[FM13] Giuseppe Bergomi - The King of Calcio

Milan Derby Promises Excitement

Tomorrow, the two Milanese giants of Italian football will square off in the Serie A as Inter host AC Milan at their shared ground of the San Siro. An exciting match regardless of anything, the circumstances of this derby result in mouthwatering potential for the match itself, and any and all fans who watch the game can expect wild excitement and drama.

For the first time since the very beginning of the season, Inter has lost its lead atop Serie A. The Nerazzurri are 1 point behind fierce rivals Juventus, though they have a game in hand, which is the derby against Milan. Inter must win to regain the lead in Serie A, and because of a vast difference in goal difference, Juventus will still lead if the two teams draw.

Milan also has great incentive to win. The race for 3rd place, the final automatic Champions League spot, and 4th place, the Best-Placed Playoff for the Champions League, is extremely tight, with only 2 points separating 3rd placed Atalanta and 6th place AC Milan. The Rossoneri have 2 games in hand over each team 3rd-5th place, and needs to pick up points to put itself in prime position to win the final automatic spot.

Their Champions League qualification fight will not be made any easier by lingering injuries among key members of their squad. Young starlet Stephan El Shaarawy will miss the match and a further two months with a torn hamstring. It is expected Robinho or Nicolas Gaitan will start in his place. Injury-prone striker Alexandre Pato will also miss out on the derby with a pulled hamstring, with Giampiero Pazzini, the ex-Inter player, expected to lead the line.

Inter also are not blessed with a full squad. Samir Handanovic is still recovering from strained knee ligaments, and backup Francesco Bardi is racing against time to be fit. Vid Belec is expected to start after a fantastic game against Roma despite allowing 2 goals. Striker Luis Muriel is still out with a broken leg, and will be for another 3-4 months, and Mattia Destro and Ademilson are expected to start up top. Moussa Sissoko will also miss out due to injury, having picked up a thigh strain in training, and Andrea Romano is expected to fill in. Finally, star man Philippe Coutinho will miss out due to accumulation of yellow cards, and fellow Brazilian Adryan is expected to start in his stead.



Coutinho's suspension could be vital as the fleet-footed Brazilian has 12 goals and assists this season and has been a spark in Inter's attack. Adryan has managed 14 assists but has yet to score a single goal, and will hope to break his duck against Inter's eternal rivals.

The biggest talking point, however, is vengeance. Inter had their 88 game undefeated streak in Serie A ended by AC Milan earlier this season, inflicting Inter's first Serie A loss in the Bergomi era. Bergomi, normally a calm man, told the press, "I'd like to tell you it's not about revenge, but I won't lie. Each and every player, staff member, and fan wants to win this match to avenge the bullsh*t from last match. We will win this match."

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Derby della Madonnina

Starting Lineups

Both teams starting with very strong elevens, full strength aside from a few injuries here and there. Kevin-Prince Boateng will be the key for Milan to unlock the sturdy Inter defense, and red-hot striker Mattia Destro will look to score his 40th goal of the season today. Vid Belec is the surprise inclusion as reports have told us that Francesco Bardi is fit. We will see if Bergomi's gamble pays off.

Match

1' Pazzini gets the ball well forward here. He looks to lay it off to De Jong... Nice tackle from M'Vila to win it back for Inter. Yann M'Vila leading the counterattack down the left now, finds space for a cross, Mattia Destro leaps, connects, GOAL! WHAT A HEADER, WHAT A GOAL, WHAT A START FOR INTER! 1-0 up 28 seconds in, and that's Destro's 40th goal of the season!

13' Adryan with a chance to whip in a free kick from out wide here... Nice ball in, Ademilson chests it down, left foot strike, GOAL! WHAT A SHOT! Absolutely unbelievable strike from Ademilson there, Carrizo had no chance! 2-0 to Inter! Milan have their work cut out now!

24' Adryan with another free kick, this one far more central. He's sizing up the shot, steps up... off the bar! Ademilson scrambles towards it, so does Carrizo, it's still loose! But the ref's blown his whistle, it's a foul on the Brazilian striker on the goalkeeper for a push. So close to making it 3-0 for Inter, and that would have been game over so early in the match.

