What happens at the San Siro when Milan play Inter

AC Milan and Inter Milan go head-to-head in tonight's highly-anticipated Champions League showdown - but how does the ground share work when they play each other?

Of course, Milan and Inter both play their home games at the iconic San Siro - the largest stadium in Italy with a capacity of over 80,000.

The Derby della Madonnina will be contested in a European competition for the first time since 2005 as Milan host Inter in tonight's semi-final first leg.

How does the ground share work when they're both playing at the same stadium, I hear you ask? Well, the San Siro actually has THREE dressing rooms.

Milan have one, Inter have one and there's another for an away team.

The San Siro on a Champions League night. Image: Alamy

According to The Athletic, the Inter dressing room has a lot more space than Milan's dressing room, which is more compact.

There is one player tunnel with two different exits for both the home and away team, and there are separate entrances into both dressing rooms.

How does the ticketing operation work when Milan play Inter? It works in the same way it usually does when a home team plays an away team.

There's a larger home allocation compared to the away side. In terms of a Champions League meeting, it's the same protocol as they are facing each other twice, across two legs.

So, as Milan are the 'home' team for the first leg, they will have a larger ticket allocation. Inter will be the 'home' team in the second leg, meaning they will have the lion's share of supporters next Tuesday.

Finally, why do Milan and Inter share the San Siro? Milan were the sole tenants of the ground upon its construction in 1925.

Inter played their home fixtures at the Arena Civica, which only had a capacity of 10,000.

However, in 1947, Inter moved to the San Siro. One of the reasons both clubs share the stadium is because there's a lack of suitable alternatives in the city.

It's also a cost-cutting situation as Milan and Inter save money on maintenance and renovation costs. The San Siro is now owned by Milan City Council.