AC Milan took on Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro in Serie A hoping to find three points in order to spur a late push for Champions League qualification.
Inter dominated the opening half and they almost took a lead into the break, only for Mauro Icardi's goal to be chalked off for an offside decision reached using the VAR system.
Milan thought that they had stolen three surprise points with 20 minutes remaining, although Patrick Cutrone's effort was also disallowed following an offside flag, leaving a lively encounter to finish goalless.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Good afternoon all and thanks for joining us as we bring you live coverage of the Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro in Serie A. AC Milan are searching for their points to help mount a late push for a Champions League qualification spot, while Inter Milan know that a win today would cement them in fourth position, four points clear of fifth-placed Lazio.
AC MILAN STARTING XI: Donnarumma; Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessie, Montolivo, Bonaventura; Suso, Cutrone, Calhanoglu
AC MILAN SUBSTITUTES: A Donnarumma, Storari, Abate, Zapata, Musacchio, Antonelli, Mauri, Locatelli, Andre Silva, Borini, Kalinic
INTER MILAN STARTING XI: Handanovic; Cancelo, Miranda, Skriniar, D'Ambrosio; Gagliardini, Brozovic; Candreva, Rafinha, Perisic; Icardi
INTER MILAN SUBSTITUTES: Padelli, Berni, Dalbert, Lisandro Lopez, Ranocchia, Santon, Vecino, Borja Valero, Eder, Karamoh
So the major news for AC fans is that Gennaro Gattuso has opted for a three-man midfield made up of Riccardo Montolivo, Franck Kessie and Giacomo Bonaventura, while Lucas Biglia sits out through suspension.
Up top, Patrick Cutrone earns another start ahead of both Nikola Kalinic and Andre Silva. The frontman is to be given further creative support from Suso and Hakan Calhanoglu.
For the 'away' side, Inter have continued with their currently-productive 4-2-3-1 system that sees the in-form Mauro Icardi lead the line for Inter. The striker will sit in front of a three-man attacking midfield consisting of Rafinha, Ivan Perisic and Antonio Candreva.
This game is taking place tonight after it was originally postponed in the wake of the tragic news of Davide Astori's passing. Today we also have some terribly sad news after it was announced earlier this afternoon that former AC Milan midfielder Ray Wilkins has died at the age of 61. Milan will wear black armbands following that piece of news that has deeply saddened the whole of the footballing world.
Looking at this fixture, AC Milan are quickly running out of time to mount a late push for a fourth-placed finish, despite going on a recent five-game winning run.
AC had offered a promise of extending their impressive form against Juventus at the weekend, but ended up losing 3-1. Calhanoglu hit the crossbar when the sides were level 1-1 and Milan might just be wondering the route that game could have taken had the shot gone in.
Milan now find themselves eight points behind fourth-placed Inter and know that anything less than a victory here will likely end their hopes usurping their city rivals come the end of the campaign. AC currently sit in sixth spot.
AC Milan have won their last four home matches, though, presenting them with some confidence heading into this contest. Milan have been tough to beat having won each of those last four home fixtures by a one-goal margin.
As for Inter, Luciano Spalletti's charges have seemingly recovered from a problematic run of form earlier in the year, having notched three wins in their last four games.
That run has now left Inter with the chance to extend the gap over fifth-placed Lazio to four points with a win here. Inter are now unbeaten in four games having lost away against Genoa back in February. Since then, Inter have picked up three wins and a draw.
In their last two fixtures, Inter have scored eight and conceded none, after collecting a 5-0 win over Sampdoria before beating Verona 3-0 at the weekend. Central to those victories has been the return to form of Icardi, who broke a recent goal drought by netting six in his last two fixtures.
Across their previous six meetings, AC have won three, drawn two and lost once against Inter. The club's last met in December, when AC progressed past Inter with a 1-0 extra-time win in the quarter-finals of the Copa Italia.
Prior to that result, Inter had already beaten AC this season, recording a 3-2 win over their rivals in the league during October last year.
PREDICTION! This Derby della Madonnina has taken on particularly important meanings for both sides, who are gunning for a spot in the Champions League next term. This will likely be a close encounter with neither side really enjoying the home advantage. The return to form of frontman Icardi could be crucial here. I'm backing Inter to pinch a slender 2-1 win tonight.
Here they come, then, the players are now making their way out onto the pitch. We will be underway in a couple of minutes at the San Siro on Derby della Madonnina day...
KICKOFF! Inter Milan get us moving at the San Siro, kicking from right to left in blue and black, while AC feature in their usual red and black stripes.
