Extreme Football Tourism: ITALY: Milan FC (1926-1936) / Milan AS (1936-1939) / AC Milano (1939-1941) / AC Milan (1945-1946, 1947-1962, 2003-) / FC Internazionale (1947-1967) / Milan AC (1962-2003) / FC Internazionale Milano (1967-)

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza "San Siro", Milan = Milaan = Milano (AC Milan & FC Internazionale Milano, formerly Milan FC / Milan AS / AC Milano / FC Internazionale / Milan AC)

Italy, region: Lombardy

3 V 2023 / AC Milan - US Cremonese 1-1 / Serie A (= ITA level 1)

Timeline

1899 / Foundation of Milan Foot-Ball & Cricket Club, with part of the club's founding fathers being British citizens living in Milan.
1900 / Having settled at Campo Trotter (Piazza Doria), a ground originally built in 1891-92 to host athletics and cycling events as well as horse races, Milan FB&CC reaches the semi-final of the Campionato Italiano. For the bigger matches, the club uses the neo-classical Arena Civica in Parco Sempione, near Milan's city-centre.
1901 / Coached by Herbert Kilpin, an Englishman, Milan FB&CC wins the Italian title, defeating Genoa CFC (3-0) in the final played at Campo Sportivo di Ponte Carrega in Genoa.
1902 / Finishing runners-up in Italy's fledgling championship, losing to the same Genoa CFC which it defeated the previous year, Milan FB&CC leaves Campo Trotter, which is due to be demolished to make way for Milan's main train station.
1903 / For the 1903 championship, Milan FB&CC settles at Campo Acquabella, a pitch near modern-day Piazzale Dateo.
1905 / Milan FB&CC abandons Campo Acquabella after three seasons.
1906 / The club finds a new home at Campo di Porta Monforte, situated at Via Pasquale Sottocorno, which disposes of a wooden main stand as well as terracing around the pitch - and the first stadium in Italy to dispose of goal nets. Staying at Porta Monforte for the following 8 years, the club is occasionally allowed the use of the Arena Civica for important matches. Also in 1906, still under the guidance of Herbert Kilpin, Milan F&CC clinches its second national title, defeating FC Juventus (2-0 on aggregate).
1907 / With Daniele Angeloni as its head coach, Milan FB&CC manages its 3rd national title, defeating SG Andrea Doria and FC Torino in the final play-offs. At the end of the season, Italy's football association (FIGC) proclaims a ban on foreign players; by way of protest, Milan, always heavily leaning on British influx, withdraws from participation in the 1908 title race.
1908 / After one year, with Milan FB&CC deciding on complying with FIGC rules regarding foreigners, a schism occurs in the club's membership, with a part breaking away and founding FC Internazionale. Although the ban was soon lifted, the two clubs have remained rivals ever since - and it took Milan years to recover from the loss of a substantial part of its players. 'Inter', which is admitted to the national championship straightaway (and in fact is the only Italian club ever to have always played in the top flight) settles down on a pitch called Campo Sportivo Ripa Ticinese.
1909 / Entrepreneur Piero Pirelli takes over Milan FB&CC's presidency, due to remain at the helm of the club for the following 19 years. Piero is the son of Giovanni Battista Pirelli who founded the Pirelli tyre factory.
1910 / Coached by Virgilio Fossati, FC Internazionale clinches its first national title, winning the so-called Prima Categoria after a play-off against SG Pro Vercelli; having finished with an equal number of points, 'Inter' trashes its opponents 10-3.
1913 / FC Internazionale moves from Campo Sportivo Ripa Ticinese to Campo Goldoni, which is renamed Campo Virgilio Fossati in 1928 - named after the club's first manager.
1914 / Having played at Campo di Porta Monforte since 1906, Milan FB&CC moves to the Velodromo Sempione - originally built as a velodrome -, which disposes of two covered stands, in November 1914.
1916 / The national football championship having been effectively suspended due to Italy's entrance in World War I, Milan FB&CC wins the so-called Coppa Federale, a cup tournament being organised to temporarily replace regular league football. In the final play-offs, the club has the better of FC Juventus, Modena FC, Genoa CFC and Casale FC. In the following 3 years, all football activities in Italy are completely suspended.
1919 / Regular league football returns after the end of World War I, with Milan Foot-Ball & Cricket Club simplifying its name to becoming Milan FC - and, due to Velodromo Sempione no longer being available, this club spends the 1919 season playing at various grounds across Milan, including the so-called Campo Pirelli (at Zona Bicocca).
1920 / Having roamed around the city for the past year, Milan FC is allowed the use of Campo di Viale Lombardia, a multi-purpose stadium with an athletics track with a capacity of c. 20,000. Meanwhile, after a decade of relative anonymity, FC Internazionale, coached by Nino Resegotti, wins its 2nd national title, defeating US Livorno (3-2) at Stadio Sterlino in Bologna.
1921 / Unhappy with the high-handed governance of FIGC, Milan FC and FC Internazionale join a rivalling football association, the so-called Confederazione Calcista Italiana (CCI). After one year, though, a pacification is brought about - and all breakaway clubs rejoin FIGC.
1925 / At the instigation of Piero Pirelli, works are undertaken to build Milan FC a completely new stadion on the western outskirts of the city, in the San Siro neighbourhood - next to the horse-racing track already in place. Paying for the expenses of the ground from his own purse, Pirelli hires architect Ulisse Stacchini, who had previously designed Milan's new train station, and engineer Alberto Cugini.
1926 / Abandoning the Campo di Viale Lombardia in February 1926, Milan FC moves into the so-called Nuovo Stadio Calcistico San Siro in the fall of that same year. Built against the trends of the time, without an athletics track surrounding the pitch, the new stadium disposes of four separate stands, with a total capacity of 35,000. Having hosted FC Internazionale in a friendly on September 19th, to mark the inauguration (won emphatically by Inter, 3-6), Milan FC plays its first official match in the Divisione Nazionale at the new ground on October 3rd, losing 2-1 to AC Sampierdarense.
1927 / 'San Siro' hosts a first international match, with Italy holding Czechoslovakia to a draw (2-2). Meanwhile, at FC Internazionale, a 17-year-old youth player called Giuseppe 'Peppino' Meazza manages a breakthrough in the club's first team.
1928 / A merger is concluded between FC Internazionale and US Milanese, a third club from Milan founded in 1902. Laying aside their original names, the two clubs form Società Sportiva (SS) Ambrosiana.
1929 / SS Ambrosiana changes its name to become Associazione Sportiva (AS) Ambrosiana.
1930 / With an advantage of 2 points over Genova 1893, AS Ambrosiana - with its Hungarian head coach Árpád Weisz - clinches the title in the first-ever Serie A season, while city rivals Milan FC only manages a meagre 11th place. Meanwhile, at Campo Virgilio Fossati, one of the stands collapses, as a result of which AS Ambrosiana abandons the ground to settle down at the old Arena Civica.
1932 / AS Ambrosiana changes its name to become AS Ambrosiana-Inter.
1934 / With Italy organising the 1934 World Cup, San Siro is among the stadiums selected for the tournament. At the ground, 3 matches are played, including Italy's semi-final win over Austria (1-0).
1935 / The San Siro stadium, hitherto owned by Milan FC, is taken over by Milan's city-council. After problems arose at the previous year's World Cup due to the relatively small capacity as opposed to the huge interest in the tournament, local authorities are aiming to extend the ground.
