AC MILAN v INTER: OPPONENT REVIEW

An eternal, timeless rivalry, which will be renewed for the 246th time in all competitions. It's the Derby di Milano, AC Milan against Inter. First v second in Serie A, the two best sides across the first 27 matches in 2025/26. After years of multiple meetings in a single campaign, this is the second and last derby of the season, but the prize up for grabs is still a big one. Chivu's side want to strengthen their position, while Allegri's Rossoneri want to secure their Champions League spot and cut the Nerazzurri's lead.

Since our last meeting back in November, Inter were knocked out of the Champions League by Bodø/Glimt, but their league form in that time has been stunning: 14 wins and one draw (Napoli), an ongoing run of seven victories on the bounce. The Nerazzurri have not conceded in each of their last three domestic fixtures: 2-0 in Serie A against Lecce and Genoa, 0-0 in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Como on Tuesday. They will need to back up these numbers in the toughest match of them all, especially given the fact that the derby has largely smiled on the Rossoneri in recent years. AC Milan are, in fact, unbeaten in their last six games against Inter.

IMPORTANCE OF SET PIECES AND COUNTER-ATTACKS IN A DUEL BETWEEN TWO CLINICAL SIDES
Dead-ball situations and set pieces are certainly a key talking point for derby number 246, as they are the tactical areas with the most marked differences between these two rivals. Inter have excelled from set pieces in the first 27 games of the season (21 of their 64 total goals), most notably from corners, with 15 goals. It comes as no surprise, then, that they have netted 14 headed goals (the only team in the league to have reached double figures). These stats speak to the Nerazzurri's physicality and good positioning, as they are adept at making the most of any chance. On the other hand, the Rossoneri have shown a rare weakness from dead-ball situations this season, with half of Maignan's goals conceded coming from set pieces. So, AC Milan will need to buck the trend if they are to get a result.

The Nerazzurri aren't just the team with the most goals in the first half of games (27 goals), but they are also the most prolific side in the final 15 minutes (17). There are also plenty of similarities between these two clinical sides: big chances created (115 for Inter and 82 for us, the highest in the league), duels won (Rossoneri slightly ahead, again the pair are the two best in Serie A), but Inter has shown some weak spots on counter-attacks and breaks allowed. We can remember one particular counter-attacking goal: Pulisic to make it 1-0 in the reverse fixture. With the pressure of the table well and truly on and plenty of hunger to perform on both sides, we can largely expect the two teams to set up in a mirrored 3-5-2 formation, giving life to an intriguing encounter.

LAUTARO ABSENT, DIMARCO ON SONG. ALL EYES ON ESPOSITO
There are a few significant absentees. Matteo Gabbia, who scored the winner last season, is out, while Chivu will have to make do without Lautaro Martínez, one of the derby standouts in recent years. Since his arrival in the city in 2018, the Inter captain has just missed three of a possible 24 derbies. However, the Nerazzurri haven't really rued his derby absence, having won two and drawn one of those three games. Coming in for the Argentinian will be Italy's Francesco Pio Esposito, who is set to make his first derby start. Esposito has scored seven goals this season, four of which were in the league. Should he score, he would equal the record of four other Interisti in scoring at least five goals in a Serie A season before the age of 21: Ventola, Martins, Balotelli and Kovačić. Alongside him will be Marcus Thuram, who scored in his first two derbies but has failed to find the net in his last three.

In terms of form, it's difficult to omit Federico Dimarco, who is on song for Inter at the moment. The Italy full-back has twelve goal involvements in ten games in 2026 (four goals and 8 assists), including each of his last six. Dimarco has the most assists in the league this season (14, two off Papu Gómez's record in 19/20). He also has the most chances created this season: 74. Dimarco is certainly a threat out wide. The rest of the Nerazzurri's squad and its strengths, however, are well known to us, as they have remained largely unchanged in the Chivu era. Players like Bastoni and Çalhanoğlu are still core to the side. But keep an eye on Piotr Zieliński, as he decided the big game against Juventus, and AC Milan are one of his preferred victims in Serie A, with four goals against the Rossoneri (as an Empoli and Napoli player).

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