AC Milan vs. Inter: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
AC Milan and Inter are set to kick off the second—and most likely final—Derby della Madonnina of the season on Sunday at the San Siro.
Date: Sunday, January 31
Time: 8:45 p.m. local time, 7:45 p.m. GMT, 2:45 p.m. EST
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Venue: San Siro, Milan
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK), beIN Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)
There was a possibility that this wouldn't be the last derby of the year. Both AC Milan and Inter are in the semifinals of the Coppa Italia, and there was a decent chance that they would add an extra clash this year if they both reached the final.
That possibility is now exceedingly remote. While Milan are still very much in the hunt for a spot in the final—and the place in Europe that goes with it—Inter are unlikely to join them.
On Tuesday, the Rossoneri visited Alessandria, the Lega Pro team that has enjoyed a Cinderella run similar to that of George Mason University in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2006. The third-tier side has beaten a team from a higher league in four of the six rounds of the Coppa that they've played in, including Serie A teams in Palermo and Genoa.
Even more impressive was the fact that they had only trailed for for 63 minutes of the entire tournament—all of them to Serie B side Spezia in the quarterfinal.
Still, it looked a massive mismatch on paper as Milan arrived at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino, which hosted the game in place of Alessandria's tiny Stadio Giuseppe Moccagatta. Even with coach Sinisa Mihajlovic's somewhat-experimental lineup, the Rossoneri were thought to be prohibitive favorites.
Unfortunately, an experimental lineup usually means the absence of Giacomo Bonaventura, which only highlights the utter lack of creativity in the rest of the team. The 26-year-old, who has five goals and seven assists to his name this year, is the only creative outlet the team has, and they suffer to create many chances when he sits.
So it was against the minnows. Milan managed 13 shots, but only six of them were on target, and—amazingly—they only outshot the Grigi by one. One of their only saving graces was the fact that their opponent only hit the target with one of their 12. Only a penalty by Mario Balotelli in the closing stages of the first half made the difference in the 1-0 win.
Given Milan's inability to kill the two-legged tie, that away goal could become critical in the return leg on March 1.
If Milan weren't able to seal their tie in the first leg, that's exactly what Inter's opponents did on Wednesday.
Facing their biggest rivals after Milan, the Nerazzurri laid an egg at the Juventus Stadium, losing 3-0. Jeison Murillo was sent off with 20 minutes left, and they allowed a brace to a man, Alvaro Morata, who hadn't scored since October.
Even worse was the way Inter looked in attack. Granted, Juventus has one, if not the best defense in the world, but going up against badly exposed the lack of creative talent here as well. While Mihajlovic at least has the saving grace of Bonaventura, his opposite number Roberto Mancini intentionally filled his team with big, strong men who can dish out a lot of physical punishment but can't do nearly as much with the ball at their feet.
On Wednesday, Inter were outshot 14-6, and only two of their shots hit the mark. The first was a long-range effort that Norberto Neto saved with ease; the other was a Murillo header off a set piece that the goalkeeper saved in spectacular fashion.
Other than that, Inter produced nothing in open play, which is now officially cause for concern. This team was praised early in the season for the succession of 1-0 wins they managed, but no team can rely on that for a full season and expect to remain in contention for a top place in the table.
Five of the next six teams below them in the table have scored more than them in the league, and it could get worse. While the team have officially signed Sampdoria and Italy striker Eder, they have done nothing to add any creative elements to the midfield, which could ultimately derail their campaign. They have shown that they can't rely on their forwards to shoulder this burden for them and win consistently.
Form Lines
| AC Milan | Inter |
| W 1-0 @ Alessandria* | L 3-0 @ Juventus* |
| D 2-2 @ Empoli | D 1-1 vs. Carpi |
| W 2-0 vs. Fiorentina | W 2-0 @ Napoli* |
| W 2-1 vs. Carpi* | D 1-1 @ Atalanta |
| D 1-1 @ Roma | L 1-0 vs. Sassuolo |
*Coppa Italia
Probable Lineups
| AC Milan (4-4-2) | Inter (4-3-1-2) |
| Donnarumma | Handanovic |
| Abate Romagnoli Alex Antonelli | D'Ambrosio Murillo Miranda Telles |
| Honda Bertolacci Montolivo Bonaventura | Kondogbia Medel Brozovic |
| Bacca Niang | Ljajic |
| Icardi Jovetic |
Unavailable
AC Milan: GK Diego Lopez (knee), CB Rodrigo Ely (foot).
Inter: FW Ivan Perisic (ankle).
Key Players
While Bonaventura will be the a major influence on Inter's attack, the real key man for Milan will be between the sticks.
The word "man" is also being used charitably here, because at 16 years old, Gianluigi Donnarumma is still a boy. His impressive form has been one of the surprises of world football since he was given a starting spot in October.
The youngster has areas where he can improve. His footwork and distribution have both gotten him into trouble sometimes. He has a habit of taking an extra touch when receiving back passes and allowing opponents to get a little too close, which forces him to rush the pass.
Even when he's not under pressure he has sometimes sent out a howler, like the pass straight to Sampdoria's Roberto Soriano in late November that the midfielder, fortunately, was unable to convert for a goal.
But he has also shown incredible reflexes. He's made enough world-class saves to fill a highlight reel, especially in November 7's goalless draw with Atalanta. Even though he's a big boy—a whopping 6'5" and still a teenager—he can get himself down to low shots with relative ease.
If Inter manage to get something creative going and challenge Milan's wobbly defensive line, Donnarumma will be called upon to keep this game close.
On Inter's side, Geoffrey Kondogbia must show improvement. Signed in the summer from Monaco for €31 million—and right from under Milan's nose—Kondogbia has shown none of the promise that made him so sought-after last year. His defensive production has dropped dramatically—from 3.1 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game in Ligue 1 last year (according to WhoScored.com) to 2.2 and 0.9 this season.
He also hasn't managed to get forward in the way that elite box-to-box mids like Yaya Toure, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal do.
Inter signed Kondogbia so he could play a similar role to those players, but he clearly has work to do before he gets there. This game against a weak Milan midfield offers him a chance to impose himself on the match and dictate its terms.
Key Matchup
Serie A is one of the hardest leagues to score in in the world, but no one seems to have told that to Carlos Bacca. The Colombian hit-man has scored 10 times in the league and added two in his three Coppa matches. Frighteningly accurate—according to Squawka.com, 69 percent of his shots this year have hit the target—Bacca is a handful for any defense. If he'd had more service this year, he likely would be contending with Gonzalo Higuain for the title of Capocannoniere.
Opposing Bacca will be Murillo and Miranda, who have been the defensive stalwarts of this team. Defense has been an issue for Inter in previous years, so improving in that area was critical this summer, and both center backs have become integral to the success the team has achieved this year.
But the two are going to have their hands full in this one with Bacca. He is a master of finding space and exploiting it, and if his teammates can slip the ball in to him consistently, Samir Handanovic will be in trouble. It's up to the two backs to ensure that his space is as limited as possible.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Milan win: 3-2
Inter win: 7-4
Draw: 23-10
