Milan Inter in Champions League. The Match between the two Milanese Teams is the next Champions League Semi-Final: a Retrospective of Previous Challenges
The Derby of Milan City is one of the most eagerly awaited matches in the world of football. When the city’s two teams, Inter and AC Milan, play each other, the passion and enthusiasm of the fans reaches its peak.
The Champions League is the most prestigious competition in European football, and when Inter and AC Milan qualified for the semi-finals, the Derby of Milan City became even more special.
And that’s not all: the double challenge will take place in the temple of world football, the San Siro Meazza stadium, one of the most beautiful and prestigious stadiums in the world, also known as ‘La Scala del Calcio’ (La Scala of Football), to underline the concurrence in our city of two world-class monuments (the other, of course, being La Scala Theatre).
How the two Milanese teams reached the Semi-Finals of the Champions League
Inter is a team with a great tradition in the Champions League. Simone Inzaghi‘s team has won the competition three times, in 1964 and 1965, when it was still called the Champions Cup, and the last time in 2010, with Mourinho and the famous ‘triplete’ (‘triple win’), i.e., winning the league, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League in the same year (a goal never achieved by any other Italian team in the history of football). Inter was one of the strongest teams in the competition this year. In the group stage they qualified as runners-up to Bayern Munich, eliminating none other than Barcelona. Then in the round of 16 it crushed Portuguese side Porto and in the quarter-finals its rivals Benfica from Lisbon.
Panoramica view of the curva nord nerazzurra, foto flickr, creative commons license
AC Milan, on the other hand, have won the Champions League seven times, another record at national level and second only to the great Real Madrid, who have won 14 Champions Leagues. Milan won the Champions Cup in 1963, 1969, but after a long pause, they triumphed again in 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and the last time in 2007, when the Rossoneri managed to wrest the title from Liverpool, playing the final at the Olympic Stadium in Athens (a place that has seen many epic pages!).
Panoramica view of the curva sud rossonera, creative commons license
Stefano Pioli‘s team has experienced an up-and-down period in recent years, but made a big leap forward this year in Europe. After finishing second in their group, behind England’s Chelsea, AC Milan eliminated Kane‘s Tottenham Hotspurs in the round of Eighth-Finals and Napoli in the Quarter-Finals.
Both teams will face each other in a Derby of Milan City in the Champions League Semi-Final. A Derby that is already in the history of Italian and European football even before it begins. It will be a match that will attract the attention of the entire football world and will be broadcast worldwide. So we can be proud of the fact that Milan will once again be at the centre of the world’s attention.
History of the Derby of Milan City in the Champions League
The Derby di Milano (Derby of Milan City) in the semi-final of the Champions League already occurred in 2003 and the double challenge was won by AC Milan. It was a hard-fought double match, but there was no history and the Rossoneri gained access to the Final, which they then won against Buffon’s Juventus. In the first leg it ended 0-0, but in the return, in that crazy semi-final, AC Milan nabbed the qualification to the Final, drawing 1-1 ‘away from home’ and thus passing the round to the detriment of their usual rivals. In that match, which many AC Milan fans remember even more than the Final, precisely because they eliminated Inter, Shevchenko gave the Rossoneri the lead with a sharp dribble over Cordoba, after Seedorf‘s pass and a right-footer under the crossbar to thunder Francesco Toldo. Milan had a good game to manage, but the entry of Kallon and Martins shuffled the cards. The Nigerian equalised with a left-footed shot at the far post, taking advantage of a Paolo Maldini defaults, and opened the Nerazzurri’s final siege that we all remember: it was Abbiati’s miracle on Kallon‘s close-range right-footed shot that gave Milan the Manchester final, which they then won against Juve.
Incidentally, that year too the initial challenge was AC Milan-Inter, with the return Inter-AC Milan, and who knows whether this coincidence of cabala might not bring good luck to the AC Milan Rossoneri! A final note: It is the 20th anniversary of that fixture, which was played on 7 May in the first leg and 13 May 2003 in the return. And that time too it was played six days apart, first on Wednesday and then on Tuesday. Exactly as it will happen this time, after twenty years!
