Former Inter and AC Milan defender Fulvio Collovati shares his experience in the Derby della Madonnina ahead of Saturday’s big clash.
The two Milanese rivals will share the pitch this weekend for a much-anticipated showdown between the two Serie A leaders.
Both clubs currently enjoy a perfect record after the first three rounds of the season, but at least one of them will drop points for the first time on Saturday. According to Ladbrokes, Inter are the odds-on favorites, perhaps thanks to their solid defenses that are yet to concede a goal this season.
As for Collovati, he represented both clubs during his playing career. The defender rose through Milan’s youth ranks and spent the first portion of his playing days with the Rossoneri.
He then made the crosstown switch to the Nerazzurri in 1982, plying his trade with the club for four years.
During his time at Inter, the club lost a Derby encounter in 1984. Collovati failed to prevent a winner from Milan striker Mark Hateley, in an incident that is still haunting the defender.
Ex-Milan And Inter Defender Fulvio Collovati Admits Being Haunted By His Derby Della Madonnina Blunder For 40 Years
Therefore, the 66-year-old warns his successors against making mistakes in the Derby della Madonnina.
Collovati reveals, through personal experience that a player can get berated for a Derby blunder for the rest of his life, though he admits that the pressure has now eased compared to his heyday.
“Everyone can tell you about the derby, but you have to experience it to understand what it means,” says Fulvio Collovati in an interview with Tuttosport via FcInterNews.
“The derby is a game, in which in my time, if you made a mistake, you were berated. When you went up the steps that led to the pitch, the crowds were much closer than today.
“They used to shout at you. You could hear it all: insults, incitements, everything.
“Playing the Derby requires great responsibility. I’ve been blaming myself for that Hateley goal for almost forty years.
“I don’t think I lost the striker but he was very good and deserves credit for that header. You could see it in that photo which people have been reminding me of since 1984.
“So whoever goes on the pitch on Saturday should understand that they’re playing a Derby. All it takes is one mistake and you end up in the hot seat for life.”
Collovati also reveals how legendary Italy coach Enzo Bearzot prompted his transfer from Milan to Inter.
“Today, such transfers no longer cause a stir as they used to. At the time, Serie B didn’t stop when the national teams played. So I had to take the field on Saturday and then Sunday.
“I remember once, after a World Cup qualifying match in Athens, I took a private flight to be on the pitch the next day with Milan.
“So Bearzot took me aside one day during the training camp and told me he couldn’t tolerate the situation anymore. So I went to Inter which was the team that wanted me the most.”
