AC Milan were at a huge disadvantage after the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against their city rivals. Coach Stefano Pioli's defense had only conceded one goal in the previous knockout matches, but they let Inter Milan score 2 goals in the first 11 minutes of the match.
On the other hand, AC Milan were helpless in finding goals. With top star Rafael Leao absent due to injury, Olivier Giroud was almost missing because there was no one to receive the ball, AC Milan's attack became harmless.
The match between AC Milan and Inter Milan was not as exciting as expected.
Inter Milan won their third consecutive victory over their city rivals. This is the first time in 28 years that they have beaten the Rossoneri three times in a season. That achievement gives coach Simone Inzaghi and his team more confidence ahead of the return match.
In addition, Inter Milan also had a boost with a 4-2 victory over Sassuolo in round 35 of Serie A. The 3 points they got helped them rise to 3rd place, widening the gap with AC Milan (5th place) to 4 points, taking a huge advantage in the race for a place in the top 4.
In contrast to their unstable performance in Serie A, the Nerazzurri have shown great courage, discipline and efficiency in the Champions League. That was demonstrated in the first leg, when the opponent showed even the slightest weakness, Inter Milan found a way to end the match early.
In the remaining 80 minutes, they retreated deep, actively playing defensive counter-attacks to preserve the score. That scenario could completely repeat itself in the upcoming match, especially when AC Milan has to focus all their efforts on attacking in search of a goal.
Inter beat AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg.
In the history of the Champions League, only one team has ever reached the final after losing the first leg by two or more goals, and that was Liverpool in 2019. They lost 0-3 to Barcelona in the first leg but surprisingly fought back to beat their opponents 4-0 in the second leg. Coach Stefano Pioli and his team need such a miracle match to be able to overthrow Inter Milan.
In terms of personnel, Inter Milan have no significant losses, with only Milan Skriniar and Dalbert absent. Meanwhile, AC Milan are still unsure whether Rafael Leao can play at 100% form. On the positive side, Rade Krunic will return, helping Tonali feel less isolated in midfield. Olivier Giroud and captain Davide Calabria will return to the starting lineup after being rested over the weekend.
Inter Milan vs AC Milan predicted lineup
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Onana; Bastoni, Acerbi, Darmian; Dimarco, Mkhitaryan, Calhanoglu, Barella, Dumfries; Dzeko, Martinez.
AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Hernandez, Tomori, Kjaer, Calabria; Tonali, Pobega; Origi, Diaz, Saelemaekers; Giroud.
Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 AC Milan.
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