Newcastle United defender Davide Santon has admitted to being "scared" of playing in the Tyne-Wear derby.

The Italian full-back believes that the clash between Newcastle and Sunderland is more passionate than the Milan derby and claims that there is more hunger to win from the fans than that of their Italian counterparts.

"The difference is that here the stadium is a bit smaller, but the fans are more aggressive than in Milan," said Santon.

"Here, the rivalry is more intense, more crazy. I was even a little bit scared in the first half [of last season's 1-1 draw], but I really enjoyed it.

"It was a fantastic experience. The fans were crazy and I really enjoyed the game. I remember the managers being crazy too, and Sunderland having two players sent off.

"But I think it's normal, because the Milan derby was similar. Everyone wants to win. I played twice with Inter and we won the first 3-0 and the second 2-1. It made all the difference that we won those games against AC Milan. Perhaps that is why I love derbies so much. They've made me very happy."

Santon joined the Magpies for £5 million from Inter in 2011.