The 2005 Derby of Shame
Milan, April 6th and 12nd 2005, another challenge again six days apart (courses and recourses!), but this time in the Quarter-Finals and also that time the first challenge was AC Milan-Inter with AC Milan playing the first one ‘at home’ (which is not taken for granted, because as always, with equal goals scored, any goals scored away from home count double).
There is tension. Incidentally, there are two strong teams at the rendezvous, chasing Juventus in the championship, who will win a Scudetto that will later be erased from the history books, due to the various scandals of the Bianconeri club (the last one is from this year).
It is a celebration of football, San Siro Stadium is preparing for a world-famous catwalk again, but the Milan side of the Nerazzurri is thirsting for (sporting) revenge and wants to redeem itself from the semi-final lost two years earlier. There are also some statements by the respective presidents that contribute to not soothing the spirits: Galliani says he does not want a challenge with other Italian teams, when there is only Inter left as the Italian team, while Moratti speaks bluntly of a rematch of 2003 and charges the match with extra-sporting meanings, with the consequent traditional taunts between the two fans.
“I wholeheartedly hope not to meet Italian teams in the Champions League quarter-finals. Above all, I wouldn’t want to face Inter because for us who live in Milan it would be hell. I remember the week of the 2003 Champions derby for me it was the worst of all in terms of tension”.
(Adriano Galliani, former President of AC Milan)
“Let’s say that the semi-final of 2003 has remained in our mind. Now we have the possibility to get rid of this nuisance in a few words.”
(Massimo Moratti, former President of Inter)
The first leg, on the pitch, saw a peremptory and sacrosanct 2-0 victory by AC Milan against Inter, with goals from Stam and Schevchenko, and this charged the return match even more.
Which in fact will blow everything up.
Dida’s Firecracker and Milan’s Forfeit Victory
The challenge did not disappoint expectations, the two teams faced off, but AC Milan gave the impression from the start that they had a couple more things going for them: a Shevchenko in great form and a Dida in a goalkeeper version.
Inter, lined up by Roberto Mancini in a 4-2-3-1 formation in which Van der Meyde, Veron and Kily Gonzalez acted in support of Adriano, saw their every attempt repulsed by the Brazilian goalkeeper, while on the other side it was the Ukrainian star, on the stroke of half an hour, who found the intuition that gave the Rossoneri the lead: a ballistic feat that could potentially close the game.
Roberto Mancini‘s men, down by a goal, tried to react and it was an onslaught, because Inter had to score four goals to pass the round. AC Milan resisted and tried to play on the throw-in, all while Dida continued to parry everything. Which makes the Inter Curva Nord doubly nervous.
The Brazilian extreme defender’s performance was practically perfect, but in the 71st minute he too had to capitulate: a corner beaten from the right by the late Mihajlovic, the ball crossed the entire small area, arriving at the sides of Cambiasso who did not miss, taking advantage, among other things, of a far from perfect exit by Dida himself. It was the goal that could in some way reopen the game, although Inter needed a 4-1 lead at this point and had less than 20 minutes to make it happen, but German referee Merk cancelled and all hell broke loose.
The goal seemed to most to be validated, but the match director saw an alleged foul by Cruz against the goalkeeper. His is a decision that may cause debate and that unleashes the anger of those who at the precise moment of the cancellation have already made in their hearts the decision that will give the challenge an unexpected turn: that Derby must not end.
From the Curva Nord it began to rain everything and the Rossoneri area became a veritable shooting gallery for the Nerazzurri fans. Smoke bombs came from the stands like it was raining and one hit AC Milan goalkeeper Dida on the right shoulder. The goalkeeper was escorted by his teammates away from the area that had become dangerous to undergo the necessary treatment and in the meantime it was already clear to everyone that it could not continue like this.
Merk called everyone back to the locker room and the AC Milan players on their way back were forced to avoid all kinds of objects coming onto the pitch at crazy speed. What was supposed to be an extraordinary spectacle, a spot for AC Milan and Italian football, turned into what will be remembered by many as the Derby of Shame.
