The points record and affection for Figo: the party at San Siro 13 years ago

MILAN – 27 May is undoubtedly a date engraved in Inter’s history thanks to the two European Cup conquests (here are photos and videos of the triumphs in 1964 and ’65), and, not that it needed further confirmation, the date was cemented into the archives thanks to a more recent victory: Inter’s 15th Scudetto success and Serie A points record in 2007.

RELIVE YOUR NERAZZURRI HISTORY WITH BORN INTER!

On 27 May 2007, on matchday 38 of Serie A, Inter ended the 2006/07 season by winning their 15th Scudetto with a record-breaking total of 97 points after beating Torino 3-0 at San Siro. The title had been mathematically sealed a month earlier following victory in Siena, but that match in Milan was crucial for tying up several other stories. The first point of interest was to finish the season with the points record for a Serie A championship that awarded three points for a win; Inter also held said record for the two points per win Serie A with their total of 58 points. And by beating Torino the Nerazzurri ended the season with 30 wins, seven draws and only one loss (against Roma at home) which meant Mancini’s team finished the league on 97 points, a record that lasted until 2014.

Inter vs. Torino closed the season with the crowd at San Siro witnessing yet another victory. Materazzi’s first-half penalty, Maicon’s wonderful left-footed strike and Luis Figo’s penalty meant the Nerazzurri were comfortable 3-0 winners.

With that came the second story of the day, Luis Figo: for weeks he had talked about bidding farewell to football, and the Nerazzurri fans had already tried to convince him to keep playing with their chants of “Stay in Milan, Figo, stay in Milan” against Empoli. And this match against Torino proved to be another episode in the love story between the Inter fans and the Portuguese international: the penalty to make it 3-0 was going to be taken by Mariano Gonzalez, the Argentine who made 24 appearances that season. However, in one last desperate attempt to convince Figo to stay, the San Siro began to call out his name urging him to take the penalty. The following celebration entered Nerazzurri history as Figo pointed to the entire stadium with his index finger, a collective gesture full of affection. Mission accomplished for the fans: Figo extended his contract and played on until 2009.

Finally, one more case needed closing. In that Inter vs. Torino match, Alvaro Recoba wore the Nerazzurri shirt for the last time: 261 appearances and 72 goals for Inter. In the end, that Scudetto, the fifteenth, was lifted by Zanetti and all of Mancini’s team whilst wearing a special shirt: the white one with a red cross in celebration of the Club’s Centenary on 8 March 2008.

INTER 3-0 TORINO

SCORERS: 12' Materazzi pen., 60' Maicon, 67' Figo pen.

INTER: 1 Toldo; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 23 Materazzi, 6 Maxwell (46' 20 Recoba); 19 Cambiasso, 4 Zanetti, 5 Stankovic, 7 Figo (74' 21 Solari); 91 Mariano Gonzalez (79' 99 Choutos); 18 Crespo.Substitutes: 79 Carini, 11 Grosso, 16 Burdisso, 8 Ibrahimovic.Coach: Roberto Mancini

TORINO: 1 Taibi (68' 31 Fontana); 22 Comotto, 4 Brevi, 14 Franceschini, 3 Balestri; 10 Rosina, 15 De Ascentis (85' 19 Abbruscato), 25 Di Loreto, 8 Barone, 18 Ogbonna (46' 26 Martinelli); 9 Muzzi.Substitutes: 6 Cioffi, 16 Oguro, 21 Predko, 84 Schiattarella.Coach: Gianni De Biasi.