The Milan derby returns to San Siro with the kind of unspoken tension only a title race can amplify. Christian Pulisic enters the match after a month of careful recovery, Massimiliano Allegri guiding every step as the Milan rebuild gains momentum. And yet, beneath the surface of Sunday’s clash lies a tactical twist: a reunion nearly 100 days in the making, one Allegri has quietly prepared as a weapon against Inter’s rigid structure.
The two sides arrive at the Derby della Madonnina separated by a single point, the league table compressed and unforgiving. Inter, in its first season under Cristian Chivu, leads Serie A with 24 points from 11 matches, having adapted remarkably quickly to the managerial change. The Nerazzurri enter with the force of a team that suffered once and learned quickly. Since a fiery 3-1 loss to Napoli in late October, Chivu’s side has rattled off four straight wins, scoring freely and conceding sparingly. Their 28 goals in 12 matches mark the most in the league, with Lautaro Martínez again the axis of their attack.
Milan, meanwhile, trails by a hair yet arrives unbeaten in two months, strengthened by Allegri’s defensive precision and a renewed sense of competitive authority. What’s more, the Rossoneri haven’t lost to their arch-rivals in any competition since April 2024, staying unbeaten across five consecutive derbies and winning three.
Allegri’s return to Milanello began unevenly—a 2-1 loss to Cremonese sparked early skepticism—but slowly became a story of control. Milan now boasts five clean sheets, the third-best defensive record. Where the team has struggled is in the final third. Some of the forwards remain stuck at zero league goals, and the coach has long hinted that something was missing—an imbalance caused by injuries that forced him to postpone his main plan. That plan begins now.
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The long-awaited reunion: Milan’s secret weapon revealed
The returning teammate that Pulisic has waited nearly 100 days to play alongside is Rafael Leao. Not since the Coppa Italia opener against Bari in August have the pair started together. One injury followed the other, disrupting Allegri’s blueprint. Now, both are fit. Both are sharp. And both will lead the line on Sunday.
As Corriere della Sera notes, “Allegri has finally reunited the pair he envisioned from the start of the season.” The American recovered fully during the break—he even scored in a friendly against Virtus Entella—while Leao has shaken off hip discomfort, preparing for what will be his 21st career derby, the most of any current Milan player.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring a goal with Rafael Leao.
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Why this duo matters
Allegri’s new 3-5-2 relies on movement more than fixed positioning—Pulisic plays between the lines, accelerating combinations, and reading gaps. Leao brings explosiveness, carries, and unpredictability—qualities Inter hates defending against. Their first signs of connection reappeared at Parma: a back-heel from Leao, a chance for Pulisic. Allegri has been rebuilding these mechanisms behind closed doors.
