Catanzaro

100px
Full name	Unione Sportiva Catanzaro 1929[1]
Nickname(s)	Aquile del sud (Southern Eagles)
Founded	1929 1946 (refounded) 2006 (refounded) 2011 (refounded)
Ground	Stadio Nicola Ceravolo, Catanzaro, Italy (Capacity: 14,650)
Owner	Catanzaro Calcio 2011 S.r.l.[2]
Chairman	Giuseppe Cosentino
Manager	Francesco Cozza
League	Lega Pro Prima Divisione
2011-12	Lega Pro Seconda Divisione B, 2nd (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

U.S. Catanzaro 1929^[1] is an Italian football club based in Catanzaro, Calabria.

Their last stint in Serie A ended in 1983.

Currently it plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione.

History[link]

Foundation and refoundations[link]

The club were founded in 1929 as Catanzarese, then changed their denomnation to Unione Sportiva Catanzaro in 1946, shortly after the end of the World War II and in 2006 to Football Club Catanzaro. The team assumed the current title in 2011, following the cancellation of the previous club's registration because of financial troubles.^[3]

From Serie A to the first bankrupt[link]

Catanzaro achieved promotion to Serie B in 1959, and reached the Coppa Italia final in 1966. In 1971, they defeated Bari in a play-off to win promotion to Serie A for the first time.

Catanzaro's inaugural Serie A season saw them struggle and succumb to relegation on the final day with only 3 wins and 15 draws for 21 points. However, their first-ever Serie A win came in Round 16 with a 1–0 win over Juventus. After narrowly missing out on a return to Serie A in 1975, they bounced back in 1976 but once again lasted just one year.

A third promotion in 1978 ushered in the club's golden era with a five-year stay in Serie A. With a team including Claudio Ranieri, Gianni Improta and the iconic Massimo Palanca, Catanzaro managed a highly credible 9th place in 1979. Though they finished 14th and would have been relegated for the following season, they won a reprieve thanks to forced relegations of AC Milan and Lazio. They managed 8th place in 1981 and 7th the following year before a dismal relegation in 1983. Much of the next four years was spent bouncing between Serie B and C1.

Catanzaro emerged as promotion contenders once more in 1988, with the ageless Palanca having returned to the club after a fruitless spell at Napoli. Finishing 5th, they succumbed to successive relegations in 1990 and 1991, staying in Serie C2 until 2003.

In 2005, after two consecutive promotions, Catanzaro returned to Serie B after a 15-year absence. However, after a poor season they ended their Serie B campaign in last place, meaning relegation to Serie C1. Catanzaro would immediately get another chance, the team being reinstated to Serie B due to vacancies related to the exclusion of other teams from Serie B. In its 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Catanzaro came last again and was relegated to Serie C1; the relegation was followed by financial troubles which led the federation to cancel the club's registration.

F.C. Catanzaro[link]

In the summer 2006 the club was refounded with the new name of F.C. Catanzaro and registered to Serie C2 for the 2006–2007 season, with the hope to return back to the upper divisions.

In season 2010-11, they were initially relegated from Lega Pro Seconda Divisione group C to Serie D,^[4] but due to the relegation of Pomezia to last place, the club was saved from relegation.^[5]

On July 18, 2011 it is excluded by the Federal Council from Lega Pro Seconda Divisione,^[6] but on July 27, 2011 it wins appeal to Tnas and then can play in 2011-12 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.^[7]

U.S. Catanzaro 1929[link]

On June 30, 2011 the company Catanzaro Calcio 2011 has acquired permanently the company branch of the bankrupt F.C. Catanzaro.^[8][9]

Since 6 August 2011, the company after having purchased the historical brand and logo of U.S. Catanzaro got the current name.^[1].

Catanzaro in this season finished 2nd in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione and was promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione.

Colors and badge[link]

The team's colours are red and yellow.

Squad of season 2010-11[link]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Andrea De Vona GK Roberto Mancinelli GK Alessandro Vono DF Ivano Ciano DF Christian Berger DF Ciro De Franco DF Roberto Di Maio DF Giovanni Giuseppe Di Meglio DF Roberto Gimelli MF Settembrino Basile MF Giuseppe Benincasa MF Alessandro Bruno

No. Position Player MF Andrea Capicotto MF Francesco Corapi MF Mattia Donati MF Emiliano Nicolas Forgione MF Denny Gigliotti MF Davide Lodi MF Mark Orosz FW Lucas Longoni FW Antonio Montella FW Manolo Mosciaro FW Moussa Diarra FW Christian Esposito (On Loan from Novara)

Presidential history[link]

Below is a presidential history list of Catanzaro, from when they were founded in 1929, until the present day.^[10]

Managerial history[link]

Name Nationality Years Dino Baroni 1929–1931 Géza Kertész 1931–1933 Yuri Koszegi 1933–1936 Remo Migliorini Gorni Schoenfeld 1936–1937 Walter Colombati 1937–1938 Riccardo Mottola 1938–1946 Pietro Piselli 1946–1947 Francesco Cozza 2011-

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Site (Italian)
• Team's Site (Italian)

Catanzaro
—  Comune  —
Comune di Catanzaro
Panorama of Catanzaro
Catanzaro Location of Catanzaro in Italy
Coordinates: 38°54′N 16°36′E / 38.9°N 16.6°E / 38.9; 16.6
Country	Italy
Region	Calabria
Province	Catanzaro (CZ)
Government
• Mayor	Michele Traversa (Popolo della Libertà)
Area
• Total	102.3 km2 (39.5 sq mi)
Highest elevation	580 m (1,900 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (31 December 2010)
• Total	93,124
• Density	910/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Demonym	Catanzaresi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	88100
Dialing code	0961
Patron saint	St. Vitalianus and St. Agatius (co-patron)
Saint day	July 16
Website	Official website

Catanzaro (pronounced [katanˈdzaːro] ( listen) or [katanˈtsaːro]; Greek: Katantheros (Κατανθέρος), Katastarioi Lokroi (Κατασταρίοι Λοκροί)), also known as the city of the two seas, is an Italian city of 369,134 (2001) inhabitants and the capital of the Calabria region and of its province.

