Akanji ‘happy to be on this side of Milan’ for Derby | OneFootball

Inter defender Manuel Akanji is ‘happy to be on this side of Milan’ as he prepares to face the Rossoneri in the derby della Madonnina.

It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT) at the Stadio Meazza in San Siro.

Football Italia is among the accredited media in the press box, and you can follow all the live updates and the build-up on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.

Milan derby: Akanji’s pre-match interview

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 09: Mattia Zaccagni of Lazio battles for possession with Manuel Akanji of Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SS Lazio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“It’s one of the greatest derbies in the world, I am really happy to be part of it and hopefully we can win it today,” Akanji told DAZN Italia.

It was put to him that there was a sort of derby on the transfer market during the summer, as both Inter and AC Milan wanted to sign the defender.

“I am really happy to be on this side of Milan.”

Akanji: ‘Hopefully I can show’ how to mark Leao

PARMA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 08: Rafael Leao of AC Milan talks during an interview prior to the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 08, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

How do you mark an opponent like Rafael Leao?

“Hopefully I can show you today,” smiled the man on loan from Manchester City.

“It’s going to be a tough match-up, he is a really good individual player, but I believe in my strengths and hopefully I can show it on the pitch.”

Inter have won 11 of their last 12 matches across all competitions, while Milan are unbeaten in 10 Serie A games.

The Rossoneri star Adrien Rabiot also spoke to DAZN prior to kick-off, saying he was “very happy” to return to action for the big game at the Meazza.