Former Inter and Milan striker Christian Vieri doesn’t believe either side is a clear favourite for the Supercoppa Italiana. The two sides will face off in a Milan derby to be played in Saudi Arabia, and in an interview to Corriere dello Sport (via FCInter1908) the former Italy striker previewed the game as he sees it:
“I expect the strikers to be decisive, they’re the ones who have to score goals. Also because between Dzeko, Lautaro, Leao, Giroud and whoever else can come on during the game, you’re spoiled for choice.”
Lukaku will still be out. What is his real importance, given the differences between his first and second experience at Inter?
“This year he practically never played. And it’s difficult for me to evaluate him or make comparisons, having hardly ever seen him on the pitch. In the victory against Napoli, however, Lukaku was in the pits, but Inter played equally well and this is a good sign for Inzaghi. It means that the team does not depend on its top player.”
How worrying are Milan’s latest missteps?
“Stefano Pioli is an intelligent coach, he will have already projected the team towards the next challenges by focusing on the psychological aspect. The group is valuable, as demonstrated by the feat they did last year in Serie A. It’s not like if you do badly for a couple of games it’s all a waste. Bad spells are part of football, the real problem is how performance is perceived on the outside.”
Inter are the favourites, according to bookmakers. Do you share that view?
“No, in these matches and between teams of this caliber, we start on an equal footing. The difference will be made by those who manage to keep up with the game, not the individuals. Because in football, if you improve your game, it’s easier to win more games. Whatever happens, it will be a show, a Milan derby with a full stadium and the whole world watching us.”
To what extent are Milan’s many absences an extenuating factor?
“We don’t need to cling to injuries because all the big names have paid the price. I’m thinking of Vlahovic, Lukaku, Maignan, Osimhen, Dybala and so on. If you have a tested system and if you have worked well in building the team, you are still able to express real values. However, that of Milan remains an extreme case, given the exaggerated number of injuries.”
