It is well known that the two Milan clubs have endured something of a fall from grace in recent years. Put simply, they are no longer the all-conquering sides that strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams at the very mention of their name, however, there is still hope that they can return to that level once again, thanks to their new wealthy Chinese backers.
With Juventus and Napoli becoming the dominating forces in Italian football, the pressure is on the Milan sides as they look to re-estblish Lombardy as the country's footballing heartland.
The Milan derby comes at either the perfect time for AC or the worst possible depending on yout point of view. On the one hand, it gives boss Vincenzo Montella the perfect opportunity to get the fans back on side after suffering a disappointing start to the season despite being heavily backed in the transfer market, whilst on the other, it could provide the final nail in the coffin if the 'Rossoneri' fall to defeat.
AC will be looking to force their way into the European spots with a win, whilst their arch-rivals could close the gap on leaders Napoli to just two point if they come away victorious.
Sunday's meeting between the pair will be the 219th edition of the Derby della Madonnina and Inter just to say claim the bragging rights historically with 77 wins to AC Milan’s 75. Both teams have called the San Siro home since 1947, adding an extra element of spice to the encounter.
The pair's current situations are a far cry from 2005, when they met in a fiesty Champions League encounter that left some memorable images etched into the memories of those watching.
The game saw the pitch covered by flares, whilst a number of projectiles, including a strangely high quantity of umbrellas, were thrown at AC goalkeeper Dida. The Brazilian stopper went down injured after being hit by a flare in one of the Champions League's most infamous moments.
After AC's 2-0 triumph in the first leg, Inter had it all to do in the 'return' leg at the Giuseppe Meazza. However, a goal from Andriy Shevchenko made it 1-0 to the 'away' side, making it 3-0 on aggregate and putting the game beyond the reach of a star-studded Inter side that contained the likes of Adriano, Juan Sebastian Veron and Javier Zanetti. A disallowed goal from Esteban Cambiasso with 20 minutes remaining spaked ugly scenes in the stands and led to Inter fans showering Dida with projectiles.
Referee Markus Merk was left with no option but the call the game to a halt with 20 minutes left to play, leading to the famous image of Marco Materazzi and Rui Costa that can be seen above. The game restarted shortly afterwards but when flares continued to rain down onto the pitch, including the one that struck Dida, Merk was forced to suspend the match.
UEFA awarded Milan a 3-0 victory and they went on to play in the final against Liverpool in Istanbul. We all know how that game turned out, but that is a story for another time. The Milan derby has certainly changed a lot in recent times, with the rise of Juventus and Napoli leaving AC and Inter fans with little to celebrate, but they'll both be hoping that Sunday's game will mark the dawn of a new era. Just maybe leave the pyro a home this time, eh fellas?