The Milan Derby, also known as the Derby della Madonnina is arguably one of the most famous and intense rivalries in the world of football. 

The seasonal fixture at the San Siro has extra attention casted towards it as the two Milan teams have now been drawn to face off in the UEFA Champions League Semi Final on May 10 & 17. 

With the crumbling San Siro due to be either demolished or refurbished at the end of the season, and both teams perhaps finding a new home, this could be shaping into a send off inspired by the football gods.

Those who grew up watching football in the early 2000’s would have remembered the last time these two teams battled it out in the Champions League in 2005, when the match had become abandoned due to the flares being thrown onto the pitch. It was seventeen years ago since this event took place. Remember that famous frame of Materazzi and Rui Costa standing there side by side, observing the wild scenes coming from the stands?

Two historical clubs, both with over a hundred years of success.

The Split of Milan

The roots to this derby goes beyond the close proximity of the two teams. Dating back to the early 20th century where AC Milan had already established a top tier team, players at the club chose to split to form their own team.

This reformation at the time was caused by a major dispute over the domination of Italians in the AC Milan squad, leading a group of both Swiss and Italian players breaking away from the team to form Internazionale. The name derives from the wish of its founding players to create a top tier club in Milan that would accept both foreign and Italian players without limits. 

100 years of the Milan Derby

Over a century of the Milan Derby has no doubt provided the world with countless classics worth rewatching.

The first derby match between the two Milan sides on October 18th 1908 saw AC Milan coming out on top 2-1 to cement their dominance as being the best club in the city. Nonetheless, success for both clubs was prominent throughout the 1900’s, both winning silverware domestically and across Europe. 

In the 1960’s however, the Milan derby was taken to a whole new level when two big names of Italian football came face to face at least twice a season. Sandro Mazzola of Inter was rivaled by Gianni Rivera of AC Milan, nicknamed the “Golden Boy” of his era in Italian football. The significance of the pair was made bigger as they would battle it out for a spot on the national team, often with one being substituted by another due to their same playing positions as attacking midfielders. 

The greatest period of the two Milan sides was yet to come, as we entered the late 80’s to early 2000’s. With AC Milan being led by legends like Marco Van Basten, Ruud Guilit, Kaka and Paolo Maldini. Inter Milan on the other hand with the likes of Javier Zanetti, Ronaldo Fenomeno, Adriano and Ibrahimovic. Both teams would run dominance domestically and internationally. 

Iconic players who played for both Milan sides

Andrea Pirlo - One of the greatest Italian dead-ball and pinpoint passers of all time, Pirlo failed to break through properly into the Inter Milan side in the late 90’s and signed for AC Milan in 2001 and from there developed to be one of the best playmakers in the world.

Ronaldo Fenomeno - No doubt one of the best players to ever wear the Inter Milan shirt, however his stint at AC Milan in 2007 wasn’t to be the same. Nothing but injuries and weight issues led him to the end of his career.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - The 41 year old legend is still going strong for AC Milan to date, however he has a long history playing for both Milan clubs. From 2006 - 2009 for Inter Milan, helping them to numerous titles and picking up individual honors on the way, and starting out on-loan to AC Milan from Barcelona in 2010, to then permanently signing for the club in 2011 and once again in 2019.

Roberto Baggio - Another world class player and Italian legend, had a short stint for AC Milan in 1995 helping the club to a trophy before falling out of favor the following year and then moving onto Bologna. Shortly after the 1998 World Cup, Inter came knocking and secured Baggio for the following two seasons. 

Mario Balotelli - We can’t forget Super Mario. Before the breakout seasons at Manchester City, Balotelli had come through Inter Milan between 2007 to 2010 under Roberto Mancini. He then returned to the San Siro for AC Milan in 2013 with some of his best form that has been seen since.

The New Era of The Milan Derby

Almost 20 years since the two teams met in the Champions League, this becomes arguably the most important Milan Derby of the 21st century with the winner securing a spot in the final of Europe’s biggest competition.

After several years of silence on the international stage, this new generation of AC and Inter Milan have risen. The likes of Rafael Leao and Lauturo Martinez have got us off our seats numerous times this season with their ability to score and create chances for their sides, no doubt two players to keep a close eye on in the upcoming derbies.   

An event with national interest, the fixture was announced to be televised to everyone in the country at no cost. No doubt the whole nation will be watching, along with many football fans from across the world.