Romelu Lukaku & Inter claim bragging rights in epic Milan derby

Tuesday evening's Coppa Italia quarter-final war was the most deserving occasion for a packed-out stadium, filled with passionate supporters rocking San Siro to the tune of love and hatred, since our 'unprecedented times' began.

Milan and Inter served up a proper spectacle in the Derby della Madonnina, producing a pulsating 100 minutes of action which left us not only on the edge of our sofas, but also temporarily placing the absence of the Ultras and hardcore fans to the back of our minds.

And on a bad-tempered, fiery evening in Italy, where ugly words briefly spoke louder than actions, the scores were eventually settled by one triumphant photo posted at the final whistle.

It was I Nerazzurri and Romelu Lukaku who came out on top in this mammoth clash, beating Milan 2-1 thanks to a 97th minute strike by Christian Eriksen.

The contest had it all: heated drama, goals from the talismans, a fall from grace for both, a red card, a ten-minute delay for an injured referee and a late, late redeeming winner from a major misfit.

While the Coppa Italia is certainly not the main objective for the Milan duo this season, their deep hatred and rivalry transformed this clash into a must-win.

Milan drew first blood on the half-hour mark, thanks to their self-proclaimed God. Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought the ball down just outside the box, feigned a shot to earn a half-yard of space from the backtracking Aleksandar Kolarov, and drove a low shot into the bottom corner of the Inter goal.

With that one kick of a football, the derby exploded.

Ibrahimovic fanned the flames of this rivalry, mouthing off at opposing striker Lukaku, which led to an extremely unsavoury and heated exchange between the pair. Unsatisfied with swapping unpleasantries, the duo went to head to head - literally - obliging referee Paolo Valeri to brandish yellow cards to both culprits.

It was a minute of madness which defined and tainted the match, with the two players allowing the occasion to get the better of them. Lukaku was visibly distressed by Ibrahimovic's tirade, after the Swede appeared to insult the the Belgian's mother.

Ibra, on the other hand, wore the smirk of a man who had won the battle. Little did he know, he'd just cost his side the war.

That caution proved pivotal in the game's outcome, as only 13 minutes into the second half, the Milan striker needlessly brought down Kolarov in the middle of the pitch, and Valeri produced a second yellow, simultaneously handing Ibrahimovic his marching orders.

If I Rossoneri were feeling the weight of Inter's pressure before the dismissal, then they were now lying with a 400kg barbell on their chest, while their spotter had disappeared with no signs of returning.

Another 13 minutes passed, and the next scene of this derby unfolded: Lukaku's revenge.

Nicolo Barella was brought down in the box, and although Valeri allowed play to continue, he was told to head over to the VAR stand and take another look at the incident. The referee overruled his initial decision and awarded the penalty, presenting Inter's star striker with the chance to hammer another nail into Milan's coffin.

Lukaku struck the penalty with all the might and anger of a man who had just suffered the humiliation of having his mother insulted on international television, rifling his strike in off the crossbar. From that moment on, there was only going to be one winner.

The anticipation grew over the next ten minutes, as referee Valeri suffered a muscle injury and after bravely attempting to carry on, he admitted defeat and left the field. The change in match official handed Inter the time to gather their thoughts and prepare to deliver a barrage of attacks, but for Milan, it allowed painful embers of doubt to creep into their minds, aware of the enormity of the task ahead.

The current Serie A league leaders had backup goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu to thank for keeping them on level terms, producing a string of marvellous saves to deny the beast knocking at the door.

But an unexpected wolf was standing by to blow the house down. Want-away (and unwanted) misfit Christian Eriksen banished (albeit momentarily) an entire year of pain in the 97th minute of the game, bending an unstoppable free-kick over the Milan wall and into the top corner of Tatarusanu's net.

This time, the stand-in keeper had no answer. The Nerazzurri players and bench erupted, Conte paced the touchline in delight, and Eriksen finally smiled. And that was that. The evening belonged to the blue and black half of Milan, and while scores were settled on the night, the narrative and hatred between the pair has only grown.

With Milan and Inter heading the way in Serie A as it stands, and in the aftermath of new bloodshed, it's safe to say - it's going to be one hell of a title race.