Chapter 190 The hot Milan derby!
After defeating Udinese, Inter Milan did not waste a moment and immediately set off back to Milan.
The devilish schedule in April has not yet ended, and it has only now entered the most difficult stage.
Because the next two games are crucial for Inter Milan!
On April 4, the 14th round of Serie A kicked off.
Inter Milan's opponent in this round is their city rivals AC Milan. This is the focus of this round of Serie A, attracting the attention of many fans throughout Italy and even the world.
The game hasn't even started yet, but major media outlets have already started hyping it up.
Topics like Inter Milan's final test to win the championship and the rematch between two young geniuses are flying everywhere.
The biggest highlight of this game is whether Inter Milan can defeat AC Milan away and completely consolidate their lead in the league.
Considering that Juventus' opponent in this round is Cagliari, which is ranked third from the bottom in the league, the Old Lady has a high probability of winning away.
If Juventus gets 3 points and Inter Milan fails to win the derby, their points will most likely be caught up or even surpassed.
So to some extent, this game is really the focus battle that determines who will win the Serie A championship.
AC Milan is the strongest team among Inter Milan's remaining five opponents and the team most likely to defeat them, and naturally it is also the biggest obstacle for them to win the championship.
As for the topic of the duel between the two talented players Lin Feng and Kaka, if it was when Lin Feng just joined Inter Milan last summer, then he naturally would not be qualified to be compared with Kaka.
But after Lin Feng's strong rise, similar hype gradually increased.
The two men play similar positions, have similar playing styles, are about the same height and weight, and even look incredibly handsome.
The most important thing is that both of them are in Serie A and in two teams that are sworn enemies in the same city, which makes it difficult not to compare them.
In the first match between the two teams in the first half of the season, Lin Feng contributed one assist and one goal, leading the team to a 3:2 victory over AC Milan, and had the last laugh in the match between the two.
This time, facing the well-prepared and murderous AC Milan, whether he can continue to create miracles and whether Kaka can turn the game around has become the biggest highlight of the duel between the two.
……
Because the two teams are about to participate in the Champions League semi-finals, Serie A officials, out of consideration for them, held this match one day earlier than other matches in this round, so that they can have more time to prepare for the Champions League.
But such a schedule is beneficial for AC Milan, but very unfavorable for Inter Milan.
Inter Milan had just participated in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup and the whole team was extremely tired. At this time, they met the powerful AC Milan. With the team's overall condition not being at its best, this game was very dangerous for them.
"In fact, there is no need to be so pessimistic. The opponent is aiming for the Champions League and has lost hope of winning the league title. In this case, they will most likely reserve their strength for this game so that they can face the powerful Barcelona in better condition!"
This statement actually makes sense. If it were a normal game, AC Milan would most likely do this.
But not in this game, because it is the Milan derby!
Before the game, Ancelotti did have the intention of strategically giving up the game.
But this was rejected by the team owner and Italian top leader Berlusconi!
Champions League? This is certainly important, but he believes that AC Milan has a strong team and coach Ancelotti is capable.
I will definitely lead the team to victory!
It is absolutely impossible to give up the most important Milan derby for the Champions League.
The team's league record this season is not good, while Inter Milan, which has been miserable for more than a decade, is showing signs of rising.
As the opponent's mortal enemy, AC Milan absolutely does not want Inter Milan to rise.
So in the crucial battle when the opponent is about to win the championship, he hopes that AC Milan can use a beautiful victory to stop Inter Milan and prevent the opponent from winning the championship.
This will also help the team regain its form. In the first half of this season, AC Milan lost to Inter Milan away from home. If they lose again this time, they will most likely lose the title of Milan's boss.
This is something Berlusconi absolutely cannot tolerate!
Although Ancelotti knows the importance of the Champions League, he also knows the formidable opponent Barcelona.
But a higher-ranking official can crush a lower-ranking official. If he doesn't send all his main players to this Milan derby that has nothing to do with the overall situation, he will most likely be fired.
Considering Berlusconi's identity, if you offend such a boss, you will definitely suffer the consequences.
So Ancelotti had no choice but to arrange all the main players to fight with Inter Milan.
Mancini also heard rumors from the outside world before the game and had certain expectations that AC Milan would let the game go.
