By Anna Italia
Follow me in Twitter  @ItalianSerieA

   Inter – AC Milan       

Countdown  for the Milan Derby!

Yep, guys, it’s the time to build up for the MILAN DERBY – il DERBY DELLA MADONNINA for this upcoming Italian Serie A Week 26 game, Inter v AC Milan to be played on Sunday 24 February at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium at 20:45.    Having said that, guys, I met two special fans.  Here I am with Azzan who is an avid Inter fan and Yaya who is a strong AC Milan fan too.   You cannot imagine how much fun we had discussing about the Milan Derby and the team having the best shot to win this one.  Ok, let me say it, guys.   Azzan making a point that on the first round on Week 7, Inter did win already the first challenge with the one goal by defender Walter Samuel. AC Milan 0 – 1 Inter.    Ok, Yaya and I admit it… he got this point, but as the saying goes, the ball is round and game has to be played.   The buildup is now strong as there is so much going on with the Milan Derby.   No doubt this is a game not to miss and will be followed by millions worldwide!   Can Milan win?  Yes!   Can Inter win?  Yes!   Can there be a draw?  Yes.  I invite you to watch the game and not even blink!

Here is the situation.  Absolutely, AC Milan coming super motivated to the game after the super smacking defeat against “great” FC Barcelona.  Are you kidding me guys!!!!   Almost everybody were predicting FC Barcelona to beat, crush, demolish AC Milan in San Siro.  Yet, hello, hello, hello, ding ding ding… surprise!   AC Milan proving everybody wrong by grabbing this important victory and even with Lionel Messi considered by many the top footballer.   The rossoneri practically “immobilized” Messi who was not able to make the difference and not even scoring a goal.  AC Milan 2 – 0 FC Barcelona.

So, Yaya saying that this time it will be AC Milan to win and beat Inter.   Adding fuel to the fire, there is the added punch with the latest transfer from the ex Inter player forward Mario Balotelli saying that if he scores against Inter he will celebrate, period.  On motivation, Inter are also energized after beating CFR in the away game and qualifying to the Europa League Round of 16, CFR Cluj 0 – 3 Inter.

Bam, guys, we will see a tough battle with these two top players.  MARIO BALOTELLI versus ANTONIO CASSANO!!!

Having said that, guys.  Inter will love to seek revenge and take back the third position from AC Milan.  There is only 1 point difference between both teams, AC Milan with 44 points and Inter with 43 points.  So you bet the victory means “a lot.”  For AC Milan to keep the race towards Champions League next season will be enough to win the game and keeping the third position.   For Inter, a disadvantage losing top scorer forward Diego Milito for injury the rest of the season.  Yet, they have a lethal weapon with the ex AC Milan player Antonio Cassano  who is more than energized to smack goals against his former team.
Serie A Standing BEFORE the game
AC Milan, 3rd position with 44 points and a positive goal difference of +13
Inter, 5th position with 43  points and a positive goal difference of +7

Seeing the stats on top scorer, let me say, that AC Milan taking the lead with a high crest!    Yep!  The Pharaoh El Shaarawy rocking big time.

Statistics.  Before the game up to Week 25.  Top scorer for INTER:  Forward Diego Milito with 9 goals
Top scorer for AC MILAN:  Forward Stephan El Shaarawy with 15 goals.

Take a look, guys,  even among the “ex”  It is Giampaolo Pazzini scoring more goals, so far, with AC Milan having scored 10 versus the 8 goals scored by Antonio Cassano.   As I told Azzan, my worst fear was Diego Milito as a decisive player, but I am not ruling out Rodrigo Palacio.  For AC Milan, the best shot, for the moment will be Balotelli scoring so far 4 goals, and very decisive goals for Milan since he transferred from Manchester City this January.  Ok, ding, ding, ding… I will say the duo El Shaarawy-Balotelli versus Inter duo Cassano-Palacio….

Azzan, Anna Italia, and Yaya all ready for the Milan Derby!!!!   Who is paying for the Pizza now?  or for Coffee?  Oh gosh, guys, and I still have to bet with our Juventus fans too!!!!

Fight no more guys.   The game will be played for 90 minutes…….

Here are latest stats from Panini Digital to legaseriea.it

THE LAST FIVE MATCHES
INTER – Roma-Inter 1-1, Inter-Torino 2-2, Siena-Inter 3-1, Inter-Chievo 3-1 e Fiorentina-Inter 4-1.
AC MILAN – Milan-Bologna 2-1, Atalanta-Milan 0-1, Milan-Udinese 2-1, Cagliari-Milan 1-1 e Milan-Parma 2-1.

THE FIVE MOST USED PLAYERS
INTER – Zanetti 2245 minutes, Handanovic 2198, Ranocchia 2095, Cambiasso 1910, Juan Jesus 1802.
AC MILAN – El Shaarawy 2068 minutes, Montolivo 1888, Abbiati 1519, Boateng 1508, De Sciglio 1486.