1936 / In the 1930s, in which its results are overshadowed by the more successful AS Ambrosiana-Inter, Milan FC fails to win any silverware, a highlight being the semi-final of the Coppa Italia in 1936, in which it is defeated by Alessandria US. In the 3 following seasons, the club also reaches the semi-finals of the nationwide cup tournament, failing to reach the final on all of these occasions. Also in 1936, fascist authorities force Milan FC to do away with the English addition 'Football Club' - and the club continuing its existence as Milan Associazione Sportiva (AS).
1937 / Commissioned by Milan's city-council, city architect Mario Perlasca and his chief engineer Giuseppe Bertera work on an extension plan of the San Siro stadium, involving the construction of corner stands in between the four original stands - as well as an elevation of the two short ends to the same level as the main stand and the stand opposite to it. The renovation works get underway in September 1937.
1938 / Following several years of just missing out on first place, AS Ambrosiana-Inter, coached by Armando Castellazzi, clinches its 4th league title with an advantage of 2 points over Juventus. Meanwhile, Milan AS has its best season in years, resulting in a 3rd place in Serie A.
1939 / After 20 months, the extension works on San Siro are completed, with the total capacity of the ground having been raised to a staggering 100,000. To inaugurate the ground in its new shape, a gala match is organised between the national sides of Italy and England (2-2). Meanwhile, under the guidance of Austrian manager Tony Cargnelli, AS Ambrosiana-Inter wins its first-ever Coppa Italia by defeating AC Novara in Rome's Stadio del Partito Nazionale Fascista (2-1). Milan AS is forced to change its name a second time in 3 years to lose all reference to its partly British origins, becoming Associazione Calcio (AC) Milano.
1940 / Still coached by Tony Cargnelli, AS Ambrosiana-Inter wins its 5th scudetto, with closest rivals Bologna AGC finishing at a distance of 3 points. Having defended the blue and black colours for 13 years, Giuseppe Meazza, who was part of the winning Italian World Cup squads in 1934 and 1938, signs a contract with AC Milano.
1941 / Due to the sorry state of the San Siro pitch as well as electricity cuts after the start of World War II, which cause fall-outs in Milan's tram schedules, AC Milano commences a groundshare with AS Ambrosiana-Inter at the Arena Civica, which is far closer to the city-centre and more easily accessible to supporters. San Siro remains largely unused for the following 4 years.
1942 / AC Milano reaches the Coppa Italia final, but suffers a 5-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Juventus.
1945 / After World War II and the end of fascist rule, AC Milano as well as AS Ambrosiana-Inter change their names, becoming AC Milan and FC Internazionale. Milan returns to San Siro.
1946 / Due to Milan's public transport service still not working properly, AC Milan begins a second period of groundsharing with 'Inter' at the Arena Civica. Meanwhile, after spells at AC Milano, Juventus, Varese Sportiva, and Atalanta BC, Giuseppe Meazza returns to FC Internazionale, hanging up his boots in 1947. Following his footballing career, Meazza goes on to have two spells as the club's manager.
1947 / With life in Milan slowly reverting to normalcy, AC Milan returns to San Siro. As Inter's plans to renovate and extend the Arena Civica are turned down by Milan's city-council as the stadium from the Napoleonic era is declared a monument, the club settles on a groundshare with AC Milan at the San Siro stadium.
1948 / A second round of extension works at San Siro is undertaken, overseen by architect Armando Ronca and engineer Ferruccio Calzolari. Originally, the project involves an increase of the capacity with a further 50,000 to a total of 150,000.
1949 / In an effort to close the gap with Serie A's top teams, AC Milan signs 3 forward players of the Swedish national team which won the gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games in London: Gunnar Nordahl, Gunnar Gren, and Nils Liedholm. The trio of players earns itself the nickname Gre-No-Li, inaugurating a new period of success for the club. With Gren leaving for AC Fiorentina in 1953, Nordahl stays faithful to the club until leaving for AS Roma in 1956, scoring a total of 210 goals in 257 matches. Playmaker Liedholm becomes one of AC Milan's most legendary players, defending the red and black for a total in a total of 359 matches (1949-61).
1951 / After a tight race, finishing just 1 point ahead of FC Internazionale, AC Milan clinches its first league title in 43 years under head coach Lajos Czezler. Milan also adds the so-called Coppa Latina - an international cup competition between clubs from France, Italy, and Spain - to its silverware cabinet, repeating this feat in 1956.
1953 / Having come close on several occasions after World War II, FC Internazionale manages its 6th league title with an advantage of 2 points over Juventus FC. The architect of Inter's success is head coach Alfredo Foni.
1954 / Still under the guidance of Alfredo Foni, FC Internazionale wins its second title in a row, again ahead of Juventus FC - this time with an advantage of just 1 point.
1955 / Eager not to be outdone by their city rivals, AC Milan, coached by Ettore Puricelli, clinches the Serie A title, 4 points ahead of AC Udinese. Meanwhile, after 7 years of works, the second round of renovations on San Siro is completed, with total capacity remaining at 100,000 - later reduced to 85,000 (of which 60,000 seated). The renovated ground is inaugurated with a gala match between AC Milan and FK Dinamo Moskva (1-4).
1956 / In the first-ever European Cup, an international club tournament in which title winners from various European countries take on each other head-to-head, AC Milan reaches the semi-finals following defeats of 1. FC Saarbrücken and SK Rapid (Vienna), only to be defeated by eventual winners Real Madrid CF (5-4 aggregate). Meanwhile, in the first edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a second European tournament which can best be described as a precursor of the UEFA Cup (with this first edition taking a total of 3 years, 1955-58!), FC Internazionale is eliminated in the group stage (played in the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons) by Birmingham City FC.
1957 / With manager Giuseppe Viani, AC Milan wins its 3rd Serie A title in the 1950s, finishing 6 points ahead of AC Fiorentina, the previous year's winners. Floodlights are added to the set-up at San Siro stadium.
1958 / AC Milan defeats SK Rapid (Vienna), Rangers FC, BVB 09 Dortmund, and Manchester United FC to reach the final of the European Cup, in which it is defeated by Real Madrid CF (3-2) at Stade du Heysel in Brussels.
1959 / Following a particularly bad 1957-58 campaign, resulting in 9th place in Serie A, AC Milan now manages its 7th national league title, with an advantage of 3 points over AC Fiorentina. The manager guiding the club to this success is Luigi Bonizzoni. In 1959-60 season, the club is eliminated in the round of 16 by FC Barcelona following a R1 win over Olympiacos SF Piraeus.
1960 / Defeating Olympique Lyonnais, FC Internazionale reaches the last 8 of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, in which it is eliminated by FC Barcelona. That summer, Barcelona's Argentine manager, Hellenio Herrera, joins Internazionale, who starts working on the foundations of what will become known as 'Grande Inter'. Although not the inventor of the catenaccio ("door bolt") system, Herrera is considered the most successful coach in putting to use these counter-attacking tactics in a 5-3-2 system. Also in 1960, Sandro Mazzola experiences his breakthrough at Inter, destined to become one of the club's icons. Meanwhile, AC Milan signs 17-year-old Gianni Rivera from lowly US Alessandria.
1961 / Both being invited to take part in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, AC Milan is eliminated in R1 by Novi Sad XI, while FC Internazionale reaches the semi-finals, suffering defeat at the hands of Birmingham City FC after working its way past Hannover SV 96 and Beograd XI.
