AC Milan 1-0 Inter Player Ratings: Estupinan 8.5/10 as Stunner Decides Thrilling Derby della Madonnina

There was something special about this Derby della Madonnina before a ball had even been kicked. Luka Modric, the veteran Croatian maestro, had covered tickets and travel for 60 friends and family, including former Real Madrid teammate Mario Mandzukic, to watch him play at San Siro, with some making the journey all the way from Croatia.

And if that wasn't enough, Sergio Ramos, one of the greatest defenders to ever play the game, was also in the stands to support his former Los Blancos colleague. The stage was set, the atmosphere was electric, and the match itself delivered exactly the kind of drama you'd expect from one of football's greatest rivalries.
It was a game that hinged on two moments less than 60 seconds apart. Maignan produced an absolutely incredible point-blank save to deny Mkhitaryan, and before Inter could even process what had happened, Estupinan had raced to the other end and lashed a stunning finish into the top corner to give AC Milan the lead.

From that moment, Allegri's side were resolute, disciplined, and utterly determined to hold on, and hold on they did. A late dramatic incident saw Inter put the ball in the net, only for the referee's whistle to cruelly cut short their celebrations. I Rossoneri complete the Serie A double over their city rivals for the first time since 2011/12, and the title race just got very interesting. Here are Sportsdunia's AC Milan vs Inter player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Estupinan's thunderous finish into the top corner, arriving seconds after Maignan's stunning save on Mkhitaryan, was the moment that defined the entire Derby della Madonnina and handed Milan all three points.
• Maignan was absolutely sensational, producing one of the saves of the season to deny Mkhitaryan at point-blank range in a moment that completely swung the momentum of the match in Milan's favour.
• Modric brought 60 friends and family to San Siro, including Mandzukic, but ended up picking up a yellow card for a reckless challenge late on in what was otherwise a quietly influential display

AC Milan Player Ratings vs Inter

Here are the AC Milan player ratings for the AC Milan vs Inter Serie A fixture.

Goalkeeper

Mike Maignan - 8.0: Simply outstanding. He was the wall Inter could not breach. What stood out to us were his crucial saves, especially a world-class stop to deny Piotr Zieliński. He commanded his area with absolute authority, claiming crosses and starting attacks. His distribution was nearly perfect, contributing to a vital clean sheet.

Defenders

Koni De Winter - 7.0: A really solid and composed performance at the back. He won 100% of his duels, which is an incredible statistic for a derby. We noticed he was calm under pressure, making 4 vital clearances and blocking two shots. He was a quiet but effective presence, crucial in securing the clean sheet.

Fikayo Tomori - 6.5: A mixed bag from Tomori, but mostly positive. He was physically dominant, winning 5 of his 7 duels and drawing two fouls. However, he did lose possession 10 times, which put his team under some pressure. He picked himself up after a small injury scare and battled hard for the entire 90 minutes.

Strahinja Pavlović - 7.5: An almost flawless defensive display. He won every single duel he contested and had a staggering 95% pass accuracy. From our viewpoint, he read the game beautifully, making 6 crucial clearances. He was composed on the ball and even showed his skill with a couple of successful dribbles out from the back.

Midfielders

Pervis Estupiñán - 8.5: What a goal! He lit up this match with a moment of pure magic to score the winner. That left-footed strike was unstoppable. Beyond his spectacular goal, he was a tireless worker, recovering the ball 8 times and providing a constant threat down the flank. This was a match-winning display, and he is our highest-rated player.

Adrien Rabiot - 6.5: A typical industrious performance from the Frenchman. He did the dirty work in midfield, drawing 3 fouls and making some important clearances. However, he did pick up a yellow card and his passing wasn't always incisive.

Luka Modrić - 7.5: The master puppeteer in midfield. He dictated the tempo of the game with his incredible range of passing, completing 7 long balls. We watched him control the flow, always available for a pass and rarely giving it away. He got a late yellow card, but that doesn't take away from a classy performance. Age is just a number.

Youssouf Fofana - 7.0: He gets the crucial assist for the winning goal. It was a moment of great awareness to set up Estupiñán. He was energetic and tenacious in the middle, though an error did lead to a shot for Inter. He was subbed off after a very decent 73-minute showing.

Alexis Saelemaekers - 6.0: A bit of a quiet game for him. He worked hard, as he always does, recovering the ball 5 times. But he struggled to create much in the final third and lost half of his duels. From our perspective, he needed to offer more going forward. Not a bad performance, but we expected more.

