In the words of footballing great Christian Panucci, a man who represented both AC Milan and Internazionale, the ‘Derby della Madonnina’ is “never a friendly match”.

On Wednesday night, one of football’s most iconic rivalries will come to Perth, as Optus Stadium prepares to host a rare Milan derby outside of the world’s fashion capital.

It will be just the eighth time in the rivalry’s storied 118-year history the pair have faced off outside of Italy. Ironically, the first-ever match between the two took place in Switzerland in 1908.

There have been three Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) meetings between AC and Inter which have taken place outside of Europe, including two in Saudi Arabia in recent years; Shenzen in China and Foxborough and New York in America have also hosted pre-season games.

Even though it is not an official game, Perth punters can count their blessings to be part of a small group of cities lucky enough to witness the blockbuster clash.

And make no mistake, even though both AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim and Inter head honcho Cristian Chivu were jovial enough at their pre-game photo opportunity on Tuesday, both would like early bragging rights ahead of the looming Serie A season.

“When you are competitive and when you are in this club, you want to win, no matter what. So we are going to try to do that,” Amorim said.

“We are two clubs worldwide-known, and everybody is keen to watch the derby worldwide. It’s always been a good game to watch, a good game to play,” Chivu said.

“It’s always important, always different playing a derby compared to the other game. It’s different for the players that came from our academy.”

It is a derby emboldened by the two teams’ success and one emblazoned by the pairs ultras (hardcore fans), who light up their meetings with flares, tifos (banners) and incessant chanting to create a wall of noise and colour.

Whether fans sit in ‘Curva Nord’ (the home of Inter’s ultras) or ‘Curva Sud (their AC counterparts), there is a healthy dislike of the other come their typical two Serie A clashes per year.

The rivalry stems from a historical societal divide between the two, where Inter’s fans were traditionally upper-class and Milan’s more blue-collar.

What they have in common, is success.

Milan’s two clubs have claimed 40 Serie A titles (21 to Inter), 15 Coppa Italias and 10 Champions League trophies (seven to AC), while Inter can also claim three Europa Super League wins (back when it was known as the UEFA Cup).

A look through the annuls of the match-up’s history reveals a fixture dominated by a who’s who of footballing legends: the late Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Ronaldo, Andriy Shevchenko, Kaka, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Zanetti, Christian Vieri and now Luka Modric.

Adding to the rivalry is their shared home, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums: the architectural design triumph that is the San Siro, with its towering, spiralling ramps in each corner and jutting red roof accompanyments.

Its official moniker, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, celebrates the man who scored more than 280 goals in almost 400 games for Inter in between the world wars before spending two seasons at AC Milan.

There are plenty more than just Meazza and Panucci who have represented both teams. Ronaldo, Vieri, Ibrahimovic, three of the game’s best strikers over the past 30 years, have donned both jerseys, as have fellow greats Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids and current Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

But despite the similarities, it has never taken away from the passion of the game and while matches against fellow giants Juventus are big occassions, they do not quite top the spectacle which entrances Italy’s second-biggest city.

There will be some who attempt to downplay the match as just a pre-season game, but those involved would disagree.

“I don’t think that the fact that it’s a friendly is going to change big things. At the end, it is still Inter against AC,” Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck said on Monday.

“I can only speak for my squad. We’re going to take it as seriously as any other game, try to get ready for the season and try to win the game.”

Bisseck said while the club’s overarching goal was to continue their preparations for the upcoming Serie A season as best as possible, the rivalry between the two sides was always tangible.

“We all know that some games are just bigger than other games. In Italy, for us, the games against AC, it’s a little bit different,” he said.

“We share the same city, we share the same stadium, it’s a little bit of bragging rights.

“In the end, the most important thing is to win the championship — but if we can win the championship and beat them at the same time, it’s the cherry on top.”

Amorim, a recent appointment to Milan after a disappointing tenure at Manchester United, is a long-time fan of the club, he cannot wait to coach in one.

“My answer will be Milan. That is not a question,” Amorim said after being asked who fence-sitting neutrals should support on Wednesday night.

“I understand that if you see just the (last) few years now, Inter is winning more than us — but Milan is Milan.

“I will say Milan all the way because Milan is not just about the titles; Milan is about something you cannot buy. For me, since I’m a young kid, Milan is all the way for me.

“Just pick up YouTube and watch the videos, and you will see why I chose Milan.”