ASSIST TABLE
Cassano 50, Boateng 30, El Shaarawy 29, Palacio 25, Guarin 21, Bojan 21, Cambiasso 20.
GOAL SCORING ASSISTS – Cassano 7, Cambiasso 5, Milito 4, Abate 3, Palacio 3, Boateng 2, De Sciglio 2.

SHOTS AND GOALS
SHOTS – El Shaarawy 72, Boateng 70, Guarin 63, Milito 48, Palacio 42, Pazzini 37, Montolivo 35.
GOALS – El Shaarawy 15, Pazzini 10, Milito 9, Cassano 7, Palacio 7, Balotelli 4, Guarin 4.

INTER STATISTICS
POSSESSION: 27:05 minutes per game
SHOTS ON GOAL: 5.4
BALLS PLAYED: 587.4
PASSES COMPLETED: 67,4%
TERRITORIAL SUPREMACY: 11:34 minutes spent in the adversary’s half
DANGER INDEX: 56,7%

MILAN STATISTICS
POSSESSION: 29:04 minutes per game, (Milan top team in the league).
SHOTS ON TARGET: 6.4
BALLS PLAYED: 637.4
PASSES COMPLETED: 69.8%
TERRITORIAL SUPREMACY: 13:06 minutes spent in the adversary’s half
DANGER INDEX: 59.6%
(Source: Panini Digital for legaseriea.it)

Here are the 23 AC MILAN official called up players by coach Massimiliano Allegri for the Derby della Madonnina, the Italian Serie A Week 26 game, INTER v AC MILAN to be played on Sunday 24 February 2013 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy at 20:45.

Goalkeepers:  Christian Abbiati, Marco Amelia, Gabriel,

Defenders:  Ignazio Abate, Luca Antonini, De Sciglio, Philippe Mexes, Salamon (N14), Mario Yepes, Cristian Zaccardo, Zapata,

Midfielders:  Massimo Ambrosini, Kevin Prince Boateng, Constant, Riccardo Montolivo, Sulley Muntari, Antonio Nocerino, Traorè,

Forwards:  Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkic, Stephan El Shaarawy, Niang, Giampaolo Pazzini.

Here are the official called up players from INTER by coach Andrea Stramaccioni for the Milan Derby against AC Milan.

to be added

Will Inter fan Azzan beat AC Milan fan Yaya and Inter winning?   Will it be a draw?

Is it the other way around?    Will AC Milan fan Yaya beat Inter fan Azzan and win the game?

By the way, guys, referee for this game is Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni and I hope there will be no heavy wrongful decisions, but a fair game.

Related articles:

–  Photos: Inter Training, Saturday 23 February 2013, Preparing MILAN DERBY, Italian Serie A Week 26 on February 24, 2013

–  Photos, AC Milan training Friday 22 February 2013, Preparing Serie A Week 26 for Milan Derby

– “Winning or losing a derby can affect you psychologically,” Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni

I am ready for the Milan Derby ….. pass the popcorn, the snacks…   Let’s roll the ball………..

2012 – 2013 Italian Serie A – Week  26

Inter – AC Milan
Sunday 24 February 2013
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium
Milan, Italy
20:45

Referee:  MAZZOLENI
Assistants:  NICCOLAI – GIORDANO
Fourth Official:   MAGGIANI
ADD1: BANTI
ADD2: GERVASONI

MILAN – FC Internazionale president Erick Thohir spoke to reporters at the Stadio Meazza in the build-up to tonight’s match against Napoli.

This is what the president said:

How long will it take to complete the negotiations with the banks?
"The process could take one month or three months because at the end they would like to understand the new concepts of the business. We have a new business plan that Mr Moratti and myself are looking forward to implementing. It’s good for Inter and it’s good for the fans. For example, from my last visit to Madrid I think they implement the same model I view as ideal. It’s amazing what they do. To compete against a club as big as that we need to follow the same models, we need to be more competitive on the business side, on the budgeting side, on the playing side, in everything."

Moratti recently said that Mourinho could return to Inter one day. Do you agree?
"Well, I think the most important thing right now is that we have a good coach. Mr Moratti also said that we have a good coach. We have a commitment with him that lasts several years so we have to stay loyal but we also need to have results. That’s why yesterday when I went to the Pinetina and met all the players I told them all that we need to focus on the last four games."

What do you want to see tonight?
“We want to win! Because in these last four games we need to get as many points as we can."

What forward will join next summer?
"We need to complete the squad. There are discussions between the sporting director, myself, the management and the coach, because we need to add here and there. The most important thing right now is that we complete the season. We want to build a stronger team."

MILAN – "I look at the performance, and in the first half we played
a great game. I’m sorry we didn’t score. In the second half we had a physical decline,
and let’s not forget the emergency situation we had today," stated
Nerazzurri coach Walter Mazzarri to journalists at the San Siro after Inter v
Napoli.

"Icardi? He can leave the pitch as he pleases. I was urging him and Palacio
on, then when Napoli put on a midfielder I had to do the same because we risked
letting in a goal. He told me, ‘I was in it and I did what I could,’ but it was
just a simple exchange between us."

More to follow