Final score

22 December 2013 20:45

Inter
41' (2nd half) Palacio
1 - 0
AC Milan
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni / Linesmen: Di Fiore, Bianchi / Fourth official: Nicoletti / Assistants: Banti, Damato
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
47' There is the half-time whistle: still goalless at the interval
47' From the resulting free kick, Taider crosses and Cambiasso gets his head to it: just wide
46' Another yellow card for a foul on Guarin, this time Constant is cautioned
45' There will be two minutes of added time
40' Zapata uproots Palacio in the box: a clear penalty but the ref waves play on
36' A sweet strike from Taider is turned behind by Abbiati but play was halted anyway for a foul by Guarin
33' AC Milan work the ball around until Muntari has a sight on goal but his effort is sky high
30' That was close! Kakà swings in a corner, Handanovic is blocked and the ball falls to Poli six yards out: fortunately he lifts it into the stands
26' De Sciglio is the first man into the book for a foul on Guarin
24' Taider pings a teasing ball into the danger area, Nagatomo stoops to meet it at the far post but can't direct his header on target
23' Muntari tries his luck from range but can only drag a weak effort wide
20' Things are pretty even at the moment with a lot of the play confined to the middle of the park
16' Guarin sees Abbiati off his line and attempts an audacious lobbed shot on the turn which drops just wide of the upright
12' Another chance for Milan: Kakà's low angled drive is parried by Handanovic and Cambiasso clears before play is halted for a foul on the keeper
10' A half-cleared cross drops nicely for Balotelli, the Italy man takes a swing at it but lifts the ball over the bar
8' Palacio gets a chance to line up a shot and goes for goal: it's deflected and that's a comfortable save for Abbiati
6' Jonathan and Guarin link up well with the Colombian then trying to slip it into the box for Palacio but he just overhits it
3' Inter have come out of the blocks all fired up: they're not giving the opposition an inch of space
1' Welcome to the Stadio Meazza for tonight's derby between Inter and AC Milan
1' The Nerazzurri take the kick-off and the Derby della Madonnina is up and running. Forza Inter!!!
1' Jonathan, Taider, Cambiasso, Zanetti and Nagatomo line up across the midfield with Guarin slotting into the hole behind Palacio
1' Mazzarri has gone with Campagnaro, Rolando and Juan Jesus in front of Handanovic
Minute Text commentary
49' 1-0 the final score, Inter win the Derby della Madonnina! That man Palacio found the winner 4 minutes from time
47' Bit of a free-for-all here with Muntari putting his hands in Kuzmanovic's face. The ref shows the Ghanaian the red card
46' Icardi tees up Palacio, who smacks a piledriver just over from outside the box
45' Four minutes of stoppage time to be played
42' Balotelli is cautioned
41' GOAL FOR INTER: There it is! Palacio is the man with a stunning backheeled flick into the far corner. 1-0 to Inter!!!
37' Last substitution for Inter: Icardi comes on for Cambiasso
37' Kuzmanovic has another go from out wide and Abbiati comes up with another save. San Siro is electric now
36' Incredible double chance for Palacio: Abbiati thwarts him with a great stop then the Argentine fails to connect properly with his second effort
35' Another chance for Nagatomo but he can't get enough on it and Abbiati saves
34' Inter piling on the pressure in and around the Rossoneri area: the ball falls to Kovacic but the Croat hits it over
30' Matri replaces Saponara for AC Milan
29' The Nerazzurri are stringing together some nicely worked moves and the atmosphere at the San Siro is heating up
25' Kuzmanovic tries to curl an ambitious effort towards the far post but it's well wide
24' Another change for Inter: Zanetti makes way for Kuzmanovic
22' Juan Jesus is booked for a foul on Zapata
22' Palacio holds up play well then Inter work the ball to Nagatomo, who cuts inside and hits a right-footer that Abbiati gathers
20' Nerves are starting to fly out there now but the Nerazzurri are maintaining a high tempo
17' De Jong receives a caution for a nasty foul on Kovacic
14' Guarin is booked following a foul on Saponara
12' Mazzarri makes his first change: Kovacic comes on for Taider
11' Balotelli flashes a snapshot volley just wide of the post
8' Balotelli drives in a powerful effort from a tight angle, Handanovic does well to parry it and Nagatomo manages to clear the loose ball
5' Chance for Inter: Jonathan's cross is nodded goalwards by Campagnaro but the opposition defence clear their lines
2' Inter waste no time in making their first foray forward: Palacio spreads play out to Jonathan but the Brazilian's effort is saved by Abbiati
1' The Rossoneri get the second half rolling with the score at 0-0. Forza Inter!!!
1' Allegri made a switch at half time: Emanuelson has replaced Constant
Zanetti
6.54
6.54
Cambiasso
6.7
6.7
Nagatomo
7.6
7.6
Jonathan
6.68
6.68
Jesus
6.64
6.64
Guarin
7.57
7.57
Palacio
9.18
9.18
Handanovic
6.15
6.15
Kuzmanovic
6.45
6.45
Kovacic
7.61
7.61
Campagnaro
6.59
6.59
Icardi
6.41
6.41
Rolando
7.05
7.05
Taïder
5.44
5.44
Average rating 6.9
8 shots on target 3
7 shots off target 5
17 fouls committed 14
5 corners 7
1 offsides 2
47% ball possession 53%
Nerazzurri have slight edge in December derbies

