For fans of passionate football matches, Christmas appears to have come early. In the same weekend that Manchester United square off with Liverpool in the English Premier League, Serie A offers up an intense fixture of its own as Milan’s most esteemed footballing residents, AC Milan and Internazionale, clash in the Derby della Madonnina.

Milan and Inter, two clubs sharing one stadium and one city, both have an opportunity to establish bragging rights facing off in only the third weekend of the 2015/16 Serie A season. After an international break, calcio couldn’t ask for a more frenzied return to action.

Both clubs have had their fair share of heartbreak of late. It’s relative, of course; while Milan and Inter considered respective 10th and eighth-place finishes last season torturous, many other clubs would have found them reasonable. This only exemplifies the relentless inherent ambition associated with the Milanese giants.

And ambition is the key word ahead of this particular derby. While the two sets of fans are, generally speaking, jovial as far as city rivals are concerned, the current circumstances will likely lead to a more vociferous atmosphere inside San Siro. With both aiming for a return to the top of Serie A, this clash is seen as an early indicator of the abilities of both to follow up on grand pre-season targets.

For the first time in several years, spending has been big in the capital of Lombardy. Milan invested in quality, bringing in—among others—highly rated young central defender Alessio Romagnoli, creative midfielder Andrea Bertolacci, Colombian hitman Carlos Bacca and Shakhtar strike sensation, Luiz Adriano.

Inter reciprocated by going for quantity, signing an entire new back line of Martin Montoya, Miranda, Jeison Murillo and Alex Telles to complement other reinforcements such as Geoffrey Kondogbia, Adem Ljajic and Stevan Jovetic.

For all of the players mentioned, the Milan derby represents a fresh experience. For the coaches, however, this weekend is merely another notch on their personal derby bedposts.

Roberto Mancini and Sinisa Mihajlovic are former brethren. They played together at Sampdoria and Lazio before Mihajlovic assisted Mancini during his first spell as head coach of the Nerrazzuri between 2006 and 2008. They get on well, but their friendship will be put to one side on Sunday evening.

While Mihajlovic has offered a charitable bet with the winning coach donating to a cause to aid refugees—per Football Italia (h/t Gazzetta dello Sport)—the competitive tone will be in full swing come kick-off time. Neither can afford to lose in this most important of derbies.

 

Date: Sunday, September 13

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST

Venue: San Siro

TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK)

Live Stream: Not available

 

Form Guide

Carpi 1-2 Inter

Inter 1-0 Atalanta

Inter 0-0 AEK Athens (friendly)

Galatasaray 1-0 Inter (friendly)

Inter 0-3 Real Madrid (International Champions Cup friendly tournament)

 

Mantova 2-3 Milan (friendly)

Milan 2-1 Empoli

Fiorentina 2-0 Milan

Milan 2-0 Perugia (Coppa Italia)

Tottenham 2-0 Milan (Audi Cup friendly tournament)

 

Team News and Predicted Formations

In the dying embers of the summer transfer window, Inter made four additions to their first-team squad. Finally, they sealed a deal for Croatian attacking midfielder, Ivan Perisic, while Alex Telles and Felipe Melo arrived from Galatasaray, and Adem Ljajic joined on loan from Roma.

Each of the deals addressed areas that either already were, or had the potential to be, problematic. Telles offers a genuine left-footer for the left-back berth, Melo adds muscularity to the midfield, and Perisic and Ljajic bring the possibility of width as well as extra creative capacity in the final third.

All four are available for involvement this Sunday, and it is highly likely that one of Ljajic or Perisic will start in their first-ever Milan derby, playing behind a front two in a 4-3-1-2 system.

Inter could be without two key players at both ends of the team, however. Brazilian international centre-back Miranda has been ruled out through injury, while their prolific striker Mauro Icardi is a doubt. If the latter is in any way fit, he will unquestionably start.

Like Inter, Milan are also set to line up in a now-customary 4-3-1-2 shape. However, the Rossoneri have several doubts going into this crucial fixture.

For a start, their defence has been wobbly this season, something not aided by a midfield with absent tendencies, an issue that persists from last season.

Thus, Milan will probably opt for experience at the back, choosing Cristian Zapata over Rodrigo Ely, who missed the win over Empoli through suspension after he was sent off in the opening Serie A game away to Fiorentina.

Mattia De Sciglio will transfer from right- to left-back, replacing the injured Luca Antonelli, whose penetrative runs will be missed. This makes room for Ignazio Abate to return to the starting lineup at right-back.

An even bigger worry lies in front of the back four, though, where Milan will be without Andrea Bertolacci through injury.

Even with Bertolacci, Milan have issues in the middle. Neither he nor Bonaventura appear at all suited to the energetic hustle and bustle of being in the centre of a midfield diamond, so Milan may well have a completely different central midfield pairing in front of enforcer Nigel de Jong.

The likelihood is that Juraj Kucka will be brought in to add more of a physical dimension, while Riccardo Montolivo’s more pragmatic nature could be better suited to a match of this significance than Bonaventura’s attacking whims.

Inter Milan (4-3-1-2): Samir Handanovic, Davide Santon, Andrea Rannocchia, Jeison Murillo, Juan Jesus; Marcelo Brozovic, Gary Medel, Geoffrey Kondogbia; Ivan Perisic; Stevan Jovetic, Mauro Icardi

AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Diego Lopez, Ignazio Abate, Cristian Zapata, Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia De Sciglio; Riccardo Montolivo, Nigel de Jong, Juraj Kucka; Keisuke Honda; Carlos Bacca, Luiz Adriano

 

Players to Watch

Geoffrey Kondogbia was pursued by both Milanese clubs during the summer after an impressive season with Monaco. Eventually, the French midfield ball-winning ace chose blue and black over red and black, something Milan fans are unlikely to forgive or forget.

A powerful presence with a tactically astute mind, Kondogbia will have a major influence on this match. Milan’s midfield is seen as a weakness, one that Inter will hope to exploit and dominate. Kondogbia will be vital in this task.

Milan are likely to be tested by a reinvigorated Inter attack featuring an in-form Jovetic. The Montenegrin could be partnered by Icardi for a double goal threat, but even if not, the Rossoneri defence will have to be fully alert.

Alessio Romagnoli is young, relatively inexperienced, and as such, this game could define his fledgling Milan career. Those around him look shaky, so the 20-year-old will have to play with maturity beyond his years if Mihajlovic’s men are to keep a clean sheet.

 

Key Battle

Milan may have to play a more direct style of football, bypassing the centre of midfield, if they are to defeat an Inter side who have an evident advantage centrally and get their strike duet of Bacca and Adriano into the game.

Bacca will be integral with his pace, movement and eye for goal, though he is likely to be marked by his compatriot, Murillo.

This all-Colombian battle will be an intriguing one. Murillo impressed at the 2015 Copa America for his country and seems to have established himself quickly in Mancini’s starting lineup, though he will be up against it opposite Bacca, one of European football’s best strikers.

 

Odds

Inter win: 13/10

Milan win: 27/10

Draw: 40/17

Odds provided by Oddschecker

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