Today's edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport headlines this morning in anticipation of tonight's Milan-Inter clash, the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final:
"Electric derby".
The national cup is the last opportunity for the Rossoneri to save their season. Sergio Conceição, who will bid farewell to Milan at the end of the season even if he manages to lift his second trophy of the year, will start Rafael Leao from the first minute after benching him on Sunday against Napoli.
Milan remains unbeaten in the derby this season (two wins and a draw), while Simone Inzaghi is looking to break this curse.
Speaking at yesterday’s press conference, Conceição had this to say about Leão:
"It’s not like I discovered Rafa in the Supercoppa. I know many players, not just from the Supercoppa—I already knew him from Portugal. But there’s an evolution he still needs to go through. If he plays, he's inconsistent; if he comes on and makes the difference, then people say he should have started. I find it puzzling how some people talk about football, and I have to say it."
"My opinion on Rafa remains the same: in terms of quality, he is one of the best in the world. But he needs to show it with consistency, to finish the season with 25 goals and many assists. If he finds that consistency, he will be one of the best in the world. He has to find it. Don’t ask me why he plays or doesn’t play. These are decisions we make because we see him here every day, we know things—his physical condition, how he arrived, how he didn’t arrive. I am the one who decides; I get paid for this."
