On January 4th, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will witness an intense showdown as Inter Milan faces off against Atalanta for a spot in the final of the Italian Super Cup. This match is not only about the honor of the two teams but also a local derby from Lombardy, destined to be filled with drama and tension. Inter Milan's performance this season has undoubtedly thrilled their fans. As reigning champions, they have demonstrated sufficient strength and confidence. The team has been on a hot streak recently, winning all five of their last matches, including a 3-0 victory over Cagliari. With such aggressive attacking power, averaging over three goals per game, any opponent would need to be cautious. Inter's forward duo of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram has been impressive. Especially Thuram, with his speed and explosive power, making it hard for defenses to catch their breath. Looking at Inter's backline, Alessandro Bastoni leads a solid three-center-back system that stands firm like a rock. Even without Pauar and Acerbi, the defense remains stable, like an impenetrable bucket. Inter's offense and defense are well-balanced, and the players' form is enviable. How could this team not be exciting? As for Atalanta, their situation is no less impressive. We all know that Atalanta has risen rapidly in recent years, especially in 2024, setting a record with 36 victories and scoring 127 goals, becoming an offensive powerhouse. Their attacking efficiency is truly terrifying. This team's firepower isn't reliant on just one player; Ademola Lookman, who recently won the African Footballer of the Year award, is in…

Inter Milan defeated Atalanta 2-0 in the semi-finals of the Italian Super Cup last night, with Denzel Dumfries scoring twice and being hailed as the hero of the match. This victory has propelled Inter Milan to the final of the competition, where they have a chance to claim the trophy. Considering the substantial prize money on offer for winning the tournament (€23 million for first place), fans jokingly refer to Dumfries' performance as earning back his salary. Inter Milan's impressive form this season is closely linked to the excellent performances of their two wing-backs. It is worth noting that Dimarco is a product of Inter's youth academy and was re-signed for only €5 million. Inter Milan acquired Dumfries in 2021 at a relatively low cost of €14.25 million. As they compete on multiple fronts for titles, Inter Milan now boasts a "two-winged flight" strategy. This price is considered "unthinkable" in the world of football, and Inter Milan has indeed made a significant profit. Dumfries started the season mostly as a substitute, primarily due to issues surrounding his contract renewal. Inter Milan, suspecting his loyalty, demoted him. However, after renewing his contract, he gradually regained his form, despite previous conflicts and disagreements. Now, the 28-year-old Dumfries has solidified his position as the starting right-back for Inter Milan, having played 21 games this season and scored 5 goals with 2 assists. His market value is just €20 million. On the other side of Inter Milan's defense, Dimarco, valued at €60 million, is an absolute mainstay. He has also played 21 games this…

Inter Milan is the only team in Italy that has never been relegated from the top league, with a rich history and heritage. They have won 20 league titles, 9 Coppa Italia titles, 7 Italian Super Cups, as well as 3 UEFA Champions League titles and 3 UEFA Europa League titles. In their last home game in the Italian Super Cup, they easily defeated Atalanta 2-0 and have now achieved five consecutive victories in official matches. Although they have one fewer match played, they are level on points with the top of the league and are currently ranked third. AC Milan is an extremely popular team in Italy, nicknamed the "Rossoneri." They have won the Serie A title 19 times and the UEFA Champions League 7 times, with their achievements in the Champions League second only to Real Madrid. However, this season their overall performance has not been good. In their last Italian Super Cup match, they narrowly defeated Juventus 1-2 away from home, and in their last five official matches, they have a record of three wins and two draws, ranking eighth in the league. It should be noted that their offensive capabilities have significantly declined, scoring only seven goals in their last six official matches, averaging just 1.17 goals per game. Overall, both teams are top-tier giants in Serie A. Inter Milan has excellent attacking and defensive capabilities, with an aggressive playing style and a strong ability to remain unbeaten. Their home and away performance is outstanding. In their last seven encounters with AC Milan, they have achieved…

