On February 5th, Inter and Milan square off in the Derby della Madonnina. When Inter hosts AC Milan on derby day this weekend, will they be able to add salt to their rival’s wounds?
Inter seeks victory to maintain their position behind distant Serie A leaders Napoli after defeating their city rivals in the Supercoppa Italiana. The champions, who have lost their last 3 games after conceding 12 goals, may be worried about the most recent Derby della Madonnina.
Stefano Pioli, the head coach of AC Milan, has acknowledged that the team is in full crisis mode. Last weekend’s humiliating 5-2 loss to Sassuolo at home was their fourth loss in five games overall. Milan has given up nine goals in each of their last two Serie A games, and with their confidence at an all-time low, they appear unprepared to face Inter in the Derby della Madonnina. Just a few weeks ago, Inter easily defeated their rivals 3-0 in the Super Cup, and they look forward to stomping their neighbours when they’re down in this match.
Milan wants to avoid losing 4 consecutive games for the first time since early 2017 and Pioli is under pressure to turn things around for the derby. The club has never given up more goals in one month in their lengthy Serie A history than they did in January, which has left them 15 points off the league’s top spot and in a dogfight to finish in the top four.
After their comeback victory over bottom-place Cremonese, in which Lautaro Martinez scored twice to even the score after an early deficit, Inter have won 9 of their last 12 games in the top division, including a victory over previously undefeated Napoli. However, they lost their most recent home game to Empoli.
Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over regional rivals Atalanta, the Nerazzurri advanced to the Coppa Italia semifinals, and their title defence will continue in April against Juventus.
Martinez and the dependable Edin Dzeko have kept the goals coming while Romelu Lukaku continues to toil in his comeback campaign, but it is Inter’s defensive performance at San Siro that has many experts picking them to finish second. No team has allowed lesser home goals in Serie A this season.
Inter Team News
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will have a full roster to choose from on Sunday as both Stefan de Vrij and Barella are eligible to play after serving their respective suspensions, and midfielder Brozovic is back in full training after missing time with an injury.
Handanovic, a seasoned goalkeeper, is also anticipated to return as Andre Onana’s backup, and Milan Skriniar, a defender who recently announced his intention to leave San Siro, may get the start.
Edin Dzeko and Martinez are partnered up front. The latter has managed to score 6 goals against Milan in all contests and, with one more goal, would surpass the second-highest international scorer for Inter in this match.
Possible Lineup
Andre Onana; Milan Skriniar, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Edin Dzeko
Milan Team News
Bennacer, Tomori, and starting goalkeeper Maignan are among the key players who will be absent from Milan’s lineup due to injuries.
After having his ACL repaired, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally started working out again, but the 41-year-old is not yet available to Stefano Pioli. Olivier Giroud, who scored three goals in his first two league encounters with Inter, is in charge of the front line instead.
In the absence of Bennacer, Pobega and Krunic could be Tonali’s central midfield partners, but there are persistent rumours that Pioli may change his usual 4-2-3-1 formation in an attempt to reverse his team’s downward trend.
Possible Lineup
Ciprian Tatarusanu; Calabria, Kalulu, Kjaer, Theo Hernandez; Pobega, Tonali, Krunic; Saelemaekers, Leao, Olivier Giroud
Player to Keep an Eye On
Rafael Leao, a Portuguese winger who plays for AC Milan, may not have a bright future there, but the 23-year-old is still one of the most talented Rossoneri players and should start on Sunday after sitting on the bench against Sassuolo. Leao has made 13 goals-related contributions in 16 Serie A starts this season, and he has the talent to inflict more harm this weekend.
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