Inter 'slight favourites' in Champions League semi-final battle with similarly flawed rivals AC Milan - Inside Europe

Italian football has enjoyed a long-awaited European renaissance this season. After years of decay in continental competition, Serie A now finds itself with one team guaranteed to be in the Champions League final as Inter and AC Milan prepare for their 'Derby della Madonnina' semi-final clash.

Ad No Italian side has won the competition since Jose Mourinho's Inter in 2010, while Milan – the country's most successful club in Europe with seven Champions League/European Cup crowns – haven’t even made it to the last four since their last triumph in 2007. Champions LeagueHow to watch AC Milan v Inter Milan in the Champions LeagueYESTERDAY AT 09:51 All of a sudden — and despite difficult domestic campaigns — the two Milanese giants are the talk of Europe again as they prepare to face off in a mouthwatering double-header at San Siro.

We got in touch with Davide Bighiani at Eurosport Italy to get more insight into how they’ve done it. Italy's renaissance year? Inter and Milan were joined by Napoli in the quarter-finals of the Champions League: the first time there were three Italian sides in the last eight for 17 years.

With long-standing records tumbling, are we seeing the start of something for Italian football or a one-off campaign? 'Revenge' on offer in season-defining Milan Derby semi-final How to watch AC Milan v Inter Milan “Honestly we must say that if three teams have reached the quarter-finals, two the semi-finals and certainly one the final, it is also due to the favourable draw,” says Bighiani. “Inter, Milan and Napoli fortunately will not meet one of the big European teams until the final.