The legendary Italian manager claims that AC Milan and Atalanta will outdo Juventus and Inter Milan in the European competition.
Legendary Italian manager Arrigo Sacchi has claimed that AC Milan and Atalanta would outperform fellow Italian rivals Juventus and Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
Sacchi feels that Milan and Atalanta have a better international mentality than the Old Lady and Nerazuurri, who are focused on establishing their dominance in Serie A.
Juve dominated the Italian top flight for the last decade before losing the Scudetto to Inter the previous season.
However, the Old Lady has failed to replicate a similar success at the Champions League over the course. They twice reached the finals of UCL, but they also failed to progress past the round of 16 in the last two seasons.
Defending champions Inter’s track record in the European competition isn’t impressive either as they failed to pass the group stage in the last two seasons.
Sacchi said: “I have to say that Milan and Atalanta are the ones that have the most international mentality, while Inter and Juventus are more children of our tradition.
“Milan has ended up in an iron group: they are young, perhaps inexperienced for certain stages, but has team spirit, has a clear and modern game and can have his say even in a very tough group.
“Ancelotti’s Real will now face Inter on matchday one. The Nerazzurri are very Italian. If they want to become more European, they must deliver. It will be a good test against Real.
“But I think the whole Nerazzurri group is very interesting. Beware of De Zerbi’s Shakhtar Donetsk: he plays a total game. Everyone says that Inter and Real will pass, I am not there, I would swear “.
Atalanta have been raising the bars both in the Serie A and Champions League over the last few seasons with mastermind Gan Piero Gasperini at the helm.
Meanwhile, Milan, led by Stefano Pioli, are making a come-back into the UCL after a long haul. They have been drawn in what appears to be the group of death which contains Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Porto.
