Pitting together the last two champions of Italy, Saturday’s Derby della Madonnina sees Scudetto-holders AC Milan tackle an Inter Milan side they deposed as kings of Calcio in May.
The two second city giants convene at San Siro, with the Nerazzurri a point ahead of their oldest rivals in the early Serie A standings.
Though Inter managed to gain a measure of revenge by later eliminating them in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Milan’s last taste of the derby in Serie A was sweet, as they struck twice in the final 15 minutes through Olivier Giroud to take maximum points back in February.
Going on to secure their first title for over a decade at the end of the season – and edging out their foes by a margin of two points – Stefano Pioli’s side currently hold the upper hand in the two giants’ unending battle, but both have recently surpassed their long-dominant counterparts from Turin.
As they seek to hold off the challenge of new-look Juventus – plus Inter, Roma and perhaps several others – to preserve their status as Italy’s top dogs, Milan are naturally targeting a fast start to the 2022-23 campaign. However, two lacklustre draws over the past fortnight have left the Rossoneri trailing, ahead of the season’s first Milan Derby.
After being held 1-1 by Atalanta in another Lombardy tussle, Pioli saw his men get the better of Bologna at San Siro, before travelling to Sassuolo on Tuesday night.
Having rotated their squad, Milan produced a rather turgid display and were forced to settle for a goalless draw at the venue they were crowned champions just a few months ago – and they required a Mike Maignan penalty save to help them secure it.
They nonetheless remain unbeaten in each of their last 20 league outings, picking up an impressive 13 wins in the process. Not only that, but they have now kept the most clean sheets of any club across Europe’s top five leagues in 2022: 14 in total.
Curiously, though, Milan have failed to win any of their last six Serie A clashes with Inter as ‘hosts’ at the Meazza, since a 3-0 victory in January 2016; leaving the Nerazzurri favourites to prevail, based on precedent.
After letting the Scudetto slip last term, they will kick off this time around with a one-point advantage in the standings after four fixtures, following the events of the midweek round.
Just after Milan endured a frustrating evening in Emilia-Romagna, Simone Inzaghi steered his side to success against promoted Cremonese; bouncing straight back from defeat to his former club.
Lautaro Martinez had scored in that 3-1 loss to Lazio, and the Argentina international was on hand again to cap off a 3-1 win at San Siro and put Inter on nine points from a possible 12 so far – just one shy of league leaders Roma.
The Nerazzurri are nominally the away side on Saturday, but having now posted six successive Serie A wins on their own patch – and scored in each of their last 16 league games – they are intent on wresting second city supremacy from their Rossoneri rivals.
