2023-05-09 23:48:10
The indestructible striker of the Blues, whose AC Milan faces the neighbor of Inter in the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday, aims for a new coronation in C1 at 36 years old.
Insatiable and stainless, Olivier Giroud returns to the semi-finals of the Champions League, two years after lifting the cup with the big ears with the Chelsea Blues. It is this time in red and black that the Frenchman, surrounded by his compatriots Mike Maignan, Théo Hernandez and Pierre Kalulu, enters the last four, for an astonishing derby against Inter this Wednesday (9 p.m., broadcast on Canal+ et RMC Sport).
Amazing Derby because not representative of Serie A, at the level strongly criticized in the country. And because the two Milanese clubs are in the hard. The Rossoneri, defending champions, are 5th with two points behind Inter, 4th. If there is, Milan owes it in part to Rafael Leão, voted best player in Serie A last year. But the Portuguese striker, injured against Lazio Rome on Saturday (2-0), is uncertain for this European evening.
Giroud, Milan’s talisman
«We can also have a great match without a decisive player like him“, promised his coach Stefano Pioli who, unless surprised, will count on Giroud at the forefront of his 4-2-3-1. Scorer in the quarter return to Naples (1-1, 1-0 first leg victory), the world champion was a decisive passer on Saturday against Lazio Rome. The years pass and the top scorer in the history of the France team (121 caps, 53 goals) holds firm.
SEE ALSO – Olivier Giroud, the essential at AC Milan
Always generous, sometimes clumsy but often where it’s needed. Giroud looks like a talisman in Milan, where he validated the league title last year with a double in the last match at Sassuolo (0-3). This season, he already has 5 goals in 10 C1 matches. Another one and it would be his record in a single exercise, at 36 years old. “It’s no longer a matter of record for me. My leitmotif remains pleasure“, he sounded in the columns of L’Équipe last month.
Fun, San Siro will take it, no matter what. It is AC Milan which “receives” this Wednesday, before being considered as the visiting club in the same stadium six days later, for the return leg. Against Naples, the weight of history had come into play. The weight of a club in 7 Champions Leagues (only Real Madrid does better with 14). Difficult to reuse the same ingredient against Inter. But Milan, and especially Giroud, knows the recipe.
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