The archbishop seat was the capital of the province of Calabria Ultra for over 200 years. It currently houses the University "Magna Græcia", the second largest University of Calabria.

Catanzaro is an urban center, with intense activity, including some coastal towns, such as Marina Sellia Soverato, and the municipalities of Silas, with a total of 156,196 inhabitants. Catanzaro is currently being consolidated to form a greater metropolitan area, by the Region of Calabria, and in connection with the town of Lamezia Terme, comprising 10 municipalities. This will lead to the creation of an integrated area which will extend from the coast to the Ionian Sea, involving over 200,000 inhabitants.

During the summer months, the Ionian coast from Catanzaro to Soverato is an important tourist attraction, especially for the youth, and is in the presence of several important structures located in the coastal districts of the city and the town of Copanello Soverato.

Catanzaro is also known as city of the three V's, referring to the three distinct features of the city, namely San Vitaliano, the patron saint; velvet, as an important silk center since the time of the Byzantines; and wind (vento in Italian) as constantly experienced by the strong breezes from the Ionian Sea and Silas.

"VVV" was the symbol by which Catanzaro's silk industry was known by, identified for both its domestic and foreign markets, and iconic for the finest fabrication of silks, velvets, damasks and brocades from the city.

Localization[link]

Catanzaro overlooks the Gulf of Squillace, in the Ionian Sea, where according to some scholars, the port of the kingdom of Feaco is located. According to Homer, Ulysses was accepted and told his story here, specifically at Isthmus, the thinnest part of the Italian mainland. Here only 30 km separate the Ionian Sea from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The district of Catanzaro stretches from the sea to a height of 600 meters. The historic center is located approximately 300 meters above sea level. It includes a coastline on the Ionian Sea which hosts 8 km of beach and a marina. The town dates back to the valley of Fiumarella (formerly known as River Zaro). The Bishopric, St. Tryphon (or San Rocco) and St. John (or castle) marks the city's historical center and is connected to the North Sila. Due to its particular geography, the municipality gets wet from the sea, and is still subjected to a snowy winter.

Catanzaro's rivers include, the main stream of the Fiumarella (in local dialect Hjiumareddha), which joins with the river Musofalo, and the torrent Corach (formerly called Crotalo).

Climate[link]

The climate of Catanzaro is typically Mediterranean, temperate, and characterized by a windy spring and autumn.

According to the thirty-year average of 1961-1990 reference, the average temperature of the coldest month, January, came to 8.9 °C (48 °F), the hottest month, August, is 24.5 °C (76 °F).

The climate, as mentioned, is marked by the presence of wind, even high intensity, especially during spring and autumn. The annual average intensity is about 4 knots with peaks at 6 knots, The months of April and May are characterized by strong winds and the "scirocco libeccio".

The annual rainfall is around 1,000 mm and are distributed in 87 days on average, with a long summer and a minimum peak in the autumn and winter.

History[link]

Certain assumptions trace the origin of Catanzaro to an ancient Greek colony, already in place, which became the land of Scolacium, believed to have been built on the ruins of the ancient city of Trischines. Other hypotheses identify Catanzaro's development to have grown from various settlements scattered in the area of Catanzaro, Marina, Tiriolo (formerly Teure), Santa Maria di Catanzaro, and on the hill Trivonà (Trischines, along the valley of Corach which formed the old "Land of Feaco"). The mouth of the river, according to legend, created the ancient Ulysses Skilletion.

Recently, in the district of Germaneto along the valley of Corach, a Greek necropolis of the fifth century BC, an ancient Roman settlement was found. Archaeological discoveries show that the municipality was active since the Iron Ages, flourishing with the populations of "Vitulo", so called because they worship the statue of the calf, which the Greeks renamed "Italoi" (worshipers of the calf), and governed by the famous Italian king of the same name, brother of Dardanus and ancestor of the Trojans. Italy gets its name from this figure.

According to another legend, Catanzaro was named after two Byzantine generals Cattaro and Zaro who led the coastal city of Magna Graecia Skilletion or Skillakion, corresponding to the Roman Scolacium (near Catanzaro's Marina), first on Zarapotamo (today Santa Maria di Catanzaro) and then later on Trivonà, a military fortress.

Catanzaro was always choice land due to its safe, high location, and the territory was under several group's control, including the Saracens, Normans, and Venetians. The Saracens were the first to push the town's development to its highest regions by the second half of the ninth century. Byzantine general Nikephoros Phokas was responsible for the naming of the "Rock of Niceforo". Catanzaro's development into a fortress town was established by General Flagizio, who began the construction of a citadel, which later assumed the name of Katantzárion. According to some assumptions, the name is inspired from the development of workshops for creating silk, what the Greeks call "Katartarioi" (Καταρτάριοι) (spinners of silk).

