TIME MACHINE: DE JONG IN AC MILAN v INTER

Drawing nearer and nearer is the big derby date, AC Milan v Inter on matchday 33 of Serie A. As is tradition, we will tell the tale of the fixture via one of our players who rendered themselves the protagonist of the clash in recent years. This time round, it's Nigel de Jong, the absolute star of the home win on 4 May 2014.

2013/14 was the Dutchman's second season in our shirt, he was a technical and mental leader of the Rossoneri midfield. Nigel arrived in the summer of 2012 from Manchester City, but his first 12 months were plagued by an Achilles injury that kept him out from December to the end of the season. His first complete season was therefore in 2013/14, topped off by the derby on 4 May with a massive performance and decisive goal, the third-to-last game of the Serie A season. That day, the Dutchman started between Montolivo and Pioli, behind Taarabt, and put in a complete showing, impeccable as a defensive force and ready to launch, or finish off, an offensive play.

And it was Nigel himself who started the movement for the first big chance at 37': Palacio picked up the ball in the box, passing to Kaká on the edge, who controlled the ball to unleash a shot that smacked the crossbar. The Rossoneri were the better side, creating more chances and capitalising in the 65th minute: Balotelli took a free-kick, driven into the middle where de Jong managed to shake off Cambiasso to get his head on the ball and guide it in from an amazing distance, 1-0. Decisive at one end, and decisive at the other, because only a few moments later, de Jong's intervention stopped Palacio from levelling the score. The only action in the final moments was another free-kick from Balotelli and a shot from Álvarez that flew wide, but the result remained unchanged. 1-0 to AC Milan!

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