On January 5th, Beijing time, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Atlanta Hawks to end their two-game losing streak. This game marked the season debut of Kawhi Leonard, with the Clippers seeing a significant improvement on both offense and defense. Mann also returned, making the Clippers' frontcourt extremely strong as they dominated the Hawks throughout the game, with Leonard scoring 12 points in just 19 minutes. Kawhi Leonard has been nursing his knee since being injured in the 2023-2024 season playoffs. From April 27, 2024, to January 5, 2025, a total of 253 days have passed. Clippers fans had high expectations for this game, especially since the team is now at full strength with Harden and Leonard forming a formidable two-core lineup that is both offensive and defensive. In the opening quarter, Harden connected with Leonard for a three-pointer. Leonard played 7 minutes in the first quarter, shooting 1 for 3 and 1 for 1 from beyond the arc, scoring 3 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, and dishing out 1 assist. Leonard's defensive presence was also felt strongly, as the Hawks made many forced turnovers. In the second quarter, Leonard hit a three-pointer from the weak side and then another from the strong side. He also forced Trae Young into a turnover. Leonard played 7 minutes in the second quarter before being rested, with the Clippers leading the Hawks 72-47 at halftime. In the first half, Leonard played 16 minutes, shooting 3 for 8 and 3 for 3 from three-point range, scoring 9 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and adding 1 assist…

Crazy Night in Serie A, Top Spot Changes Hands Twice, Atalanta Clings to First with a Draw, Inter Milan Wins Big to Temporarily Take Second The thrilling 1-1 draw between Atalanta and Lazio, followed by Inter Milan's resounding 3-0 victory over Cagliari, marked a night of high drama and shifting fortunes in Serie A. This was a night of ups and downs, full of surprises that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. After watching these two matches, it becomes clear that the title race in Serie A is filled with suspense and drama. Nothing is set in stone, as each game has the potential to rewrite history. This was especially evident in the 18th round, where the top spot changed hands twice, signaling a new phase in the season. Let's start with the clash between Atalanta and Lazio. This match was essentially a battle of wills between two evenly matched teams, neither willing to give an inch. The match took place in the early hours, drawing many fans out of bed to watch, given its significance for the top spot. Lazio, playing at home against Atalanta, started off aggressively, not giving Atalanta much breathing room. In the 27th minute, Lazio's Rovella provided a precise pass to Bashiru, who scored a one-on-one goal, putting Lazio ahead 1-0! This goal delighted Lazio fans, especially as Atalanta seemed slow to warm up in the first half, with few opportunities. Gondozi's long-range shot from outside the penalty area hit the crossbar, almost equalizing the score. The atmosphere of the match was incredibly…

On January 3rd, in the Italian Super Cup semi-final held in Saudi Arabia, Inter Milan faced off against Atalanta. Inter Milan continued their good form against Atalanta, scoring two goals in the second half. Denzel Dumfries scored with an overhead kick and then blasted a world-class shot to help Inter Milan advance to the final. Their opponents in the final will be either Juventus or Milan, and winning again would secure a fourth consecutive Italian Super Cup title for Inter Milan. Inter Milan fielded their full-strength lineup, while Atalanta rotated their squad, with key players such as Lookman, Ederson Silva, and De Ketelaere waiting on the bench. Denzel Dumfries was the key player for Inter Milan in this match. In the 49th minute, he headed the ball during a corner kick, followed by a spectacular overhead kick that broke through Atalanta's goal. In the 61st minute, Dumfries scored another difficult goal with a direct long-range shot during a counterattack. Inter Milan has won seven consecutive matches against Atalanta and remains undefeated in their last 14 encounters. Although Atalanta often performs strongly against other teams, Inter Milan seems to have found a way to control them. This might be the reason why Atalanta chose to rest their main players in this match, with Gasperini strategically giving up on the Italian Super Cup. In this match, the performance of Inter Milan's captain Lautaro Martinez was once again questioned. After finally breaking his goal drought in the previous game, he failed to score again in this match. Lautaro played the entire game, attempting…