At the beginning of the tenth century (circa 903),^[1] the Byzantine city was occupied by the Saracens, who founded an emirate and took the Arab name of قطنصار - QaTanSáar. An Arab presence is evidenced by findings at an eighth century necropolis which had items with Arabic inscriptions.

Around the year 1050, Catanzaro rebelled against Saracen dominance and returned to a brief period of Byzantine control again. In 1069, Catanzaro was the last city in Calabria, after many months of resistance, to fall under siege by the Normans of Robert Guiscard, who built the Norman castle, still in existence today. During this era, arts and crafts pioneered, and particularly the processing of silk, which was traded with other regions in Italy, other countries and Eastern Europe.

In the middle of the thirteenth century, Emperor Frederick II, made Catanzaro a direct possession of the crown. Later the city was the household feud of Ruffo, Caraffa and Soriano. The Normans elevated Catanzaro into a noble county, giving it to Peter Ruffo. The latter was lost in a struggle against Manfredi of Sicily, but he later returned to the city, when Charles I of Anjou signed the peace of the War of the Vespers. For fourteen years, it was the royal domain of King Ladislaus of Naples, and in 1420 it was returned again to Nicholas Ruffo, who gave it as part of a dowry for his daughter Enrichetta who was married to Antonio Centelles. After a rebellion by the rural people, King Alfonso V of Aragon took control of the city; in 1460 there was a war with the partisans of Centelles. When peace returned, the city was granted new privileges which greatly promoted the development of its silk industry, for which its damasks were known throughout Europe. From this time forward, Catanzaro firmly established itself as an import center for its textile productions.

In 1528 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor gave authorization for Catanzaro to bear the imperial eagle attached to a coat of arms depicting the hill tops of the town.

On 23 December 1961, at the Fiumarella viaduct near Catanzaro, there was a serious rail accident, when a train derailed and fell about 40 m (131 ft) into the river below. Seventy-one passengers lost their lives on impact, and 28 others were injured to varying degrees.

In 1970 Catanzaro was designated to be the capital of Calabria.

Historical names[link]

Catanzaro had different names, which correspond to different periods of history through the city:

• Katantza'rion, a Greek settlement
• Chatacium, during Roman times
• QaTanSáar - قَطَنْصَار, Saracen period (903 - 1050 approximately)
• Rock of Niceforo, Byzantine period
• Cathacem, Norman period
• Cathanzario, under the Kingdom of Naples
• Catanzaro, under united Italy.

Main sights[link]

• Catanzaro Bridge, a well-known, one-arch bridge (Viaduct Morandi-Bisantis)- one of the tallest in Europe.
• Duomo (Cathedral). Built over a Norman cathedral built in 1121, in the 16th century it received a Renaissance façade which was however destroyed in 1638. The church was almost entirely destroyed by the bombings of 1943, and was later rebuilt.
• Basilica dell'Immacolata.
• Church of the Santissimo Rosario (15th or 16th century), with a Renaissance façade and a single nave interior.
• Church of Sant'Omobono (11th or 12th century).
• Byzantine small church of Sant'Omobono (11th century).
• Chiesa dell'Osservanza, or Santa Teresa. In the interior is the 16th century Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre and a statue of "Madonna delle Grazie" by Antonello Gagini.
• Remains of the Norman Castle.
• Porta di S. Agostino and Porta di Stratò, two gates which are the last remains of the medieval walls, demolished in 1805.
• Palazzo de' Nobili (15th century), now Town Hall.
• Piazza Grimaldi, a town square named in honor of the House of Grimaldi, who had branches that traded heavily within Catanzaro.

Notable people[link]

• Renato Dulbecco: Nobel prize winner.
• Mimmo Rotella: contemporary artist and inventor of the Decollage.

Economy[link]

Catanzaro's current economy is mostly based on tertiary and services. Industries are mostly medium and small-size companies working within a local market.

Transportation[link]

Catanzaro is served by the SS106 Jonica state road which connects it to the A3 Highway.

In the city centre is a line with three stations. A metropolitan service (with c. 1,600,000 users per year, with 20 trains working) is provided by Ferrovie della Calabria, with a total of 11 railway stations in the city, plus others in 12 comuni of the hinterland. The rest of the public transportation system is based on 49 bus lines of AMC (Azienda per la Mobilità Catanzaro). The city counts two main railway stations: Catanzaro and Catanzaro Lido.

See also[link]

• Fatti di Reggio

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Catanzaro

• Official website (Italian)
• Accademia di Belle Arti - Catanzaro
• Calabria's History, Culture, Language and Genealogy

Inter

200px
Full name	Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A.
Nickname(s)	I Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues) La Beneamata (The Cherished One) Il Biscione (The Big Grass Snake) Baüscia (Boasters in Lombard language)
Founded	March 9, 1908; 104 years ago  (1908-03-09)
Ground	San Siro, Milan (Capacity: 80,018[1])
Owner	Massimo Moratti
President	Massimo Moratti
Head coach	Andrea Stramaccioni
League	Serie A
2011–12	Serie A, 6th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A., commonly referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. The club is commonly known as Inter Milan outside of Italy.^[2][3] They have spent their entire history in the top flight First Division (known as Serie A since 1929). Internazionale have won 30 domestic trophies, including the league eighteen times, the Coppa Italia seven and the Supercoppa Italiana five. From 2006 to 2010 the club won five successive league titles, equalling the all-time record.^[4] They have won the Champions League three times; two back-to-back in 1964 and 1965 and then another in 2010. The last completed an unprecedented Italian treble with the Coppa Italia and the Scudetto. The club has also won three UEFA Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup.

