Today's Milan derby, in the tenth round of the Italian league, exploded into life from the first whistle. The opening stretch evoked one of the most extraordinary meetings in the history of these two sides, with Inter landing in a predicament they had not faced for decades.
Milan wasted no time asserting themselves. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring in the fourth minute.
Adrien Rabiot doubled the lead in the tenth minute, leaving Inter two goals down inside the opening exchanges.
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A stat from Mister Chip on X underlined just how rare it was: "Inter had not trailed by two goals against an opponent in the Italian league within the first ten minutes since the second of December 2016, when they lost to Napoli by three goals to nil."
Where the Milan derby is concerned, the last similar incident dates back to the sixth of November 1949, when Enrico Candiani scored twice for Milan in the first and seventh minutes. Inter turned it around in astonishing fashion that day, winning 6-5.
Back in the present, Inter went looking for a way in. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back in the 22nd minute, only for Milan to restore their two-goal cushion through Diego Moreira in the 43rd. The hosts led by two at the break.