Inter – Milan: The Sweetest Way to End the Rivals’ Treble Dream (0 – 3)

Milan secured a place in the Coppa Italia final after delivering a perfect performance that showcased the full potential of the team. From the game plan to the intensity maintained throughout the match, the Rossoneri proved to be the better team on the pitch, capitalizing on the opportunities they created.

Tactical analysis and match report by Agostino Dosselli.

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It hasn’t been an easy week for Inter. Following their qualification for the Champions League semifinals, Orsolini’s last-minute half-volley led to a defeat that allowed Napoli to narrow the gap in the title race. Furthermore, the mourning period for the Pope’s death caused their subsequent match against Roma to be postponed by a day, reducing recovery time before their first clash with Barcelona.

Milan, on the other hand, is enduring a baffling season that has left the team in ninth place in the league, facing a very real possibility of missing out on European competitions next year. However, over the past three matches, the manager appears to have resolved the dilemma of which formation and personnel to use, opting for a 3-4-3 setup that maximizes the strengths of several key players.

Inzaghi continues to meticulously manage the energy levels of the players who remain uninjured. For this match, he introduced several changes compared to recent line-ups. Josep Martinez started as goalkeeper, with a defensive trio composed of Alessandro Bastoni, Stefan de Vrij, and Yann Bisseck. In midfield, Kristjan Asllani took on the role of playmaker, supported by Nicolo Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as wing-halves. On the flanks, Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco operated as wingbacks, while the striking duo featured captain Lautaro Martinez alongside Mehdi Taremi, whose season so far has been rather underwhelming.

For the third match in a row, the starting eleven remained unchanged. Captain Mike Maignan stood as goalkeeper, with Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, and Strinja Pavlovic forming the defensive back three. The midfield featured a double pivot comprising Youssouf Fofana and Tijani Reijnders, while Alex Jimenez and Theo Hernandez operated as wingbacks. Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic provided support to Luka Jović, who has now firmly established himself as the first-choice striker.

Milan’s tactical adjustment against Inter’s build-up

Throughout the week, the biggest doubts revolved around Milan’s midfield and the concern that, with their new system, they could easily find themselves at a numerical disadvantage against Inter’s trio of midfielders.

To address this issue, Sergio Conceição opted for a 4-4-2 pressing setup, with Pulisic joining Jović in the first line of pressure, aiming to man-mark the opponent’s playmaker, Asllani. This approach restored balance in the centre of the pitch, while Jimenez pushed higher to the midfield line to limit Bastoni’s ball progression. This left Tomori to deal with Dimarco, whose pace was considerably slower than the English defender’s.

As a result, Inter struggled to achieve clear and smooth progression, relying heavily on Lautaro’s ability to drop deep, though this came at the cost of removing their best striker from dangerous areas.

Once Inter advanced into the final third, Jimenez dropped back into the defensive line, transforming the team’s shape into a compact 5-4-1.

Transitions as the key weapon for both teams

The game maintained a high tempo throughout the entire first half, with the referee stopping play only when absolutely necessary. This approach allowed both teams to create their best chances during transitions, although their strategies differed.

Milan focused on moving the ball as quickly as possible to the flanks, where Leão often found himself in isolated 1v1 situations against Bisseck, who managed to contain well the Portuguese international.

Inter, on the other hand, looked for the space left in the middle of the park, allowing their midfielders and strikers ample room to advance.

Thanks to that space, Inter managed to create their best chance. De Vrij intercepted the ball and quickly passed it to Lautaro, who dropped deep, drawing Pavlovic out of position. After making the pass, De Vrij continued his run into the space created by the striker’s movement, acting as a decoy to the defensive line. The ball was then played from Lautaro to Barella, who immediately sent it forward to Taremi in behind. The Iranian international won his duel against the defender and headed the ball back into the space between the defensive and the midfield line, with Milan midfielders being slow to recover their positions. Lautaro positioned himself there perfectly, controlled the ball with his chest, and attempted a strike with the outside of his foot, similar to his goal against Bayern Munich. However, this time, the ball sailed over the bar.

