Inter 2012/2013. The story of a great big failure. A winning team that beat the club record for the number of away wins in a row and reached the top when they beat the worst enemy and previously unbeaten Juventus at the Juventus Stadium by 1-3. What happens after is a collection of mistakes, injuries, the chaos with Sneijder and terribly many losses. Apart from Mateo Kovacic it is hard to find bright spots as an Inter supporter after the legendary victory at Juventus Stadium, and Inter’s season can be summed up with great darkness.
After much thought, however, I have found what we Interisti can be most proud of this past season. It may sound selfish, but what Inter have to be most proud of is us supporters. During this season, I have, for many reasons ,been able to see more matches on site than previous seasons and something that never ceases to amaze me is the pride of the supporters from all corners of the world that I meet during my travels. As Vice-President of the supporter association Interisti Svedesi, I also have the honor to see the pride and the glow amongst the supporters that join together at the match gatherings in Stockholm. Judging from what my colleague Nima says, it’s not any different in Gothenburg. Through YouTube and Twitter I can get photos and videos from Lebanon, England, Indonesia and Albania, where Interisti mobilize and sing chants to support their team, even though they are hundreds of miles from where their team plays. This despite the unfortunate season we have gone through. We are accustomed to suffering, we have it in our DNA and setbacks will not stop us.
On site this year I have had the honor to meet Rudy from Indonesia, Ben Boucher from England, Hussein Marhoon and Ahmed from Bahrain. People who have to sit many hours on their planes to get to Italy. People who toiled long hours to earn enough for their football trips. I have had the honor to be a part of Swedish match gatherings in Stockholm and Milan. All this suggests that Inter is alive. That black and blue blood pumps into the veins of fans worldwide. That we stand straight and support our team proud until the end. It’s no secret that Inter last season had the most season tickets sold and had the highest average attendance with 46 551. We have the suffering in our DNA, and somehow I feel that Inter as a club has supporters who feel more alive when they suffer, that love grows stronger with each blow we receive.
Hopefully Inter, in 2013/2014 will give us less suffering on the pitch, but I never want you to forget the words of anti-juventus chant “juve merda” that goes: “Si é vero che soffriamo, ma è piu bello quando vinciamo” meaning “Yes it is true that we suffer, but it’s just more beautiful when we win.” Because when Inter are a winning team again, last season will be one of the seasons that makes success taste sweeter. When Inter win again, those who contributed to Inter having much to be proud of in a season like this, can stand even prouder. Yesterday sales of season ticket started again and at a time when, last season only 93 had renewed their season tickets, 148 have already renewed their season tickets to the San Siro.
A new season and a new era can begin, the starting point is you, me and all black and blue all over the world. We hold the banner high and give the club a light in the darkness that has been swept around us, for as long as the fans’ blood is pumping black and blue, this club will never die. No matter how close to the bottom we come.