AC Milan vs Inter Milan - Inter boss Stefano Pioli hoping for winning start in Milan derby

Posted Saturday, November 19, 2016 by PA

Stefano Pioli believes passion could be the decisive factor if Inter Milan are to spring a derby surprise against AC Milan.

The former Lazio boss faces a daunting task in his first match as Inter's new head coach as, following the international break, San Siro hosts the first Derby della Madonnina of the Serie A season.

Pioli is in the dugout because Frank de Boer failed to guide Inter into the title race after being hired shortly before the campaign began, and the club are 13 points off the pace set by Juventus.

Milan, meanwhile, sit in third place and lead their city rivals by eight points. The Rossoneri are much-improved from last term and the emergence of young talents Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Locatelli has been instrumental across a run of seven wins from nine games in the league.

Despite their woes Inter can still play, as evidenced by their 3-0 defeat of Crotone under caretaker boss Stefano Vecchi last time out, and Pioli wants his players to carry that courage into the derby.

He told inter.it: "There's a good atmosphere about the place and I'm proud of the way they've been training in the last few days.

"I've inherited a squad of top professionals who are all willing to listen and work hard.

"We must play with intensity and focus. I've only been here a few days but I've tried to convey my passion and the belief I have in these players. They've responded really well.

"Now we need to take all the good things we've done on the training ground and reproduce them on the pitch.

"Inter are one of the best clubs in the world and I've joined them at the peak of my career. I have a superb squad to work with and the club's full support.

"The fans have given me a great welcome, too - you can see they really love this club.

"I'm positive and confident."

Barring the absence of veteran striker Rodrigo Palacio through injury, Pioli has a full contingent of players, while Milan are missing midfielder Andrea Bertolacci and defender Alessio Romagnoli.

The momentum in the league table is with the Rossoneri and the bragging rights are definitely in the red-and-black changing rooms of the Giuseppe Meazza following January's 3-0 humbling.

With Milan the designated home team once again, breakthrough teenager Locatelli is excited to get his first taste of the derby as a senior player.

"It's beautiful," the 18-year-old midfielder said of San Siro. "It's the stage from my dreams.

"Inter have been a difficult team to study because they have a new coach, so we haven't known whether to look at their recent games or some of Pioli's old ones.

"All we can do is stay calm and concentrate on our own game.

"Inter will give everything because they're in a bad situation, so we will have take countermeasures."