Coppa Italia Preview: Milan vs Inter – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stadio San Siro forms the backdrop for the first leg of a mouth-watering Coppa Italia semi-final tie between eternal rivals Milan and Inter. One of the most heavily anticipated fixtures in the European calendar could determine the fate of ‘home’ manager Sergio Conceicao.

These are uncertain times for the former Porto boss. Despite getting his Milan tenure off to a flying start, Conceicao is on the verge of exiting the club after less than six months. Indeed, he replaced Paulo Fonseca at the helm in January and won the title in his first two games in charge.

Milan saw off Juventus and Inter en route to their first Supercoppa Italiana title since 2016. However, the club’s fortunes have since taken a dramatic downturn, with the Rossoneri set to miss out on a top-four finish in Serie A for the first time in five years.

Therefore, Conceicao desperately needs success in the Coppa Italia to avoid the axe. On the other hand, winning this trophy for the third time in four years is part of the equation that would see Inter win a second ‘treble’ in the club’s storied history – the first since 2010 under Jose Mourinho.

Although Inter head into proceedings in far better shape, Milan have proved a thorn in their side this season. In addition to beating them in the Italian Super Cup final, Conceicao’s men held the Nerazzurri winless in both league encounters, including a 1-1 draw under the Portuguese’s stewardship in February.

Match Preview

Milan

Conceicao’s decision to bench Rafael Leao in Sunday’s away league match against Napoli backfired on Milan, who slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Stadio Diego Maradona. As a result, they finished Gameweek 30 a whopping nine points adrift of fourth-placed Bologna, highlighting the significance of making a standout result in the Coppa Italia.

However, you’d need to go back to 2003 for Milan’s last triumph in this competition. In fact, they’ve hoisted this trophy only five times, accounting for the competition’s sixth-best all-time record behind Juventus, Inter, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Napoli. Therefore, they must defy history to ascend the throne this term.

That’s also Milan’s best chance of securing European football next season. Furthermore, it’d put a dent in Inter’s treble pursuit. On that basis, the designated home side shouldn’t lack motivation as they bid to recover from an underwhelming six-game run of form (W2, L4), bookended by a Naples heartbreak.

Inter

Despite failing to beat Milan in all three encounters this season (W2, D1), reigning Serie A champions Inter enter this tie as favorites. In search of good omens, the Nerazzurri bested their arch-rivals the last time these sides were drawn against each other at this Coppa Italia stage back in 2021/22.

Inter would go on to win the title that year. Another success would see them become the outright second-best performing club in this competition, as they’re currently on a par with Roma, with both teams boasting nine titles each. More importantly, it could earn Inter a silver star after they added a second golden star to their jersey last term.

Optimism is sky-high ahead of this clash after a 2-1 home win against Udinese on Sunday saw Inter score 2+ goals for a fifth match in a row and preserve a three-point lead over Napoli at Serie A’s table summit. As if that’s not encouraging enough, Simone Inzaghi’s charges have won both Coppa Italia ties this season via an identical 2-0 scoreline.

Team News

Milan have received a double personnel boost ahead of this clash, with Malick Thiaw and Yunus Musah returning to the fold. However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has sustained another injury and will join Emerson Royal on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Leao should regain his place on the left wing.

As for Inter, Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martinez, Mehdi Taremi, and Piotr Zielinski are unavailable for selection due to injuries. Joaquin Correa is the leading candidate to replace El Toro after Marko Arnautovic picked up a minor fitness issue against Udinese.

Milan vs Inter Potential Starting Line-ups

Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Pavlovic, Gabbia, Hernandez; Fofana, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Zalewski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Correa.

Milan vs Inter Prediction

Despite the high-stakes nature of this fixture, Milan can’t realistically hope to upset the odds again. Sunday’s slump in Naples curtailed their momentum, making them vulnerable to Inter’s incredible strength of will. Several high-profile absences in the Nerazzurri camp could be the only saving grace.