40' Boateng beats Juan with his quick feet and crosses to Pazzini. Excellent tackle from Ranocchia there... But the ref's called a penalty! Could you believe it? After the refereeing atrocity of the last derby, this is what we get this time! Up steps Antonio Nocerino against the third string Vid Belec... WHAT A SAVE! BELEC REPAYS BERGOMI'S FAITH WITH A BRILLIANT PENALTY STOP!

HT' Well it's been all Inter in this first half. Milan have barely had a sniff of the ball, and aside from yet another poor penalty call in their favor, have created no offense. If Inter keep this up, we could have a blowout on our hands.

71' Carrizo takes his goal kick here, it's a quite long one. Juan leaps to head it clear... Oh my, he's missed it! Very poor defending, and Pazzini is through on goal! One on one against Belec, and he makes no mistake! GOAL TO MILAN! 2-1, and the Rossoneri are right back in it! Atrocious error from Juan!

86' Montolivo is going to whip in this free kick for Milan, who are only a goal down now. Poor cross, and Alvaro Pereira heads the ball out well. It's gone to Ademilson, and he starts the counter. He's all alone, but he's managed to dribble two Milan defenders. He's been forced out on the right... OH, WHAT A GOAL! Ademilson chips Carrizo brilliantly, dinking the ball into the top corner! Unbelievable finish, 3-1 to Inter!

90+2' Inter have won a late corner here, and Adryan will whip it in. It's to the near post, flicked on by Juan to Ranocchia. The towering center back settles the ball down and cuts it back to Cambiasso... GOAL! SURELY IT'S OVER NOW! 4-1 to Inter!

FT' It's all over now, and what a win for Bergomi and his Inter side! 4-1, a right thrashing, and a historic victory! The Nerazzurri have their vengeance on Milan for ending their 88 match unbeaten run, and more importantly are again top of Serie A by 2 points!

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Belec Enjoying Time in the Spotlight

Vid Belec making his Inter debut against Catania.

It's been a tough career so far for Vid Belec. The Slovenian shot-stopper started off in Maribor, excelling in their youth teams before being noticed by Inter's scouts in 2006. Being a youth player, he was allowed to move to the Nerazzurri youth teams for free for the following season. From there, despite being promoted to the first team soon after his arrival, Belec did not make a single appearance for the Inter Milan first team from 2006-2010. He was loaned out for two consecutive seasons after that to Crotone.

At first, when Giuseppe Bergomi took over, Belec's role was 3rd string goalkeeper. He did not make a single appearance in the 2012-2013 season, and even second string Luca Castellazzi did not play. The following year he was loaned out to Spezia before returning to his third string role this season. It was expected he would fail to appear in a match yet again, until goalkeeping disaster struck Inter. Samir Handanovic and Francesco Bardi were both injured, and so Vid Belec was forced to finally don the Inter first team shirt.

Belec made his debut against Catania, coming on for the injured Handanovic, and since has made 7 appearances, 5 in Serie A and 2 in the UEFA Champions League. He has kept 2 clean sheets, and after a shaky match against PSV he has gone on to play excellently including making numerous saves against Roma and AC Milan, winning the man of the match award against the Rome side.

Belec told the press after the 4-1 derby win over Milan in which he saved Antonio Nocerino's penalty, "It is a wonderful, wonderful feeling to finally be playing for Inter. I have worked hard in training and Giuseppe [Bergomi] has given me a lot of faith to play me." Belec's run in the side could be finished, with a must-win home game against Barcelona looming and Francesco Bardi finally fit.

"I will continue to work hard on and off the pitch, and i will let the manager choose who plays and respect that decision," said Belec, and his boss's words no doubt gave him quite a bit of hope about his future at the club. After Belec, Bergomi had a few words about the goalkeeping situation.

"He [Belec] has impressed me a lot so far, he has worked very hard," said the Italian manager. "I have a choice between him and Francesco [Bardi] to play against Barcelona, so we will see who can prove to me that he deserves to start." Bergomi has also dropped a few hints that Belec may become the regular backup to Handanovic over Francesco Bardi.

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