In the first round of the 20052006 Serie A season, the Milan derby was played by Inter Milan. Therefore, on this night, the stadium was called Stadio Meazza.
The stadium was built on September 19, 1926. On March 3, 1980, in honor of the famous Italian player Giuseppe Meazza, who played for Milan in the 1930s and 1940s, the Milan city government officially named the stadium Giuseppe Meazza. Stadio Meazza. However, the AC Milan fans still insisted on calling the stadium San Siro. Therefore, when people mentioned the San Siro stadium, they referred to AC Milan, and when they mentioned the Stadio Meazza, they referred to Inter Milan.
This historic stadium had hosted many heavyweight events. During the 1990 World Cup in Italy, it hosted six games and hosted three UEFA Champions League finals in 1965, 1970, and 2001.
Another reason for its long history was the aging of the equipment. The soundproofing of the Stadio Meazza was not very good. In the locker room, even if the door was closed, one could still faintly hear the singing and roaring coming from the stands. If one felt it carefully, one could also feel the slight tremor of the floor.
The TV screen in the locker room was playing a music video. It was different from the passionate and hot-blooded sports music played during some important games in the past. Today, Li Ang chose to play a song by the new Latin diva Shakira. This was Shakira's first English album, Fijacional Vol. 1.
Previously, when Banderas asked him what songs to play today, Li Ang casually said not to play those hot-blooded songs. Later, Banderas came to report that it was all hot-blooded songs and nothing else.
Li Ang slapped his head and remembered that Shakira had brought the signed album with Alice. He had casually thrown it in his briefcase.
That was why Shakira's song was playing in the home team's locker room at Meazza.
The players looked up at the television screen from time to time as they changed their jerseys. The song was very nice, and the sexy girl in the music video made the players' eyes light up.
The game against AC Milan was a game that did not require any mobilization. Li Ang could feel that the players were like taut strings. Therefore, before the game, he made an exception and chose to give the players an appropriate amount of pressure.
*****
Li Ang motioned to Banderas to turn down the volume of the television. Then he clapped his hands and the players immediately quieted down.
"Our match against AC Milan is a match that I don't need to mobilize. So I'll make it short. "Li Ang coughed and cleared his throat. "Therefore, I'm not worried about your passion and fighting spirit in this match. What I'm worried about is that your passion and fighting spirit will go overboard."
The players looked at each other. Some of them did not understand why the manager said that. The match against AC Milan was the Milan Derby. The whole team was excited and went all out. Wasn't that just scolding each other?
"It's good to have passion, but you can't win in football with passion alone! My request for you in this match is that you can have passion in your hearts. Your fighting spirit is impeccable! However, you have to do this. I need you to keep your heads calm at all times. Play football intelligently and don't be controlled by your emotions. "
"Therefore, before this match, I didn't think about how to stimulate you because your passion for battle no longer needs to be fueled. Therefore, I thought about how to reduce your pressure. Previously, when I was thinking about how to reduce your pressure, I thought that maybe I needed to say to you: Don't worry, just play like an ordinary league match. However, I immediately rejected that because it's impossible. Our opponent is AC Milan. That's a fact! This is the Milan Derby! That's a fact! Every one of us knows what kind of opponent they are. If I really say, let's face AC Milan like a normal Serie A match, let's play like this! You will definitely think that I'm not trustworthy as a manager and that my words are unreliable. Because this is destined to be an unusual match. This is the Milan Derby. Whether it's for us or for our opponent, it's a special match! Therefore, for this match, for this Milan derby, for this Milan derby! I'm telling you sincerely … "
"Please keep the passion in your hearts, keep your heads clear, and your feet more powerful!"
"This is my request for you! Do this! Defeat AC Milan and step on their bodies to announce our victory. The Christmas holiday is coming. This is the best Christmas present for ourselves. "
"Well, guys, I'm done. The rest is up to you!" After that, Li Yundong said. Li Ang clapped his hands and opened the door to the locker room.
The players stood up and all of them filed out under the leadership of their captain, Zanetti.
Their expressions were serious and their steps were firm.
However, they did not let their emotions get to their heads. The manager was right. They had to be calm and smart to face the match and welcome victory!
*****
"This is the penultimate match before the winter break. Both Inter Milan and AC Milan are bound to win because a draw would be a failure for both of them. If that's the case, both Inter Milan and AC Milan will only get one point. If Juventus wins this round of the league, then Juventus will lead Inter Milan by three points and AC Milan by seven points. This is unacceptable for both teams aiming to win the championship, so I don't think both teams will choose to draw. Whether it's Li Ang or Ancelotti, their goal is very clear — victory. This will also lay a good foundation for the start of the second half of the league. "
Before the match started, Sky TV's commentator, Ferrari, was analyzing the impact of the result of this match on the competition for the league title.
"We've just got the starting list of both teams. Whether it's Li Ang or Ancelotti, they chose to announce the starting list at the last minute, which shows that they are very cautious … Before the game, there was a rumor from AC Milan that Filippo Inzaghi would return from his injury. However, from the list we got, Inzaghi did not appear in the team's main list. He will continue to be injured. "
"For AC Milan … the goalkeeper is the Brazilian Dida. The defensive line from left to right is Serginho, Kaladze, Nesta, and Stam. The midfield is Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, and Kaka. The forward line is the combination of Gilardino and Shevchenko. "
"For Inter Milan, the goalkeeper is the Brazilian César. In the rear defensive line, the left-back is Evra. The center-back combination is Samuels and Materazzi. The right-back is Zanetti. The midfield is the combination of Carlos, Modric, Mata, and Luis Figo. The forward line is Ronaldo and Agüero. There are two changes in this lineup from the previous games. That is, Materazzi has replaced Cordoba as the starting center-back. Materazzi's header ability is excellent. Li Ang let him start in this game to guard against AC Milan's high balls. The other change is that Agüero has replaced Adriano. The Brazilian has been in a goalscoring drought recently. The Argentine young player has been in excellent form recently. Agüero's characteristics are his speed, sharp attacks, and excellent footwork skills. In the previous games, Agüero, Ronaldo, Mata, and the other players have a better understanding of each other, especially before Ronaldo. The unique understanding between the South American players will definitely help Inter Milan at critical moments. "
When the starting lineup of both teams was introduced on TV, the players of both teams were lined up in the tunnel of the Meazza Stadium, waiting to enter the stadium.
