Arrigo Sacchi, former Milan legendary coach, spoke about the Rossoneri situation, as usual to La Gazzetta dello Sport:
"In Milan, you can already feel the atmosphere of the derby. There's no point denying it: Inter feels like they have the Scudetto in their pocket. Objectively it's hard to disagree, and the fact that they can conquer the title right in the super clash against Milan fires up the fans. However, the Rossoneri fans show no fear, as they have exercised their right to buy all tickets. The Rossoneri spectators intend to show their support for Pioli's team in one of the key matches of the season, demonstrating confidence and courage. Just as Milan players should be, and I'm convinced they will be. I've experienced many derbies in Milan, and I know from experience that it's always a particularly heated game. It doesn't just happen on the field, but goes far beyond. In the streets, in offices, in bars, everywhere people talk about this event. It's normal."
Sacchi added:
"Equally normal will be seeing Pioli's boys battling with all their energy to prevent Inter from triumphing right before their eyes. I believe they will give 200% because it's the environment that drives them, and this is often a decisive factor in matches so full of emotions and passion. However, I want to point out a detail. Milan's season should not be judged based on the result of the derby. It would be a colossal mistake and unfair to the protagonists. Let me explain. Milan is fighting to secure second place in the league. I know that historically, by tradition and ambition, the Rossoneri should always fight for first place, but finishing behind Inter wouldn't be classified as a failure. Quite the opposite, especially considering the significant summer revolution in the transfer market and the consequent difficulties in assembling the team. Furthermore, Milan hasn't invested as much as Inter or other rivals. So, a second-place finish should be applauded as a good result. And then there's always the Europa League, a trophy no Italian club has ever won, and Milan has the opportunity to do so. It's not a milestone to be overlooked. If anything, regarding the derby, we should consider that it comes right after the second leg against Roma in the Europa League quarterfinals. Therefore, it's important to carefully evaluate how much energy has been spent and how to recover quickly. In the final stretch of the season, physical condition often makes the difference."
Sacchi continued:
"Inter, being out of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, has more time to rest and prepare for the derby at San Siro, there's no doubt about that. Thinking about it now, I believe I can say it will be an open match, where anything can happen. The important thing is that both teams focus on one goal: entertaining the people, putting on a show, because we desperately need beauty. Milan has recently grown a lot, and this growth is the result of Pioli's work. At the beginning of the season, they faced difficulties because many players came from abroad and had to adapt to Italian football. Moreover, there were numerous injuries that affected their journey. Now, as they're regaining everyone, or almost everyone, and their methods and ideas have been absorbed, we see the results. Milan is a team. Not always, granted, but almost always. They have strong motivations, team spirit, and a style of play. They're not always consistent for ninety minutes, that's true, but they demonstrate will and courage: they attack, try to press (not always at the right times, there's room for improvement there), they're never afraid of the opponent, they try to dominate the field."
Sacchi concluded:
"So, Milan will become very strong if Pioli manages to keep this side even tighter, to achieve an ideal compactness. Defenders are sometimes struggling, also because they don't have the support of attackers who rarely track back, but Milan has important players who can make a difference at any moment. And for this reason, the Rossoneri must confidently aim for second place, the Europa League, and also to win the derby."
