AC Milan midfielder Warren Bondo admits he could have ended on the opposite side of the city, as Inter Milan were also after him earlier in his career.

The two crosstown rivals often clash heads on the market, while their encounters on the pitch are well-illustrated. This season, they have already locked horns on three occasions, with the Rossoneri surprisingly having the upper hand.

Milan won the first Serie A contest and were close to completing the double in February. However, Stefan de Vrij salvaged a last-gasp draw for the Nerazzurri.

Nevertheless, their most captivating meeting thus far this season was in the final of the Italian Super Cup. Sergio Conceicao’s men pulled off a sensational comeback from 0-2 to win the contest 3-2.

But despite Milan’s supremacy in the Derby della Madonnina this season, almost all football betting platforms have picked Inter as the favourites heading into the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Simone Inzaghi’s men will be looking to exact revenge over their rivals while subsequently booking their place in the tournament’s final.

As for Bondo, this could be an opportunity to earn some valuable playing time. The 21-year-old completed a permanent transfer from Monza to Milan, thus escaping an inevitable relegation at the end of the season.

However, the young Frenchman has yet to carve himself a regular place at Conceicao’s court. His physical issues certainly didn’t help his case.

Interestingly, Bondo reveals he could have signed for Inter back when he was still a teenager making a name for himself at AS Nancy.

“I didn’t want to go abroad at the time even if Liverpool, Manchester United and Inter were there,” said the youngster in his interview with Footmercato via FcInterNews.

“Serie A is the second best league in the world, after the Premier League. There are too many big clubs: Milan, Inter, Roma, Juve, Atalanta, Napoli.

“It’s a very homogeneous championship. When I arrived I felt good, but during training, I immediately understood that it was another level.”

Warren Bondo Lauds Inter Milan Youngster Valentin Carboni

Bondo also heaped praise on Inter youngster Valentin Carboni with whom he played last season at Monza.

“He’s a player born in 2005, he arrived at Monza very young and had an immediate impact. He’s always played in Italy, so he could see that France was something else. I think, if he’d had enough time, he would have been successful at Marseille.

“Valentin is really very strong for his age, he does things that even top players don’t do. He’s an Argentine international and he won the Copa America, but unfortunately the injury slowed him down.”

Carboni joined Marseille on loan last summer, but suffered a devastating ACL injury that cut his stint short.