Every week SempreInter.com editorialist, Richard Hall, takes a look back at the glorious history of Inter by highlighting a certain match, hero or any other event in Inter’s history worthy of being labelled Nerazzurri Classic’s. Ahead of the match against Empoli, Richard looks back to the 2006/2007 where Roberto Mancini’s Inter beat Empoli away.
Inter travelled to Tuscany under a certain Roberto Mancini back in December 2006/07, they were full of hope. The Milanese were clear favourites for the title this year as Juventus had been relegated for match fixing and Milan had been docked points in the same affair. The Nerazzurri had a team with a wealth of talent and Empoli were not expected to cause them any problems.
Inter were coming off the back of seven wins in row and were full of confidence. Livorno had fallen 4-1 to them before an incredible 3-4 win in the Milan Derby followed. A 2-0 victory over Ascoli was followed up with a good 1-2 away win at Parma a 1-0 home win a Reggina, a 1-2 win against Palermo and a 2-0 home win against Siena. There was simply no stopping this Milanese freight train.
Empoli on the other hand had won two drawn two and lost one in their last five. This was not a bad season for the Tuscans who had taken some big scalps. A win at Sampdoria and draws with Lazio and Milan were just some of the solid performances they had put in. Even so Inter would be too strong, surely?
Inter started the game with electric pace and immediately stamped their authority on proceedings. Zlatan Ibrahimović was very much in the mood and was taunting Empoli defenders early on although his final ball was just a little sloppy. Inter made chances but took none of them and Julio Cesar also had to be alert as he had was tested from range on numerous occasions.
As more and more chances went a rye, the game slowly developed into a contest between Ibrahimović and Empoli goalkeeper Davide Bassi. The latter stopped attempt after attempt and when the teams went in level at the break it was Bassi who could take the credit.
Throughout the second half Empoli never gave up and came close on numerous occasions but eventually and after much effort Inter ground the Tuscans down. On 60 minutes Alvaro Recoba won free kick 30 yards out. He whipped it in and Ibrahimović rose to head to head the ball back off the cross bar. The ball bounced back into the path of a lurking Hernan Crespo who smashed home for 0-1.
The second goal came 18 minutes later after both Inter and Empoli became embroiled in a shootout. A tackle o the half way line from Empoli deflected cruelly to leave Ibrahimović one on one with Bassi. The Swede confidently scored but the fact that he put his shot so wide of the Empoli keeper (so much so it came off the post before going in) shows how much respect he gave the Tuscan custodian.
The third and final goal game came three minutes from time when Nicolás Burdisso found himself on a daring run that produced an inch perfect cross for Walter Samuel to head home in confident style. The game would end 0.3 to Inter but it was cruel on Empoli. They had played exceptionally well but ultimately quality came through. It was a pattern that continued throughout the season.