GdS: Milan ‘international’ as Inter rely on Italian block – the changing squads compared

AC Milan and Inter will contest the derby on Sunday night, a fixture that has a global feel despite being very much Italy’s flagship game.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, Milan-Inter is also a matter of ‘blocks’. The Nerazzurri’s side flies the Italian flag. Aside from any changes to the line-up, Chivu’s side is preparing to take the field with four Italians as starters (Bastoni, Dimarco, Barella and Esposito).

Allegri, however, is expected field a 100% international XI. With Bartesaghi a doubt at the moment and Gabbia injured, the only Azzurri available are Terracciano, Pittarella and Ricci, all of whom are expected to start on the bench.

Inter will have Di Gennaro, Darmian, Acerbi and Frattesi in reserve. The latter could get playing time. It’s a far cry from 20 years ago, when the Rossoneri had an Italian block and Inter favoured imported players. It is different times in the league too: last season, Serie A boasted 68% foreign players.

How times change

Let’s take the 2002-03 Champions League semi-finals and those twenty years later. Cuper’s Inter, in the first leg, fielded five Italians from the start: Toldo, Coco, Materazzi, Cannavaro and Di Biagio. Fontana was the second goalkeeper. Pasquale was among the three substitutes.

Milan had six: Costacurta, Nesta, Maldini, Gattuso, Brocchi and Inzaghi, with Abbiati on the bench. Pirlo missed the first leg. In the return leg, however, he started (with Ambrosini and Fiori as substitutes). Inter’s Coco was out and Cristiano Zanetti was in.

Twenty years later, the pattern has reversed, because this time Inter have an Italian block. In the first leg of the 2023 Champions League semi-final, won 2-0 by Simone Inzaghi’s team, Inter started with Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Barella and Dimarco. On the bench were Cordaz, Gagliardini, Bellanova, D’Ambrosio, and Zanotti.

Milan had Gabbia and Tonali, with Lapo Nava, Mirante, Gabbia and Pobega available as substitutes. In the second leg, more or less the same (Zanotti out for Inter, Florenzi in for Milan). The Inter block now flies the Italian flag.

It is a far cry from ten years ago, in February 2016, when Mancini fielded an all-foreign eleven, losing the derby 3-0 to Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side that featured Donnarumma, Abate, Romagnoli, Antonelli, Montolivo, Bonaventura, Balotelli and Bertolacci, with De Sciglio, Calabria and Poli on the bench.

Inter’s only Italian players were Berni and D’Ambrosio. Now the roster has been reversed. With Allegri at the helm and links to players like Moise Kean, Retegui, Palestra and more, could the Rossoneri be set for an Azzurri surge?