Inter have a marginally better record than AC Milan in the 11 previous derbies played in the month of December (never on the 22nd): four wins for the Nerazzurri, three for the Rossoneri and four draws. The last December derby was in 2007 (23rd), when Inter triumphed 2-1 (Pirlo 18, Cruz 36, Cambiasso 63).

Mazzarri versus Allegri

These two coaches have crossed swords nine times before today, with Allegri currently on top. Walter Mazzarri has one win to his name (Napoli 3-1 AC Milan, 18 September 2011 in Serie A), Massimiliano Allegri has edged proceeding on three occasions and there have been five draws.

Mazzarri and AC Milan

Walter Mazzarri has tackled the Rossoneri 18 times in competitive outings as a coach, winning four, drawing five and losing nine. The Tuscan coach's heaviest defeat in a competitive fixture came at the hands of AC Milan: on 31 October 2007, his Sampdoria side were beaten 0-5 in a Serie A match at the Marassi.

Allegri and Inter

This is Massimiliano Allegri's 12th meeting with Inter as a coach. His record coming into this game stands at W4, D2, L5.

Cambiasso set for 300th Serie A appearance

If he features this evening, Esteban Cambiasso will notch up his 300th game in Serie A (regular season only), all played in the black and blue of Inter. The Argentine made his top-flight debut on 11 September 2004, in ChievoVerona 2-2 Inter.

Inter without a league win in over a month

Walter Mazzarri's side have not registered a Serie A victory in their last four matches: they last took all three points on 9 November (2-0 against Livorno). Since then there have been three draws (two 1-1s, away at Bologna and at home to Sampdoria, plus a 3-3 against Parma in San Siro) and a defeat to Napoli. This is the Nerazzurri's longest winless streak of the current campaign, with new owner Erick Thohir still waiting for his first taste of success in Serie A.

Milan teams are draw specialists in 2013/14

No one has drawn more often than Inter and AC Milan in Serie A this season: after the first 16 league outings, both have shared the spoils on seven occasions – the same number as Torino, Cagliari and Parma.

AC Milan enjoying best run of 2013/14: unbeaten in seven

Massimiliano Allegri's men have not lost in their last seven competitive fixtures, recording two wins (3-1 away to Catania in Serie A and a 3-0 Champions League success over Celtic in Glasgow) and five draws (0-0 in Verona against Chievo, 1-1 in Milan against Genoa, 2-2 away at Livorno and 2-2 at home against Roma - all four in Serie A - plus the 0-0 home draw with Ajax in the Champions League). Their last defeat goes back to 6 November (3-1 at Barcelona in the Champions League). This seven-match run is the Rossoneri's longest unbeaten streak in 2013/14.

Allegri to hit the big 400 as coach...

Massimiliano Allegri will celebrate his 400th competitive match in the dugout against Inter tonight. Of his previous 399 (while in charge of Aglianese, Spal, Grosseto, Sassuolo, Cagliari and AC Milan), 201 have been in Serie A, 89 in Serie C-1, 34 in Serie C-2, 16 in the Coppa Italia, 18 in the Serie C Coppa Italia, 34 in European competitions and seven in other tournaments. His record reads W170, D113, L116. Allegri's debut as a professional coach came on 20 August 2003: Carrarese 2-3 Aglianese, in the Serie C Coppa Italia.

