Rafael Leao and Lautaro Martinez, top scorers for Milan and Inter respectively, will contest the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in what will be a 'Derby de la Madoninna' for the first title of the calendar year.
The Italian Super Cup is set to be a 'deja-vu' of the Spanish Super Cup, which Barcelona won 3-0 against Real Madrid on Sunday. Inter and Milan will meet in another derby that moves away from the home country in search of the eastern market, also at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi Arabian capital.
From the Benzema-Lewandoski duel to Leao-Lautaro, who on Wednesday will be in charge of making the difference to lift the title that will accredit them as SuperChampions of Italy.
Milan go into the clash as Serie A champions, but with doubt in their minds after a 1-0 cup defeat to Torino and a 2-2 league draw with Lecce, in which they had to come from two goals down, they need a win to regain the confidence and rhythm they found before the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 'Rossoneri', under the leadership of Italian Stefano Pioli on the bench, with the absence of Frenchman Mike Maignan in goal, are relying on the best version of Leao to be able to cause damage to the Inter defence alongside Spaniard Brahim Diaz and the Frenchman Theo Hernandez, who always does well from the left flank accompanying Leao.
Inter will be defending last year's title against Juventus, whom they also beat in last season's Supercoppa final. Italian coach Simone Inzaghi's side, one point behind second-placed Milan, are in fine form thanks to Argentine Lautaro Martinez.
It will be the second 'Milan Derby' to be played in a Italian Super Cup final and the first in Saudi Arabia. The only precedent is in Milan's favour, when they won 2-1 in the 2011 edition at the National Stadium in Beijing.