GdS: Three ‘strategic advantages’ – how Milan and Juventus can bridge the gap to Inter | OneFootball

AC Milan are currently 18 points behind their city rivals Inter in the table while Juventus are 23 behind, but both clubs have the objective of catching up with them.

La Gazzetta dello Sport have published a report which outlines the three ‘strategic advantages’ that Inter have over Milan and Juventus, ones that have allowed them to win the league title so convincingly.

1) There are no doubts about the head coach Stefano Pioli. Inter director Beppe Marotta said Inzaghi is perhaps halfway through his cycle and therefore knows the situation perfectly.

2) A team, or rather a group, with a very high average quality. In short, Inter can be improved, but they don’t have the urgency – unlike their pursuers – to plug holes all over.

3) Pre-planning. The Nerazzurri’s summer mercato started months ago by locking up free transfers like Mehdi Taremi and Piotr Zielnski. They can plan further signings without the same urgency, also evaluating big offers for their star players.

Looking again at each of these three points, it is quite easy to see where Milan and Juve lag behind and where the work is to be done.

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1) The coach. Milan are on the hunt for Pioli’s replacement. However, nothing has been decided yet, but it is essential to clarify and quickly choose a path. After Julen Lopetegui, the most popular names at Milan are now those of Sergio Conceiçao and Paulo Fonseca.

They have the same nationality, a fairly similar preferred formation (4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1), they are almost the same age: (50 and 51 respectively) and they know the Italian league well. Yet there is no time to waste, because every day that passes is a day wasted.

2) Milan and Juve are two excellent teams, but – paradoxically – they are easily improvable. The Rossoneri must sign a new centre-forward to replace Olivier Giroud, while there are other areas such as midfield and centre-back to look into.

3) Inter have made moves in departments where they already have alternatives like Frattesi and Asllani in the squad. Milan and Juve must instead establish pillars to build around, and yet they are the same as the Nerazzurri in the sense that their stars might attract big bids.

The names? Milan knows well that all of Europe likes Theo Hernandez and he would guarantee a crazy capital gain. Yet, a team that wants to chase Inter cannot imagine improving without its most decisive player.