As the biggest derby in the world beckons, we at TheHardTackle, are back with our Rival Rendezvous series where authors representing both the sides engage into a verbal duel often trying hard not to lose their grasp over maturity; sometimes rather unsuccessfully so. Representing Milan this time, is our resident author Parth Pandya (PP hereafter) while our Guest Author Mike Whittaker (MW hereafter) will be battling it out for Inter. Being a good host, Parth allows his rival to shoot in the questions first.
MW: Milanisti have always talked about how great they are winning 7 European titles compared to Interai??i??s 3, so how did it feel for you Milanisti to see Inter achieve the one thing no other Italian team in history could – the Treble? And also the fact that unlike Milan, Inter have never left the top-tier of Italian football?
PP: Well, to begin with, the greatness is only factual. Your club even trails the number of European titles Maldini himself won by two, let alone matching Milanai??i??s continental and international success. I know how desperate your club is to be regarded into the same league as that of Milan when the European laurels are being talked about and the latest unprecedented Italian feat you people have managed is, I believe, certainly providing the much-needed breather.
Anyway, we will not shy away from praising when a team deserves, even if they are the fiercest rivals. Interai??i??s accomplishments during that memorable season are truly remarkable but Iai??i??d have rather appreciated more if your club could capitalise on that glorious season. You, instead, could only shift the gears backward.
Well, yes, Inter have never been demoted to the second level football in Italy and one could only wish every club was led by a president like Moratti to ensure a club continues sailing in the top flight carpeting all the wrong-doings in shameful events where clubs like Milan, Juventus and Fiorentina ended up serving a fair sentence.
MW: When AC Milan won the Club World Cup in 2007 the Inter fans & team applauded your achievement, yet last year when we brought the world title back to Milano following our treble winning season there was no congratulations from the Red & Black side of the city, so was that a case of sour grapes on Milanai??i??s part as we had the greater achievement or is it purely down to Inter having more class?
PP: Milan being green-eyed about Interai??i??s success is akin to suggesting Christian Chivu is a world-class Full Back. On the domestic front, we are at par with you and continentally, way ahead. Nothing official was released from our club celebrating your triumph in the Club World Cup last year but that does not mean we do not acknowledge and appreciate the phenomenal season you had.
Moreover, your club received accolades aplenty from every corner of the world regarding the triumphant season but I do get the feeling a testament from Milan ai??i?? the club Inter could only wish they were ai??i?? would have done a world of good to Massimo Moratti. Next time, we shall be more careful, provided you manage to replicate that amount of success ever again.
MW: Regarding the Tevez transfer saga, what will be the reaction amongst Milanista when Inter sign one of arguably the best strikers in the world from right under your noses? (And in Ibraai??i??s case thereai??i??s a lot of room under there) Or if for some strange reason Milan manage to secure his signature how do you think your club will deal with his home-sickness and mood swings without having the Argentinean players weai??i??ve got to make him feel more at home and calm him down?
PP: Well, as I answer your question, you too would have known that we have withdrawn entirely from the Tevez saga and would instead be more than happy to see Pato graduating to that level in our ranks. Pato feels Milan much more than Tevez could ever do and we are certain he will begin to realize his true potential sooner than most feel. It would however be delusional to suggest we did not covet having a player of Tevezai??i??s stature at our club and being delusional is something we have left for Moratti to be.
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May Be, May Be Not!
We wish you all the luck for your efforts at landing the hot-headed Argentine and yes, the number of his compatriots at your club will definitely be an important factor for him to settle in a relatively quicker fashion. You are in with a good chance now to secure his signature since we have already opted out. Seeing a player, who we desired having in our army, donning the rival shirt will not exactly be a pleasing sight but it would nevertheless add another world-class player to the league ai??i?? something that is quite an important factor looking from a more holistic perspective.
MW: With Inter coming back strong recently, gaining 15 points from 5 games (moving us up to 5th just 8 points behind Milan & Juve, from just outside the relegation zone) do you think this weekai??i??s derby will have a big impact on the seasonai??i??s final standings? Also how do you see both Milanai??i??s and Interai??i??s chances of winning this seasonai??i??s Scudetto?
PP: To be honest with you, I never saw Inter spending much time battling for a safety spot above the relegation zone. It was going to be only a matter of time for Ranieri to find the correct mantra. He has been there, done that in the past and not even the most ardent of Milan fans predicted Inter to continue that shambolic run of form for long.
Yes, the form demonstrated by your strikers, especially in last two games is threatening but I am sure youai??i??d agree that this will be the first real test for Inter after the mission revamp began. In a way, Interai??i??s reclaiming the form is a welcome sign since even we would not have preferred being witness to a one-sided derby.
Regarding the Scudetto being retained in the city, I believe the onus entirely lies on Milan; at least from the looks of it. Inter at most can hope to secure the precious Champions League spot considering the poor start to the season and the lack of squad depth. Your youngsters will have to play a pivotal role for the team to launch a title bid from here and a win in the derby could be more than perfect launchpad for the to happen. But to deny that Black & White team from Turin claiming the Scudetto this season is going to be no mean task for either of the Milan teams.
MW: Thereai??i??s been much talk about the amount of penalties Milan have received this season (5) while Inter have conceded the most (6) so the question on all our lips is are you hoping that Rocchi will be refereeing and youai??i??ll get another to help you win the match? Also what is your prediction for the final score?
