INTER v AC MILAN: OPPONENT REVIEW

Derbies aren't played, they're won. It's a great line, but to win a derby you first have to play it, and play it well. What happens on the pitch matters, just as much as the week of preparation before it. And this one carries a touch of intrigue: the first derby of the season, after the international break, with two new coaches at the helm, both with very different ideas from their predecessors. It's a significant clash, and ahead of kick-off at 20:45 CET on Sunday 23 November at San Siro, we look to break it down it through our detailed Opponent Review.

Let's start with the basics: Inter sit top of the table (level with Roma) on 24 points. Alongside several emphatic wins, there have also been some painful slips, most significantly in their big games. That said, aside from the stumble in Naples, Inter haven't missed a beat since mid-September, in both Serie A and the Champions League, where they're part of the leading pack with a perfect 12 points. Admittedly, their schedule hasn't been the toughest, but certainly not simple either, given the double commitment.

CHIVU'S VERTICAL APPROACH BOOSTS HIS ATTACK, BUT EXPOSES HIS DEFENCE
On paper, not much seems to have changed since Chivu took over this Inter side. The core group is unchanged, the leaders remain the same, and the team's identity hasn't shifted. However, one key adjustment stands out: Inter have reduced their build-up play in favour of a more direct, vertical approach. It starts with the press. Inter have the most shots following an attacking turnover (19) and have scored the most goals from those situations (4). Their PPDA is 10.4 – only Roma and Como press higher. Then there's the firepower: Inter boast the league's most effective attack by a distance (26 goals) and have attempted the most shots overall (199). Of their 172 open-play sequences involving at least 10 passes, 49 have ended in a shot or a touch inside the opposition box – a Serie A record this season.

But that proactive, ruthless approach comes at a cost. Inter may have suffered fewer shots against them (100) than most sides, but they have already conceded 12 goals, a high number in a league that rewards defensive discipline. Roma have conceded 5, Como 6, Bologna 8, AC Milan 9. For now, the system holds, but the balance could be fragile in the long run. It's perhaps no coincidence that Inter haven't drawn a single match yet. That said, they arrive at the derby off back-to-back home clean sheets, against Fiorentina (3–0) and Lazio (2–0). The back line is experienced (and now reinforced by Akanji) but far from watertight.

ATTACK STRENGTHENED, ÇALHANOGLU REBORN, DIMARCO RESURGENT
Inter's shift toward a more vertical approach is largely enabled by the growth of their attacking unit. Behind the untouchables Martínez and Thuram, youngsters Bonny and Esposito have slotted in seamlessly. Bonny has 4 goals and 4 assists, while Esposito has been in excellent form, earning early appearances with the senior national team and scoring recently against Moldova and Norway. Still, the main danger men remain Martínez and Thuram. Martínez has scored 9 goals in the Derby di Milano - he could hit double digits, a milestone reached so far only by Shevchenko, Meazza, Nordahl, Nyers, Ibrahimović and Candiani. He has also delivered 3 assists against AC Milan, a personal-best tally he only matches against Spezia. Thuram, meanwhile, used the international break to recover from the muscle injury that sidelined him for a month.

Running the show in midfield is Çalhanoğlu. After a summer filled with speculation and the real possibility of a move, he has rediscovered his spark and become indispensable once again. He sets the tempo, dictates possession, breaks lines and finishes moves – a genuine all-rounder. Chivu's arrival has also reignited Dimarco, who has returned to peak sharpness and influence. He has created 32 shots for teammates so far — fewer only than Thomasson across Europe's top five leagues (level with Güler and Mbappé). The left flank is flying again, but on the right the absence of Dumfries will weigh heavily.

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