gave Inter a big hand to bring home the three points (4-3).

Bull and Tucu

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Lautaro feels that this must be his match. Another trophy, the fifth for the Nerazzurri to which are added the 3 with the national team, would be a nice gift in view of the party (Monday) for his wedding with Agustina, already celebrated in recent days in the Municipality. Tonight, Toro will not have the captain’s armband because both Handanovic and Brozovic will be on the pitch from the first minute, who have more Inter seniority than him, but he is still fully charged after having resolved last Tuesday’s Euro-derby. with a blow that left no way out for Maignan. He has already equaled the personal record for goals of the season (25) set last year and tonight he will look for the number 26 also to cross the milestone of 100 goals with the Inter shirt. In reality, Martinez would also have another dream: “taking” Diego Milito who, in the season of the treble, signed 30 goals and above all was decisive in all three key matches with the goal against Roma in the Italian Cup final, the paw crucial to take the three points in Siena, on the last day of the championship, and the brace at the Bernabeu in the Champions League final. Toro started by leaving his stamp in the Italian Super Cup final on January 18 and now would like to continue in the last act of the Italian Cup and then on June 10 in Istanbul. To reach Milito’s 30 goals, he needs 5 in 4 matches. Too many? We’ll see… Correa’s speech is different, as he continues to collect disappointing performances. One after the other. Benfica’s goal in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals was a flash, which unfortunately remained isolated for him. In Naples, on Sunday, he disappointed and tonight he will start from the bench. Will he have a chance? Against Viola he scored only one goal in 9 crossings, when he was still wearing the Lazio shirt, and in this 2022-23 to forget he is at 4 goals. An epic night at the Olimpico would change his mood, but it wouldn’t change his destiny one iota: in the summer, on loan or outright, he will leave Pinetina.