The only thing that could make a Supercoppa Final more fiery is a Supercoppa Final that is also a Milano Derby. With Milan having taken the Derby back in September, but Inter in far better form, this one should be plenty fiery. Particularly after Cardinale's naïve interview in December that angered the Commander of the Marotta League. Despite Conceição and several of the players battling fever and flu symptoms, as well as some injury concerns, there is a strong desire within the Milan team to win this one for family. With Juventus out of the way after a 2-1 win in the Semifinal, Milan just have to win this one match to lift a trophy. The final just happens to fall on the Epiphany, the day that La Befana will have visited the young children with either gifts or coal, but I predict that this time, La Befana is bringing the fire.
 |
| Instead of presents or coal, Befana is bringing a fiery Derby for the Supercoppa Final. |
Inter will have an extra day's rest, having dispensed with Atalanta 2-0 on Thursday in their Semifinal. For that match, The Other Inzaghi lined up a 3-1-4-2 with: Sommer; Bisseck, de Vrij, Bastoni; Çalhanoglu; Dumfries, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, and Lautaro Martínez. He is missing Di Gennaro with a longterm injury, and Marcus Thuram has a muscle issue that will likely keep him from the Final, while Joaquin Correa also did not train on Sunday and is set to miss out.
 |
| Simone Inzaghi and Sergio Conceição are former teammates at Lazio, now they face off in a Derby final. |
Our new manager, Sergio Conceição, is unwell, still battling a fever, and coughing during his press conference on Sunday. Likewise, some of our players were reported to have fever on Friday, so Gabbia has been all but ruled out due to the flu, he may sit on the bench. It is unknown whether or not Leão will play. He did complete training with the group on Sunday, but his actual match fitness remains to be seen. We do know that Florenzi, Okafor, and Chukwueze will definitely be missing, though.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate Inter, and with good reason. While Cardinale was naïve to anger He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, he wasn't far off in his assessment of Inter's insane financial malfeasances. Their owners literally lost the club by defaulting on €800 million in debt at the same time Inter supposedly won what they claim is their 20th Scudetto in May. Cardinale may not know much about European football, but even he knows that this was not right.
 |
| He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named already trying to wreak havoc for Ibrahimovićwith the Milan fans. |
Taking another Derby would be a drop in the bucket toward the justice that Inter need to face for all the sporting advantages they have gained with their financial improprieties. Especially since Milan will be exiting our UEFA Financial Fair Play agreement this summer, while Inter still have at least a year left. And did I mention that winning this Derby could mean up to €11 million for the winning side?
The last time Milan defeated Inter to win the Supercoppa was back in August of 2011 in Beijing, while our last Supercoppa win was in 2016, defeating Juventus on penalties. If Milan win, this would be our 50th trophy and our eighth Supercoppa win. Inter are looking to win their record fourth Supercoppa in a row to add to their eight Supercoppa trophies they already have. So expect both teams to be prepared to battle fiercely for the first hardware of the season.
 |
| Our September Derby hero is ill, so we will need others to step up this time. |
Normally, Befana is depicted as an elderly woman or a type of witch. If she actually has any kind of magical powers, I hope she casts a spell on this Derby so that Conceição can keep his 100% win record, especially as a reward for powering through his illness and coming in with so little time to prepare. If La Befana's spell helps Milan win, it will reward this team for all the drama and trauma they have suffered this season. But Conceição said he doesn't really believe in luck, so I doubt he believes in magic, either, only hard work. So let's just hope that this team are inspired to work extra hard as La Befana brings the fire.
Milan Primavera Draw 0-0 with Lazio Primavera to Start the New Year
 |
| Bonomi shakes hands with Nazzarro at the end of an well-fought battle. |
Saturday morning saw Milan Primavera play to a 0-0 draw with Lazio Primavera. It is important to note that, in addition to some injuries, several players were called up to the Milan Futuro team for their Sunday match vs. Carpi, and were therefore not available for this one: Maximilian Ibrahimović, Liberali, Duțu, and Sala. Highlights of the match are available. Considering all the players missing, the draw was a good result, and Guidi's Primavera sit third in the league, ahead of Juventus Primavera on goal differential.
Milan Futuro Pick Up a Point Away to Carpi with Their 0-0 Draw
 |
| Futuro's newest signing Magrassi created plenty of chances from the start. |
One point is sadly like a victory for Bonera's Milan Futuro, although they will need to start winning matches to actually pull themselves out of the relegation zone. The 0-0 draw away to Carpi is simply not enough. Ibrahimović is probably going to have to find himself yet another manager this season. They were helped by the four players called up from the Primavera, including Liberali and Sala, who both started. Also, the new signing, 31 year-old Andrea Magrassi started and played all 90 minutes, offering new chances in attack. Stalmach did hit the crossbar in the 75th minute, and Milan Futuro did look dangerous in the second half, but they had to settle for a clean sheet and the point. The Serie C YouTube Channel has the highlights, as usual.
This post inspired by the music of The Prodigy's "Firestarter"
Our next matches are:
Serie C Week 21
Reviewed by Elaine
on
9:36 PM
Rating:
