MILAN - History is written by the greats. It’s a fact of life and - perhaps even more so - of football. The legends of our time, both on the field and away from it, are the ones who come to define huge chapters of our existence. And speaking of legends, Karl Heinz Rummenigge is certainly among the pantheon of greats who have contributed to the illustrious history of F.C. Internazionale.
Kalle spent three seasons with the club: three intense years that captured the hearts of the Inter faithful, who still to this day consider the current Bayern Munich CEO to be part of the Nerazzurri family. He is fondly remembered for scoring in the 2-2 draw with AC Milan in 1985 and his scissor-kicks against Torino and Rangers, goals that have rightly gone down in Inter folklore. Rummenigge has an enduring bond with Inter, thanks in no small part to the brace he plundered against Juventus in November 1984, when the Nerazzurri ran out 4-0 winners.
What do you remember of that day?
"Juventus were always big rivals of ours. That was an important match because they were my first goals as an Inter player. Lining up for the Bianconeri was a certain Michel Platini, so there was plenty of motivation. The day after the match, we joked that they should change to Milan telephone code to 4-0 rather than 0-2! It was a great match and there was an amazing atmosphere inside San Siro. We got off to a good start and put in an exceptional performance."
Inter and the Nerazzurri fans have always spoken very highly of you. What does that mean to you?
"I’ve always had a lovely rapport with the Inter fans. It’s a shame I couldn’t win an important title when I was a Nerazzurri player, because the fans deserved that. They were very good with me. When I visit Milan, I still feel their affection. In September, I celebrated my birthday in Crotone and even there I was greeted by many Inter fans. I’ll never forget them – we have a fantastic relationship."
Do you still keep in touch with any of your former Nerazzurri team-mates?
"Yes, every now and then. I’ve seen Walter Zenga and I’m pleased that he’s become a quality coach. I’ve also spoken to Spillo (Alessandro Altobelli). I also follow Andrea Mandorlini, because I often run into Luca Toni and he tells me how things are going in Italy. I also have a very good relationship with former president Pellegrini, who I saw in Berlin at the Champions League final last season."
What do you think of the Inter side Roberto Mancini is currently moulding?
"I hope Inter do well because the results haven’t been positive in the last few years. Mancini deserves great respect and has done a very good job with the team. We played Inter during the pre-season tour of China and you could see then that they were already a competitive team capable of fighting for the Scudetto."
Inter’s forward line includes Mauro Icardi, Ivan Perisic, Stevan Jovetic and Rodrigo Palacio. Who do you like the most?
"Icardi is probably the one that scores the most. But the most important thing this year is that Inter have much better individual players than in recent season. This year, the squad is full of players capable of making a difference in every single match and that’s a big plus for the team."
Bayern are dominating the Bundesliga, so with the Champions League final set to be held in your old stomping ground in Milan, is that your objective this season?
"It’s too early to start dreaming about that – we’re only on the third match of the group stages. We have a good side and so far we’ve shown we can perform well, but the Champions League only really begins in the knock-out stages so we hope to qualify for that. But obviously that would be a great occasion."
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