On Wednesday, the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh, will feature a Milan derby unlike any other as Italian champions AC Milan and Coppa Italia winners Inter square off.
The 234th Derby della Madonnina pits the two Serie A heavyweights against one another. The Nerazzurri have won 85 games, while the Rossoneri rivals have won 79, but this is only their second Supercoppa encounter.
Milan can now win back to back matches against their most formidable rivals Inter for the first time after their league win at the beginning of September.
The Scudetto-holders, who dethroned Inter by finishing ahead of them in a thrilling title race last year, must now repeat the feat in the very different surroundings of Saudi Arabia, where King Fahd Stadium will host the clubs’ most recent match. A Rafael Leao brace proved crucial in their 3-2 victory at San Siro.
However, Stefano Pioli’s team has faltered its way into the Supercoppa after blowing a two-goal lead and wasting two points against Roma at home, losing to Torino in the Coppa Italia, and salvaging a 2-2 draw in Lecce last weekend.
Milan, the most recent team to experience full testing at Stadio Via del Mare, fell behind by two goals to the Serie B champions after 23 minutes, but Leao and captain Davide Calabria came back to limit the damage and save some face.
Despite this, the Rossoneri trail Serie A leaders Napoli by nine points after the Partenopei’s 5-1 thrashing of Juventus on Friday. If they want to retain their title, they will need to make up this deficit in the second half of the season.
For Pioli and company, winning some hardware at the expense of their city rivals would undoubtedly be a good way to start 2023, and in 34 previous Supercoppa contests, 71% of the victories went to the Rossoneri.
Inter is looking for their first such victory as they prepare to compete in only the third final between the two Milanese heavyweights, following the Supercoppa 12 years ago and the Coppa Italia in 1977.
The Nerazzurri will be attempting to win consecutive super-cups for the first time since 2006 after defeating Juventus to the Coppa via a 4-2 extra-time victory in Rome last spring. Juve were also their opponents in the championship game at San Siro last January.
After defeating the Serie A underachievers, they have now won eight of their previous ten matches in the top division, including a victory over previously unbeaten Napoli. They are now tied with Juventus for third place, one point behind Milan.
Inzaghi’s Coppa Italia match against Parma last week almost resulted in humiliation, but his team narrowly advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating the Serie B team. Parma had led until the 88th minute, when Martinez tied the score, and Francesco Acerbi’s header gave them the victory in overtime.
That continues a streak of success for Inter’s infamous manager in cup competitions. He has led Inter to the Champions League quarterfinals once more this season and has also triumphed in each of his three Supercoppa matches as a manager, two with Lazio and one with his current club.
Milan Team News
Both Origi and Kjaer made their way back from injuries over the weekend; Kjaer may get the start. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a former Inter striker, rejoins Krunic, Rebic, and starting goalkeeper Maignan on the sidelines once more.
Despite a busy schedule, Olivier Giroud remains the front line’s leader, and Brahim Diaz can defeat Charles De Ketelaere for the trequartista position in Pioli’s signature 4-2-3-1 formation.
Stefano Pioli will be happy to have Sandro Tonali back in midweek after his team struggled without the key midfielder on Saturday while he served a one-match Serie A suspension.
Leading scorer Rafael Leao scored twice in the September derby against Inter after going nine games without doing so. The Portuguese winger will play on the Rossoneri’s left side.
Possible Lineup
Tatarusanu; Calabria, Tomori, Kalulu, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer, Tonali; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leao; Olivier Giroud
Inter Team News
Due to their injuries, club captain Handanovic and midfielder Brozovic have both been ruled out by Simone Inzaghi.
Romelu Lukaku, a striker for Inter, participated in group training at the beginning of the week in an effort to be cleared to play on Wednesday night. Dzeko ought to attack alongside Lautaro Martinez in place of Lukaku in the starting XI.
Possible Lineup
Andre Onana; Milan Skriniar, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Gagliardini, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Edin Dzeko
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