The Derby Della Madonnina between
Inter and AC Milan is a fixture literally every Serie A supporter looks forward
to and it is a derby lauded and loved by all the football fans globally. Yet,
if they hadn’t had their internal conflict 110 years ago, we would never have
had this beloved derby.
tItn December 1899, AC Milan was founded by a couple of English expatriates, forming one of the first football clubs in Italy. However, eight years on, there was a disagreement amongst its members regarding the signing of foreign players which led to a split, and, subsequently, Internazionale was formed. This would mark the beginning of a battle between what would become two of the biggest names in world football.
In
1908, a rivalry was born, and it has been fiercely contested ever since. There
is some debate regarding the inaugural meeting between the two sides. It is
said that the first game took place in Switzerland in 1908, in the final of the
Chiasso Cup won 2-1 by Milan, but records and evidence of this are patchy.
But, in their first-ever recorded meeting in the Prima Categoria, the Italian
Football Championship (January 1909), Milan ran out 3-2 winners.
Somewhat
astonishingly, the sides have a similar record in their impressive histories,
with 30 domestic trophies apiece. They have both won 18 league titles, with
their last ones coming in 2010 and 2011 respectively, whilst they have a
similar success rate in the Coppa Italia, with Inter edging their rivals’ total
seven to five. This is reversed in the Suppercoppa Italiana, with Milan winning
seven and Inter winning five.
Their head-to-head record is much the same, with Inter triumphing 78 times, to
Milan’s 76. However, on the continent, it is Milan who has the edge on their
rivals with seven Champions League titles to Inter’s three – though Inter does
have three Europa Leagues whereas Milan doesn’t have any.
As happens in football, their successes have come in cycles, with both teams dominating the derby for spells. Inter hold the record for the longest undefeated streak, going on for nearly ten years between 1928 and 1938, but it is Milan who has notched the largest victory, with a 6-0 win in 2001.
In
recent years neither side has really dominated, though Milan have not won
‘away’ to Inter since 2010, (which does not bode particularly well for Gennaro
Gattuso this weekend). The two sides meet at their shared home, the Stadio
Giuseppe Meazza, or Stadio San Siro, named after the former Inter and Milan
forward – one of many famous players to have crossed the divide within the
city.
More
recently a host of household names have done the same, with Ronaldo, Andrea
Pirlo, Roberto Baggio, Edgar Davids, Patrick Viera, Clarence Seedorf, Hernan
Crespo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, amongst others, all moving between the clubs.
Though, on Sunday, no player will have played for both sides.
In the last few seasons, the derby has not had as much riding on it as it once had
due to the lull both sides have suffered in recent years. Apart from bragging
rights, it is not the great top of the table clash it once so rightfully was.
However,
there is a consensus that both clubs are beginning to move back in the right
direction and, hopefully, it is not too long before this is once again a clash
between, not just two of Italy’s best, but two of Europe’s elite.
In the recent clash between the
teams, Inter came out on top as they won 2-0 against their city rivals. D’Ambrosio
struck a fabulous volley which was saved by Donarumma and later slotted home by
Martinez. It was then found out to be offside and the goal was disallowed.
Brozovic opened the scoring early in the second half and then Lukaku headed
home from a cross by Barella. The next derby is scheduled to take place on 9th
February next year.
