Cup row adds spice to Milan derby build-up

With the crucial Milan derby between the top two teams in Serie A just a week away, a furious row has broken out between the neighbours over the scheduling of the next round of Coppa Italia fixtures.

Under the original Cup scheduling, Milan were due to host Udinese in the quarter-finals next Wednesday while Inter were to host Juventus, also at the San Siro, on the Thursday of the following week.

But Milan asked the Football League to have their match put back so they too could have a free week ahead of the derby.

The League’s response was to schedule Milan’s clash with Udinese the day before Inter’s clash with Juventus, meaning the nerazzurro would have to play on the San Siro pitch just 24 hours after another match had already been played there.

That has left Inter officials fuming.

“It’s unacceptable that the calendar is changed and organised so that two matches on the same pitch are played 24 hours apart and the second is a match as prestigious as Inter-Juventus,” said Inter director Ernesto Paolillo.

“All this is absurd, it ridicules the national cup competition and the professional football league.

“We ask officially to play on Wednesday January 27 rather than looking for a new date for Fiorentina-Milan which was already programmed for a certain date.”

The Fiorentina-Milan match which was called off in December due to bad weather was due to be played on January 27, which was why Milan’s cup match needed to be played the week before.

But now that Milan’s request to be given a free week ahead of the derby has been accepted, their match at Fiorentina has been put back to Wednesday February 24, as has Udinese’s clash against Cagliari.

Essentially, three matches have been moved and two games will be played on the same pitch 24 hours apart.

Milan coach Leonardo says it’s got nothing to do with him, though.

“Not having any commitments in the week leading up to the derby is of course a good thing for us,” he said.

“But with all the other things I have to think about I don’t want to get distracted by anything. These are things which are related to rules and to those who make decisions.”