AC MILAN V INTER: THE KEYS TO THE MATCH

The Champions League Euroderby is just around the corner, and the Rossoneri, fresh from their win against Lazio in the league, are ready to engage in battle with their neighbours. It will be a two-legged game full of nerves, decided by details. Let's approach it one step at a time, and try to analyse what will be the potentially decisive factors in the first leg.

AN EFFECTIVE PRESS
In the last match against Lazio, the Rossoneri found the breakthrough thanks to a well-performed press of their opponents: Bennacer pressed and forcede Marcos Antônio to make a mistake, leading to a goal with the help of Giroud. Inter were one of the first teams, since Spalletti's two-year tenure, to practise building from the back, at the cost of taking some risks near their own penalty area. This phase is particularly used by the Nerazzurri when Brozović, the man who control the tempo, is on the pitch, dropping deep to get the ball off the defenders. The Rossoneri will have to try to be very aggressive in their press in order to make things difficult for the Nerazzurri, without losing the balance between the lines at the same time, because if Inter manage to get through the press they can become very dangerous. AC Milan have a good example to draw on in their previous matches against Inter, namely the goal they scored in the 1-1 in the first edition of the derby in the league this season. Bennacer's role in pressing Brozović or Çalhanoğlu will be decisive, as will the cover that Tonali and Krunić can provide for the Algerian.

PATIENCE AND STRUCTURE AT THE BACK
It will probably be the Nerazzurri, who have the second most possession on average in Serie A behind Napoli, who will seek control of the game in the tie against the Rossoneri. Inzaghi's side know how to build patiently and play directly into their attackers. A very recent example: against Roma, Inter scored at the end of a long spell of possession, three minutes of passing it around in search of the right moment, then found by Brozović to Dumfries for Dimarco's goal. In the attacking phase, Inter came forward with a lot of men, with even some of the defence pushing up the pitch (Bastoni and Darmian) and applied constant pressure, even taking risks. AC Milan will have to arm themselves with patience, know how to wait, take the right positions and, as far as possible, avoid offering too much space in behind for the wing-backs and forwards to attack.

THE LEFT AND UNPREDICTABILITY
Leão's injury opens up a position on the left: against Lazio he was excellently replaced by Alexis Saelemaekers, who is in pole position for a starting place on Wednesday. The possible absence of the Portuguese could induce Pioli and AC Milan themselves to change the system: a forced solution that could make AC Milan more unpredictable going forwards. Rafa's ability, although difficult if not impossible to contain, is something Inter have always paid attention to very well, sometimes even tripling up on him (Skriniar-Dumfries or Darmian-Barella). A different player like Alexis, who has 2 goals in this Champions League campaign, can create different situations and positions, interchanging with those who play centrally, and therefore making the attack more unpredictable for Inter. The Rossoneri's aim will therefore have to be to turn a minus like Leão's absence into a plus, which can create headaches for Inter's defence.

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