Derby della Madonnina Rivalry

Lore & Background

In the past, Inter Milan was seen as the club of the Milan bourgeoisie (nicknamed bauscia), whereas Milan was supported mainly by the working class (nicknamed casciavid). Today, this socioeconomic divide has largely been mitigated. The first official derby match was a friendly played on 18 October 1908 in Chiasso, Switzerland; the Rossoneri won 2–1. The rivalry began in national league play with the 1929–30 Serie A season. Inter won the first Serie A title in 1929–1930. Between 1928 and 1938 there were 10 victories for Inter, 2 wins for AC Milan, and 7 draws, the longest period without a win for Milan in the history of the Derby. In the 1960s, the derby saw Sandro Mazzola (Inter) and Gianni Rivera (Milan) face off. The derby did not take place in 1980–1981 and 1982–1983 in Serie A, due to AC Milan's double relegation to Serie B. The two clubs met in the semi-finals of the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League, but they had previously faced each other in the quarter-finals of the 1967–68 European Cup. In the 2002–03 semi-final, Milan went through on the away goals rule. They met again in the quarter-finals of the 2004–05 edition; Milan triumphed on aggregate after UEFA awarded them a 3–0 victory in the second leg, as the match was abandoned due to flares thrown by Inter fans. Inter's long wait for a league title that began after 1989 finally arrived in 2006, when the Calciopoli scandal stripped Juventus of the 2005–06 title and handed it to Inter. Inter went on to win the 2006–07 Serie A title as well. Inter secured a treble in 2009–10. The following season, Milan recaptured the Scudetto. Between 2011–12 and 2019–20, both Milan teams lagged behind Juventus. Inter ended Juventus' nine-year streak by winning their 19th title in 2020–21. Milan tied Inter's total by winning their own 19th title in the following season. In January 2023 Inter won 2022 Supercoppa Italiana defeating Milan 3-0 in Riad final. The two clubs met once again in the semi-finals of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League.

In Their Own Story

The air inside San Siro doesn't just hang heavy; it crackles with the acrid smoke of flares and a silence so profound it feels like the city itself is holding its breath. On one side, the Curva Nord erupts in a rhythmic, thunderous roar for Inter's blue and black; on the other, the Curva Sud answers with an equal tide of red and black. When the referee finally cuts through the tension with the first whistle, the ball becomes a live wire. For ninety minutes, nationality and profession dissolve—there are only two colors colliding under the floodlights. As an Inter striker slices through the defense, the roar from the Nord doesn't just rise; it crashes like a tidal wave, drowning out the very streets of Milan outside. In this crucible, history isn't read in books; it's forged in the mud, sweat, and grass of the pitch.

Reader's Guide

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).

Did You Know?

• Inter fans were nicknamed 'bauscia' (braggart) and 'motoretta' (motorcycle), while Milan fans were called 'casciavid' (screwdriver) and 'tramvee' (tram).
• The first official derby was a friendly played in Chiasso, Switzerland, on 18 October 1908, won by AC Milan 2–1.
• Between 1928 and 1938, Inter had 10 victories and 7 draws against Milan, with Milan winning 2 matches.
• Inter's 1988–89 Serie A title set an all-time record points in Serie A history with 18 teams.
• Inter became the first Italian side to win a treble in 2009–10.