Inter and Milan will have a lot at stake in tonight’s return leg of the Derby in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. The two sides are looking to end lengthy droughts in the domestic competition. The Nerazzurri have not won it since 2011, when they completed the treble; instead, the Rossoneri last triumphed back in 2003.
The first match ended in a nil-nil tie. Away goals still count more in this cup, so the Stefano Pioli-led side could advance with a goal-filled draw. It is the fourth seasonal clash, with two teams sharing the spoils twice and Milan prevailing once.
The coaches stated that the result of the Coppa Italia Derby would not impact the title race. Yet, the previous crosstown bouts had meaningful repercussions on the ensuing fixtures, La Gazzetta dello Sport points out.
Inter looked the better side in the first fixture, and they went on a seven-game winning streak afterward. Instead, they fell into a slump after Milan defeated them in early February, winning just once in the following six rounds. The Nerazzurri trail by two points in the Serie A standings, but they have a match in hand.
Both gaffers will have almost full squads at their disposal for the Coppa Italia Derby. Alessandro Bastoni escaped with no injuries even though he subbed off versus Spezia. Stefan De Vrij is expected to return to the XI after dealing with muscle fatigue. Davide Calabria practiced fully yesterday after being a late scratch due to a stomach bug in the Genoa tilt.