But after seeing the starting lineup announced by the other side, all his expectations were dashed.
Before the game started, during the handshake between the two head coaches, Mancini complained to his old friend Ancelotti:
"Carlo, aren't you afraid that we will both lose and Barcelona and Arsenal will take advantage of us if you do this?"
The Champions League semi-final will start in a few days. Although AC Milan will play the first leg at home, they do not have to travel far away like Inter Milan and endure the exhaustion of long-distance travel.
But before a game that will determine whether they can make it to the final, choosing to fight to the end with Inter Milan, a team of equal strength, is an irrational choice in any case.
The Milan derby has always been popular and the course of the game is unpredictable.
What if these precious main players of his get injured in the derby and cannot participate in the Champions League semi-finals? Wouldn’t he cry to death?
Mancini has the same concerns. Inter Milan was originally a lower-ranked team among the top four teams in the Champions League, and now the team is full of injuries.
If there is another injury in the Milan derby, then we really won’t be able to play in the Champions League semi-finals.
Ancelotti smiled bitterly, quietly pointed to the stands, and said to his old friend with a wry smile: "I don't want to either, but the boss is here to supervise the game in person, what can I do?"
Mancini glanced over and saw AC Milan's owner Berlusconi sitting in the stands with great interest.
Seeing Berlusconi's expectant expression, Mancini understood instantly.
It was not Ancelotti's original intention to arrange such a lineup, but the result of the boss's intervention.
For a guy like Berlusconi, the Champions League and other things can be considered later. The most important thing is to defeat Inter Milan first.
Berlusconi has always been strong, while Ancelotti is relatively weak, giving people the feeling of being a punching bag.
If Berlusconi really took action, then Ancelotti would really have no choice.
Mancini returned home disappointed and had no hope that his opponent would let him win. He could only rely on himself to win the game.
……
As the conflict with Ade has not been eased, Mancini still used the previous single striker tactics in this game.
But this does not mean that Inter Milan's tactics have become conservative!
On the contrary, AC Milan next door is fighting a political battle, winning at all costs just to please its boss, while Inter Milan's motivation for winning is to win the first league championship trophy in 17 years. This kind of battle does not require the head coach to do any ideological mobilization, the players can cheer themselves up!
After the game started, AC Milan took the lead in launching a fierce attack on Inter Milan, relying on its advantages of abundant physical strength and better condition.
Although this is AC Milan's home stadium, San Siro and Meazza are actually the same stadium with different names, so the Milan derby does not actually have any home advantage, as both sides are very familiar with this stadium.
If I have to say, whoever is at home can control the flow of tickets and let the fans of their team occupy the majority of the stands.
In this way, at the beginning of the game, the side with the larger number of fans can create a bigger noise, cheer for the players on the field and make them play more excitedly.
The Milan derby has always been very popular, both in the past and now.
A total of 80224 fans came to the San Siro Stadium for this game, including many overseas fans who came from abroad specifically to watch this game.
The huge stadium was packed. Some speculated that AC Milan’s revenue from ticket sales alone might have exceeded 500 million Euros!
At this point in time in 2006, it was a terrifying thing that the ticket revenue for a game could reach this level.
As usual, fans from both teams occupied their own stands.
Inter Milan's diehard fans have always been in the north stand, while AC Milan's fans have long occupied the south stand.
Both teams had about the same number of diehard fans, all wearing uniform team uniforms, and making large flags and giant posters.
Before the game started, they had already created a huge noise in the stands, shocking many overseas fans who came to watch the game for the first time.
Sure enough, watching the live broadcast on TV and watching the game in person are two completely different feelings.
The hot atmosphere on the scene is simply awesome!
After all, AC Milan has more fans. After AC Milan took the initiative to attack, the voices of AC Milan fans in the South Stand and other stands suddenly increased, temporarily suppressing the voices of the North Stand.
But after attacking for more than ten minutes, AC Milan was still unable to break through Inter Milan's defense.
As a result, the voices of Milan fans in the south stand became much quieter.
After shouting for more than ten minutes in a row, I was exhausted and my throat needed a temporary rest.
As for other ordinary fans, they had long since stopped shouting.
They stopped shouting, and the Inter fans in the north stand were no longer suppressed and immediately became active again.
