Listed! Ranking the biggest Italian derbies in Serie A history

Listed! Ranking the biggest Italian derbies in Serie A history

Babu Tendu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:11 PM

Football has an incredible number of rivalries between respective football clubs. These rivalries are seeds that bear valuable fruits in the form of competitive and exciting football matches to watch. England, Spain and Italy are famous for having very enticing football derbies. Italian derbies are exciting due to the passion the fans exhibit in the country.

Greatest Italian derbies
This post elaborates on the best of Italian football matches. Get to know the deepest rivalries today. Photos by Giuseppe Bellini and Marco Luzzani. (Modified by author).
Source: Getty Images

Italy hosts some of the biggest and most successful clubs in world football. Juventus, Roma, Inter Milan and AC Milan are some clubs on the list of successful and cultural teams. These reputable teams go up against each other in very intense matches.

The list of Italian derbies

According to many publications on the internet, there are many derbies in Italy either by the factor of geographical region or by cultural wars based on club achievements and their relevance to the sporting world.

10. Fiorentina vs. Juventus

The enmity between Fiorentina and Juventus is likely one of the few Italian rivalries stem mainly from on-field occurrences. Nevertheless, it is one of the best derbies in Italy.

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Derbies in Italy
Sofyan Amrabat of ACF Fiorentina during the match against Istanbul Basaksehir at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on September 15, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo by Ahmad Mora.
Source: Getty Images

Fiorentina thought it was the victim of various dubious referee rulings in the final parts of the 1981-82 season, particularly in a crucial game against Juventus. These incidents and the subsequent sale of Fiorentina star Roberto Baggio to Juventus contributed to the hostility.

Before this, both clubs enjoyed similar successes, but Juventus has taken the upper hand in the rivalry since then. While Fiorentina supporters regard this as a grudge match, Juventus supporters have incited even more rage by stating that their previous rivalry games are more important.

9. Roma vs Juventus

Italy's significant teams have disputed with Juventus, and Roma is no exception. This rivalry has been fierce since the 1980s when Roma players believed they were on the wrong end of a referee judgment that allowed Juventus to win the championship.

Biggest Italian derbies
Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma) in action during the 2nd round of the UEFA Europa League between AS Roma and HJK Helsinki at Stadio Olimpico. Photo by Giuseppe Fama.
Source: Getty Images

They were finally vindicated after Roma coach Zdenek Zeman accused some Juventus players of doping in the early 1990s. Such an incident demonstrates how much these two teams despise each other. It is one of the most prominent Italian derbies.

8. Roma vs Inter

All of Italy's major teams are at odds with one another. This is true once more in the Internazionale vs Roma rivalry. This rivalry has had its share of tense moments. It's easy to understand why, with two sides among the best in Serie A. It is one of the best derbies in Italian football.

Derbies in Italian football
Lautaro Martinez of FC Inter in action during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe on September 10, 2022, in Milan, Italy. Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce.
Source: Getty Images

7. Torino vs Juventus – The Mole Derby

The 'Mole' in this name alludes to the Mole Antonelliana, a famous landmark in Turin, rather than the animal. It pits Turin's two biggest clubs, Torino and Juventus, against each other for local bragging rights.

List of Italian derbies
Ricardo Rodriguez of Torino FC looks on during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 10, 2022, in Milan, Italy. Photo by Jonathan Moscrop.
Source: Getty Images

The rivalry arose from a fight after Juventus' first president, Alfred, was kicked out of his club, resulting in the formation of Torino. Although Juventus is the larger team on a national and international scale, Torino has more local support. They are the biggest Juventus derby rivals.

6. Hellas Verano vs Chievo Verona

This game, also known as the Verona Derby, features Hellas Verano against Chievo Verona. The derby's rarity adds venom to the times when the two do clash. They've only played each other 18 times, with Chievo winning seven and Hellas winning six. The name is derived from the Scaligeri aristocratic family, who ruled Verona throughout the Middle Ages.

