San Siro: AC Milan & Inter Milan
By Delfort (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is better known to most as the San Siro stadium. It is an interesting stadium in world football as it hosts not only two clubs, but two clubs that are rivals and that are also two of the biggest football clubs in Italy – AC Milan and Inter Milan. It is named after Giuseppe Meazza, a two-time World Cup winner who played for both clubs in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. It’s known as the San Siro because it is located in the San Siro area of Milan. It is what is known as a UEFA category four stadium and has hosted World Cup games and Champions League games. It has also played host to some of the biggest names in the music industry, including The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley and David Bowie.
For the purposes of this guide we’ll tell you everything twice, once for AC Milan and once for Inter Milan. We’ll always start with AC, so if you’re keen to know more about them than their city rivals then you’ll know where to look. AC Milan, or Associazione Calcio Milan to give them their official title, have 18 officially recognised FIFA and UEFA titles. They have won every major competition they have been entered into at least once, with the exception of the UEFA Cup, known nowadays as the Europa League. They have won Serie A eighteen times, joint-second most with their city rivals Inter Milan and behind only Juventus who have won it 31 times.
Inter Milan, meanwhile, are officially called F.C. Internazionale Milano. They have won thirty domestic trophies including the same number of titles as their city rivals AC Milan. Between 2006 and 2010 they equalled the Italian record of successive title wins. They have won seven Coppa Italia trophies, five Supercoppa Italiana trophies and three European Cups, the most recent of which came in 2010 under the competition’s new format of the Champions League.
Stats
| San Siro Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1926 |
| Capacity | 80018 |
| Average Attendance | 48358 |
| Record Attendance | 83381 (Inter Milan v Schalke (1997)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Nickname | San Siro |
| Former Name | Nuovo Stadio Calcistico San Siro |
| Owner | Municipality of Milan |
| Clubs Hosted | AC Milan, Inter Milan |
| First Fixture | Inter Milan v Milan (19/09/1926) |
| Inter Milan Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1908 |
| Nickname | I Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues), La Beneamata (The Cherished One), Il Biscione (The Big Grass Snake) |
| Rivals | AC Milan, Genoa, Juventus |
| Kit | Black & Blue Stripes (Home) / White & Blue (Away) / Dark Blue (Third) |
| Training Ground | Angelo Moratti Sports Centre |
| Shirt Sponsor | Betsson |
| Team Owner | " Suning Holdings Group, International Sports Capital, Pirelli Suning Holdings Group, International Sports Capital, Pirelli" |
| Record Goalscorer | Giuseppe Meazza (284) |
| Record Appearances | Javier Zanetti (858) |
| AC Milan Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1899 |
| Nickname | I Rossoneri (The Red and Blacks), Il Diavolo (The Devil), Casciavit (Lombard for: Screwdrivers) |
| Rivals | Inter, Genoa, Juventus |
| Kit | Black & Red Stripes (Home) / White (Away) / Black & Red (Third) |
| Training Ground | Milanello |
| Shirt Sponsor | Fly Emirates |
| Team Owner | Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux |
| Record Goalscorer | Gunnar Nordahl (221) |
| Record Appearances | Paolo Maldini (902) |
San Siro Photos
aurielaki / BigStock.com
Oneinchpunch / BigStock.com
Oneinchpunch / BigStock.com
By oscar federico bodini from Milan
By Sotutto (Own work) [Public domain]
By Franciaio (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0]
San Siro Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The San Siro is built in a bowl type style with four distinct areas. There is the Green Stand, also known as the Curva Nord, the Arancio Stand that’s in the East, the Blu Stand that’s also called the Curva Sud, and the Rosso Stand that’s located in the West.
The hardcore fans of Inter Milan take residence in the Curva Nord, whilst their AC Milan counterparts prefer to sit in the Curva Sud. All of the ground has three tiers apart from the East stand that only has two. The Rosso Stand is the main stand in the ground and hosts the changing rooms, the technical areas and the dugouts. It is also the stand that has some of the most expensive seats in the stadium, so if you buy hospitality tickets then this is likely where you’ll be sat.
Inter Milan Ticket Prices
Ticket prices at the San Siro for Inter Milan games will differ depending on a number of factors. How old are you? Where in the ground would you like to sit? Who is the opposition? Answer those questions and you’ll then be able to have a look at prices.
