Stefano Pioli and Antonio Conte are relishing the prospect of a possible Scudetto shoot-out in Sunday's Derby della Madonnina.
Inter lead Milan by one point at the Serie A summit heading into this weekend's showdown after leapfrogging their bitter rivals last week.
With nine-in-a-row champions Juventus eight points adrift of top spot, albeit with a game in hand to play, the title is looking likely to end up at San Siro this season.
Milan are seeking a first Scudetto since 2011, a year after Inter last prevailed, and Sunday's game may go a long way towards determining who finishes top come the end of the campaign.
It is the first time the sides will meet holding the top two positions in the table since April 2011 and Conte is expecting a unique derby in the behind-closed-doors contest.
"It will be different to the previous derbies because of the teams' high positions - first and second," Conte said at a news conference on Saturday.
"This is very satisfying for the city of Milan. There is a lot at stake, certainly more than just local pride.
"We have to do our best to win the game and stay top of the table. It is an important match. When the table is like this you need to be even more determined."
Milan beat Inter 2-1 in October and are seeking a league double over their city rivals for the first time since 2010-11.
However, Inter won last month's eventful Coppa Italia quarter-final tie by the same scoreline and Pioli is anticipating a cagey affair in this latest tussle.
"Tomorrow we will play a derby like we have not seen for many years, with a lot on the line," Pioli told reporters.
"Both us and Inter have a clear identity. The derbies are always balanced matches with many goalscoring opportunities.
"It is not necessarily decisive for the fate of the championship, but it is important because we have been in the lead all season."
The big talking point from the most recent meeting between the sides was the coming together of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku.
But Conte, who won three titles during his time in charge of Juventus, does not believe tempers will flare this time around.
"It's going to be a match with two teams trying to win and surpass each other," Conte said.
"We must never forget that, even if this is a big game and a derby, it remains a sport. I don't predict much tension in the atmosphere.
Ibrahimovic has scored 10 goals in all competitions in this fixture, including eight for Milan, and Pioli would not swap his striker for Inter star Lukaku.
"I respect Lukaku, but I prefer Ibra," Pioli said. "Tomorrow's game must be a collective effort; we must play as a team. It is the collective that highlights the qualities of the individual.
"We have to play well because we know how to do it, we have the technical qualities."
Asked how his Inter side plan to deal with Ibrahimovic, Conte said: "You neutralise threats by working as a team and reducing the errors.
"Ibrahimovic is a top player who is doing very well for Milan. He has already scored against us this season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he will score again."
Milan have lost three league games since the start of 2021 - one more than over the whole of 2020 - and were held 2-2 by Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League on Thursday.
Pioli, who has constantly played down his side's title aspirations, accepted an improvement is required on the back of some below-par displays.
"We did not raise our levels against Red Star - even the defensive phase did not see us as solid and compact," he said.
"Tomorrow we must be very careful and determined. Our goal is to give the best, then we'll see what we've achieved at the end of the season."
Rybakina moves past Mertens and into French Open fourth round
Elena Rybakina is through to the second week at the French Open, following another straight-sets victory over Elise Mertens.
The fourth seed wrapped up a 6-4 6-2 win in 67 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier, to book a last-16 clash with either Elina Svitolina or Ana Bogdan.
Rybakina was forced to withdraw injured on the eve of her third-round showdown with Sara Sorribes Tormo at Roland-Garros 12 months ago.
A tight opening set ensued with four successive games from 2-2 going against the serve, but a crucial break to love in the 10th saw the former Wimbledon champion draw first blood.
She then broke to 15 in game four of the second set to take control of the match, before another in the eighth saw her into the fourth round in Paris for a second time.
Rybakina is joined in the last 16 by home favourite Varvara Gracheva, who continued her groundbreaking run with a straight-sets win over Irina-Camelia Begu.
The Moscow-born 23-year-old, who obtained French nationality last June, is into round four for the first time at a major.
Extending her stay into the second week, having stunned sixth seed Maria Sakkari in the opening round, Gracheva was serenaded with Les Marseillais by the crowd following her victory on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Data Debrief: Rybakina matches Swiatek and Jabeur
Rybakina becomes only the third player to reach the fourth round at multiple majors on clay and grass since the start of the 2020 season.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins an exclusive group of players to achieve the feat, along with Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur.
Mexico 1-0 Bolivia: Experimental El Tri boost Copa America preparations with narrow win
A youthful Mexico stepped up their Copa America preparations with a narrow 1-0 victory over Bolivia in Chicago.
Efrain Alvarez's second-half strike proved enough for El Tri, who fielded eight debutants at Soldier Field.
Two of those debutants went close early on; Ricardo Monreal heading against the bar and Ettson Ayon testing Bolivia goalkeeper Carlos Lampe, while Ramiro Vaca fired over for the visitors later in the half.
However, the hosts did find the breakthrough within two minutes of the restart, as Monreal squared for Alvarez to control and finish.
El Tri, who will face Ecuador, Jamaica and Venezuela in Group B at the Copa America, will play Uruguay and Brazil before the tournament begins on June 20.
Data Debrief: Mexico maintain Bolivia dominance
Mexico are now unbeaten in each of their last 10 meetings with Bolivia, winning nine and conceding just two goals during that span.
A 3-1 reverse at the 1997 Copa America represents El Tri's only defeat in this fixture.
New York City FC 5-1 San Jose Earthquakes: Martinez hat-trick maintains NYCFC winning streak
Alonso Martinez scored a hat-trick as New York City FC maintained their impressive MLS form with a 5-1 rout of San Jose Earthquakes.
Hannes Wolf and Santiago Rodriguez were also on target for Nick Cushing's side, who made it five wins on the bounce to move into third place in the Eastern Conference.
After a goalless first half at Yankee Stadium, the hosts broke through within five minutes of the restart through Wolf. However, the lead only lasted three minutes, with Amahl Pellegrino levelling the contest.
Rodriguez drove City back in front in the 80th minute before Martinez took centre stage late on. The Costa Rica international struck with five minutes remaining, while completing a quickfire treble with a further goals in stoppage time.
Data Debrief: Martinez makes franchise history
That was, indeed, a quickfire hat-trick from Martinez - in fact, it was the fastest registered by an NYCFC player in MLS history.
The hosts have now won five successive matches for the first time since 2019, while their ninth win of the season matches their tally for the whole of last term.
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