...and close to 100th Serie A win

Massimiliano Allegri is just one win away from making it 100 victories in the Italian top flight as a coach. His 99 to date have come at the helm of Cagliari and AC Milan, with 49 draws and 53 defeats completing his 201-game Serie A record. The Livorno-born manager's first three points came when his Cagliari side beat Torino 0-1 away on 19 October 2008.

Ton up for Constant?

Kevin Constant could make his 100th appearance since coming to Italy at the Meazza tonight. Plying his trade for ChievoVerona, Genoa and AC Milan, the Guinean utility man has turned out a total of 86 times in Serie A, twice in the Coppa Italia and 11 times in European competitions since his Italian debut on 22 September 2010 (Napoli 1-3 ChievoVerona).

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(39) draws(31) defeats(31)

MILAN - Rodrigo Palacio came up with a brilliant backheeled finish to hand Inter the three points in Erick Thohir's first derby as president. The president watched on from the stands with vice president Angelomario Moratti as Inter finally made the breakthrough after a string of second-half chances and being denied a clear penalty in the first period.

Walter Mazzarri went with a back line of Campagnaro, Rolando and Juan Jesus in front of Handanovic and opted for muscle in the middle of the park, with Taider, Cambiasso and Zanetti flanked by Jonathan and Nagatomo. Guarin played in support of Palacio.

The Nerazzurri shaded the opening exchanges but AC Milan came into it more as the half wore on. However, the key moment in the first period was the penalty Inter were denied in the 40th minute when Zapata took Palacio's legs away from behind. The result was a still goalless encounter at the break.

Inter came out strong again after the restart and tensions grew as the match progressed, chances coming and going at both ends. Mazzarri's side stepped up a gear with a quarter of an hour left to play and proceeded to carve out a host of chances: Kuzmanovic, Nagatomo and Palacio were all thwarted by Abbiati before El Trenza seized the mantle in the 86th minute. Guarin fired a low cross into the box and Palacio was on hand to stroke the ball behind his standing foot and into the far post. Magical. Cue an explosion of joy for all Interisti.

Inter 1-0 AC Milan (HT: 0-0)
Scorer: Palacio 86.

Inter: 1 Handanovic; 14 Campagnaro, 35 Rolando, 5 Juan Jesus; 2 Jonathan, 21 Taider (Kovacic 57), 19 Cambiasso (Icardi 82), 4 Zanetti (Kuzmanovic 68), 55 Nagatomo; 13 Guarin; 8 Palacio.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 12 Castellazzi, 6 Andreolli, 7 Belfodil, 16 Mudingayi, 18 Wallace, 23 Ranocchia, 25 Samuel, 31 Pereira.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.

AC Milan: 32 Abbiati; 2 De Sciglio, 4 Muntari, 8 Saponara (Matri 75), 16 Poli (Pazzini 88), 17 Zapata, 21 Constant, 22 Kakà, 25 Bonera, 34 De Jong, 45 Balotelli.
Subs not used: 59 Gabriel, 35 Coppola, 5 Mexes, 23 Nocerino, 24 Cristante, 28 Emanuelson, 81 Zaccardo.
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri.

Referee: Mazzoleni
.
Booked: De Sciglio 26, Guarin 59, De Jong 62, Juan Jesus 67, Balotelli 87.
Sent off: Muntari 90+3.
Added time: 2 + 4 minutes.
Attendance: 79,311.



starting lineups

Handanovic 1 32 Abbiati
Campagnaro 14 2 De Sciglio
Rolando 35 4 Muntari
Jesus 5 8 Saponara
Jonathan 2 16 Poli
Taïder 21 17 Zapata
Cambiasso 19 21 Constant
Zanetti 4 22 Kakà
Nagatomo 55 25 Bonera
Guarin 13 34 De Jong
Palacio 8 45 Balotelli

substitutes

Carrizo 30 59 Gabriel
Castellazzi 12 35 Coppola
Andreolli 6 5 Mexes
Belfodil 7 9 Matri
Icardi 9 11 Pazzini
Kovacic 10 23 Nocerino
Mudingayi 16 24 Cristante
Kuzmanovic 17 28 Emanuelsson
Wallace 18 81 Zaccardo
Ranocchia 23
Samuel 25
Pereira 31