Happy Thursday. Welcome to The Free Transfer, the 5-min daily football newsletter bringing you the important stuff. Let’s get into it.

What’s on the docket:

• Milan is blue— Inter dominate Milan in 2-0 first leg win🔵⚫️ 

• Europa League semifinal previews 🏆️

MILAN IS BLUE… FOR NOW 🔵 ⚫️ 

A Leao-less Milan were dominated by Inter in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.

TLDR; Inter 2-0 Milan

• Milan’s biggest attacking threat, Rafa Leao, missed the match through injury.

• Inter scored 2 quick goals in the first 11 minutes, neutralizing whatever “home field advantage” AC Milan had for the first leg.

• Milan never regained their footing in the second half. Tonali hit the post with a wicked strike from the top of the box, and Milan ended the night with 2 tame shots on target.

• At 2-0, it’s still there for the taking in the second leg, in five days’ time.

How it happened:

KICKOFF

• Inter mounted early pressure & scored off a corner kick, from a wicked volley by Edin Džeko. 

  • Inter 1-0 Milan

• Less than 3 minutes later— Henrikh Mkhitaryan made his signature late run into the box, scooped up a Federico DiMarco pass from the left wing, skipped through a few Milan defenders in the box, and scored.

  • Inter 2-0 Milan

• No, you are not the only one wondering how Dzeko and Mkhi are still scoring goals in Champions League semifinals in 2023.

  • Aging like fine wine. 🍷 

• Milan did not register a shot on target all half

HALFTIME

• The second half started with more pressure from Inter. Dzeko couldn’t convert on a good opportunity in the 53’

• After that, Milan turned up the pressure to get back into the game, culminating in a rocket off the left post from Sandro Tonali

• Nothing panned out for Milan. They had 0 shots on target until the 81’

  • Messias and Pobega had weak shots on target in the final 10’

FINAL—Inter 2-0 Milan

What we learned

• Age is just a number— the combined age of last night’s two goal scorers was 71 years old 👴 

• Without Rafa Leao, Milan are unlikely to improve— they miss his ball-carrying, passing in the final third, and ability to get in behind

  • Theo can’t do it all— he needs his partner in crime back 🦹🦹 

Round 2

• Will Inter rue their chances to have killed the tie off in the first leg?

• Milan need Bennacer & Leao to be healthy… yesterday…

  • Bennacer’s energy/efficiency & Leao’s attacking threat are irreplaceable for the Rossoneri

• With injuries mounting for Milan, Inter’s superior depth could play a role

  • Lukaku, Gosens, Brozovic, & De Vrij will likely play a part

Gaffer’s Bet: if Leao & Bennacer start— the tie goes to extra time; if Leao & Bennacer miss out— 1-1 (3-1 to Inter on aggregate).

EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW 🏆️ 

It’s European royalty vs. Europa League royalty in Juventus vs. Sevilla.

It’s coach vs. player in Roma vs. Bayer Leverkeusen.

Let’s see how they match up for the first leg.

How they Match-Up

⚪️ Juventus ⚫️ 

• Allegri is a pragmatist who typically plays a defensive 3-5-2

• Ones to watch: Vlahovic, Di Maria, Rabiot

  • He’s had a slow year, but Vlahovic is a lethal striker who can hurt you with just a half yard of space— on either foot or in the air.

  • There’s not much more that needs to be said about Di Maria. His left foot is magic… don’t give him space on the edge of the box.

  • Rabiot is a classic box-to-box midfielder.

    • 10 goals this season in Serie A and UCL.

    • Don’t get caught sleeping when he darts into the box.

🔴 Sevilla ⚪️ 

• Mendilibar plays a classic 4-2-3-1

  • Note: After his appointment on March 21st, he has taken a disappointing season and turned it into a hopeful one.

    • Sevilla have lost just 1/9 matches under him, & KO’d Manchester United in the last round of Europa League.

• Keys players: En-Nesyri, Rakitić, Acuña

  • En-Nesyri has showed himself to be a man for the big occasion this season— scored to send Morocco through to the World Cup semis; brace vs. Man U in Europa QFs to send them through

  • Rakitić is an aging, but fantastic midfielder that can control a game. He showed his class with an assist vs. Man U in the QFs.

  • Acuña is a wingback who’s vicious in the tackle & loves to bomb forward. His battle vs. Cuadrado will be fun to watch.

NOTES ✍️ 

• Juve— this season they have overcome large off-field issues to be back in pole position for a return to Champions League. Winning Europa League would soften the blow of a weak Champions League campaign.

• Sevilla— this season started to look like they might slip into an unlikely relegation battle. A new manager has them believing again. They are looking to peak at the right time, and bring home a very familiar trophy.

Roma 🐺 

• Mourinho, serial winner, typically plays a 3-4-2-1

• Keys players: Abraham, Dybala, Spinazzola

  • Abraham is a striker with strong hold up play and deceptive speed. At his best, he can hurt any team in Europe.

  • Dybala is a pure footballer. He glides past opponents and loves to hover off to the right of the striker, for left-footed curlers.

  • Spinazzola holds the width well & loves a good dribble into the attacking third. He showed non-Serie A watchers what he was capable of for Italy in the 2021 Euros.

🔴 Bayer Leverkeusen⚫️ 

• Xabi Alonso also fields a 3-4-2-1

  • Alonso is the newest Pep Guardiola acolyte to start his coaching journey 🔍️ 

• Ones to watch: Diaby, Frimpong, Hincapié

  • Diaby has been one of the most electric wingers in Europe this season. He can attack in behind or against a deep defense. Beware.

  • Frimpong, another player attracting interest across Europe, is a wingback who has great attacking quality.

  • Hincapié is a LCB/LB hybrid who will have a big job in trying to contain Paulo Dybala. He, too, is attracting interest around Europe… I’m seeing a theme 🧩 

NOTES ✍️ 

• Roma— if you had to choose any coach to lead you to a European trophy over the past two decades, Mourinho would be up there with every last one of them. “The Special One” for a reason.

• Bayer Leverkeusen— their whole team seems to be “of interest” to teams around Europe. They are chock full of young gems & have the talent to beat anyone. They will need to show maturity to beat a Mourinho side in Europe, though.

Gaffer’s Bet: Roma 1-2 Bayer Leverkeusen

That’s all for today. Tell ya friends!!! ⤵️