After an eventful few weeks since their first-leg clash in Turin, fierce foes Inter Milan and Juventus reconvene at San Siro on Wednesday, to decide who will reach the Coppa Italia final.

Inter have made the Champions League semi-finals and Juve have seen their Serie A points deduction overturned since the clubs’ controversial 1-1 draw earlier this month, and they now lock horns in the fourth and final Derby d’Italia of the season.

Following a tense but tame first 80 minutes in the opening leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final, Inter fell behind to a classic Juventus counter-strike at the Allianz Stadium, before a remarkable conclusion to events then left an ugly scar on a much-anticipated tie.

The Nerazzurri were almost literally handed the chance to equalise from the spot during the dying moments, when Juve’s Bremer – who turned down Inter last summer, in favour of a move across Turin – clumsily conceded a penalty. Out-of-form striker Romelu Lukaku then stepped up and duly found the bottom corner.

Both the Belgian and Juan Cuadrado – along with Inter captain Samir Handanovic – were all dismissed in the aftermath, though Lukaku’s second booking for celebrating in front of fans that had been racially abusing him was finally rescinded by the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) just a few days ago.

Much bad blood will surely linger, then, ahead of Wednesday’s return at San Siro, where Simone Inzaghi’s side secured a place in the Champions League’s final four last week, at the expense of Primeira Liga leaders Benfica – setting up a seismic semi against city rivals Milan.

They then ended a five-game winless streak in Serie A at the weekend – part of a run of five league defeats from seven – by seeing off Empoli with help from two goals and an assist from a resurgent Lukaku.

However, Inter’s path back into the Champions League via finishing in Italy’s top four has been complicated by a combination of their own fallible form and the sudden re-emergence of Juventus as contenders – they now sit sixth with seven games left to play. With his job under threat, Inzaghi surely has to salvage some silverware from such a sub-par campaign, and with Europe’s top prize still a tall order considering the calibre of opponents who will await in the final, reaching the Coppa’s showpiece would buy him some breathing space in that regard.