City-Inter is also the “derby” of Lukaku and Darmian. And Big Rom is thirsty for revenge

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The Belgian and the blue have already faced the Citizens as opponents in the Manchester derby. The attacker has the poisoned tooth left

In a Champions League final already full of meaning, there is someone in the Nerazzurri who will experience the match against City with an extra pinch of “pepper”. In fact, in Inzaghi’s troop there are those who will find themselves facing a special opponent, the same one already challenged in the heated Manchester derbies a few years ago. On the one hand Matteo Darmian, on the other Romelu Lukaku, respectively four and two seasons on the banks of the Mersey, Red Devils bank, with a not exactly exciting balance sheet. Thanks to United’s last troubled years, between disappointing results and various changes on the bench and the concomitant dominance of Guardiola’s City, the two Nerazzurri have collected only one victory in all the derbies played in Manchester. That’s why there’s a great desire for redemption, especially for Lukaku…

WARRANTY

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Matteo Darmian faced City on four occasions in his four seasons in Manchester, namely from 2015 to 2019. An absolute protagonist in the first season under Van Gaal’s orders, the blue has his first taste of the derby with a 0-0 draw in which he plays just 9′, but in the second leg he enjoys his first (and so far only) victory playing for 84′ at a very high level. The winger from Legnano cancels Sterling in Rashford’s 1-0 draw and repeats himself in the following derby, when United bring home a precious 0-0. But then the music changes: in 2017 Darmian misses both derbies, as well as the first of the following season under the orders of José Mourinho. The last chance comes after the handover during the current season between Mourinho and Solskjaer, with a United that is liquidated without too many problems (2-0) in what for Darmian will also be the last appearance with the Red Devils shirt before moving to Parma. For the Nerazzurri fans, however, one guarantee: every time he faced the Citizens, Darmian was among the best on the pitch.

POISONED TOOTH

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Lukaku also boasts some sweet memories linked to the matches against the Citizens, but not those with the colors of United: in his two years in Manchester, Big Rom has collected just one success, a daring but irrelevant 3-2 (for the purposes of the standings) in the first season with Mourinho, but it was a particularly intense challenge, in which the physicality and character of the Belgian (booked) made the difference. Then only defeats (three in all), moreover playing only a few minutes in the last two games before the transfer to Milan. The general balance, also considering the experiences with the West Bromwich, Everton and Chelsea shirt, speaks of ten knockouts and only three victories in 16 occasions. But Big Rom has already punched the Citizens’ door on five occasions (all in his Everton days) and hopes to do it again in the most important circumstance, the next one.

19 maggio – 12:38