MILAN – Ahead of tonight's derby showdown in San Siro (20:45), here are a few stats from Football Data to get you in the mood for Inter v AC Milan.
Cambiasso set for 300th Serie A appearance
If he features this evening, Esteban Cambiasso will notch up his 300th game in Serie A (regular season only), all played in the black and blue of Inter. The Argentine made his top-flight debut on 11 September 2004, in ChievoVerona 2-2 Inter.
Inter without a league win in over a month
Walter Mazzarri's side have not registered a Serie A victory in their last four matches: they last took all three points on 9 November (2-0 against Livorno). Since then there have been three draws (two 1-1s, away at Bologna and at home to Sampdoria, plus a 3-3 against Parma in San Siro) and a defeat to Napoli. This is the Nerazzurri's longest winless streak of the current campaign, with new owner Erick Thohir still waiting for his first taste of success in Serie A.
Nerazzurri have slight edge in December derbies
Inter have a marginally better record than AC Milan in the 11 previous derbies played in the month of December (never on the 22nd): four wins for the Nerazzurri, three for the Rossoneri and four draws. The last December derby was in 2007 (23rd), when Inter triumphed 2-1 (Pirlo 18, Cruz 36, Cambiasso 63).
Milan teams are draw specialists in 2013/14
No one has drawn more often than Inter and AC Milan in Serie A this season: after the first 16 league outings, both have shared the spoils on seven occasions – the same number as Torino, Cagliari and Parma.
AC Milan enjoying best run of 2013/14: unbeaten in seven
Massimiliano Allegri's men have not lost in their last seven competitive fixtures, recording two wins (3-1 away to Catania in Serie A and a 3-0 Champions League success over Celtic in Glasgow) and five draws (0-0 in Verona against Chievo, 1-1 in Milan against Genoa, 2-2 away at Livorno and 2-2 at home against Roma - all four in Serie A - plus the 0-0 home draw with Ajax in the Champions League). Their last defeat goes back to 6 November, 3-1 at Barcelona in the Champions League). This seven-match run is the Rossoneri's longest unbeaten streak in 2013/14.
Allegri to hit the big 400 as coach...
Massimiliano Allegri will celebrate his 400th competitive match in the dugout against Inter tonight. Of his previous 399 (while in charge of Aglianese, Spal, Grosseto, Sassuolo, Cagliari and Milan), 201 have been in Serie A, 89 in Serie C-1, 34 in Serie C-2, 16 in the Coppa Italia, 18 in the Serie C Coppa Italia, 34 in European competitions and seven in other tournaments. His record reads W170, D113, L116. Allegri's debut as a professional coach came on 20 August 2003: Carrarese 2-3 Aglianese, in the Serie C Coppa Italia.
...and close to 100th Serie A win
Massimiliano Allegri is just one win away from making it 100 victories in the Italian top flight as a coach. His 99 to date have come at the helm of Cagliari and AC Milan, with 49 draws and 53 defeats completing his 201-game Serie A record. The Livorno-born manager's first three points came when his Cagliari side beat Torino 0-1 away on 19 October 2008.
Ton up for Constant?
Kevin Constant could make his 100th appearance since coming to Italy at the Meazza tonight. Plying his trade for ChievoVerona, Genoa and AC Milan, the Guinean utility man has turned out a total of 86 times in Serie A, twice in the Coppa Italia and 11 times in European competitions since his Italian debut on 22 September 2010 (Napoli 1-3 ChievoVerona).
Mazzarri versus Allegri
These two coaches have crossed swords nine times before today, with Allegri currently on top. Walter Mazzarri has one win to his name (Napoli 3-1 AC Milan, 18 September 2011 in Serie A), Massimiliano Allegri has edged proceeding on three occasions and there have been five draws.
Mazzarri and AC Milan
Walter Mazzarri has tackled the Rossoneri 18 times in competitive outings as a coach, winning four, drawing five and losing nine. The Tuscan coach's heaviest defeat in a competitive fixture came at the hands of AC Milan: on 31 October 2007, his Sampdoria side were beaten 0-5 in a Serie A meeting at the Marassi.
Allegri and Inter
This is Massimiliano Allegri's 12th meeting with Inter as a coach. His record coming into this game stands at W4, D2, L5.
