The Derby della Madonnina between AC Milan and Inter Milan will headline a busy schedule of European pre-season fixtures when the Italian rivals meet in Perth, Australia, on Wednesday, 5 August 2026. The match is being billed as a closely fought contest, with a 1.55 price attached to both teams scoring.
Nasser Eddy, a consultant for NCI Sport and presenter of the European Champions League on Nostalgie radio, has provided his assessment and predictions for the fixture.
AC Milan’s preparations have taken place against the backdrop of mourning following the death of club legend Franco Baresi on Friday, 31 August, at the age of 66. The news, however, is not expected to directly affect the first-team build-up to the 2026-27 campaign.
The Rossoneri are due to play their second pre-season game after drawing 2-2 with Celtic Glasgow on Saturday, 25 August. AC Milan will return to European competition in the Europa League this season as they continue their efforts to restore the stature they have lost in recent years.
Goncalo Ramos has arrived from Paris Saint-Germain, while Mario Gila has joined from Lazio. The club are also attempting to persuade Brahim Diaz to return from Real Madrid, potentially to replace Rafael Leao if the forward completes a departure that is described as increasingly likely.
Alex Gimenez and Niclas Fullkrug have left after disappointing final seasons. AC Milan’s recent matches suggest another open encounter may be in prospect: both sides have scored in each of the club’s past four games, while one of the teams has scored exactly twice in each of their last five fixtures.
Inter Milan have shown a similarly attacking pattern. Both teams scored in each of the Nerazzurri’s past four matches, including Saturday’s victory over Manchester City on penalties. French midfielder Andy Diouf has also scored three times in the final 15 minutes of matches.
Diouf’s recent progress has helped soften the impact of Denzel Dumfries’ move to Real Madrid. The departure of goalkeeper Yann Sommer is regarded as another significant loss during the current transfer window.
Inter’s incoming business has been more limited. Manuel Akanji’s permanent move from Manchester City has been completed after his first season with the club, while Aleksandar Stankovic has arrived from Club Brugge and experienced goalkeeper Ivan Provedel has joined from Lazio.
The Italian champions are unbeaten in all competitions across their past 14 matches. Their last defeat came on 8 March against AC Milan, adding another layer of intrigue to Wednesday’s meeting. Christian Chivu will still be without his preferred attacking partnership of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, but can call on key players including Nicolo Barella, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco, Benjamin Pavard, who has returned from a loan spell at Marseille, and Yann Bisseck.
Recent derby history favours AC Milan. Inter have failed to win any of the past seven meetings, losing five and drawing two, with three consecutive defeats in the current sequence. They have also failed to score in each of the last three encounters.
Overall, however, Inter lead the historical head-to-head record. In 230 meetings, they have won 85 times compared with AC Milan’s 76 victories, while 69 matches have ended level.
One player expected to attract particular attention is 18-year-old Francesco Camarda. Considered one of the brightest prospects in Italian football, the striker has recently extended his AC Milan contract until 2031 and scored twice against Celtic around 10 days ago.
After spending last season on loan at Lecce, Camarda wants to establish himself as the focal point of the Rossoneri attack. The newly capped Italy international has been compared in profile to Erling Haaland in the early stages of his career and is regarded as a player to watch closely.
The prediction is for a draw, priced at 3.63, with the two clubs’ recent form suggesting neither side should be considered a clear favourite. The recommendation for both teams to score is « OUI », offered at 1.55, while Camarda is priced at 4.00 to find the net.
AC Milan v Inter Milan is scheduled for Wednesday, 5 July 2026, from 13:00 GMT at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia. The fixture is also listed as beginning at 10:00 GMT.
Odds may change.
