Milan and Inter shared the spoils in an entertaining 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s pre-season Derby della Madonnina, with both sides showing encouraging signs ahead of the new campaign.

Inter broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half through Federico Dimarco.

The wing-back finished calmly after being picked out by Nicolò Barella, giving the Nerazzurri a deserved advantage following a dominant spell of possession.

Milan, however, refused to back down and gradually found their rhythm as the match progressed. The Rossoneri were handed a golden opportunity late in the game when Carlos Augusto conceded a penalty.

Summer signing Christopher Nkunku stepped up and confidently converted from the spot in the 84th minute to restore parity.

Earlier in the contest, Yunus Musah came close to opening the scoring for Milan after striking the woodwork, while both goalkeepers were called into action on several occasions to keep their teams in the game.

As expected in a pre-season fixture, both managers made numerous substitutions to assess their squads. Milan handed minutes to several notable players, including Luka Modrić, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Ramos and Alexis Saelemaekers, while Inter rotated their side with the introductions of Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Davide Frattesi, Carlos Augusto and Ange-Yoan Bonny.

Inter enjoyed more of the ball with 57 percent possession and attempted 15 shots compared to Milan’s seven. Despite the Nerazzurri’s statistical advantage, Milan remained resilient and capitalised on their late opportunity to earn a draw.

The match also saw Yann Bisseck and Pervis Estupiñán receive yellow cards, while Bisseck required medical attention late in stoppage time after picking up an injury.

Although there was no winner, both clubs will take positives from the encounter as they continue preparations for the new season, with the friendly providing valuable minutes for established stars and new arrivals alike.