Tonight's derby d'Italia lived up to its repuation for passion and intensity, but the same qualities that make the fixture such an anticipated occasion in the Serie A calendar are the same ones that can also stifle the match as a footballing spectacle - and that was certainly the case tonight as the sides fought out a tough 0-0 draw.
The first half was a cagey affair in which both sides cautiously felt their way into the match before attempting any adventurous attacking play.
In fact, it took until the 12th minute before either team managed a shot on target and even then, it was a tame 35-yard volley by Dejan Stankovic which Marco Storari caught with absolute ease.
