Comment: Premier League old boys swing Milan Derby in Inter's favour
EDIN TO ISTANBUL: Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko, second left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between AC Milan and Inter Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
TWELVE LONG football years have passed since Edin Dzeko signed for Manchester City and seven since he left the Premier League to ply his trade in Italy. Some careers do not last nearly that long.Â
The Bosnian forward, now, 37 was deemed to be on the wane even then. Now, in large part thanks to his sumptuous opening goal here, he is only a 90-minute second leg away from a potential Champions League final against the English club where the fans still sing his name at nearly every game. To put it in context, City's Phil Foden was only 11, cheering on from the stands, when Dzeko was knocking them in for Roberto Mancini's side.
Dzeko left the north west for Italy in 2016, the same year Henrik Mkhitaryan was moving into Manchester and signing for United in a hugely high-profile move. Safe to say we do not still hear the Armenian's name ringing around Old Trafford on a weekly basis, nor at the Arsenal stadium after a similarly underwhelming spell in north London. There is every likelihood, however, that the 34-year-old shot his place into Inter folklore with his sweetly struck goal, Inter's telling second, here in the San Siro last night.
Both he and Inter could have scored more before half-time alone as the 'visitors' in this unique Milan derby where they share the same stadium, showed they have the big-match mentality which should make them favourites to go through when they have their own fans dominating the airwaves next week.
When Milan picked up after the break their first chance fell to Messias Junior. He snatched at his chance and shot wide, but do not be fooled by the Brazilian's name. This is no young wonderkid from South America but a 31-year-old midfielder. That is still relatively young to be a protagonist in this tie, of course, as Milan's main attacking focal point remains another Premier League after thought in the form of Olivier Giroud.
A three-time FA Cup winner with Arsenal he was then shipped over to Chelsea as the Gunners vainly sought an upgrade. There he won another domestic Cup as well as the Champions and Europa League before they too thought he was past it. He has since played in a second World Cup Final, become France's record goalscorer and won a Serie A title with Milan.
Italian football is the game where players do not get old and sold – they mature and are even more appreciated. Dzeko's opening goal in this fascinating tie, between two of the most storied rivals in all football, was as clean and tidy as finish as this creaking old stadium has ever hosted. Yes, it is not only the joints and the knees of the legendary Serie A players taking the strain of one of the biggest spectacles in the game.
It was a joy to witness the supposed past it players growing old in disgracefully rude health on the biggest stage in European football. And just a shame that this could be one of the last years this iconic and most atmospheric of arenas hosts such an occasion.
Watching BT pundit Rio Ferdinand, the former England World Cup defender and Champions League veteran with Manchester United said he had never experienced noise levels like it anywhere in the world. And I thought it was an incredible atmosphere at Newcastle United's St James's Park on Sunday!
Inter full-back Federico Dimarco was a five-year-old spectator, decked out in his side's blue and black and crying tears of sadness as they lost to Milan in their semi-final in this competition 20 years ago. With both clubs looking to move away to concrete new the next time these two square-up for European glory is likely to be elsewhere.
The San Siro – officially known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza - is deemed no longer fit for purpose for the demands of the modern, pampered spectator. The facilities did not seem to bother the likes of celebrity fans Novak Djokovic and some of his tennis buddies, but they were in the best seats in the house. It was last upgraded for the Italia '90 World Cup, but unlike the ageing players here, the corporate fans (and they are where the money is) want new seats and state-of-the art facilities to go with their over-priced refreshments.
A beautiful piece of football architecture, it opened in 1926 and plans for the Milan rivals to develop a new stadium together have collapsed. That has led to them announcing the time has come for them to go their separate ways and set up homes alone.
The main motivation to leave is to try to catch up with the money-making abilities of their Premier League rivals. Last year Inter generated €44m in matchday income, AC Milan a significant drop to €32m. Tottenham, who were comfortably beaten by Inter earlier in this competition and struggling to qualify for next season's edition, have a new stadium, that generated €125m per match. The figure will only have risen this year.
Whether or not the new stadia have the same allure as this stunning theatre is unlikely. Just as Dzeko and Mkhitaryan showed last night, it takes many years to achieve greatness.
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