Derby della Madonnina

Lore & Background

In the past, Inter Milan (commonly abbreviated to Inter) was seen as the club of the Milan bourgeoisie (nicknamed bauscia [baˈyʃa], a Milanese term meaning 'braggart'), whereas Milan was supported mainly by the working class (nicknamed casciavid [kaʃaˈʋiːt], meaning 'screwdriver', with reference to the blue-collar worker). Because of their more prosperous ancestry, Inter fans had the 'luxury' to go to the San Siro stadium by motorcycle (motoretta, another nickname given to the Nerazzurri). On the other hand, the Rossoneri were also known as tramvee or tranvee (i.e. able to be transferred to the stadium only by 'tram', or public transport). Today, this socioeconomic divide has largely been mitigated and preference for either club is personal or familial. Taking place at least twice during the year via the league fixtures, this cross-town rivalry has extended to the Coppa Italia, Champions League, and Supercoppa Italiana, as well as minor tournaments and friendlies. It is one of the two major crosstown derbies in association football that are always played in the same stadium, in this case the San Siro, as both Inter and AC Milan call San Siro 'home', the other derby being Derby della Capitale. Though both clubs share this stadium, Inter ultras traditionally occupy the stadium’s northern end (Curva Nord) while Milan ultras occupy the southern end (Curva Sud).

In Their Own Story

The air inside the San Siro is thick enough to taste, a mixture of damp grass and nervous electricity. On one side, the Curva Nord roars like a tidal wave of blue and black smoke; on the other, the Curva Sud answers in red and black thunder. The referee's whistle cuts through the din, but for a split second, time seems to freeze. A young midfielder from Inter feels the weight of history pressing down on his shoulders as he looks up at the distant, golden silhouette of the Madonnina piercing the Milanese sky. He knows that in this city, there is no middle ground. There is only victory or defeat, and tonight, the city belongs to one color.

Reader's Guide

The first derby match between the two Milanese rivals was held in the final of the Chiasso Cup of 1908, a football tournament played in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on 18 October of that year; the Rossoneri won 2–1. While Inter and Milan faced each other sporadically in the early years, the rivalry has been renewed annually since the inaugural 1926–27 season of the Divisione Nazionale, the first truly national Italian league. The two teams have played each other at least twice a year since then.

Did You Know?

• Inter won their first Italian Football Championship title in 1909-10, not 1929-30, which was their first Serie A title.
• Between 1928 and 1938 there were 10 victories for Inter, 7 draws and some wins for AC Milan, including a 2-1 victory on 6 November 1932, so the claim of no wins for Milan in that period is incorrect.
• The two clubs famously met in the semi-finals of the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League, their first ever European matches against one another, in which Milan went through on the away goals rule despite both clubs playing at
• Inter became the first Italian side to win a treble in the 2009–10 season.