Frenchman Christopher Nkunku converted a late penalty as AC Milan drew 1-1 with rivals Inter Milan in a lacklustre pre-season derby on Wednesday in Perth. In front of 52,310 fans, Serie A champions Inter Milan appeared to be claiming the bragging rights after Federico Dimarco’s strike from close range in the 52nd minute. However, Nkunku was brought down by Carlos Augusto in the 83rd minute before squaring the contest with a superbly taken penalty.
The result ensured that new AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim is still seeking a maiden victory after his reign began with a 2-2 draw in a friendly against Celtic in Glasgow last month. Amorim, who was fired as Manchester United coach in January, has been tasked with turning around an ailing AC Milan side that missed out on the Champions League last season. He will likely have concerns that his new squad was fortunate to escape with a draw following an error-strewn performance.
The match provided a boost for AC Milan as veteran midfield maestro Luka Modric played the final 30 minutes, having recently signed a one-year extension. “It was nice to get some minutes under the belt and I felt good,” Modric said. He added, “It’s good to have these kinds of games to prepare for the season. I think we did a lot of good things and hopefully we can just improve.”
The fixture was the first for AC Milan since the death of Franco Baresi, who captained the club during a golden era in the 1980s and 1990s. There was a minute’s silence held before the match, with players from both teams linking arms in a show of respect. Modric started on the bench to the disappointment of the crowd, though he received loud applause during his warm-up and again when he entered the pitch in the 62nd minute.
AC Milan dominated the early exchanges with teenager Alphadjo Cisse and Samuel Chukwueze, whose future with the club remains the subject of speculation, providing significant attacking energy. American Yunus Musah appeared set to break the deadlock in the 18th minute, only for his powerful strike to smash into the left post, leaving the Rossoneri frustrated. Inter Milan eventually took control of possession as the game went through a lull towards half-time.
With both coaches rotating their squads, the game opened up after the interval as Dimarco pounced on sluggish AC Milan defending to score. Despite Modric’s introduction, AC Milan’s struggles continued until Nkunku’s late intervention. AC Milan will continue their pre-season against Chelsea in Jakarta on Saturday, while Inter Milan, who beat Manchester City on penalties in Hong Kong last Saturday, remain in Perth to face Juventus.
Thousands of people gathered outside a Milan church on Tuesday to pay tribute to Italian football legend Franco Baresi, who died last week at the age of 66. Regarded as one of the greatest sweepers in the history of the sport, a funeral service for the former captain was held at Milan’s Sant’Ambrogio Basilica. Former teammates including Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio, and Alessandro Costacurta were among the many football stars and club figures in attendance.
Outside the basilica, mourners sang chants and waved red-and-black AC Milan flags, alongside shirts bearing Baresi’s iconic number six. A World Cup winner with Italy in 1982 and a finalist at the 1994 World Cup, Baresi skippered AC Milan during the 1980s and 1990s, leading them to three European Cups and six Italian league titles. He retired in 1997 after 719 matches with the club, a record surpassed only by Maldini.
While the club did not specify the cause of his death, Baresi had previously undergone surgery in August 2025 to remove a lung nodule. His legacy remains deeply embedded in the history of the club, and the emotional weight of his passing was felt throughout the pre-season derby in Australia.
