Allegri has lost his two previous head-to-heads as a coach against Leonardo, which both came in Serie A 2009/10. They also faced each other as players on 4 January 1998 in Napoli 1-2 AC Milan. Allegri was playing for the Neapolitans, and replaced by Longo after 67 mins, while Leonardo was taken off for Maini in the 61st minute having opened the scoring for the Rossoneri in the 52nd.

This is the sixth time Allegri the coach has faced Inter in a competitive fixture. So far the results have been 2 wins for the current AC Milan coach, 1 draw and 2 Nerazzurri wins.

This is the first time Leonardo the coach has faced AC Milan - the team he coached during the 2009/10 season. The Brazilian had previously worn the Rossoneri shirt from September 1997 until July 2001, and again from October 2002 until June 2003, when he took on a role as a club director. He played 124 games in total, scoring 30 goals.

Since the formation of a unified national league, which began in the 1929/30 season, only once has the Milan derby been played on 2 April: in 1967 Inter crushed their local rivals 4-0 in Serie A, thanks to goals by Cappellini (18 mins), Facchetti (71), Suarez (74) and Domenghini (84). It still stands as the biggest victory either side has achieved in and April derby in a competitive fixture.

Since the formation of a unified national league (1929/30), there have been 20 derbies played in competitive fixtures in the month of April: 18 in the league and 2 in the Champions League. Inter are currently ahead with 9 wins versus AC Milan's 8, and there have been 3 draws. The last time a derby match was played in April was in 2006: on 14 April 2006, AC Milan won at home with Kaladze netting the winner in the 70th minute. AC Milan have won the last 4 April derbies: 1-0 away on 12 April 2003 (Serie A), 2-0 at home and 3-0 (scoreline awarded by UEFA) away in the Champions League (respectively 6 and 12 April 2005) and 1-0 at home on 14 April 2006 (Serie A). It equals the longest winning run for either side in April derbies; the previous run of 4 consecutive wins in April was achieved in the very first 4 by Inter, all in Serie A: 2-0 at home on 13 April 1930, 3-1 away on 9 April 1933, 2-0 at home on 14 April 1935 and 3-0 away on 18 April 1943. The last draws dates back to 10 April 1993 when a Serie A tie finished Inter 1-1 AC Milan, while the last Inter victory came on 13 April 1997, 3-1 at home in the league.

Since 2008 the Derby della Madonnina has had a distinctive foreign flavour to it. In the last 5 meetings between Inter and AC Milan, all played in Serie A, 11 goals have been scored (8 black and blue; 3 red and black), but no Italian player has got his name on the scoresheet, considering that at the time of his goal in the 4-0 win on 29 August 2009, Thiago Motta wasn't yet an Italian citizen. The last Italian goal in the Milan derby was on 4 May 2008: AC Milan 2-1 Inter, with Filippo Inzaghi giving the Rossoneri the lead in the 51st minute; that was followed by Kakà's goal and Cruz's consolation for the Nerazzurri. The last Italian player in an Inter shirt to score a derby goal was Marco Materazzi on 28 October 2006, when Inter beat AC Milan 3-4 away: the World Cup winner with Italy made it 4-1 to Inter in the 69th minute. Therefore the last Italian derby goal came 489 minutes ago, with none in the remaining 39 minutes of the 4 May 2008 match and the 5 derbies since then. Inter are without an Italian derby goal for 741 minutes, with none in the remaining 21 minutes of the 28 October 2006 and the 8 derbies since then.

For Massimiliano Allegri April is the month in which his sides have obtained the lowest points average per league game: 1.1, coming from 5 wins, 6 draws and 8 defeats over 19 matches.

AC Milan are one of 3 teams in Serie A 2010/11 to have conceded the fewest penalties: just 1, the same number as Genoa and Sampdoria. That spot kick was awarded on 12 December 2010 and missed by Di Vaio in the 80th minute of Bologna 0-3 AC Milan.

In Serie A 2010/11 AC Milan are the team that has scored the most goals through substitutes: ten so far, by Robinho (4), Pato (2), Boateng, Cassano, Inzaghi and Strasser (1 each). Inter are second in this special league table of substitute scorers with 8: Pazzini (2), Milito, Muntari, Nagatomo, Pandev, Sneijder and Thiago Motta (1 each).

In Serie A 2010/11 Inter are the team that has earned the most points in the second half. Compared to their first-half scorelines, they are 19 points better off after 90 minutes. Inter have also scored more goals in the last half hour of games than any other side in Serie A 2010/11: 29 of their 56 total goals (51.8%). 18 of those goals have been scored between the 61st and 75th minute (the highest number in Serie A 2010/11) and 10 in the last 15 minutes.

The AC Milan goal has been one of Dejan Stankovic's favourite targets since he began plying his trade in Italy. The Serbian midfielder has hit 6 of his 74 goals in competitive fixtures against the Rossoneri, the same number as he has scored against Parma.

MILAN - AC Milan won the 276th Derby della Madonnina thanks to a brace from Pato and Cassano's spot-kick conversion, thus extending their lead over Inter to 5 points.

