Cristian Chivu and Massimiliano Allegri have made their choices ahead of the first derby of the season at San Siro tonight.
A game of this magnitude must always magnify any doubts that the two coaches have about the right team to claim bragging rights in the city. Inter can go five clear of their rivals with a win, but Milan can jump above their neighbours if they come out on top.
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Inter vs. AC Milan: Predicted starting XIs
Allegri will be without Santiago Gimenez and Zachary Athekame for the game. The former is still recovering from an ankle problem, while the latter sustained an issue on international duty.
Chivu also has two pretty big absences to note: Mkhitaryan and Dumfries. Both have done well in derbies in recent years and most likely would have started, so the coach has had to change plans.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Allegri will name Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic as the front two for the first time in a league game this season. Behind them will be a midfield trio of Youssouf Fofana, Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot.
Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi will be the wing-backs, with Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic returning as the centre-back trio ahead of goalkeeper and captain Mike Maignan.
Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao.
Predicted Inter XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Augusto, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Thuram.
ℹ️ The predicted XIs for #InterMilan, according to @Gazzetta_it.
🤔 Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/R2JZzYgaKT
— SempreMilan (@SempreMilanCom) November 23, 2025
would of liked santiago giminez on the bench, but its fine