A Milan derby that promises sparks. Inter and Milan will face each other on Sunday evening in a city clash that could carry weight. Massimiliano Allegri is pleased with several recoveries, most of the focus will be on Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic. Numbers aside, in derbies numbers matter only to a point, what will decide the match is how they influence the rhythm and read the gaps left by the opposing defence.
Leao will be the unpredictable threat in Milan’s attack:
The Portuguese player's pace and one-on-one dribbling can trouble Inter’s defensive line, especially in transitions. Every ball he receives between the lines can become a dangerous chance, and his ability to shoot from distance makes it hard for Inter to read his intentions. Pulisic will operate between the lines, ready to feed teammates or attack depth, his quick decisions and tactical sense can break Inter’s structure, creating numerical advantages and sudden openings.
In a balanced derby, where a single moment often decides the match, Leao and Pulisic are Milan’s hidden weapon, one brings explosiveness and finishing, the other brings vision and the ability to open space. If they coordinate on Sunday and read the key moments, they might decide the outcome of a match played with intelligence and courage as much as with feet.
Their absence weighed, and in a league this balanced those flashes make the difference. Max Allegri will field them together almost 100 days after the last time, in the match against Bari last August. Now they are ready for a new show, to push Milan forward and try to win a derby that might mark one of the early turning points of the season, as pointed out by those at Milan News.
