Italian journalist Mario Sconcerti discussed Inter, AC Milan and their hopes of winning the league title this season in a long editorial in today’s paper edition of the Milano based newspaper Corriere della Sera.

“It’s not easy to say where Milan’s real strength is, we’ve all changed a lot of ideas along the way. It was said that Milan was Ibrahimovic, and that was true. Then it was realised that Milan was even more than Ibrahimovic and that’s when it became less easy.

“I don’t know to what extent Pioli is the inspiration, but he is certainly the nucleus, the glue. Pioli has never been a long-term coach because he is honest and loves his players. He’s like sugar, in the long run it starts to get tiresome.”

He then moved onto commenting on Antonio Conte’s Inter, who are just behind the Rossoneri in the league table but were eliminated from the Champions League after finishing bottom of the group.

“Inter are the opposite of Milan. They can hardly play well, but they have many decisive players. They are a team of accomplished players, Conte did not guess, from Kolarov to Vidal, to Young, to Darmian, he chose only players he knew well.

“Inter do not have the lightness of Milan. Any step is nervous, anything tends immediately to drama. Inter are a powerful army, slow. Conte has only reached half of his perfection, but maybe that’s enough. Milan are not complete either, it is the virus football that keeps everyone on a lower tone.

“Inter, however, are growing while Milan are resisting. They had big problems in defense, now they have only conceded four goals in its last six games. And perhaps it will surprise you to know that one of the most present players in this period has been Darmian.”

Finally, Sconcerti spoke about the work of Conte. The 51-year-old Italian coach’s position at the club was confirmed in a meeting with the management at the end of last season, after the Nerazzurri’s Europa League final loss to Sevilla.

“Inter are almost only practical powerhouses, I often hear people say that Conte will soon stop coaching because he is a candle that burns from top to bottom, he lasts half as long. I don’t think it will be like that.

“Conte is on his toes because this is the year that decides his caliber. He’s had a down year at Chelsea, fired at home, thrown away his first year at Inter, and is now out of the Champions League. He either wins or loses places in money and esteem.

“But hysteria doesn’t kill, it dries. Now he leads Inter differently from a month ago. He has fewer lapses, he is not calm, but he lets things be. He is learning to manage by conceding things.”

Conte’s Inter are currently second in the Serie A table after 14 games, sitting on 33 points, one behind league leaders and intercity rivals AC Milan.

The Nerazzurri are on a seven game win streak in the league, which they will be looking to extend with a win against newly promoted Crotone this weekend.