The most recent edition of the Derby della Madonnina lived up to the hype, as Olivier Giroud scored a late brace to stun Inter 1-2. The Nerazzurri controlled the first 75 minutes of the match, but Milan came alive with the late introduction of Brahim Diaz. Both teams played exceptionally well, as Mike Maignan, Marcelo Brozovic and Denzel Dumfries all turned in stellar performances.
Inter
Samir Handanovic – 7
Milan’s offense failed to consistently test Handanovic, but the goalkeeper made one quality save against Sandro Tonali. The two late Rossoneri goals were unstoppable, as Handanovic was letdown by his defense.
Alessandro Bastoni – 7
The Italian was erratic defensively, but his distribution was unmatched. Alongside Brozovic, Bastoni was key in building Inter’s attacks from deep.
Stefan de Vrij – 5
De Vrij had an average game, and his poor defending against Giroud in the second half allowed the striker to score the winning goal.
Milan Skriniar – 8
Skriniar showed why he is one of the best defenders in the league against Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao. He shut down both creative players effectively, making it incredibly difficult for Milan to attack down the left wing.
Marcelo Brozovic – 8
Inter’s trio of central midfielders was in fantastic form. From the defensive midfield, Brozovic facilitated play and sparked numerous counter attacks. As usual, the midfielder was also strong on defense and protected the space between the lines.
Denzel Dumfries – 8
While he was unable to convert any of his chances, Dumfries was Inter’s player of the match. The wing-back easily handled Theo Hernandez’s poor defensive efforts and attacked with vigor down the wing. After a cross found Dumfries in the box, he had a great chance to score, but Maignan kept the Dutch player off the scoresheet.
Ivan Perisic – 7.5
Though he was often shut down by Davide Calabria, Perisic had a nice game. He was able to swing in a number of crosses and scored an easy goal after he was left unmarked on a corner early on.
Nicolo Barella – 7
In the first half, Barella was particularly creative and sparked a number of chances for Inter. While he was quieter in the second 45, it was a good day overall for the midfielder.
Hakan Calhanoglu – 8
Calhanoglu was dynamic on the left side of the central midfield. The Turk was critical to building Inter’s frequent attacks, and he whipped in several dangerous balls from set pieces and corner kicks.
Lautaro Martinez – 7
After a strong outing against Colombia, the Argentine striker impressed for Inter. His play was more subtle, as he pulled the strings in the attacking third, looking to release Edin Dzeko and Dumfries into space.
Edin Dzeko – 6
Dzeko made a couple of creative passes, but the forward was not greatly involved in play. The Bosnian did not receive his usual level of service and was unable to get his head onto many crosses.
Substitutes
Federico DiMarco – N/A
Alexis Sanchez – N/A
Arturo Vidal – N/A
Matias Vecino – N/A
MILANO IS RED ?⚫️
Milan are now just ONE point behind Inter (who have a game in hand)
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— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) February 5, 2022
Milan
Mike Maignan – 9
Maignan’s performance was transcendent. Playing in his electric neon-yellow kit, the Frenchman made several incredible saves, including the one-on-one stop against Dumfries. Maignan is without a doubt the best goalkeeper in the league right now.
Pierre Kalulu – 5.5
Milan’s two centre-backs were out of sync for most of the match and struggled to communicate well. Kalulu was decent defensively, but the overall organization of the backline was subpar.
Alessio Romagnoli – 6
Like Kalulu, the captain was unable to properly organize the backline, but he made a handful of important challenges. Romagnoli has had a poor season, but he took a step in the right direction against Inter.
Davide Calabria – 7.5
Tasked with defending Perisic and Martinez, Calabria was in top form. While he failed to contribute greatly the offense, the right-back was an alert and effective defender. As Inter pushed late for an equalizer, he made a crucial block on Alexis Sanchez in the box, preserving Milan’s victory.
Theo Hernandez – 4.5
Hernandez was an utter liability for Milan. Denzel Dumfries had his way with the left-back, who committed a number of clumsy fouls and missed tackles. Skriniar totally neutralized Hernandez’s attacking ability and left Milan toothless in the channel.
Sandro Tonali – 6
Tonali had a quiet match, but he made an exceptional pass to Giroud for the game-winning assist.
Franck Kessie – 6.5
Playing in front of the double pivot, Kessie seemed uncomfortable and out of place. The Ivorian was unimpressive when in possession in advanced positions, but his fantastic defensive play compensated for his struggles.
Ismael Bennacer – 8
Relegated the bench for much of the season, Bennacer had perhaps his best match this year. He was active defensively and retained possession well against heavy pressure in the midfield.
Alexis Saelemaekers – 4
The Belgian had a poor showing on the right wing. He did not involve himself enough in build-up play, and Stefano Pioli quickly removed him at halftime.
Rafael Leao – 5
In certain games, Leao has a magic touch, and in others, he does not. Against Inter, he was unable to find his footing and was relatively ineffective on the wing.
Olivier Giroud – 8
After a quiet 70 minutes, Giroud came to life, stunning the Nerazzurri with a late brace. His first goal was a simple tap-in, and his second was a thing of beauty. With his back to goal, the striker spun around de Vrij and curled his foot around the ball, slotting it into the lower left corner of the net to win the game.
Substitutes
Junior Messias – 6.5
Messias’ introduction greatly improved the right-wing. Contrasting with Saelemaekers’ interior play, the Brazilian played wide and made dangerous runs into the attacking third.
Brahim Diaz – 7
With Milan clearly needing a player to connect the midfield and the forwards, Pioli brought on Diaz for Kessie. The young Spaniard immediately breathed life into Milan’s attack and gave the Rossoneri a genuine threat in the centre of the pitch, creating Milan’s late equalizer.