Juve-Inter, the Italian Cup final department by department: all the challenges

By the time it arrives, the Italian Cup final between Inter and Juventus is worth a good piece of the season. Three precedents so far: the Nerazzurri’s success in the last match just over a month ago at the Allianz Stadium with a goal from Calhanoglu, the one gained in extra time in the Super Cup and the draw in the first leg at San Siro decided last minute by that Paulo Dybala who for market reasons today he is perhaps the most talked about man of the challenge. The teams know each other well, here are all the challenges department by department.

ATTACK VS DEFENSE

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Here Juve: Nervous with himself in Marassi, Dusan Vlahovic does not touch himself even in times of famine. And here we are on the longest fast of the season, because three games without scoring – four with the Coppa Italia – he had never been to Juventus or to Fiorentina. There is more, that is, since he was at Juve the Serbian has recorded but never in the big matches: the goal with Villarreal came in the first leg but not in the decisive return and against the Italian opponents it went blank against Atalanta, Inter and in the double semifinal against Fiorentina. We are moving towards the idea of ​​supporting Morata and Cuadrado with him, regardless of the fact that they arrange themselves in a trident or that the Colombian becomes the fourth or fifth in midfield, always with license to go all the way. In any case, good balls from the wings for Vlahovic, in addition to those that will come to him through the central streets to pick up the team.

Here Inter: To defuse the strike force of the Serbian, Inzaghi hopes to be able to rely again on the starting defense. In fact, barring unforeseen events, the back pack ahead of Handanovic should return to that of great occasions, with Bastoni alongside De Vrij and Skriniar. At a time when the department seems to experience some creaking, the return of the blue center would be very welcome, because the 7 goals conceded in the last five outings speak of a trend to be reversed. Bastoni’s return would serve to give De Vrij greater coverage and security, who has recently been the victim of some too many amnesia. Against the Juventus attack we will also need the best Skriniar, who ran into one of the rare seasonal stumbles against Empoli. If the Dutchman often finds himself having to shoulder with Vlahovic, Skriniar and Bastoni will above all have to deal with cutting off supplies. If the blue doesn’t make it, it’s up to D’Ambrosio, who is now able to give more guarantees than Dimarco.

MIDFIELD AGAINST

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Here Juve: For two years, for Juve, playing against Inter has been above all a question of stopping Brozovic. But, after Kulusevski left, the man to be sent on a mission is no longer there and the solutions could be other: in the last precedent, in the league a month ago, none of the specifics were used for the purpose, rather a collective work has involved more the crowded trocar than the central midfielders, giving freedom to Brozo in a game in which, paradoxically, Juve had more possession (and lost). But beyond this is the area of ​​the pitch with less certainty towards Inter and perhaps only on the eve will we understand something more, starting from the idea of ​​making an “even” or three midfield, because looking at the mirror is not it’s more of a mantra. The Untouchable: Rabiot. The variable: Locatelli, who has returned to the group in recent days, but hasn’t touched the pitch since the Juve-Inter one just over a month ago.

Here Inter: Unlike Allegri, Inzaghi has rather clear ideas about who will act in the middle of the field. The tried and tested trio Barella-Brozovic-Calhanoglu is perhaps the main certainty of the Nerazzurri coach, who in midfield seems to have found the perfect balance thanks to the thrust on the lanes of Dumfries (clearly favored over Darmian for the occasion) and Perisic. If the Croatian is a guarantee, even more so on the occasions that matter, in the last period the blue and the Turkish have not been outdone. The former Rossoneri revived with the arrival of spring by dispensing assists and performances in terms of substance and quality, while Barella instead raised the engine revs returning to shine for dynamism and presence also in support of the tips. The Nerazzurri midfielder today is bursting with health and is on track, as we have seen in the last eight outings between the championship and the Italian Cup in which seven victories have arrived thanks also to the overwhelming supremacy in the middle.

DEFENSE AGAINST ATTACK

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Here Juve: Giorgio Chiellini owner for his “last dance”, the last night with a trophy up for grabs, is the natural epilogue of his last Juventus days. And, with the exception of last year’s Italian Cup semi-final, in this couple of seasons of measured use seeing him on the pitch against Inter is one of the few things to be taken for granted, for technical level and rivalry, because it is his natural habitat. , these are not the games in which he can stand and watch. The rest of the department is the son of the turnover with Genoa, when De Ligt, untouchable, and Danilo, who if he has one last game in his legs gritting his teeth, can only be this one. Surely in the construction phase and to understand if on a permanent basis, the three-way line is already made. With De Sciglio disqualified and Pellegrini trying to recover in extremis, on the left Alex Sandro is an empty penalty: in the three previous seasons he has always played. In goal Perin, cup goalkeeper.

Here Inter: Inter’s plans and offensive destinies all revolve around Lautaro Martinez and it could not be otherwise. Toro has returned to the point of reference in the goal area, shaking off the disappointing start of the year. With the brace at Empoli on the last day of the championship he surpassed the previous personal record reaching 19 goals, of which 5 in the last 5 days. This season he has already punished Juve with a seal in the Super Cup, but he has fenced in the two matches played in the league and will want to redeem. To deal with the Juventus defense, Toro will be able to count on the help of Dzeko, clearly favored over Correa and Sanchez. The Bosnian hasn’t scored for exactly one month (goal in the 2-0 home match against Verona), but in the last match against the Tuscans he churned out an assist after having made a good impression also previously in Udine. Like Toro, Dzeko has already placed his seal in the season against the Bianconeri, both in the league (scoring in the 1-1 first leg) and in the Super Cup (decisive in the action that leads to the penalty of the momentary 1- 1). In case of need, Sanchez also paws in search of the last highs before the probable summer farewell. Nino dreams of an encore after putting his signature on the Supercoppa last January 12 with a flick of the last breath.

THE DUEL

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Juan Cuadrado was not there in the Supercoppa match, but the brace of twelve months ago at the Stadium that earned him the 3-2 last minute against Inter, with a penalty won (contested) and transformed into the Cesarini area, is still in the eyes. In the last couple of weeks, an adductor injury from which he has just returned, after a structural element of the Juventus positive streak had returned from February. The Colombian is the arrow to the right of Juve and after a revival as a defensive winger in Marassi he is ready to return more advanced, in line with Danilo behind him, also because on that band there is a Perisic to keep at bay: difficult contain him, with Cuadrado the goal is to wear him out in the non-possession phase.

A little bit what the Croatian also plans to do, who will have the dual task of pushing and lending a hand to Bastoni in the folding phase. But, considering the Perisic of the last eight months, Inzaghi can sleep peacefully. The Spalato winger is experiencing a second youth, constantly confirming himself among the best in the field, a real strength capable of shifting the balance and making a difference. He has collected 7 goals and 8 assists so far, but his specific weight in the game’s economy goes far beyond numbers. The Croatian can seriously put the Cuadrado-Danilo duo in trouble by attacking the spaces at speed, as he did during the match last October 24th.