Christian Pulisic ended up being the hero for AC Milan in a crucial Derby della Madonnina win over Inter on Sunday, pushing the Rossoneri straight into the Champions League qualification places. With the narrow 1-0 victory in Serie A, the USMNT star also helped Luka Modrić extend an impressive career milestone in derby matches.
Modrić was appearing in his first Milan derby, this time on Matchday 12, in a clash where Inter controlled much of the play but failed to create any clear chances. The breakthrough arrived in the 54th minute, when Pulisic pounced on a rebound spilled by goalkeeper Yann Sommer after Alexis Saelemaekers fired a low, powerful shot, slotting home the only goal of the night.
With the win over Inter, Luka Modrić has now extended his unbeaten streak in derby debuts. Over his career, the 40-year-old midfielder has featured in derby matches in Croatia, England, Spain, and now Italy, and has yet to lose his first rivalry clash in any country, with AC Milan continuing that trend.
Inter marked the 10th match in which Modrić has completed the full 90 minutes, having now featured in 13 games for the Rossoneri. Even with just one goal and two assists, his influence in his first Serie A season has been significant, quickly establishing him as one of the league’s standout performers.
Luka Modric of AC Milan competes for the ball with Nicolo’ Barella of FC Internazionale.
Luka Modrić’s unbeaten record in derby debuts
Modrić made his professional debut with Bosnian side H.Š.K. Zrinjski Mostar on August 3, 2003, beginning a career filled with success, not only in trophies, but in derby fixtures as well. His first derby debut, however, came later when he returned to Dinamo Zagreb, the club that developed him.
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Modrić took part in the Vječni derbi (the Eternal Derby) between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. The match, part of the 2005–06 Croatian top-flight season on Matchday 7, saw the midfielder play 59 minutes. He struggled to find clear scoring chances, and the game ended in a scoreless draw.
After moving to England with Tottenham Hotspur, Modrić’s first London derby came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Newly arrived from Dinamo Zagreb, he played the full 90 minutes in the Matchday 3 matchup of the 2008–09 Premier League season, which once again ended in a draw, this time 1-1.
Modrić then featured in another major rivalry: the North London Derby against Arsenal, played on Matchday 10 of that same Premier League campaign. Spurs trailed 4-2 in the 88th minute but mounted a stunning comeback, scoring in the 89th minute before Modrić assisted Aaron Lennon’s equalizer in the 90+4, another unbeaten derby debut for the Croatian star.
Luka Modric of Tottenham Hotspur in his first North London derby.
The streak continued when he joined Real Madrid, where he faced Atlético Madrid, the opponent he would meet most often in his career with 42 total clashes. In his first Madrid derby, Modrić came off the bench in the 87th minute to replace Mesut Özil and helped see out a 2-0 win on Matchday 14 of the 2012–13 La Liga season, his first derby debut victory before repeating the feat with AC Milan against Inter.