Inter's home games are played at San Siro, also known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The stadium, which is shared with A.C. Milan, is the largest in Italian football, with a total capacity of 80,018.^[5] Milan are considered one of their biggest rivals, and matches between the two teams are called Derby della Madonnina, which is one of the most followed derbies in football.^[6] As of 2010, Inter is the second most supported team in Italy,^[7] and the eighth most supported team in Europe.^[8] The current president and owner of Inter is Massimo Moratti. The club is one of the wealthiest and most valuable in Italian and world football.^[9] It was a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association.^[10]

History[link]

Foundation and early years (1908–1922)[link]

First Inter side to win the scudetto, in 1909–10

The club was founded on 9 March 1908 as Football Club Internazionale, following a "schism" from the Milan Cricket and Football Club (44 members). A group of Italians and Swiss (Giorgio Muggiani, a painter who also designed the club's logo, Bossard, Lana, Bertoloni, De Olma, Enrico Hintermann, Arturo Hintermann, Carlo Hintermann, Pietro Dell'Oro, Hugo and Hans Rietmann, Voelkel, Maner, Wipf, and Carlo Ardussi) were unhappy about the domination of Italians in the AC Milan team, and broke away from them, leading to the creation of Internazionale. The name of the club derives from the wish of its founding members to accept foreign players as well as Italians.

The club won its very first Scudetto (championship) in 1910 and its second in 1920. The captain and coach of the first Scudetto was Virgilio Fossati, who was killed in World War I.

After early years (1922–1960)[link]

In 1922 Inter were in Group B of the Serie A and came in dead last after picking up only 11 points in the season. Thanks to the reunion of the C.C.I. (Confederazione Calcistica Italiana) and Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), Inter remained in the top league after winning the salvation play-off.

In 1928, during the Fascist era, the club was forced to merge with the Unione Sportiva Milanese and was renamed Società Sportiva Ambrosiana.^[11] They wore white shirts around this time with a red cross emblazoned on it. This shirt design was inspired by the flag and coat of arms of the city of Milan, which in turn is derived from the flag of the patron saint of Milan, St. Ambrose and dates back to the 4th century AD. The new upcoming President Oreste Simonotti decided to change name to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana in 1929. However, supporters continued to call the team Inter, and in 1931 new president Pozzani caved to shareholder pressure and changed the name to Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana-Inter.

Their first Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) was won in 1938-39, led by the great legend Giuseppe Meazza, for whom the San Siro stadium is officially named, and a fifth league championship followed in 1940, despite an injury to Meazza. After the end of World War II the club re-emerged under a name close to their original one; FC Internazionale Milano, which they have kept ever since. Following the war, Inter won its sixth championship in 1953 and the seventh in 1954.

Grande Inter (1960–1968)[link]

Facchetti on a 1968 Ajman stamp

In 1960, Helenio Herrera joined Internazionale from FC Barcelona. From FC Barcelona, he brought his midfield general Luis Suárez who would win the European Footballer of the Year in the same year for his role in FC Barcelona's La Liga/Fairs Cup double. He would transform Internazionale into one of the greatest teams in Europe. He modified a 5-3-2 tactic known as the Verrou (door bolt) to include larger flexibility for counter attacks. The Catenaccio system was invented by an Austrian coach named Karl Rappan. Rappan's original system was implemented with 4 fixed defenders, playing a strict man-to-man marking system, plus a playmaker in the middle of the field who plays the ball together with two midfield wings. Herrera would modify it by adding a fifth defenders, the sweeper or libero behind the two centre backs. The sweeper or libero who acted as the free man would deal with any attackers who went through the two centre backs. Internazionale would finish 3rd in Serie A his first season, 2nd the next year and first in his 3rd season. And then followed a back-to-back European Cup victory in 1964 and 1965. Herrera earned the title "ll Mago" which meant the magician. The code of Herrera's team was the fullbacks Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti, Armando Picchi the sweeper, Luis Suárez the playmaker, Jair the winger, Mario Corso the left midfielder and Sandro Mazzola who played the inside-right.

In 1964, Internazionale reached the Final by beating Borussia Dortmund in the semifinal and FK Partizan in the quarterfinal. In the Final, they met Real Madrid, a team had reached 7 out of the 9 existing Finals. Real Madrid consisted of the aging stars of the 1950s and a few emerging players that would win the European Cup in 1966. It was Sandro Mazzola who stole the show by scoring two goals in a 3-1 victory.

A year later, Inter repeated the feat by beating two-time winner SL Benfica in the final held at home. Jair was the lone scorer in 1-0 win.

By 1967, Jair was gone. Luis Suárez was injured and missed the Final. Sandro Mazzola's penalty was not enough to stop Celtic FC from winning the title.

After Helenio Herrera era (1968–1990)[link]

Following the golden era of the 1960s, Inter managed to win their eleventh league title in 1971 and their twelfth in 1980. Inter were defeated for the second time in five years in the final of the European Cup, going down 0-2 to Johan Cruijff's Ajax Amsterdam in 1972. During the 1970s and the 1980s, Inter also added two to its Coppa Italia tally, in 1977-78 and 1981-82.

