Inter-Milan 1-2, Gabbia decides the derby. Fonseca: “No one has put Inter in such difficulty for a long time”

Inter-Milan 1-2, Fonseca: “No one has put Inter in such difficulty for a long time”

“It was an important match like all derbies and we hadn’t won it for a long time, but also for our moment – Paulo Fonseca’s words at the end of the derby -. The boys showed a lot of courage on the pitch and we deserved to win because I can’t remember a team that created so many problems for the Nerazzurri in a long time”. Fonseca lined up Milan with a 4-4-2 which became an attacking 4-2-4: “We played with the same structure as always, but we tried to create something different on the pitch. What changed was thanks to the players.”

Among the best, Alvaro Morata deployed alongside Abraham in the defensive phase and in the attacking midfield: “He played the same role that Reijnders had in the other games, but obviously they are different players because Alvaro makes different movements. The role and the structure were the same, but it was important to have him close to Abraham who did a great job.”

Fonseca will have a quieter week on the rumours front regarding his future: “It doesn’t make much difference to me because I don’t watch or feel anything,” he reiterated to DAZN. “It will certainly be a week in which we will have more confidence, but the important thing is that the boys continue to work with confidence and believe in what we do. Today was a victory for the players.”

Inter, Inzaghi: “A defeat that stings, Milan deserved the victory”

Inter lost the derby 2-1 against a Milan that deserved the victory. “Milan is a great team and tonight they did better than us, deserving the victory. We were not a team, which rarely happens to us. I tried to change but the situation did not change. We were not compact. The approaches were decisive and in both halves we were lacking. We never gave the impression of being the same team as always”, Simone Inzaghi said to Dazn microphones.

The Nerazzurri coach is not looking for excuses for this defeat: “We weren’t lucid both in possession and non-possession, the two goals are proof of that. In the second half, after having equalised, we came back badly and we had to do more. We are bitter because we know the importance of the derby and now we have to work”.

Defeats clearly sting, especially in a derby and we will try to do more – Simone Inzaghi’s words -. The feeling we gave was that we were not a team, this defeat will certainly have to be analyzed because we could have done more”.

Inter-Milan 1-2, Gabbia decides the derby

Important victory for Milan in the derby with Inter, a 2-1 that was decided in the finalin the 89th minute thanks to Gabbia’s header, which closes the match in balance after goals from Pulisic and Dimarco. After six lost derbies the curse is cancelled and the away win allows the Rossoneri to move to 8 points and join Inter in sixth place.

Inzaghi had only one doubt on the eve of this derby on the right wing and in the end Dumfries was preferred to Darmian. For the rest Lautaro confirmed with Thuram up front and in midfield the trio Barella and Mkhitaryan on the sides of Calhanoglu. On the other hand, Fonseca makes a mini technical revolutionswitching to a front-wheel drive 4-4-2 with Pulisic and Leao on the outside and a double centre-forward Morata and Abraham. In the middle of the field Fofana with Reijnders, while in defence Gabbia replaces Pavlovic.

The first danger comes in the 6th minute and it is brought by Milan with Morata finishing with his left foot, but finding an imperfect but effective intervention from Sommer. The Rossoneri push continues and in the 10th minute Milan takes the lead thanks to a splendid run by Pulisic who skips past at least three opponents and then beats Sommer for 1-0. The Nerazzurri’s reaction is immediate: in the 14th minute Dumfries tries and finds the pass for Lautaro who finishes strongly on the first intention, but over the crossbar. The equaliser comes in the 27th minute with Lautaro serving Dimarco who crosses with precision and beats Maignan for 1-1. Inter increases the intensity and seems to be able to strike again. In the 42nd minute Thuram crosses quickly but Maignan is good at intervening.

At the start of the second half, Milan started off strong and in the 48th minute Leao headed the ball from close range but Sommer does well to parry. Inter are not just watching and in the 54th minute with a long-distance shot by Calhanoglu forces Maignan to work. The match is very open and in the 65th minute another great move by Leao who serves Reijnders whose first-time shot forces Sommer to take refuge in a corner. The changes in front are sudden and in the 72nd minute Lautaro turns very quickly in the area and shoots but Maignan is good to reply.

However, Inzaghi’s team is exposed to the Rossoneri’s counterattacks and in the 75th minute Leao, served on the counterattack by Abraham, enters the area and concludes with his left foot but Sommer is good and is lucky to 77′ on Abraham’s conclusion from the right who, served very well by Reijnders, crossed just wide of the post. Milan continues to push and finds the shot in the 89th minute: perfect free kick taken by Reijnders which finds the gap in the area from Gabbia, who is very good at exploiting Frattesi’s mistake and beating an innocent Sommer for the 2-1. In the 96th minute Okafor misses a chance to make it 3-1 on the counterattack but it’s still a joy for the Rossoneri.