AC MILAN v INTER, SUPERCOPPA ITALIANA: OPPONENT REVIEW

A derby that is worth gold. On Wednesday in Riyadh, AC Milan and Inter go head-to-head for the first trophy of 2023, the Supercoppa Italiana. The match will take place in Saudi Arabia at 20:00 CET, and it will be the 234th meeting between the sides in all competitions and the third Final, after the Coppa Italia in 1977 and the Supercoppa in 2011. It is always impossible to predict the outcome of a Derby, and it becomes all the more unpredictable with a trophy at stake. Despite the difficulty of predicting a result, it is Inzaghi's Inter who come into this game in better form; they are unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions (five wins, one draw), with their last defeat coming on November 6 against Juventus in Serie A. In contrast, the Rossoneri are winless in their last three games; only once have they gone four games without a win under Pioli (February 2021 in the Serie A and Europa League).

INTER'S BIGGEST STRENGTHS: PRECISE PASSING AND A FRONT FOOT START
Without considering the psychological approach which is often decisive in cup ties, Inter will be a tricky opponent for two reasons. Firstly, due to the way they create chances through crisp and precise passing. The Nerazzurri have scored the most goals after a sequence of at least 10 passes in the league this season (five), while AC Milan are yet to score one. The second crucial aspect is their ultra-attacking start to games: the Nerazzurri have scored eight times in the opening 15 minutes of games in Serie A 2022/23. This is the most of any team, ahead of AC Milan who have scored seven.

There is one area where the two rivals are very similar: attacking recoveries. Inter have the most in Serie A this season (160), but AC Milan have scored the most as a result of winning the ball high up the pitch (five). In short, the match at King Fahd Stadium is likely to be a lively and fast-paced encounter.

OCCHI PUNTATI SU LAUTARO E DZEKO, CHANCE DA RECORD PER LUKAKU
In the final in Riyadh, the Rossoneri defence will come up against two especially tricky opponents: Lautaro Martinez and Edin Džeko. The Toro, in addition to being the league's top goal-scorer with 9 goals this season, has returned from the World Cup more determined than ever, and this match offers the no.10 a special chance. After scoring in last season's Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus, the 25 year old could become the first player to score in two consecutive editions of the Supercoppa since Tévez, who achieved the feat in 2013 and 2014. Just behind Lautaro, in terms of the danger he possesses and in the scoring charts for Inzaghi's side, is Edin Džeko. The Bosnian striker, with seven goals in Serie A this season, is a vital cog in the Nerazzurri's attack. His physicality, experience, and positional awareness allow him to be a real goal threat but also a very effective second striker. Inter's no.9 and Olivier Giroud both have the chance to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo and become the oldest goalscorer in the history of the Supercoppa Italiana.

There is another aspect that makes Džeko exceptionally dangerous for the Rossoneri defence: the Bosnian has scored six goals against AC Milan, all in Serie A, with three of them headers. Since Opta started collecting data (2004/05), only one player has scored more headers in the league against the Diavolo: Toni (four). As we are speaking about goals, we must not fail to mention Romelu Lukaku, despite the forward still searching for match fitness. Inter's number 90 has scored in all five of his matches against AC Milan, meaning that of those to play in the Milan Derby in the 21st century, he has played the most games while scoring in all of them.

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