Derby d'Italia

Lore & Background

The matchup between Juventus and Inter is perhaps the most intense match in Italy between two teams from different cities, historically since the 1950s and 60s, and especially after the Calciopoli which saw Juventus stripped of their league title from 2005–06 and given to Inter. After a field invasion due to the overflowing stands during a derby fixture in the 1960–61 season, Lega Calcio awarded the match to Inter but later FIGC overturned the decision and ordered a replay, much to the fury of Inter president Angelo Moratti and club supporters. Moratti accused the Italian football association of favouritism due to the Agnelli family's influence, as Umberto Agnelli was FIGC president at that time. In protest, Inter fielded their youth players for the replay and were thrashed 9–1. Juventus striker Omar Sívori scored six goals in the match and went on to win the Ballon d'Or that year, Inter only goal was scored by a young Sandro Mazzola. During the 1997–98 fixture at the Stadio delle Alpi there was controversy over referee Piero Ceccarini's decisions, in particular not to award a penalty for Mark Iuliano's foul on Inter forward Ronaldo in the direct clash between the two teams decisive for the title with Inter behind only 1 point with 4 games left. Juventus, up 1–0 at the time of the incident, were after few seconds awarded a penalty which was missed by Alessandro Del Piero; Juventus won the game 1–0 and with this secured the scudetto with five points ahead. The incident caused heated arguments in the Italian parliament during a publicly broadcast 'question time' session in April 1998. Domenico Gramazio of the National Alliance reportedly shouted 'They are all thieves!' at fellow politician and former Juventus player Massimo Mauro of the ruling Democrats of the Left, prompting Chamber of Deputies member and then-Deputy Prime Minister Walter Veltroni to comment, 'We are not at a stadium. This is a spectacle that is unworthy, embarrassing and grotesque...'. The session had to be suspended and several politicians were later penalised as a result. During the days leading up to the derby on 5 December 2009 in Turin, there were fears about the Juventus ultras abusing Inter's Italian striker Mario Balotelli (who is of Ghanaian descent) due to a history of racial abuse from fans. Juventus chairman Jean-Claude Blanc and Mirella Scirea, widow of Juventus legend Gaetano S

In Their Own Story

Juventus, led by the elegant Omar Sívori, faced an Inter side that had just won back-to-back titles. The match was a blur of sliding tackles and desperate saves, but one moment stood eternal: Sívori's audacious backheel that set up a goal, a flash of genius that silenced the Inter fans. Yet, as the final whistle blew, the scoreline—a 9–1 rout for Juventus—became a scar that Inter would carry for decades, a reminder that in this rivalry, pride was as precious as points.

Reader's Guide

The source does not provide a guide section. The derby is contested between Internazionale of Milan and Juventus of Turin. Both clubs are among the most successful football clubs in the world. The teams are from the two biggest cities in Northern Italy. Both teams have fans across Italy, and there are numerous fan clubs of Juventus in Piedmont and Inter in Lombardy (including in the two cities).

Did You Know?

• The term 'Derby d'Italia' was coined in 1967 by Italian sports journalist Gianni Brera.
• The highest-scoring match in the derby was Juventus 9–1 Inter on 10 June 1961, with Omar Sívori scoring six goals.
• During the 1997–98 fixture, controversy over referee decisions led to heated arguments in the Italian parliament.
• In the 2015–16 Coppa Italia semi-final, the tie went to a penalty shoot-out after both legs ended 3–0, with Juventus winning 5–3.