Milan Derby: Why AC Milan vs Inter Milan clash is a must-watch for every football fan?

There is no dearth of football rivalries in Italian football but if we have to name the most iconic one then it has to be the Milan derby which is contested by Italian giants Inter and AC Milan.

The two clubs, despite being bitter rivals, share the same stadium as their home venue, the San Siro located in Milan. The San Siro has a capacity of 80,018. The stadium was renamed to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after the legendary Italian footballer.

All you need to know about the Milan Derby

The Milan derby, also known as Derby della Madonnina or Derby di Milano was first played on January 10, 1909, in the Serie A (formerly the Italian football championship). The match ended in a goalless draw.

The rivalry was formed between the two Milan clubs due to the difference in the socio-economic standards of the two sets of fans. While Inter Milan fans were elites of the city, AC Milan was backed by the working-class people. 

The two teams have met each other in 231 official matches out of which Inter Milan won in 84 matches while AC Milan won 78. In the top division, the two teams clashed on 198 occasions out of which Inter won 75 and Milan won 64. 59 games ended in ties. 

Getty

Former AC Milan star Andriy Schevchenko is the all-time highest goalscorer in the Milan derby with 14 goals to his name. He is followed by legendary Giuseppe Meazza who has 13 goals. Among active players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has the most number of goals (10) in this marquee fixture.

Most successful club

AC Milan and Inter Milan are two of the most successful clubs in Italian football and boast an illustrious history. Inter Milan are more successful than their rivals when it comes to winning the Scudetto. While Inter has bagged 19 Serie A titles, AC Milan have one less than their rivals.

Getty Images

But if overall trophy count is considered then AC Milan has 50 major titles, nine more than Inter Milan’s 41. AC Milan have also won the Champions League on seven occasions, the most in Italy and second only to Real Madrid in Europe. Inter Milan, on the other hand, have three trophies to their name.

Iconic players who played in the Milan derby

There is a long list of superstars who have appeared in the Milan derby. Iconic players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who currently plays for AC Milan - Luis Ronaldo, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and of course, the legendary Giuseppe Meazza. 

Milan TV

There are also players who have played for both the clubs namely, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Balotelli, Luis Ronaldo, Andrea Pirlo, Hernan Crespo and many others.

How to reach Milan from India, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Australia?

There are flights available to Milan from five Indian cities, New Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Bengaluru and Kochi but there are no direct flights to the Italian city. There are several flights available from India namely, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Lot Polish Airways, Kuwait Airways and many more.

There used to be a direct flight from New Delhi to Milan but after COVID-19 pandemic, normal international flight services have only just resumed.

From Singapore, only Singapore Airlines travels directly to Milan. Other carriers like Air France and Etihad Airways are all connecting flights. 

In Malaysia, Malaysian Airlines travels nonstop to Milan. There are also connecting flights like Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways.

In the Philippines, there are no direct flights to Milan. Carriers who operate in the country are American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Airlines and United Airlines.

Fans in Australia can travel to Milan from five cities, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. There are no nonstop flights from Australia. There are multiple carriers that operate in Australia namely, United Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France, Etihad Airways and more.