Italian Serie A derbies
Samuele Ricci of Empoli FC in action during the Serie B match between Empoli FC and Chievo Verona at Stadio Carlo Castellani on April 27, 2021, in Empoli, Italy. Photo by Gabriele Maltinti.
Source: Getty Images

5. Napoli vs Roma

The Derby del Sole was historically at its peak in the 1970s and 1980s when players such as Diego Maradona competed. However, cultural conflicts between Naples fans in the south and Roma fans in the capital have resulted in riots and fanatics being barred from travelling with their respective teams.

Napoli derby rivals
Hirving Lozano of Napoli in action during a training session on September 16, 2022, in Naples, Italy. Photo by SSC NAPOLI.
Source: Getty Images

While such behaviour does not necessarily reflect all Napoli and Roma supporters, it demonstrates how terrible things can go between two groups of fans. Nevertheless, it is one of the Italian Serie A derbies to watch. Roma is a fierce Napoli derby rival.

4. Sampdoria vs Genoa

In its current form, the Genoa vs Sampdoria derby is the result of two smaller teams, Andrea Doria and Sampier, merging to form Sampdoria.

Genoa was the dominant club in the region, but Mussolini's government despised the club's British heritage and sought to establish a significant rival. As a result, Sampdoria was formed after several failed attempts to unite clubs.

Football derbies today
Abdelhamid Sabiri of Sampdoria looks on during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on September 4, 2022, in Verona, Italy. Photo by Simone Arveda.
Source: Getty Images

The derby became much more level at this stage, with newly amalgamated Sampdoria winning several games. After both teams performed well in Serie A in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the derby gained national significance.

3. Lazio vs Roma

The Rome derby is maybe the most passionate of the bunch. Since their first meeting in 1929, Lazio and Roma have had an ongoing rivalry. There have been numerous confrontations and violent situations during the sides' meetings, but Roma has come out on top in football, winning 70 of the 185 matches.

Roma rivals
Ciro Immobile of SS Lazio competes for the ball during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Hellas Verona at Stadio Olimpico on September 11, 2022, in Rome, Italy. Photo by Paolo Bruno.
Source: Getty Images

The rivalry is geographically and politically significant to both fans and organizations. The Derby Della Capitale allows one of the participants to be crowned the best team in the capital—at least for one game or season. Lazio is of the biggest Roma rivals.

2. Inter Milan vs Juventus

Italy is divided twice a year between Juventus and Inter Milan. They were the two teams that dominated Italy's first national league and met for the first time in 1909. Since then, the battles between the two clubs with Italy's most significant historical fan bases have been ferocious.

Juventus' derby rivals
Angel Di Maria of Juventus FC looks on during the Uefa Champions League Group H match between Juventus FC and SL Benfica. Photo by Marco Canoniero.
Source: Getty Images

The Derby d'Italia games have always been fiercely contested, pitting two of the strongest teams in Seria A against each other. However, there is one of the most exciting football derbies today.

1. Inter Milan vs AC Milan

AC Milan and Inter Milan understand what it means to be rivals. This derby, named after a statue of Mary in Milan's cathedral, pits the city's two titans against one another. This derby has it all: two highly successful teams, both Champions League champions, two different mindsets, a shared stadium, and a lot of hatred.

Italian derbies
Olivier Giroud of AC Milan reacts during the match between AC Milan and Dinamo Zagreb at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 14, 2022, in Milan, Italy. Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini.
Source: Getty Images

Inter Milan's founders split from the club over a disagreement over adding foreign players, and thus it began. After the two sides separated, Inter Milan was regarded as the club of the bourgeoisie, while AC Milan was regarded as the team of the working class.

Both clubs have been back and forth in terms of success. Inter Milan was more successful in the 1960s, but AC Milan was dominant in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Serie A provide not only Europe-conquering football teams but also some of the most exciting derbies in world football. Italian derbies are viewed as arguably the most passionate and involving of matches.

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Babu Tendu
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