AC Milan won another derby: it is 5 in the last 7, in which the Rossoneri have never lost. After Pioli turned the tide, and for some time now the city derby has worn Rossoneri colors. They are satisfactions for the club, the team, and the fans, even if they do not represent trophies. The win is deserved: in the first half Milan did more, and overall Maignan was almost never called into action. It is clear that at 1–0 the match can change: Inter applied more pressure but did not create very big dangers.
What penalty?
The final episode with Ricci’s hand sparked many controversies. Several VAR analysts claim it is not a penalty, others say it is. It is therefore a borderline incident, but not comparable to Bisseck’s handball that last year cost the Nerazzurri a penalty. The Inter defender, however, extended his arm and body volume, while Ricci pulled his arm back. Completely opposite dynamics, which cannot be appreciated if one looks only at the freeze frames. An arm that retracts rightly leads to letting play continue.
The derby of regrets
That said, Milan did more to win. Seven points of distance are too many to imagine a comeback for the league title. There are some matches where Inter could drop points: against Atalanta, Como, and Roma, but there should perhaps be a psychological backlash for Chivu’s men. Perhaps Milan will gain momentum after this success, but it is hard to think they can go on a full winning streak. There are many regrets, just as there are many points lost against smaller teams. A win against Parma would have been enough to find themselves today four points behind, with decidedly better prospects.
Allegri's merits
Goal by Estupiñán, assist by Fofana: the surprises of the derby, while Leão played poorly. In any case, Allegri has taken the decisive step toward the next Champions League. Excellent work by the coach, who is formidable in head to head clashes, as relayed via Calcio Mercato.