Forwards

Rafael Leão - 6.0: It just wasn't his night. He was full of running, but his final product was missing. He missed a couple of shots and was caught offside, which killed some promising attacks. He looked a bit frustrated before being substituted. We all know his quality, but it didn't shine through in this derby.

Christian Pulisic - 7.5: A livewire throughout his time on the pitch. He was a constant creative force, creating 3 chances and completing all of his attempted dribbles. His movement caused Inter's defence all sorts of problems. He was a joy to watch on the ball and was unlucky not to get a goal or an assist.

Substitutes

Samuele Ricci - 6.0: Came on to add fresh legs in midfield and helped see out the game. Didn't have a lot of time to make a huge impact.

Niclas Füllkrug - 6.0: Replaced a tired Leão and provided a physical presence up front. Held the ball up well.

Manager

M. Allegri - 7.5: His game plan worked to perfection. AC Milan were defensively solid and took their one big chance when it came. The tactics were spot on, frustrating Inter and securing a massive win in the Serie A. He managed the game brilliantly in the final stages.

Inter Player Ratings vs AC Milan

Check out the Inter player ratings vs AC Milan.

Goalkeeper

Yann Sommer - 6.0: He could do absolutely nothing about the stunning goal. He made one save, but an error leading to a shot is a mark against him. A fairly quiet night otherwise for the Swiss keeper, but one he'll be disappointed with.

Defenders

Manuel Akanji - 7.0: Probably Inter's best player on the night. He was excellent on the ball, with 94% pass accuracy, and was very solid defensively, winning all his tackles. He stepped into midfield well to try to start attacks.

Yann Bisseck - 6.0: A decent performance until he was substituted. He was tidy in possession with 95% pass accuracy. However, he didn't impose himself on the game and only won one duel. We felt he was a bit too passive at times.

Alessandro Bastoni - 5.5: A really difficult evening for him. He struggled against Milan's forwards, committing 4 fouls and picking up a yellow card. He was dribbled past twice and eventually had to be substituted due to an injury.

Midfielders

Piotr Zieliński - 6.5: He was the main creative spark for Inter, creating 3 chances. His passing was crisp, and he was always trying to make things happen. However, he was sometimes overrun in midfield and couldn't quite find that killer pass to unlock the Milan defence.

Luis Henrique - 5.5: He was largely anonymous before being taken off before the hour mark. He struggled to get involved in the game, with very few touches in dangerous areas.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 6.0: Had a big chance in the first half that was well saved. He was neat on the ball but missed a big chance and was caught offside once. Substituted early in the second half as Inter chased the game. .

Nicolò Barella - 6.5: The captain tried to drive his team forward. His passing was excellent, and he worked hard off the ball. But from our perspective, he couldn't quite impose his will on the match as he usually does. Subbed off after 68 minutes, which was a surprise.

Federico Dimarco - 5.0: So much effort, so little quality. It was a frustrating performance to watch. He lost possession 19 times, and his crossing was abysmal, with only one successful delivery from eleven attempts. He also missed a big chance. His final ball let him down time and time again.

Forwards

Ange-Yoan Bonny - 4.5: He was completely isolated and ineffective. Losing possession 14 times and having a pass accuracy of just 57% is not good enough. He struggled against Milan's defence and offered virtually no threat. He was our worst performer in this game.

Pio Esposito - 6.0: He worked hard and was a nuisance, drawing a couple of fouls. He tried to link up play and created two chances. But he lacked a real goal threat and was often battling alone against a very organized defence.

Substitutes

Denzel Dumfries - 6.0: Came on and offered more attacking intent than Henrique. Got booked shortly after coming on.

Petar Sucic - 6.0: Tried to get on the ball but couldn't change the game's momentum.

Carlos Augusto - 6.0: Replaced the injured Bastoni and was solid enough.

Davide Frattesi - 6.0: Brought energy but the game was already slipping away from Inter.

Andy Diouf - N/A: Not on long enough to make a significant impact.

Manager

C. Chivu - 5.5: His team looked flat and lacked ideas in the final third. The substitutions didn't have the desired effect, and Inter seemed to run out of answers as the match went on. They were tactically outmanoeuvred by their rivals. A disappointing night at the office for the Inter boss.

Man of the Match

Pervis Estupiñán was the man of the match

Worst Performer

Ange-Yoan Bonny had a difficult game.