7M - AC Milan vs Inter Milan: Derby della Madonnina Preview

On March 8, 2026, AC Milan will face their city rivals, Inter Milan, at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in a crucial Serie A encounter. This Derby della Madonnina comes with significant implications as both teams vie for the Scudetto, but Milan trails Inter by 10 points and must secure a victory to stay in the title race.

Match Overview

Milan's recent form has been mixed, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Parma that ended their 24-match unbeaten streak in the league. However, they bounced back with a hard-fought victory against Cremonese, reversing an earlier loss to them. Manager Max Allegri's side has struggled to keep pace with Inter's momentum, as evidenced by their narrow win over Pisa and a disappointing home draw against Como.

The Rossoneri have not secured a home victory in their past four matches, with their only win coming against Lecce. They have a positive historical record against Inter, winning four of their last six encounters, including this season's first derby match, which they won 1-0.

Inter, on the other hand, is enjoying an impressive unbeaten run in the league since their last encounter with Milan in late November. Following that loss, they have recorded 15 consecutive matches without defeat, highlighted by a recent 2-0 win over Genoa, marking eight straight league victories. As the top scorers in Serie A, Inter has outpaced Milan offensively, particularly excelling at set-piece situations.

Team News

AC Milan will be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek due to a serious facial injury, alongside Matteo Gabbia and Santiago Gimenez, who are also sidelined. Allegri will likely rely on Davide Bartesaghi, who has recently recovered from a flexor issue. If Christian Pulisic starts, he aims to be the first Milan player to score in both league meetings against Inter since Kaka in the 2003-04 season.

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez will miss the match due to a calf injury, while Cristian Chivu may choose two from Francesco Pio Esposito, Marcus Thuram, and Ange-Yoan Bonny to lead the attack. Denzel Dumfries returns after a lengthy injury layoff, and key players like Yann Sommer and Nicolo Barella will also be back in the starting XI.

Predicted Lineups

Milan's potential lineup: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao.

Inter's expected lineup: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito.

Prediction

We expect a thrilling contest with Inter edging out AC Milan 2-1. With the potential to firmly establish a 13-point lead in the title race, Inter has the motivation to secure a crucial derby victory. Meanwhile, Milan needs to capitalize on their good record against their rivals as they aim to maintain their hopes for the Scudetto.