Table of Content
BBC Sport looks back at the history behind one of football’s most enduring images, capturing a serene moment between AC Milan midfielder Rui Costa and Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi amid the chaos of an abandoned Champions League derby 21 years ago.
Capturing a Moment of Calm Amid Chaos
The photograph, taken by Reuters photographer Stefano Rellandini, depicts Rui Costa standing quietly with his arm resting on Materazzi’s shoulder as red smoke and flares fill the San Siro pitch during the 2005 Champions League quarter-final second leg.
As Rellandini told BBC Sport, everyone’s focus was on the smoke and flares, but he noticed the stark contrast between the two players. He described Materazzi as a rugged player nicknamed like a butcher, while Rui Costa was known for a more artistic style of play. Rellandini noted that for several seconds Materazzi placed his elbow on Rui Costa’s shoulder, allowing him to capture the single frame.
The match on 12 April 2005 was eventually abandoned after 73 minutes when flares and other objects rained down from a section of Inter fans onto the turf, with one striking Milan goalkeeper Dida. Milan was leading 3-0 on aggregate at the time.
Rellandini explained that the atmosphere at the San Siro for a Milan derby was always intense, likening the feeling on the pitch to something more than just a soccer match. The situation boiled over completely when Esteban Cambiasso’s goal for Inter was disallowed, causing Inter supporters to lose control and throw objects for 15 to 20 minutes.
Tensions and Historical Background
Tensions had been building for years. Milan had eliminated Inter from the competition two years prior on away goals and entered the 2004-05 campaign as Italian champions. Owner Silvio Berlusconi had built a formidable Milan squad under manager Carlo Ancelotti, featuring stars like Cafu, Jaap Stam, Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Hernan Crespo, and Andriy Shevchenko.
Inter, meanwhile, had spent heavily under chairman Massimo Moratti, breaking the world transfer record to sign Ronaldo and Christian Vieri, but struggled to secure major silverware. Rival fans mocked Inter as August champions whose early-season expectations faded by May, while supporters felt they faced an unfair disadvantage against dominant clubs like Milan and Juventus. Rumours of the Calciopoli bribery and corruption scandal were already swirling in the stands by 2005.
Players from both sides spoke of the immense pressure surrounding the Derby della Madonnina. Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta called the meetings the worst days of his career due to the turmoil of emotions and tension, while team-mate Paolo Maldini described an electricity across the city. Former Ukraine forward Andriy Shevchenko admitted he also struggled to sleep before the fixtures.
Shevchenko opened the scoring 30 minutes into the second leg with a left-footed shot from outside the box. Inter’s frustration grew further over that incident and a disallowed header from Cambiasso, whose effort was chalked off because Julio Cruz was ruled to have fouled Dida.
As flares poured down like flaming arrows and struck Dida on the shoulder, players gathered in the centre circle while captains and officials attempted to help firefighters clear the debris. Both teams were eventually ordered off the pitch through a corner tunnel as objects continued to cascade from the stands.
Referee Markus Merk attempted to restart the match after a half-hour delay once Dida received treatment for first-degree burns and was replaced by Christian Abbiati. However, after just 30 seconds of continuing missile barrages, the referee was forced to abandon the fixture entirely.
Aftermath and Repercussions
Paolo Maldini supported the referee’s decision to try and restart the match out of respect for supporters who had paid to watch. Both managers, Ancelotti and Inter boss Roberto Mancini, condemned the events as a disgraceful episode that discredited the city of Milan.
Milan police chief Paolo Scarpi blamed the trouble on two to three hundred hooligans from the Inter section, while Berlusconi called for drastic measures to address rising stadium violence. UEFA subsequently handed Inter a £132,000 fine and ordered them to play four European matches behind closed doors, representing the largest fine in the governing body’s history.
Milan advanced past PSV Eindhoven in the semi-finals before losing the final to Liverpool in Istanbul after a dramatic comeback. Milan secured revenge by defeating Liverpool in the 2007 final, while the fallout from the Calciopoli scandal opened the door for Inter to dominate domestic football in the subsequent years.
The latest installment of the Milan derby is scheduled to be broadcast live on BBC Two and iPlayer on Saturday with a 19:45 GMT kick-off.
