Rossoneri Technical Director Paolo Maldini has made clear that the rivalry between Inter Milan and AC Milan is a respectful one.

Speaking to the Muschio Selvaggio podcast, via FCInterNews, the legendary former Milan defender opened up about the nature of the Milan derby rivalry.

The Milan derby is one of the most prominent and high-status in all of Italian football.

Clashes between the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri are always among the showpiece occasions of Italian football.

Inter and Milan are two of the most successful teams in all of Italian football.

Moreover, the fact that they occupy the same city, and in fact the same stadium, is naturally always going to add an edge to their rivalry.

Sometimes, this rivalry can go over the edge. This was certainly the case when a threatening banner was posted outside the house of Inter wingback Federico Dimarco.

The 25-year-old had incurred the ire of members of the Rossoneri ultras group the Curva Sud with chants after the Nerazzurri’s Champions League semifinal second leg victory over Milan last week.

Moreover, there have always been some flareups during the rivalry between the two Milan teams. Such was the case during the Rossoneri’s celebrations of the Serie A title win last season.

Milan players had taunted their Inter counterparts after an intense title race which went down to the final day.

However, on the whole Maldini feels that it’s a derby rivalry characterized by respect.

Maldini: Rivalry Between Inter Milan & AC Milan Respectful

Of the relationship between the two Milan teams, Maldini said that “There’s maximum respect between them. Not just from me.”

He looked back that “When [Alessandro] Nesta arrived from Lazio, he asked me which restaurants were which he could go to and which ones he couldn’t, because that’s how it is in Rome.”

“I told him he could go wherever he wanted.”

“There’s a healthy sense of rivalry between the two teams,” Maldini noted.