The history behind the non-violence pact between AC Milan and Inter fans

Even though it will be a very tense night on the field for AC Milan and Inter in the derby, it is a virtual certainty that nothing will escalate off the pitch.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, the bosses from Milan and Inter’s Ultras groups shook hands 40 years ago after the death of a 21-year-old Nerazzurri fan outside San Siro. The agreement became famous as the ‘pact of non-belligerence’ between the Milanese clubs.

It is a ‘treaty of friendship’ that has lasted since 1981, the year of the first of three ‘Mundialito Clubs’ tournaments was played in San Siro. In the first edition, besides Milan and Inter, there was Peñarol, Feyenoord and Santos, but the derby went down in history because of the death of Vittore Palmieri.

After his death, which occurred about three months after the match, the two Curvas made a pact: ‘No more clashes between us, otherwise we’ll die. Again’. Words to that effect. It is an agreement that will be respected even if the Nerazzurri win the Scudetto in tonight’s derby, at a packed San Siro.

Marco Ferdico, the head of the Inter Ultras, told Corriere: “There is a pact of non-belligerence that has been going on for 40 years. It’s a guarantee for everyone, otherwise Milano would be a battlefield.”