Milan derby preview: Amorim's Milan host Chivu's Inter on 31 October

📰 On Halloween night, Rúben Amorim's Milan host Cristian Chivu's Inter at San Siro in the season's first Derby della Madonnina. 📌 Key points 🗓️ Serie A matchday 10, Saturday 31 October, 20:45 local time. 🏟️ A Milan home game at the San Siro both clubs share. 🧢 Amorim leads Milan; Chivu is in charge of Inter. 🩹 Inter list Dimarco, Stones and Çalhanoğlu as injured. ⚽ Juventus v Napoli follows the next day, 1 November. 📝 What happened 🏟️ Milan billed the fixture as "an unmissable derby" and began a phased ticket sale in late September. It is matchday 10 of Serie A, kicking off at 20:45 local time on Saturday 31 October. 📅 The run-in is busy. Inter host Club Brugge in the Champions League on 13 October before visiting Bologna on matchday 7 on 17 October. Milan welcome Atalanta to San Siro on 18 October. Both sides then play matchdays 8 and 9 before the derby. ⚖️ Inter had the slightly better start. After matchday 5 (20 September), Inter were second on 13 points and Milan fifth on 11. The rivalry dates back to the first official derby in January 1909 and is one of the few in world football always played in the same stadium. ⛪ The name comes from the Madonnina, the statue of the Virgin Mary on top of Milan Cathedral. Inter were founded in 1908 after a split from Milan over the signing of foreign players. Inter were once seen as the club of the city's bourgeoisie and Milan as the working-class team, though that divide has largely faded. 📊 By the numbers • Kick-off: Saturday 31 October, 20:45 local, Serie A matchday 10 • After matchday 5: Inter 2nd (13 pts), Milan 5th (11 pts) • All-time official record (Wikipedia, March 2026): Inter 91 wins, 71 draws, Milan 84 wins 👀 What to watch 🧠 Amorim v Chivu — Amorim is known for his back-three systems, while Chivu, a former Inter defender, is now leading his old club from the bench. It is their first Milan derby against each other. 🩹 Inter's injury list — Dimarco (knee), Stones (thigh) and Çalhanoğlu (groin) are currently listed as injured. Missing the left wing-back and the midfield conductor would change how Inter build play. 🩹 Milan aren't at full strength either — Estupiñán (knee) and Saelemaekers (ankle) are listed out, which could limit Amorim's wing-back options. 📅 Fixture load — Inter juggle the Champions League and travel to Venezia on 28 October, three days before the derby. Fitness could decide it. 🔭 Why it matters Early-season head-to-heads between top-four contenders are six-pointers. Together with Juventus v Napoli on 1 November, the derby will shape the first third of the Serie A season. Inter then face Como on 8 November and Atalanta on 22 November.