Lower than a month from their five-goal thriller in Saudi Arabia, Milan and Inter renew hostilities in one of many standout fixtures within the Serie A calendar. Stadio San Siro types the backdrop for the 182nd top-flight version of the well-known Derby della Madonnina.
The stakes are extremely excessive in Sunday’s Milan derby. Each groups desperately want factors to fortify their seasonal objectives, making it for good studying for neutrals. Nonetheless, the Rossoneri followers are most likely trembling forward of the third assembly between Milan and Inter this season.
Each side featured in midweek Champions League motion however encountered contrasting fortunes. Sergio Conceicao’s aspect entered the ultimate league-phase spherical within the prime eight, just for a dismal 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb to sentence them to a playoff berth.
Yunus Musah’s first-half expulsion on the Maksimir Stadion was the instrument of Milan’s demise. One other erratic defensive efficiency rendered Christian Pulisic’s second-half strike a mere comfort because the Rossoneri suffered solely their second defeat underneath Conceicao.
In distinction to their arch-rivals’ embarrassing lead to Croatia, Inter put 10-man Monaco to the sword on the San Siro. Again to his finest, Lautaro Martinez bagged a match-winning hat-trick to attract stage with Sandro Mazzola because the membership’s joint-top scorer within the Champions League.
El Toro’s return to kind has coincided with Inter’s purple patch. Simone Inzaghi’s males have received 5 of their six aggressive matches since dropping to Milan within the Supercoppa Italiana last in Riyadh, with the 27-year-old Argentine within the final 5.
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Milan
Regardless of trailing by two objectives ‘to nil’ after solely 50 minutes, Milan beat Inter 3-2 within the Tremendous Cup last to win their first trophy since 2022. Consequently, Conceicao might turn out to be the primary Rossoneri supervisor to win his first two derbies answerable for the membership since Massimiliano Allegri in 2011.
Nonetheless, the duty at hand is nothing wanting Herculean. Again-to-back derby wins are as many as Milan amassed from their earlier 13 conferences with Inter (D2, L9). But, Milan’s see-saw kind underneath Conceicao has resulted in a 62.5% win price throughout all competitions (W5, D1, L2).
4 of these 5 victories noticed Milan come from behind to take three factors. There’s little question Conceicao will purpose for a greater begin as his males bid to take care of their purple patch at house. Certainly, they final misplaced a aggressive sport on the San Siro in October (W5, D4).
Parma got here near ending that run final weekend, however Milan hauled again a slender deficit in second-half stoppages to win 3-2. They, nonetheless, begin this matchday a whopping 16 factors adrift of Inter.
Inter
Whereas Milan’s European hopes teeter on the sting of catastrophe, Inzaghi’s costs stay firmly in rivalry for a second consecutive Scudetto. Solely three factors separate Inter from table-topping Napoli, albeit the reigning holders have a sport in hand.
Moreover, they’ve been in formidable kind since dropping a league match towards Milan. A 15-game unbeaten run in Serie A (W12, D3) maybe finest illustrates Inter’s home superiority. Nonetheless, Inzaghi ought to know higher than to let that tuck right into a false sense of safety.
Inter have didn’t win 4 of their final 5 house encounters towards present top-eight groups (D3, L1). However they’ve been unimaginable when favored by the bookmakers in top-flight motion (W15, D5), to not point out they’ve received their final three aggressive video games through a mixed rating of 8-0.
Workforce Information
Milan might be with out long-term absentee Alessandro Florenzi. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Emerson Royal, and Malick Thiaw maintain him firm within the remedy room. In the meantime, Youssouf Fofana is serving a one-game ban for amassed yellow playing cards. Kyle Walker might at the least make his Rossoneri debut.
Alternatively, Inter can’t name upon Francesco Acerbi and Joaquin Correa. The injured duo is near regaining full health, however this sport comes too early for them. Nonetheless, Hakan Calhanoglu might rejoin the group after lacking the final six matches with a muscle downside.
Milan vs Inter Potential Beginning Line-ups
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Bennacer, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham.
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram.
Milan vs Inter Prediction
In-form Lautaro and Capocannoinere hopeful Marcus Thuram might have a discipline day towards Milan’s porous backline. Pure willpower bailed Milan out of their huge defensive issues within the Italian Tremendous Cup, however Inter ought to enact their revenge on Sunday.