1962 / With manager Nereo Rocco, AC Milan wins its 8th league title, finishing 5 points ahead of FC Internazionale. Inter, with its new Spanish playmaker Luis Suárez, reaches the last 8 of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup by getting the better of 1. FC Köln and Heart of Midlothian FC before being eliminated by Valencia CF. In the summer of 1962, for reasons unknown, AC Milan changes its name slightly to become Milan AC.
1963 / Hellenio Herrera wins his first trophy with Inter, helping the club winning its 8th national title with a comfortable advantage of 8 points over Juventus FC. City rivals Milan AC, who have to settle for 3rd place in Serie A, work their way past Union Luxembourg, Ipswich Town FC, Galatasaray SK, and Dundee FC to reach the European Cup final at Wembley, London, where two José Altafini goals help the club defeat SL Benfica (2-1) to obtain its first major European trophy. Later that year, Milan has to leave the Intercontinental Cup to Brazil's Santos FC, losing out after a decisive third match in Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro.
1964 / FC Internazionale finishes top of Serie A with an equal number of points as Bologna FC, but has to leave the title to the club from Emilia-Romagna following a 2-0 defeat in a tie-break match played at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. With Milan AC and FC Internazionale both qualifying for the European Cup - Milan by virtue of its win of the previous year's tournament -, the former is eliminated in the quarter finals by Real Madrid CF after defeating IFK Norrköping in R1; Inter, on the other hand, taking part in the competition for the first time, manages wins over Everton FC, AS Monaco, FK Partizan (Belgrade), and BVB 09 Dortmund, eventually also defeating Real Madrid CF (3-1) in the final played at Vienna's Prater-Stadion (2 goals by Sandro Mazzola, 1 by Aurelio Milani). In the following season (1964-65), Milan AC is eliminated in R1 of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup by RC Strasbourg, while FC Internazionale continues its winning streak by defeating Argentina's CA Independiente in the Intercontinental Cup after a tie-break encounter at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, with Mario Corso scoring the only goal of the evening in extra time.
1965 / FC Internazionale wins the Serie A title, 3 points ahead of Milan AC, while also clinching its second European Cup win in a row, defeating SL Benfica in the final played at San Siro (1-0, goal by Brazilian striker Jair), eliminating FC Dinamo București, Rangers FC, and Liverpool FC on the way to the final. Milan AC, on the other hand, is invited to take part in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, defeating RC Strasbourg and GD CUF Barreiro before bowing out after drawing lots following 3 indecisive matches against Chelsea FC.
1966 / Winning its second Serie A title in a row, FC Internazionale is less successful on the international stage, being eliminated in the semi-finals of the European Cup by Real Madrid CF following wins over FC Dinamo București and Ferencvárosi TC.
1967 / FC Internazionale has to leave the Serie A title to Juventus FC, falling short of first place by just 1 point. Also in the European Cup, the club just misses out on the silverware, reaching the final by booking wins over FK Torpedo Moskva, Vasas SC, Real Madrid CF, and CSKA Sofia, only to lose the final in Estádio Nacional do Jamor in Oeiras (Lisbon) against Celtic FC (2-1). That summer, the club adapts its name to become FC Internazionale Milano. Meanwhile, coached by Arturo Silvestri, Milan AC wins its first-ever Coppa Italia, defeating AC Padova in the final played at Rome's Stadio Olimpico (1-0, goal scored by Amarildo).
1968 / With Inter's star slowly fading - and Hellenio Herrera leaving the club at the end of the 1967-68 campaign following a disappointing 5th place in Serie A, Milan AC, still managed by Nereo Rocco, clinches the title with a staggering 9-point advantage over SSC Napoli. Moreover, the club also wins European silverware, successively defeating PFK Levski Sofia, Györi ETO FC, R Standard de Liège, and FC Bayern München to accede to the Cup Winner's Cup final at Stadion Feijenoord "De Kuip" in Rotterdam, in which it has the better of Hamburger SV (2-0, with both goals scored by Swedish centre-forward Kurt Hamrin).
1969 / FC Internazionale Milano takes part in the short-lived International Supercup, a tournament of past Intercontinental Cup winners, reaching the final in which it loses the first leg in San Siro against Brazil's Santos FC - and cancelling the trip to Rio de Janeiro as well as the away leg. Milan AC finishes runners-up in Serie A, but wins its second European trophy in a row; eliminating Malmö FF, Celtic FC, and Manchester United FC along the way, the club defeats AFC Ajax in the European Cup final at Stadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid (4-1, with 3 goals by Pierino Prati and 1 by Angelo Sormani). In the fall of the same year, the club also wins the Intercontinental Cup against Club Estudiantes de la Plata (4-2 on aggregate).
1970 / As Milan AC suffers an elimination in the European Cup early on in the season at the hands of Feijenoord after defeating Avenir Beggen in R1, FC Internazionale Milano is more successful in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, eventually being eliminated in the semi-final by RSC Anderlecht after a campaign in which it defeated AC Sparta Praha, FC Hansa Rostock, FC Barcelona, and Hertha BSC. At the end of the season, San Siro stadium plays host to Feijenoord and Celtic FC, the finalists of the European Cup. After 9 years with Inter (257 matches), 35-year old Luis Suárez leaves the club, signing for UC Sampdoria. At the start of the 1970-71 campaign, 'Inter' suffers a R1 elimination in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup at the hands of Newcastle United FC.
1971 / With an advantage of 4 points over closest rivals Milan AC, FC Internazionale Milano, with its coach Giovanni Invernizzi, wins its 11th national title - with Roberto Boninsegna scoring an impressive 24 goals to help the club on its way.
1972 / With Juventus FC winning the Serie A title, Milan AC and FC Internazionale Milano have to content themselves with a 2nd and 5th place respectively, but 'Inter' does manage to win the Coppa Italia by defeating SSC Napoli in the final at Rome's Stadio Olimpico (2-0). Moreover, the club also reaches the final of the European Cup, eliminating AEK, Borussia VfL 1900 (Mönchengladbach), R Standard de Liège, and Celtic FC on the way, only to lose the final at Stadion Feijenoord "De Kuip" in Rotterdam against AFC Ajax (2-0, with Johan Cruijff scoring both goals). Meanwhile, city rivals Milan AC has the better of Digenis Acritis Morfou, Hertha BSC, Dundee FC, and K Lierse SK, reaching the semi-final of the newly created UEFA Cup, in which it is eliminated by the eventual tournament winners Tottenham Hotspur FC.
1973 / Milan AC gives away the Serie A title on the last day of the season, suffering a traumatic 5-3 away defeat against lowly AC Hellas Verona in Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi - thereby finishing 1 point behind Juventus FC. Nevertheless, the club considerably augmented their trophy cabinet by winning the Coppa Italia, defeating Juventus FC after a penalty shoot-out in Rome's Stadio Olimpico (1-1) and also bringing home the Cup Winners Cup; in a campaign which saw red and black side edge past FA Red Boys Differdange, Legia Warszawa, FK Spartak Moskva, and AC Sparta Praha - as well as defeating Leeds United FC in the final, played at Salonica's Caftanzoglou Stadium, with the only goal of the match being scored by Luciano Chiarugi. Meanwhile, 'Inter' is going through a less successful spell, qualifying for the UEFA Cup in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons, but being eliminated early on in the tournament on both occasions - at the hands of Vitória FC (Setúbal) in 1972 after defeating Valletta FC and IFK Norrköping; and at the hands of FC Admira/Wacker in R1 in 1973.
