Milan Derby: Last chance for Rossoneri to halt Inter’s Scudetto charge
Eternal Serie A rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan are set to face off against each other in a mouth-watering Derby della Madonnina on Sunday night.
Seeking a landmark 20th Scudetto, the Rossoneri cannot afford a slip-up in this weekend’s blockbuster clash at Stadio San Siro.
Despite suffering just two league defeats all season, Massimiliano Allegri’s men head into this must-win encounter ten points adrift of table-topping Inter.
However, they restored a feel-good factor last Sunday, as late goals from Strahinja Pavlovic and Rafael Leao inspired them to a 2-0 win at Cremonese.
It only helped Milan maintain a ten-point deficit on their city rivals, who beat Genoa at home by the exact same scoreline a day before.
Milan must take three points
Without the distraction of European football, Milan had hoped to halt their four-year drought in Serie A, but their inability to turn draws into victories has left them playing catch-up in the title race.
Only Pisa (12) and Lazio (10) have shared the spoils more often than the Rossoneri (nine) this season, and most of those stalemates have come against teams from the bottom half of the table.
By contrast, Allegri’s men have often excelled in high-profile matches, which could be the reason behind Real Madrid’s alleged interest in the former Juventus boss (via Corriere dello Sport).
In addition to beating Inter in the reverse fixture in November, Milan have avoided defeat in all four remaining games against the likes of Juventus, Napoli and Roma (W2, D2).
On the other hand, ‘smaller’ teams have been a thorn in Milan’s side, with each of their two league defeats this term coming against sides starting this round in Serie A’s lower reaches.
Though they will only be nominal hosts in this meeting, it’s also worth noting that both those losses arrived at San Siro, where the Rossoneri have won just over 50% of their top-flight outings in 2025/26.
Unstoppable runaway leaders
Despite suffering a humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of Norwegian surprise package Bodo/Glimt in the knockout play-off round, Cristian Chivu is on the verge of winning the Scudetto in his first season in charge.
Beppe Marotta’s decision to appoint the 45-year-old as Simone Inzaghi’s successor last summer raised a few eyebrows, yet the former Parma coach has exceeded expectations this season.
Inter have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with under Chivu’s tutelage, racking up an impressive 81.48% win ratio in the opening 27 Serie A rounds (W22, D1, L4).
Furthermore, the Nerazzurri have hit their stride after losing the previous edition of the Milan derby, winning 14 of their last 15 league games (D1), including the last eight in a row.
Though the absence of top scorer Lautaro Martinez threatens to derail Inter’s firepower, Chivu’s men are in a category of their own when it comes to scoring, having netted at least 18 goals more than any other team in the division.
Hostile atmosphere
Milan have the quality to beat any team on a good day, but such days have been few and far between this season despite a relatively light schedule.
Failing to lift the Scudetto would be a blow for Allegri, who could depart the club at the end of the season after drawing interest from La Liga.
With that in mind, the 58-year-old will likely be keen to secure a victory in what could be his farewell appearance in the Milan derby, even though it’s unlikely to sway the title race in Milan’s favour.
Meanwhile, Alessandro Bastoni’s unfortunate situation will be among the main subplots, as the Inter defender is expected to face a hostile reception from Milan supporters.
Bastoni has come under scrutiny after his antics in last month’s Derby d’Italia against Juventus, with many expecting the Rossoneri faithful to jeer the Italian centre-back on Sunday.
During his recent interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, former Bianconeri winger Massimo Mauro called the boos against the 26-year-old ‘ridiculous.’