Led by the German duo of Andreas Brehme and Lothar Matthäus, and Argentine Ramón Díaz, Inter captured the 1989 Serie A championship. Fellow German Jürgen Klinsmann and the Italian Supercup were added the following season but to little avail as Inter were unable to defend their title.

Dark times (1990–2004)[link]

The 1990s was a period of disappointment. Whilst their great rivals AC Milan and Juventus were achieving success both domestically and in Europe, Inter were left behind, with repeated mediocre results in the domestic league standings, their worst coming in 1993-94 when they finished just 1 point out of the relegation zone. Nevertheless, they achieved some European success with 3 UEFA Cup victories in 1991, 1994 and 1998.

Massimo Moratti, Inter's current President

With Massimo Moratti's takeover from Ernesto Pellegrini in 1995 Inter were promised more success with many high profile signings like Ronaldo and Christian Vieri, with Inter twice breaking the world record transfer fee in this period (₤19.5 million for Ronaldo from FC Barcelona in summer 1997 and ₤31 million for Christian Vieri from Lazio in summer 1999). However the 1990s remained a decade of disappointment and is the only decade in Inter's history in which they did not win a single Italian Serie A championship. For Inter fans it was difficult to find who in particular was to blame for the troubled times and this led to some icy relations between them and the president, the managers and even some individual players.

Inter chairman Massimo Moratti later became a target of the fans, especially when he sacked the much-loved coach Luigi Simoni after only a few games into the 1998/99 season, after having just received Italian manager of the year award 1998 the day before Massimo Moratti decided to end his contract. In the 1998-99 season Inter failed to qualify for any European competition for the first time in almost 10 years, finishing in a poor eighth place.

Marcello Lippi was sacked after the first 2000-01 matchday

In the 1999-00 season, Massimo Moratti made some major changes, marking once again some high-profile signings. A major coup for Inter was the appointment of former Juventus manager Marcello Lippi. Moreover, Inter were seen by the majority of the fans and press to have finally put together a winning formula. Other signings included Italian and French legends Angelo Peruzzi and Laurent Blanc together with other former Juventus players Christian Vieri and Vladimir Jugović. Inter were also seen to have an advantage in this season as they had no European "distraction". Once again they failed to win the elusive Scudetto. However they did manage to come close to their first domestic success since 1989 when they reached the Coppa Italia final only to be defeated by Lazio allowing them to win the Scudetto and domestic cup double.

The following season another disaster struck. Inter impressed in the Supercoppa Italia match against Lazio and took the lead through new signing Robbie Keane and Hakan Şükür – however, they lost 4-3. Overall, though, they were looking good for the season that was about to start. What followed was another embarrassment, as they were eliminated in the preliminary round of the Champions League by Swedish club Helsingborgs IF. Alvaro Recoba was given the opportunity to equal the tie with a last-minute penalty, but Helsingborg goalkeeper Sven Andersson made the save. Inter found themselves back at square one as Marcello Lippi, the manager at the time, was sacked after only a single game of the new season following Inter's first ever Serie A defeat to Reggina. Throughout this period, Inter suffered the mocking of their neighbours AC Milan; Milan were having success both domestically and in Europe. Also throughout this period suffered endless defeats to AC Milan including a 6-0 defeat in 2000-01 season. Marco Tardelli, chosen to replace Lippi, failed to improve results, and is remembered by Inter fans as the manager that lost 6-0 the city derby to AC Milan in the 2000-01 season. Other members of the Inter "family" during this period that suffered were the likes of Christian Vieri and Fabio Cannavaro, both of whom had their restaurants in Milan vandalised after defeats against AC Milan.

Héctor Cúper, who was in charge between 2001 and 2003

In 2002, not only did Inter manage to make it to the Uefa cup semi-finals, they were also only 45 minutes away from capturing the Scudetto, when they needed to maintain a one-goal advantage over SS Lazio at Rome's Olimpico stadium. This was the last match of the season, and Inter were top of the Serie A table at kick-off. However, a defeat would see Juventus, who were second, or even AS Roma, in third place, take the title from them. As a result, some SS Lazio fans were actually openly supporting Inter during this match, as an Inter victory would prevent their bitter rivals AS Roma from winning the championship. Inter were 2-1 up after only 24 minutes. SS Lazio equalised during first half injury time and then scored two more goals in the second half to clinch victory that eventually saw Juventus win the championship after their 2-0 victory away to Udinese.

2002-03 saw Inter take a respectable second place and also managed to make it to the 2003 Champions League semi finals against their bitter rivals AC Milan. Being tied 1-1 with AC Milan, Inter lost on away goals rule. It was another disappointement but they were finally on the right track.

However, once again Massimo Moratti's impatience got the better of him, Hernán Crespo was sold after just one season, and Hector Cuper was fired after only a few games. Alberto Zaccheroni stepped in, a life long Inter fan but also the man who was in charge of SS Lazio's 4-2 victory over Inter in 2002, the fans were sceptical. Zaccheroni brought nothing new to the side, apart from two fantastic wins over Juventus 3-1 in Turin and 3-2 at the San Siro the season was again nothing special. They were embarrassingly eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the first round finishing 3rd in their group. Furthermore, they only managed to scrape back into the Champions League by finishing in 4th place by only a point over Parma A.C.. Inter's only saving grace in 2003-04 was the arrival of Dejan Stanković and Adriano in January 2004 both solid players that filled the gap that was left by the departures of Hernán Crespo and Clarence Seedorf.

