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AC Milan Must Win Derby Against Inter to Secure European Spot Next Season
AC Milan Faces Must-Win Derby Against Inter for European Qualification
For AC Milan, a victory in the derby against Inter could be their only path to securing a spot in European competition next season.
Meanwhile, for Inter Milan, the Italian Cup holds less significance compared to their other ongoing campaigns, making it the least of their priorities.
The two rivals enter the first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal in starkly different forms. Milan’s 2-1 loss to Napoli in Serie A last Sunday all but ended their hopes of finishing in the top four, leaving them in ninth place, nine points behind Bologna, who face Empoli in the other semifinal on Tuesday. Winning the Italian Cup, however, guarantees a Europa League place.
"It's very frustrating because we didn’t deserve this defeat," said Milan coach Sergio Conceicao, reflecting on their late push for an equalizer against Napoli. "We want to change the outlook, and Wednesday gives us the chance to do so."
Wednesday's derby will be the fourth of the season. Milan won the first two encounters before Inter held them to a draw in the most recent league clash. Their 2-1 victory in Serie A back in September served as a wake-up call for defending champions Inter, who now lead the league. Milan also staged a dramatic comeback from two goals down to win 3-2 in the Italian Super Cup final in January.
Milan’s season, however, has been otherwise disappointing. They were eliminated from the Champions League playoffs by Feyenoord last month, adding further pressure to their Italian Cup ambitions.
Inter, on the other hand, remains in contention for multiple trophies. They face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals next week, and coach Simone Inzaghi has even floated the idea of a historic quadruple—adding the Club World Cup to the mix as another target.
"It's more accurate to say four," Inzaghi remarked when discussing Inter’s potential title haul.
Inter held on to their Serie A lead with a 2-1 win over Udinese on Sunday, despite missing key striker Lautaro Martinez, who suffered an injury while on international duty with Argentina. Lautaro is likely to miss the derby as well, though Alessandro Bastoni could return to reinforce the defense alongside Federico Dimarco, who assisted both goals against Udinese.
Milan, meanwhile, expects Rafael Leão to return to the starting lineup after featuring off the bench against Napoli. However, they will be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who underwent an appendectomy on Sunday.
Bologna vs. Empoli in the Other Semifinal
Bologna enters their semifinal against Empoli riding a five-game Serie A winning streak and is on course to qualify for the Champions League for a second straight season. Empoli, meanwhile, stunned Juventus in the quarterfinals with a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
Bologna’s only two Italian Cup titles came in 1970 and 1974, while Empoli is still chasing its first major domestic trophy, having won three Serie B titles in its history.
VAR Announcements to Be Tested in Italian Cup
In a first for Italian football, VAR decisions will be explained inside stadiums during Italian Cup matches. This trial follows similar initiatives already introduced in England and Germany, aiming to bring more transparency to in-game officiating.
