The Milan clubs meet this weekend for a mouthwatering derby. With 16 rounds of fixtures remaining this season, the clubs are separated by just one point at the top of the Serie A table. It has been a decade since they finished in the top two spots in the league. Milan won the title that season, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the line. The result on Sunday could go some way to deciding whether history will repeat itself this season.
Inter have trailed their city rivals for much of the season but they finally reached the summit last weekend, after they followed up Milan’s surprising 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Spezia with a 3-1 win over Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team were expected to challenge for the title this season. Milan’s form has been the real surprise, although the return of the Europa League leaves them with a daunting fixture list to navigate over the next few months. Whatever happens later in the season, the Milan derby always produces plenty of memorable moments. Here are the best goals from the fixture over the last 20 years.
5) Marcelo Brozovic, Inter 4-2 Milan, 2019-20
This was one of the last games played at San Siro before the coronavirus pandemic broke out, with 75,000 fans flocking to the stadium to see if Inter could go joint-top of Serie A. League leaders Juventus had lost to Hellas Verona the previous night, giving Inter the chance to capitalise.
Inter’s performance in the first half suggested they would blow the opportunity. Goals from Ante Rebic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave Milan a deserved 2-0 lead at the interval. Inter needed something special to get back into the match. Six minutes after the break, Marcelo Brozovic seized the moment.
Antonio Candreva cut in from the right wing and had a hopeful shot blocked by the Milan defence. The ball spun out to the edge of the area, looping up and into the path of Brozovic. Despite being closed down by Franck Kessie, Brozovic kept his nerve and volleyed the ball with his weaker left foot, arrowing his shot into the bottom corner.
The goal lifted the Inter players and the whole stadium. They dominated the rest of the match. Matias Vecino, Stefan de Vrij and Romelu Lukaku all found the target as Inter ran out 4-2 winners in an electrifying derby.
4) Dejan Stankovic: Milan 0-4 Inter, 2009-10
Inter fans won an unprecedented treble in the 2009-10 season, but the campaign did not get off to the best of starts. They failed to beat Bari in their opening game, drawing 1-1 at San Siro, so fans were expecting a tough game against Milan in their second. Instead, Inter demolished their rivals. Goals from Thiago Motta and Diego Milito gave José Mourinho’s team a 2-0 lead, before Gennaro Gattuso was given his marching orders. Maicon added a third goal before half time, putting the result beyond doubt.
It was left to Dejan Stankovic to crown an emphatic win. Picking the ball up 35 yards from goal, the Serbian midfielder took two touches to get the ball out of his feet before unleashing a vicious shot towards goal. The strike was perfect. It swerved through the air, past the despairing dive of Marco Storari and into the top corner of the goal. It sealed a statement win for Inter and they went on to enjoy the greatest season in their history.
3) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Inter 1-2 Milan, 2020-21
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s winner in the derby earlier this season was a tap-in, but it was also the culmination of an outstanding team goal. Milan went into this game in terrific form, having finished the previous season impressively and won their first three league games of the new campaign. However, those victories had come against Bologna, Crotone and Spezia – teams Milan were expected to beat. Inter would be the real challenge.
Stefano Pioli’s young side started quickly, with Ibrahimovic giving them an early advantage. Three minutes later, Milan doubled their lead with a goal that started by their own corner flag. Davide Calabria played the ball into the feet of Alexis Saelemaekers, who had his back to goal on the right flank, deep inside his own half. With one skilful flick, the Belgian winger eased past his marker and darted towards the halfway line.
From there, he looked inside to find Hakan Calhanoglu, who in turn whipped a first-time pass over to Rafael Leão on the left wing. Inter still had plenty of numbers back in defence, but with one drop of the shoulder, Leão left Danilo D’Ambrosio trailing in his wake.
Inter’s defence was now struggling, with Ibrahimovic free in the middle. Leão still had to deliver a pinpoint cross, though. He did just that. His clipped cross was met on the half-volley by Ibrahimovic, who made no mistake. The goal combined skill, speed and precision to devastating effect. Lukaku pulled one back for Inter, but Milan held out for a 2-1 win. They had shown that they were the real deal.
2) Maicon: Inter 4-2 Milan, 2011-12
You might remember Brazilian right-back Maicon as the player who had two nightmare evenings against Gareth Bale, but he was capable of scoring a spectacular goal himself.
Going into the penultimate game of the 2011-12 season, Milan were a point behind league leaders Juventus and still hoping to win the Scudetto. Inter, meanwhile, had endured a disappointing campaign and were down in sixth place. They had little to play for in the derby, other than ruining Milan’s dreams of a title. It turned out to be more than enough motivation.
Diego Milito put Inter in front before Ibrahimovic scored either side of half time to give Milan a 2-1 lead. Milito refused to be outdone, and scored a pair of penalties to complete his hat-trick and swing the game back in Inter’s favour. As the minutes ticked down, Milan pushed for an equaliser. It was not to be.
In the 87th minute, Maicon picked the ball up just inside the Milan half and charged towards the corner of the penalty box. Mattia De Sciglio failed to close him down sufficiently, tempting Maicon into a long-range shot. He did not need a second invitation. His shot soared into the top corner. Milan keeper Marco Amelia did not move. He had no chance. Maicon whipped his shirt off in celebration. Inter had secured a win over their biggest rivals, and handed Juventus the title in the process.
1) Clarence Seedorf: Milan 3-2 Inter, 2003-04
Clarence Seedorf played for both sides of the Derby della Madonnina, joining Inter from Real Madrid in 2000 for a couple of seasons before enjoying a decade at Milan. He won the lot with the club – two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup – while also chipping in with some great goals. This is one of his best.
When this game kicked off in late February, Milan were five points clear at the top of the table having lost just one match all season. Inter were sixth, a full 16 points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, making Milan clear favourites. Yet goals from Stankovic and Cristiano Zanetti gave Inter a 2-0 lead at half time. Was Milan’s title charge about to be derailed? Not a bit.
Jon Dahl Tomasson halved the deficit early in the second half before Kaká fired home from the edge of the box to level the game at 2-2. With five minutes left, there was nothing to separate the two sides. Then Seedorf stepped up. Receiving the ball 30 yards out, his first touch took him across the pitch rather than towards goal. He was still some way out and contending with a bobbly surface. Most players would have looked for a teammate. But this was Seedorf. He didn’t play the percentages.
With his knee over the ball displaying perfect technique, he rifled a shot towards the far corner of Francesco Toldo’s goal. The ball seemed to pick up pace as it flew past a host of bodies and into the net. Given the quality of the shot, the time it arrived in a pivotal match and the fact it completed a remarkable comeback win for Milan, this goal deserves to top this list.
That memorable five-goal thriller was played on 21 February 2004, meaning Sunday’s game marks the 17th anniversary of that derby. Let’s hope we get another epic contest full of goals this weekend.
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