Tensions reach fever pitch as we prepare for the second round of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The remaining four teams will battle again on Tuesday and Wednesday to secure a place in the final. You can read our previews of both semi-finals on this site, but here we focus on the opener from Italy, where two of the nation’s most famous sides go head-to-head. Inter Milan host AC Milan, meaning Serie A is guaranteed one team in the final. Which half of the Milan divide will fly the flag this spring?
Inter Milan take a lead into this decider after winning the first leg by a 2-0 scoreline. A win, two clear goals, and a clean sheet mean Inter can almost touch the final, but there’s still work to be done before they can celebrate. They have a fantastic advantage, but if AC Milan can get the first goal of the second leg, things will change quickly. A two-goal cushion is a comfortable one, but if AC were to break the deadlock, followers of their opponents would grow nervous, which could filter down to the pitch and team.
As you know, Inter and AC are no strangers to meeting on the big stage. But they don’t come much bigger than this, with a spot in the European final at stake. The first match was a nervy affair, and it was one of four Milan derbies played already this season. The head-to-head stats show Inter Milan has won the last three games, and AC Milan has been unable to find the net in that time. Their last win and goal against Inter came back in September, snatching victory by the odd goal in five. Will we see more of the same here? Keep reading to find out.
Inter in the driver’s seat
Inter Milan grasped the thistle with a convincing first leg win. In what had been billed as a competitive and potentially explosive contest, Inter took the lead inside eight minutes thanks to a memorable goal from Edin Dzeko. Putting their rivals on the backfoot from the opening whistle, Inter doubled their advantage on 11 minutes when Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Fans thought the floodgates would swing open and Inter would wipe the floor with their closest rivals, but the game fizzled out from there.
Inter may have been guilty of taking their foot off the gas when scoring two goals inside 11 minutes, but that takes nothing away from the aggregate score. They have a strong lead and the tie is now theirs to throw away. The squad knows just how strong AC Milan can be when in the mood and their rivals must go on the attack from the first whistle. But they’ll be prepared to hit hard on the break and put this derby to bed, securing a spot in the final.
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Inter Milan prepared for this challenge with a strong weekend win over Sassuolo, easing to a 4-2 victory. It was the perfect warm up, allowing the manager to rest a few regulars and give fringe players a chance to show what they can do on the big stage. Milan will kick off confident they can win this game and go through in the style of champions and they have been supported by many respected pundits when making midweek predictions.
AC Milan must score
AC Milan went into the first leg eager to either win or ensure the tie remained competitive for the second leg. They failed to win the game and after losing 2-0 last week are staring at the exit door. But they know this game is critical for two reasons; to secure a place in the Champions League final and to increase their chances of making it into next season’s tournament. At present, there’s no guarantees the semi-finalists will even be in the running for the 2023/24 UCL.
AC Milan is currently stuck down in fifth place in Serie A and have won only two of their last five games. That poor run of results also includes a pair of draws and defeat in their most recent outing. Despite entering as favourites to bag all three points, AC Milan lost 2-0 away to Spezia. It was a road trip but it looked like an ideal opponent to get a win, score a few goals and keep a clean sheet, boosting confidence in the ranks. As far as preparation goes, it couldn’t have been much worse.
In their four meetings with Inter Milan this season, AC Milan has won just one game. That was the opener back in September with a 3-2 victory. The goals in that game were scored by Olivier Giroud and a Rafael Leao double with the game won inside the hour. Even a repeat of that huge performance wouldn’t be enough to pull AC Milan out of the hole they dug for themselves in the first leg.
Inter Milan v AC Milan prediction
What a game we have in store here and armchair fans watching worldwide hope this one lives up to the hype. With AC Milan knowing they need to score at least two goals just to force this game into extra-time, they are sure to go on the attack early. But they can’t be gung-ho and ignore their defence. If they do that, Inter Milan can hit them on the counter and finish things.
Champions League odds
Which team do you expect to win this game? You can back Inter Milan as the pre-match favourites at the 2.05 offered by 22Bet.
AC Milan to bounce back with a victory is 3.68 or you can back the draw at 3.4. Remember, those odds come from the match-winner betting market and are subject to change.
Make sure to bet on Inter Milan v AC Milan with 22Bet!
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