Former Inter defender Andrea Mandorlini discussed the 1988/89 season in an interview in today’s paper edition of the Turin based newspaper Tuttosport.
“And to think the season hadn’t got off to a very good start. We had been eliminated in the Coppa Italia by Fiorentina in September, on the neutral pitch in Piacenza, and immediately a lot of controversy had started.”
He then spoke about what caused the team to turn around their poor form and start achieving good results.
“Just the elimination in the Coppa Italia was one of the key moments. The newspapers were attacking Trapattoni, in so many years at Juve they hadn’t been able to criticise him because he almost always won, he was in his third year and it seemed as if the results weren’t coming. So, we players who had been at Inter for a few years got together and we went to Trap’s room to tell him not to worry, the locker room was with him. From there, in my opinion, the team was compact and started at full strength.”
The 59-year-old Italian discussed the importance of the arrivals of Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthäus to the club.
“They were crucial. But I think another very important factor was Ramón Díaz. The club had already bought Rabah Madjer, who failed medical examinations. Then they took Ramón, who didn’t start out well but he became fundamental from December onwards, allowing Aldo Serena to score a lot and become top scorer.”
Mandorlini touched on whether there was a moment that he started to realise what was happening in that season.
“I’m having a hard time finding one, because we almost always won, but we were a very humble team, given how quietly we started out. In the first round, apart from the last game with Fiorentina, we had won almost all of them, but we were looking at the league one step at a time. Pianino gave us the awareness that we were a team that could do something extraordinary. Maybe one of the key moments was the victory in Genoa with Sampdoria, but not because I scored, but because the wins were the ones that gave us the most confidence. Even with the league secured, when we could have left something behind, we continued to win with great naturalness and with very strong results.”
He discussed the importance of his goal against Sampdoria.
“Because it closed the game a bit, then it was also the winning goal, I see it every now and then and I’m always pleased. At that point in the league, we realised that the biggest hurdle would then be the direct clash with Napoli, which for me was the best match in the league, we won 2-1 after going behind. It was the crowning achievement of a fantastic year, with nothing to take away from other important moments. Napoli were a great team of champions and winning at home in a comeback, with all the people cheering, it was the moment that remained in my heart the most. If I close my eyes, I can see it again.”
Finally, Mandorlini spoke about whether this season is the most memorable to him compared to others he had at Inter.
“I think Inter, as strong as they were, could have won at least two more league titles. The first in 1984-85, when Rummenigge and Altobelli were in the team, but for many reasons we didn’t manage to impose ourselves on the field. Verona won the Scudetto and I’m happy for them too, as it’s a club I’m very close to. But even in 1990-91, we won a very important UEFA Cup, but we could have done better in the league. But, without a doubt, the Scudetto of records is something incredible.”
Inter won the 1988/89 season comfortably, sitting 11 points ahead of the second place Napoli. The Nerazzurri turned around a slow start to go on a rampage, with Italian striker Aldo Serena being the top scorer that season.