Plenty of early endeavour here from Inter as D'Ambrosio canters down the right channel with great industry, but he is thwarted before making his cross when Calabria get across to cover the right side of the box.
Milan look nervy early on this time as Romagnoli fails to clear his lines, allowing Gagliardini to thunder a shot into a defender before it can test Donnarumma in the AC goal.
Miranda is alive to the danger and he covers brilliantly to track the run off the shoulder from Cutrone, who is eventually penalised for a foul on the centre-back when trying to break into the box.
Candreva is working this right flank positively at the moment and he darts off the full-back to run onto a long ball from deep. Donnarumma comes off his line at great pace and is able to hoof clear, before the linesman eventually flags for offside.
SHOT! Inter move things contently down the left channel, where the ball is popped confidently into the feet of Brozovic on the edge of the area. The midfielder aims to pick out the far corner with Donnarumma scrambling, but the shot flashes wide of the far post.
Inter have seen more of the ball in the opening moments of the game and they look confident in possession - their passing his been slick going forward.
AC enjoy their first real dominant spell on the ball as possession is worked inside the Inter half with intent, where Skriniar upends Cutrone to win a free kick. The ball is shifted out to the left, where Candreva recovers to defend well and keep out Rodriguez.
Candreva chances his legs again down the right channel, but Romagnoli is across in the nick of time to make a decent challenge. Plenty of intent from Inter, but not much in the way of a productive final ball.
CHANCE! It's the winger again causing problems, this time inside the AC box. Candreva collects the ball and pushes towards goal, where he fires a strong effort straight at Donnarumma, who saves in the centre of goal.
Inter are slightly growing into the ascendancy now. Brozovic frees himself up on the edge of the box to curl a teasing effort, but his shot has too much bend on it and goes wide of Donnarumma's goal.
YELLOW CARD! Slightly harsh from the referee here as Inter's Cancelo goes into the book. He brings down Calhanoglu after some brilliant skill from the winger.
SAVE! From the resulting set piece, Calhanoglu swings a delightful ball into the danger zone, where it breaks through a crowd of players towards the far past, leaving Handanovic to make a fantastic diving save to tip the ball away from goal.
Inter have been doing all of the progressive work early on, but AC have had the closest chance to take the lead at the San Siro. This has been an intriguing first half played at a promising pace.
Montolivo loses the ball inside the Inter half and the visitors break with a quick ball forward for the run of Icardi off the last man, but he is soon flagged for offside by the linesman.
SHOT! Inter work possession nicely through the middle and a gap opens up for Perisic to break into. The winger gathers and tries his luck from the edge of the box, but Donnarumma collects calmly down low.
Kessie is on the deck after seemingly going down off the ball with an injury. He then climbs back onto his feet and looks steady enough to continue. We'll keep an eye out on his progress throughout the remainder of this half. Things delicately poised here.
Montolivo is searching for some range with his passing and he goes for a daring ball forward in hope of finding Cutrone, but his radar is way off the mark and Handanovic can come out to collect.
Again AC go for the ambitious as Suso tries to switch a hopeful ball across the pitch in search of Calabria, but he cannot bring the ball down and Inter win a throw. Milan just starting to explore some avenues going forward.
Milan are gaining some confidence going forward and this time a cross comes in from Calabria, but Skriniar is equal to it with a commanding defensive header inside the box.
GOAL! AC MILAN 0-1 INTER MILAN (MAURO ICARDI)
DISALLOWED GOAL! AC MILAN 0-0 INTER MILAN (VAR REVIEW)
It looks like Icardi has scored as he catches Bonucci stepping up far too early as he sends a smart finish under the legs of Donnarumma. The referee gives it, but a quick check on VAR shows that Icardi is just a fraction offside with his leading foot! A very, very good decision as a result of the video technology there.
The decision does not appear to have hampered Inter who continue to move the ball about with real zip as we head towards half time.
Some wonderful work from Perisic sees the winger scamper away into space down the left. His cross into the middle doesn't quite have the required quality, though, leaving Donnarumma to catch the ball mid-flight.
Calabria shows some class of his own now as he delivers meticulously towards the back post, leaving Skriniar to clear for a corner. A good move from AC.
HALF TIME: AC MILAN 0-0 INTER MILAN
A rather eventful first half in the Derby della Madonnina to say the least! Inter have looked the more likely to score, although Handanovic was required to make the best save of the game so far. Inter thought that they had taken the lead through Icardi, only to be denied by a last-minute intervention from VAR.
Had the goal stood, Inter would arguably have been decent money for their lead after the first half. Spalletti's men have attacked with real intent so far and have moved the ball nicely. Milan have defended adroitly, though, but have failed to offer too much going the other way.
