AC Milan and Inter Milan need time to find a way of resolving their respective problems, according to former coach Alberto Zaccheroni.
With both sides languishing in seventh and 12th respectively, Milan is deemed a city in crisis and Alberto Zaccheroni -- who led Milan to a surprise scudetto in 1999 and also coached the Nerazzurri before being replaced by Roberto Mancini in 2004 -- gave his view on the two clubs' plight.
"[Milan boss Filippo] Inzaghi needs to make the most of the sympathy everybody has for him," Zaccheroni, who took Japan to the 2014 World Cup, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He's dedicated, determined and attentive during games and he's dynamic on the bench. He needs to be evaluated over time. Milan don't just pick any old coach -- I know [general manager Adriano] Galliani too well."
Mancini, appointed for his second spell in the Inter hotseat last month, enjoys a certain amount of credit from what he achieved during his first spell at the club [three titles and two Coppa Italia trophies]. Although he has picked up just one point from his first three games, Zaccheroni is convinced he will turn things around in time.
"He's a winner and he starts out from a different position compared to Walter Mazzarri," said the 61-year-old. "There's more enthusiasm now and less pressure from the fans. It had become impossible before. They just need serenity. Time and serenity."
Time should also be given to several key players who have not been performing to the expected standards: the reference is to Fernando Torres and Stephan El Shaarawy on one side of the Naviglio and Rodrigo Palacio and Mateo Kovacic on the other.
"El Shaarawy's not playing to his full potential," Zaccheroni added. "He's got truly extraordinary quality and he's proven it in the past, which is why Inzaghi needs to work on him to get the best out of him.
"I also hope that Fernando Torres, who is confirming how hard Spanish players find it to adapt to our league, recovers his form too. You've got to hope that the players who have the greatest quality start to make a difference.
"I also have faith in Rodrigo Palacio to get through this grim period. I'm sure Mancini has the situation under control, but sometimes it's not only the intervention of the coach which can make a difference, but it takes the more experienced players to lead the way for the younger ones. That's the only way the potential top players can become useful to the cause."
Milan do not have a particularly easy schedule either. Although they do not have any European distractions this season, with Napoli and Roma their next two opponents the risk is high that they will slip even further before Christmas.
Meanwhile, Inter travel to Chievo at the weekend before hosting Lazio. Then, Mancini takes his side to the Juventus Stadium -- another daunting task for a club in crisis as the league leaders have been in fine form.