Two of the most storied clubs in Italy will be butting heads when Inter Milan hosts Juventus Saturday night in a battle for the top spot in Serie A.
And as if this weekend's Derby d'Italia needed any more hype, two of the best footballers in the world will be going up against each other quite often at the San Siro.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini and Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic have developed quite the rivalry considering they were teammates in Turin just three years ago.
Since he left for Inter Milan after Juve were demoted to Serie B in the summer of 2006, Ibrahimovic has become one of the top ranking players Bianconeri fans love to hate.
"Ibrahimovic? He is the best striker in Italy," Chiellini said Monday. "We will mark him and work together to stop him, it's not an individual challenge between us."
Whether it's true or not, the duel between these two world-class players will be one of the biggest key to his respective teams' success.
After being primarily a left winger his entire Serie A career with Fiorentina and now Juventus, Chiellini was forced into the center of the backline at the start of last season. His efforts in the 1-1 tie and Juve's 2-1 win against Inter and Ibrahimovic kept the big Sweede of the scoresheet and was the perfect way to remember his first season in the middle of the Juve defense.
Battling for every ball in the air, Chiellini won most, handing out bone-rattling challenges in the process. And aside from an forearm to the head of Ibrahimovic, the Italian international played the perfect game against his former teammate.
But Ibra is a different kind of animal this year. He's healthy and has been absolutely on fire this season under the guidance of Jose Mourinho. Just go watch the two goals he scored this past weekend against Palermo and you will see the current form he is on.
To say that Ibrahimovic is the center of Inter's offense would be an understatement. In a lineup that sees drastic changes every week, he is the constant, and the faith that Mourinho has shown in him has seen his game go to the next and most ridiculous level.
Add to the fact that the other members of Inter's strike force have yet to really get settled in Mourinho's 4-3-3 system and the battle between Chiellini and Ibrahimovic takes even more importance.
If the Italian shuts down the Sweede, does that mean he shuts down Inter's attack?
What we do know is this, two in-form players going against one another is always a good thing to watch.
In a game that means so much, this match up might be one of the biggest and most important of them all.
And in this game, it might be the most exciting as well.
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about 1 month ago
Both players have been absolutely amazing this season and as for who's going to win "the match" in the match is tough to predict, but I'm gonna go with Chiellini anyway cos we're all aware of Ibra's problem in big games.. :P hope that doesn't come back and bite me..
from about 1 month ago
You're not the only one hoping that. It's really hard to say what Ibra will do in this big game because he has been so absolutely on fire this season. But it's not like Juve have some nobody going up against him.
from about 1 month ago
hahaha true, being former team mates, Ibra should be aware of the way Chiellini plays.. rough hehe but hey, it's not like the Inter players are a bunch of bunnies, they're the worst
from about 1 month ago
Yeah Ibra should know, but in my opinion, Chiellini has become a completely different animal since shifting to the middle. It helps that a lot of inter's players aren't exactly the toughest, although Maicon is an absolute bull for them.
about 1 month ago
Forza Juve!!!
about 1 month ago
Though I despise Juve I can't help but admire Chiellini. He really is a rock at the back and thoroughly outlplayed Ibra last year. I just can't see that happening again though. Ibra has really shown his value this season and Inter owe their league position almost solely to his incredible form.
Look for Ibra to break bianconeri hearts with another matchwinning performance. Forza Inter!
from about 1 month ago
He really has taken control of the Juve defense since Buffon has been out with his injury. Although Chiellini is a stud, the way Ibra has been playing this year, I have to agree to you to a certain extent. He will get his chances mainly because he is Inter's focal point offensively.
about 1 month ago
Zanetti and Del Piero; classiest players on the pitch. Come on Juve.
from about 1 month ago
You got that right. Two of the classiest players in the world.
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