Legendary Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi has offered his analysis of the 1-1 draw between AC Milan and Inter Milan in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final clash. The former Rossoneri manager believes the result was a fair reflection of the match and leaves everything to play for in the return leg.

The latest installment of the Derby della Madonnina took place at the San Siro on Wednesday night, with Tammy Abraham opening the scoring for Milan early in the second half before Hakan Calhanoglu equalized for Inter with a powerful strike. The two sides will meet again on April 23 to determine who advances to the final.

Tactical Discipline Impresses Sacchi

In his column for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi praised both teams for their tactical approach and discipline. He noted that Milan’s 4-2-3-1 formation seamlessly transitioned to a 4-4-2 when defending, while Inter maintained their preferred 3-5-2 shape under Simone Inzaghi.

The former Italy national team coach was particularly impressed with how both sides performed without the ball, highlighting the attention to detail from both managers. However, Sacchi did mention that the pressing intensity wasn’t quite at the level he typically prefers to see.

An Open Contest for the Return Leg

Sacchi anticipates an exciting second leg, emphasizing that form often goes out the window in these high-stakes derbies. He believes both teams have significant motivation to progress: Milan are looking to salvage their season and secure European football for next year, while Inter aim to keep their dreams of a historic treble alive.

As the tie remains finely balanced, football fans can look forward to another thrilling encounter between these fierce rivals when they meet again later this month to determine who will advance to the Coppa Italia final.