By Anna Italia
Follow me in Twitter @ItalianSerieA
47% Ball Possession INTER and 53% Ball Possession AC MILAN
Inter 1 – 0 AC Milan 
86′ Rodrigo Palacio
Serie A Standing AFTER the game:
Inter, 5th position with 31 points and a positive goal difference of +16
AC Milan, 10th position with 19 points and a negative goal difference of -1
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | Diff. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Inter | 17 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 37:21 | 16 | 31 |
| 13 | AC Milan | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 25:26 | -1 | 19 |
It’s the awaited Milan Derby! The first derby of Inter President Eric Thohir and Barbara Berlusconi as AC Milan CEO. This is the 159th Derby della Madonnina in Serie A with stats in favor of Inter with 59 wins while AC Milan winning 49 and 50 draws. Last time AC Milan won the derby is in April 2011 (3-0). Best forward from both teams up to this game is Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio scoring 9 goals, and the first time scoring against AC Milan! Yep, Palacio scored the only goal of the game and you bet it will be among his favorites. A perfect Christmas present for President Thohir who asked Mazzarri to win this Derby della Madonnina, and he did!
It’s a chaotic period for AC Milan ending 2013 with a poor performance. Milan winning only 4 games this season and a negative goal difference of -1. Making matters worst, AC Milan went down from the 10th to the 13th position while Inter remaining in 5th position.
Knock, knock, Inter knocking at AC Milan door in the 7th minute with the attempt to score with assist by defender Yuto Nagatomo to forward Rodrigo Palacio delivering a right footed shot, but not surprising AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati who saves in the top right corner.
In the 11th minute, Milan closer to the goal. Forward Mario Balotelli giving the assist to Kaka delivering a left footed shot though Inter goalkeeper Handanovic saves in the bottom right corner.
First yellow card of the match is for AC Milan defender Mattia De Sciglio after a foul on Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin.
Milan wasting a golden opportunity in the 30th minute. Here is the thing, goalkeeper Handanovic anticipates badly after a corner, then, Bonera also anticipating, but the final touch is for Poli who did not make it from close range and the ball is off target!
What a mess! In the 40th minute there is a situation that according to replay should have been a penalty for Inter. Referee Celi does not consider a bad intervention and the game continues. In the replay, the action seeing Milan defender Christian Zapata blocking forward Palacio and bringing him down. Well, this will be a “replay” to watch again…..
On the ground Milan defender Constant after clashing with midfielder Guarin, medical attention for Constant….
Match getting too personal…. too many bad fouls. In the 44th minute a bad blocking by midfielder Sulley Muntari on Inter defender Jonathan bringing him down, …..
Two minutes added time.
Inter wasting a chance to score in the 45th minute after the assist by Saphir Taider to midfielder Esteban Cambiasso trying the headed shot but missing it to the left… so close…. closeup from Inter president Thohir watching the game.
First half ending 44% ball possession Inter and 56% ball possession AC Milan.
AC Milan starting the second half with a substitution. Allegri replacing in the 46th minute defender Kevin Constant for injury. It’s the time for Urby Emanuelson.
In the 52nd minute, Inter closer to the goal after the assist by Rodrigo Palacio to Jonathan. Goalkeeper Abbiati saving the right footed shot in the center!.
Milan reacting and looking for the goal. In the 52nd minute, Muntari passes to Balotelli who delivers a right footed shot coming from the left side, though, nothing to do as goalkeeper Handanoic saves in the top right corner. Balotelli cannot believe his luck!
Inter making a substitution in the 57th minute. Midfielder Matteo Kovacic replacing midfielder Saphir Taider.
In the 62nd minute, an assist by Mattia De Sciglio to Balotelli…. Inter goalkeeper Handanovic saving Balotelli’s right footed shot in the center!
Another substitution for Inter in the 68th minute. Midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic replacing midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.
Nothing seems to be working for Milan. In the 76th minute, Allegri attempts to add fresh energy and replaces Riccardo Saponara with forward Alessandro Matri.
Inter scoring in the 86th minute. It’s a dream come true for Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio not only scoring the winner goal, but also his first goal against AC Milan!. The assist by midfielder Fredy Guarin to Palacio defeating Milan goalkeeper Abbiati with a right footed shot in the bottom left corner.
Right after the goal, Referee Celi giving Balotelli a yellow card… it seems protesting….
Milan remaining with 10 players after Referee Celi gives a red card to midfielder Sulley Muntari in the 92nd minute.
