Champions League semi-finals: Derby Milan and Dreaming of Italian dream

Sometimes all Italy needs is a big enough stage for the world to know that football in the land of pasta is never out of fashion.

By: Leey

04/20/2023 06:30

It is highly unlikely, even in the wildest dreams of fans from both halves of the fashion capital, to imagine a derby between Inter and Milan in this season's Champions League semi-final.

The last time this happened was two decades ago, when Serie A was considered the top league in the world. During that time, Inter and Milan were still among the most dominant teams in Europe, boasting star players both on the pitch and on the bench.

The giant wakes up

From secondary clubs to represetation in the UEFA Champions League final

Where do Inter and Milan stand now? Compared to Real Madrid and Manchester City, the remaining semi-finalists, these two Italian giants are only secondary clubs.

The star players in both Inter and Milan's squads have never made it to the top 10 of the Golden Ball rankings throughout their careers. Many of the key players on both teams, such as Acerbi, Kalulu, Krunic, and Bennacer, are so unknown that neutral fans may not even recognize their names. Even the most famous player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is not registered to play in the Champions League this season.

AC MIlan and Inter Milan will confront in the UEFA Champions League semi-final

However, this is not and will never be a problem for the fans in Milan. Despite the harsh reality, Inter, Milan, and Italian football as a whole have achieved an incredible feat. It is hard to imagine that Italian football, which has deteriorated to the point where having a representative in the Champions League final seems impossible, has reached this level of success.

The same journey to UEFA semi-final

Milan and Inter both followed the same pattern to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League: winning the first leg and drawing the second. Neither team allowed their opponents to take the lead at any point during the matches, demonstrating their control of the game.

Both Milan and Inter were able to dominate their opponents before making decisive moves to secure their victories. The defeats of Napoli and Benfica, two teams that had scored the most goals in this season's Champions League prior to the quarter-finals, were not insignificant. However, Napoli struggled to score against Milan, only managing to score in stoppage time of the second leg. Similarly, two of Benfica's goals against Inter were scored when Inter were already leading 5-1 and had replaced most of their defense to preserve their strength and avoid any penalty cards.

Inter return to the Champions League semi-finals after 13 years

It is difficult to interpret these results in the context of the teams' recent form in Serie A. Both Milan and Inter have been struggling in the league, with Inter losing four out of their last five matches and Milan only winning one out of their last four. They have fallen to fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the championship race with Napoli. If Juventus had not been deducted 15 points, both Milan and Inter would have dropped out of the top four altogether.

The core factor: bravery

The exceptional performances of Inter and Milan in the Champions League can only be attributed to an intangible quality: courage. Without courage, Inter would not have been able to dominate Benfica in their away victory and score 3 goals in the second leg with only 3 shots on target.

If not for courage, Milan could have crumbled under the pressure of Diego Armando Maradona stadium when Olivier Giroud missed the penalty in the middle of the first half, or when facing a series of tough situations against Napoli.

The pressure of the Champions League has helped the stars of Milan and Inter, who are accustomed to Serie A, to mature. Rafael Leao, who has struggled with inconsistent form this season, showed his true potential with a penetrating sprint through the Napoli defense. Nicolo Barella, who has faced criticism for disparaging his teammates on the field, played two knockout matches for his life with two crucial goals for the "Nerazzurri".

AC Milan became the second Italian representative in the Champions League semi-finals

Both Leao and Barella had not experienced the Champions League knockout stage until this season, but their lack of experience did not hold them back. With enough opportunities, Leao and Barella demonstrated their true abilities to the world.

Leao and Barella represent the underestimated potential of Milan and Inter. The lackluster environment in Serie A has caused them to be undervalued, but the Champions League is now the stage to prove that pressure can turn them into pure gold.

Italian football resurgence?

Champions League is only a necessary condition

Around 20 years ago, when Milan and Inter met in the Champions League semi-finals, Italian football had three representatives in the quarterfinals of the prestigious tournament (Inter, Milan, Juventus).

Now, Juventus is absent, but Italy can still boast with pride as there are three Italian coaches in the semi-finals (Carlo Ancelotti, Simone Inzaghi, Stefano Pioli).

The presence of Inter and Milan in the Champions League semi-finals alone is not enough to declare that Italian football has returned to its glory days. Currently, Italian football is still considered stagnant compared to the other top leagues in Europe, with outdated defensive tactics, bureaucratic issues, and deteriorating stadiums.

However, the fact that Carlo Ancelotti, Simone Inzaghi, and Stefano Pioli are coaching in the semi-finals is evidence that Italian football has never lacked talented coaches and exceptional individuals. Sometimes all the Italians need is a big enough stage to showcase that football in the country of pasta is still alive and well.

What are the sufficient conditions?

The key to demonstrating Italian football's return to its former glory could lie in the performance of its teams in the Europa League and UEFA Conference League. If Juventus, Roma, and Fiorentina all advance, Serie A would have the most dominant presence in European cups this season, with five of its 12 clubs reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. This would be a strong indication that Italian football is on the rise again.

Juventus, Roma, and Fiorentina will have chance to contribute to Italian football resurgence

It's worth noting that since the 1992/93 season, no other football league has had representatives in all three European cup finals outside of Serie A, making this a milestone worth celebrating after three decades. If we could turn back time, it would be a dream come true for Italian football.

Click star to rate

5 (1 rating)

Written by: Leey

Leey is the reporter for Betimate. She currently has a series of articles about football. She specializes in researching football data to come up with evaluations about the tournament and predictions about the matches.