Resurrection & back to back titles (2004–present)[link]

Revival (2004–2008)[link]

Roberto Mancini became the third coach in Inter history to win back-to-back league titles after Alfredo Foni and Helenio Herrera

On 1 July 2004, Inter announced on their official website that they had appointed former Lazio boss Roberto Mancini as new head coach. In his first season Inter and Mancini collected 72 points from 18 win, 18 draw and only 2 loses. On June 15, 2005, Inter won the Coppa Italia, defeating AS Roma in the two-legged final 3-0 on aggregate (1-0 win in Milan and 2-0 win in Rome) and followed that up on 20 August 2005, by winning the Supercoppa Italiana after an extra-time 1-0 victory against original 04-05 Serie A champions Juventus (before being stripped of this title). This Super Cup win was Inter's first since 1989, coincidentally the same year since Inter last won the Scudetto before 2006. On 11 May 2006, Inter retained their Coppa Italia trophy by once again, defeating AS Roma with a 4-1 aggregate victory (A 1-1 scoreline in Rome and a 3-1 win at the Giuseppe Meazza, San Siro).

Inter were awarded the 2005-06 Serie A championship as they were the highest placed side in the season's final league table after points were stripped from Juventus and AC Milan - both sides involved in the match fixing scandal that year. On 14 July 2006, The Italian Federal Appeal Commission found Serie A clubs Juventus, Lazio, Fiorentina, Reggina and AC Milan guilty of match-fixing and charged the 5 clubs with their respective punishments, (although all charges were later reduced in some capacity). So with the confirmed relegation of Juventus Turin to Serie B (for the first ever time in their history) and the 8-point deduction for city rivals AC Milan, Inter became favorites to retain their Serie A title for the upcoming 2006-07 Serie A season.

On April 22, 2007 Inter were crowned Serie A champions for the 2nd consecutive season after defeating Siena 2-1 at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Italian World Cup winning defender Marco Materazzi scored both goals in the 18th and 60th minute, with the latter being a penalty.

Zlatan Ibrahimović during the 2007–08 Serie A season

Inter started the 2007–08 season with the goal of winning both Serie A and UEFA Champions League. The team started well in the league, topping the table from the first round of matches, and also managed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage; however, a late collapse leading to a 2–0 defeat with 10 men away to Liverpool on 19 February in the Champions League threw into question manager Roberto Mancini's future at Inter, and domestic form took a sharp turn of fortune with the team failing to win in the three following Serie A games (drawing with Sampdoria and major league opponents Roma, before losing away to Napoli, their first domestic defeat of the season). After being eliminated by Liverpool in the Champions League, Mancini then announced his intention to leave his job, only to change his mind the following day.

Following their late collapse leading to a 2–0 loss with 10 men away to Liverpool on 19 February in the Champions League and questions over Mancini's future Inter's domestic form took a sharp turn of fortune with the team failing to win in the three following Serie A games (drawing with Sampdoria and Roma, before losing away to Napoli). Inter had a second run of this kind between 19 and 29 March in which they again went winless through three games (against Genoa, Juventus and Lazio.) Like weeks previously, on 4 May 2008 Inter once again had a chance to wrap up their scudetto race; this time against city rivals AC Milan, but suffered a 2–1 defeat. The following week Inter again had the chance to wrap up their scudetto against Siena in a home match, complete with a festive atmosphere and an expectant crowd. However, Inter again failed to win the Scudetto, losing their lead twice and ultimately earning a 2–2 draw, with Marco Materazzi failing to convert a penalty in the dying embers of the match. The same week Roma scored a 2–1 victory away to Atalanta, thus catapulting the Romans to within just 1 point of Inter going into the final round of the Championship, despite trailing their Milanese rivals by 11 points earlier on in the season.

On Day 38, the final day of the Seria A 2007–2008 season, Inter played Parma FC away, whilst Roma travelled to Catania. This week offered an interesting juxtaposition, as both Roma and Inter looked to take the title, whereas Parma and Catania were both fighting for survival. Many scenarios could have played out, however Inter were still favourites due to their superior head to head record with Roma, all Inter needed to do was match Roma's result. The day started with Roma taking an early lead against Catania and for 60 minutes of the final day Roma were top of the league; however, the lead would not hold. Inter, seemingly rejuvenated due to the introduction of Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, began to take control of the game. Amidst the pouring rain at the Ennio Tardini stadium in Parma, Ibrahimvoic fired a low shot making it 1–0 in the 62'. Another Ibrahimovic blast sealed the victory, and with it the hope of winning the championship faded away for Roma. Elsewhere, Catania managed to score a late equalizer that granted them the stay in Serie A for the upcoming 2009 season and left Roma 3 points behind Inter. Inter sealed their 3rd Championship in a row and had a late night celebration at the San Siro stadium upon their return to Milan, where they were presented with the Serie A trophy.

Following this win, the club however decided to sack Mancini on 29 May, citing his declarations following the Champions League defeat to Liverpool as the reason.^[12]

Modern history (2008–present)[link]

José Mourinho, winner of the first "treble" in Italian history in the season 2009–2010, with Inter

On 2 June, Inter announced on their official website that they had appointed former FC Porto and Chelsea boss José Mourinho as new head coach, with Giuseppe Baresi as his assistant. This made Mourinho the only foreign coach in Italy in the 2008–09 season kick-off.^[13] Mourinho made only three additions to the squad during the summer transfer window of 2008 in the form of Mancini,^[14] Sulley Muntari,^[15] and Ricardo Quaresma.^[16] Under Mourinho's first season as Inter head coach, the Nerazzurri won an Italian Super Cup and a fourth consecutive title, being, however, also eliminated from the Champions League in the first knockout round for a third consecutive time, losing to Manchester United. In winning the league title for the fourth consecutive time, Inter joined Torino and Juventus as the only teams to do this and the first to accomplish this feat in the last 60 years.