After the final whistle, no one will be able to hide their disappointment. Neither will Carlo Ancelotti, who already knows that a 3-0 aggregate victory awaiting his AC Milan team will mean passage to the next round.
It is Italian football and its image that will emerge wounded from that night of 12 April 2005.
How the Champions League Semi-Final Double-Header between AC Milan and Inter looks like
Both teams have talented players in every department. Both teams have given the impression that they have slacked off a bit in the league, giving the impression that they want to focus all season on the Champions League. Especially AC Milan, while in addition Inter are already sure finalists in the Coppa Italia and will face Fiorentina in the final on 24 May 2023 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Inter can count on Romelu Lukaku, one of the best strikers in the world, and Nicolò Barella, a very promising young midfielder. But also world champion Lautaro Martinez is now a thoroughbred dragger of the attack, and together with Lukaku this pair is capable of making no one sleep soundly.
AC Milan pitted the Nerazzurri battleship against attackers like Giroud and Rafael Leão.
The match will be an opportunity for both teams to prove their strength in the competition and advance to the final. Inter will try to redeem their team, certainly thinking back to 2003 and 2005. AC Milan will try to return to winning the Champions League, which is now the only goal of the season.
What to Expect from the Match
It will be a very tactical match, with both teams trying to exploit their qualities. Inter will try to play a more physical and direct football, while AC Milan will try to play a more technical and ball possession football. The teams will fear each other and will study each other thoroughly before sinking their actions. Let’s just hope that there will be no nervousness and that everything will unfold correctly. Agonism yes, but without impropriety and sticking to fair play. That is what we all hope, who are football fans before being fans.
How to Enjoy the Derby of Milan City
The Derby of Milan City in the Semi-Final of the Champions League is an unmissable event for all football fans, not only Milanese. On the one hand, Italian football is redeeming itself in Europe after years of crisis, culminating with the exclusion of the Italian national football team from the last World Cup in Qatar. This match will therefore also be a redemption in national terms throughout Europe, and we hope not to see the scenes of the Derby of Shame of 2005 again. We recommend to all fans sobriety and healthy sporting competition, based on fairness and mutual respect.
The official news has also arrived that the Derby of Milan City in the Champions League will be broadcast ‘free-to-air’ on national networks. Negotiations for the ‘free-to-air’ transfer are still ongoing at the moment and as soon as we know something, we will update this article. In addition, it will be able to be seen, as per TV contracts on the Amazon Prime online platform (for a fee).
The first leg match is therefore set for Wednesday 10 May at 8.45 pm and will certainly be a great spectacle for all. The return match, on the other hand, will be played on Tuesday, 16 May 2023, with kick-off always at 9 p.m. and TV connection at 8.45 p.m.
Match report Milan Inter (0-2)
First half: it’s all Inter
The first half of Milan-Inter was all Inter. Both teams pressed against each other, fiercely contesting every inch of the pitch. Every pass was a struggle as they exchanged deep shots and changes of pitch, searching for an advantage to break the deadlock. Then, on 8 minutes, Inter finally found the opening they were looking for. Dzeko turned on the spot, exploiting a mismatch with Calabria and putting the Nerazzurri ahead. Things only got better for them from there. Just three minutes later, what can only be described as brilliant teamwork culminated in a precise assist from Lautaro Martinez for Mkhitaryan, who wrapped up Inter’s lead. Milan tried to get back into the game by moving Brahim Diaz into a trequartista role, but their attacks on the left flank ultimately lacked the necessary incisiveness. Meanwhile, Inter remained patient and bided their time before striking quickly vertically whenever they regained possession of the ball. There was also a Chalanoglu post, which could have been the final push and narrowly missed going in. It was a game dominated by Inter and we will have to wait and see if Milan have any response to their scintillating display.
Second half: too timid a reaction from the Rossoneri devils
The second half restarted with no changes and Milan tried to recover.
Milan started more aggressively with a higher centre of gravity. They procured a couple of chances with Messias and Brahim Diaz, making a quicker switch to the outside of the box once they had regained the ball. But it was still Inter who were most dangerous with Dzeko’s quick transitions and tactical intelligence.
