Milan Derby Lacks Glamour of Years Past but Will Still Deliver Tension and Drama

The last five Serie A matches between Milan and Inter haven't been so kind to the Rossoneri. They've only won once. Drawing another and losing the other three against their bitter city rivals.

Ironically, the last win came earlier this calendar year, when Nigel De Jong's goal was enough to give Milan the 1-0 advantage over the Nerazzurri as Clarence Seedorf's men looked to make a serious comeback to get themselves into the top five and earn a European position.

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Three of the last five matches have seen one goal be the decider between a win and a draw. It's always a heated affair that entertains the crowd with frenetic energy, rabid fans and end-to-end action. 

The feeling over these last several Derby Della Madonnina's is that no matter what the state of the squad is, Inter seem to overachieve when faced up against Milan. With various coaches, Inter have performed well against their city rivals, often gaining the edge and winning the mental battle as well.

The sad truth is that this match is essentially a glorified mid-table battle between two sides which have taken dramatic dips. It was only a few seasons ago when both the Milan teams won the Champions League and asserted themselves as feared contenders in Europe.

At times this season, Inter have looked borderline woeful, being embarrassed at home by Cagliari and failing to pick up many points against provincial sides with Walter Mazzarri at the helm.

Mazzarri was just fired four days ago. The effect new coach Roberto Mancini will have taking over in his second stint with Inter remains to be seen.

What we do know is that Mancini will overhaul the formation, going from the awkward 3-5-1-1, which never really seemed too convincing this season, to a more traditional 4-3-1-2, which utilizes the attackers a bit better and provides more of a stable defensive line.

Mancini knows what it means to coach a Milan derby. He'll have to dramatically shuffle the squad to suit his needs, but it could leave them exposed this weekend. Coaching changes mid-way through the season are always a risky affair, and it takes time for a coach to implement his ideologies in the squad. 

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As with any Milan derby in recent times, the form is thrown out the window when these two teams meet. Players will be carried into another state of emotion and energy by a sold out San Siro, which becomes one of the most intimidating venues in Europe when it's brimming at full capacity.

If recent history is anything to go by, expect a hotly contested affair that will be decided by a margin of one goal or less, and an atmosphere that'll remind of the old days when both clubs were European powerhouses.