Inter enjoyed more luck in the 2009–10 Champions League, managing to progress to the quarter-finals by eliminating Mourinho's former team Chelsea in a 3–1 aggregate win; this was the first time in three years that the Nerazzurri had passed the first knockout round. Inter then progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament by beating CSKA Moscow 2–0 on aggregate, winning both legs.^[17] Inter managed to achieve a 3–1 win over incumbent champions Barcelona in the first leg of the semi-final. In the second leg, a resolute Inter lost 1–0 but progressed 3–2 on aggregate to their fifth European Cup/Champions League Final, with Bayern Munich as opponents. They won the match 2–0 thanks to two goals from Diego Milito, and were crowned champions of Europe.^[18]

Inter also won the 2009–2010 Serie A title by two points over Roma, and the 2010 Coppa Italia by defeating the same side 1–0 in the final.^[19]

By winning the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the prestigious Champions League in a single season, Internazionale completed The Treble, becoming the first ever Italian team to achieve the feat. However, their attempt to defend these honours will be without José Mourinho, as he agreed a deal to take charge of Spanish club Real Madrid on 28 May 2010.^[20] Inter appointed Rafael Benítez as new coach after signing a two-year contract on June 2010.

Javier Zanetti, Inter's current captain

On 21 August 2010, Inter defeated Roma 3–1 and won the 2010 Supercoppa Italiana, the fourth trophy of the year. In December 2010, they claimed the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time after a 3–0 win against TP Mazembe in the final.^[21] Internazionale completed The Quintuple, becoming the fourth team in the world after Liverpool in 2001, Al-Ahly in 2006 & Barcelona in 2009.

However, after this win, on 23 December, due to his poor performance in Serie A and separated by 13 points from the leader Milan (although Inter played two games less, because of the FIFA Club World Cup appointment), the team announced on their website the departure of Rafael Benítez^[22] to be replaced by Leonardo the following day.^[23] During the winter transfer window, Andrea Ranocchia,^[24] Giampaolo Pazzini,^[25] Houssine Kharja,^[26] and Yuto Nagatomo^[27] joined the squad.

Leonardo has huge impact on the team even with the absent of Samuel Eto'o due to suspension, and Wesley Sneijder and Júlio César due to injury. Inter won their match against Napoli with two goals from Thiago Motta and another one form Esteban Cambiasso. Inter continues their good start with Leonardo with five wins in raw in all competitions, until they lost against Udinese, but Inter got in their feet quickly by qualified to the semifinal of Coppa Italia and win against Palermo after great comeback from 0-2 to win with 3-2 and two goals from new signing Giampaolo Pazzini.

Colours and badge[link]

Ambrosiana Inter Kit

One of the founders of Inter, a painter named Giorgio Muggiani, was responsible for the design of the first Inter logo in 1908. The first design incorporated the letters 'FCIM' in the center of a series of circles that formed the badge of the club. The basic elements of the design have remained constant even as finer details have been modified over the years. In 1998, the club came out with a brand-new iteration of the club crest, sticking to the original design while adding minor aesthetic updates.

Since its founding in 1908, Inter have worn black and blue stripes. It is rumored that black was chosen to represent night and blue was chosen to represent the sky.^[28] Aside from a short period during World War II, Inter continued to wear the black and blue stripes, earning them the nickname Nerazzurri.^[29] For a period of time, however, Inter was forced to abandon their black and blue uniforms. In 1928, Inter's name and philosophy made the ruling Fascist Party uneasy. As a result, during the same year the 20-year-old club was merged with Unione Sportiva Milanese. The new club was named Società Sportiva Ambrosiana after the patron saint of Milan.^[30] The flag of Milan (the red cross on white background) replaced the traditional black and blue.^[31] After World War II when the Fascists had fallen from power the club reverted to their original name and colors. In 2008, Inter celebrated their centenary with a red cross on their away shirt. Reminiscent of the flag of their city, the pattern continues to be used on their third kit to this day.

Animals are often used to represent football clubs in Italy, the grass snake, called Il biscione or Serpente representing Inter. The snake is an important symbol for the city of Milan, appearing often in Milanese heraldry as a coiled viper with a man in its jaws. The symbol is famous for its presence on the coat of arms of the House of Sforza (who ruled over Italy from Milan during the Renaissance period), the city of Milan, the historical Duchy of Milan (a 400 year state of the Holy Roman Empire), and Insubria (a historical regional area which the city of Milan falls within). For the 2010–11 season Inter's away kit featured the serpent.

