After a dire first half at Signal Iduna Park, Dimarco scored with a wonderful free-kick with 10 minutes remaining - a goal that momentarily put Inter into the top eight of the table. But, by the time Diouf netted a late second, Inter had already slipped to 10th, and they will now face either Bodo/Glimt or Benfica - whose goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin dramatically scored a 98th-minute goal in a 4-2 win over Real Madrid to keep them in the competition - in the play-offs.
Talking about the match, [it was] two strong teams who did everything to win. There's disappointment for having taken the lead twice, but it's not easy against a strong team. Credit must be given to our opponents, who did everything to equalise and then also to win. I take home the attitude and the desire to always go forward, perhaps sometimes overdoing it.
Maybe we didn't deserve to be here, but we're taking advantage of the new format. Usually, the Italian champions and the Coppa Italia champions are playing. They've given us and Milan a gift. We'll play our best. We have to play game after game with desire and determination. Head-to-head matches? We have to give our all, because no one gives us anything. We come out winners or losers, but we come out with our heads held high after putting in all our effort.
Marco Palestra's growth has not gone unnoticed in Serie A, and AC Milan are among the teams interested in signing him. The Cagliari full-back is continuing to deliver strong performances and show evident quality, and given that he is just 20 years of age, there is a lot of potential there too. As reported by Corriere della Sera (via Tribuna), all the big Italian clubs are ready to battle for the Italian.
There is a lot on the line in the first Milan derby of the season, but that in itself is something that should be celebrated. La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) speaks about the essence of tonight's derby with a simple phrase: whoever wins takes the city. Inter can extend their lead to five points over Milan, the Rossoneri can overtake them by a point. But there's much more at stake than the Navigli.
"Yes, Milan is the team where I've been happiest. It was my first derby as a starter and the atmosphere was special. And then I made that promise... If I score a brace, I'll walk home." "No, Inter equalised in injury time, I would have only gone if we had won." "No, not fear, it's a feeling of happiness because you're part of something you saw on TV as a child. You're proud to have gotten there."
I recommended Thiago Silva to Galliani and Braida, and the latter fell in love with him. He already had a pre-contract with Inter, and Villarreal were also interested in the player, but we spoke to him and he chose Milan in five minutes. He was won over by the club's prestige and the idea of ​​developing alongside someone like Nesta. In hindsight, I'd say he did well, with all due respect to his Nerazzurri cousins...
Yesterday, AC Milan and Inter paid the first instalment and signed the deed for San Siro; it is theirs, and now the work begins. There is a lot that can be said about the new San Siro, but the main feeling is excitement to see the new home of the clubs. Of course, a move like this is a massive one, and it must be done right. However, with Norman Foster and David Manica leading, it has significant promise.
