There is a game called Concentration, also known as Memory.
There are a number of pairs of cards, face down, and the object is to turn over
two at a time, hoping for a match. Milan have a game on Saturday that will
require their full concentration, only the only thing we really need to match
is three points at the end of the game. We don’t need to play pretty football,
although that would be ideal. And technically, we don’t even need a clean
sheet. Just a win and three points. But to get them, we’ll need everyone’s full
concentration.
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| No more of this, please |
Verona languish in 19 th place on the table, with their only
hope of avoiding relegation being to win every game from here on out and for
others above them to lose. Which means, like Benevento, they are the most
dangerous kind of opponent. Unless they are playing another
relegation-threatened team such as SPAL, like they did last weekend. SPAL
managed to beat them 3-1 at the Bentegodi, but that doesn’t make them any less
dangerous for us. In that match, Pecchia lined up Andrade; Vukovic, Caracciolo,
Fares, Ferrari, Calvano, Valoti, Romulo, Petkovic, Matos, and our favorite
short shorts model, Cerci.
Gattuso may have Romagnoli back, as he has been fighting
back to train with the team and be ready to play. He will still be without Conti
and Biglia, despite what he has said, clearly under the influence of pain
killers. Locatelli has convinced Gattuso, and earned a starting berth ahead of
the more experienced Montolivo. But Gattuso, despite what he will say, will
have the Coppa Italia at the back of his mind, and may or may not choose to
rest or sub off some of his starters to be fresh for that match on Wednesday.
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| The perfect match to earn 3 points |
No one will forget the
humiliation in December when Verona beat us 3-0 in the league after we
had sent them out of the Coppa Italia that same week. And that is why this game
will require the utmost concentration from every single player. Not only do
they know they can beat us, the desperately need to beat us to stay in Serie A.
Milan have kind of forgotten who they are in recent weeks, and it will be
important to remember and not forget for even one second of the match. Whatever
happens within 90 minutes, the victor will be the team who maintains the most
Concentration.
This post inspired by the music of
Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”
Serie A Week 36
Milan vs. Verona
Saturday, May 5
• 18:00 CEST (12noon EDT)
This match will be
shown on RAI Italia and BeIN Sports in the U.S.