As if responding to the momentum created by their own fans, AC Milan consciously slowed down the pace and tried to control the game.
Inter Milan suddenly accelerated, and starting from the midfield, Inter Milan players launched a frantic pressing attack on the AC Milan players who had the ball.
Inter Milan's sudden acceleration caught the opponent off guard. Pirlo, who was dribbling the ball in the middle, had the ball snatched away from his feet by Martins who suddenly came out from the wing and his teammates.
Inter Milan launched a quick counterattack. Before being tackled to the ground by Gattuso, Lin Feng rushed to send the ball out.
The referee indicated that it was favorable for attack, but did not blow the whistle immediately.
Although Cruz received the pass from Lin Feng, he was trapped by Maldini and could not escape effectively.
Behind him, Nesta, who was chasing back, was ready to make a tackle.
Cruz had no choice but to give up his sprint, protect the ball and turn around, avoiding Nesta's tackle and passing the ball to the wing.
When Martins received the ball, six AC Milan players had already returned to defense, and Inter's quick counterattack had failed.
In desperation, he had to pass the ball to Lin Feng and let Lin Feng reorganize the game.
As soon as Lin Feng got the ball, the butcher Gattuso rushed over aggressively.
The fact that his foul just now was not called by the referee further fueled his arrogance, so that he became even bolder in defense, with all kinds of small movements with his hands constantly, like a mad dog, chasing and biting Lin Feng.
Lin Feng didn't want to get entangled with Gattuso because this guy had abnormal physical fitness, could run very fast, and was good at fighting. Most importantly, he had an extremely strong fighting spirit.
Once he targets you, it will be a nightmare for any midfielder.
Lin Feng avoided the crowded middle road and took the initiative to dribble the ball to the left side.
But Gattuso had no intention of letting him go and kept chasing him.
After Lin Feng moved to the side, he passed the ball to his teammate on the wing, then ran forward and played a cross-court cooperation with his teammate.
With the help of his teammates' cover, he briefly got rid of Gattuso's defense, but Gattuso had not given up yet. Even when he saw Lin Feng was about to dribble the ball to the bottom, he still followed decisively.
Lin Feng was waiting for this pounce. When Gattuso pounced, he suddenly changed direction, flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, passed by Gattuso, and then before another AC Milan player pounced, he dribbled the ball and changed direction, pretending to break into the penalty area.
Maldini and Nesta immediately closed the door, trying to block Lin Feng's way.
But after making a fake move to break inward, Lin Feng changed direction again and started to move outside the penalty area.
He was surrounded almost entirely by AC Milan players, but these people were either deceived by Lin Feng's feints or shaken by his sudden change of direction. Some of them were not prepared for interception and actually let him dribble the ball out.
Seeing Lin Feng dodging among four or five opposing defensive players, the Inter Milan fans in the north stand excitedly made a loud noise and cheered for Lin Feng with all their might.
When Lin Feng brought the ball out of the penalty area, without the obstruction of the crowd, his vision suddenly became clear.
At this moment, almost everyone on AC Milan's defense line was attracted by him, and there was a large space on the right side of the penalty area.
Although there are no Inter Milan players over there, if someone can think the same way as him, then maybe they can make an extremely wonderful combination.
Thinking of this, Lin Feng transferred the ball to the right penalty area without hesitation.
He had just completed the pass when he was knocked to the ground by Kaka who was returning to the front of his own penalty area.
But at this time no one was paying attention to what was happening here. Everyone's eyes followed the football flying in the air and fell on the right side of AC Milan's penalty area.
Over there, a blue figure suddenly rushed in from outside the penalty area and received Lin Feng's pass.
There were no AC Milan defensive players within a radius of four or five meters around him.
"nice shot!"
"What a beautiful transfer of the foot!"
In the commentary booth, the commentators were all amazed by Lin Feng's transfer.
In the Inter Milan coaching booth, Mancini subconsciously stood up, widened his eyes, stretched his neck to look towards the opponent's penalty area, his eyes fixed on Figo who got the ball.
Shoot, shoot quickly, if you don’t shoot now the opponent will react!
Figo looked up at the position of the AC Milan goalkeeper in the penalty area, then kicked the ball and completed the shot.
(End of this chapter)