Stadium[link]

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
San Siro
Location	Via Piccolomini 5, 20151 Milan, Italy
Broke ground	1925
Opened	19 September 1926
Renovated	1939, 1955, 1989
Owner	Municipality of Milan
Operator	AC Milan and Internazionale
Construction cost	₤5,000,000 (1926), ₤5,100,000 (1939), $60,000,000 (1989)
Architect	Ulisse Stacchini (1925), Giancarlo Ragazzi (1989), Enrico Hoffer (1989)
Capacity	80,018 seated
Tenants
AC Milan (1926–present), Internazionale (1947-present)

The team's stadium is the 80,018 seat San Siro, officially known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after the former player who represented both AC Milan and Inter. The more commonly used name, San Siro, is the name of the district where it's located. San Siro has been the home of AC Milan since 1926, when it was privately built by funding from Milan's president at the time, Piero Pirelli. Construction was performed by 120 workers, and took 13 and a half months to complete. The stadium was owned by the club until it was sold to the city council in 1935, and since 1947 it has been shared with Internazionale, when they were accepted as joint tenant.

The first game played at the stadium was on 19 September 1926, when AC Milan lost 6-3 in a friendly match against Internazionale. AC Milan played its first league game in San Siro on September 19, 1926, losing 1-2 to Sampierdarenese. From an initial capacity of 35,000 spectators, the stadium has undergone several major renovations, most recently in preparation for the 1990 FIFA World Cup when its capacity was set to 85,700, all covered with a polycarbonate roof. In the summer of 2008 its capacity has been reduced to 80,018, in order to meet the new standards set by UEFA.

Based on the English model for stadiums, San Siro is specifically designed for football matches, as opposed to many multi-purpose stadiums used in Serie A. It is therefore renowned in Italy for its fantastic atmosphere during matches, thanks to the closeness of the stands to the pitch. The frequent use of flares by supporters contributes to the atmosphere but the practice has occasionally caused problems.

On 19 December 2005, AC Milan's vice-president and executive director Adriano Galliani announced that the club is seriously working towards a relocation. He said that Milan's new stadium will be largely based on the Veltins-Arena and will follow the standards of football stadiums in the United States, Germany and Spain. As opposed to many other stadiums in Italy, Milan's new stadium will likely be used for football only, having no athletics track. The new stadium's naming rights will be probably sold to a sponsor, similarly to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.^[32] It remains to be seen if this plan will proceed or if this is just a ploy to force the owners (Comune di Milano) to sell the stadium to AC Milan for a nominal fee so as to proceed with extensive renovations. The possibility of Internazionale vacating San Siro may affect proceedings.

Supporters and rivalries[link]

Inter created display in their curva at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Inter is one of the most supported clubs in Italy, according to an August 2007 research by Italian newspaper La Repubblica.^[33] Historically, the largest section of Inter fans from the city of Milan have been the middle-class bourgeoisie Milanese, while AC Milan fans are typically working-class and a significant portion are migrants from Southern Italy.^[29]

The traditional ultras group of Inter is Boys San; they hold a significant place in the history of the ultras scene in general due to the fact that they are one of the oldest, being founded in 1969. Politically, the ultras of Inter are usually considered right-wing and they have good relationships with the Lazio ultras. As well as the main group of Boys San, there are four more significant groups: Viking, Irriducibili, Ultras, and Brianza Alcoolica.

Inter's most vocal fans are known to gather in the Curva Nord, or north curve of the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. This longstanding tradition has led to the Curva Nord being synonymous with the club's most die-hard supporters, who unfurl banners and wave flags in support of their team.

Inter have several rivalries, two of which are highly significant in Italian football; firstly, they participate in the inter-city Derby della Madonnina with AC Milan; the rivalry has existed ever since Inter splintered off from Milan in 1908.^[29] The name of the derby refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose statue atop the Milan Cathedral is one of the city's main attractions. The match usually creates a lively atmosphere, with numerous (often humorous or offensive) banners unfolded before the match. Flares are commonly present, but they also led to the abandonment of the second leg of the 2005 Champions League quarter-final matchup between Milan and Inter on 12 April after a flare thrown from the crowd by an Inter supporter struck Milan keeper Dida on the shoulder.^[34]

The other most significant rivalry is with Juventus; the two participate in the Derby d'Italia. Up until the 2006 Serie A match-fixing scandal, which saw Juventus relegated, the two were the only Italian clubs to have never played below Serie A. In recent years, post-Calciopoli, Inter have developed a rivalry with Roma, having finished runners-up to Inter in all but one of Inter's five Scudetto winning seasons between 2005 and 2010. The two sides have also contested in 5 Coppa Italia finals and four Supercoppa Italiana finals since 2006. Other clubs, such as Atalanta and Napoli, are also considered to be amongst their rivals.^[35]

Current squad[link]

Players[link]

As of 31 January 2012^[36]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Júlio César 4 DF Javier Zanetti (captain) 5 MF Dejan Stanković 6 DF Lúcio 7 FW Giampaolo Pazzini 9 FW Diego Forlán 10 MF Wesley Sneijder 11 MF Ricardo Álvarez 12 GK Luca Castellazzi 13 DF Maicon 14 MF Fredy Guarín 17 MF Angelo Palombo (on loan from Sampdoria) 18 MF Andrea Poli (on loan from Sampdoria) 19 MF Esteban Cambiasso 20 MF Joel Obi 22 FW Diego Milito

No. Position Player 23 DF Andrea Ranocchia 25 DF Walter Samuel 26 DF Cristian Chivu 28 FW Mauro Zárate (on loan from Lazio) 29 MF Philippe Coutinho 30 FW Luc Castaignos 34 DF Cristiano Biraghi 37 DF Marco Davide Faraoni 40 DF Juan 42 DF Jonathan 48 MF Lorenzo Crisetig 53 MF Luca Tremolada 55 DF Yuto Nagatomo 81 FW Samuele Longo 88 FW Marko Livaja