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The Derby d’Italia between Inter Milan and Juventus FC is known as the ultimate classic in the Serie A. Both clubs come from the largest cities of Northern Italy, have won the most trophies, and have the most supporters. As a consequence, there is a fierce rivalry between I Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues) and I Bianconeri (The White and Blacks). This rivalry has a long history of scandals, accusations and overheated matches. Enjoy the only true classic of Italian football at the legendary San Siro. As the stadium will be demolished within a few years, you shouldn’t wait too long.
This page provides you with all the information you need to get the most out of your football trip to the Derby d’Italia. For example, you will find details regarding:
The fierce rivalry between Inter Milan and Juventus FC goes much deeper than just a rivalry for trophies in the sporting sense. In fact, several incidents have occurred that have put their mutual relations on edge.
During the 1959 –1960 season, a riot broke out during a match between the two teams. Referee Lo Bello accidentally hit Inter player Invernizzi when trying to intervene. The player continued the match, but suffered greatly from the incident and lost his consciousness after the final whistle. Inter wanted the match to be replayed (they had lost with 1-0), but the Italian football association nonetheless decided to approve the result. Piquant fact: president of the association was Umberto Agnelli, who also was the chairman of Juventus FC.
In 1960 –1961, both clubs met in Turin in the midst of an intense battle for the national title. The game attracted too many supporters, and in the 31st minute the match was put on hold because the crowd were coming closer and closer to the pitch. The rule was that on such occasions the victory was to be awarded to the visiting team. The association ruled that Inter had won 0-2 conform the regulations. But weeks later, on the night before the final matchday, a complaint lodged by Juventus FC was declared valid after all. The association decided the game still had to be replayed. Following this decision, the anger of those at Inter reached such an extent that they chose to send their youth team to the pitch for this match. The score was 9-1, the biggest victory in history for Juventus FC, who as a result also managed to claim the title.
During the 1990s, the rivalry reached even greater heights as both clubs were the main contenders for the titles. In 1997 –1998, the referee refused to award a penalty after a foul on Inter striker Ronaldo. Juventus FC won 1-0 and were all set up to grab the title. Inter talked of robbery, and it was even discussed in parliament.
The climax took place when national champions Juventus FC were relegated to the Serie B as a form of punishment due to match fixing in 2006. The national title was declared invalid, causing runners-up Inter Milan to be proclaimed as champions. And that while the Milanese themselves hadn’t been entirely free of blame in the whole bribery scandal either. With that, the rivalry rose to unprecedented heights.
At last, it appeared as though an edition of the Derby d’Italia would make it to the end without any comings together or other unfriendly scenes. After 89 minutes, the score was still 0-0, and nothing conspicuous seemed to be going on. That is, until Juventus FC were awarded a highly controversial penalty in the last minute and Del Piero took advantage of the golden opportunity: 0-1. After that, all hell broke loose. Players of both teams clashed, and it took a while before order could be restored. Inter player Morfeo and Juventus player Conte were both shown a red card as they were seen as the instigators of the scuffle. But that was not the end of the game. In the 95th minute, Inter got a final corner kick. Goalkeeper Toldo came forward, and through a scrimmage the ball ultimately ended up in the back of the net.
Juventus FC had been on top all season long, but started to spill points in the second half of the season. The presence of SSC Napoli, who were getting closer and closer to top spot, was creating quite a bit of nervousness. To make things even worse, when Juve were beaten 0-1 by the Neapolitans, their lead had shrunk to only a single point. One week after that, the crucial away game against Inter was scheduled to take place. The Nerazzurri were still fighting for a Champions League ticket, and the Milan fans wanted nothing more than to see Juve throw away their leading position. However, the game started in the most dramatical fashion for the home team: Inter quickly fell behind 0-1, and midfielder Vecino was sent off. In the second half, Inter fought with all their might, and with ten men were able to hassle themselves back to a 2-1 lead. Juventus FC appeared to be throwing away the Scudetto, until the 87th minute arrived… Skriniar made it 2-2 with an own goal, and in the 90th minute, Higuaín even made it 2-3. The lead over Napoli was upheld, and Juve grabbed its seventh title in a row.
A domestic title was out of question for Inter Milan in the year 2022. But after they had won the Supercoppa Italiana at the expense of Juventus FC in January, the Coppa Italia would follow as well. Yet again, Juve was the opponent. After Nicolo Barella had put Inter 1-0 up, Juventus took the initiative. Even before halftime, Alex Sandro and Dušan Vlahović turned the deficit into a 1-2 lead. After the break, the game unfolded into a truly wonderful match. Thanks to an (again) highly debatable penalty, Inter came back to 2-2, forcing the game into extra time. Inter were awarded a second penalty when Stefan de Vrij was brought down by Matthijs de Ligt. Ivan Perisic converted from the spot, and later concluded the match with his second of the game for 4-2. With two prizes and a second-place finish in the league, Inter couldn’t be dissatisfied. Juventus FC did not win a single trophy in the 2021 –2022 season, something that hadn’t happened since the 2010 –2011 season.
With Juventus FC and Inter Milan, we find ourselves among the two most successful clubs of Italy, although Juventus have won considerably more trophies than Inter. The Zebras’ trophy cabinet counts no less than 70 domestic and international trophies, compared to 42 for the Blue and Blacks*.
