Legendary AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi has claimed that Inter’s 2010 treble winning team contributed nothing to the game in Italy.
The former Italy boss has been no stranger to courting controversy through the media in recent months – with the basis for his latest claims being the lack of homegrown talent within the Nerazzurri side but clarified suggestions that he had labelled the team a disgrace.
Talking on Senza Appello on Gazzetta TV, he said: “I never said they were a disgraceful team or that it was a shame that they won it. I have great respect for that squad and for those players.
“I only meant to say that this victory has given little or nothing to our [Italian] football because the Inter starting XI in Madrid [for their Champions League final win over Bayern Munich] was not Italian so for our players that was a shame.”
One of that squad’s Italian members, Marco Materazzi, hit back at Sacchi’s comments angrily – posing the question to the ex-Rossoneri tactician: “Without your Dutch players, would Milan have won?”
Sacchi was able to call upon the considerable talents of Netherlands trio Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard for his successful Diavolo side which were a force domestically and on the continent.
