Serie A 2020/21: Inter vs Milan – tactical preview

The fourth round of the Serie A will see the famous Derby della Madonnina. Inter are going to host Milan in a game where both teams pursue the full package of points following their strong start of the 2020/21 campaign.

Inter are now motivated to get back on track after a not-so-pleasant draw against Lazio that ended with two red cards, while Milan are aiming to continue their impressive performance and lock in their defensive record from three to four games without conceding a goal.

Milan are currently sitting in the second place with three wins out of three games while Inter are looking to improve and find their way up the table.

In this tactical analysis preview, we will examine both teams’ tactics and see how they could expose each other in one of the most exciting and emotional derbies in Italian football.

Formations and strategies

Inter are expected to stick to their 3-4-1-2 formation in order to commit their efforts into the opposition half and use a lot of movement and bodies in and around the final third. Having in mind Milan’s defensive record so far, Inter might need to increase their creativity, especially in the half-spaces in aim to be more productive in front of the goal. While Milan haven’t faced such an offensively strong side yet, the Nerazzurri might struggle to penetrate with their usual high crossing intensity and movement behind the defence. Inter have become even more active on the counter and they often focus their efforts on exposing the opposition by catching them off-guard and using their pace.

Stefano Pioli on the other side is most likely to set Milan up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in aim for better coverage and in order to succeed in blocking the passing lanes and Inter’s build-up. They are not limited when it comes to attacking presence but Zlatan Ibrahimović’s contribution upfront shouldn’t be underestimated. With his smart positioning and explosiveness, it might not be hard for them to exploit the spaces between the lines and expose Inter’s three-man defensive line, especially if they are highly positioned as per usual.

One of the most interesting battles will be between the team’s wide players. Theo Hernández and Achraf Hakimi are among the best performers in the league in the full-back/wing-back position and are both key figures for their teams.

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