Hands up… who expected AC Milan and Inter Milan to be contesting this year’s Champions League semi-final? Anyone?
Realistically, no fan would have bet a penny on the all-Italian last-four clash, which acts as an advert for Serie A football, itself experiencing somewhat of a crisis in the face of the massive dominance of top English and Spanish clubs.
Milan have not made the semi-final since 2007, while it is Inter’s first since 2010, and the pair last met in the last four of Europe’s top club competition back in 2003. Technically, the players in that game were a world apart from today’s: Shevchenko, Maldini, Pirlo and Seedorf lining up against Crespo, Recoba, Martins and Zanetti.
Now the oldest and most historic derby in the world will decide which bitter intra-city rival, each with European pedigree woven into their DNA and running through their veins, will represent the city of Milan in the final.
And below, Mail Sport‘s Alvise Cagnazzo runs the rule over the two Italian giants and who is in best shape ahead of their decisive clash.
AC Milan and Inter Milan are poised to go head to head in the Champions League semi-final
The two intra-city rivals will battle it out to represent Milan in the Istanbul final on June 10
AC MILAN: KEY PLAYERS
Olivier Giroud
Milan seem to be riding their luck with Giroud. The almost-37-year-old striker is still decisive but at his age is susceptible to numerous muscle injuries.
No spring chicken, he can no longer play 50 games a year but is certainly one of the only players in the attack that manager Stefano Pioli can count on.
Ante Rebic, Charles De Ketelaere, Divock Origi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have all been disappointing for various reasons, and club chief Paolo Maldini could overhaul the attack by getting rid of everyone except Giroud.
If the French striker is ruled out, Milan are only half as likely to reach the final, and Pioli will have to make smart choices to protect the veteran’s fragile physique.
Five goals in 10 Champions League games, eight in 26 in Serie A: these are the numbers of an ageless ‘Peter Pan’ striker who dreams of flying with Milan to Istanbul to bring back to Italy a Champions League that has been missing for too many years.
Mike Maignan
No one would have ever imagined seeing Pioli’s team beat runaway Serie A leaders Napoli but football very often springs surprises.
Crucial to that victory was influential goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who has replaced double World Cup winner…