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You are in: Football: Features |  |
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AC Milan v Internazionale | |
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Around the Academy: |
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This derby is the clash of the Italian titans! The great Milan derby has been referred to by many as feuding cousins after the two clubs split following a row back in 1908! Tell us more? And by 1908 a group of Italian and Swiss members had set up a rival football team, calling it Internazionale (International) as a jibe at their former club. Milan responded by keeping their English Milan title but added the Italian 'Associazone Calcio'. Six months later the rivalry began on the pitch when the two clubs played each other. Not a good start for the newly formed Inter club - they lost 2-1. But the rivalry is more about city pride than any religious or cultural differences.
And what makes it even more interesting is that they share the same home. They play at the giant Giuseppe Meazza stadium (named after Inter's all-time leading goalscorer), although we know it better as the San Siro. AC Milan's supporters are traditionally drawn from the working classes and the trade unions, while Inter fans have tended to be from the more prosperous areas of the city. How passionate are the fans? The stands of the 85,000-seater stadium form a steep wall of noise and colour around the pitch which is a breathtaking experience for players as well as fans! Both clubs have 'hardcore' fans that add the colour and real passion to the fixture with their flags and flares. These fans are known as 'Ultras'. Inter's 'irriducibili' (Indomitable) sport their club's blue and black colours, while Milan is red and black. So who's on top?
Milan have enjoyed great success under the ownership of millionaire president Silvio Berlusconi. They were European champions three times between 1988 and 1993. Not a bad man to have at the helm. Berlusconi is actually Italy's current Prime Minister. Better than a biased ref! Honours are relatively even between the two teams over the last few seasons. A Vieri goal ended a run of bad results for Inter last season. A good thing too considering AC Milan had won 6-0 and 4-2 in previous meetings.
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