The “Scudetto” Eligibility Test in the Milan Derby

MILAN, SATURDAY – A clash between two teams from the city of Milan, Inter Milan and AC Milan, will take place at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on Monday (24/5/2025) at 02:45 WIB. The winner of one of the hottest derbies in Europe will affirm the eligibility of one of the teams in the fashion city to excel in the competition at the top of the Italian League 2025-2026.

Ahead of the 245th edition of the Milan derby, also known as the Derby della Madonnina, Inter and Milan occupy the top three positions in the Italian League. Inter tops the standings with 24 points, while Milan trails in third place with 22 points. Between the Milan duo is AS Roma, which has the same number of points as Inter.

This situation means the result of the Milan derby will impact the standings in Week 12 of the Italian League. If Inter wins, they will maintain their lead at the top of the table. With three points, Milan will regain their lead over Inter in the race for the top spot.

However, achieving victory in the Milan derby is not an easy task for both teams. In addition to the heated and intense rivalry, the coaches of both teams must think critically to determine the right tactics amidst the players' unfit conditions.

Milan is very strong in transition with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic. Adjustments must be made by Chivu. Acerbi has experience and good game reading, while Bisseck excels in speed.

Inter, the league leader, will host the first Milan city derby of the season, with injuries affecting two key players, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Matteo Darmian. Right-back Denzel Dumfries is also doubtful for the match.

In order to fill the midfielder position left by Mkhitaryan, Inter Coach Cristian Chivu has two options. Chivu can choose between Petar Sucic or Piotr Zielinski. Sucic, who is 22 years old, is preferred by Chivu as he has already played 10 times in the domestic competition for the 2025-2026 season.

The absence of Darmian strengthens the chances for the trio of central defenders consisting of Francesco Acerbi, Manuel Akanji, and Alessandro Bastoni to be deployed from the kickoff, similar to the last match against Lazio. Akanji and Bastoni are irreplaceable when fit. Consequently, the only opportunity for rotation that Chivu has is to replace Acerbi with Yann Bisseck.

Former defender and captain of "I Nerazzurri," Beppe Bergomi, believes that the choice between Acerbi or Bisseck will be crucial for Inter in neutralizing AC Milan's attacks. Moreover, Milan will play with a fast counter-attacking style to anticipate Inter's high defensive line.

"Milan are very strong in transition with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic. Chivu will have to make adjustments. Acerbi has experience and a good reading of the game, while Bisseck excels in speed," Bergomi said, as reported by Sempre Inter.

Chivu also has the opportunity to deploy Carlos Augusto in the right wing-back position. Augusto's role will be crucial to balance the attacking center of Inter, which is often more dominant on the left side occupied by Federico Dimarco.

Romanian tactician Chivu is not concerned about the condition of his squad ahead of facing Milan. According to him, every available player will deliver their best performance to achieve optimal results.

"This team's strength lies in putting egos aside and understanding each individual's values and contributions. We're striving to improve our game compared to previous matches, particularly in terms of pressing, ball retention, and distance between players," Chivu said, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Former defender and captain of Inter, Beppe Bergomi, believes that Chivu's choice in the center-back position, particularly between Acerbi or Bisseck, will be crucial for Inter to neutralize AC Milan's attacks. Moreover, Milan will play with a fast counter-attacking style to anticipate Inter's high defensive line.

"Milan are very strong in attacking transitions. Chivu will have to make adjustments. Acerbi has experience and reads the game well, while Bisseck excels in speed," Bergomi said, as reported by Sempre Inter.

On the other hand, Milan's coach Massimiliano Allegri will welcome his first Milan derby since 2013 without having a pure center forward available. Santiago Gimenez, the Mexican striker, is still sidelined due to injury.

This situation gives Allegri a great opportunity to pair two offensive players who typically operate from the flanks, namely Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic, to collaborate in the attacking line. The presence of Pulisic enhances the attacking strength of "I Rossoneri" after recovering from injury and being able to play from the start of the match.

In addition to Pulisic, Allegri can also field one of his favorite players, Adrien Rabiot, who has been absent for the past month.

Not only does he strengthen the midfield alongside Luka Modric, but Rabiot can also serve as an alternative to capitalize on opportunities from Milan's second line. Certainly, Rabiot will remember his first Milan derby if he can contribute the first goal for I Rossoneri.

Rabiot is preparing earnestly to face the Milan derby. Not being called up to strengthen the French national team, he has been training in Milan for the past two weeks. An invitation to go out from his friend, who will become a rival in the Milan derby, Inter striker Marcus Thuram, was declined by Rabiot.

"He (Thuram) texted me to ask if I had a free day this week. I told him no, because I don't have a day off to train," Rabiot told DAZN.

Leao also stated that Milan's current condition is better compared to last season. The arrival of Allegri and Modric has improved the team's performance on the field as well as the relationships among players and staff in the locker room.

Furthermore, Milan remains unbeaten against Inter in the last five encounters since the 2024-2025 season. I Rossoneri have won three times, while two matches ended in a draw.

"All the players are ready for this important match this week. We want to show the quality we deserve," Leao told CBS.