1974 / Disappointingly, Milan AC only manages a 7th place in Serie A, but it does reach the Cup Winners Cup final following wins over NK Dinamo Zagreb, SK Rapid (Vienna), PAOK, and Borussia VfL 1900 (Mönchengladbach); in the final, played at Stadion Feijenoord "De Kuip" in Rotterdam (with only 4,641 spectators passing the gates!), the club is defeated by East Germany's FC Magdeburg (2-0). In this campaign, the club is coached by former player Giovanni Trapattoni, for whom it is the start of a long and successful career as a football manager.
1975 / Having finished in 4th place in Serie A in 1974, 'Inter' qualifies for the 1974-75 UEFA Cup, in which it defeats FK Etar (Veliko Tarnovo) in R1, but bows out in the following round against FC Amsterdam.
1976 / In the 1975-76 UEFA Cup, Milan AC eliminates Everton FC, Athlone Town FC, and FK Spartak Moskva, thus reaching the quarter final in which it is defeated by Belgium's Club Brugge KV.
1977 / In the 1976-77 UEFA Cup, for which Milan as well as Inter qualify in a period which can be described as an ebb tide for both, FC Internazionale Milano is eliminated in R1 by Budapest Honved FC, while Milan AC does a little better - seeing off FC Dinamo București and PFK Akademik Sofia before losing out against Athletic Club (Bilbao). Milan AC finishes in 10th place in Serie A, but, in a defeat of city rivals Inter at San Siro (2-0), the club conquers the Coppa Italia. The following season's Cup Winners Cup adventure ends in disappointment for the red-and-black side with a R1 elimination at the hands of Real Betis Balompie, while Inter bows out in R1 of the UEFA Cup against SK Dinamo Tbilisi. Having defended Inter's colours for 17 seasons, club legend Sandro Mazzola hangs up his boots, having played 417 matches for the club - as well as winning 70 caps for his country.
1978 / Making up for the cup final defeat the year before, FC Internazionale Milano now conquers the Coppa Italia, defeating SSC Napoli in the final played in Rome's Stadio Olimpico (2-1), with the Inter goals being scored by Alessandro Altobelli and Graziano Bini. Altobelli, a young and promising centre-forward, had been signed by Inter from Brescia Calcio the previous year. At Milan AC, on the other hand, a youth academy player, dender Franco Baresi, makes his mark in the club's first team.
1979 / In the 1978-79 season, Milan AC is eliminated in the round of 16 by Manchester City FC after eliminating Lokomotiva Košice and PFK Levski Sofia in the first two rounds. Following their Coppa Italia win the previous year, FC Internazionale Milano - with youth academy player Giuseppe Bergomi as a new member of its squad - qualifies for the Cup Winners Cup for the first time, seeing off Floriana FC and FK Bodø/Glimt before suffering defeat at the hands of Belgium's KSK Beveren. Having played for Milan AC for 19 years (501 matches), Gianni Rivera ends his career on a high - as Milan AC, managed by Nils Liedholm, wins its 10th scudetto, finishing in 1st place in Serie A with an advantage of 3 points over surprising runners-up AC Perugia. Also in 1979, in view of the 1980 European Championships due to be held in Italy, a renovation of the San Siro stadium is undertaken, with most attention being paid to the dilapidated first ring, partly dating back to the pre-war years.
1980 / In the 1979-80, FC Internazionale Milano is yet again unsuccessful in the UEFA Cup, defeating Borussia VfL 1900 (Mönchengladbach), but bowing out in R2 against Real Sociedad, yet the club, after years of lurking in the shadows in Serie A, wins its 12th title with manager Eugenio Bersellini - with club top goalscorer Alessandro Altobelli marking 15 times. Mirroring Inter's success, Milan AC has a catastrophic year, suffering a R1 defeat against FC Porto in the European Cup and being deducted 30 points in Serie A due to its involvement in the so-called Totonero match-fixing scandal - resulting in the club being relegated to Serie B for the first time in history. Meanwhile, upon completion of the renovation works, San Siro is officially renamed Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 3rd, 1980, in a move which mainly pleases the Inter fans - given that pre-war star player Meazza, who had passed away in 1979, had a far longer spell at their club than at Milan, the result being that the stadium is usually referred to as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for Inter's games and 'San Siro', when Milan is the home side. In the 1980 European Championships, the ground plays host to 3 group games. Also in 1980, a first pop concert is held at the ground, with Bob Marley being the performing artist. Ever since, the ground has continued to be in use regularly for concerts, with Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, U2, and first and foremost Vasco Rossi, being among the performing artists.
1981 / Qualifying for the European Cup following the club's title win, 'Inter' manages wins over Universitatea Craiova, FC Nantes, and FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), eventually being eliminated by Real Madrid CF in the semi-final. Down in Serie B, Milan AC, coached by Italo Galbiati, wins the title, thus gaining promotion along with Genoa CFC and AC Cesena.
1982 / In the UEFA Cup, FC Internazionale Milano, still coached by Eugenio Bersellini, defeats Adanaspor Kulübü in R1, but is eliminated by FC Dinamo București in the following round; the club is more successful in the Coppa Italia, defeating AC Torino in the two-legged final - with goals by Aldo Serena and Alessandro Altobelli securing victory. On the other hand, Milan AC falls 1 point short of safety, thus dropping out of Serie A along with Bologna FC and Como Calcio. As a small comfort, the club conquered the Mitropa Cup, alternatively referred to as the Central European Cup, by ending top of a group with TJ Vítkovice, NK Osijek en Szombathelyi Haladás.
1983 / Reaching the quarter finals of the Cup Winners Cup following wins over SK Slovan Bratislava and AZ '67, FC Internazionale Milano is eliminated in this tournament by Real Madrid CF. In Serie B, Milan AC manages the title for a second time in three seasons, winning promotion to the top flight along with SS Lazio and Calcio Catania.
1984 / With Milan AC having a relatively carefree season in Serie A, finishing in 8th place, the club welcomes a youth academy player in its first squad, 16-year-old Paolo Maldini - the son of former Milan player Cesare Maldini. Meanwhile, FC Internazionale Milano eliminates Trabzonspor Kulübü and FC Groningen before being eliminated by FK Austria Wien in R3.
1985 / Defeating FC Sportul Studenţesc Bucureşti, Rangers FC, Hamburger SV, and 1. FC Köln, FC Internazionale Milano reaches the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, in which it bows out against Real Madrid CF.
1986 / In a repeat of the previous season, 'Inter' reaches the semi-final of the UEFA Cup - after wins over FC Sankt Gallen 1879, LASK (Linz), Legia Warszawa, and FC Nantes - before being defeated by Real Madrid CF in the semis. In the meantime, Milan AC, in grave financial difficulties, is taken over by entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi, owner of the Fininvest Media Group. For the next 25 odd years, interrupted by spells in which he gives preference to his political career (he serves as Italy's Prime Minister three times), Berlusconi is Milan's strong man, pumping much of his financial resources into the club.
