An Inter win would underscore Milan’s Oly success

MILAN — After a brief eviction from San Siro (something about Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey and five interlocking rings), Inter Milan is back home at its iconic, century-old ground. And not a moment too soon. Juventus is coming to town for the Derby d’Italia (Saturday, 1:45 p.m. CT, FuboTV), and any other stadium just wouldn’t do.

That’s not to disrespect Stadio Brianteo, where Inter “hosted” and defeated Torino last week in the Coppa Italia. It’s a perfectly fine arena for Monza, presently in a promotion battle in Serie B. But the biggest match in Italian football? Not a chance.

This is a showdown made for the grandest stage, and stages don’t come much grander than San Siro. The imposing and beloved, if creaking, venue was decked out and shown to all the world as the setting for the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. It looked good, all dressed up.

But who’s kidding who? As much fun as it was to see it welcome international athletes and hear it boo JD Vance, it only truly comes alive when either Inter or AC Milan — or both — are gracing its legendary surface.

And both, as it happens, occupy the top places in Serie A.

AC Milan, in second place and eight points off the summit, will still have a game in hand after this weekend. That’s only an advantage if Inter trip up, but the Rossoneri have a big believer in local hero and supporter Federica Brignone, who won gold in the women’s super-G on Thursday. She knows what it is to overcome considerable odds.

Inter, however, have a famous fan of their own in short-track speedskater Arianna Fontana — Italy’s most-decorated Winter Olympian, with gold and silver medals in the first week of these Games. She’ll be cheering on her team against its archrival on Saturday.

Statistically, the Nerazzurri don’t need to beat Juventus. They’ll exit the matchday atop the division no matter the result. Psychologically, however, they need a victory. Although they’ve been remarkably consistent this season, they still haven’t beaten fellow contenders AC Milan, Napoli or, yes, Juventus.

Back in September, Inter seemed on course to defeat the Bianconeri in Turin, only to throw away the lead in the 83rd minute and concede the winner in second-half stoppage time.

It didn’t lose again until the end of October, when Napoli prevailed 3-1 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and its next — and most recent — loss came a month later, in the Derby della Madonnina with AC Milan.

Having now spent 10 weeks in first place, and with striker Lautaro Martínez leading the league in goals and goalkeeper Yann Sommer in clean sheets, Inter certainly presents itself as a champion-in-waiting.

Manager Cristian Chivu’s squad is also getting healthy at exactly the right time. Midfielders Nicolò Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu will feature for the first time this month, and even Denzel Dumfries was seen training at Appiano Gentile during the week. The Netherlands international underwent ankle surgery in November.

In a rather triumphant analysis, Corriere dello Sport has claimed only three Juventus players would crack the Inter XI. (The Milan-based daily can perhaps be forgiven its gloating, what with the success of its home Olympics.)

Those three players, by the way, are defender Gleison Bremer, midfielder Khéphren Thuram (who scored that late winner against Inter in September) and attacker Kenan Yildiz. Putting aside CdS’s partisan quip, it’s hard to argue with its assessment of the Bianconeri’s best performers.

Bremer, who has missed considerable time in his career with serious knee injuries, has been outstanding this term, although he’s still struggled to stay healthy. Thuram, the hard-working midfield anchor, has become a favourite of head coach Luciano Spalletti, and Yildiz might be the most electrifying playmaker in Italy.

Juventus arrives in Milan unbeaten in 10 and joint-fourth with AS Roma, although ahead on goal difference. It can leap into third with a Derby d’Italia win combined with a Roma triumph in Sunday’s Derby del Sole in Naples (1:45 p.m. CT, FuboTV).

Even then, however, it would still be nine points back of Inter. So a first title since 2020, its ninth in a row, will likely have to wait at least another year.

It was Inter which ultimately dethroned it, and completing a third Scudetto since Juve’s last would be quite the achievement.

But for now, in this moment, with Italian athletes winning spots on the podium day after day, the Nerazzurri just want to join the party.

Beating Juventus at San Siro would be their ticket — and yet another fist pump in a Milanese February that’s already been full of them.

winnipegfreepress.com/jerradpeters