This was Inter skipper Javier Zanetti's 35th consecutive Milan derby, and the first as a black-and-blue for Leonardo, Pazzini and Ranocchia. AC Milan v Inter was the big match in Week 31 of Serie A 2010/11 but it was more than just a six-pointer at the top of the table: this fixture is the meeting of two great histories and of many, many emotions. 80,000 people crammed into the Stadio Meazza but unfortunately this evening the emotions were greater for Rossoneri fans - and with Pato's strike after just 47 seconds, the emotions couldn't have come much earlier. It gave Inter an uphill task, though the Nerazzurri relentlessly sought an equaliser and came ever so close to finding one before half time through Thiago Motta and Eto'o. The Nerazzurri were reduced to ten men in the 54th minute, when Chivu was sent off for a last-man foul on Pato, and it got worse as Pato put AC Milan two up after 62 minutes. Inter tried, against the odds, to get back into the game but inevitably left themselves exposed. Cassano made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after being pushed to the ground by Zanetti.

FIRST HALF - Lucio was ruled out of the game through suspension so Leonardo went for a central defensive pairing of Ranocchia and Chivu, and played captain Zanetti and Maicon in the full-back berths. Pazzini spearheaded the attack with Pandev, Sneijder and Eto'o in support. The Rossoneri, who had Ibrahimovic suspended, started with Robinho and Pato up front.

The match began in the worst possible way for Inter, as AC Milan took the lead after just 47 seconds. Pato began the move on the edge of the box: he laid off to Gattuso, whose pass put Robinho in with a shooting opportunity; Julio Cesar came out to block the shot but the rebound fell for Pato to fire home. For Inter, Pandev was the first to line up a shot down the other end, on 6 minutes, when his long-range effort was smothered by Abbiati. Milan soon threatened again themselves when Pato's cross curled just too far ahead of Robinho (8 minutes). A minute later the Rossoneri had a penalty appeal turned down, after Seedorf's venomous volley hit Maicon's hand - the Brazilian accused of spreading his arms. Sneijder was disturbed by laser beams as he waited to take his 30-yard free kick after Zambrotta had brought down Pandev, and the Dutchman's attempt to catch Abbiati out sailed over the bar. Inter's first real chance came in the 19th minute: Pandev played in Pazzini, who squeezed his way through two defenders and poked a shot towards goal, forcing Abbiati to make a great reflex save. AC Milan turned the pressure up once more with a long-range drive from Zambrotta (25 mins), before Pato twice threatened again but was denied by Ranocchia (25) and Zanetti (27). Julio Cesar's goal shook on 37 minutes, after Van Bommel's 35-yard piledriver took a deflection off Chivu and came back off the bar. Soon after Thiago Motta thought he had scored when he nodded goalwards from Sneijder's corner: Abbiati looked to be behind the goalline when he clawed away with two hands but the ball probably didn't cross the line. If that wasn't an equaliser, Inter should have found one 2 minutes before the break: Pandev's cross flicked on by Cambiasso landed for Eto'o at the far post, yet, only yards out and with just the keeper to beat, he dragged his shot wide. No added time was played and the Nerazzurri went in a goal behind.

SECOND HALF - The same 22 players came out after the interval, but Gattuso was forced off with a muscle injury 6 minutes into the half, Flamini coming on to replace him. Another key moment in the match came in the 54th minute when Chivu was sent off for clipping Pato from behind as the last man. From the resulting free kick, Julio Cesar was well placed to parry a fierce strike from Thiago Silva (56 mins), but could do nothing to stop Pato making it 2-0: Seedorf found Abate in space on the right and the Rossoneri full-back hit an angled cross towards the back post where Pato was on hand to double the Rossoneri's lead. That prompted Leonardo to bring on Milito for Pazzini but Julio Cesar remained Inter's busiest man, denying Robinho from close range. Stankovic was brought on after 71 minutes yet it was the 'home' side that continued to pile on the pressure; Cordoba saved the day as he prevented Robinho, who had been one-on-one with Julio Cesar, from scoring. The Brazilian duel continued in the 77th minute, with the keeper sticking out a foot to block an angled shot and further frustrate the ex-Man City player. With one minute of normal time remaining Zanetti's foul on Cassano inside the box gave the second-half substitute the chance to score from the spot, which he did to make it 3-0. However, he was booked for taking his shirt off in celebration, which in hindsight wasn't a wise move because he picked up a second yellow for a high challenge almost immediately afterwards, meaning he had to leave the pitch 11 minutes after coming on. After 3 minutes of stoppage time, Rizzoli blew an end to the derby, with the honours going to the Rossoneri this time.

AC Milan 3-0 Inter (HT: 1-0)
Scorers: Pato 1, Pato 62, Cassano 89 (pen).

AC Milan: 1 Abbiati; 20 Abate, 13 Nesta, 33 Thiago Silva, 19 Zambrotta; 8 Gattuso (16 Flamini, 51), 4 Van Bommel, 10 Seedorf; 27 Boateng; 70 Robinho (99 Cassano, 80), 7 Pato (18 Emanuelson, 84).
Subs: 12 Amelia, 15 Papastathopoulos, 76 Yepes, 77 Antonini.
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri.

Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 15 Ranocchia, 26 Chivu, 4 Zanetti; 8 Thiago Motta, 19 Cambiasso (5 Stankovic, 71); 27 Pandev (2 Cordoba, 54), 10 Sneijder, 9 Eto'o; 10 Pazzini (22 Milito, 62)
Subs: 12 Castellazzi, 14 Kharja, 23 Materazzi, 55 Nagatomo.
Coach: Leonardo.

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Bologna).

Booked: Robinho 26, Maicon 41, Van Bommel 53, Zambrotta 65, Zanetti 88, Cassano 90.
Sent off: Chivu 54, Cassano 90+2.
Added time: 0+3 mins.

starting lineups

substitutes