Serie A: AC Milan take on Inter Milan in the Milan Derby as Napoli can take advantage

(Football news) AC Milan face Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina to decide who goes top of the table. An incredible reversal in fortunes since the last Milan Derby, in November, saw Inter swap a seven-point deficit for the chance to establish the same lead themselves. This is going to be the 230th staging of the Derbi di Milano which brings together two sides heading in different directions since they last met, as Inter have since leapfrogged their second-city counterparts in the league table, thereby becoming favourites to retain the Scudetto.Their 2-1 victory over the Venezia meant that the champions are now unbeaten in 28 home matches in Serie A winning 25 times in the league as their last league loss was in October 2020 to none other than Milan. For Inter, Joaquin Correa and new signing Robin Gosens are unavailable as they continue to recover from their respective thigh injuries.

In the seven league games they played since their second defeat to Jurgen Klopp's side in November, inconsistency has crept into Milan's game, and have come out on top in only just three of those fixtures. Their most recent setbacks came with a shock home defeat to lowly Spezia, followed by an insipid showing in the high-profile clash with Juventus at the end of last month. Nonetheless, a goalless draw at home to the Bianconeri keeps Stefano Pioli's men within touching distance of top spot, and victory over Inter would even bring them within a point of first place – albeit having played one game more. Milan will resume their Serie A campaign after the international break with a mostly fit squad, but Fikayo Tomori and Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be out along with long-term absentee Simon Kjaer on the sidelines, while Ante Rebic also remains a doubt.

Napoli take on Venezia as they look to take advantage of both the Milan clubs facing each other. For Napoli the Scudetto pursuit has been aided by a run of three successive Serie A wins, after having won just twice in nine Serie A games, before the international break Napoli were able to win each of their last three as they kept their attempt to match the Milan clubs in the title race alive. The last league outing saw them host rock-bottom neighbours Salernitana in a Campania derby, and despite seeing an early advantage equalised before the break, they ultimately cruised to a 4-1 win at Stadio Maradona. Throughout a troubled spell before December's mid-season interval, an absence-stricken Napoli side still managed to maintain a proud defensive record under head coach Luciano Spalletti and have conceded the fewest goals in Serie A this season – just 16 in 23 games.

For Napoli they will welcome back their top scorer Victor Osimhen into the starting 11 as he will wear a specially-sculpted protective mask over his cheekbone. Napoli's defensive lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly and on-loan midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa go head-to-head in the Africa Cup of Nations final as Hirving Lozano faces a fitness test and Axel Tuanzebe is troubled by a back problem, but both could be included in the squad to travel north

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