Former Inter owner and president Ernesto Pellegrini has spoken fondly of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as part of an event dedicated to the former Inter player at the Trento Sports Fesitval.

“There were no other players like him, he was a world class player who had won so many trophies, but also a man of great calibre and humanity, I wanted a symbol for my Inter and Kalle was exactly that,” Pellegrini, who was president of Inter between 1984 and 1995, said.

“He was an exceptional, modest man and a simple one too. Simplicity dwells in the hearts of great men and he is one of them.

“Many journalists asked me where I found the money to buy a player like him, I replied very simply that the banks gave me confidence. I went to the pub with him and the president of Bayern Munich, and no one spoke since we did not have a common language.”

Pellegrini also revealed that Rummenigge was pivotal in the club signing Lothar Matthaus.

“It was Kalle who suggested that I should sign Lothar Matthaus. In fact, he even took him to my house.”