AC Milan vs Inter: Match preview — 31 October 2026

AC Milan and Inter meet in the Derby della Madonnina with seven points separating the two rivals in Serie A. Milan suffered their first league defeat of the season against Bologna in the previous round, while defending champions Inter continue to demonstrate consistency under Cristian Chivu. Recent derby history, however, tells a different story: Inter have failed to win any of their last seven competitive meetings with Milan, despite entering those matches as the stronger side on paper.

Milan's Unbeaten Run Ends Before the Derby

Ruben Amorim made an encouraging start to his time at Milan, guiding the team through the opening eight Serie A rounds without defeat and establishing them among the contenders for Champions League qualification.

That unbeaten run ended with a 4-2 home defeat to Bologna. The result was particularly concerning because it exposed several weaknesses that had already appeared in recent performances.

Milan have conceded at least twice in three of their last four competitive matches. Against Bologna, they struggled to maintain their defensive organization, play through opposition pressure, and sustain a high tempo throughout the full 90 minutes.

Those problems are particularly relevant ahead of a meeting with Inter, whose aggressive pressing frequently forces opponents into difficult decisions during buildup. Milan's ability to retain possession under pressure will be an important aspect of the derby.

Injuries have contributed to the team's difficulties. Amorim acknowledged after the Bologna match that squad absences and limited rotation options had affected his preparations.

Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain unavailable. Fikayo Tomori also suffered an injury during Wednesday's match and will miss the derby, further reducing Milan's defensive options.

There is more encouraging news regarding Adrien Rabiot, Mario Gila, and Diego Moreira. All three have returned to full team training, making their participation against Inter increasingly likely.

The availability of those players could provide Amorim with additional flexibility, particularly in defensive positions and midfield. However, integrating returning players into a team already experiencing difficulties against organized pressing presents its own challenge.

Inter's Pressing and Defensive Improvement

Inter have built their strong start to the season on a combination of aggressive pressing, controlled possession, and varied attacking combinations. Chivu's team aim not only to dominate the ball but also to recover it quickly after losing possession.

They are among Serie A's most active pressing teams, regularly winning the ball in the opposition half and turning those recoveries into shooting opportunities. Their ability to apply pressure high up the pitch could be particularly important against Milan's recently exposed weaknesses in buildup play.

Inter have also demonstrated an ability to secure results in difficult situations. Against Fiorentina, they were trailing 1-0 entering the 91st minute but recovered to win 2-1.

Their next two victories followed a similar pattern of patience. Inter defeated Venezia 2-0 and Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, scoring the decisive goals after the 75th minute in both matches.

These performances reflect the team's ability to maintain pressure and attacking organization even when opponents remain difficult to break down.

Inter's results against other strong Italian opponents have also improved. They have recorded six victories and one draw across their last seven meetings with Roma, Napoli, Lazio, and Como, including a 3-2 win over Napoli and two victories against Lazio without conceding.

However, Chivu continues to deal with important absences. Lautaro Martínez, Inter's captain and leading scorer in each of the previous five seasons, remains sidelined through injury.

Although Inter are still Serie A's highest-scoring team, their recent attacking output has been more restrained. They have scored no more than twice in any of their last three competitive matches.

Defensively, the situation has improved despite further personnel problems. Benjamin Pavard remains unavailable, while John Stones' fitness is uncertain.

Across their last three matches, Inter have conceded just one goal while allowing an average of 0.8 expected goals against (xGA) per game. Those figures suggest that the team has become more effective at limiting the quality of opportunities created by opponents.

That defensive stability may be particularly valuable in a derby where both teams are capable of applying sustained pressure, but neither can afford to lose control of possession in dangerous areas.

Recent meetings between the rivals have also featured relatively few goals at both ends. In each of the last three competitive Milan derbies, at least one team kept a clean sheet.

Referee: Marco Guida

Marco Guida was among Serie A's ten referees with the highest yellow-card averages last season, issuing 3.94 bookings per match.

His disciplinary approach has generally been relatively strict, although he awards penalties less frequently. Guida has given just one penalty across his last 14 Serie A appearances.

Key Factors

The most significant tactical matchup concerns Inter's high pressing against Milan's buildup play. Amorim's team struggled to escape pressure against Bologna, and their defensive injuries could make progressing possession through the first line even more difficult.

For Inter, the challenge will be maintaining their attacking effectiveness without Lautaro Martínez while preserving the defensive discipline that has characterized their recent performances.

Milan's returning players could help restore balance, but their readiness to handle the intensity of the derby remains an important consideration. The outcome of individual duels in midfield, the quality of possession under pressure, and each team's ability to maintain defensive organization could all influence how the match develops.