Fig.1 Inter transition that led to Lautaro’s attempt

Milan’s overload of the right flank before switching to the left

Milan, on the other hand, had a clear strategy to stretch Inter’s defensive block and identify where to find free players and gain the biggest advantages.

In fact, they recognized a notable mismatch between Theo Hernandez and Darmian, particularly when the French wingback could receive the ball dynamically. To exploit this, they often overloaded the right side first, using the striker or Pulisic as a dropping player to receive passes directly from the defence. With their back to goal, the player would immediately lay the ball off to the wingback cutting inside, while one of the midfielders moved into the space behind the dropping player. Once the wingback received the ball, they could quickly switch play to the opposite flank or find the midfielder exploiting the open space.

Fig.2 Milan’s progression through the right side

Following this pattern, Milan scored their first goal in the 36th minute.

After the ball reached the left flank, it was moved back to the right through a quick combination between the midfielders. Here, Jimenez found plenty of time to prepare a cross to the far post, where Jović had timed his run perfectly.
The ball landed precisely, leaving the Serbian striker with the straightforward task of directing his header into the back of the net.

Milan doubled their lead at the beginning of the second half

With their first shot on target, Milan took the lead, putting Inter under heavy pressure to find a way to equalize while risking exposure to quick counterattacks. Milan, equipped with some of the league’s best players in transitions, such as Hernandez, Pulisic, and Leão, capitalized on this advantage.

Just five minutes into the second half, Milan delivered the decisive blow, scoring again through Jović.
This time, the Serbian striker seized the opportunity from a ball that wasn’t properly cleared and remained loose at the edge of the penalty box.

Inter’s attempts to reopen the contest

Following the second goal, Inzaghi made four immediate substitutions in an effort to revitalize a team that appeared to be lacking mental energy more than physical stamina.

These changes triggered Inter’s most dynamic phase of the game, taking advantage of Milan’s slight complacency after securing a two-goal lead and generating at least three significant opportunities that could have reignited the contest.

The first chance came from Lautaro’s header, though it was too central to trouble the goalkeeper. For the first time in the match, Inter managed to find a player free on the last defensive line, with Frattesi exploiting the space between Hernandez and Pavlovic.

The second opportunity arose two minutes later, this time from a set-piece, a reliable tool the team has often used to score during challenging moments this season. On this occasion, the header was well-directed, but Maignan executed a brilliant save, diving to intercept the ball just before it crossed the line.

The third chance fell to Arnautović, who missed it by mere inches. He slided in to connect with a ball headed by Frattesi, that crossed the entire penalty box.

Milan third goal sends the devil to heaven

Despite those three big chances, Milan remained in control of the match, consistently showcasing their threat through counterattacks.

Five minutes before the final whistle, the team scored their third goal. As in the first goal, the play started on the right side, where Tomori once again found the striker dropping short to receive and laying off to a nearby teammate. The ball was then switched to the left, where Leão and Reijnders found themselves in a 2v2 situation. The Dutch midfielder made a well-timed run in behind to latch onto a perfectly placed through ball before slotting it into the back of the net with his left foot.

With Inter supporters beginning to vacate the stands, the referee signalled the end of the match, and with it, the end of Inter’s dream of achieving their second treble in the club history.

Takeaways

Inter must gather all their remaining energy and put this week behind them as quickly as possible. Their upcoming fixtures against Roma and Barcelona are crucial for the other two competitions in which the team is still contending. Tonight’s match once again provided a clear takeaway: the new signings have failed to make a meaningful impact, with the team capable of playing its best football only when all the starters are on the pitch.

Milan, on the other hand, demonstrated what the team is truly capable of when the players are fully focused and committed on the pitch. The game plan was executed flawlessly, and the team capitalized clinically on the opportunities they created. Securing Europa League qualification now depends on winning this competition, and the club must meticulously plan for next season to ensure the mistakes of this year are not repeated.

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