10 unforgettable moments from Siena 0 - 1 Inter in 2010

MILAN – Ten years have passed since Siena 0-1 Inter, the match that sealed Inter’s 18th Scudetto title and the second of the three Triplete 2010 elements. It was 16 May 2010, Siena were already relegated, three points were needed with Roma playing at Chievo. Let’s relive the most curious, unforgettable and crucial moments of that great day as part of the Timeless 2010 campaign powered by Pirelli.

1. Siena, you again?

Fate residing in Siena. Once, twice, three times, four. For four consecutive years the Nerazzurri’s Scudetto hopes rested on a match against the Tuscan team. A rollercoaster ride that began in 2007: Inter's only home loss that season was against Roma, so the 15th Scudetto was sealed on Siena’s pitch thanks to Materazzi’s brace. In 2008 the Nerazzurri failed to win two match points: the first against AC Milan, the second…against Siena: it ended 2-2 at San Siro after Materazzi’s penalty miss. To win the 16th Scudetto Inter overcame Parma thanks to Ibrahimovic’s brace, before the third, and calmest, encounter with Siena: on 17 May 2009 Inter took to the pitch against Siena at San Siro with the 17th Scudetto already sewn onto their shirt thanks to AC Milan’s loss in Udine the day before. So that evening was a celebration as Inter beat Siena 3-0. This then brings us to 2010, with Siena vs. Inter once again proving decisive for the Scudetto’s fate on 16 May, Massimo Moratti’s birthday, the then Nerazzurri President.

2. José Mourinho’s choices

For the 38th matchday, after having already won the Coppa Italia and with the Champions League final in Madrid against Bayern Munich taking place six days later, José Mourinho chose this eleven: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Materazzi, Samuel, Zanetti; Cambiasso, Thiago Motta; Balotelli, Sneijder, Eto'o; Milito. He then made the following substitutions: Pandev for Motta in the 53rd minute while it was still 0-0, Stankovic for Balotelli in the 59th minute shortly after Milito’s goal, and finally Chivu for Sneijder in the 73rd minute.

3. Julio Cesar’s yellow training top

There’s a special story behind the yellow shirt that Julio Cesar wore during the last few matches in Serie A 2009/10. It all began after the disastrous 2-2 in Florence: Kroldrup’s goal after the Brazilian ‘keeper’s error, that late equaliser, and Roma taking top spot. After a confrontation between Mourinho and Julio Cesar, the Portuguese coach asked the goalkeeper to wear a more visible shirt in the penalty area. However, the official goalkeeper kit for that season was black, white and grey, so they decided to use the yellow training top and adapt it with the patches and customisations. That change was only possible in the league, not in Europe. And Julio Cesar wore exactly that on 16 May 2010 in Siena: the yellow top over a long-sleeved black one.

4. Balotelli hitting the bar, Curci’s shades of Dudek

It was an onslaught: Inter gave everything throughout the first half to find an opener against Siena but had no luck. The chances came thick and fast, with Mario Balotelli amongst those most involved when it came to creating chances and taking shots on goal. In the 38th minute, Mario pulled off an acrobatic attempt at goal that thundered against the crossbar. An incredible and unlucky effort just before referee Morganti blew for half time. Curci’s unbelievable, instinctive save stood out in amongst that flurry of attempts on Siena’s goal: that save from Milito’s close-range header had shades of Dudek’s stop to deny Shevchenko in the 2005 Champions League Final.  

5. Roma Italian champions…at half time

Before kick-off, the table was as follows: Inter 79, Roma 77. In the event of a tie at the top, Roma would’ve been crowned Italian champions because of the head-to-head rule (1-1 at San Siro, 2-1 at the Olimpico). That day, the Giallorossi were playing away against Chievo and Vucinic and De Rossi scored in the 39th and 45th minutes respectively. With Inter drawing 0-0, Roma were Italian champions for the 34 minutes that passed between Vucinic’s goal, half time and Milito’s goal against Siena on the 57-minute mark. At the end of the match the table looked like this: Inter 82, Roma 80.

6. Zanetti’s run and El Principe’s goal

Twelve minutes into the second half Javier Zanetti stepped up and led from the front. He powered through Siena, burst into midfield, engaged their defence before guiding Milito into space. That piece of play will go down in history, because Milito, with ice running through his veins, calmly slotted past Curci into the net. The deadlock was broken, the Scudetto was won.

7. Rosi’s cross-cum-shot

Javier Zanetti reminded us of it: in the 86th minute, after Stankovic had struck the bar and Pandev’s goal was ruled out, Siena almost clinched an unthinkable equaliser. Aleandro Rosi, who had grown up in Roma’s youth academy, was in danger of crushing the Nerazzurri’s dreams in the 86th minute: his right-footed cross from the right was high and tough to read for everyone, especially Julio Cesar. Time stood still, as did the Brazilian ‘keeper while all the Nerazzurri watched on. The ball flew past the post, Materazzi held his head in his hands, but the danger was averted.

8. The final whistle

A nerve-wracking wait. The last few seconds of the three added minutes were unbearable while Eto’o was shielding the ball near the corner flag and Mourinho was a nervous wreck practically hiding in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms. Morganti’s whistle meant Inter were Italian Champions and Mourinho blew kisses to all the fans before returning to the locker room.

9. The celebrations with the white shirt and the appointment in Madrid

The iconic photo of those celebrations, with Zanetti lifting the Scudetto trophy, shows Inter wearing a white shirt: it’s the away kit they would go on to wear in the 2010/11 season, the one with the black and blue snake going up the left side. There was pure elation on the pitch in Siena, the players were ecstatic albeit shattered from the hard-fought match and wary of the Champions League Final six days later in Madrid.

10. The crowd in the Piazza del Duomo in Milan

Immediately after the final whistle in Siena, the Nerazzurri fans invaded the Piazza del Duomo in Milan. Swathes of Nerazzurri fans awaited the team’s return after the journey from Tuscany, and they arrived in the open-top bus to acknowledge the Inter fans’ affection in Milan. What an unforgettable night of unbridled joy in Milan.