Inter, Onana-Dzeko, redemption operation in the Champions League semifinal with Milan

Both have an open account with the Champions League semi-final. Or, if you prefer, the Champions League semi-final is an open wound for both of us. Talk to André Onana and Edin Dzeko about the penultimate act of the cup with Big Ears and you will see that their faces will change expression. Because in their minds the memories of those two finals faded by a whisker will resurface. For both the Bosnian and the Cameroonian it would have been a real feat to get to the last act of the Champions League, but the disappointment for the elimination still remained and will remain at least until the taboo is broken. It could happen on Tuesday the 16th, after the second Euro-derby against Milan, if Inter manage to beat their “cousins”. That’s what they both wish for: reaching the final that they missed in the past and then lifting the cup of dreams would definitively heal… every wound.

Dzeko and goals in the Champions League

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In chronological order, the Bosnian was the first to suffer the bitter insult. In 2017-18 Edin wore the Roma shirt and played in a great Champions League: group finished in first place, with Chelsea second and Atletico Madrid third, Shakhtar Donetsk eliminated in the round of 16, in the quarterfinals the real feat with the epic comeback against Barcelona (4-1 defeat in the first leg at the Camp Nou, 3-0 success at the Olimpico), then the disappointment in the semifinals with the ‘remuntada’ this time only close (5-2 defeat at Anfield, success 4-2 at home) against Liverpool, then beaten in the final in Kiev by Real. Dzeko of the Giallorossi team led by Di Francesco was a great driver as he scored 8 goals in 12 games. And in particular he scored in all five of the last matches of the knockout phase: his goal in the second leg that ousted the Ukrainians, then two goals against Barça and as many against the Reds. A goal machine that brought the Giallorossi one step away from the dream.

Onana, CR7 and the prank Lucas Moura

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For the goalkeeper, the following season, the insult was (if possible) even more atrocious. Ajax coached by Ten Hag, current coach of United, had finished in second place in a difficult group with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Aek Athens and in the round of 16 had drawn Real Madrid. Defeated at home 2-1, the Lancers seemed to be out and instead were able to go and beat the merengues at the Bernabeu 4-1. In the quarter-finals, another feat, this time against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus: 1-1 in Amsterdam and 2-1 success at the Allianz Stadium with a decisive goal from De Ligt, which the Lady would buy for the next summer ( 85 million). The atrocious mockery in the semi-final against Tottenham: Ajax had won 1-0 at Spurs and in the return match on 8 May 2019 they had taken it up 2-0 after 35′ thanks to goals from De Ligt and Ziyech. It seemed done and instead a hat-trick by Lucas Moura, with the last goal in the 96th minute, shattered Onana’s dream. Tottenham then lost the final against Salah’s Liverpool, but Onana didn’t even have the strength to watch that match.