Legendary former Inter defender Beppe Bergomi feels that this evening’s Copa Italia semi-final first leg between the Nerazzurri and AC Milan will be full of tension.

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, Bergomi predicted that the atmosphere for the match will be tight given the situations of both teams.

Both the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri have failed to win in their last two Serie A matches, stumbling just at the point where they will have hoped to take off in the title race.

The two city rivals will shift their focus from the Scudetto chase for an evening, playing out the first of a two-legged knockout tie to reach the Coppa Italia final.

Both teams will not be at their most confident based on their recent form, and Bergomi feels that the sides will be in a tense mood as both look to get a morale-boosting win and avoid even more damage from a defeat.

“I see two teams coming to this derby with so much tension on them,” he said, “because of how the last one ended. Two teams that are not doing well and who maybe will not so much be playing to win, as to avoid defeat.”

On what the issues have been with the Nerazzurri’s misfiring attack, Bergomi stated “Lautaro’s form to begin with. Dzeko does what he does, but he is also 35 years old, Sanchez and Perisic are also over 30.”

“Inter are not young,” he said, “to play well they need to exert a lot – they’ve spent long stretches bringing a lot of players into the opposition half of the pitch.”

On what could be a turning point for the Nerazzurri, he named “Correa has different characteristics from the other attackers and can be the spark one-on-one that opens up the game.”

“Inzaghi missed him a lot,” he added. “Dzeko and Lautaro are struggling – Toro does not give the team a threat in behind and needs a different reference point like Lukaku had been.”

Bergomi concluded that “Dzeko and Lautaro are still the best strike pair, but they have to find a better understanding with each other.”