MILAN – Nerazzurri academy coach Marco Mandelli was still brimming with joy the day after his Under-14s lifted the Dani Trophy in Spain.
Inter's Giovanissimi Regionali boys saw off Barcelona 1-0 in the final of the Trofeo Daniel Ruiz-Bazan "Dani" on Sunday having overcome Athletic Bilbao, Enkarterri and Celta Vigo in the previous rounds.
"It was the perfect weekend, a truly fantastic experience and it all ended in the best way possible,” Mandelli admitted in an exclusive interview with Inter Channel after returning from Bilbao.
"We were magnificent against Barcelona in the final and this triumph makes up for going out on penalties in the Mediterranean International Cup.
"It was a wonderful opportunity to test ourselves against Barca, one of the biggest clubs in the world. We matched them and all the other great teams in the tournament – Espanol, Athletic Bilbao and Celta Vigo.
"For the boys, getting to play against top-level international opposition was an amazing experience and the big crowds made it even more of a special occasion.
"Inter have a fantastic youth set-up in place and it's great to be able to play in tournaments like this."
