Inter on a high ahead of Milan derby as Napoli face Juve test

MILAN: Inter Milan are ready to inflict more pain on their beleaguered local rivals AC Milan on Sunday after the Champions League highlighted the gulf in class currently separating two of Serie A´s most storied teams.

Italian champions Inter host this season´s first Milan derby at what will be a typically colourful and raucous San Siro, fresh from their encouraging goalless draw at Manchester City on Wednesday.

Simone Inzaghi´s team, who lost the 2023 Champions League final to City, once again went toe-to-toe with the mega-rich English champions and played well enough to win. Inzaghi called his team´s performance in Manchester “gigantic” and had the demeanour of someone who trusts his players to show up when it matters.

“They´re one of the best teams in the world... We´ve played two very close matches with City,” said Inzaghi. “We all know what the derby means for the club and supporters... It´s easier to get ready for matches after a performance like tonight (Wednesday).”

The difference between what Inter showed at City and Milan´s limp efforts against Liverpool was huge, and all signs point towards a seventh straight derby win for the blue and black half of Italy´s economic capital.

Troubled Milan were loudly booed and whistled by a half-empty stadium after crumbling to a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday, with a huge chunk of the less than 60,000 fans who showed up already on their way home by the time the match ended.

A dreadful start to the season has frustrated supporters who last season had to suffer the humiliation of conceding the league title to Inter with five matches remaining by losing the derby.

Milan are 10th in Serie A with five points after four matches and the manner of defeat against Liverpool, which pushed the remaining fans to urge their team to “show some balls”, has piled further pressure on new coach Paulo Fonseca.

The Portuguese could be without France goalkeeper Mike Maignan who limped off the pitch early in the first half on Tuesday while Federico Dimarco is a doubt at left wing-back for his boyhood club Inter.

On Saturday upbeat Napoli travel to Juventus for the first true test of their title credentials in another of Italy´s most keenly felt rivalries. Juve icon Antonio Conte returns to his former club with Napoli on a run of three straight wins and with last season´s disastrous Scudetto defence already disappearing from supporters´ memories.

Napoli are one point behind surprise early league leaders Udinese, who on Sunday travel to Roma where fans are in open revolt over the sacking of local hero Daniele De Rossi, with the same gap separating them from Inter and fourth-placed Juve.

Juve will be boosted by their 3-0 stroll against PSV Eindhoven on their Champions League return while Napoli are without European football and have had a whole week to prepare for one of the biggest fixtures of their season.

Player to watch: Ivan Juric

Following Daniele De Rossi as Roma coach is a tough job for anyone but Juric will be walking into a storm on Sunday as home fans are set to unleash their anger on the club and his replacement during their clash with Udinese.

Juric, 49, has never won a major honour in his playing and coaching careers and seems an odd appointment for Roma, who have huge debts and haven´t qualified for the Champions League since 2019.

The former Croatia midfielder will have a tough time winning over a notoriously highly-strung fan base already frustrated by Roma´s inability to break back into the top four and livid at the club´s treatment of one of their favoured sons.