For Inter on 68′ Brozovic came on for Mkhitaryan with Chananoglu going on at half-back. Inzaghi tries to increase ball possession to breathe and take fuel away from Milan’s attacking drive. At 70′ Lukaku comes in for the best man on the pitch Dzeko and De Vrij comes in for Dimarco. New forces to keep the ball forward more and to manage Origi, who entered the game well.
At 78′ Calhanoglu leaves through injury in his place for Gagliardini, while Correa takes the place of Lautaro Martinez, who spent a lot of time in hand-to-hand combat with the Milan defence.
Changes also came for Pioli to replace men who had given their all and look for new energy: 82′ Kalulu and Pobega for the exhausted Calabria and Diaz. But none of the Rossoneri’s changes brought the spark that would have been needed to reopen the match.
Final thoughts on Milan Inter’s Champions League first leg match
Inzaghi preferred Chalanoglu to Brozovic and chose not to look for prolonged dribbling, but to privilege the insertions of the central midfielders with the Turk precisely but also with Barella and Mkhitaryan. A wise choice that surprised Milan and in three minutes Inter closed the file.
Milan’s tactical plan did not work. The absence of Leao was felt and the aggression on the outside did not yield great opportunities. However, Pioli had no solutions on the bench to try to change their set-up. So Inter had an easy time managing the result, gradually inserting men who were more devoted to management than to aggression. If Milan created a few goal chances in the second half, it must be said that Inter had the chance to close the game definitively.
There remains a return match, which may hold surprises, especially if Milan manage to recover the only player in the squad capable of changing the game’s fortunes. Otherwise Pioli will have to come up with a completely different solution to find the way of the goal and have a chance of winning the final.
The FAQ of the Semi-Finals of Champions League between AC Milan and Inter
What are the past results between Inter and AC Milan in the Champions League?
Inter and AC Milan have faced each other in two double-headers (four times) in the Champions League. The first was in 2003 with two draws, but because of the goals scored away from home, AC Milan passed the round, who then went on to win the Champions League that year, beating Juventus in the Final. In the 2005 Quarter-Finals AC Milan passed the round, winning both matches: the first in the first leg 2-0 at home, with goals from Stam and Schevchenko; the second 3-0 after the Derby of Shame.
Who are the key players for Inter in the Derby of Milan City?
The key players for Inter in the Derby of Milan City are Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez.
Who are the key players for AC Milan in the Derby of Milan City?
The key players for AC Milan in the Derby of Milan City are without any doubt Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leão.
Where can I watch the Derby of Milan City on television?
The Champions League Derby of Milan City will be broadcast on ‘free-to-air’ television on a TV network yet to be determined (as soon as something is known for sure, we will write about it) and also on the Amazon Prime pay-per-view platform. There will be extensive specials introducing the two return matches and the link-up will start as early as 7.30 p.m. on Amazon Prime, while on Canale 5 the link-up will start after the evening TG5.
What are the favourite team’s chances of winning?
There is no favourite team, especially when it comes to the Derby, which goes beyond the dynamics and evaluations made ‘on paper’.
Who do the staff of your AN Hotels root for?
Our staff is almost equally divided in their support between the two Milanese teams, so even in the hotel there is a nice mixture, but always based on fairness and mutual respect.
Where to sleep after the Champions League Derby of Milan City?
We know that both AC Milan and Inter Milan enjoy a nationwide following and that they have fans scattered all over Italy and that many will come to watch the match starting from the central and southern regions of Italy and making the journey by car or bus in groups organised by the various clubs. There are many fans leaving from Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Lazio. After the match, we suggest that you do not embark on a tiring overnight return journey. Our two three-star AN Hotels, AN Hotel Dépendance Melegnano and AN Hotel AN Hotel Melegnano, are waiting for you to regain your energy and rest after the match. Our four-star AN Park Hotel ibis Styles Settala, on the other hand, is located on the return route for the fan buses coming from the Triveneto region, as far as Friuli Venezia-Giulia. Our comfortable rooms at our AN Hotels will be your ideal retreat after the excitement of the Champions League Derby of Milan City.
