Cristian Chivu has named his Inter Milan side for tonight’s Milan derby. The fixture could go a long way toward deciding the Scudetto with the Nerazzurri looking to open up a thirteen-point lead over their city rivals.
The official lineups for tonight’s Serie A match, which kicks off at San Siro, have now been confirmed.
Forced Changes Up Front for Inter
The major talking point comes up front, where Chivu is forced into an unprecedented attacking combination.
Lautaro Martinez remains unavailable through injury. The captain takes his place on the bench to offer support and leadership from the dugout.
Marcus Thuram has been struck down by fever and tonsillitis in the days leading up to the match. Therefore, the Frenchman will miss tonight’s crunch match.
That opens the door for Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny to start together for the very first time this season. The young duo have shared only brief spells on the pitch together across the campaign.
Indeed, making this a genuine unknown, but also a potentially thrilling one.
Esposito arrives on the back of a goal against Juventus and carries the weight of his Inter-supporting background with pride, while Bonny has recovered from the calf issue that troubled him against Genoa.
Zielinski Continues in Midfield
In midfield, Piotr Zielinski continues in the deep-lying playmaker role he has made his own during Calhanoglu’s injury-interrupted spell. The Polish international has thrived in the position under Chivu’s guidance, contributing five league goals alongside his creative work.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan takes one of the two advanced midfield spots, edging out Hakan Calhanoglu for a starting berth despite the Turkish international’s increasing fitness. Calhanoglu, who played 59 minutes at Como, must make do with a place on the bench, though he remains a significant option from the dugout.
Nicolo Barella completes the three and wears the captain’s armband in Lautaro’s absence.
On the right wing-back, Luis Henrique starts with Denzel Dumfries named among the substitutes. The Dutchman is expected to play a significant role fro
Chivu Seeks to End Negative Derby Run
The first derby of the season remains a painful memory for Chivu, who was beaten in a match Inter largely dominated.
Tonight, the Romanian coach intends to break a negative run stretching back beyond the second star derby and close that circle once and for all.