All-Milan Derby awaits in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals as AC Milan and Inter Milan clash at San Siro Stadium. After a 16-year halt, AC Milan has reached the semi-finals under Stefano Pioli’s guidance, bringing glory back to the red-and-black camp. Meanwhile, Inter Milan has also waited for 13 years to reach this grand stage, and Simone Inzaghi has chalked up a team that can go on and win the competition again.

Milan’s Impressive Record in San Siro

Milan has a fantastic record in their previous six semi-final matches hosted at the San Siro in the UEFA Champions League. They have won four and drawn one, with their only loss coming against Barcelona in the 2005-06 first leg. This will be the fifth time that Milan and Inter will face each other in European competition, with Milan unbeaten across the previous four matches, winning two and drawing two.

Inter’s Recent Dominance Over Milan

Inter has been in exceptional form and has won their last five games in all competitions. They have faced Milan three times this season across all competitions, with Inter winning the last two games. In the first meeting, Milan defeated Inter by 3-2 in Serie A last September. However, Inter managed to come back and defeat Milan consecutively in the Italian Cup and Serie A by 0-3 and 0-1, respectively.

Player to Watch Out for Each Team

Milan’s Raphael Leao is a direct attacker who looks to accelerate past the defender aggressively, making him a nightmare for full-backs. His long stretches and bursts of speed might pose a problem for Inter’s defenders, Dumfries and Di Marco. He has been involved in five assists and a goal in the Champions League this season.

Inter’s Romelu Lukaku excels at moving his opponent and then moving again to receive the ball. His timing creates the necessary room to receive the ball and potentially shoot at the goal. The partnership of Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez has reignited in recent weeks, and Lukaku might be chosen ahead of the reliable Edin Dzeko.

Injury and Team News

AC Milan has a deep squad, and Pioli has been diligently rotating his players. Involved in a direct fight against Inter to secure a Champions League spot next season in Serie A, Pioli has involved more than 16 players who have played over 1000 minutes in Serie A alone. The only notable absentee is the veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Milan Skriniar will be a significant miss for Inter in this fixture as he is out with a lumbar vertebra fracture until the end of May 2023. Robin Gosens won’t be available with a shoulder injury. Calhanoglu and Barella have been bossing the midfield, with Lukaku and Martinez among the goals. Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco will make the most of their speed down the flanks to provide the goods upfront.

Head-to-head Stats

In their previous 31 meetings, Milan has won nine, Inter has won 14, and eight matches have ended in a draw.

Predicted Lineups

AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kalulu, Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Messias, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Onana; De Vrij, Bastoni, Acerbi; Dumfries, Dimarco, Brozovic, Barella, Calhanoglu; Martinez, Lukaku