sport news Milan's powerhouses separated by two points as Serie A title race reaches ... trends now
And so it comes down to the final day.
For 90 minutes on Sunday, each corner of Milan will hold its breath. Whether of the black and blue of Inter inside the San Siro or the red and black of Milan, the two institutions of Italian football have teed up a blockbuster finish to a fascinating season.
For those old enough to remember, only once before has Italian football seen the Milanese rivals fighting for title supremacy on the final day - back in the 1964-65 season.
Then, it was Inter, managed by Helenio Herrera, who held the advantage, a two-point lead over Milan. Inter got the point they needed in a 2-2 draw while Milan finally ran out of steam in defeat to Cagliari.
How poetic, in a way, that the tables have turned 57 years later.
This time it is Milan with the two-point advantage. This time it is Milan with destiny in their hands; a point away at Sassuolo will crown them champions.
AC Milan stand on the cusp of their first Serie A title in 11 years ahead of the final weekend
Inter Milan sit two points adrift but know one defeat from AC Milan and the title could be theirs
The two sides have only once before jostled for the title on the final day, back in the 1960s
Cynics of Italian football will point to the nine straight titles Juventus won between 2012 and 2020.
Only now, the pendulum of momentum is swinging to the footballing capital of Milan.
Inter and AC Milan have collected a total of 37 league titles from 120 editions of the Italian championship.
They go into the final day with very different experiences. Inter are looking to go back-to-back, albeit without manager Antonio Conte in the dugout. For Milan, they have not had a better chance to end their 11-year title drought than this.
There they had to be last season, hiding away and battening down the hatches as Inter's triumphant support descended towards the Duomo to toast the Scudetto.
Now Milan know, take care of business and it will be they that are heralded on the shoulders of supporters as cult heroes.
After 37 matches, just two points can split these historically great rivals.
Now 90 minutes will settle who really are the Kings of Italy...
What have they got to do to win the title?
In two out of three scenarios Milan are champions.
Win at Sassuolo and they win it by at least two points. Draw and they'll win it either by goal difference or on head-to-head with Inter.
Milan drew 1-1 in their first meeting this season before defeating their rivals 2-1 in the reverse game.
For Inter, they need a helping hand, basically.
Inter Milan, the reining and defending champions, are the free-scoring side over last 10 games
The Nerazzurri will be expected to comfortably sweep aside Sampdoria - whose fans have spent this week parading the streets to celebrate the relegation of bitter rivals Genoa - and so expect someone on the Inter bench to be following events at Sassuolo with interest.
Inter have 81 points but given they are two behind and worse off on the head-to-head record, only a Sassuolo win over Milan can give them the golden ticket they need.
Team news
Don't expect either manager to deviate much from what has worked so successfully in recent weeks.
The obvious question is: will Zlatan Ibrahimovic start? Don't count on it.
At the grand old age of 40, Ibrahimovic is there for his experience and hasn't started in the league since coming off injured in a 0-0 draw against Juventus back in January.
Olivier Giroud has more than held his own leading Stefano Pioli's preferred 4-3-2-1 system and that is unlikely to change with the entire season coming down to one last 90 minutes.
Theo Hernandez is a man in form and Pierre Kalulu will again play alongside Fikayo Tomori with Simon Kjaer a long-term absentee. Those two could get their first title success at Milan and should they so desire, they could be the bedrock of this backline for years to come.
AC MILAN PROBABLE XI: Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Saealemakers, Krunic, Leao; Giroud (4-2-3-1)
With Fikayo Tomori at the back, AC Milan's defence has become the envy of the rest of Italy
Unlike the 4-2-3-1 deployed by Pioli, Simone Inzaghi knows what he likes and what he likes is 3-5-2.
Alessandro Bastoni, who is attracting plenty of Premier League interest right now, Milan Skriniar and Stefan De Vrij pick themselves.
Matteo Darmian and Ivan Perisic are locks in the wing-back roles while Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu provide artillery and creativity in the midfield.
The question mark is whether Edin Dzeko gets a run out from the start.
Interestingly in Inter's last home league game - a 4-2 rout of Empoli - it was Joaquin Correa that partnered Lautaro Martinez in a front two and it wasn't the first time that partnership feasted on goals. That feels the big call for Inzaghi.
INTER MILAN PROBABLE XI: Handanovic; Bastoni, De Vrij, Skriniar; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic, Martinez, Dzeko
The key question ahead of Inter's final game is whether Edin Dzeko (right) will start in attack
Mood in the camps
When you have to wait 11 years to win a Scudetto, Milan's fans can be forgiven at going crazy on the eve of the drought ending.
For weeks now the loyal Rossonerri support have been like rabid dogs trying to will the team over the line. The Curva alive, in fine voice and a belief like this team has rarely seen in the last decade.
And while Pioli and many within the squad are trying to temper, for now, the passion - 'massima concentrazione' was the matter-of-fact wording on club social media channels - Ibrahimovic cannot help from getting swept up in it all.
Ahead of the game