1987 / With both Inter and Milan qualifying for the UEFA Cup based on their Serie A results in the 1985-86 season, Milan suffers elimination in R3 at the hands of Belgium's KSV Waregem after edging past AJ Auxerre and 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig, while Inter progresses one round further following wins over AEK, Legia Warszawa, and FK Dukla Praha; the club is eventually eliminated by later cup winners IFK Göteborg in the quarter finals. In the summer of 1987, Silvio Berlusconi signs Parma AC's manager Arrigo Sacchi, known for his attacking playing style and tactics of zone defense, to bring Milan AC back to its old glory - and with that same goal, Dutch star players Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten are purchased from PSV and AFC Ajax respectively. Sacchi's tenure as Milan's head coach gets off to a bad start, as the club is eliminated in R2 of the 1987-88 UEFA Cup by RCD Español following a win over Real Sporting Gijon. Uniquely, RCD Español goes on to defeat Inter in R3 of that same tournament as well - after the black-and-blue side knocked out Beşiktaş JK en TPS (Turku). Also in 1987, with the 1990 World Cup due to be held in Italy, a new round of renovations is undertaken on the San Siro stadium, as architects Giancarlo Ragazzi and Enrico Hoffer prepare the construction of a third tier on three sides of the ground, eventually resulting in 17.193 extra seats. This new upper part of the stadium rests on 11 support towers surrounded by helical ramps. Four of these towers are located at the corners to support the roof, another new addition to the ground. During the works, which take nearly 3 years, total ground capacity is reduced by about 50 %.
1988 / In his first season as Milan AC's manager, Arrigo Sacchi secures the club's 11th Italian league title, with an advantage of 3 points over SSC Napoli - later on also obtaining the Italian Supercup following a defeat of UC Sampdoria. Further strengthening his squad, Sacchi signs a third player from the Netherlands, Frank Rijkaard. Meanwhile, at Inter, Alessandro Altobelli leaves the club after 10 years, in which he scored 128 goals in 317 matches; Altobelli, who signs for Juventus FC, was also part of the Italy squad winning the 1982 World Cup, in which he scored one of the goals in the final against West Germany. On the other hand, FC Internazionale signs German stars Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthäus; one year later, in 1989, Jürgen Klinsmann will complete Inter's German 'super trio'. In the 1988-89 UEFA Cup, following wins over Swedish sides IK Brage and Malmö FF, Inter suffers a painful knock-out at the hands the former club of Matthäus and Brehme, FC Bayern München.
1989 / For the first time in 9 years, FC Internazionale Milano conquers the Italian title, with a commanding advantage of 11 points on SSC Napoli and 12 points on Milan AC. Moreover, the club also wins the Italian Supercup, defeating UC Sampdoria. While Milan has an underwhelming Serie A campaign, Arrigo Sacchi's men are unbeatable on in the international front; in the European Cup, Milan AC knocks out PFK Vitosha Sofia, FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), SV Werder 1899, as well as Real Madrid CF in the semi-finals - incidentally the first time ever Real Madrid is eliminated by Milan. In the final, played at Barcelona's Camp Nou in front of 97,000 spectators, Milan eases past CSA Steaua București (4-0), with Gullit and Van Basten each scoring twice. In the fall of 1989, Milan also conquers the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, defeating FC Barcelona and Atlético Nacional respectively - with the latter encounter being played at Tokyo's National Olympic Stadium.
1990 / In the 1989-90, both Milanese clubs are represented in the European Cup, with Inter faring badly - being knocked out by Malmö FF in R1. Milan, on the other hand, reaches the final yet again following wins over HJK (Helsinki), Real Madrid CF, KV Mechelen, and FC Bayern München; in the final, played at Vienna's Praterstadion, an isolated Frank Rijkaard goal brings the main European club trophy to Italy yet again. Meanwhile, nationally, Milan AC misses out on the Serie A title yet again, finishing 2 points behind Diego Maradona's SSC Napoli. After three years, the renovation and extension works on San Siro are completed; the ground in its new shape, an all-seater stadium with 85,700 seats, is inaugurated with the second leg of the Coppa Italia final, in which Milan AC is defeated by Juventus FC (0-1), an encounter witnessed by 83,928 spectators. In the 1990 World Cup, the inaugural ceremony is held at San Siro - as well as five games, including the opening match, which sees reigning world champions Argentina suffering a defeat against Cameroun. In the fall of 1990, Milan AC wins the European Super Cup as well as the Intercontinental Cup for the second time running, with wins over UC Sampdoria and Club Olimpia.
1991 / In the 1990-91 Serie A campaign, Milan AC and Internazionale finish in joint-second place, 5 points behind UC Sampdoria. In the European Cup, the club knock out Club Brugge KV before being eliminated by Olympique Marseille in the oddest of ways - after a floodlight failure in Marseilles' Stade Vélodrome, the Milanese players refuse to come back onto the pitch, upon which the UEFA award the match to Marseille (3-0) - and, adding insult to injury, Milan are punished with an exclusion from all European tournaments for one season. Inter is more lucky in the UEFA Cup, defeating SK Rapid (Vienna), Aston Villa FC, FK Partizan, Atalanta BC, and Sporting Clube de Portugal to reach the final, in which AS Roma is defeated 2-1 on aggregate (Inter's goals being scored by Matthäus and Nicola Berti). The coach leading Inter to this success is none other than former Milan AC player and manager Giovanni Trapattoni. After the 1990-91 season, Trapattoni leaves Inter to sign a contract with Juventus FC, while his Milan AC colleague Sacchi steps down as well, taking on the job as Italy's national team manager. At Milan, Sacchi is succeeded by Fabio Capello.
1992 / While Inter is knocked out of the 1991-91 UEFA Cup in R1 by Portugal's Boavista FC, Milan AC, excluded from European football, has the opportunity to focus fully on the Serie A, winning the title without suffering a single defeat, finishing 8 points ahead of Juventus FC - with Marco van Basten scoring 25 goals. Also in 1992, the club clinches the Italian Supercup, defeating Parma AC, but is deprived of the European Super Cup (also by Parma) and the Intercontinental Cup (by São Paulo FC). At the end of the 1991-92 season, Inter's three German stars leave the club, with Matthäus returning to FC Bayern München, while Brehme and Klinsmann sign contracts with Real Zaragoza and AS Monaco respectively.
1993 / Finishing 4 points ahead of Inter, Milan AC obtain their 13th national title - as well as conquering a new Italian Super Cup (at the expense of AC Torino). Milan also reaches the final of the first Champions League tournament, the successor of the European Cup. Following wins over NK Olimpija Ljubljana and ŠK Slovan Bratislava, subsequently leaving behind IFK Göteborg, FC Porto, and PSV in the group stage, the club faces Olympique Marseille in the final, played in Munich's Olympiastadion - losing the match 1-0 due to a Basile Boli goal. At the end of the 1992-93 season, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard leave the club, signing deals with UC Sampdoria and AFC Ajax respectively.
1994 / Still guided by Fabio Capello, Milan AC has one of the best seasons in club history, winning the Serie A title ahead of Juventus FC and also conquering the Champions League, seeing off FC Aarau, FC Kopenhagen, subsequently winning a group stage with FC Porto, SV Werder 1899, and RSC Anderlecht, edging past AS Monaco in the semi-final to qualify for the final in Athens' Spiros Louis Stadium, in which goals by Daniele Massaro (2), Dejan Savićević, and Marcel Desailly secure a 4-0 win over Johan Cruijff's FC Barcelona. Later on that same year, Milan also brings home the Italian Super Cup (defeating UC Sampdoria), the European Super Cup (against Arsenal FC), but is defeated in the Intercontinental Cup against Argentina's Vélez Sarsfield (2-0). Meanwhile, city rivals Inter, coached by Gianpiero Marini, have an abysmal Serie A season, finishing in 13th place, but win a European trophy as well - securing the UEFA Cup defeating SV Casino Salzburg in the final (2-0 on aggregate, with goals by Nicola Berti and Wim Jonk, who had joined Inter along with AFC Ajax team mate Dennis Bergkamp in the summer of 1993) after knocking out FC Rapid Bucureşti, APO Apollon Lemesou, Norwich City FC, BVB Dortmund, and Cagliari Calcio in the previous rounds. At Inter, legendary goal keeper Walter Zenga, who had defended the club colours for 12 years, appearing in 328 matches, leaves for UC Sampdoria, being replaced in the Inter goal by Sampdoria's Gianluca Pagliuca, who also succeeded Zenga in the Italian national team.
