Derby d'Italia
A legendary Italian clash between Juventus and Inter, unrelated to Liverpool FC.
Often misunderstood by English supporters due to Liverpool’s legendary European campaigns against Italian sides, the 'Derby d'Italia' is strictly an Italian fixture. It describes the historic rivalry between Juventus and Inter Milan, a contest that has never involved Anfield.
- Note
- No data available for Liverpool FC in this specific rivalry as it is an Italian fixture (Juventus vs. Inter).
- Correct Rivalry Context
- Italian Football (Serie A)
- Liverpool Equivalent Domestic Derby
- Merseyside Derby or North West Derby
- Status
- Not applicable to Liverpool FC history
Lore & Background
Journalist Giancarlo De Sisti first named this clash in 1928 following a title-deciding match. The rivalry embodies a cultural tug-of-war between Turin’s industrial backbone and Milan’s financial power. While Liverpool FC met Juventus and AC Milan in high-stakes European finals, these were continental encounters, not domestic derbies. Our history is rooted in the Merseyside and North West, where local geography dictates our true enemies.
In Their Own Story
The Anfield crowd roars for a different battle entirely. Here, the red tide swells against the blue of Everton or the red of Manchester United. The air smells of damp brick and passion, not the espresso-scented tension of Turin. A Liverpool historian looks at a ticket stub from 1985, not for a Derby d'Italia, but for a European Cup final in Rome—a clash of nations, not a domestic Italian derby. The history books are clear: Liverpool's wars are fought on English soil or across the continent, never within the borders of Italy as a local rivalry.
Reader's Guide
Casual observers often conflate this term with Liverpool’s 1970s and 80s European nights against Serie A opposition. Yet, the 'Derby d'Italia' remains confined to Italian soil between Italy’s two un-relegated giants. For Red supporters, the fierce rivalries are domestic: the Merseyside Derby against Everton (since 1894) and the North West Derby against Manchester United. These fixtures define our identity with a century of competitive history unmatched in Italy.
Did You Know?
- The term 'Derby d'Italia' was first used in 1928 to describe Juventus vs Inter Milan.
- Liverpool FC's most famous European clash against an Italian side was the 1985 European Cup final against Juventus (Heysel), not a domestic derby.
- Juventus and Inter are the only two clubs in Italy never to have been relegated from Serie A.
- Liverpool's primary rivalry is with Everton, known as the Merseyside Derby, which is one of the few derbies without red and blue or red and white kits clashing (both traditionally wear red/blue vs blue).