Former Inter, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Napoli coach Rafa Benitez feels that there is very little to split the Nerazzurri and city rivals AC Milan in their upcoming Champions League semifinal tie.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN, via FCInter1908, the Spanish tactician gave the view that neither of the two derby rivals can be considered favourites as they prepare to face off for a place in the Champions League semifinal.
Both of Inter and Milan will feel that they have nothing short of a massive opportunity ahead of them in Europe’s top club competition.
Neither of the pair would necessarily have been among the teams widely tipped to reach the latter stages of the competition, but that is exactly what both have done, booking their respective places in the penultimate round.
Moreover, there is then the fact that Inter and Milan will face off in the fourth and fifth Milan derbies of the season, always a real showpiece occasion in Italian football.
Whilst there have been moments of both good and bad form for both of the pair across the season to date, the fact that they are closely bunched in the Serie A table suggests that there is not really all that much to split the two city rivals.
Moreover, there is also the fact to consider that the Milan derby is virtually always a fixture which is hard to split, as the form book tends to get ripped up, and over two legs next month that could very well what is expected, with the stakes now higher than ever.
Asked if he thinks he could pick a favourite, former Nerazzurri coach Benitez responded that “I think it will be a 50/50 match, looking at the mentality, the energy, the rivalry lead us to think that there won’t be a favourite.”
“It’s difficult to say which of the two will go through to the final, because so far both have done very well in this competition,” he added.
