Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan are collectively known as the "Northern Three Giants" of Serie A. Juventus is the absolute hegemon of Serie A, while AC Milan carries the flag for Serie A in the Champions League. For a long time, Inter Milan has been in an awkward position.
If it weren't for the "Telephone Gate" scandal during the 2006 World Cup, Inter Milan would likely have fewer Serie A championship trophies than AC Milan, and it's even possible that their history of no Serie A titles since 1989 would still be ongoing.
Inter Milan should thank Mourinho, as it was he who truly brought Inter Milan to the heights of a world-class team. How do you prove you're strong? Only championship trophies can prove it. In the 2009-10 season, Mourinho led Inter Milan to win the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Champions League "Treble," an achievement that neither Juventus nor AC Milan have accomplished.
Beyond the Northern Three Giants, the rest of the teams have a significant gap. These teams also produce stars, but they are usually poached by the Northern Three Giants or other top clubs in the five major leagues once they show potential. As long as the offer is tempting enough, they will let them go.
Take Atalanta, for example, which has produced famous players like Caniggia, Inzaghi, and Vieri. But as soon as big clubs make an offer, they sell them. How can they compete with the Northern Three Giants? To this day, they have not won a Serie A league title, and it was only in the 2019-20 season that they made their first appearance in the Champions League.
However, this is also their survival strategy. Last season, they won the Europa League title, and this season they are currently leading the Serie A standings. Atalanta's strategy in the transfer market remains unchanged; last summer window, they sold their midfield core Kupmenas, and the year before, they sold Hoyer, hailed as the "new Haaland," to Manchester United.
Inter Milan is nicknamed the "Blue and Black Army," while Atalanta, whose home jersey is also striped in blue and black, is nicknamed the "True Blue and Black."
Atalanta is currently leading the Serie A standings, with Inter Milan one game behind and one point behind. This year's Italian Super Cup semi-final between Inter Milan and Atalanta can also be seen as a prelude to the "top of the table" battle in Serie A.
The Italian Super Cup semi-finals will take place on January 3 at 3:00 am, with Inter Milan facing Atalanta and Juventus facing AC Milan. The winners will meet in the final.
In the current Serie A standings, Atalanta has 41 points from 18 games with 13 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, ranking first. Napoli is tied on points in second place, while Inter Milan has 40 points, having played one game less.
Atalanta does not have a clear lead, and it is Inter Milan who holds the initiative in the race for the top spot.
Inter Milan has won 8 out of their last 10 matches in all competitions, with 1 draw and 1 loss. After a 3-0 away win over Cagliari in the last round of Serie A, they have recently achieved four consecutive victories.
Atalanta's record in their last 10 matches in all competitions is also 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. They were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio in the last round of Serie A away, missing the opportunity to extend their lead, and have remained unbeaten in their last 4 matches with 3 wins and 1 draw.
In the last 10 encounters between the two sides, Atalanta has been unbeaten with 7 wins and 3 draws, taking the upper hand.
Atalanta is strong, but in terms of absolute strength, they are not as strong as Inter Milan. Therefore, in this match, Inter Milan is more worthy of being favored.