INTER CLASSICS | Milito’s hat - trick, Cordoba’s farewell: Inter 4 - 2 AC Milan in 2012

MILAN – Not just a Derby, a novella. Tonight’s Inter Classics will be introduced by a special video chat at 21:45 CEST with Cordoba before we watch Inter 4-2 AC Milan from 6 May 2012 on YouTube. It was a match full of emotions, twists, turns and moments to relive.

INTER CLASSICS is the event in which, every Wednesday, we broadcast a full match from the Nerazzurri’s recent past on our YouTube channel. And each week, it’s you the fans who get to choose which match to watch. What’s more, our social media profiles will accompany you during this trip down memory lane with photos and videos.

THE MATCH

It was the penultimate matchday of the 2011/12 season: Inter had faint hopes of securing a Champions League place, while AC Milan were clinging onto their Scudetto dream locked in a title race with Juventus, who were playing Cagliari in Trieste. However, this Derby wasn’t all about the league table. A few days earlier, Ivan Cordoba had announced to Javier Zanetti: “Pupi, the Derby is going to be my final match, then I’m going to retire. Don’t tell anyone, let’s concentrate on the match. The important thing will be to say goodbye to the crowd at the end of the game.”

Ivan Cordoba will recall his feelings that day in a video chat on YouTube at 21:45 CEST: his teammates warming up in his shirt, San Siro’s tribute, the post-match celebrations.

In between all this, the two sides played 90 minutes of football at the highest intensity. Milito opened the scoring, AC Milan equalised via a dubiously awarded penalty, Ibrahimovic then put the Rossoneri ahead, 2-1. Stramaccioni’s team reacted well with Sneijder (who almost scored a sensational volley from range) and Milito leading the fight. A Derby Milano hat-trick for El Principe, something he’d also managed in the Genoa derby, after his two pinpoint penalties meant the Nerazzurri were 3-2 up. The tension ramped up in the final minutes of the game, and with the Rossoneri chasing the Scudetto Ivan Cordoba came on to shore up the defence: his 455th appearance was no testimonial, they were minutes of hard-fought football. Finally, Maicon’s goal topped off the Nerazzurri’s night: a thunderbolt into the top corner from range, one of the greatest goals in the Derby’s history.

INTER 4-2 AC MILAN, 6 May 2012

Goal scorers: 14' Milito, 44' pen. Ibrahimovic, 46' Ibrahimovic, 52' pen. Milito, 79' pen. Milito, 87' Maicon.Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 55 Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 14 Guarin (62' Obi); 11 Alvarez (48' Pazzini), 10 Sneijder (84' Cordoba); 22 Milito.Substitutes: 12 Castellazzi, 17 Palombo, 23 Ranocchia, 28 Zarate.Coach: Andrea StramaccioniMilan: 32 Abbiati (35' Amelia); 20 Abate, 13 Nesta, 76 Yepes, 25 Bonera (66' De Sciglio); 22 Nocerino, 4 Van Bommel, 14 Muntari (77' Cassano); 27 Boateng; 70 Robinho, 11 Ibrahimovic.Substitutes: 5 Mexes, 8 Gattuso, 18 Aquilani, 21 Maxi Lopez.Coach: Massimiliano Allegri

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (from Bologna)Yellow cards: 43' Julio Cesar, 45+3' Zanetti, 52' Abate, 55' Alvarez, 76' Van Bommel, 87' Maicon.