The novel of the Nerazzurri finals: bowing to Cruiyff and the epic story of Mou

MILAN.

The double derby elects Inter. Appointment in Istanbul on Saturday 10 June against Manchester City or Real Madrid who will play the return match tonight. Between the European Cup and the Champions League, it will be the sixth final for the Nerazzurri: the first in 1964, the last in 2010, three trophies on the showcase and two bitter memories.

The first page of a fascinating novel was written fifty-nine years ago at the Prater Stadion in Vienna, in front of the legendary Real Madrid of Puskas, Di Stefano and Gento: Helenio Herrera’s tactics rewarded Inter, who won 3-1 with a brace from Sandro Mazzola and, in between, Milani goals. At 2-0 Felo seems to reopen the game, but the distances are quickly re-established and the result reaches the 90th minute. It is the beginning of an international domination that hands down a formation that seems like a chant: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti… The boys of the Magician – starting from the round of 16 as reigning champions – reach the bottom of the competition also in the following season and impose themselves again , this time at the San Siro against Eusebio’s Benfica. A violent rain fell on Milan, the pitch was soaked, at the limits of practicability, a goal by the Brazilian Jair decided which was on the conscience of goalkeeper Costa Pereira, unable to hold back a simple conclusion. It’s the 43rd minute, the Portuguese have a good reaction but Inter, wearing a special white shirt crossed by a horizontal Nerazzurri band, keep the lead and lift the cup for the second year in a row.

The feat fails on the third attempt, in 1967: a race without obstacles – Torpedo Moscow, Vasas, Real Madrid defeated and, after a play-off, CSKA Sofia, interrupted in the last act, in Lisbon against Celtic coached by the legendary Jock Stein. A penalty from Mazzola at the start gave the illusion, but the Scots equalized through Gemmel and 6′ from the end they placed the winning shot through Chalmers. The ball that passes Sarti also closes the cycle. Of the Grande Inter.

The excitement of a Champions Cup final was renewed in 1972: Invernizzi was on the bench, along the way Inter crossed paths with Borussia Mönchengladbach who won 7-1 but saw the result annulled because a can, thrown from the stands, he hit Boninsegna and surrendered in the subsequent confrontation, as Standard Liège and Celtic will do later on. In the final, in Rotterdam, however, there was no story: Ajax’s total football clearly prevailed and Johan Cruijff signed a clear success with a brace in the second half.

38 years of shattered hopes followed, until José Mourinho, in 2010, brought the Nerazzurri back to the final, against Van Gaal’s Bayern Munich: it finished 2-0 for the Nerazzurri, scoring with a brace from Milito. It is an unrepeatable year, consigned to history by the Treble, the last of the Portuguese who on the same night as the Champions League leaves the Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium of the challenge, aboard the car of Florentino Perez, president of Real who has a contract ready. The nerazzurri president is Massimo Moratti, son of Angelo, the patron of the first two triumphs.