Juventus became champions of Italy an impressive 36 times. Their best period was from 2012 to 2020, when they were crowned national champions nine times in a row. A tenth consecutive title was prevented by Inter Milan, who won their 19th domestic title in 2021. Juventus also won the Coppa Italia more times than Inter (14 against 8), and the same goes for the Supercoppa Italiana (9 against 6).
Also in international regard Juventus have enjoyed just that bit more success. Together with Manchester United, AFC Ajax, Chelsea FC and Bayern Munich, the club belongs to the European elite that was able to win all three European cups. The UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup (formerly the Intercontinental Cup) have also been won, and so Juventus FC have won all there is to win. Despite this abundance of past glories, Juventus haven’t managed to win a single European trophy this century. Their final trophy dates from 1996 (Champions League and Intercontinental Cup). Of course, that’s way too long ago in the eyes of their grumbling fanbase.
However, Inter Milan can proudly say that they have won the Champions League more often. Both in 1964 and 1965, as well as in 2010, Inter were crowned the best of Europe. The UEFA Cup and the Intercontinental Cup were won three times. Only the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Super Cup are missing from their trophy cabinet.
* Trophies are up-to-date up to and including 2021–2022
The legendary San Siro stadium is officially named the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza since 1980, in honour of the great eponymous Inter legend. In the rest of the world, though, the stadium is known primarily as San Siro, after the district in which it is situated. With 75,923 seats, it is the largest football temple of Italy. It was opened in 1926 as the first stadium in Italy that was used solely for football matches. Together with the stadium in Genoa, it was the only stadium without a cinder track.
For the first 20 years, only AC Milan played in the stadium. Namely, Inter Milan still played in the Arena Civica, which, by the way, still exists to this day. It wasn’t until 1947 that Inter also moved to San Siro.
The stadium has a legendary status and has hosted many historic football matches. For example, matches were also played here during two World Cups and one European Championship, in addition to several European Cup finals.
However, the growing age of San Siro means that the stadium hardly complies to the demands of the present day. Some parts look dilapidated, and it is way too big to fill to capacity for the less interesting games. The tourists will not care about this and will only be attracted by the impressive character of the stadium. Season ticket holders, on the other hand, are in need of improved conditions. For that reason, San Siro will be permanently demolished after the 2026 Winter Olympics. It will be replaced by ‘The Cathedral’ – a modern stadium abound with glass structures and offering 65,000 seats. If you want to experience the classic of Italy in the legendary San Siro, you will really need to do so in one of the coming seasons.
Practical information
The stadium is located in the San Siro district, about six kilometres from the city centre. Perhaps a bit too far to go by foot, but fortunately, there are various ways to get to the stadium by public transport.
The most straightforward way to travel is by subway. You take line M5 (‘Lilla’, or the lilac or purple line) and travel to the San Siro Stadio stop. This is also the end point of the line, stopping right next to the stadium. You can also get off one stop before that (‘Lotto’ stop) and walk to the stadium in ten minutes among the crowd. The advantage of this is that you’ll also walk past all the souvenir and food stalls.
Starting from Tirana Plaza in the city centre, you can also take bus 49 and get off at the Via Harar bus stop. A third option is to go by tram. From Piazza Fontana you hop on line 16 and get off at the Piazzale Axum end point. This stop is located next to San Siro stadium.
San Siro Museum and Stadium Tour
Naturally, you’d also want to take part in the Stadio San Siro Museum & Tour during your football trip to the derby. Because Inter Milan shares the stadium with city rival AC Milan, you’ll find a museum here representing the respective histories of both clubs. The story of the Milanese clubs is told through shirts, shoes, trophies and various other memorabilia. The museum is located inside the stadium, accessible via entrance 14. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00, or until 18:00 from March to October. In addition, daily stadium tours are also held between 10:00 and 18:00. Led by a guide, you’ll bring a visit to the dressing rooms, press room, the dugouts and the VIP stand. The price is €30 for adults and €23 for children of up to 14 years. The museum cannot be visited on its own, only in combination with the stadium tour.
The San Siro district offers various cafes and restaurants around the stadium for you to satisfy your appetite on matchdays.
At less than 140 metres from San Siro you’ll find Al Meazza Ristorante Pizzeria (Via Capecelatro 91), where you can choose from nearly 50 different pizzas, antipasti and Chinese dishes. You can also opt for the more inexpensive menus of €10, €12 or €15 per person. The service is fast, the prices low, and you can take a seat and make use of the restrooms. That said, this place is immensely popular on matchdays.
A visit to the ice cream parlour can of course not be missing from your trip to Italy. Luckily for you, one of the best establishments that Milan has to offer is located at 800 metres from San Siro stadium. Gelateria Floriana, at Via Novara 139, was established over 40 years ago and serves delicious homemade ice cream. It’s difficult to choose from the dozens of flavours available, but especially the pistachio Cremino, almond, and peanut are highly praised. You can sit either inside or outside.
At the Via Giulio Cesare Procaccini 61 you will find the best sports pub in San Siro, located just a few subway stops from the stadium (subway line 5 to Gerusalemme). The 442 Sports Pub is a true football pub where the walls are decorated from top to bottom with scarves of football teams from all over the world. Furthermore, you will find few places in the city where football is shown on the numerous TV screens, combined with a large selection of beers.
In the centre of Milan you can find The English Football Pub. It is somewhat hidden in a side street near Plaza del Duomo (Via Valpetrosa 5), and therefore doesn’t attract that many tourists. The pub is adorned with countless shirts, banners and scarves and shows football matches from Italy and England on the various screens. They serve a wide variety of draft beers and the food is also of fine quality.