CHAPTER 168: CHAPTER 142: THE ITALIAN NATIONAL DERBY IS COMING! BEAT JUVENTUS, DEFEAT TURIN!

Serie A Round 29, Inter Milan faces Empoli away.

Empoli is third from the bottom in the league.

Since the first round of this season, this team has been hovering between the last and third-last position, never leaving the relegation zone by even one spot.

In the second half of the league, such relegation-threatened teams are not easy to deal with, because the players will go all out to avoid relegation.

Once a team is relegated, according to contracts, the players’ salaries will be significantly reduced!

It’s a matter of money, and no player dares to slack off.

However, Mancini clearly has a knack for dealing with these relegation teams.

He fully exploited Empoli’s impatience to score at home.

Aren’t you eager to score? I’ll let you attack, exhaust your stamina first, and then I’ll take over.

Mancini not only continued using a rotating lineup, but he also rotated four players compared to the last round against Verona.

Tang Long, Icardi, and other key players were on the bench.

And surprisingly, fourth-placed Inter Milan adopted a defensive counter-attack approach right from the start against third-bottom Empoli at their home ground.

In Serie A, everyone understands one principle.

That is, once Mancini’s Inter Milan decides to bunker down, it’s not easy to score against them!

Empoli gave their all in the first half, bombarding Inter Milan amidst the cheers of 30,000 home fans, but they could never break down the opponent’s defense.

By the 65th minute of the second half, the score was still 0:0.

It wasn’t until then that Mancini made a grand gesture, sending in Tang Long and Icardi.

Once these two core players were on the field, Inter Milan immediately changed tactics, shifting from a defensive stance to taking the initiative.

In the 78th minute, the sugar-coated artillery fired a direct hit on Empoli!

This shot blasted their defenses wide open!

Still the familiar scenario.

Hernanes intercepted the opponent’s forward dribbling from the defensive midfield position and quickly passed the ball to Tang Long.

Almost in a flash, Tang Long had already predicted Icardi’s run.

Just like that, with his back to him, he lightly tapped the ball with his heel—

What a "no looking pass"!

The teammate was there!

Icardi then got an excellent one-on-one shot opportunity.

The ball arched over the advancing goalkeeper like a rainbow, landing precisely in the net.

Facing the booing fans, Icardi playfully put his hands around his ears, arrogantly celebrating with the wind-catching ear gesture!

This was Inter Milan’s 6th shot of the game, and Icardi’s only shot of the match.

Yet the 1:0 scoreline remained until the end of the match.

With such a result, it’s no wonder the Sky Sports commentator helplessly remarked:

"The game has come to a point where it’s actually not fun to watch!"

"On the Inter Milan side, it’s like no matter if it’s the 70th, 80th minute, or near the end of the game, they just manage to take you down."

"Even though Inter Milan played very ugly in this match, I have to say it was very practical. In the next round, that’s Round 30 of the league, they will face Juventus away."

"The most important two key players, Tang Long and Icardi, got ample rest time, only playing for about 20 minutes."

"Mancini’s rotation policy once again proved effective, showing what practical Italian pragmatic football truly is."

"Playing very ugly, but always able to win!"

This was the best summary of the match given by Milan Sports Daily.

In Empoli’s stands for this match was also a scout from Juventus.

Juventus, on their end, also takes this very seriously.

However, unlike Inter Milan, Juventus has long established its lead over Rome in the league.

For them, winning the Serie A title is just a matter of whether it’s three or four rounds early.

They’ve now shifted their main focus to the upcoming Champions League semifinals.

Juventus’ opponent is Real Madrid; they will compete in two-legged matches, home and away, for a place in the Champions League final.

On the other side, Barcelona will face Bayern.

Juventus, Real Madrid, Barça, and Bayern represent the top level of European football this season.

Having been runners-up in the Champions League six times but winning it only once, Juventus is eager to make a significant breakthrough in Europe this season.

However, coach Allegri does not wish to give Inter Milan three points at home.

From 2010 to 2014, he was AC Milan’s coach for four years.

In 2011, the first league title after Inter Milan’s treble-winning season was secured by Allegri leading AC Milan.

He considers himself a Milan man, with red and black blood flowing within him, and harbors great animosity towards the city rival, Inter Milan!

This season is also Allegri’s first full season after switching from AC Milan to Juventus.

He desperately needs a double strike against Inter Milan in the league!

Not only to seriously humiliate this former old rival but also to build greater prestige as Juventus’ coach.

Looking at Allegri’s remarks at the press conference after defeating Napoli, one can deduce his attitude towards the Serie A Round 30 derby!

"Saying our defeat of Napoli helped Inter Milan get three points, helping them better qualify for the Champions League?"

"No, no, no, Mr. Reporter, please don’t say that."

"Because I believe after the national derby, Napoli fans will thank us instead, for helping Napoli get three points."

"Inter Milan has never been a rival to Juventus, but, I don’t mind stepping on them again!"

Allegri was not wrong.

At least from recent league performances, Inter Milan indeed lags behind, with Juventus leaving them far behind.

These two teams seem like one struggling at 70 km/h on a country road, while the other is speeding at 120 km/h on the highway, leaving everyone in the dust.

Remember at the end of last season, Juventus’ points reached an astounding 102, setting a century-old Serie A points record!

Even surpassing Inter’s own historic record of 97 points from the 2006-2007 season.

While Inter ranked fifth, being left 42 points behind Juventus!

And on Juventus’ championship parade bus in Turin, the whole team held a huge "42 points" sign over their heads.

[Inter Milan, this is the distance between you and the Serie A champion!]

Such a gigantic performance gap brought immense emotional humiliation to all Inter fans.

And on the day before the big match, Juventus’ official account revisited history, putting last year’s championship bus banner right on the front page, pushing it to Juventus fans worldwide.

[42 points! This is the gap between Inter and Juventus!]

Seeing the arrogant stance of Juventus, every Inter Milan fan grinds their teeth in anger, almost biting through their molars.

But facts are facts, no one can change what has already happened.

The gap in strength between the two sides has existed from last season to this season.

However, like the Milan derby, the national derby has never been dictated by league rankings.

On the high-speed rail to Turin.

Mancini gave a speech in front of all Inter Milan players.

"I don’t care whether we lost to Juventus by 42 points, 52 points, or 62 points last season!"

"I don’t care if we rank third, fourth, fifth, or ninth this season!"

"The score is 0:0 before tomorrow’s match even starts!"

"Lads, if you have any guts left, kick them hard, wreck the goal guarded by Buffon!"

"I can’t wait to see Allegri get slapped in the face afterward; this guy was outplayed by me so many times during his player days, started off quite honest, but year after year as a coach, he’s become more arrogant. Lads, slap him hard, extinguish his arrogance!"

(United as one, Inter players take the high-speed train to Turin)