With the Derby d’Italia coming up fast this weekend, and having already covered Juve’s greatest calcio side, attention now turns to their opponents on Sunday, and Grande Inter. The formidable Inter side of the 60s is yet another which can lay claim to being the greatest side Italian football has ever seen. By the end of this period of dominance, the trophy cabinet at the San Siro held three league titles, two European Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.
Much of the credit for this great Inter side goes to one man and that is the manager at this time, Helenio Herrera. He would go on to become Inter’s most successful manager, along with Roberto Mancini, though the Argentine boasts European victories that Mancini does not. Over the presidency of oil tycoon Angelo Morratti (father of today’s President Massimo), Herrera was hired as the man to try and bring back the glory years after six trophy-less seasons. He stamped his authority on the side instantly and was a strict disciplinarian. Players were not allowed to smoke, drink, eat unhealthily or stay out too late during the evenings. Herrera went as far as to send officials around to check on the players to make sure they were at home. It took a few years before this new approach clicked with the players but when it did, one of the most successful eras in the Nerazzurri’s history began.
After finishing a respectable 3rd in his first season and then 2nd the next, it was in 1962/63 when Herrera managed to lead his side to glory. The side were instructed to play with the ‘catenaccio’ style which literally translates as ‘door bolt’. This involved Inter going ahead in a game before sitting back with each of Inter’s four defenders man-marking the opposition’s main attacking threat and a libero sitting behind the centre backs sweeping up any attacks that managed to break through the strong defence. Tarcisio Burgnich and the great Giacinto Facchetti (who captained the side) were employed as the preferred full backs in this side, Aristde Guarneri was a fine centre back and Armando Picchi was employed as the classy, tough-tackling libero. It also helped that they had the quite magnificent Gulliermo Sarti minding the net behind them. Gianfranco Bedin could also be employed at central defence of midfield and was an important part of the side. Although the defence grabbed much of the headlines for their strength and stability, Inter’s prowess in midfield cannot be overlooked. With some magnificent falir players such as Mario Corso, Jair, Luis Suarez and main goalscoring threat Sandro Mazzola, all of these elements came together to form a quite brilliant side.
With this irresistible blend of attacking flair and defensive strength, Inter went on to dominate games and were fully deserving of that first Scudetto of the Herrera era in 1963. They went on to finish the campaign a full four points ahead of closest rivals Juventus in a sweet title victory. However, next season would not finish on the same high note. The defending champions were pushed all the way by an excellent Bologna side and despite the fact that Inter managed to draw and then beat the Rossoblu, the two sides finished the campaign level on points. This meant that the title would be decided in a play-off in Rome which Inter went on to lose 2-0 in a crushing defeat. However, it was not all despair for the Nerazzurri that year though. Their new brand of football proved successful on the continent as they managed to reach the European Cup final where they met Real Madrid, who had dominated the competition since it’s inception. A fine performance from the Italians, helped by a Sandro Mazzola double, gave them a 3-1 victory and their first European honour. They were not quite finished there however as they met Independiente in the Intercontinental Cup over three legs. Inter were defeated in the first game in Argentina before emerging victorious on home soil in the return. A lone Mario Corso goal in the third game, which was again held in Italy, was enough to win the Cup.
As is often said, the measure of a truly great side is how they react to defeat. Nobody can argue with how la Beneamata reacted to the devastating league play-off defeat as Inter ended the following campaign by not only regaining the Scudetto, but by also retaining both their European and Intercontinental titles. It was not to be Bologna but oldest rivals Milan who were to challenge Inter domestically the following season but the Nerazzurri were not to be denied and ended the campaign on top with the turning point coming in a terrific 5-2 victory over the Rossoneri. Once again, they dominated the European game with another European Cup being won as brilliant Brazilian midfielder Jair scoring the only goal in the Final against Benfica to set up a rematch of the previous year’s Intercontinental Cup final against Independiente. In the first of two legs, played in front of their own fans, Inter romped home to a wonderful 3-0 victory with another Mazzola double and a Joaquin Peiro strike being enough to win the title ahead of a goalless second leg in Argentina.
Season 1965/66 was to prove to be the last great victory for the magnificent Grande Inter side as they won yet another Scudetto by, rather sweetly, four points from closest challengers Bologna to banish the demons of their defeat of 1964. They would not be able to celebrate a league title again for the next five years although they should have won their 11th title the following season. Going into the final day of the campaign, Inter needed only a draw to take home the title but a shock defeat to Mantova (whose winner was scored by ex-Inter man Beniamino Di Giacomo), coupled with Juve’s victory over Lazio gave the Bianconeri the title. Inter reached the European Cup final again the following year but suffered defeat against Celtic after going ahead early in Lisbon to bring the curtain down on a magnificent era in the club’s history and ensure the Grande Inter side would be remembered as one of the greatest.
Join Forza Italian Football on Twitter and Facebook.
