Milan host Inter in Sunday derby at San Siro, with Amorim and Chivu both pressing for a win

Build-up and coaches' comments

Milan coach Ruben Amorim said the Scudetto remains the target but that it is harder after dropping points, and that the team needs time to build. Inter coach Cristian Chivu said the standings do not matter in a derby and that the aim is to play the best version of the team. Both coaches spoke at press conferences on the eve of the match.

“The objective is to win the Scudetto, but I don't know how long it will take.”

Amorim said Milan must give more energy after the defeat to Bologna in their midweek match, which he described as a game where too many details did not work. He also thanked owner Gerry Cardinale for his support, which Cardinale expressed in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport.

Team news

Inter are without Lautaro Martinez, who is out until the international break, and Stones, Jones, Pavard and Luis Henrique are also unavailable according to the preview lineups. Milan have regained Rabiot, Gila and Pavlovic, while Tomori has a physical problem after the Bologna match. Fanpage's probable lineups have Milan in a 4-2-3-1 with Ramos as the lone striker and Inter in a 3-5-2 with Thuram and Esposito up front.

Chivu on the derby and the pressure on coaches

Chivu said the team is ready and that the derby is an extra motivation, adding that Inter have not won any of their last seven derbies. He said the team must keep focus, balance and determination, and that there are no favourites in a derby. He praised Thuram, who he said has regained confidence, and said he expects Milan's build-up play to be a threat.

“There are no favourites in the derby, there is pride and ambition.”

Chivu also spoke about the pressure on coaches, saying that four years remain before the new stadium is expected and that he hopes sporting culture changes so coaches are not left with stress-related health problems.

Stakes in the table

Inter sit ahead of Milan in the standings, and a home win for Inter would open a 10-point gap on Milan according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. A defeat for Milan would leave them at -10 from the top. Milan are seven points off the top after the Bologna defeat, which was their first league loss of the season.

Squads and finances

Fanpage notes the Milan-Inter derby record stands at five wins for Milan and two draws across seven meetings in the period described. Transfermarkt values Inter's squad at 738 million euros against 503 million for Milan, while wage bills stand at 146 against 103 million. Inter also posted a profit of 22.7 million euros in their latest accounts, compared with a loss of 24 million for Milan.

Inter738

Milan503

Inter

738 million euros

Milan

503 million euros

Data from the article text