"Guys. Let's go! "Javier Zanetti, who was wearing the captain's armband, turned his head and shouted to his teammates behind him.
At the same time, the captain of AC Milan, Shevchenko, also waved his hand. "Guys, it's time to play!"
In the deafening cheers, the players of Inter Milan and AC Milan filed out and stepped onto the steps leading to the stadium.
"They're out!" Everyone in the stands, in the TV broadcast booth, and in front of the TV shouted.
Inter Milan wore their traditional blue and black striped jerseys, while AC Milan wore their traditional red and black striped jerseys. The players of both teams walked into the stadium with their heads held high. The much-anticipated Milan Derby was about to begin.
At this time, Inter Milan and AC Milan were both top powerhouses, especially AC Milan, who could be said to be a super powerhouse at this time. Although Inter Milan's championship honor was not as glorious as AC Milan's, the fame and number of star players were not to be outdone.
It was not an exaggeration to describe the atmosphere in the stadium as fanatical. The game had not yet started, but the fans in the stands were already lighting fireworks. The entire stadium was like a battlefield.
*****
Li Ang stood in front of the technical area with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a white shirt, trousers, and a suit. Li Ang was in a suit today. He did not like to wear ties, but today, he especially wore one.
Not for anything else, but because today's game was the Milan Derby!
The night in Milan in December was already a little cold. The game had not yet started, but his palms were sweating.
People would sweat when they were excited, agitated, nervous, and scared.
For the Inter Milan manager, no game could be more important than the Milan Derby. For the current Inter Milan manager, Li Ang, who grew up watching the Serie A games on CCTV Sports Channel, had a special feeling for the Serie A league. The Milan Derby had a special meaning in his perception.
The young man who used to watch the Serie A games in front of the television was now the manager of Inter Milan. He was the famous Young Marshal of Serie A, and he was now in the technical area of the Milan Derby, directing the game.
*****
The game had begun.
Li Ang sat in the technical area. He stared at the field, but his mind was thinking quickly.
AC Milan's lineup today was 4-3-2!
AC Milan (4-3-1-2): 1 – Di Da, 31 – Stam, 13 – Nesta, 4 – Kaladze, 27 – Serginho, 8 – Gattuso, 21 – Pirlo, 20 – Seedorf, 22 – Kaka, 11 – Gilardino, 7 – Shevchenko.
When he saw Ancelotti's starting lineup, Li Ang laughed in his heart. His argument with AC Milan before the game had finally worked.
Berlusconi was obviously enraged. He had been urging Ancelotti to play with two strikers, but Ancelotti had never listened. And in such an important game like the Milan Derby, it seemed that Ancelotti could not withstand the pressure from Berlusconi.
This was a very aggressive lineup.
It was not only because Gilardino and Shevchenko were in the starting lineup together, but also because in the midfield, Pirlo, Seedorf, and Kaka were all offensive players. Pirlo's defensive ability was not good, Seedorf played a little casually and lazily, and almost did not return to defend, and Kaka was the arrowhead of AC Milan's offense.
The defensive task of the entire midfield was on Gattuso alone …
Not only in the midfield, but also in the rear defensive line.
AC Milan's choice of left center back and left back was Kaladze and Serginho, which made Li Ang overjoyed. Kaladze's form this season could only be said to be average, but it could not be said to be terrible. Playing as a left back was still acceptable. However, in today's game, Ancelotti arranged for Kaladze to play as a left center back. Of course, there was no problem in itself. Kaladze could play as a left center back, and sometimes his performance was relatively good.
The biggest impact of Kaladze playing as a left center back was who would play as a left back? Between Jankulovski and Serginho, Ancelotti chose the latter. Obviously, this might have been influenced by Li Ang's previous comments. Ancelotti chose Serginho, who was strong in offense but weak in defense, to start as a left back. In fact, Serginho had always been a player that AC Milan's boss, Berlusconi, admired very much. Many years later, Berlusconi said in an interview that it was very difficult to forget Serginho's excellent performance.
With Serginho playing as a left back, AC Milan's offense would become sharp. However, there was a problem. His partner on the left side was Seedorf. In Li Ang's view, Serginho was a representative player who was strong in offense but weak in defense. He had carefully studied Serginho's games this season and noticed that Serginho's one-on-one defense was average, and he often lost his position in team defense. His specialty was passing from the flanks. However, when the opponent's position was attacking and counterattacking, Serginho's loss of position would give the opponent more opportunities to play the ball comfortably without interference from the flanks. Serginho was strong in offense but weak in defense. Often, after being pressed out, he could not return. Even if he returned, his defensive ability was average. This also allowed Inter Milan's veteran, Figo, to have many chances to pass. This also exposed another hidden danger of AC Milan!
This was: Tita's weakness in defending against side passes from the high altitude would be exposed.
From the moment Li Ang started to argue with AC Milan like a mad dog, this was a chain trap!
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