The last time Milan’s two clubs met each other in the Champions League, it produced one of the most iconic images in soccer history. It depicted Rui Costa and Marco Materazzi side-by-side watching flares drop down from the San Siro stands on to the pitch and illustrated the unique nature of this rivalry.
Make no mistake, the contest between AC Milan and Inter is fierce. Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final could be a cagey encounter, but there will be a sharp edge over both legs – that is inevitable. Despite this, the two Milan clubs are closer to one another than most rivals in soccer.
This is partly down to the fact they share the same home. AC Milan and Inter continue to plan a move away from the San Siro, but it remains their shared space for the time being. It’s also true Inter were founded following a breakaway from AC Milan. Their identities have been intertwined for over a century.
Even in the way their respective seasons have unfolded, there is a lot to connect AC Milan and Inter. The former won last season’s Serie A title while the latter won the Scudetto the season before that. This campaign, both struggled for consistency, to the point they are scrambling to merely finish in the top four.
When it has mattered most in the Champions League, though, the Milanese duo have delivered. AC Milan executed a smart game plan to see off Napoli in the quarter-finals, while Inter found their edge in front of goal to get the better of Benfica. Domestically, AC Milan and Inter have underwhelmed, but they deserve to be in the final four of the Champions League.
Victory and passage through to the Champions League final could be a catalyst for either team. AC Milan and Inter have both struggled to build on Scudetto success, but their potential is obvious. Making the final of the Champions League would underline that quality and could push one of the Milan pair towards even bigger, better and more consistent things.
Both AC Milan and Inter have pedigree at the elite level of the European game, but 2010 was the last time either of them lifted the Champions League trophy. “It doesn’t weigh on us, it is more of a force,” Stefano Pioli said when asked about the pressure that comes with being AC Milan manager in European competition.
“The pressure of the club’s history has given us more confidence, more strength, more conviction. The DNA exists, this club is used to these moments, these emotions. It knows how to be a protagonist.” Indeed, European glory is part of AC Milan’s identity having previously won the European Cup seven times. Only Real Madrid have won more.
Inter have also been crowned European champions three times in their history, with Jose Mourinho the last manager to lead the Nerazzurri to Champions League success a distant 13 years ago. Mourinho is an Inter icon and has set a somewhat unrealistic standard for all who have come after him, including Simone Inzaghi, who still has some critics to win over.
Inzaghi has sought to turn Inter into a more expansive, modern team following the Antonio Conte era, but he has struggled to put his own mark on the team. In fact, Inter have achieved their best results this season using the template left behind by Conte with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez showing signs of their old partnership.
“The reality is that coaches are always under the spotlight,” said Inter director Beppe Marotta when asked about Inzaghi’s future. “When the club and directors take this role of evaluation, we take into account the professional capabilities of the coach, his human qualities too, so we are certainly not swayed by one or two incidents. The work Inzaghi is doing is very positive, we are in three tournaments and everyone is very pleased with his work.”
Milan’s two clubs have offered a reminder of their size and stature by making a run to the semi-finals of the Champions League, but their streak has also made a statement about Italian soccer as a whole. This season will see an Italian club in the competition’s final for the first time since 2017. The Italian game needed this.
Wednesday’s Derby della Madonnina might not produce the visual spectacle that the 2005 Champions League clash produced, but it could be argued there is more on the line for AC Milan and Inter now than at any other stage of their recent history. Victory could provide one of them with a springboard.
