Milan celebrates civic first

By Richard Whittle

Milan is the only city to have produced two European Champion Clubs' Cup winners and this season's UEFA Champions League semi-final meeting between AC Milan and FC Internazionale sets another first in city rivalry.

Fashion and football
Milan have lifted Europe’s premier trophy on five occasions and have been runners-up once while Inter won it in 1964 and 1965 and finished losing finalists twice. With some justification the 'capital of fashion' can add football to that title, even if the rivalry is not as fierce as that between clubs in Rome and Glasgow.

Historic divisions
Just as on any other derby day at the San Siro, the respective sets of supporters will mingle before the game. The historic divisions – Milan’s working-class left-wing leanings opposed to Inter’s well-heeled conservative following – have become blurred to the point where only the scarves draped over stylish shoulders can betray a Milanese's allegiance. In fact, games against Juventus FC grab keener attention and if the Turin club overcome Real Madrid CF in the other semi-final then Italy will be contemplating the 'mother of all finals'.

Breakaway element
Milan started life as a social club for the expatriate English community in 1899 as Milan Cricket and Football Club and although they adopted the Italian 'Associazione Calcio' and dropped any reference to cricket, the English 'Milan' remained. A breakaway element dissatisfied with the exclusivity of the club formed Internazionale in 1908 out of which the 'Derby della Madonnina' - named after the statue that adorns the spire on the city's cathedral - was born.

Domestic rivalry
Apart from the war years, the only seasons not witnessing a derby were in the early 1980s when Milan were relegated to Serie B twice, but this domestic rivalry has never before been played out on the European stage – a trend that may alter with the change in format in both the Champions League and UEFA Cup.

Genuine animosity
There have been six one-country finals in the UEFA Cup, four of them all-Italian affairs - including Inter's victories over AS Roma and S.S. Lazio in 1991 and 1998 respectively. The Spanish showdown between Real Madrid CF and Valencia CF in the 2000 Champions League final was a first but failed to reach the heights of a passionate derby affair, even ignoring the fact Madrid were comfortable 3-0 winners.

Power base
However, with the European power base seemingly centering on Spain, Italy and England, the opportunity for more mouth-watering Champions League clashes grows: recent semi-finals have seen Madrid meet arch-rivals FC Barcelona while the Catalans were eliminated by Valencia CF in 2000.

Bragging rights
The prospect of Manchester United FC drawing Arsenal FC may become more commonplace but a genuine city derby will still remain a rare occurrence, with no European city able to claim two sides genuinely strong enough to match the Milan duo. The 254th meeting between Milan and Inter will be an extraordinary occasion, with the outcome transcending mere domestic bragging rights – something Milan defender Paolo Maldini understands better than most.

'Strange event'
"It will be a strange event - a foreign referee, played over two games, 180 minutes rather than 90 minutes in the championship," said the 34-year-old who played in his first derby in 1985. "We have played them over two legs before in the Italian Cup, of course, but I would be lying if I said this wasn't an occasion to savour."