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Inter play AC Milan in the first Derby della Madonnina of the season in one week, and it is a Europe-leading derby.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report this morning, the Milan derby will pit first against third, with Roma coming between Chivu and Allegri, plus Napoli – who are having a tough moment – accompanying the Rossoneri on 22 points. It’s the highest-ranked derby in Europe.
According to the standings, only London – with Arsenal first and Chelsea third in the Premier League – has a derby of this calibre. On Tuesday afternoon, Inter and Milan will resume preparations for Sunday’s duel, at 20:45 CET.
Just looking at the table and the Milanese teams’ season, it’s clear that this high-ranking derby is also a test of truth.
Different times
In the last 20 years, only twice has the clash been similar in terms of position: in February 2009, league leaders Inter had to keep their neighbours at bay. It’s been a different time for Serie A, too.
“Mega Derby,” La Gazzetta read on the day of the match. “Ibra-Adriano vs. Ronaldinho-Pato: the Scudetto depends on this.” And the next day: “Hands on the Scudetto,” thanks in part to an Adriano goal with a touch of the arm.
The Nerazzurri moved to an 11-point lead over their rivals, with the two coaches calmly commenting: “Our goal was legitimate, dedicated to my son” (Mourinho). “There was a big penalty on Inzaghi.” (Ancelotti).
The atmosphere was once again turned upside down in February, but in 2022. It’s the famous match in which ‘Giroud turned around’ with his brace in three minutes, later celebrated in a popular chant by Milan fans.
This newspaper also launched a musical presentation, coinciding with the Sanremo Music Festival: “Sing the derby.” But the next day, the front page headline read: “Giroud, the derby is yours. Milan comes from behind to beat Inter, one point behind.” The Rossoneri would win the league.
High stakes
Inter and Milan are currently first and third in the table: the Scudetto won’t be at stake, given how many games are to be played. However, it could allow Chivu to dig a deeper hole for the Rossoneri or it could allow Allegri to overtake.
The high-stakes derby also serves to show which of the two can compete for the big prize. If one looked only at the standings, no one could be dissatisfied: Inter at the top, Milan close behind. However, being at the top with three defeats was perhaps not foreseen by even the most pessimistic of fans.
Two years ago, the Scudetto came to Milan, with only two defeats in 38 games. Now it’s the same: everyone drops points, so they can ride out the struggles. Inter defeated Roma, but lost to Juventus and Napoli; A test is needed in another direct clash, to ensure that personality flaws don’t become insurmountable obstacles.
Milan, eighth and out of the cup competition in May, would have signed in the summer to be two points off the top after 11 matches. Yet, the seven points dropped against Cremonese, Pisa and Parma have highlighted two versions of Allegri’s side.
Firstly there is the one that remembers last season’s mistakes, then there is the one that has developed a certain resilience, as seen i nthe victories against Roma and Napoli.
The derby numbers,
The two sides approach the game with similar starting conditions, given that the international break has removed and overworked players from both sides. Milan, not in Europe, won’t have the advantage of a week off as they usually do.
Analysing the Opta data highlights the different systems used to reach the finish line. Inter remains very high up the field with an average line of 54.3 metres, leading this ranking. Milan are only 12th, at 49.7 metres.
Does this mean Allegri has had his team retreat into a bunker? Not quite. Creativity and creating superiority through one-on-one situations are among the Rossoneri’s most recognised qualities: 181 dribbles attempted compared to 107 (last place in Serie A for the Nerazzurri).
Of these, 82 were successful (third place behind Atalanta and Juve) compared to 50. Only Cremonese and Parma performed worse. You might say, this is Chivu’s vertical, direct, no-frills football. This is only partially true: Inter likes to keep the ball (second in possession) and also likes to pass it frequently, given that they are first in total possession (5,905) and successful possession (5,139).
Allegri settles for sixth and seventh place (5,237-4,585). The similarities are evident in assists, with first and third place (21-12). The same is true for goals scored: 26-17. Bologna are at 18, but Inter and Milan are close in producing spectacular performances.
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