Inter could strike an important psychological blow in the Serie A title fight tonight by knocking AC Milan out of the Coppa Italia, the Nerazzurri’s former defender Riccardo Ferri has argued.

As things stand, AC Milan lead the way in Serie A with 43 points after 19 games and Inter are right behind them having picked up 41 points.

The two sides are to meet for the second time this season at San Siro and the winner will face either Juventus or SPAL in the semi-finals next month.

“This derby is worth a lot for both clubs,” Ferri remarked in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, which appeared in Monday’s print edition.

“It will allow one of them to send a message to the other in the race for the Serie A title.

“If Inter were to win, they would take away some confidence from AC Milan, who remain the team to have done the best so far in the league but who have done badly in direct clashes with Juventus and Atalanta.

“They are two solid teams with a precise identity and are very well coached.

“They will be head to head with each other in the league until the end.”

Ferri then dismissed the idea that there are similarities between Inter’s loss to Sampdoria and goalless draw with Udinese which, had they won, would have put them top of the table.

“They are two totally different matches.

“In Udine the final ball was missing, there were too many errors when it came to finishing the moves, but Inter spent the second half in Udinese’s half.

“I see Inter as a growing team, with personality and awareness.

“They always give the impression of being able to win and in open spaces they are devastating.

“With the return to 3-5-2, they have found balance and the defenders have improved a lot in terms of playing out from the back.”

The former Italian national team defender was then asked whether he is worried by Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez’s recent poor form, with neither striker having scored in any of Inter’s last four league games.

“This does not worry me, a bad period can happen but Lukaku and Lautaro are among the best partnerships in the world and they will soon score again, maybe in the derby tonight.

“Antonio Conte is getting goals from many players, this is a key factor in the race for the title and in the development of the team.”