This contest has been a fairly tight one and both coaches will likely keep their changes for a little later in proceedings. Milan surely have another gear going forward, although they have struggled in front of goal this season.
The players are now gather back in the tunnel ahead of the second half, we'll be back moving shortly.
SECOND HALF! AC get the second half rolling, will we find an opener and a potential winner?
Bonaventura shows excellent feet to drive into Inter's final third, where he splits the ball wide for Calhanoglu, who is soon dispossessed and the move breaks down.
CROSSBAR! Perisic moves down the left and chips a cross into the middle. The ball is swerving and catches Donnarumma off guard as it drifts above his head and clips the crossbar before flying out of play. The keeper looked a little sleepy for a moment there.
SHOT! Kessie comes alive for the first time this evening as he drives forward and fires a speculative shot from the edge of the area, which whistles just wide of Handanovic's far post.
SAVE! Suso is invited to drift down the right and he slips a clever ball in behind for the run of Cutrone. The striker accepts and retrieves the ball, but his shot is smothered by Handanovic as he races off his line.
Milan are enjoying a nice spell going forward for the first real time tonight, can Inter recover their dominance from the first half?
CHANCE! The San Siro is stunned... Rafinha drives forward on the edge of the area and he sends a perfect ball wide for Candreva. The winger gets his head up and squares simply across the box for an unmarked Icardi, who somehow skews wide of a completely open goal.
You will struggle to find a strange miss than that... Icardi should have buried it. It was simple. Replays suggest that the frontman has come a cropper after attempting to apply an unnecessarily audacious finish.
Inter are still searching for an opener after just edging into a dominant position in the second half. Cancelo breaks from the right, although his cross into the box is poor and Rodriguez is left to clear unchallenged.
CLOSE! More smart work from Cancelo sees the full-back slip in Candreva, who cannot find the spare man as he drills a return ball into the box for Icardi.
Suso drops into a small pocket of space just shy of the Inter box, leaving the playmaker to drive a speculative effort towards goal.
CLOSE! Fantastic countering from Inter, who break with Brozovic who slices the defence in two with a great ball into the path of Perisic down the left. The winger tries to pick out Icardi in the middle, but Donnarumma scampers off his line to get a touch on the final cross to stop an almost-certain goal.
OFFSIDE! Milan come back with a sustained period of possession inside the Inter half, and it looks like they have taken the lead when Cutrone is slipped through by Kessie, but the linesman has his flag raised for offside.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Milan make two positive change now as Cutrone and Montolivo make way for both Manuel Locatelli and Nikola Kalinic.
SUBSTITUTION: A period of changes as Inter make one for themselves. Rafinha has had a fairly quiet second half and he comes off in place of Borja Valero.
Milan are starting to drop a touch deeper into their own half, while Inter are stepping on the gas going forward. They will need to be careful on the break heading into the closing stages, though.
Inter should carve out an opening as Icardi finds space on the right side of the box, but he takes too many touches and allows Rodriguez to intervene and stop Cancelo from receiving on the overlap.
YELLOW CARD! Valero has just a little too much nouse for Suso and the Milan man goes into the book after clattering into the back of the Inter substitute.
SUBSTITUTION: Inter are going for this now. Candreva is taken off for Eder going forward.
Into the final 10 minutes now and Inter turn a corner into the box through Cancelo, but AC hold firm and are able to head clear at the near post.
SUBSTITUTION: Bonaventura is taken off as Milan opt to throw on Fabio Borini for the game's final stanza...
Inter are doing all of the pressing still as we head toward the conclusion of this encounter. Milan have responded by sitting firm, however, and they look decent value for the draw at the moment.
Still Inter throw men forward in search of a crucial winner, although Calabria does well to see off the threat of Perisic on the left flank. Milan have been close to perfect at the back tonight.
Milan aim to deliver a counter punch this time, as Suso races into space on the break down the right. Inter recover well, though, as Skriniar tracks back to challenge the playmaker before he can cross.
Can we find a winner here? It isn't looking likely at the moment. Inter are throwing plenty forward but the required quality has just alluded them in this second half.
We are going to have three minutes of additional time at the San Siro...
MISS! That should be game over for Inter as Cancelo turns the ball across the face of goal, but somehow Icardi manages to skew wide again at the back post. What a miss!
FULL TIME: AC MILAN 0-0 INTER MILAN
That was arguably one of the stranger goalless derbies I've seen in a good while. Both teams had goals chalked out for offside and Inter might argue they deserved something a little more from the encounter. We are in much the same position as we started before tonight, although the Champions League now looks a long way off for sixth-placed AC. That's going to be all from me tonight, thanks for joining us!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
