Inter President Beppe Marotta hopes the clash with Milan is ‘an advertisement for Italian football’ as they salute San Siro in one of its final Derby della Madonnina nights.
It kicks off at the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in San Siro at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Serie A games on the Liveblog.
This match is also being aired live on BBC2 in the UK and on the iPlayer.
The design for the new Generali Stadium was unveiled just two days ago and construction is expected to begin in 2028, but the plan to knock down the Stadio Meazza isn’t until 2032.
Marotta expects entertaining Milan-Inter
“We must look to the present and the past of San Siro, so these decades are to be respected,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“At the same time, we must also look to the future, made of different needs, for stadiums that are safe and hospitable. Without mentioning the superior revenue streams that they give to clubs.
“The effort made by Oaktree and RedBird is completely extraordinary for a structure that will be unique in the world. The tenacity of the two ownerships must be applauded and the other day we finally managed to present this stratospheric project.”
Inter had won six editions of the Derby della Madonnina in a row, but then that was followed by five defeats and two draws, failing to even find the net in the last three competitive meetings.
Their last victory over city rivals Milan was 2-1 in April 2024, albeit an extremely special one, as it mathematically guaranteed the Scudetto.
“We know the derby has a unique place in the calendar, it is an extraordinary moment. We hope this will be an advertisement for Italian football, as it is badly needed,” continued the Inter President.
“Today this match will be broadcast all over the world to hundreds of millions of spectators. I hope it is a spectacle for all concerned. We want to win, we are motivated, but we also have the utmost respect for our opponents.”
Although Inter are unbeaten in Serie A this season and joint top of the table with Lazio, they have been riding their luck recently, needing two goals in added time to beat Fiorentina, then relying on two own goals to get the better of rock bottom Venezia in the midweek round.
Captain Lautaro Martinez is still out of action along with Luis Henrique, Curtis Jones, John Stones and Benjamin Pavard, so there is a change of system with Petar Sucic and Andy Diouf in more advanced roles supporting lone striker Marcus Thuram.
Marotta was asked about the upcoming FIGC elections, seeing as some Serie A clubs, the Italian Players’ Association and Coaches’ Association all backed Adriano Galliani rather than Giovanni Malagò.
“I represent Inter today and wish to talk about the derby,” replied Marotta.
“I will just say that some things were written that are not accurate and I hope they will be clarified soon. Everyone wants what is best for Italian football, even if there is a strong difference of opinion on how to achieve that.
“Our football movement as a whole needs to restore its status and value, we must get back to shining on the European and global stage. But today we are concentrated on this marvellous evening.”
