Inter Milan and AC Milan are set for the first Derby della Madonnina of the season, this time on Matchday 12 of the 2025-26 Serie A at San Siro. With Christian Pulisic back from injury, both sides enter the matchup looking to win a six-point swing and climb toward the top of the table.
Inter enter the derby in strong form, sitting third with 24 points and winning 11 of their last 12 matches across all competitions. Their only loss in that stretch came against title contenders Napoli. However, they’ve struggled against their city rivals recently, going winless in the last five meetings (two draws, three losses), with their most recent victory dating back to April 2024 in Serie A.
AC Milan, meanwhile, have opened the season well under the returning Massimiliano Allegri. After losing on Matchday 1 to Cremonese, the Rossoneri have put together an 11-match unbeaten run and sit fifth with 22 points. With a win, Milan could jump into the Champions League places and even leapfrog Inter in the standings.
Christian Pulisic makes his return vs. Inter
There has been uncertainty around Christian Pulisic’s availability for the derby. The USMNT star returned from injury in Milan’s last match, coming off the bench in the 2–2 draw against Parma on November 8, but to continue his recovery from a right-leg muscle tear, Pulisic sat out the November international window with the national team.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan shoots at goal against Parma.
Now fully fit, Christian Pulisic makes his return to Milan’s starting XI for the Derby della Madonnina. As the Rossoneri’s leading scorer this season with six goals, having him back against Inter is a major boost as they push toward the top spots in the league.
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Confirmed lineups for Inter and AC Milan
Inter Milan’s confirmed lineup (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Manuel Akanji, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Carlos Augusto, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoghu, Petar Sucic, Federico Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martínez.
Head coach: Cristian Chivu.
AC Milan’s confirmed lineup (3-5-2): Mike Maigan; Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, Strahinja Pavlovic; Alexis Saelemaekers, Youssouf Fofana, Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Davide Bartesaghi; Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao.
Head coach: Massimiliano Allegri.
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