Atlanta has not only achieved great success on and off the pitch, but it has also become the "king of transactions" in the transfer market. According to data from the authoritative football statistics agency "CIES Football Observatory," this "magical team" of Serie A has made a staggering 236 million euros through the buying low and selling high of players in the transfer market over the past decade. This has not only given Atlanta a strong financial foundation for development, but its competitive results have also been on the rise, achieving fame and fortune on the Serie A stage. Traditionally known for its excellent youth training players, Atlanta has cultivated many new star players, which are then sold at high prices to major clubs. In recent years, the most representative work is undoubtedly the sale of youth training player Diao to Manchester United for 40 million euros. In addition, Atlanta's scouting team has a keen eye and often finds "dark horses" in other leagues, including the acquisition of forward Hui Lun from Graz for 17 million euros in the summer of 2022. Just one year later, this Danish forward was sold to Manchester United for 72 million euros, becoming the most successful player transfer transaction in Atlanta's history. This season, Atlanta sold midfielder Tern Kupmenas (Teun Koopmeiners) to Juventus for a transfer fee of 54.7 million euros, four times higher than the purchase price three years ago. There are also many key players within the team who have caught the attention of major clubs, with midfielder Edison Santos (Ederson Jose dos…

On January 3rd, the Italian Super Cup semi-final saw Inter Milan face off against Atalanta. Thanks to a stunning bicycle kick and a world-class strike from defender Denzel Dumfries, Inter Milan emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, marking their seventh consecutive victory in the Derby della Madonnina and securing their fourth consecutive entry into the final of the Italian Super Cup. The match took place at King Saud University Stadium in Saudi Arabia. In the first half, Atalanta's goalkeeper put on a heroic display, keeping the goal intact. However, in the second half, Inter Milan intensified their offensive efforts. In the 49th minute, during an Inter Milan corner kick, there was chaos in the penalty area. Dumfries managed to head the ball and then executed a spectacular bicycle kick, scoring the opening goal for a 1-0 lead. In the 61st minute, it was Dumfries again who made the difference. Inter Milan launched a counter-attack, and due to a defensive error by Atalanta, Dumfries found himself outside the penalty area. He unleashed a powerful shot that soared into the net, doubling the lead to 2-0! Ultimately, Inter Milan secured their victory with a 2-0 scoreline. Throughout the game, they maintained a 52% possession rate, attempted 21 shots with 6 on target, demonstrating a proactive approach that left Atalanta with few opportunities. This win marks Inter Milan's fourth consecutive appearance in the Super Cup final, having won the title in each of the previous three years. Atalanta currently tops the Serie A table, leading Inter Milan by just one point, although Inter…

Although there were no major signings in last summer's transfer window, Inter Milan has maintained a strong competitive edge under the leadership of Simone Inzaghi. They are ranked among the top 8 in the UEFA Champions League and are just one point behind the top spot after 18 rounds in Serie A, with one game in hand. Before the second half of the league season begins, Inter faced a test in the semi-finals of the Italian Super Cup, with their opponent being the league leaders, Atalanta. Atalanta won the Europa League title last season and currently sits atop Serie A under the guidance of veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini, making them a formidable opponent. However, Atalanta has had no advantage over Inter in recent encounters, suffering six consecutive defeats and not winning against them in seven years. In this match, Lautaro Martinez missed several goal-scoring opportunities, but Denzel Dumfries' two spectacular goals saved the day, leading to a 2-0 victory for Inter. This result eliminated Atalanta and secured Inter's fourth consecutive entry into the Super Cup final, where they await the winner between Juventus and AC Milan. To secure a place in the final, Inter lined up in their usual 3-5-2 formation, with Lautaro Martinez and Sébastien Haller as the front two. In midfield, Dumfries and Federico Dimarco provided the width, while Hakan Calhanoglu played as the single holding midfielder. Behind them were Robin Gosens, Stefan de Vrij, and Alessandro Bastoni, with Samir Handanovic in goal. Atalanta, on the other hand, opted for a more conservative approach with a 3-4-2-1…

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…