Families will be divided and bars will be filled with talk of nothing else this weekend when Everton host Liverpool on Saturday and the Milan derby takes place a day later.
Despite the plethora of foreign players on show at Goodison and the San Siro, as well as Spanish, Scottish and Portuguese managers, the two derbies will still sum up what is great about being a football fan.
Two packed stadiums will have fans singing their hearts out and every tackle will mean so much more.
Inter boss Jose Mourinho may have experienced Chelsea against Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham, but nothing will have prepared him for 80,000 fans inside the San Siro. There really is something special about the flares, giant flags and the sometimes worrying shake of the stadium as the fans bounce up and down.
Of course the Special One was once an assistant at Barcelona and lived through El Derby against Real Madrid. But can this really count as a derby with the cities so far apart?
The fact Milan and Inter share the same stadium and that Anfield and Goodison are so close together creates a special atmosphere.
What’s your favourite derby?
PHOTO: Inter Milan’s Marco Materazzi (L) and AC Milan’s Rui Costa wait as supporters throw flares onto the pitch during their Champions League quarter-final second leg at the San Siro. April 12, 2005. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
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What about the toughest and most intense derby - Celtic v Rangers in Glasgow ? This is easily the best derby in the world.
- Posted by Darren EnnisI think you can extend it to towns near each other. Im a Blackpool fan and we only have one team in the town but boy when we play Preston….600kms is taking it too far though.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsBurnley-Blackburn is another nasty one that many people dont know about while Fiorentina v Bologna is a mightily friendly derby (because they are both glad they can call it a derby as they are one-team cities)
It does remind me of an old letter to Viz, though:
- Posted by Kevin Fylan“What a con these so-called Liverpool derbies are. Derby don’t even play in them. No wonder Liverpool are always top of the League.”
That was clearly a few years ago…
I notice that most people don’t have a problem with calling Real Madrid v Barcelona a derby, despite the fact that the two clubs are based 600 kms apart.
- Posted by Kevin FylanI wonder if that’s a recent thing? When I were a lad, a dery was a match between two teams from the same city. Full stop.
Best derbies:
Real Madrid-Barcelona
Sporting-Benfica
Man U.-Liverpool
http://startingeleven.blogspot.com/
- Posted by MikeWho are you guys kidding really.
- Posted by johnnyTheres nothing like EL CLASICO .
In terms of fans passion, Tyne and Wear ranks up there. Who is this [..] blogger, abit annoying. Merseyside one is close by but gameswise its gotta be Man U liverpool
- Posted by njauThe best? Nacional vs Penarol of Uruguay! hehehe…. well the one I really like, despite the fact I am Uruguayan is Boca vs River. I also like the Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Lots of talented players and a lot of glory for those who play well the match prevents the mercenaries to prevail!
- Posted by Daniel RBoca Juniors v River Plate
- Posted by Brian Homewood[...] was alerted to Mark Meadow’s article, Friday afternoon question: Which is the best derby? this afternoon of course and it reminds of how wild things get at the San Siro when these clubs [...]
- Posted by Match Day Five - Serie A Italian Calcio | Serie A TalkTo answer Mark’s other question: a city derby is one thing and I presume that’s what we are talking about here. Traditional intercity rivalries such as Barca v Real and United v Liverpool shouldn’t count because there are too many of those across the world.
- Posted by Red Devil[...] Source Share and [...]
- Posted by Friday afternoon question: Which is the best derby? : Soccer Newsthere’s only one game for me: Man Utd @ Anfield.
however, i also do remember Henke Larsson mentioning that even Champions League’s final is nothing if compared to Old Firm :).
- Posted by dsjkvfSpurs - Arsenal - easy.
- Posted by GizRed Star Belgrade vs Partizan Belgrade by a mile. If you haven’t been to one you haven’t seen rivarly at its vicious best.
- Posted by Red DevilAlso, we mustn’t forget Boca Juniors vs River Plate.
Definitely the mother of all derbies, El Classico (Real Madrid and Barcelona). Sporting pride, political history and cultural clashes are at stake in these matches. Not far behind is the derby between Sevilla and Real Betis.
- Posted by JamesMan City v Man Utd
- Posted by Hans MomanIt may lack the quality but the Old Firm has to be the best derby. There is always drama with red cards, penalties, a deafening noise from fans throughout and two teams that really do hate each other
- Posted by Patrick Johnston[...] Go to Source Last 5 posts in Premier LeagueNewcastle can do better than Venables - September 26th, 2008Retirement beckons for doddery League Cup - September 24th, 2008Mourinho up to his old tricks at Inter Milan - September 22nd, 2008Friday afternoon question: Should Villarreal draw worry United? - September 19th, 2008Vlog on the Pitch: Scolari is a tough man to please - September 18th, 2008Popularity: unranked [?] Share and Enjoy: [...]
- Posted by Friday afternoon question: Which is the best derby? | TotalClubFootballBest or nastiest?
- Posted by Kevin FylanReal Betis v Sevilla gets a bit tasty… And I agree, I don’t think Real v Barcelona is any more a derby than Man U v Chelsea.