Inter-Milan, Giroud, Mr. Derby: “Proud of this team that never gives up”

So it all comes back. But absolutely everything. The choice he made at the time is back, choosing the Rossoneri side of Milan. He says that God basically told him to do this. One of the phrases he uttered on the day of his presentation returns, when he assured him that the curse of the number 9 shirt did not even touch him. He returns to decide a strategic derby after the day before the coach had asked for a Milan capable of being strong even without the pack leader Ibra. And obviously all the experience he had in the derby career is also good: this was number 73, even if the first in the shadow of the Madonnina. Yes, everything goes back to Olivier Giroud, and with him to all of Milan. Olivier confirms an old law of the ball: the true champion, the expert player, finds a way to hit you to death even if up to that moment he has touched fewer balls than a ball boy.

Tongue out

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Giroud’s match was just that. An eternal wandering in search of a play and a ball to manage that practically never arrived. Until minute 75, when he decided to do more or less all by himself: first he went to uproot the ball from Sanchez’s feet, with a sharp advance accompanied by a strong shoulder, and then he deposited it in the net at the end of the action finished by Tonali and Diaz. Three minutes later, the coup de grace. This time with a deluxe striker number: Calabria’s pass controlled back to goal, the ball managed with the heel using De Vrij’s marking as a pivot, and left plate in the hole. Handanovic is anything but flawless, very true, but preparation, movement and conclusion are like a high-level striker. Exultation under the South curve with the tongue out, like an All Black.

His first time

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It was his first Milanese derby, already. Not only. It was the first time he had crossed Inter Milan in his career, despite having a football on his shoulders for a few years. He wet him like this, giving three points to one of Pioli’s ugliest Milan in the first half. Restoring confidence and vigor in the championship fight. On the way out he had been sitting on the bench watching the whole time. And he would have accommodated himself in the same place if Ibrahimovic’s Achilles tendon had stopped playing tantrums this week. But the persistent pain canceled Zlatan’s derby, handing it over to him. “Giroud is an international striker, has great maturity, presence and is ready,” said Pioli on the eve. Where for international caliber the coach also refers to the dozens and dozens of derbies played in his career.

With Ibra and Leao

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For him it is the first Milanese derby, since all 90 remained on the bench in the first leg. Curiosity: the 5 goals of the Frenchman of the season all arrived at San Siro. Will he be able to keep faith with the statistics even if this time Milan play … away? Moreover, Giroud is a great expert in derby: in London he played 72, winning 38 and losing 21, but above all scoring 21 goals, with a particular mention for the 2019 Europa League final (in goal for Chelsea as a former, against “his” Arsenal). With today’s brace, however, he reaches Ibra and Leao with 8 goals this season and confirms that he is very comfortable at San Siro: all the goals have arrived at the Meazza, even if technically these are to be considered … away.

Spirit

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“This is a special match – said the Frenchman at the end of the match -. The derby is won. We were in trouble in the first half, then we got back into the game in the second half. I was waiting for some balls in the area. The first was a bit lucky, the second a nice ball from Calabria. I am happy and proud of this team that never gives up. In the first half I was a bit frustrated, like the whole team. We weren’t playing well and we knew it, but we showed a great spirit all together and we came back strong in the game. We are in the running, but there are still many games to play. Inter stays there, we think about doing things well, we win and then we think about what Inter are doing “.