Serie A 2018/19: Inter vs Milan

This post initially featured on our dedicated Serie A analysis site, serieaanalysis.com

The Derby della Madonnina is always a special game, and albeit the decline of the Milan clubs in recent years might have affected the spectacle, the emotions of such a historically rich match have remained untouched. Although both Milan and Inter had quite a slow start to the season, their recent games have shown some improvements, and the Derby represented the chance to prove their worth against a tough opponent. Spalletti fielded an eleven which could have resembled a 4-2-3-1 at first, but as the game started, the players positioning clearly formed a 4-3-3 with the centre-midfielders high in the half-spaces. Gattuso, instead, stuck to his usual formation and men, in Milan’s 4-3-3 that would transition into a 4-5-1 out of possession.

Inter (4-3-3): Handanović; Vrsaljko, De Vrij, Skriniar, Asamoah; Vecino, Brozović, Nainggolan; Politano, Icardi, Perisic.

Milan (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Calabria, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessié, Biglia, Bonaventura; Suso, Higuaìn, Calhanoglu.

Inter’s man-oriented press

This season, fans have become accustomed to Milan building up more patiently compared to last season, looking to attract the opposition deep to penetrate and access the centre-midfielders or wingers dropping in the half-space between the lines, through wide triangles or individual dismarking movements on the 2nd line. For example, against Roma, Milan accessed the half-spaces by spreading the centre-midfielders and attracting one of De Rossi and N’Zonzi wide, stretching Roma’s midfield line horizontally.

Thus, to prevent Milan from building up and gaining access to the space between the lines, Inter pressed man-oriented in a 4-4-2 shape, as Nainggolan joined Icardi on the first line to press the centre-backs in a 2v2. By pressing in said structure, Inter had natural access to each of Milan’s men. On the 2nd line, when Gattuso’s side built up on one side Nainggolan dropped back to mark Biglia, the ball-side winger pressed the full-back and the double pivot marked the ball-near centre-midfielders whilst the ball-far winger tucked inside to mark the ball-far centre-back.

Inters man-oriented pressing. Nainggolan marks Biglia, Asamoah steps out on Suso, Icardi and Perisic respectively press Musacchio and Calabria, and Politano tucks inside to mark Romagnoli.

On the last line, the full-backs marked the wingers, following them inside and deep, and the centre-backs defended against Higuaín in a 2v1. On the other hand, when Milan were on the ball in deep central areas, Nainggolan stayed on the first line, the double pivot pressed the ball-side centre-midfielder and pivot, and the ball-far winger controlled the ball-far centre-midfielder, ready to step out on the full-back after a switch.