Capello spots Inter weakness Milan could exploit and sends message to Leao
Fabio Capello notes that Inter ‘have become a bit slow’ in defence, so Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao can ’cause problems’ for the Nerazzurri in the derby, but also tells Leao to ‘show real fighting spirit.’
The Derby della Madonnina is just around the corner as Milan and Inter will meet at San Siro this coming Sunday.
The Nerazzurri are the table leaders with a 10-point advantage over their city rivals who sit second in the standings.
Inter played Como away on Tuesday in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals, but both sides’ focus seemed to be elsewhere.
Capello previews Milan vs. Inter derby
“Inter were already thinking a lot about Sunday’s Derby. The Coppa Italia semifinal was undeniably disappointing, played at a very slow pace by both teams, including Como, which seemed more focused on qualifying for the Champions League,” Capello wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.
Leao is expected to lead the Milan attack on Sunday after scoring a goal in a 2-0 win over Cremonese on Sunday.
“I heard the Portuguese speaking with grit and determination. Well, I would like to see him just as determined on the pitch, showing real fighting spirit and all of his undeniable qualities,” wrote Capello.
“Many times, he ends up disappearing for certain stretches of the match, and for him, it’s to make an important leap.
“Milan certainly won’t be able to avoid lapses in concentration, as Inter’s quality is much higher,” the ex-Rossoneri coach continued.
“Allegri will have to be careful not to give Inter space, especially when Calhanoglu is on the field, as he is extremely skilled at switching the play out to the wings, where Inter are strong.
“That said, Inter have recently been giving away something in defence, they’ve become a bit slow, and therefore Leao and Pulisic, with their qualities, could also cause problems for the league leaders.”
Milan have only lost two Serie A games this season, but their city rivals have been far more consistent, winning 22 league matches out of 27.
“Milan’s victory would keep the title race more alive, but for the good of our football, the neutral fan should, above all, hope for a match that is enjoyable, played at a high tempo, competitive, well refereed, with the game allowed to flow and without continuous interruptions,” concluded Capello.
“After all, we’re talking about first and second place in the standings, facing each other in a match broadcast in many countries abroad. It would be important to show that Italian football is high-quality and not boring to watch.”