11 May 1994: lifting the UEFA Cup at San Siro

MILAN - “No one will ever be able to take the joy of that evening away from me. I knew that it would be my farewell match for Inter. It was such a tough and difficult season. San Siro was packed to the rafters, everyone was chanting my name. Jonk scored and we won in front of everyone. It was a perfect and unforgettable script for everyone.” These were Walter Zenga’s words looking back on 11 May 1994, a spring evening 26 years in the past.

It was the second leg of the UEFA Cup final in the 1993/94 season. In the first leg at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, Inter had beaten Austria Salzburg 1-0 thanks to a goal from Nicola Berti. The second leg provided a dream night for all Nerazzurri fans after the strangest of seasons, with Inter fighting to avoid relegation and Gianpiero Marini having taken over midway through the season.

But it was a night of celebration, that much was clear from the crowd’s excitement and the sheer numbers at San Siro. It was also an evening of farewells, the final game in Nerazzurri colours for two true Interisti: Walter Zenga and Riccardo Ferri.

It was Spiderman’s last dance, and Zenga came out with some incredible saves, flaunting his entire repertoire in one fantastic evening as he kept out every effort from the Austrian side in his green shirt. He simply could not be beaten that evening. With our own net secure, Jonk’s goal sparked wild celebrations, our Dutchman having already made his mark on our European campaign that season: the pass from Sosa, the touch with his left and then a deft dink with his right to beat Konrad in goal.

A beautiful and heartfelt victory, and a victory that secured the second UEFA Cup in Inter’s history

INTER 1-0 AUSTRIA SALZBURG

Scorer: 62' Jonk

Inter: Zenga, A. Paganin, Fontolan (68’ Ferri), Jonk, Bergomi, Battistini, Orlando, Manicone, Berti, Bergkamp (89’ M. Paganin), Ruben Sosa.Bench: Nuzzo, Dell’ Anno, Marazzina.Coach: Marini.

Salzburg: Konrad, Lainer, Weber, Winklhofer (68’ Amerhauser), Furstaller, Aigner, Jurcevic, Artener (73’ Steiner), Marquinho, Feiersinger, Hutter.Bench: Illisanker, Muzek, Garger.Coach: Otto Baric.

Referee: McCluskey (Scotland).