The Derby della Madonnina is upon us once again and as we analyse both clubs’ seasons, so far, they couldn’t appear more different; even though they are separated by a mere point. Milan have surged up the table into third, after an excellent run of form, whereas Inter have slumped to fourth following a relative dip.
And nothing encapsulates the mood emanating from both camps more than the feelings surrounding the two captains, Alessio Romagnoli and Mauro Icardi (though, in Icardi’s case, he is now former captain).
On the one hand, you have Romagnoli. A man finally stepping up as a fully-fledged leader. A man who has been a stalwart in the heart of the Milan defence this season. A man whose performances have been key in dragging them up the table. So much so, he’s attracting interest from the likes of Juventus, Chelsea and Manchester United.
“I won’t put a price tag on him because otherwise someone will come along and offer that amount of money,” said coach Gennaro Gattuso when asked to value his captain. “He’s not actually a good player, this way no one will bid for him.”
This tongue-in-cheek retort shows just how highly the young Italian is valued at Milan and with the prospect of Champions League football on the horizon, too, it’s doubtful Romagnoli would be keen to leave.
After a few years in the wilderness, the Rossoneri finally look to be making strides in the right direction and their captain is providing a solid base from which they can build. A brilliant example, on and off the pitch.
Contrastingly, however, things over in the blue half of the city seem a little more toxic. The ever-recurring saga that is the ‘Icardi situation’ has reared its ugly head once more. Without repeating the details which have been plastered all over the sports pages for the last few weeks, once again Icardi and his wife, Wanda Nara, find themselves at odds with both the club and the supporters.
Before the start of the season, there was a lot of optimism surrounding the Nerazzurri. They looked as if they had made some shrewd signings, plugged some key gaps and appeared as if they could kick on from the previous season. But this has not happened. Instead, they have stuttered and spluttered and now their on-field exploits are taking a back seat as everyone waits to see how the situation with the Argentine unfolds.
From an outsider looking in, it appears this is one dramatic fall out too many. Undoubtedly, he can be a talisman on the pitch through his performances, but with the soap opera that seems to follow him off it, a parting of the ways seems beneficial.
Though he claims to have nothing but the club’s best interests at heart, it is striking that it is always he who is the focus of the drama. Yes, he is and a fantastic player and yes, he can make the difference, but it’s getting to a point now where moving on to pastures new would probably be best for both parties.
After writing this, it’s almost inevitable that Icardi will be reintroduced into the side and will capitalise on a Romagnoli mistake to score a last-gasp winner to kick Inter into gear and send Milan into a spiral of decline. And all will be forgotten… well, actually, maybe not this time.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com