Newcastle United fullback Davide Santon admits he loves the Northeast derby.
The Italian left-back, who is still unbeaten in the North East derby, played in three of the clashes between his team Inter and AC Milan - the team he supported as a boy.
Santon told the Daily Mail: "I have played in three Milan derbies. The Milan derby is good and an exciting experience, but I think this derby is even bigger.
"The lay-out of the stadiums makes a big difference. At Sunderland everyone will be very close to the pitch and that means you can hear the fans really loudly.
"At the San Siro you have 90,000 people watching you but they are a long way from the field so you can't hear them and the atmosphere doesn't seem as crazy. You also share the same stadium so it never really feels like you are playing away. It's a different experience and I definitely prefer this derby because you are more on edge.
"This game also means more to the fans of the two clubs. The game is so important to them. At Inter, yes the derby is important, but it doesn't dominate the rest of the season. Here, this game does."
