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From Higuain vs Icardi to Piatek vs Lautaro: the Inter and AC Milan strikers compared

From Higuain vs Icardi to Piatek vs Lautaro: the Inter and AC Milan strikers compared

  • Nikita Fesyukov
The big Serie A matchup of the weekend will take place tomorrow evening at the San Siro between AC Milan and Inter. The two Milanese sides will look to take advantage of Roma's defeat against Spal today and grab a win that could be decisive in the race for Champions League qualification. Compared to the first match of the season, however, both teams will have to rely on different strikers.

In the first match of the season which ended 1-0 for the Nerazzurri, Gennaro Gattuso's team was led by Gonzalo Higuain, now at Chelsea, while Luciano Spalletti was betting on Mauro Icardi, who ended up deciding the match in stoppage time with a great header.

Ever since, however, a lot has changed. Higuain was a disappointment for the Rossoneri and pursued a move to the Stamford Bridge to join his former coach Maurizio Sarri, while Icardi was deprived of the captain's armband for no official reason and it is currently unknown whether his injury is real or just a form of hiding his disappointment about Inter's decision.

Thus, the stage is set for two different strikers -  Krzysztof PiÄ…tek and Lautaro Martinez. The Polish attacker joined Milan in January to replace the already mentioned Higuain, while Lautaro arrived from Argentina last summer to complement Icardi. Different journeys that have led both of them to face off in the Derby della Madonnina.

For both strikers, this season was their first in Serie A but both have dealt with the situation quite well, especially the Polish attacker. Piatek has scored 27 goals in the league and cup for Genoa and Milan, averaging a goal every 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, Lautaro started off the season on the bench but with the exclusion of Icardi he has moved in the hierarchy and is currently Inter's main striker. The Argentinian youngster has scored 8 goals for the Nerazzurri across all competitions this season and will look to add another against Milan tomorrow.

All in all, a fascinating matchup can be expected tomorrow at the San Siro, with a lot at stake for both teams, with the potential victor moving ever so close to a place in the next edition of the Champions League.