PP: Apart from the dubious decision that won us a penalty against Bologna, all were pretty legit and well-deserved. Lucio and Ranocchia are not known to be the cleanest defenders in the world and the number therefore is hardly surprising to me. Even your captain immaculate ended up earning his first red of the league career which pretty much explains the defensive clumsiness exhibited by Inter so far. And talking about the game, we are hardly bothered about the officials since we are confident in both the sturdiness of our defence to disengage your play and in the potency of our attack to destabilize Lucio in the center of the park.
Regarding my predictions, Iai??i??d go for a closely contested battle narrowly ending in favor of Milan. 3-2, the home side, my bet.
And while we are at it, why do not we change the roles? Itai??i??s time you take the hot seat and try dealing with what I got in store for you.
MW: Absolutely. Let the show begin.
PP: First things first. Do you concede 2010 was a one man show and as soon as the man decided to part ways with the club, it quite predictably hit the levels of mediocrity? As many as four managers have since assumed the office at Inter and of all people you needed to resort to Claudio Ranieri who is an eternal also-ran. Do you admit Interai??i??s domination that ai???coincidedai??i?? with Calciopoli was rather because of the leagueai??i??s fallen standards and as soon as other big teams regrouped themselves, you are back to nowhere to be seen?
MW: Our 2009/10 season wasnai??i??t by any means a one man show, the entire squad and everyone at the club can take part of the credit for our success, Mourinho did play a big part with his tactics and giving us the self belief that we could do it, but as he proved at Chelsea he needed the right players to achieve it.
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The Special One
Our drop in form after Mourinhoai??i??s exit was largely down to a lack of a plan going forward after he left and the fact that until it happened no one believed he would go. As for your so-called ai???coincidenceai??i?? that our emergence as the dominate force after Calciopoli had nothing to do with Milan & Juventus having to regroup, without all the corruption Inter would have been the dominant force in Italian Football long before 2007.
PP: Speaking of Ranieri, the man has truly demonstrated once again what he is famous for. Post the Gasperini disaster, the ship is sinking no more and a comfortable fifth position in a matter of five weeks after spending some time battling for a spot above relegation zone is quite an achievement. Where do you see the season going from here? I am sure youai??i??d have set some ambitions/targets for yourselves. Realistic or otherwise. After all, Moratti is not famous for being exactly realistic.
MW: When Moratti employed Ranieri it was the best move he could have made (and to be honest should have been done in the summer instead of Gasperini!) as he has settled the club which hasnai??i??t been right since Mourinho left and has proved with the recent results that Inter are still as strong as we were back in 2010.
I strongly believe we are still in the race for the Scudetto but as long as we finish in a top 3 position I would be happy with that as a good result considering the start we had. Moratti not being realistic? Thatai??i??s nonsense; heai??i??s just ambitious and knows as well as any true Interisti that our club is capable of anything.
PP: How do you rate the exciting Argentine Ricky Alvarez? Is he emerging as Sneijderai??i??s long-term replacement in the Attacking Midfielderai??i??s role? So far, he has been extremely impressive but does his emergence signal certainty over Sneijderai??i??s departure?
MW: Iai??i??ve backed Ricky Alvarez since the day I heard heai??i??d signed for us, and now heai??i??s started settling in properly his performances are proving me right. As for being Sneijderai??i??s long term replacement that is an absolute certainty and Iai??i??m sure that as he grows and develops with Inter he will become better than the Dutchman and even prove himself to be one of the best in Serie A if not the world. Sneijder will be leaving in the summer regardless of anything but Inter doesnai??i??t need to rely on him as we have both Alvarez and Coutinho who can take his place, one player doesnai??i??t make a team.
PP: Speaking of the game, it is almost a given that Milan have the best attack in Italy which is ranked among the top ones in Europe. Do you think Ranieri will employ containing tactics to negate Milanai??i??s flair in the final third or the new-found momentum with a win over Parma will tempt him to go all guns blazing? Mind you, your attack has not been in an electrifying form and if fans consider the mauling of Parma defence a signal of revival of Milito, then I am afraid they are as deluded as perhaps Moratti himself is.
MW: I agree that our strikers arenai??i??t in the best form at the moment but we have a lot of dangerous attacking players that can cause Milan problems and both Pazzini and Milito are getting back to their best, Iai??i??m not saying that the Parma result means Milito is back in top form but if we play a balanced game and use the players strengths to our advantage we will be causing Milanai??i??s defence a lot of problems. And of course unlike the Milan Mercenaries our players play for the love of their club and not just for the money.
PP: Much like the second derby of last season, this one too holds a great significance considering Inter are with a great chance to close the gap on the top, should they manage a win here. Moreover, the moral boost and bragging rights will be no match for anything. But the quality assessment of the two sides would definitely suggest putting the wise money on Milan considering the superior form and home support. Do you think Inter will turn up on the turf with the mentality to claim three points? What is your prediction, anyway?
MW: I think the way we have performed and the results in the last few games will mean we go in to the Derby with our confidence high, where it should be, and if we turn up on the day with the right winning mentality which I know we have, then we can overcome Milan on the pitch, after all we are the club that knocked the mighty Barca out of the UCL not so long ago! Iai??i??m not saying itai??i??ll be a walk over with it being our away fixture but Iai??i??m expecting a thrilling 2-3 win for Inter.
And I guess letai??i??s keep it here and stop analyzing further before reaching for each otherai??i??s head. Let the players do the rest of the talking on the field and wait to see who has the last laugh.
PP: Certainly. The war is on. Hereai??i??s wishing for another memorable derby. Hereai??i??s one for Leonardo.
