Leonardo works his magic to make 13-point gap disappear

The 41-year-old has ignited Inter since he replaced Rafa Benitez in December with 13 points seperating the rivals, but that is nothing compared to the effect he has had on this fixture.

Leonardo represented Milan as a player, he was an ambassador for the club, a key figure in the arrival at the Rossoneri of Kaka and Alexandre Pato from his native Brazil, and just last year he was the head coach, before a relationship with Silvio Berlusconi, the owner of Milan and embattled prime minister of Italy, which he described as “difficult” was terminated at the end of the season. His first match in opposition to his former employers is a decisive one.

Emotions are running higher even than is normal for this derby. The Milan forward Robinho, a compatriot of Leonardo, seemed to condone any level of antagonism toward the Inter coach.

“It’s a key moment for us and we cannot afford to fail if we want to win the scudetto,” said Robinho, who will likely partner Pato in Milan’s attack, in another of the spider’s web of sub-plots in play. “I can understand the Milan fans’ disappointment. He will have to accept the consequences of his actions.”

“I live my life based on love, not recrimination,” said Leonardo, rather impressively. “Life goes on and you have to learn from every experience. Looking back on my career, I see only the good things and will never forget my 13 years at Milan.

“The derby won’t be crucial because after that there are another seven rounds. What we wanted to do was get closer, get back in the race and challenge for the scudetto.

“We reach this derby in the best possible condition.”

That last line references Inter’s staggering form. They have taken 37 points from their last 15 league games, while also reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League -- they play Schalke in the first leg on Tuesday -- and the semi-finals of the Copa Italia.

Jose Mourinho left Inter last summer after winning a treble that few thought could be repeated, and fewer still by the man who had disappeared at Milan under the wake of the Portuguese; a 4-0 defeat by Mourinho’s Inter was the low point of Leonardo’s management of Milan.

Massimiliano Allegri, Leonardo’s replacement at Milan, is denied the service of his top scorer and the man whose penalty seperated these teams in November, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede, another derby turncoat, having excelled for Inter before a move to Barcelona, is suspended, but a dip in his form has been reflected in Milan’s wayward progress.

“Ibra has done a lot for us so far this season but we are going to have to do without him,” said Allegri. “I’m sure Milan will be up for it.”

Without Ibrahimovic, Allegri is likely to add muscle to his attack in the shape of Kevin-Prince Boateng rather than Antonio Cassano.

For Inter, the veteran Brazilian centre-back Lucio is suspended, but Diego Milito, the Argentinian striker who led the attack last season but has been injured for most of this one, has declared himself ready to make his comeback in the biggest game of the campaign.

On the other side, Andrea Pirlo has not played since January, but he, too, is pushing to find a way into his manager’s plans for the Derby della Madonnina.

“I hope I can come back and feel better, because this season I’ve had lots of problems,” said the Italy midfielder and another to experience this fixture for both Inter and Milan. “The most important thing is to make it back and to stay healthy. I just want to come back and play, and then we will see.

“We’re top of the table, though we have plenty of difficult matches ahead. We are taking it game by game without paying too much attention to the objective, which is still a long way away.

“The derby is always special and this season it could also be decisive for the title, so there is even more excitement around it. But we also know it’s not that decisive for the title as there are still many games left.”