There was plenty of emotion but very little quality football as the Derby della Madonnina ended all square far away from home. Although played 14,000 kilometres from San Siro and only as a pre-season friendly, a derby is always a derby—even in Perth, where the Italian giants are preparing for the new Serie A campaign. Inter looked slightly sharper at the modern Optus Stadium, in front of around 55,000 spectators, showing that Cristian Chivu's side currently has more cohesion and tactical fluidity. However, Ruben Amorim's Milan managed to make their stronger first-half spell count only at the very end, as the match finished 1-1.Milan’s legend passes away age 66The game will also be remembered as Milan's first since the passing of Franco Baresi. In tribute to the legendary captain, every Milan player walked onto the pitch wearing the iconic No. 6 on the back of their shirt before changing into their regular squad numbers once the match kicked off. Moments before the opening whistle, Baresi's shirt was placed at the centre circle, while play was stopped in the sixth minute so that fans, players and coaching staff could unite in another emotional tribute to one of the club's greatest legends. Many supporters criticised the Milan hierarchy for not interrupting the team's Australian tour and returning to Italy for Baresi's funeral. However, such a decision would have been extremely difficult due to sponsorship commitments, previously scheduled fixtures in Perth, logistical challenges and the long journey back to Europe. Amorim himself insisted that "Baresi would have preferred us to continue doing our job by representing the club".Inter's free agents excellence continues with StonesOn the pitch, Milan eventually withstood Inter's second-half pressure. The Nerazzurri alternated between sloppy and incisive attacks before finally breaking the deadlock shortly after the restart. The move came through the team's reliable workhorses rather than its stars. Nicolo Barella drifted into space on the left after an excellent through ball from Matteo Lavelli, who had first outplayed Strahinja Pavlovic. Barella then squared the ball for Federico Dimarco, who calmly finished in the 53rd minute to put Inter ahead. The goal came shortly after Henrikh Mkhitaryan had replaced Aleksandar Stanković, immediately adding more tempo to the midfield. Both teams looked physically drained, often misplacing simple passes, but Inter were clearly the more dangerous side after halftime, having struggled to impose themselves before the break. They nearly doubled their advantage when 19-year-old Matteo Lavelli burst forward on the counter and forced goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani into an excellent save.##NAJAVA_MECA_9879086##Ironically, Milan were better in the first half despite failing to score, while their equalizer arrived during a less convincing second-half display. Amorim's side appeared to control possession for long spells before the interval and came closest when Ruben Loftus-Cheek struck the post. After a wave of second-half substitutions, with Luka Modrić, Alexis Saelemaekers, Ardon Jashari, and new signing Goncalo Ramos all entering the pitch, Milan gradually found a way back into the contest. Their reward came late in the match when Carlos Augusto fouled Christopher Nkunku inside the penalty area. Nkunku converted the spot kick himself to make it 1-1. Fittingly, the equalizer came six minutes before the end of normal time—a symbolic final tribute to the unforgettable No. 6, Franco Baresi.
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