1995 / While Inter has another meagre Serie A campaign, finishing 6th, the club cannot redeem itself in Europe this time around, being knocked out in R1 of the UEFA Cup against Aston Villa FC. For the first time in 3 years, AC Milan misses out on the title, finishing 4th, but the club manages another Champions League final, finishing 2nd in a group with AFC Ajax, SV Casino Salzburg, and AEK, defeating SL Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain in the knock-out stage, to stumble over Louis van Gaal's AFC Ajax in the end - losing the match in Vienna's Praterstadion due to a single goal, scored by Patrick Kluivert. Oddly, that same season, Juventus FC plays two UEFA Cup home matches at San Siro due to a conflict with the ownership of that club's usual home ground, the Stadio della Alpi. At the end of the 1994-95 season, Milan player Marco van Basten hangs up his boots after an uphill battle against various injuries.
1996 / In the 1995-96 UEFA Cup, Inter suffers a humiliating R1 defeat at the hands of Swiss minnows FC Lugano, while Milan AC reaches the last 8 of that same tournament, being knocked out by FC Girondins de Bordeaux following wins over Zagłębie Lubin, RC Strasbourg, and AC Sparta Praha. After 5 seasons as Milan's manager, Fabio Capello bows out in the most honourable of ways, offering the club its 15th national title - with a comfortable advantage of 8 points over closest rivals Juventus FC.
1997 / In a hopeless 1996-97 campaign, Milan AC finishes 11th in Serie A, while being knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League, finishing 3rd behind FC Porto and Rosenborg BK - leaving behind only IFK Göteborg. FC Internazionale Milano, with manager Roy Hodgson, reaches the final of the UEFA Cup, eliminating EA Guingamp, Grazer AK, Boavista FC, RSC Anderlecht, and AS Monaco - only to lose the final on penalties (1-1 aggregate score) against FC Schalke 04. At the end of the 1996-97 season, Milan AC waves goodbye to club icon Franco Baresi, whose 18 year career was wholly spent at Milan - wearing the red-and-black jersey 531 times. Baresi also played 81 caps for Italy, being part of the Azzurri squad which conquered the 1982 World Cup.
1998 / Defeating Neuchâtel Xamax FC, Olympique Lyonnais, RC Strasbourg, FC Schalke 04, and FK Spartak Moskva on the way, FC Internazionale Milano, managed by Luigi Simoni, reaches the UEFA Cup final, which is played as a single match at a neutral venue (instead of a home and an away leg) for the first time; in the match, played at Paris' Parc des Princes, goals by Iván Zamorano, Javier Zanetti, and (the Brazilian) Ronaldo help Inter record a 3-0 win over SS Lazio.
1999 / Having managed only a 10th place the previous year, Milan AC, led by manager Alberto Zaccheroni, now wins its 16th national title, 1 point ahead of SS Lazio. In the Champions League, Inter, who qualified for the tournament via a 2nd place in Serie A, reaches the last 8, defeating Skonto FC in a preliminary round, subsequently winning the group stage (Real Madrid CF, FK Spartak Moskva, and SK Sturm Graz being the opponents), is eventually eliminated by Manchester United FC, which goes on to win the tournament. Having played 519 matches for Inter in the previous 20 years, defender Giuseppe Bergomi hangs up his boots; Bergomi, capped 81 times for Italy, was also part of his country's squad which conquered the 1982 World Cup.
2000 / Milan AC, who purchased Ukrainian star Andriy Shevshenko from FK Dinamo Kiev in the summer of 1999, suffers an early Champions League exit, being eliminated in the group stage along with Galatasaray SK, finishing behind Chelsea FC and Hertha BSC.
2001 / In the Champions League, FC Internazionale Milano is eliminated in the preliminary round against Helsingborgs IF; continuing their season in the UEFA Cup, Inter knocks out Ruch Chorzów, SBV Vitesse, and Hertha BSC before being knocked out by later finalists Deportivo Alavés in the round of 16. Milan, on the other hand, wins its 1st round Champions League group (seeing off Leeds United FC, FC Barcelona, and Beşiktaş JK, but it finishes 3rd in the 2nd group stage, bowing out (along with Paris Saint-Germain) against RCD La Coruña and Galatasaray SK. The 2001 Champions League final is played at San Siro, with FC Bayern München taking the trophy after winning a penalty shoot-out against Valencia CF (1-1 after extra time).
2002 / Both Milanese clubs reach the UEFA Cup semi-finals, Milan AC bowing out against BVB Dortmund (following wins over FK Bate Borisov, PFK CSKA Sofia, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Roda JC, and Hapoel Tel Aviv FC), while Internazionale is defeated by Feyenoord (following wins over ACS SR Braşov, Wisła Kraków SSA, Ipswich Town FC, AEK, and Valencia CF). At the end of the 2001-02 season, Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who had joined Inter from FC Barcelona in 1997, leaves the club, signing a contract with Real Madrid CF.
2003 / In the 2002-03 season, both Milanese clubs are represented in the Champions League. Inter knocks out Sporting Clube de Portugal in the preliminaries, going on to win the 1st group stage (against AFC Ajax, Olympique Lyonnais, and Rosenborg BK) and finishing runners-up in the 2nd group stage (against FC Barcelona, Newcastle United FC, and Bayer 04 Leverkusen), before defeating Valencia CF in the last 8. In the semi-final, however, Inter is eliminated by none other than Milan AC; Milan, coached by former player Carlo Ancelotti, had seen off FC Slovan Liberec in the preliminary round, going on to win the 1st group stage (against RCD La Coruña, RC Lens, and FC Bayern München) as well as the 2nd group stage (against Real Madrid CF, BVB Dortmund, and FK Lokomotiv Moskva), and subsequently defeating AFC Ajax in the quarter final. In the final, played at Old Trafford in Manchester, Milan eventually wins the cup after a penalty shoot-out against Juventus FC (0-0 after extra time). Only managing 3rd place in Serie A that season, Milan also conquers its 5th Coppa Italia, booking a 6-3 aggregate win over AS Roma. Later that year, the club also wins the European Super Cup (against FC Porto) and the Intercontinental Cup (in Yokohama against CA Boca Juniors). Also in 2003, Milan AC officially changes its name back to AC Milan.
2004 / Still led by Carlo Ancelotti, AC Milan clinches its 17th national title, 11 points ahead of closest rivals AS Roma - going on to win the Italian Super Cup as well, beating SS Lazio. In the Champions League, the club wins its group stage (against RC Celta de Vigo, Club Brugge KV, and AFC Ajax), subsequently defeating AC Sparta Praha before bowing out in the round of last 8 against RCD La Coruña. In that same tournament, Inter is eliminated in the group stage (along with FK Dinamo Kiev, against Arsenal FC & FK Lokomotiv Moskva). Contuing the European season in the UEFA Cup, Inter edges past FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and SL Benfica, but is knocked out in the quarter finals against Olympique Marseille.
