Former Inter midfielder Giuseppe Baresi reflected on his career with the club and assessed the coaches he worked both under and alongside during his lengthy stints.

The ex-Italy international spent the majority of his career with the Nerazzurri after coming through the club’s youth academy, making 392 appearances between 1976 and 1992 before returning in an assistant coaching capacity from 2006 to 2014.

In an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of Il Giornale, Baresi assessed the coaches that he played under whilst also claiming that his role as assistant to Jose Mourinho was an important experience.

“[Eugenio] Bersellini was almost like a father to me, a point of reference. I am grateful to [Giovanni] Trapattoni because he helped me to quit, he made me understand that at a certain point I needed to do something else,” Baresi claimed.

“Mourinho was the best at managing people and conveying his ideas. It was easy to get in tune with him, while the results helped.”

Baresi admitted that he had grown up an AC Milan fan alongside brother and future Rossoneri legend Franco, but that he had not always intended to become a footballer.

“In those days we were all enthralled by [Gianni] Rivera. Then my blood changed quickly. I first kicked a ball on the farm, we lived in a typical Lombardian farmhouse with a hard internal courtyard. I often played barefoot because we didn’t have shoes to ruin in those days.

“There were six families, those of my father and his three brothers, with two for rent. We waited for them to cut the grass for the hay and had two days to play on the fields. I used to play as a midfielder but Venturi moved me to left back.

“I thought about being a farmer until I realised I had to make football my profession. I always liked the land and if I had earned more earlier, I would have bought it back. I enjoyed it, even if farming is a tiring job. I remember that my father woke up at five every morning, so it was better being a player!”

However, Baresi confessed that he struggled with life in Milan initially after joining Inter and had Beresellini to thank for his success.

“I lived in the countryside and my world consisted of 50 people. I wasn’t sure if I should go to Milan or not, but they convinced me. I was a closed character and unwilling to open up.

“I remember my debut against Vicenza, on 18 September 1977. It was a great emotion. Honestly, I never imagined this career, I left home without thinking about becoming professional but took this opportunity.

“It was thanks to Bersellini, he was a great person. They called him the ‘iron sergeant’, he demanded a lot and established rules. He was one of the first to change the training methods and brought in fitness staff, that wasn’t common then.”

Baresi enjoyed his best years at Inter during the 80s and felt this period was the peak for Italian football, thanks to a host of domestic and foreign stars.

“All the greats arrived in Italy at one point or another, from Maradona to Zico, Platini and Van Basten, Falcao to Matthaus. I was the mastiff called up to stop the best,” Baresi continued.

“They decided the matches, but were difficult to face. I remember great physical challenges with Causio, Claudio Sala and Novellino. Real battles, but with respect.

“For some years I lived with my brother peacefully, we have always had a good relationship. I lived my life and he his, we just met in the evenings. We discussed things during the derby weeks, making predictions and betting dinners.

“I remember my first derby well, against great champions. Then in the second I faced my brother. Now it would be a big story in the media, but back then it was less visible.

“Gabriele Oriali was the best travelling companion to start with, then Giuseppe Bergomi,” Baresi concluded.

Baresi won the Scudetto twice with Inter, as well the UEFA Cup, before ending his career with Modena.