Milan Derby Spotlight: Inter’s Healing of Rossoneri Loyalists and a Defender Torn Between Rivals

Following recent confirmations, Inter Milan’s young president Steven Zhang has secured a renewal of their loan agreement, ensuring his continued control over the club. Once the official announcement is made, we will delve into the interest rates, repayment methods, and the impact on Inter's future operations. With this long-standing concern resolved, fans can now refocus on football itself. Among the two teams with 19 Serie A titles each, if Inter can claim their 20th title before AC Milan, it would be monumental. Achieving this historic feat by defeating their city rivals would make it even more iconic.

La Gazzetta dello Sport has shifted its focus to three Inter players who previously played for AC Milan. Each has a unique story: Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s quest for redemption, Francesco Acerbi’s journey from darkness to light, and Matteo Darmian’s homecoming.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu: A Quest for Redemption

Before the derby, Çalhanoğlu was extremely excited, struggling to calm down, to the point where coaches had to repeatedly remind him to stay composed, lest he injure himself or a teammate during training. Since moving to Inter on a free transfer from AC Milan, he has been labeled a traitor by Rossoneri fans. Despite his excellent performances and numerous trophies, including an appearance in the Champions League final, Çalhanoğlu has yet to win a Serie A title, which remains a thorn in his side. Ironically, after his departure, AC Milan won the league, and during their championship celebrations, Milan players and fans mocked Çalhanoğlu incessantly, adding to his frustration.

To validate his statement, "I transferred from a relatively weaker team to a relatively stronger one, which is a step forward in my career," Çalhanoğlu sees defeating his former team in the derby as the ultimate proof. Winning Inter’s 20th league title, especially by beating AC Milan, would be etched in both Inter and Serie A history and is Çalhanoğlu’s primary motivation.

Francesco Acerbi: From Darkness to Light

Acerbi’s story is another focal point. Born in the Lombardy region and raised in Pavia, a small town 35 kilometers south of Milan with a population of over 70,000, Acerbi was a hardcore AC Milan fan during his youth, even idolizing George Weah. As a young fan in the South Stand, he frequently cheered for the Rossoneri. Even after joining Inter, he reminisced in an interview about the pride he felt witnessing AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League in 2007, which didn’t help his public image.

Acerbi’s short stint with AC Milan in June 2012 felt like a dream come true, but it soon turned into a nightmare. His time at Milan coincided with his father’s death, leading to a personal collapse and even alcohol abuse. Reflecting years later, Acerbi admitted, "I was at AC Milan, my father passed away, I fell apart, I didn’t know how to play football anymore, I even started drinking. Cancer saved me and made me get back on track." Due to his struggles, Acerbi was soon cast out of AC Milan, becoming a footnote in their illustrious history.

AC Milan fans and players showed no mercy in ridiculing him, inflicting emotional pain on someone who once adored the club. Lazio provided a lifeline, but it was at Inter that Acerbi found his greatest success. Prior to joining Inter, he had only a few domestic cups to his name and limited Champions League experience. Achieving success with Inter, particularly winning the Serie A title, would finally validate his career, proving he is more than just a journeyman in football.

Matteo Darmian: Returning Home

In contrast, Darmian’s journey began with AC Milan’s youth academy from 2000 to 2009, where he became a fan favorite due to his good looks. However, he was actually an Inter fan growing up. Born and raised in Legnano, a satellite city of Milan, many football-loving kids in the area support either of Milan's major clubs. Darmian was drawn to Inter because of stars like Ronaldo and Seedorf (from 2000 to 2002). At age 11, he was scouted by Abate’s father, an AC Milan youth coach, which led to nine years at Milan.

After joining Inter in 2020, journalists often questioned him about his switch from Milan to Inter. Darmian could have said, "I was an Inter fan growing up," as it was the truth, but this would have been controversial and disrespectful to AC Milan fans who supported him for nine years. Instead, he diplomatically answered, "I will always be grateful to AC Milan for their help. However, a person’s identity shouldn’t be defined solely by their starting point." This response is considered one of the most tactful ever given by an Inter player.

If this "former Milan idol" who harbored secret Inter fandom throughout his youth were to help Inter defeat his old club and make history, his emotions would be complex. Fate’s twists are indeed fascinating.

Conclusion

As Çalhanoğlu, Acerbi, and Darmian step onto the pitch for the derby, their emotions will be a mix of anticipation, vindication, and nostalgia. Watching these players navigate the intensity of competition and the complexity of their personal histories adds another layer of intrigue to this storied rivalry. The combination of fierce athletic contest and deeply rooted emotional narratives promises a captivating spectacle for football fans everywhere.