SNAPSHOTS | A look back at previous Coppa Italia Derby encounters

MILAN - A Derby is still a Derby. Whether it’s in the league or the cup, this local rivalry promises plenty of emotion. Tuesday night’s game at San Siro (20:45 CET, our match preview here) will be a straight knockout tie and one which guarantees passage to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. The winner will face either Juventus or SPAL.

This will Derby number 25 in the competition. In the previous 24, AC Milan are just ahead with ten wins to Inter’s seven, while there have been seven draws. This will be the fifth time that the two sides have met at this stage of the tournament, with the Rossoneri progressing on three occasions and the Nerazzurri making it through once. The most recent meeting between the two sides in the cup was a quarter-final clash in December 2017, when AC Milan emerged victorious after extra time.

The first Derby in the Coppa Italia was in 1958, while the first win for the Nerazzurri came in 1974, a victory over two legs with goals from Boninsegna and Mazzola. The two have only ever met once in the final, in 1977.

1977, the final and Mazzola’s departure Inter were defeated 2-0 by AC Milan (Maldera and Braglia) in an unfortunate final for the Nerazzurri. The match was significant for three reasons: the cup lifted at the end, Nereo Rocco’s last game as the Rossoneri’s coach and, above all, the final game of Sandro Mazzola’s career. The Nerazzurri great bid farewell to Inter wearing a beautiful white shirt in the final.

The only Derby in 1980/1981 With AC Milan in Serie B, the only meeting between the two sides in 1980/81 season came in the group stage of the Coppa Italia. On 7 September 1980, the Nerazzurri won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Altobelli.

Bergomi’s first goal In 1981/82, Inter and AC Milan locked horns in the Coppa Italia again: the two teams once more came up against each other in the group stage of the competition, this time playing out a 2-2 draw (the Nerazzurri would go on to win the cup thanks to an aggregate victory over Torino in the final). It was a match that saw Giuseppe Bergomi get on the scoresheet for the first time in an Inter shirt. Two of Bergomi’s 28 Nerazzurri goals came against AC Milan, both of which he scored in the Coppa Italia. During the showdown on 6 September 1981, his finish in the closing stages ensured parity after goals from Novellino, Altobelli and Jordan.

Two 2-1 victories in 1994 At the round of 16 stage of the 1994/95 Coppa Italia, Inter beat AC Milan by the same scoreline on two occasions. Two 2-1 wins, with Orlandini and Bergomi scoring in the first leg and Orlandini and Ruben Sosa netting in the return fixture.

2000, from Mutu to Baggio While Inter suffered a painful elimination at the hands of AC Milan in 1998, they gained revenge during the 1999/00 campaign, knocking the Rossoneri out over two legs in the quarter-finals. After an exciting first leg that finished 3-2 thanks to goals from Vieri (a great left-footed strike from Recoba’s ball forward), Mutu (his first Nerazzurri goal) and Seedorf (a wonderful free kick), the second leg finished 1-1 (Roberto Baggio with Inter’s goal), thus ensuring Inter’s place in the next round.