AC MILAN v INTER: FUN FACTS

It's only matchday 5 but we already have derby-day football upon us. The local Milan rivalry returns to San Siro after the two fixtures last year, with a 1-1 draw in the girone di andata and a 2-1 win later in the season. Stefano Pioli's Rossoneri, who drew last time out against Sassuolo, will host Simone Inzaghi's Nerazzurri at 18:30 CEST on Saturday 3 September. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting stats ahead of AC Milan v Inter.

BETWEEN IBRA AND SHEVA
The highest currently-active goals scorer in the derby is Zlatan Ibrahimović (10, eight with the Rossoneri), while the top scorers in the fixture currently playing for the Nerazzurri are Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez (both on five). The top goalscorer overall is Andriy Shevchenko, who scored 14 goals in games between the two sides.

THE DERBY AT HOME
The last time that AC Milan beat Inter as the home team in Serie A was on 31 January 2016, with Siniša Mihajlović in charge (3-0, goals from Alex, Bacca and Niang). Since then, we have seen three draws and three wins for the Nerazzurri, who have gone unbeaten as the away team in the derby against four different AC Milan head coaches (Montella, Gattuso, Giampaolo and Pioli). After the 2-1 win last February, which was decided by Giroud's brace, AC Milan could win two consecutive games against their local rivals in Serie A for the first time since 2011 (Massimiliano Allegri's first two derbies in charge).

FAST STARTS AND GOALS FROM ALL OVER
No team has scored more goals in the first 15 minutes of games in Serie A this season than AC Milan and Inter (two apiece, level with Juventus). Both AC Milan and Inter have scored through six different players over the first four games of the current Serie A campaign - only Napoli (seven) have more. 

POSSIBLE KEY PLAYERS
Olivier Giroud scored a brace in his only derby to date, and in fact converted from both of his two shots in the game on 5 February 2022. Theo Hernández (84) and Ismaël Bennacer (74) have completed more dribbles than any other player in Serie A this season, while Rafael Leão has had the most dribbles ending in shots (10). Rafael Leão's next appearance will be his 100th in Serie A. among the players born in 1999, the AC Milan forward has provided the most assists (16) in the Italian top flight and the third-most goals (24).

SOLIDITY AND CONTINUITY
The Rossoneri haven't conceded in their last two games, thanks in no small part to Mike Maignan's penalty save to deny Berardi against Sassuolo. AC Milan have kept a clean sheet in both of these games and could register three or more clean sheets in the first five games of three consecutive Serie A seasons for the third time in their history, after 1952/53-1954/54 and 1978/79-1981/82. AC Milan have kept the most clean sheets of any team in Europe's Top-5 leagues in 2022: 14 for the Rossoneri in that time, twice as many as Inter. Inter have won their last five home games in Serie A and haven't gone on a longer run in the competition since August 2014, spread between the tenures of Clarence Seedorf and Filippo Inzaghi.

FROM A FEW YARDS OUT
Shots from range can make the difference in games, especially against packed defences, but that hasn't been the case in recent derbies. Just one of AC Milan's last 35 goals against Inter in all competitions has been scored from outside the box: Suso on 15 October 2017 in the league.

THE TWO COACHES
Stefano Pioli and Simone Inzaghi have faced off eleven times as coaches in Serie A. The current record is total even with four wins apiece and three draws. Pioli could win two consecutive Serie A games against Inter for the first team in his coaching career: his six wins against the Nerazzurri have never come in consecutive games.  

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