MILAN – They say that the voice never lies. And when you hear Beppe Bergomi talk about #MilanInter, you realise it’s a topic that holds great resonance for the former Nerazzurri captain. When the derby comes around, the emotions and memories of the past are brought back to life. It truly is a match like no other.
"It was the toughest match of the year," begins Bergomi. "Given that I’d worked my way up through the Inter youth ranks, I felt more of a connection to it than all the others. The week leading up to the derby was the hardest part. I just tried to go about my business in the right way, staying focused in training and taking care of what I ate. I also did my best to be around my team-mates as much as possible – playing cards with them was a great way of diffusing the tension," he explains.
It was tension that was palpable throughout the city, but there was always an undercurrent of mutual respect: "There was a big rivalry, of course. But all the teasing was always done in good humour. There were no great controversies because you simply switched focus to the next match.
"I remember two derbies in particular. The first was on 6 September 1981 in the Coppa Italia. I scored the winner in the last minute of the game to send us through to the next round. We ended up lifting the cup that year. The second is the one when we won the Scudetto. What a feeling!" recalls Bergomi.
And what does playing in a Milan derby actually feel like? "The derby is the match that makes all of your sacrifices worthwhile. When you run out onto the pitch, you see the stadium packed to the rafters – it’s like being in a bubble. You’re aware of all the noise, but you don’t hear it. You go out there, you play hard, you win. You give it your all. When you climb those stairs and make your way onto the pitch, it’s the best feeling a footballer can experience. It’s a dream come true," concludes Bergomi.
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