More than a match that matters for the standings, it's a test in view of the most important appointment of this season finale...
Tomorrow, Milan will host Atalanta in an unprecedented clash on Easter day, but on Milanello's calendar, the date marked in red and circled is April 23rd, when the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal against Inter will be played. It's not just a derby, but also the least tortuous path to Europe.
In the league, in fact, Milan have complicated their lives to the point that they must now hope for a huge comeback in the final sprint. Fourth place, which grants qualification to the next Champions League, originally the club’s minimum objective, is eight points away: many, probably too many with six matchdays to go. But even a placement valid for the Europa League or Conference League is not currently within reach. Lazio in sixth are five points ahead, Roma in seventh three. In the Coppa Italia, instead, only two wins are needed: the semifinal second leg and the final on May 14th.
Milan, no fear...
Said like this, it sounds simple. But even just getting past Inter, first in the league and a Champions League semifinalist, has the air of a feat — at least on paper. Even if the season’s derby record leans in favor of the Rossoneri. A paradox, considering the seasons of the two Milanese teams. With Fonseca on the bench, Milan broke in September a run of six consecutive defeats in the derby by overcoming their cousins 2-1 in the first league meeting; since Conceição's arrival, however, one win and two draws in the meetings with the Nerazzurri — but the win in Riyadh brought the first trophy of the RedBird era, the Italian Super Cup.
No rotation...
Milan have always faced Inter with a four-man defense, then finding the tactical key to complicate Inzaghi's plans. But in Udine, Conceição successfully experimented with the new 3-4-3, and he will present it again as a block against Atalanta on Easter, relying on the same players and giving up on rotation to rest the "first-choice starters." Almost, in fact, as if it were a test in view of Wednesday's derby. If the excellent impressions from the match in Friuli are confirmed against La Dea, it would then be difficult for the Portuguese coach to go back and return to a four-man backline, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Tammy Abraham warming up
Against Udinese, Conceição relied for the first time on Luka Jovic as a starter. The Serbian is in form, but with the derby in mind, the secret weapon remains Tammy Abraham. The Englishman first signed the goal that made it 3-2 in the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia — with a fine assist from Leao — then scored the only Rossoneri goal in the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Coppa Italia. Two hints make a clue? Let’s wait for the third to award him the rank of “Inter Killer.”
The paradox
There’s also an extra motivation to halt Inter’s march: trying to “spoil” Inzaghi’s team’s perfect season. On social media and in bars, the word "Treble" has been circulating for days now: a dream for the Nerazzurri fans, who already lived it in 2010, but also a nightmare for their Rossoneri cousins. Inter are competing on all fronts and could pull off a clean sweep, but losing to Milan would already be the classic “minus one.”
And in the dream scenario of the Rossoneri fan, there’s the following twist: Milan win the Coppa Italia on May 14th, Inter get overtaken by Napoli in the league, and go out between the Champions League semifinal and final. Two trophies at Casa Milan, zero on the other side of the Naviglio river. Now that would truly be paradoxical after everything we’ve seen these past months. “It’s my nightmare,” even Marco Materazzi confessed.
