Chivu has not yet resolved the doubt over the third midfielder who will play alongside Calhanoglu and Barella, both of whom he rested for the first half of the midweek fixture: according to the pecking order, Zielinski should be the chosen one, although he remained on the pitch until the end in Venice. The main alternative, as well as a possible surprise, is Mkhitaryan, who has the ideal résumé for performing in big matches. In either case, Inter will try to impose their quality against the dynamism and counterattacks offered by Musah, whom Amorim has identified as the perfect balancing player in Milan's midfield.
A Fundamental Milan Derby Duel
In the star-studded midfields of the two teams, the less eye-catching duel could prove decisive from a tactical point of view. Musah will have the task of containing but also intimidating his direct opponent with his athletic qualities, trying to take his breath away when Inter have possession of the ball. But Zielinski hopes to escape his marking by rediscovering the pleasure of scoring against Milan: he has done so four times, including a memorable home brace, during his long spell at Napoli. In the derbies, however, he has failed to score in two years, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport in today's print edition. He made his debut by coming on precisely in place of Mkhitaryan in September 2024, starting only the most recent encounter, which was lost because of Estupiñan's goal. On the other side, Musah, who has celebrated just one Serie A goal during his season on loan at Atalanta, has already reached his fifth derby: he has won only one, however, the Italian Super Cup final in Riyadh.
