Inter defender Matteo Darmian feels that the Nerazzurri are hungry to avenge last season’s derby loss to AC Milan when they meet the Rossoneri in the derby this time around.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN, via FCInterNews, the 33-year-old made clear that the team’s motivation is to partly making up for what proved to be a hugely damaging loss exactly one year ago.

Last season, Inter also met their city rivals Milan in the derby in early February.

The match proved to be a turning point in both teams’ seasons, and not in a positive way for the Nerazzurri.

Inter had gone 1-0 up during the first half of the match, but in something of a sliding doors moment for the season, Rossoneri striker Olivier Giroud scored a quickfire second half brace to hand his team all three points.

This put an end to a dominant run at the top of the table for the Nerazzurri, who experienced something of a hangover from the match in their form over the months of February and March.

Whilst it would be something of an exaggeration to say that Inter threw away the title to their city rivals in those few minutes last February, given that there had been a lot of football left to be played, it was certainly a massively important moment.

Now, both Inter and Milan find themselves in the wake of runaway league leaders Napoli, so the likelihood that the outcome of the derby this time around will be decisive in the Serie A title race either way is not high.

However, the Nerazzurri will still feel that there would be some satisfaction in getting one over on Milan on Sunday.

“That was a very peculiar match for us,” Darmian said of last season’s second league derby.

“We had the lead but we couldn’t manage it and we allowed them to get back in it.”

“Now there’s a great desire on our part for revenge, but not just for that match,” he noted, “there’s also the first derby of this season, that’s something that’s stuck with us, and we’re looking for redemption.”

Of playing in the Milan derby, Darmian said that “It’s always a match that’s unlike any other to experience, it’s an entirely separate thing from all the rest.”

“I think that it’s the key match for the season as far as the fans are concerned,” he added.

“The air you breathe is different compared to in other matches, the atmosphere in the city is unique.”

Of his knack for scoring important goals for the Nerazzurri, Darmian said that “There’s no secret to it, maybe it just takes work.”

“I arrive at the right place at the right time sometimes, and then it works out for me.”

“My goals against Verona and Cagliari were important for the team winning the Scudetto,” the 33-year-old noted, “they were goals that unlocked matches that had been tricky for us.”

And of the relationship with the fans, Darmian noted that “When I arrived we were still playing in front of closed stadiums, and we missed the fans because they’re an integral part of our world.”

“We’re glad to have them back because they give us a big boost,” he noted, “they’re always behind us, they always try and push us on, and in return we try to give them something to cheer about.”