Inter's defender Marco Materazzi and AC Milan midfielder Rui Costa stood in the background of smoke and flames. Photo: Reuters/Stefano Rellandini
Close your eyes and imagine the Milan derby. What do you see? Most likely, this is not a goal or a holiday, but this wonderful picture of Marco Materazzi and Rui Costa.
The year is 2005, and chaos begins on the San Siro. The Champions League draw — the last meeting between the city rivals before today's semi-final — was abandoned after Inter fans threw firecrackers on the pitch.
Goalkeeper Dida suffered third-degree burns, while AC Milan won 3-0. However, it was Materazzi and Costa who dominated the hostility and fury, quietly watching the outbreaks that engulfed the San Siro field. The person in charge of the photo is Stefano Rellandini from Milan, who was then with Reuters and now lives in Paris with AFP.
Rellandini still vividly remembers that night, and the problems that began after the goal of Esteban Cambiasso were ruled out by the German referee Markus Merk.
"They put me at the opposite end, and as soon as the goal was not counted, they started throwing everything on the field, flares, objects, and it turned into a mess very quickly,& #34; he tells Telegraph Sport.
"I remember goalkeeper Dida was hit by a flare, the referee sent the players to the locker rooms, and the game was suspended for 20 minutes"
For those who watch on TV it was clear what was happening , but for Rellandini it was not so obvious. “I was worried because as a photographer on the field I have no information about what is happening. You have smoke on the field and you can't see what's happening on the other side."
The match was abandoned and Milan won 3-0. Photo: Getty Images/Claudio Villa
Eventually the players were out of the tunnel again and Stefano was ready to get back to work. "When they came back, they didn't immediately restart the game" Rellandini recalls.
“At that moment, I saw Materazzi standing next to Rui Costa. They talked to each other for a few moments, but for one brief moment, Materazzi rested his elbow on Rui Costa's shoulder, and I only have one shot of that moment.»
In the heat of action, he could never have known how important this photograph would be. “From a journalistic point of view, I realized that this shot was different, but I never imagined that it would become such an iconic photo,” he says.
"After that, I was surprised that I was the only photographer who took this picture. For a few days after that, while working at a news agency, we checked online newspapers and websites, and I saw that my photo was used almost everywhere.
“I knew it was a good picture that told the story of the night, but I did not know that it would become so viral later. I've been a photographer for 30 years now, and to be honest, I still don't know how or why this photo became iconic. I am happy and proud that after 18 years this picture is still used everywhere, but at the time I had no idea, for me it was one picture, a very beautiful picture."
Rellandini, however, was aware that what was happening was a little different. «It was strange because Materazzi was not known as a soft player and Rui Costa was more artistic,» he says.
This clash was one of the most intense Derby della Madonnina matches in recent memory. Photo: Getty Images/Claudio Villa
“So what caught my eye in the midst of all this chaos is that there are two very different players here, and although opposing players often talk to each other, what Materazzi did in the picture is a little different.” #34;
The Milan derby is one of the biggest games a photographer can work on and this game promises to be special: "Derby has a long history and when you shoot a derby in Milan you know that there is always a story.
Even before the game starts, you get great photos thanks to the choreography of both groups of fans. Now there is not much violence between the fans, but, of course, there is still little love between them.
"Every derby is special and unique, but the champions A draw in the league is even more important, so it will be hot! I will watch it on TV, but I hope that maybe someone will be able to take another iconic photo."
For Rellandini, his photo still has a special meaning. “When I look at it now, it still reminds me that football is not only about business or fighting between fans, it is also about friendship.” he concludes. "I found something tender in the middle of all this chaos"
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