Calcio returns to the European elite

Classification Milan and Between to the semi-finals Champions League It is a real reflection of the change in the pace of Italian football in the last year. He Calcium it was everything between 1991 and 2001. The entire decade in which the standards Uefa assigned Series the title of the best league in Europe. The champion teams are re-entering the Old Continent scene after a few seasons that have hardly seen teams like Juventus who were runners-up in 2017 or Roma who reached the semi-finals in 2018 in contention for the biggest continental trophy.

that the men are from Stefano Pioli and those of Simone Inzaghi faces are seen in a new duel known as Madonna’s derby This can be due to various football coincidences such as luck in some matches or going to the supposedly less difficult side of the tournament, in which they avoided rivals such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool or psg, but the truth is that it ends with a depressed phase of transalpine football.

Both want to reign again, they lack the power of their best moments, but both are driven by the pride and history of their clubs. The last time Rossoneri were on the verge of the Champions League final 16 years ago, when Carlo Ancelotti he led them to win their seventh title in the 2006-2007 season. with two goals from Filippo Inzaghi, technician’s older brother Nerazzurri.

Always in the shadow of his brother pippo, the benches turned the hierarchy of the brothers upside down and encouraged Simon, that 13 years later he will try to lead Inter to the title he last won in his hands Jose Mourinho in a history-making season in which they won the triple Serie A title, Cup and champions.

Italy is the only country in Europe that has placed two clubs in this round of the Champions League, a feat it surpassed in the 2002-2003 season. when Milan won the title after beating Juventus in the final and after winning the derby from madonna in the semi-finals. Among those interesting things that football leaves behind, that title was the first for Ancelotti as a coach in the Champions League.

Not that Inter and Milan were particularly good in Serie A, where they are Naples, they lead with solvency, but they got the best out of their teams when they left Italy. The French cheers Milan from the goal Maignan, intended to be the heir to cry in his selection, veteran in attack Giroud continues without retiring the mood while the explosion Rafael Leão and talent of Sandro Tonali or Brahim Diaz, On loan from Madrid, they do the rest.

It deserves a special mention Pioli, the coach who became one of the architects of the club’s renewal at the sporting level and who gave it scudetto last season. On an economic level, both teams are changing hands with international owners. The red and black is managed by an American fund, and the black, blue and gold by a Chinese tycoon Steven Zhang who invests money to ‘resurrect’ a club that has outstanding results Lautaro Martinez, Lukaku or Nicolo Barella. A team built from the back forward and despite having Inzaghi’s men at the top, supported by a great defensive structure.