If only AC Milan could play city neighbours Inter every week.

In a season of ups and (more) downs, the Rossoneri seem to have a degree of control over the reigning Serie A champions.

Despite languishing ninth in the table and suffering defeats by teams they should be expected to beat in the shape of Parma and Torino, while also getting knocked out of the Champions League by Feyenoord, they can be counted on to beat Inter.

In five games across three competitions this season Milan are unbeaten, reversing a trend that had previously seen Inter demolish their cousins time and again.

In the final two seasons of of Stefano Pioli’s time in charge of Milan, Simone Inzaghi had his number. Inter enjoyed a six-game unbeaten streak, where the Rossoneri scored only twice over the period. In the 2023 Champions League semi-final, Inter coasted home 3-0 on aggregate.

Pioli left last summer after five years, and even the much-maligned Paulo Fonseca enjoyed a derby victory in his brief tenure. 

“This Milan doesn’t have the Rossoneri DNA,” said club legend Ruud Gullit before the game. Yet it seemingly does for games against Inter.

The Coppa Italia semi-final second-leg performance by Milan was akin to the glory days under Silvio Berlusconi. Milan had an authority and presence about them that has sadly been missing for most of the season.

Mike Maignan was crucial when called upon; Fikayo Tomori reminded everyone of how good he can be, as did Theo Hernandez. In midfield, Tijjani Reijnders was again excellent; Youssouf Fofana showed plenty of industry; Christian Pulisic demonstrated his pace and ability to take players on, as did the dynamic Rafael Leao who, like Tomori, reminded everyone of his immense quality when switched on.

Even Luka Jovic produced a performance the great Andriy Shevchenko, a man who scored more goals in the history of the derby than any player, would have been proud of.

Jovic scored twice, including a powerful header to give Milan the lead, and resembled something of the player that made Real Madrid sign him from Eintracht Frankfurt for €60million in 2019.

Milan have now beaten Inter three times this season, and it is difficult to marry these performances to the ones against lesser sides in the league and Europe.

“We’re at the paradox of paradoxes,” wrote Fabio Capello in the aftermath of the game. “But Milan’s victory that takes them into the final was clear, sharp and exciting like on very few occasions this season.”

In a game where most of Milan’s key players showed up, the real star of the show was Reijnders. 

The Dutchman has been one of the few success stories since the club’s pivot towards a ‘Moneyball’ approach in the transfer market. His stature and worth continues to grow by the week.

Milan’s third goal epitomised what the 26-year-old has been great at this season.

Hernandez prodded the ball towards Leao on the left-hand side of the Inter half. The Portuguese winger took several touches before seeing Reijnders had found a pocket of space between Yann Bisseck and Stefan De Vrij.

Reijnders made the run, Leao slipped him through, and Milan’s No 14 put the cherry on a great performance.

Signed from AZ Alkmaar, Reijnders is having a breakout season in Italy after a decent first year.

There was the sense he lacked composure in the final third and during his debut campaign in Serie A, he would often find himself in the kind of position he was in last night, only to miss.

Reijnders’ first season finished with four goals from 50 games in all competitions. It should have been so much more. When Pioli went to visit his old side in Riyadh this year ahead of the SuperCoppa Italiana, he joked with Reijnders that ‘with me you always shot wide.’

A year on, he’s finding the same pockets of space, only now the composure is there and the goals are flowing.

Ten league goals this season ranks him second for the most prolific midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues. Even more impressive is that Reijnders’ figures do not include penalties.

Only Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala has performed better.

Moreover, Reijnders isn’t just raking up stats by scoring the third in a 3-0 win. Many of his 15 goals (all competitions) have been winners, with Monza, Verona, Empoli, Como, Club Brugge and Real Madrid all put to the sword. He has also scored against Roma and Inter to secure draws.

Pioli’s remark, no doubt made in jest, is backed up by data. Compared to his first campaign, Reijnders’ shots on target have more than tripled (from 0.25 to 0.87 per match) and his conversion rate has soared (from 10% to 23%). 

No Dutchman has hit double figures for Milan since the legendary Marco van Basten in 1992-93. 

Signed for €20m two summers ago, Reijnders is worth substantially more now. A player who has emerged as a true leader in the heart of the Milan midfield.

And if the Rossoneri win the Coppa Italia on May 14, he will have a major role in it. A player who undoubtedly possesses Milan DNA.