Former Inter striker Aldo Serena has revealed that he initially had an uneasy relationship with teammate Nicola Berti, but that they soon became close friends.
Serena enjoyed two spells with Inter, from 1978 to 1985 and then 1987 to 1991, either side of a stint at Juventus, and played alongside midfielder Berti in his second period with the Nerazzurri.
In an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of Il Giornale, Serena reflected on his friendship with Berti, admitting that the pair initially did not see eye to eye but went on to become close.
“Immediately I was unpleasant. I had the education and experience of the profession and always focused on doing well, even if I was wrong,” Serena conceded.
“Nicolino was the opposite. After the initial mistrust we built a therapeutic friendship, I offered calmness and he returned energy.”
Serena, who won the Serie A title with Inter, Juventus and AC Milan in his career, went on to reveal how he bonded with Berti, despite the pair having different interests.
“We shared our different experiences. He took me to discos and clubs. I invited him to dinner at a Hare Krishna restaurant, but afterwards he wanted pizza.”
The former Italy international worked under a range of coaches, including Giovanni Trapattoni and Fabio Capello, but admitted that the abuse the former received despite his success at Inter put him off pursuing such a career for himself.
“There were times when we were leaving the Stadio San Siro after a bad results and found ourselves, along with Trapattoni, being insulted by the fans, even by children. That they could insult ‘Trap’, and for what it represented, I decided that it was not for me,” Serena concluded.
