Arrigo Sacchi calls Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram a ‘perfect pair’ and praised Dusan Vlahovics’ performance against Roma. The former Milan coach spoke with La Gazzetta dello Sport about the title race between Juventus and Inter, and offered his assessment of the two sides at the halfway point of the season:
An important victory for Juve against Roma, the gap has shortened in the standings.
“I would say, first of all, a deserved victory. In a match that was dominated by speculative and lacklustre football, the Bianconeri did something more than Roma”.
Did you like Vlahovic?
“He fought, he moved a lot, he participated in the manoeuvres. Bravo.”
Is the solidity of Allegri’s defence a guarantee also in perspective?
“At the back they don’t concede an inch to the opponents. Always concentrated and always alert. It must be said that Roma facilitated them because they attacked little and badly. Lukaku touched few balls and Dybala was not brilliant.”
It is as if Juve said to Inter: ‘We are here as well’.
“They are there, the Bianconeri. And how are they there? I believe that great feats are born from three fundamental components: team spirit, strong motivation and play. Juve has the first two qualities, the game is still missing.
How do you rate Inter’s draw at Marassi against Genoa? It’s a setback.
“It’s not like you can always win. Inter found a very determined opponent, who ran and pressed. A difficult match on a difficult pitch. I don’t consider it a slowdown. If anything, you have to be careful of the ups and downs, the discontinuity that characterised the path of Inzaghi’s team last season. But now I don’t think the danger is there’.
Without Lautaro, however, he struggles. And Thuram also seems to suffer from the Argentine’s absence.
“With Genoa, Thuram seemed less brilliant than usual, but Arnautovic did well. I don’t think Lautaro will be out forever, so the problem is nipped in the bud. Of course, the Thuram-Lautaro pair is perfect because the Frenchman complements the Argentine. Thuram is quick, he does a lot of movement, he’s good with his head: he’s integrated great and participates. He’s a very intelligent striker, just what was needed’.
Inter will have more commitments than Juve, starting with the challenges for the Italian Super Cup in January.
“This is the real handicap for the Nerazzurri. They play a lot, in my opinion they play too much and there is little time to recover and train. Simone Inzaghi will have to manage his energies carefully, both physical and psychological. First of all to avoid injuries, and then to give that right break when he sees that a player is a bit tired. Juve, without the cups, have a great advantage in the Scudetto sprint, which will presumably experience its decisive period at the start of the spring.
Allegri can work calmly all week and have fresh men.
“It’s just like that. He has the chance to try and try again, to charge the batteries, to motivate the team. When you’re involved in both the league and the Champions League, you have a hard time going from one commitment to the other. I believe that not participating in the European cups can give you an extra 10 points.
Can the January market affect the duel?
“In January it is difficult to find special players. If you have to buy someone, look at what he is like from a character point of view. He must be a generous, willing, serious athlete. If he’s good with his feet, but doesn’t have the right head, what can I do with him?”.
Inter’s strong point?
“I’ll say two: technique and experience. I really like the Nerazzurri’s midfield because the players integrate perfectly. When Calhanoglu is there, the ball travels fast.”
And the weak point?
“He doesn’t always manage to give rhythm to his game. And rhythm, in modern football, is fundamental. And then Inzaghi’s boys know little about pressing.”
Juve’s strong point?
“The team spirit, which they had somewhat lost in recent seasons, and the strong motivation. The group has mature players who commit themselves to the maximum and drag the younger ones along. As a team, the Bianconeri are more intense than Inter: perhaps they have less quality of play, but certainly more collective spirit’.
The weak point?
“In the offensive phase they always rely on individual qualities and almost never on the choral manoeuvre. Here there is ample room for improvement’.
