Legendary former Inter striker Diego Milito came close to joining the Nerazzurri’s Champions League opponents Real Madrid on two occasions.

Speaking to Spanish news outlet AS, as reported by FCInterNews, the Argentine explained how he had been a target for the Merengues at two points during his career, though he never joined them in the end.

Milito cemented a reputation for himself at Inter by helping to bring the club the European treble during the 2009-10 season, scoring a brace in the final against Bayern Munich to cap off a great campaign.

The Argentine joined Inter off the back of impressive form for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Genoa team and had also established himself in La Liga with Real Zaragoza for a number of seasons earlier in his career.

As he explained, however, the Nerazzurri were far from the only top European club who had an interest in his signature.

Milito looked ahead to this evening’s clash between Inter and Real, stating that “In football you must always believe. It’s a high level match, Inter can win.”

“Clearly it’s difficult,” he went on, “they face Real, which means a lot. But they can play a great game and win. They are in good form, with a good coach and good players.”

On the match in which he scored four goals against the Merengues while playing for Real Zaragoza, Milito recalled that “They are memories that remain forever. In history and for me.”

“Scoring four goals in a match is difficult,” he went on, “imagine doing so against the Real of the Galacticos at that time. ”

“Those are the nights you dream of,” he reflected. “The Bernabeu is a mythical stadium. It was a pleasure to play there, it gave me one of the greatest joys of my career, but we also lost the Cup final against Espanyol.”

About the interest that Real had had in signing him, Milito explained that “They had approached twice. The first was when I was with Zaragoza, but I don’t know what happened. It would have been an important step in my career.”

“The second came after the Champions League final,” he continued, “following the arrival of Mourinho at Real. There was talk, but it never came to anything. I was very happy at Inter.”

Of his countryman Lautaro Martinez’s form at the Nerazzuri, Milito stated that “He seems to be doing very well, happy at Inter. He is at a top-level club in Europe.”

“He has the qualities to continue like this,” he added of Martinez, “he is very young. He has the qualities to play at Inter, Real, Barcelona, or any other great clubs, but he’s already at a top club.”