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In a top-of-the-table clash in the Italian Serie A, league leaders Inter Milan take on local rivals AC Milan in the latest instalment of the Derby Della Madonnina on Sunday.
The 'hosts' AC Milan are currently on a dry spell, picking up only two wins in their last five matches in all competitions. In this period, Stefano Pioli’s men fell to a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Atalanta before losing against Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.
In that latter game, AC Milan's star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off in the second half for violent conduct before Christian Eriksen's late free-kick sent Inter Milan to the semi-finals.
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AC Milan quickly moved on from that defeat, though, picking up wins over Bologna and Crotone. But the erstwhile league leaders were brought crashing down to earth in a 2-0 defeat to Spezia in their last league outing.
Continuing their recent struggles, AC Milan twice squandered the lead against 10-man Red Star Belgrade in a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 32 clash at the Marakana.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan could go four points clear of AC Milan with a win after Romelu Lukaku’s first-half brace inspired them to a 3-1 victory over Lazio in their last league outing.
Inter Milan are on a fine run of results in this fixture, winning five of their last six meetings, which includes the 2-1 win in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on 26th January.
Coming into arguably the most significant Derby Della Madonnina in recent years, both sides are packed with a plethora of world-class stars.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku will respectively spearhead the attacks of AC Milan and Inter Milan; the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Franck Kessie and Achraf Hakimi are a few other stars who will also take the field on Sunday afternoon.
On that note, let's take a look at five players from either team who could steal the show in this highly-anticipated derby.
#5 Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
Nicolo Barella might not be the flashiest of players, but he goes about his duties with a certain swagger at the centre of the park.
Barella has been one of the standout performers in Inter Milan's surge to the Serie A summit. The 24-year-old has been involved in eight Serie A goals for the league leaders this campaign, scoring three and assisting five.
Only Marcelo Brozovic’s six assists bests Barella's assists tally for Inter Milan this season. Should the visitors run riot, the Italian midfielder could have played a huge role.
#4 Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
In 2019, AC Milan snapped up Rafael Leao from Ligue 1 outfit Lille for €23m. That raised a few eyebrows, as the 21-year-old was deemed inexperienced.
However, after an impressive debut season with the Serie A giants, Leao has stamped his name as one of the brightest talents at AC Milan. The Portuguese has scored five goals and registered as many assists in 15 starts for the Rossoneri in the Serie A this season.
His 10-goal involvement ranks him only behind star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has 15.
Rafael Leao came off the bench for a second-half cameo in AC Milan's midweek draw with Red Star. He is in contention to pair with Ibrahimovic on the left side of the AC Milan attack.
#3 Achraf Hakimi (Inter Milan)
Prior to his move from Real Madrid, Achraf Hakimi had made a reputation for himself during his two-season stint at Borussia Dortmund.
Thus Madrid's decision to sell the Morocco international was a shocking one, as the 22-year-old is widely regarded as one of the finest attacking full-backs in the game.
Hakimi has been in superb form for Inter Milan, scoring six goals and creating four assists in 23 Serie A matches.
His unique ability to balance his defensive duties with marauding forward runs to join the attack on the right side has immensely helped Inter Milan.
Considering his runs on the flanks and excellent link-up play, Hakimi could give AC Milan full-back Theo Hernandez a run for his money.
#2 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku makes the list not only for his excellent performances for Inter Milan this season but also for his rivalry with his AC Milan counterpart Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic saw red when both sides met in a heated Coppa Italia clash a month ago. Tempers flared between him and Lukaku, with the duo locking heads and exchanging a few words.
Nevertheless, Romelu Lukaku has been a key man for Inter Milan this season; he leads their scoring charts with 16 goals in 21 appearances.
The former Manchester United man is tied with Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo on 16 goals at the top of the Serie A scoring charts. He has also provided four assists and has had a staggering goal involvement every 79.8 minutes in the league.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
AC Milan’s self-proclaimed 'god' takes on his former employers, with whom he spent three seasons between 2006 and 2009.
The veteran striker leads the hosts in terms of goals this season, scoring 14 in only 12 Serie A games.
His last outing in this fixture saw him pick up a red card for violent conduct, though. Ibrahimovich will look to set the record straight with a stellar performance this time.
Zlatan Ibrahimovich is third in the Serie A scoring charts and has been pivotal in AC Milan’s surprise push for the Scudetto.
Should AC Milan get a win, the 39-year-old Ibrahimovich would have played a pivotal role.
