Crespo: ‘Inter are a battleship, nobody in Italy can sink them, Milan improved considerably’

SANTOS, BRAZIL - FEBRUARY 4: Hernan Crespo head coach of Sao Paulo looks on during the Brasileirao 2026 match between Santos and Sao Paulo at Urbano Caldeira Stadium (Vila Belmiro) on February 4, 2026 in Santos, Brazil. (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)

Hernan Crespo has no doubt that Inter are the ‘best-equipped’ team to win the Serie A title again in 2026-27, but says that another of his former clubs in Milan have improved considerably under Ruben Amorim and suggests that it will be ‘easy’ to close the gap.

The former Milan, Inter and Lazio striker spoke in-depth about his former clubs in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday. 

• Read more: Crespo: ‘Lazio deserve their lead, anyone who criticised Gattuso has to apologise’

Milan and Inter are gearing up to face each other in the Derby della Madonnina this weekend, but they are both in action on Wednesday evening as well: Milan hosting Bologna in San Siro and Inter playing away against bottom-of-the-table Venezia. Both games are due to kick off at 17.30 GMT (18.30 CET).

Crespo reviews Milan and Inter’s Scudetto chances

As things stand, Lazio sit on their own at the top of the Serie A standings after putting six past Sassuolo on Tuesday night, but Inter will catch up with them on points if they beat Venezia on Wednesday. 

Crespo says that it is not necessarily a guarantee that Inter win the league, but he certainly thinks that they are in the place to go and win the Scudetto for the second season in a row. 

“I think Inter are the best-equipped team to win the Scudetto. By saying that, I don’t mean that they will definitely win it, but they definitely have everything they need to win it,” said the former Argentina international. 

“They have the mental strength, otherwise they would not have been able to pull off all those comebacks. They have competitive drive and better technical qualities than their opponents. They have to be careful to not spend too much energy on the Champions League, like Roma. 

“However, Chivu’s team looks like a battleship to me. Sinking them, at least in Italy, seems impossible, aside from their European stumbles. They shouldn’t struggle too much against Venezia, even if giant killings are becoming the norm in Serie A.”

Like Inter, Milan are also unbeaten after eight matches of the Serie A season, but sit four points behind their city rivals. 

Crespo feels that Milan have made significant progress since the appointment of Ruben Amorim over the summer, and feels that it is not out of the question that they catch up with Inter in the near future. 

“The Rossoneri are still a bit further behind, but they’ve made considerable progress. Progress that I admit – mea culpa – I did not think was possible in such a short space of time.

“Today, Milan look like a compact team. They know what they have to do defensively and offensively. They have good technical players and a fanbase that is learning to support them through the difficult moments. In my opinion, they’re destined to grow even further. 

“They’re not at Inter’s level yet, but it’s easy to close the gap. Sometimes, a streak of two or three wins is enough for it to become a turning point. The game against Bologna in San Siro will be a test to assess the mental maturity of the Rossoneri side. Then there’s the derby …”