How To Get Inter Milan Tickets
The best way to buy tickets for Inter Milan matches is from the Solo Inter club shop, located in the heart of Milan. There is a ticket counter located inside the shop and it’s open seven days a week. You’ll also be able to buy from the ticket office at the stadium, though remember to take some ID along with you. You can buy tickets from the club’s official website, though it’s a not uncomplicated process.
Where to Buy
AC Milan Ticket Prices
Ticket prices will vary depending on the opposition the team is playing against and the area of the stadium that you’re looking to sit in. There are different Fascias, or bands, of ticket prices, so keep an eye on which band the match you’re hoping to see fits in to. You’ll also pay a different amount depending on whether you get your ticket from online, via telephone or from the club directly.
How To Get AC Milan Tickets
For AC Milan tickets there are numerous official points of sale. You can buy them from the club’s website, plenty of which is written in English and is simple to understand. You can also buy tickets from Casa Milan’s ticketing office, in all branches of the Banca Popolare di Milano Bank, by calling the call centre on 0039.02.62284545 or by heading to the stadium’s ticket office on match day. The club also urges you to avoid unofficial sales points, including websites and touts that hang around near to the ground on the day of the match.
Where to Buy
Getting To San Siro
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is located in the San Siro area of Milan, about six kilometres North-West of the city’s famous historical centre. It’s remote location actually makes it reasonably straight forward to get to, even if that does seem to go against logic somehow! Here are the main options for travel to the stadium:
train – Getting to Milan by train is quite easy, even if it’s quite a time consuming process. You’ll start off by getting the Eurostar to Paris before getting an internal train through to the Italian city. TGV trains run three times a day and take about seven hours from the French capital. Alternatively there is a Thello night train that runs between the two cities and might offer a more romantic alternative then travelling in the day.
Once you’re in Milan itself the best way to get to the ground is via the Metro. The nearest station to the stadium is San Siro Stadio on the Metropolitana Linea 5 and the next closest is Lotto, which is reachable by the Metropolitana Linea 1, available throughout the city. The stadium is about fifteen minutes from Lotto station.
Bus – Buses 49, 78, 64, 80 and 98 all go close to the stadium and run from numerous different parts of the city of Milan.
Car – Because of the stadium’s out of town location it is reasonably easy to get to by car. You can get there easily enough from the A1, the A4, the A7 and the A8 via the Tangenziale Ovest. Do bear in mind that traffic will be heavily congested around the ground, though, so make sure you leave in plenty of time if you’re going to drive.
By Air – Milano Linate is the closest airport to the city of Milan, located is it is about eight kilometres from the centre. It is also the airport that is served by Europe’s budget airlines, which is ideal if you’re travelling from the UK. The largest airport in the region is Milan-Malpensa, but it’s around forty kilometres from the city and is used more typically to serve Lombardy and Piedmont. If you fly into Milano Linate you can get the number 73 bus to San Babila Square from where you can get the Metro to the ground.
Taxi – Getting a taxi from the centre of Milan through to the stadium will cost you about €25 and take around twenty minutes. Do bear in mind that, especially with the likelihood of traffic snarl ups near to the ground, it could take longer and cost exponentially more.
Parking Near San Siro
There are about 4000 parking spaces at the stadium itself and these can be used for a fee of about €3. Alternatively you can park at the Ippodromo del Galoppo horse racing track, which is to the North of the ground.
Useful Resources
San Siro Hotels
Milan is one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world and as such there are no shortage of excellent hotels to stay in. Here are a few of our picks for your consideration:
ADI Hotel Poliziano Fiera - £50+
Enterprise Hotel - £70+
Melia Milano - £130+
Pubs and Bars Near San Siro
Milan’s bar scene is top-notch, so you won’t be short of places to grab a drink if you’re heading there. Do be aware that some bars are Inter Milan friendly and some prefer to welcome supporters of AC. If you’re heading to the city as a neutral, however, you’ll find your options are broad.
The English Football Pub
Pub O'Connell
Old Tenconi Pub
Facilities
The San Siro opened in 1926, but it has been renovated numerous times since then. As it was chosen as the location for the 2016 Champions League final it has also been brought right up to date recently. You’ll find numerous places to buy drinks and grab a bite to eat inside the stadium as well as toilets for both sexes. It may not be the most modern stadium you’ll ever visit, but you’ll find it a perfectly acceptable football ground.
Hospitality
The San Siro has numerous excellent hospitality lounges that are used by both clubs for their home matches. You can enjoy five-star service and gourmet dining exclusive to you and your guests by watching the match from the stadium’s Sky Box, for example. If you prefer to be in amongst the action, however, then you may want to consider sitting in the premium seats in the Grandstand.
