Nerazzurri Legend Ivan Cordoba: “Inter’s Slip-Up In Bologna Not A Repeat Of 5th Of May 2002”

Legendary former Inter defender Ivan Cordoba rejects the notion that the Nerazzurri have repeated the great slip-up of May 5, 2002 by losing to Bologna yesterday evening in Serie A.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, Cordoba gave the view that this is a different team in different circumstances, and that there is no reason to see the superstitious parallel to that failure in a title race.

Inter were famously denied the Serie A title on the very last day of the 2001-02 season in a dramatic 4-2 loss to the Biancoelesti, a gut-wrenching memory for many fans.

Their 2-1 loss to the Rossoblu yesterday was not quite as late in the campaign as that moment was, but it stirred memories of the loss of the Scudetto that season for many fans all the same.

However, for Cordoba who was part of that Inter team, this does not feel like the same thing, and the team will be able to pick themselves back up even though they’ve suffered from a big setback.

Asked if he sees similarities, Cordoba replied “No, I’ve put that day in the past, we cancelled it outby winning the treble.”

“It’s part of a past that should not be forgotten because only through defeats do you increase the desire to win,” he added,” this is what happened to us, and it was more beautiful because of it.”

“But the two situations are not comparable,” he was clear.

“I think that in this situation there’s enormous regret over the result, but the day after it you have to collect yourselves again as a group,” he said.

“From the outside, the directors and the coach could do many things, but the only ones who can make a difference are the players, giving themselves strength and giving support to Radu because these things happen.”

“There are four days to go, four finals to win, and then we have to wait,” he added. “It happened to us in the year we won  the treble, we were behind Roma and we were waiting for a misstep from them.”

“We had to win all our and we were aware of that,” he added, “so the same must happen with the current dressing room.”

Regarding the possibility of more twists and turns in the title race, he said that “It’s very likely that there are still some left.”

“Obviously the teams are trying to stay focused and sometimes the surprises don’t pop up after all,” he went on, “however, this is an unusual season, we have to take it one day at a time.”