2005 / FC Internazionale wins its 4th Coppa Italia, defeating AS Roma (3-0 on aggregate), with Adriano (2) and Siniša Mihajlović being the goalscorers. Later that year, the club also wins the Italian Super Cup, defeating Serie A winners Juventus FC. In the 2004-05 Champions League season, Inter defeats FC Basel in the preliminary round, going on to win the group stage (against SV Werder 1899, Valencia CF, and RSC Anderlecht), knocking out FC Porto, before stumbling - once again! - over AC Milan. Milan, which finished 2nd in Serie A that year, had progressed to that Champions League stage following a group win (against FC Barcelona, FK Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic FC) and a defeat of Manchester United FC. After seeing off Inter, AC Milan went on to win the semi-final against PSV, only to lose the final to Liverpool FC, played at Istanbul's Atatürk Stadium, after a penalty shoot-out (3-3 after extra time).
2006 / Coached by Roberto Mancini, FC Internazionale wins its 14th national title, 7 points ahead of AS Roma. Moreover, the club also conquers the Coppa Italia, with the same AS Roma being defeated 4-2 in the final. In the Champions League, the club is less successful, surviving the group stage as runners-up (against FC Bayern München, FK Spartak Moskva, and Sporting Clube de Portugal), but being eliminated in the first knock-out round by Valencia CF. In that same tournament, AC Milan finishes top of its group (against PSV, FC Schalke 04, and Fenerbahçe SK), before knocking out FC Bayern München and Olympique Lyonnais - finally stumbling over later winners FC Barcelona in the semis. At the end of the 2005-06 season, having played 7 seasons for AC Milan (208 matches, 127 goals), Andriy Shevshenko leaves the club, signing a contract with Chelsea FC. That same summer, Internazionale signs Zlatan Ibrahimović from Juventus FC; Ibrahimović, who will go on to stay with Inter for 3 seasons, helps the club winning its first prize, the Italian Super Cup, defeating AS Roma.
2007 / Roberto Mancini helps Inter winning its second Serie A title in a row, with a mind-blowing 22 points advantage over AS Roma. In the Champions League, the club eliminates FK Shakhtar Donetsk in the preliminary round, going on to top its group (against Rangers FC, Artmedia Bratislava, and FC Porto) and knock out AFC Ajax before stumbling over Villareal CF in the quarter finals. The winner of that year's Champions League tournament is AC Milan. Guided by manager Carlo Ancelotti, Milan edges past FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) in the preliminary round, subsequently winning its group (against Lille OSC, AEK, and RSC Anderlecht), going on to defeat Celtic FC, FC Bayern München, and Manchester United FC in the knock-out stage - and beating Liverpool FC 2-1 in the final at Athens' Spiros Louis Stadium (with both goals being scored by Filippo Inzaghi). It marks the club 7th win in Europe's major club tournament (European Cup and Champions League wins combined). Later that year, Milan also conquers the European Super Cup (against Sevilla FC) and the Intercontinental Cup - defeating Urawa Red Diamonds in the semis and Boca Juniors in the final, played at Yokohama's International Stadium.
2008 / Inter wins its 3rd Serie A title in a row, again leaving AS Roma in 2nd place. In the Champions League, the black-and-blue formation tops its group (against Fenerbahçe SK, PSV, and PFK CSKA Sofia), but is eliminated in the first knock-out round by Liverpool FC. AC Milan follows a similar path, winning the group stage (against Celtic FC, SL Benfica, and FK Shakhtar Donetsk) before being knocked out by Arsenal FC in the round of last 16. Following the 2007-08 season, Roberto Mancini leaves Inter, being replaced by Portuguese manager José Mourinho, who had left his job at Chelsea FC the previous year. Mourinho wins his first prize early on in the new season, with Inter taking the Italian Super Cup against AS Roma.
2009 / FC Internazionale wins its 4th scudetto in a row, but international success is eluding the club once more, being knocked out in the Champions League in the round of last 16 by later finalist Manchester United FC after finishing runners-up in a group with Panathinaïcos AO, SV Werder 1899, and Anorthosi Ammochostou. Meanwhile, AC Milan has to content itself with UEFA Cup participation, beating FC Zürich in the preliminary round, subsequently finishing runners-up in the group stage (against VfL Wolfsburg, SC Braga, Portsmouth FC, and SC Heerenveen) prior to being eliminated by SV Werder 1899 in the round of last 16. At the end of the 2008-09 season, Milan defender Paolo Maldini hangs up his boots after 25 years of loyal service to the club (647 matches, apart from 126 caps for Italy); as manager Carlo Ancelotti leaves the club as well, he is succeeded by Leonardo Araújo, member of the 1994 Brazilian squad which conquered the World Cup. Also in 2009, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza hosts a rugby match for the first time - an international match between Italy and New Zealand, attended by 81,000 spectators.
2010 / Led by José Mourinho, Inter has one of the best seasons in club history, conquering its 5th successive Serie A title as well as the Coppa Italia (final: 1-0 win over AS Roma with Diego Milito scoring the only goal) and the Champions League; finishing runners-up in the group stage (against FC Barcelona, FK Rubin, and FK Dinamo Kiev), the club knocks out Chelsea FC, PFK CSKA Moskva, and FC Barcelona to qualify for the final at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, in which two Milito goals seal the fate of FC Bayern München (2-0). Meanwhile, AC Milan is knocked out in the round of last 16 in the same tournament by Manchester United FC after surviving the group stage (against Real Madrid FC, Olympique Marseille, and FC Zürich) as runners-up. In the summer of 2010, José Mourinho leaves Inter, signing a deal with Real Madrid CF. Under his successor Rafael Benítez, the club wins the Italian Super Cup against AS Roma. Meanwhile, AC Milan signs Zlatan Ibrahimović from FC Barcelona, which had lured him away from FC Internazionale one year before.
2011 / Milan is knocked out in the round of last 16 in the Champions League, Milan by Tottenham Hotspur FC (after finishing runners-up in the group stage against Real Madrid CF, AFC Ajax, and AJ Auxerre), while Inter manages to progress one stage further until suffering elimination against FC Schalke 04 (after finishing runners-up in the group stage against Tottenham Hotspur FC, FC Twente, and SV Werder 1899; and defeating FC Bayern München in the first knock-out round). Domestically, Milan wins its 18th title, 6 points ahead of Inter which thus does not end up as Serie A winner for the first time in 5 seasons - all the more painful for Leonardo Araújo, who had become Inter's manager after leaving AC Milan in 2010). Leonardo's successor at Milan was Massimiliano Allegri. Leonardo does not remain without success, though, with Inter winning the Intercontinental Cup, defeating Seongnam FC in the semi-final and TP Mazembe in the final (3-0, goals by Goran Pandev, Samuel Eto'o, and Jonathan Biabiany), while also defeating USC Palermo in the Coppa Italia final (3-1, two goals by Eto'o and one by Milito). Early in the new season, AC Milan defeats Inter 2-1 in the Italian Super Cup, played at the National Stadium in Peking (PR China).
2012 / While national success eludes both clubs, neither Milan nor Inter come close to winning European silverware either. Milan reaches the last 8 of the Champions League (finishing runners-up in a group with FC Barcelona, Viktoria Plzeň, and BATE Borisov; and then knocking-out Arsenal FC in the round of 16), in which it is eliminated by FC Barcelona. In that same tournament, Inter wins its group (against PFK CSKA Moskva, Trabzonspur Kulübü, and Lille OSC) before losing out to Olympique Marseille in the first knock-out stage. AC Milan waves goodbye to club icon and 2006 world champion Alessandro Nesta (224 matches in 10 years), who leaves for Montreal Impact; as well as to Zlatan Ibrahimović, who scored no fewer than 42 goals in 2 seasons, but signs a deal with Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, in San Siro, the grass surface, which had always been of doubtful quality following the construction of the third tier in 1987-90 (due to a lack of sunlight coming into the stadium), is replaced with a hybrid pitch.