Tribuna d’Onore offers the stadiums best seats with excellent views of both the playing arena and the other stands in the ground. Club 1908 is the San Siro’s elegant and exclusive lounge that offers a lively atmosphere, whilst Club Orologio is a chic location that is decked out in a modern and decidedly elegant style.
The Executive Club Lounge is the most exclusive part of the San Siro’s hospitality. You can enjoy hot and cold dishes before, during and after the game as well as numerous different drinks packages. The T Lounge, meanwhile, is aimed at a younger market and can be enjoyed both before and after the game. The M Club is a glamorous alternative to the T Lounge, offering comfortable seats with LCD monitors in the back of them so you will never miss a moment of the game.
Private Hire
There are numerous parts of the San Siro that are available for private hire. The Sky Boxes, for example, can be used for business lunches, professional meetings and other public purposes. The Executive Lounge is touted by the club as being one of the best multi-function locations in the city of Milan. You can use it for conferences, business meetings and conventions. It’s also a good place to host gala dinners and private parties. Press conferences, training days or presentations can all be hosted in the Interview Room, the place in the San Siro where players and managers talk to the press after games.
Stadium Tours & Museum
There is an excellent tour that you can do of the San Siro that also takes in the football museum. Tours run seven days a week between 9.30 in the morning and lunchtime. The tour can be run in nine different languages, so if you fancy practicing your French or Spanish then you’ll have the chance to do just that!
The tour takes in the changing rooms, the stands, the tunnel that leads pitch side and the mixed zone where players normally chat to the press after matches. You can book tickets online and they’ll be valid for three months. Your visit to the stadium and the museum will take in the history of both Milan clubs and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.
About Inter Milan
Internazionale were founded in 1908 when they split from AC Milan, then known as Milan Cricket and Football Club. The two clubs still have a degree of animosity towards each other and when they go head to head on the football pitch the matches are known as the Derby della Madonnina. It is one of the most followed derbies in football, due in no small part to the fact that Inter Milan are one of the most supported teams in all of Europe.
Nicknamed the Nerazzurri because of their blue and black striped kit, Inter have historically been supported by the middle-class bourgeoisie members of Milan’s society. Much like with their city rivals, Inter Milan has been the home of numerous well-known players over the years. Names like Esteban Cambiasso, Dejan Stanković, Christian Vieri and Marco Materazzi have all ran out in the famous blue and black in the past.
About AC Milan
Il Rossoneri were formed in 1899 by a group of people including the English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and the the businessman Alfred Edwards. Apart from the 1980-1981 and 1982-1983 season, Associazione Calcio have spent their entire existence in the top-flight of Italian football, known nowadays as Serie A. They have won the Champions League, previously known as the European Cup, seven times – a feat that has only been achieved more often by Real Madrid.
In 2017 Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who was also the major shareholder of Mediaset, sold his ownership of the club to Li Yonghong. Li Yonghong is a Chinese businessman who owns Rossoneri Sport Investment Company. AC have boasted a number of high-profile players during their history. Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Schevchenko, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Marcel Desailly, Andrea Pirlo and Cafu have all passed through the club over the years.
San Siro History
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is the largest stadium in Italy and one of the ten largest in all of Europe. It was used to host six different games when Italy held the 1990 World Cup and has hosted three different European Cup finals. In 1965 Inter Milan beat Benfica on home soil to win the trophy, whilst in 1970 the Dutch club Feyenoord beat Glasgow’s Celtic by two goals to one after extra time in order to lift the famous cup. In 2001 Bayern Munich took Spanish side Valencia to penalties, eventually running out 5-4 winners.
The San Siro opened for the first time in 1926 and was designed without an athletics track, despite the inclusion of one being all the rage in Italian stadiums at the time. It was built in the same region as the horse racing track that belonged to the then President of AC Milan, Piero Pirelli. Nowadays the ground is used for both football matches and rock concerts. Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran and Michael Jackson have all performed there over the years.
Future Developments
The only part of the stadium that can go through obvious renovations is the two-tiered East Stand. This is unlikely though, considering that the average attendance at the 80,000 seat stadium is around the 37,000 mark, regardless of which club is playing there.
The San Siro went under some renovations in the 2015-2016 season in preparation for hosting the Champions League final, meaning that further changes are unlikely in the near future. Both Inter Milan and AC Milan have explored the possibility of moving away from the stadium in the future, though they have also both abandoned their plans due to costs recently. This could be re-visited in the future but there’s no guarantee.