Clarence Seedorf thinks Milan have more motivation to win the derby – for the Scudetto, for the rivalry and for Paolo Maldini.
“Defeat is not an option, we know that,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport. “We will step out there with the right mentality to win. We are lacking nothing to get the victory, despite our recent setback.”
The Rossoneri had closed to within six points of Inter before last week’s 1-1 home draw with bottom of the table Reggina, so their title aspirations hang by a thread.
“We felt bad about that, as the points were in the bag. Against Genoa we conceded five minutes from time, while Reggina scored with their only shot on target. Luck has not been on our side, but you need to make your own fortune and we were not consistent enough,” confessed Seedorf.
There is extra motivation in the Milan camp, as this is set to be Paolo Maldini’s final derby match, assuming he retires at the end of the season.
“I want to enjoy all the time we have left playing alongside this champion and I hope the team can give him the gift of the derby victory. Having said that, are we really sure this is his last one?”
Seedorf is a former Inter player and has experienced the Derby della Madonnina on both sides of the San Siro divide, so he knows full well how the tension stretches well beyond the match situation.
“When a game is over, it should be over, but now there’s this tradition of talking about incidents for days on end. This way we end up forgetting the rest, including what is good about football.
“The derby isn’t ‘nastier’ per se, it’s the whole world that is getting nastier and we all have to work together for a better existence.
“Football can have an effect on society and we should be the first to set a good example, as fair play is morality for everyday life.”
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