An early-season Milan derby is set to unfold as Inter faces off against their arch-rivals AC Milan at the San Siro this Sunday, creating a crucial moment for both teams as they look to build momentum for the remainder of the Serie A campaign.
AC Milan, under new head coach Paulo Fonseca, has had a challenging start to the year, securing only one victory in four Serie A matches and recently suffering a defeat to Liverpool in their inaugural UEFA Champions League match. American star Christian Pulisic has been a standout performer, netting three goals and providing two assists. However, the team has struggled defensively and has had difficulty maintaining leads. Pulisic opened the scoring just three minutes into the European clash at San Siro on Tuesday, but the team ultimately succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.
In contrast, Inter Milan began the season strongly but has been held to draws in their last two matches—first against Monza in league play and then a 0-0 stalemate with Manchester City in the Champions League. Reigning Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez has faced a tough start, having yet to find the back of the net this season.
Inter is pursuing a record-breaking seventh consecutive victory over AC Milan in the derby, with their last defeat to the Rossoneri dating back to September 2022. That encounter was a thrilling 3-2 triumph for AC Milan, but since then, Inter has dominated the fixture.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi opted to bench Lautaro Martinez for the midweek UEFA Champions League match against Manchester City, but the Argentine is expected to return and replace Mehdi Taremi in the starting lineup. Henrikh Mkhitaryan may also make a comeback after appearing as a substitute in the European match, although he has struggled for form early in the season, much like Martinez.
Inter’s only significant injury concern is Tajon Buchanan, who is nearing a return from a broken leg but will be gradually reintegrated into the squad. Marko Arnautovic was unavailable for the Champions League match due to illness but should be fit for selection.
Federico Dimarco has returned to training after missing the match against City and could start if he successfully completes Inter’s final session on Saturday.
On the AC Milan side, goalkeeper Mike Maignan had to be substituted during their midweek defeat to Liverpool after enduring a tough match, but scans revealed no damage, and he is expected to be available. This is particularly important as backup Marco Sportiello is still recovering from a hand injury sustained during preseason.
Davide Calabria is also fit to play after coming off injured in the Champions League game, but the team will continue to be without Malick Thiaw and Ismael Bennacer, both of whom are dealing with multi-week ankle injuries. Bennacer is anticipated to miss the first half of the season, while Alessandro Florenzi is sidelined for several months following an ACL tear.
Inter x Milan
Predicted Inter XI (4-3-3, left to right): Sommer (GK), Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Augusto, Thuram, L. Martinez
Predicted AC Milan XI (4-2-3-1, left to right): Maignan (GK), Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez, Fofana, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao, Morata
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