Prediction: Inter vs Milan

Verdict: Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score

Best odds: 39/20

Bookmaker: 888sport

Though both clubs went through a significant decline in recent years, the game between Inter Milan and AC Milan is still considered one of the biggest in Italy. It has been one of the most fiercely contested city rivalries in the world throughout the history of the game, and form, good or bad, even if it does last for years, simply doesn’t come into it. Between them, these two clubs have won 36 Serie A titles (18 each), 12 Coppa Italia trophies (Inter 7, Milan 5), 10 European Cup/Champions League trophies (Inter 3, Milan 7), three UEFA Cups (all Inter), and two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups (both Milan).

Inter Milan

After several years of desperate struggle to at least maintain their status of a club competing regularly in the Champions League, the Nerazzurri seem to have made a bog step up this season. They spent a lot of money and signed a lot of well-known names in the last two transfer windows, including manager Antonio Conte, and that kind of investment and dedication hasn’t gone unrewarded.

Their recent league form has been reasonably good – three wins and three draws in the last six rounds: wins over Genoa, Napoli and Udinese, and points shared with Atalanta, Lecce and Cagliari. Ten days ago, they dispatched Fiorentina from the cup.

At the moment, the gap between second-place Inter on 51 and league leaders Juventus on 54 points is obviously narrow, and Lazio is on their heels too with 50. It seems we’re in for an interesting race for the Scudetto between these three sides this term, with Atalanta in fourth a long way behind (39). The fact that both Inter and Lazio have stepped up when Napoli finally stumbled as the Old Lady’s closest title competitors can only be good for Italian football.

Inter fell out of the Champions League after the group stages, though finishing third behind Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund is by no means a reason for shame. They are now poised to face Ludogorets in the Europa League round of 32, with the first leg being played in Bulgaria in just under two weeks.

Team News

Conte cannot rely on goalkeeper Samir Handanovic (finger injury) and striker Lautaro Martinez (suspended) for this game. This means that Daniel Padelli will stand between the posts again, while Alexis Sanchez might join his former Manchester United teammate Romelu Lukaku in attack.

Wingback Antonio Candreva should be back on the right flank, leaving the boss with a choice between another ex-United player, Ashley Young, and his former charge at Chelsea, Victor Moses, on the left.

AC Milan

The Rossoneri haven’t been as successful in their attempts to climb back to the top of Italian football as Inter. They tried to go with expensive signings, they tried changing the managers and the staff, but nothing seems to be working right, unless it’s the recent arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to the club. The Swede scored 56 goals in 85 appearances during his first spell with Milan, counting both the initial loan from Barcelona and the 2011/12 season when he was their player full time. It should, however, be noted that he also spent three years with Inter before going to Barcelona in 2009.

As for Milan’s Serie A adventure this season, they are currently in ninth place, which means very little given how congested the middle section of the table is. They have 32 points to their name, the same as Cagliari and Parma directly above, and only one less than Bologna in sixth. Reaching the Europa League is very much within their reach, and they will desperately want to achieve European qualification after being excluded for the current campaign for Financial Fair Play breaches.

Team News

Manager Stefano Pioli was without Ibrahimovic for the 1-1 draw against Verona last week, but the 38-year-old striker has recovered from the bout of illness which kept him away that day and Pioli should have his full squad to choose from.

Conclusion

Given everything we’ve seen from the two Milan clubs so far this season, Inter are rightly considered favorites to win. However, this is exactly the type of occasion Zlatan has come back to Italy for, and to score against his old club would certainly seem an exciting prospect for a top-quality player with a long line of controversies behind him, even at the age of 38.

Verdict: Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score

Best odds: 39/20

Bookmaker: 888sport