The weekend will bring one of the biggest matches of the season as city rivals Inter and AC Milan meet in the first Derby della Madonnina of the year. The atmosphere is expected to be electric as both teams are fighting for the top of the Serie A table.
Inter enters the match with a two-point lead over its rival and shares first place with Bologna and Roma. The team maintained a perfect record in the Champions League after defeating Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan and then beat Lazio 2-0. Goals from Lautaro Martínez and Ange-Yoan Bonny confirmed Inter’s strong form before the international break.
Coach Cristian Chivu will have to cope without Denzel Dumfries, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Matteo Darmian. Carlos Augusto is expected to fill in on the right side. The main question remains who will partner Martínez in attack, as Bonny, Marcus Thuram, and Francesco Pio Esposito are competing for the spot.
Inter still remembers last season’s record, when it lost three of five derbies, and will aim to take revenge in front of its home supporters.
AC Milan fans, on the other hand, enjoyed last season when their team won three derbies, including the Super Cup triumph. Although Massimiliano Allegri has brought stability to the club this year, he has emphasized that finishing in the top four remains the main objective. However, the team’s form and position in the standings give supporters hope of a title challenge.
Milan is currently on an eleven-match unbeaten run. The team recently drew 2-2 with Parma but previously defeated AS Roma 1-0. Allegri believes that a victory in the derby could return his team to the top of the league.
Expected line-ups:
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Augusto, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram.
AC Milan (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlović; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leão.
