Javier Zanetti believes Inter now know why they did not win the Scudetto during the 1997-98 season.
Zanetti, currently vice-president at Inter, was part of the team coached by Gigi Simoni twenty years ago that finished five points behind Juventus in an enthralling battle for the Serie A title, but the season was overshadowed by various refereeing controversies that were then cast into a new light by the calciopoli scandal.
Interviewed by Egyptian network ON Sport this week, Zanetti said that while he was ‘disappointed’ not to have clinched the Scudetto under Simoni in 1998, “several years later we understood why we hadn’t managed to win it.”
The Argentine’s comments come just weeks after ex-teammate Ronaldo told reporters in Madrid that Inter ‘were fighting against a corrupt system’ during his time at the club, before adding that ‘justice was done’ at a later date.
During the interview Zanetti also discussed his affection for his former head coach Simoni, as well as his excitement in 1995 upon hearing that Inter were interested in signing him.
“Simoni was like a father for us,” he said. “He built a very strong team where we felt like part of a family that everyone loved. We gave our best in every single match.
“We won the UEFA Cup, thanks in part to a goal that I scored: not everyone is able to score in a final and that for me was extremely important.
“When I was little I used to watch Serie A back in Argentina. It was an amazing feeling when Inter told me that I would be signing for them, I’d never imagined I would play for an Italian team one day. And I knew that it wasn’t just any Italian team, either, it was one of the best teams in the world.
“I had to learn a new language and a new style of play. Italian football is different to Argentine football. I improved not only as a player but also as a person.”
