Allegri coined it, Gasperini followed suit. Yes, because surprisingly Milan-Roma has turned into the challenge of the ‘corto muso’ (short snout). Max has made it a football lifestyle. For Gasp – after being the symbol of the diametrically opposite way of doing and thinking football for a career – it was instead a necessity. Arriving in Rome as the prophet of goals, boasting 9 years in Bergamo where he averaged 75 goals per season with exploits of 94 and 90 in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, he had to backtrack and understand that the Atalanta model is not replicable today. It is better to continue on the path traced by Ranieri. The results are proving him right: first place in the standings, 2 defeats and 7 wins, 6 by a narrow margin, 4 by 1-0. Allegri is there chasing three points, also struggling to move away from successes with more than a one-goal margin, with some unexpected slips (defeat by Cremonese and draw with Pisa) but aware that sooner or later, once the numerous injured players are recovered, playing one match a week will tip the balance in his favor.
THIRTY AND PRAISE
Two coaches so different and suddenly so similar, will face each other for the thirtieth time in their careers tomorrow. Allegri is ahead: 13 wins, 10 draws, and 6 defeats. But above all, he won that Coppa Italia final that still burns for Gasp. How? Of course, with a ‘corto muso’: 1-0. The last success of the yellow-red coach dates back to November 27, 2021. Again, it doesn’t deviate from the usual mode: 1-0 signed by Zapata. In common, beyond this pragmatic prerogative and a fiery character, the two seem to have little in common, except for the adoptive father. Because maybe the two don’t know, or pretend not to know, but they are children of that Giovanni Galeone who shaped and launched them: ‘Gian Piero is a tough nut, he has a strong personality and very clear ideas that allow him to leave an imprint on all his teams and the same attitude in every game, whatever the opponent and the field, home or away. Allegri, on the other hand, has always done everything with simplicity, with naturalness. He understands and talks about football well. He reads the games well, the thoughts of others. Quick, confident, and decisive.’ A bit of the characteristics that will be needed in Rome and Milan tomorrow.
DIFFERENT PATHS
A common footballing father even if the two then took different paths. Gasp inspired by Dutch football, being a great admirer of Louis Van Gaal; Allegri, on the other hand, resembles Capello with the guiding star of concreteness and the centrality of the player as the main focus. Now it is amusing that Rome has managed to change Gasperini for a few months. Yes, because don’t be fooled: as soon as he can, the thought of the Grugliasco coach will return to being that of scoring one more goal than the opponent rather than conceding one less. While waiting for a market that satisfies him, not in names but in the characteristics of the players, let’s prepare to experience a different Milan-Roma. With the certainty, however, that tomorrow night both for Gasp and Max ‘it will be enough to put the snout in front. Because whoever loses by ‘corto muso’ is second, whoever wins like this is first.’ Clear, right?
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