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Stadio San Siro forms the backdrop for the first leg of a mouth-watering Coppa Italia semi-final tie between eternal rivals Milan and Inter. One of the most heavily anticipated fixtures in the European calendar could determine the fate of \u2018home\u2019 manager Sergio Conceicao.<\/strong><\/p>\n These are uncertain times for the former Porto boss. Despite getting his Milan tenure off to a flying start, Conceicao is on the verge of exiting the club after less than six months. Indeed, he replaced Paulo Fonseca at the helm in January and won the title in his first two games in charge.<\/p>\n Milan saw off Juventus and Inter en route to their first Supercoppa Italiana title since 2016. However, the club\u2019s fortunes have since taken a dramatic downturn, with the Rossoneri set to miss out on a top-four finish in Serie A for the first time in five years.<\/p>\n Therefore, Conceicao desperately needs success in the Coppa Italia to avoid the axe. On the other hand, winning this trophy for the third time in four years is part of the equation that would see Inter win a second \u2018treble\u2019 in the club\u2019s storied history \u2013 the first since 2010 under Jose Mourinho.<\/p>\n Although Inter head into proceedings in far better shape, Milan have proved a thorn in their side this season. In addition to beating them in the Italian Super Cup final, Conceicao\u2019s men held the Nerazzurri winless in both league encounters, including a 1-1 draw under the Portuguese\u2019s stewardship in February.<\/p>\n Milan<\/strong><\/p>\n Conceicao\u2019s decision to bench Rafael Leao in Sunday\u2019s away league match against Napoli backfired on Milan, who slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Stadio Diego Maradona. As a result, they finished Gameweek 30 a whopping nine points adrift of fourth-placed Bologna, highlighting the significance of making a standout result in the Coppa Italia.<\/p>\n However, you\u2019d need to go back to 2003 for Milan\u2019s last triumph in this competition. In fact, they\u2019ve hoisted this trophy only five times, accounting for the competition\u2019s sixth-best all-time record behind Juventus, Inter, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Napoli. Therefore, they must defy history to ascend the throne this term.<\/p>\n That\u2019s also Milan\u2019s best chance of securing European football next season. Furthermore, it\u2019d put a dent in Inter\u2019s treble pursuit. On that basis, the designated home side shouldn\u2019t lack motivation as they bid to recover from an underwhelming six-game run of form (W2, L4), bookended by a Naples heartbreak.<\/p>\n Inter<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite failing to beat Milan in all three encounters this season (W2, D1), reigning Serie A champions Inter enter this tie as favorites. In search of good omens, the Nerazzurri bested their arch-rivals the last time these sides were drawn against each other at this Coppa Italia stage back in 2021\/22.<\/p>\n Inter would go on to win the title that year. Another success would see them become the outright second-best performing club in this competition, as they\u2019re currently on a par with Roma, with both teams boasting nine titles each. More importantly, it could earn Inter a silver star after they added a second golden star to their jersey last term.<\/p>\n Optimism is sky-high ahead of this clash after a 2-1 home win against Udinese on Sunday saw Inter score 2+ goals for a fifth match in a row and preserve a three-point lead over Napoli at Serie A\u2019s table summit. As if that\u2019s not encouraging enough, Simone Inzaghi\u2019s charges have won both Coppa Italia ties this season via an identical 2-0 scoreline.<\/p>\n Milan have received a double personnel boost ahead of this clash, with Malick Thiaw and Yunus Musah returning to the fold. However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has sustained another injury and will join Emerson Royal on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Leao should regain his place on the left wing.<\/p>\n As for Inter, Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martinez, Mehdi Taremi, and Piotr Zielinski are unavailable for selection due to injuries. Joaquin Correa is the leading candidate to replace El Toro after Marko Arnautovic picked up a minor fitness issue against Udinese.<\/p>\n Milan (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Maignan; Walker, Pavlovic, Gabbia, Hernandez; Fofana, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham<\/p>\n Inter (3-5-2):<\/strong> Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Zalewski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Correa.<\/p>\n Despite the high-stakes nature of this fixture, Milan can\u2019t realistically hope to upset the odds again. Sunday\u2019s slump in Naples curtailed their momentum, making them vulnerable to Inter\u2019s incredible strength of will. Several high-profile absences in the Nerazzurri camp could be the only saving grace.<\/p>\nMatch Preview<\/h2>\n
Team News<\/h2>\n
Milan vs Inter Potential Starting Line-ups<\/h2>\n
Milan vs Inter Prediction<\/h2>\n