Ranking Inter Milan’s most iconic moments at San Siro

A Historic Stadium, home to two historic teams in Italy. Let's talk about the most iconic moments of Blue and Black side of Milan at the stadium.

With official reports in Italy confirming that both Milan clubs are planning to leave the San Siro in 2024, the Champions League 22-23 Semi-Final fixture is like the ultimate farewell for the Milan fans and loyalists. The San Siro was constructed in 1926 and was the first home stadium of AC Milan.

During that time, Inter would play their home games in the smaller Arena Civic. It wasn't until 1947 that both sides called the San Siro their home ground. The ground share for many reasons including a lack of alternatives in the city of Milan and simply the convenience for both sets of fans to get to the stadium. The San Siro is located in the center of Milan, making it easily accessible for fans of both sides. To avoid fixtures clashing, the two teams never have home games on the same day.

Inter Milan were established in 1908, and just two years later, in 1910, the club won its first title. Since the club’s inception, it has been awarded a total of 33 domestic trophies, including 19 league championships, 08 Coppa Italia titles, and 06 Supercoppa Italiana crowns. Inter has been around for more than a century, which means it can look back on some pretty incredible events in its history, and today, we are going to be looking through some of the club’s most iconic moments at this Iconic Stadium.

6. Inter Milan 0-3 AC Milan (2005)

Champions League quarterfinals 2004-05: Inter forfeit, The image of Inter's Marco Materazzi and Milan's Rui Costa standing together and observing the chaos in front of them remains one of the most iconic in the competition's history.

Personally, for Inter this was not a memorable fixture but one cannot complete a list of the most memorable matches at San Siro without talking about this match-up. Two seasons after the 2002-03 semifinals, Inter and AC Milan met again for the second time in the history of the Champions League.

The Rossoneri won 2-0 in the first leg with the goals scored by Stam and Shevchenko, who also scored the opening goal of the second leg. However, the game was abandoned after 72 minutes due to flares thrown onto the pitch by Inter fans after a goal was disallowed by the Nerazzurri, one of which struck Milan goalkeeper Dida. UEFA awarded Milan a 3–0 win and also ordered Inter to play their next four European games behind closed doors. Carlo Ancelotti's team qualified for the final that year but then lost to Liverpool in one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of the competition.

5. AC Milan 6-3 Inter (1926)

The first-ever game at the stadium saw Inter thrash AC Milan. The stadium was officially inaugurated with a game between the two Milanese rivals, AC Milan and Internazionale, on September 19, 1926. Because the stadium was owned by AC Milan in the first decades, AC Milan was basically the home team during this match. The game was a humiliating event for the home team because they were defeated 3-6, not a day they would like to remember but Inter Milan had made their mark and liking towards their future home stadium.

4. Inter Milan 4-3 AC Milan (2006)

It's not easy to see seven goals scored in the Derby della Madonnina, as it often is a tense game. However, in 2006 it happened. That was the first Milan derby after the Calciopoli scandal that deeply affected Italian soccer. With Juventus playing in the second division, Inter became the number one candidate to dominate the league after signing both Patrick Vieira and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Juventus.

Inter went up by three goals scored by Hernan Crespo, Dejan Stankovic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic before AC Milan scored the first goal with Seedorf. Marco Materazzi scored his first goal in the derby later, but also received a second yellow card after celebrating and was sent off. With the advantage, the Rossoneri scored two goals with Alberto Gilardino and Kaka but failed to equalize and the game ended 4-3. One of the most thrilling Milan derbies in history.

3. Inter Milan 5-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (2020)

With Antonio Conte, Inter Milan qualified to an European final for the first time in a decade, and the Italian team was on fire in all the departments on the football field. Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku scored twice each as Inter ended its wait, demolishing Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 in the Europa League semifinals.

Conte’s team went into final with a six-game winning run, having conceded only once in its last seven games but lost to eventual winners Sevilla. This match at San Siro saw Inter Milan making history as this was the biggest margin of victory ever in a single UEFA Cup/ Europa League semi-final game.

2. Inter Milan 4-0 AC Milan (2009)

Jose Mourinho's second season at Inter started off with one of the most unexpected results in the history of the derbies. The Nerazzurri have had some fine teams over the years, but Jose Mourinho's treble-winning side of the 2009-10 season is probably the best of the lot.

They were an unstoppable force in every competition they played, with the first derby of the season making that crystal clear. Milan was simply unable to keep up with the pace and intelligence of their rivals on the day, ending up as 4-0 losers - the damage being done by Thiago Motta, Diego Milito, Maicon, and Dejan Stankovic. Inter's season ended with the team coached by Mourinho winning the treble: the Serie A title, the Coppa Italian, and most importantly the first Champions League in 45 years.

1. Inter Milan 3-1 Barcelona (2010)

Well, this one is a classic in the memories of not only Inter fans but the whole football world. If anyone Mourinho's men were seen as the fluke to be the treble contenders, post this match it confirmed their contention to be the history makers in Italy.

It was against none other than star-studded, Barcelona with Pedro, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and Ibrahimovic returning to his former club. Their Champions League semi-final first-leg win over Barcelona proved that. The visitors did go in front, but a majestic Inter performance wasn't to be prevented as they stormed back to victory with goals from Wesley Sneijder, Diego Milito, and Maicon turning the game, and the tie, on its head. A tactical battle between Pep Guardiola and Mourinho made the clash such an enticing watch, in what was a packed and raucous San Siro.

A European classic that ended with Barcelona getting knocked out of the competition and Inter going to the competition final where they did the impossible by winning against German Giants Bayern and becoming the first ever Italian Team in the country to complete a Treble.