Including ‘unofficial’ bouts, Milan’s two footballing behemoths are believed to have faced off over 300 times, but just four of their meetings have arrived in the Champions League.
Both clubs are synonymous with Europe’s premier club competition, and each will be looking to return to past glories in 2023.
Seven-time winners Milan haven’t lifted the trophy since 2007, while Jose Mourinho was the last manager to guide Inter to European glory in 2010. The special one broke a 45-year duck for the Nerazzurri, who previously won the competition under Helenio Herrera’s catenaccio-inspired gaze in 1965.
The current iterations of both Milan clubs may not be so ‘grande’, nor as tactically revolutionary as Arrigo Sacchi’s Rossoneri, but they’re gritty and typically Italian. It’s bound to be a spectacle at one of football’s great amphitheatres when the Derby della Madonnina rivals meet over two legs.
Here’s how their past Champions League duels have played out.
The first Champions League meeting between the two Milan clubs was significant. Both sides progressed into the last four and a place in the final was on the line.
Milan were the home side for the first leg and what played out was a vintage calcio stalemate.
The lack of attacking verve in this encounter was quite remarkable given the ludicrous amount of talent between the two sides.
CL semi-final 2002/2003. The first leg having ended 0-0, Inter & AC are battling it out in return leg. And with the score tied at 1-1 & Milan through to the final if they can stop Inter from scoring, Kallon is through on goal with only Abbiati to beat… #InterMilan #DerbyMilano pic.twitter.com/lVVI391pDy
— Alessandro Schiavone (@journ9ale) February 5, 2022
The second leg was similarly tense, with Inter boss Hector Cuper once again focussing his attention on nullifying Milan’s Harlem Globetrotter-like starting XI.
This was a bitty derby, but there were goals at both ends of the pitch. Andriy Shevchenko snagged a crucial ‘away’ goal for the Rossoneri just before half-time which meant Inter had to score twice to advance.
Obafemi Martins’ 84th-minute equaliser set-up a grandstand finish, and Inter came oh so close to completing the turnaround but Christian Abbiati denied substitute Mohamed Kallon one-on-one.
Milan, who scandalously advanced via away goals, went on to beat Scudetto winners Juventus in the final on penalties.
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