Serie A | Gameweek 23

Feb 2, 2025 at 5pm UK

Stadio San Siro

AC Milan vs Inter Milan

Match preview

Since a 2-1 league win in September - when Matteo Gabbia's late winner ended a long losing streak against Inter - Milan have fallen far behind in the Serie A standings.

Their current deficit stands at 16 points, but an inconsistent Rossoneri side were still able to spoil Inter's dreams of a quadruple by coming from two goals down to win the recent Supercoppa Italiana final.

Tammy Abraham's last-gasp winner in Riyadh also meant that Milan had won their last two derbies in all competitions - as many wins as they had in the previous 13.

Results have been mixed since that success, which came within a week of Sergio Conceicao's appointment, and the Portuguese coach suffered his first setback recently with a 2-0 defeat to Juventus in Turin.

They bounced back to beat Girona in the Champions League and then twice came from behind to beat Parma 3-2 last weekend, with Tijjani Reijnders and Samuel Chukwueze scoring in stoppage time.

However, having been reduced to 10 men in their last league game - a 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday that saw them drop out of the top eight - Milan will need to beat Feyenoord in a play-off if they are to progress in UEFA's elite competition.

Firstly, Conceicao - who made 41 Serie A appearances for Inter during his playing days - will be looking to become only the second Rossoneri coach in 35 years to win his first two derbies and boost his hopes of a return to Europe next season.

While Milan will have to sweat to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, Inter swept past Monaco in midweek as a 3-0 home win ensured a second-place finish in the league phase.

Last season's capocannoniere, Lautaro Martinez, has returned to form after an early-season slump, scoring a hat-trick on Wednesday night after netting in last week's 4-0 league win over Lecce.

The result moved the reigning champions to within three points of unstoppable leaders Napoli, with Atalanta BC now trailing in what looks to be a two-horse race for the Italian title.

Inter have scored 55 goals in Serie A this season - the most at this stage of a campaign since 1961 - and their defensive record is almost as impressive.

Not only have the Nerazzurri gone eight games without conceding a goal in Europe, but they have also kept a clean sheet in their last seven league games away from home.

With an aggregate score of 23-0 in their favour during that run, Simone Inzaghi's men can now equal Milan's domestic record of eight, set in March 1994, when they travel as visitors on Sunday.

Recent Performance

AC Milan Serie A form:WDDWLW

AC Milan form (all competitions):DWLWWL

Inter Milan Serie A form:WWWDWW

Inter Milan form (all competitions):WDWWWW

Team News

Kyle Walker recently arrived to solve Milan's right-back problems, but it remains to be seen whether the England defender will be thrust straight into an intense city derby.

Sergio Conceicao may be tempted, however, with Emerson Royal injured and club captain Davide Calabria involved in a very public row with his coach last weekend; Fikayo Tomori filled in on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, midfield linchpin Youssouf Fofana is serving a suspension and Alvaro Morata could be on his way out, while Malick Thiaw, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and long-term absentee Alessandro Florenzi are all unavailable.

On the fitness front, Inter have ex-Milan man Hakan Calhanoglu (calf) and veteran defender Francesco Acerbi (hamstring), but only Joaquin Correa is definitely out.

Having named what looked like his strongest side in midweek, Simone Inzaghi is unlikely to make many changes, with resurgent striker Lautaro Martinez joining Marcus Thuram up front.

El Toro has nine league goals to his name this term, and one more would take him into double figures in six Serie A seasons - he would also become only the third Inter player to score 10 goals against Milan in all competitions.

Meanwhile, on the Nerazzurri's right flank, full-back Denzel Dumfries has scored in each of his last three top-flight appearances.

Possible starting lineup

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Bennacer, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram