AC Milan 2-3 Inter Milan
Chaotic, passionate, wild, eventful – this battle for Champions League qualification as well as local pride, meant the 223rd Milan derby (170th in Serie A) was always destined to be an appointment to keep. And my word it was!
Only one point separated the local rivals going into the Derby Della Madonnia, so tensions were even higher than normal inside the magnificent San Siro.
This SBOBET observer had confidently predicted a Milan success.
After all, Inter’s injuries were mounting, while their confidence had also taken a dip after bowing out of the Europa League to Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek.
Then again, derbies can be great levellers.
Whatever was going to happen, the scene was scene for a contest that set a Serie A record for revenue, surpassing the previous tally of €5.29m set when Inter hosted Juventus in April last year.
This was largely because over 4,000 tickets were bought by fans who are based outside of Italy and travelling specifically for a derby expected to produce many Serie A highlights.
What would they witness?
Highlights of the game
Although Inter have already shown a liking for the big occasion this season, they were weakened without Mauro Icardi who scored a dramatic injury-time winner in the derby earlier in the campaign.
The striker has not even trained with his teammates since he was stripped of the captaincy on February 13 – officially due to a knee injury, but intensive negotiations and an all-clear from the club doctor points to considerably more.
With Radja Nainggolan and Joao Mario joining him on the sidelines, few would have expected them to make such an intensive start.
Three minutes in and Ivan Perisic stood the ball up to the back post, Lautaro Martinez headed down and Matias Vecino volleyed in from four yards.
Milan, for whom Gennaro Gattuso had virtually a fully strength squad to choose from, were stunned.
Samir Handanovic, given the captain’s armband in Icardi’s absence, palmed away a long-range strike from Lucas Paqueta but Lautaro would have doubled Inter’s lead but for a perfectly timed Davide Calabria challenge.
Home winger Hakan Calhanogluthen produced a powerful drive that Handanovic did well to block, yet Inter thoroughly deserved their interval lead.
Six minutes after the break and it was 2-0 as Stefan de Vrij was left with a free header from a corner which he guided perfectly into the top corner.
Milan needed a quick response and managed one within six minutes.
Calhanoglu floated the ball into the danger zone and on-loan Chelsea man Tiemoue Bakayoko got in front of his marker to head home.
The mood among Milan fans lifted and, even after Gianluigi Donnarumma kept out a Milan Skriniar header destined for the top corner, you sensed an equaliser was coming.
Inter were having none of it!
Matteo Politanowas fouled in the box, despite home protests, and Lautaro’s spot-kick was too powerful for Donnarumma, even though the 20 year-old shot-stopper guessed correctly.
There was more drama to come as four minutes later, the hosts were back in it.
From a Suso cross, Handanovic managed to expertly prevent Danilo D’Ambrosio from putting the ball in his own net but Mateo Musacchio was on hand to smash in the rebound.
Tensions were evident as the substituted Franck Kessielost his cool with team-mate Lucas Biglia and had to be restrained on the Milan bench.
Focus then switched back on the pitch as a combination of de Vrij and Handanovic managed to hack the ball to safety with Krzysztof Piatek ready to pounce.
Passions were running high and three minutes from time one man seemed to have gone too far when Andrea Conti was shown a red card for a high tackle on Martinez.
When, after a VAR review, that was rescinded to yellow, Inter coach Luciano Spalletti was furious and saw red for his reaction.
In one of six minutes of stoppage time, Handanovic was the hero to parry a Samu Castillejo header and then, with seconds left on the clock, Patrick Cutrone’s shot was cleared off the line by a brilliant block by D’Ambrosio.
The block alone deserved to win the derby for Inter. They had triumphed against the odds.
Key statistics
Inter are now unbeaten in the last six Milan derbies (for the first time since 1999).
Vecino’s opener was the quickest in a Milan derby since Pato for AC Milan (after 43 seconds) in April 2011.
What’s next?
The Serie A betting odds still point towards both Milan clubs sealing top four berths.
It’s a big April for Milan coming up with six games, including league and cup clashes with Lazio (twice) and Juventus. Their next match immediately following the international break is away to Sampdoria.
Inter also have key games coming up. They are next in action at home to Lazio two weeks today (March 31) before visiting Genoa on April 3.
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