Monday is the day of reckoning in Lombardy as eternal rivals Milan and Inter square off in a top-table Serie A six-pointer at San Siro. It’s the end of Gameweek 33, and the curtain-dropping fixture doesn’t come more illustrious than the iconic Derby della Madonnina.
Stefano Pioli might have sealed his fate at Milan last week. Another disappointing performance in a high-profile game saw Rossoneri lose 2-1 to 10-man Roma and, in turn, bow out of the Europa League quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate. A disheartening European elimination condemned the 19-time Italian champions to a second consecutive season without a trophy and probably put the final nail in Pioli’s coffin.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic already searching for his replacement, the Scudetto-winning manager can at least hope to wave goodbye to Milan with dignity. Part of that was lost in September’s reverse fixture when Inter trounced his charges 5-1 to extend a dominant head-to-head run to five successive victories and take a first step toward a 20th Serie A title.
It’s only a matter of time before Inter add a second star to their jersey. As pinpointed by Simone Inzaghi during the pre-match conference, now’s the perfect occasion to celebrate that milestone. Nerazzurri are one win away from dethroning Napoli, meaning another derby success will do the trick. Yet, a 14-point gap between the sides suggests they can afford to lose.
While that would only postpone the inevitable, Inter will fight tooth and nail to finish the job on Monday and rub it in Milan’s face. More than bragging rights is at stake, though, as Inter’s win would confirm the Scudetto winner at the end of the Derby della Madonnina for the first time in history.
Match Preview
Milan
Milan have nothing but pride left to play for as they’re on the cusp of another top-four finish but miles away from testing Inter’s title credentials. A runner-up spot is still up for grabs, though a healthy five-point lead on third-placed Juventus deeming that a foregone conclusion, even if their abysmal run against Inter continues.
Though Milan lacked fighting spirit against Roma, that’s not been the case in Serie A. Pioli’s side fought back from a two-goal deficit to hold Sassuolo to a 3-3 draw last weekend, consolidating their imperious domestic form. Indeed, they’ve only lost once in 17 league outings in the build-up to this blockbuster (W12, D4).
That will give Milan fans hope that Rossoneri could spoil Inter’s celebration party. However, not since September 2022 and Rafael Leao’s memorable double have Pioli’s men defeated their neighbors in a competitive encounter.
Inter
Inter failed to make Serie A history last weekend as relegation-threatened Cagliari fought valiantly at Giuseppe Meazza to claim a 2-2 draw. Despite relinquishing a two-game winning league run, Inzaghi’s lads extended their formidable streak without losing in Italy’s top flight to an intimidating 26 games (W21, D5).
There’s still a substantial distance between their ongoing run and Milan’s outright Serie A record of 58 consecutive unbeaten fixtures set between 1991 and 1993. However, dreams don’t cost a dime, and there are other milestones Inter can reach during the remainder of the campaign. Beating Milan would help them achieve one.
Inter can become the joint-earliest team to win the Scudetto, as taking three points here would see them claim the crown with five games to spare. As one of only four clubs across Europe’s top-five divisions yet to lose an away league match this season, it’s hard to put it past Nerazzurri to complete that task.
Team News
Milan can’t count on Pierre Kalulu and Tommaso Pobega due to injuries, while Malick Thiaw is unavailable after accumulating yellow cards. There’s a glimmer of hope for Simon Kjaer to get into the squad, but he’d start on the bench anyway.
On the other hand, Inter have no such concerns. Apart from long-term absentee Juan Cuadrado, Inzaghi has the remainder of his team fit and ready. Benjamin Pavard and Lautaro Martinez return to the fold after missing out on the Cagliari game due to suspension.
Milan vs Inter Potential Lineups
Milan (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Ismael Bennacer, Tijjani Reijnders; Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud.
Inter (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.
Milan vs Inter Prediction
With a whopping nine losses, Pioli laments the worst record in the Derby della Madonnina of all Milan managers. Improving that record on Monday would unlikely help his cause, but it should at least repair his players’ image after a forgettable night at the Olimpico.
However, Inter have on a different level this season. Though a repeat of an emphatic scoreline in the reverse fixture is unlikely, Inzaghi’s men are well-positioned to pour more misery on their rivals and waltz away with the Scudetto in style.
Prediction: Inter Win
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