The editorial: Inter, there’s a Champions League to lift, Milan, mistakes and limits

The derby says Inter, but it’s not over yet: there is a Cup to lift, on 10 June in Istanbul. There has been too much going for there to be a return. A few flashes from Milan weren’t enough against a much stronger side, who have beaten them four times out of four this year. Considering that it was a semi-final, it was far too one-sided. It can be said that it was decided in the first minutes of the first match a week ago. There was little competition, less than expected.

In half a century, after the double triumph under Helenio Herrera and the defeat against Celtic, Inter have reached the final for the most important European cup only three times: against Cruijff’s Ajax in ’72, then in the Nerazzurri’s holy year of the Treble, 2010, against Bayern and now against one between City and Real. This is to better place the accomplished feat in the club’s history. Inzaghi was very good at building and constructing an opportunity precisely in the most difficult competition. We criticized him in the league, because a team that goes to play for Europe against Haaland or Benzema cannot lose eleven games, but today he deserves considerable credit for having withstood the pressures of a demanding environment, for having pulled his quality performances, of having managed the decisive matches without errors, bringing a complete, competitive, determined squad into the best condition. The path to becoming a great coach involves daily difficulties, including criticisms: no one has ever won with cuddles. If he can do it now in the Champions League it is because he has a group at his disposal that has no rivals in Italy. Inter between free parameters, recovered seniors, leased players, well embodies the Italian ability to adapt to a market dominated by the follies of superclubs while still having the mission to compete in the league and to move forward in Europe. Just as history, the faith of the fans and the religion of the revenues want. Zhang, who according to some uninformed professionals must have sold some time ago, collected a Scudetto, a Europa League final and a Champions League final.

Milan has run out of miracles. Elimination is the bill that pays off summer mistakes. The scudetto won with Inter’s suicidal participation was misunderstood: instead of undertaking a transfer campaign based on certain technical certainties to compensate for the shortcomings of the squad, Milan chose a creative market, with many bets. We can now say almost all lost. But that belongs to the past. The future began with a right operation: the renewal of Leao. A complex contract, which even seemed impossible, was instead terminated mainly due to the commitment of Furlani, the managing director with Milanist DNA. After Leao, however, Milan will have to have the intelligence to renew without going crazy, this is clear, but without even being shy. The fifth place in the championship, the stellar distance from Napoli, the age of some key players, the smallness of the squad, advise managers courage and determination. I think Pioli has done the best in this disappointing season with a badly built team. The results were far lower than expected, however it would be wrong to blame them. It will certainly not be the Gazzetta to support a change on the bench.

Milan is the most European, modern, innovative Italian city. The one that grows the most and with the greatest margins for development. Today’s Inter and Milan must keep up with these ambitions as well as with history: the two clubs total 38 Scudettos and 10 Champions League. For the moment.