Serie A: AC Milan v Internazionale

[artan]

MATCH PREVIEW
Serie A Week 12 - 23 Nov 2014 (19.45 UK)
Milan - Inter
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Inter
Milan

Milan and Inter are out to use Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina to demonstrate how exaggerated talk of their respective declines has been.

The clash between two of Italy’s former powers may have lost some of its lustre, but the fixture is nevertheless an important step in the battle for Champions League qualification. Giacomo Bonaventura and Stephan El Shaarawy return to Milan on the back of solid Italy outings over the last week. The former will be keen to add to his tally of four goals in just four games versus their local rivals from midfield.

Rossonero Coach Filippo Inzaghi, winless in four matches, will impress on his men the need to win and close the four-point gap between them and third-placed Napoli - even if Christian Vieri and Adriano Galliani assert Walter Mazzarri’s sudden dismissal at their city neighbours has forced a rethink of plans.

The timing of Roberto Mancini’s return was indeed ‘calculated’, as President Erick Thohir confirmed. Members of the squad expressed their esteem for the sacked Mazzarri, even as they welcomed aboard the new teachings of Mancini in his second coming at the club.

One shift will be moving from a three-man defence to a back-four, with Nemanja Vidic - who this week spoke of wanting to experience the atmosphere of a derby ‘win’ - likely dropped to the bench.

Mancini’s emphasis will certainly be to eliminate the comic collapses suffered to date. Failure to stamp out the Nerazzurri’s tendency of conceding in the first 15 minutes of play could be fatal against Milan, who boast the highest shot conversion rate in Serie A. But win and surpass their traditional rivals in the table, and the new Coach’s popularity - what proved to be Mazzarri’s undoing - could soon be soaring.

Keep an eye on: Stephan El Shaarawy (Milan) - Ending a 622-day goal drought when Milan played at Sampdoria in the last round would have injected some much-needed confidence into Il Faraone. The attacker could finally be ready to play a starring role for his club again, after also making his first Italy appearance under Antonio Conte last Sunday against Croatia at San Siro.

Form guide: Milan (W D D L D) Inter (D W W L D)

Last season: Milan 1-0 Inter

Stat fact: The Rossoneri won the last Milan derby after being winless in the previous five editions.

Milan (probable): Diego Lopez; Rami, Alex, Mexes, De Sciglio; Poli, De Jong, Bonaventura; Honda, Menez, El Shaarawy

Suspended: Bonera

Inter (probable): Handanovic, Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Dodo; Guarin, M’Vila, Obi; Kovacic; Palacio, Icardi

Suspended: Medel

[artan]

Probable line up:

-------------------------------------Diego Lopez--------------------------------

----Rami---------------------Alex---------------Mexes---------------------MDS-


----------------------------------Essien-----------Muntari----------------------


------------------Bonaventura--------------Menez-------------SES-------------

-----------------------------------Torres---------------------------------------

[artan]

wow, its derby day and NO ONE has posted! WOW
I am talking to myself, Alex injured out again, ... hell i miss Bonera

[fillipo]

it is dissapointing that even the derby isn't an issue anymore.

but from the otherhand the whole game was exactly what i expected of it and this is already going on for years. i doesn't even feel like a derby imo.

it's a shame but that's how deep we have fallen. what more can we say.... it's all the same shit over and over again

[drew]

wow, its derby day and NO ONE has posted! WOW
I am talking to myself, Alex injured out again, ... hell i miss Bonera

it was an intentional stance.

[drew]

it is dissapointing that even the derby isn't an issue anymore.

but from the otherhand the whole game was exactly what i expected of it and this is already going on for years. i doesn't even feel like a derby imo.

it's a shame but that's how deep we have fallen. what more can we say.... it's all the same shit over and over again

what annoys me more than the fact that we are shit, is the fact that Silvio is still trying to bullshit that he cares/wants the club to succeed