Prediction: AC Milan vs Inter Milan

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 6/5

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

AC Milan and Inter Milan renew hostilities at San Siro on Sunday night in a Derby della Madonnina that could make or break the title race.

With both clubs pursuing the Scudetto, Inter arrive with a commanding 10‑point lead, and Milan know only a victory will keep their faint hopes alive.

AC Milan

Milan’s remarkable 24‑match unbeaten Serie A run finally came to an end recently with a narrow 1–0 defeat to Parma, but the Rossoneri avoided sliding further last weekend. Against a Cremonese side that stunned them at San Siro on matchday one, late goals from Strahinja Pavlović and Rafael Leão secured a much‑needed turnaround and prevented Inter from moving 12 points clear.

Max Allegri’s side have struggled to match Inter’s relentless pace. Before beating Cremonese, they needed a stoppage‑time winner to defeat struggling Pisa and then could only scrape a draw against high‑flying Como. Despite losing just twice in Serie A this season, they have accumulated eight more draws than their rivals—an issue largely responsible for their double‑digit deficit.

Milan now ‘host’ their stadium‑sharing rivals having won just one of their last four home fixtures—another late strike earning them a victory over Lecce in mid‑January. Yet they can take solace in the wider picture: the Rossoneri have turned the tide in the Milan derby after enduring a string of painful defeats in recent years.

Team News

Milan will be without midfielder Ruben Loftus‑Cheek, who suffered a severe facial injury and will miss several weeks. Centre‑back Matteo Gabbia (hernia) and striker Santiago Giménez (ankle) also remain out.

Max Allegri does have a boost with Davide Bartesaghi returning from a flexor issue picked up against Cremonese. Further forward, Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão are expected to lead the attack despite competition from Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Füllkrug.

Pulisic has not registered a goal or assist in nine matches due to injuries interrupting his rhythm, but his derby record remains strong. Having scored the winner in November’s reverse fixture, he now has goals in three of his last six meetings with Inter. Another strike would make him the first Milan player to score in both league derbies since Kaká in 2003–04.

Leão, meanwhile, became Milan’s top scorer for the season with his ninth goal last weekend. Inter, however, will be without their own leading marksman.

Inter Milan

Inter enter the derby with momentum entirely on their side. Since a 1–0 loss to Milan in late November—when former Rossoneri midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu saw a penalty saved by Mike Maignan—the Nerazzurri have remained unbeaten in the league. Their response has been emphatic: 15 Serie A games without defeat, and counting.

Although they were eliminated from Europe recently, their league form has been imperious. A routine 2–0 victory over Genoa last weekend secured their eighth straight Serie A win, leaving them in complete control of the title race.

Inter remain the division’s most potent attacking force, having scored 21 more goals than Milan, and their set‑piece threat is unmatched. They have struck 21 goals from dead-ball situations, including a league‑high 15 from corners. Milan, on the other hand, have conceded half their goals this season from set pieces—25% from corners—making this a potentially decisive factor.

With the Scudetto all but wrapped up, Cristian Chivu turned his attention to the Coppa Italia on Tuesday, where Inter held Como to a goalless draw in the first leg of their semi-final. Back in league play, Inter can now take a decisive step toward clinching the title.

Though the Nerazzurri are technically the ‘visitors’, they have won nine league away games in succession, keeping six straight clean sheets. Another win at San Siro would give them 10 consecutive away victories for only the second time in their history—and extend their advantage over Milan to an unassailable 13 points.

Team News

Inter will again be without captain and leading scorer Lautaro Martínez, who is still recovering from a calf injury. As a result, Chivu must choose two of Francesco Pio Esposito, Marcus Thuram or Ange‑Yoan Bonny to spearhead the attack.

Çalhanoğlu should return to the starting XI after making his first start in weeks during Tuesday’s cup clash, eager to make amends for his missed penalty in the November derby. Denzel Dumfries is also back after nearly four months out.

Yann Sommer and Nicolò Barella will return to the lineup after being rested, while the in‑form Federico Dimarco, who has contributed 12 goal involvements in 10 Serie A games in 2026, is set to play a key role again.

Conclusion

Inter’s extraordinary form, combined with Milan’s inconsistencies, leaves the Nerazzurri on the verge of effectively sealing the Scudetto. The Rossoneri deserve credit for staying within touching distance, but the leaders appear overdue a statement win in a major derby—and the incentive could not be clearer.

If Inter prevail on Sunday night, the blue‑and‑black half of Milan will celebrate long into the week, with the title race all but over.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 6/5

Bookmaker: Olympusbet