Here is INTER official starting lineup by coach Walter Mazzarri:
INTER: Handanovic; Campagnaro, Rolando, Juan Jesus; Jonathan, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Taider, Nagatomo; Guarin, Palacio
Here is AC MILAN official starting lineup by coach Massimiliano Allegri.
AC MILAN: Christian Abbiati, De Sciglio, Zapata, Daniele Bonera, Kevin Constant; Poli, De Jong, Muntari; Saponara, Kakà, Mario Balotelli.
Stats AFTER the game. Top scorer for INTER: Forward Rodrigo Palacio with 10 goals
Top scorer for AC MILAN: Forward Mario Balotelli with 6 goals
| Inter | Goals | Goals | AC Milan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palacio, Rodrigo Sebastian | 10 | 6 | Balotelli, Mario |
| Nagatomo, Yuto | 4 | 4 | Muntari, Sulley |
| Alvarez, Ricardo | 4 | 3 | Kaka |
| Cambiasso, Esteban | 4 | 2 | Robinho |
| Guarin, Fredy | 3 | 2 | Poli, Andrea |
CURRENTLY EX-PLAYERS BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMS:
AC Milan:
– Matias Silvestre (Inter for the 2012/2013 season),
– Sulley Muntari
(Inter from 2007 to January 2012),
– Giampaolo Pazzini (Inter from January
2011 to August 2012),
– Mario Balotelli (Inter Youth Team product and
first team player until 2010),
– Andrea Poli (Inter for the 2011/2012
season).
Stats. Here are the last 3 games of INTER: 1 win, 1 draw, 1 lost
| 15/12/13 | SA | Napoli – Inter |
4:2 | Round 16 |
| 08/12/13 | SA | Inter – Parma |
3:3 | Round 15 |
| 04/12/13 | CI | Inter – Trapani |
3:2 | Round 4 |
Here are the last 3 games of AC MILAN: 3 draws
| 16/12/13 | SA | Milan – Roma |
2:2 | Round 16 |
| 11/12/13 | UCLG | Milan – Ajax |
0:0 | Round 6 |
| 07/12/13 | SA | Livorno – Milan |
2:2 | Round 15 |
Disciplinary Situation. 1 suspended player for INTER: Ricardo Alvarez
1 suspended player for AC MILAN: Riccardo Montolivo
Click the video to watch the highlights of the match, INTER vs AC MILAN, Sunday 22 December 2013, Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan, Italy, Serie A Week 17
Click the video to watch the commentaries from DIRETTA STADIO by Filippo Tramontana and Tiziano Crudelli
A vivid expression of joy….. Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio celebrating and receiving the ovation of the fans after scoring against AC Milan
Italian Serie A Week 17
Inter 1 – 0 AC Milan
Sunday 22 December 2013
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium
Milan, Italy
20:45
Referee: MAZZOLENI
Assistants: DI FIORE – BIANCHI
Fourth Official: NICOLETTI
ADD1: BANTI
ADD2: DAMATO
Attendance: 79,311
Goals: 86′ Rodrigo Palacio
Official formations – lineups:
INTER (3-5-1-1):
Handanovic; Campagnaro, Rolando, Juan Jesus; Jonathan, Taider (57′ Kovacic), Cambiasso (82′ Icardi), Zanetti (68′ Kuzmanovic), Nagatomo; Guarin; Palacio.
Subs not used: (Carrizo, Castellazzi,
Andreolli, Belfodil, Mudingayi, Wallace, Ranocchia, Samuel, Pereira).
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.
MILAN (4-3-2-1):
Abbiati; De Sciglio, Zapata, Bonera, Constant (45′ Emanuelson);
Poli (49′ Pazzini), De Jong, Muntari; Saponara (75′
Matri), Kakà; Balotelli.
Subs not used: (Gabriel, Coppola, Mexes, Nocerino, Cristante,
Zaccardo)
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri.
| Italian Serie A Week 17
Inter 1 – 0 AC Milan Sunday 22 December 2013 Giuseppe Meazza Stadium Milan, Italy 20:45 Referee: MAZZOLENI |
||
| Inter | Match Stats |
AC Milan |
| 1 | Goals | 0 |
| 15(7) | Shots (on goal) | 18 (5) |
| 12 | Fouls | 15 |
| 5 | Corner kicks | 7 |
| 0 | Offsides | 2 |
| 47% | Ball Possession | 53% |
| 3 | Yellow Cards | 4 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 5 | Saves | 6 |
What do you think of the results? Which players surprised you or disappointed you and why?