2013 / Qualifying for the Champions League, AC Milan got through the group stage as runners-up (against Malaga CF, FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg, and RSC Anderlecht) only to be eliminated by FC Barcelona in the first knock-out round. Due to a 6th place finish in Serie A, Inter misses out on the main European cup tournament, qualifying for the new Europa League instead. Defeating HNK Hajduk Split and SJ Vaslui in the early stages, subsequently surviving the group stage as runners-up (against FK Rubin, FK Partizan, and Neftçi Peşəkar FC), the club eliminated CFR Cluj in the round of last 32, but failed to get past Tottenham Hotspur FC in the following round.
2014 / With Inter missing out on international football altogether, AC Milan qualifies for the group stage of the Champions League after defeating PSV in a play-off - surviving the group as runners-up (against FC Barcelona, AFC Ajax, and Celtic FC), but being eliminated by Club Atlético de Madrid in the first knock-out round. Due to an 8th place finish in the 2013-14 edition of Serie A, the club misses out on the international tournaments - and the same happens in the following two seasons.
2015 / Like AC Milan, FC Internazionale Milano goes through several disappointing seasons, but manages to qualify for the Europa League in 2015, defeating UMF Stjarnan in the preliminary round, going on to win the group stage (against FK Dnipro, FK Qarabağ Ağdam, and AS Saint-Etienne Loire), eliminating Celtic FC in the first knock-out round, but bowing out against VfL Wolfsburg in the round of last 16. Also in 2015, a small set of renovations on the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is carried out, which are completed the following year.
2016 / AC Milan wins the Italian Super Cup, defeating Juventus FC in a match played at Doha's Jassim Bin-Hamad Stadium (1-1 and penalties). The only European encounter played at San Siro in the 2015-16 season is the Champions League final, with Real Madrid CF reducing their city rivals Club Atlético de Madrid to tears after a penalty shoot-out (1-1 after extra time).
2017 / Qualifying for the Europa League, Inter finishes last in the group stage against AC Sparta Praha, MK Hapoel Beer Sheva, and Southampton FC.
2018 / Finishing 6th in Serie A in 2017, AC Milan qualifies for the Europa League, being eliminated in the second knock-out round by Arsenal FC after defeating Universitatea Craiova and KF Shkëndija in the preliminary rounds, winning the group stage (against AEK, NK Rijeka, and FK Austria Wien), and having the better of PFK Ludogorets 1945 in the first knock-out round.
2019 / After a 7-year absence, FC Internazionale is back in the Champions League following a 4th place in the 2017-18 Serie A season, but the club is knocked out in the group stage (against FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur FC, and PSV). Finishing 3rd in the group, the club goes on to the knock-out stage of the Europa League, in which it edges past SS Lazio, but bows out against Eintracht Frankfurt in the round of last 16. In that same tournament, AC Milan had already been knocked out in the group stage (against Real Betis Balompie, Olympiacos SF Piraeus, and F91 Dudelange). In the 2019-20 season, Milan is excluded from participating in UEFA tournaments due to violations of Financial Fair Play regulations. Also in 2019, AC Milan and Inter announce their common intention to build a new stadium next to San Siro, the so-called 'Nuovo Stadio Milano', with a projected capacity of 60,000. Due to safety reasons, San Siro's capacity has meanwhile been brought back to 75,817.
2020 / Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Bergamo, Atalanta BC plays its Champions League home match against Valencia CF in San Siro - with Atalanta securing qualification for the knock-out stage. Meanwhile, Inter loses the 2019-20 Serie A title race against Juventus FC, picking up 1 point less than the club from Turin. In Europe, Inter came tantalisingly close to winning silverware as well, although the club was eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League (against FC Barcelona, BVB Dortmund, and SK Slavia Praha); after the winter break, Inter was drawn into the Europa League, successively knocking out PFK Ludogorets 1945, Getafe CF, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, and FK Shakhtar Donetsk, thus qualifying for the final, held in Cologne's Mungersdorfer Stadion. On the day, however, Inter is defeated by Sevilla FC, with Inter's centre-forward Romelu Lukaku scoring the own goal which decides the match. After an absence of 8 year
2021 / After years of lurking in the shadows, the two Milanese clubs are back at the top of Italian football, with FC Internazionale, coached by Antonio Conte, finishing first in Serie A - 12 points ahead of runners-up AC Milan. Later that same year, under Conte's successor Simone Inzaghi, Inter also conquers the Italian Super Cup at the expense of Juventus FC. In the 2020-21 Champions League campaign, the black-and-blue formation is less successful, finishing last in the group stage, in which it is drawn against Real Madrid CF, Borussia VfL 1900 (Mönchengladbach), and FK Shakhtar Donetsk. Meanwhile, in the Europa League, AC Milan sails past Shamrock Rovers FC, FK Bodø/Glimt, and Rio Ave FC in the preliminaries, subsequently finishing top of its group (against Lille OSC, AC Sparta Praha, and Celtic FC), going on to defeat FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), but being eliminated by Manchester United FC in the round of last 16. In the summer of 2021, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza hosts the UEFA Nations League final, in which France defeats Spain (2-1).
2022 / With the two Milanese clubs again topping the Serie A, it is AC Milan, coached by Stefano Pioli, which finishes on top this time, with Internazionale trailing by 2 points. Inter wins the Coppa Italia, though, defeating Juventus FC in the final played at Rome's Stadio Olimpico - adding the Italian Super Cup, conquered on Milan, to its trophy cupboard later that year. On the international stage, the two clubs fare less successfully; Milan finishes last in the group stage (against Liverpool FC, Club Atlético de Madrid, and FC Porto). Inter qualifies from its group as runners-up (against Real Madrid CF, FC Sheriff Tiraspol, and FK Shakhtar Donetsk), but is knocked out by Liverpool FC in the round of last 16.
2023 / With SSC Napoli storming to victory in Serie A, the two Milanese clubs are left fighting for the left-overs - with Inter being the more successful of the two, winning the final of the Coppa Italia in Rome's Stadio Olimpico, defeating ACF Fiorentina (2-1, with both Inter goals being scored by Lautaro Martinez). In the Champions League, AC Milan finishes runners-up in the group stage (against Chelsea FC, Red Bull Salzburg, and GNK Dinamo Zagreb), subsequently knocking out Tottenham Hotspur FC and SSC Napoli prior to bowing out in the semis against... none other than city rivals FC Internazionale in one of the most closely watched Derby della Madonnina in history. Inter had reached the semi-finals by surviving the group stage as runners-up (against FC Bayern München, FC Barcelona, and FC Viktoria Plzeň), and eliminating FC Porto and SL Benfica in the following rounds. In the final in Istanbul's Atatürk Stadium, Inter was defeated by Manchester City FC (1-0). Meanwhile, the plans to build a new stadium for both Milanese clubs near Stadio Giuseppe Meazza are stalled. With both clubs eager to leave for a new stadium, it remains to be seen how affairs will develop.
2026 (projected) / The inaugural ceremony of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, due to be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, will take place in Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.