Famous coach – about the “Italian” semi-finals of the Champions League
Former head coach of the Ukrainian national team Andrey Shevchenko commented on the upcoming Champions League match between Milan and Inter at the 1/2 final stage.
Separately, the Ukrainian mentor remembered the match with Inter in 2003 in the Champions League, and also talked about some of the current leaders of the Rossoneri.
“Then [в 2023] we all had the same feeling, we immediately felt the importance of the match. Some of us couldn’t sleep, there was so much tension.”
“The city was shaking, the match was so soulful. Before the match, when we arrived at the stadium, we saw a lot of fans, inside the San Siro it was a bit heavy. But when you go out on the field, you immediately forget about everything else and the tension disappears. Both teams wanted to win. The beauty of this derby is that it is seen as an important challenge.”
“Leau? This is his second season in which he is doing well, Rafa is proving that he is a great player. He still lacks continuity because everyone knows his level, his great abilities and much is expected of him for his stats and talent. In my opinion, he could still grow and give much more. He must find continuity and be decisive in every match. Will he stay in Milan? I don’t know, I shouldn’t be asking that question.”
“Definitely Milan can repeat history. The defining player could be Leao, Tonali or Giroud. There are players in Milan who are doing very well this season. Brahim Diaz and Theo Hernandez are also having a great season.”
“I would like to see Milan in the final, that would be a dream for everyone. Both semi-finals are good, even Real Madrid against Manchester City. Of course, to see the Milan coach [Карло Анчелотти] in the final against my Milan would be great.”
Shevchenko became a participant in the semi-final battle between Milan and Inter in the Champions League in the 2002/03 season. Then the Rossoneri overcame their principal rival thanks to the away goals rule (0:0, 1:1), and the Ukrainian scored Milan’s only goal in that confrontation.
Milan and Inter will play in the semi-finals of the Champions League on 10 and 16 May. Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the second semi-final. Matches in this pair will be held on May 9 and 17. The Champions League final will take place on June 10 in Istanbul.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
