Milan and Inter, two out of five Serie A sides still standing in continental competition, have already played three Derbies della Madonnina this season, with both teams winning one game each. Milan, who were Italian champions last year but have since been toppled from their throne by their Champions League quarter-final victims Napoli, were runners-up in Group E during the autumn. They have improved from their group-stage exit in 2021, which came after a seven-year absence from the competition.
Stefano Pioli's side has shown resilience throughout the knockout stages so far, conceding only once across four games. They are likely to take a similar approach against Inter. Milan's most recent Champions League triumph came back in 2007, and en route to their previous victory in 2003, they overcame their city rivals at the last-eight stage.
Inter, on the other hand, have been struggling for consistency in Serie A this season, losing 11 times already, and are still to secure a top-four finish. However, they have been performing well in cup competitions, having reached the Coppa Italia final and the Champions League semi-finals. In the Champions League, they have eliminated Napoli, Milan (twice, including January's Supercoppa triumph), and both Rome clubs following a 2-0 win against Roma last weekend.
Both Milan and Inter have kept three clean sheets from four knockout-round games so far, and they are expected to put up a tough fight in this crucial derby.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Milan reverted to a more standard lineup following their stumble against Cremonese and secured a 2-0 victory over Lazio at the weekend. The return of Olivier Giroud, Theo Hernandez, and Sandro Tonali bolstered the team, but Rafael Leao's early exit due to a muscle injury raised concerns about his availability for Wednesday's match. In his absence, Alexis Saelemaekers could once again step in, rather than Ante Rebic being called up. Stefano Pioli is expected to make only one other change, with Brahim Diaz potentially replacing Junior Messias on the right wing of a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation.Inter, on the other hand, benched Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan during Saturday's game at Stadio Olimpico but may return to the starting lineup for the midweek match. However, a resurgent Romelu Lukaku could influence Simone Inzaghi's decision to reunite the once-thriving partnership with Martinez, leaving Dzeko on the sidelines. Milan Skriniar and Robin Gosens will miss the game due to injuries, but Danilo D'Ambrosio may return to the squad after recovering from a muscle problem.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan possible starting lineup:Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Diaz, Bennacer, Saelemaekers; Giroud
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Lukaku
EXPERT PREDICTION
AC Milan 0-1 Inter Milan
Expect a closely-fought match with a lot on the line and both teams prioritizing defensive tactics. It may only take a single goal to determine the outcome after the first 90 minutes of the tie.
Inter boasts a greater wealth of attacking options, and they have been performing at their best recently, so they are likely to have the advantage over their Rossoneri opponents leading up to the crucial second leg next week.
