Inter's four UEFA Cup final appearances

In anticipation of Friday's Europa League final in Cologne, we're taking a look back at the four finals, in which Inter have played - when the competitions was known as the UEFA Cup. Four finals: Three wins (1991, 1994 and 1998) and one defeat in penalties on 1997

THE FOUR UEFA CUP FINALS IN INTER'S HISTORY

UEFA CUP 1990/1991 - Inter 2-0 Roma; Roma 1-0 Inter

From one European capital to another. From Vienna to Rome. The Nerazzurri’s joiner in the 1990/91 UEFA Cup started with a defeat and ended with a defeat, but they still lifted the trophy at the end. Trapattoni’s team lost their first game 2-1 away at Rapid Vienna, starting their love for European comebacks. After extra time in the second leg at San Siro, Inter won 3-1 thanks to a vital Berti brace. They then saw of Aston Villa: 2-0 loss in Birmingham but then a magnificent 3-0 win in the home leg. They then beat Partizan Belgrade and Atalanta, before knocking out Sporting CP in the semi-final: 0-0 away, 2-0 at San Siro. The final took place over two legs, it was a tense affair against Italian rivals Roma. Matthäus and Berti gave the Nerazzurri the lead after the first leg at San Siro and a goal from Rizzitelli at the Olimpico wasn’t enough for the Giallorossi to overturn the result. Beppe Bergomi lifted Inter’s first ever UEFA Cup trophy in Rome. A historic win.

INTER 2-0 ROMA | 8 May 1991INTER (5-3-2): Zenga, Bergomi, Brehme, Battistini, Ferri, A. Paganin (64’ Baresi), Bianchi, Berti, Klinsmann, Matthäus, Serena (90’ Pizzi).Substitutes: Malgioglio, Mandorlini, Stringara.Coach: Trapattoni.

ROMA (5-3-2): Cervone, Tempestilli, Nela, Berthold, Aldair (72’ Carboni), Comi (74’ Muzzi), Gerolin, Di Mauro, Völler, Giannini, Rizzitelli.Substitutes: Zinetti, Pellegrini, Salsano.Coach: Bianchi.

Goalscorers: 55’ Matthaeus (I), 67’ Berti (I) Bookings: Serena (I), Baresi (I), Comi (R), Aldair (R), Carboni (R)Referee: Aleksej Nikolaevič Spirin (USSR).

ROMA 1-0 INTER | 22 May 1991ROMA: Cervone, Tempestilli (56’ Salsano), Gerolin, Berthold, Aldair, Nela, Desideri (68’ Muzzi), Di Mauro, Völler, Giannini, Rizzitelli.Substitutes: Zinetti, Pellegrini, Piacentini.Coach: Bianchi.

INTER: Zenga, Bergomi, Brehme, Battistini, Ferri, A. Paganin, Bianchi, Berti, Klinsmann, Matthäus, Pizzi (66’ Mandorlini).Substitutes: Malgioglio, Tacchinardi, Stringara, Iorio.Coach: Trapattoni.

Goalscorers: 81’ Rizzitelli (R).Bookings: Bianchi (I), Klinsmann (I), Tempestilli (R).Referee: Quiniou (FRA).

UEFA CUP 1993/1994 - Casino Salzburg 0-1 Inter; Inter 1-0 Casino Salzburg

A troubled season in Serie A but a blessed one in Europe. 1993/1994 will forever remain a special year for Inter, divided between the sensational difficulties in the the league and the exciting course in the UEFA Cup. Dragging to the trophy was the Nerazzurri was Dennis Bergkamp, who finished the competition as top scorer on eight goals. The first three goals came in the first round against Rapid Bucharest. His next victims were Apollon Limassol and Norwich. The other Dutchman, Jonk, bagged a brace against Borussia Dortmund. In the semi-final against Cagliari, after the defeat of the first leg, the Nerazzurri turned it around, winning 3-0. They then had Casino Salzburg in their sights: at the Berti made it 1-0 in the first leg of the final. The return lef was a triumphant one: Jonk scored the only goal of the game, sealing the win for Inter. Zenga, in his last game for the Club, was unplayable. Inter’s second UEFA Cup was lifted on the pitch at San Siro, sparking unforgettable celebrations.

CASINO SALZBURG 1-0 INTER| 26 April 1994CASINO SALZBURG: Konrad; Lainer, Weber, Winklhofer (61' Steiner), Fürstaller, Aigner, Amerhauser (46' Muzek), Artner, Marquinho, Pfeifenberger, Stadler.Substitutes: Reisinger, Kraiger, Lisner.Coach: Otto Baric.

INTER: Zenga, A.Paganin, Orlando, Jonk, Bergomi, Battistini, Bianchi, Manicone, Berti, Bergkamp (89' Dell’Anno), Sosa (75' Ferri).Substitutes: Abate, M. Paganin, Marazzina.Coach: Gianpiero Marini.

Goalscorers: 35′ Berti.Bookings: Pfeifenberger (S), Stadler (S), Jonk (I), Bianchi (I).Sent off: Bianchi (I).Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (DEN).

INTER 1-0 CASINO SALZBURG | 11 May 1994INTER: Zenga, A. Paganin, Fontolan (68’ Ferri), Jonk, Bergomi, Battistini, Orlando, Manicone, Berti, Bergkamp (89’ M. Paganin), Ruben Sosa.Substitutes: Nuzzo, Dell’ Anno, Marazzina.Coach: Marini.

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

Goalscorers: 62' Jonk (I) .Bookings: Orlando (I), Fontolan (I), Feiersinger (S), Steiner (S).Referr: Mc Cluskey (SCO).

UEFA CUP 1996/1997 - Schalke 1-0 Inter; Inter 1-0 Schalke (1-4 pens)

It had been a wonderful ride until the final, which deserved a trophy at San Siro in front of the home crows. From the 3-0 win away at Guingamp, with Ganz straight away looking a talent - he finished the season as the competitions top scorer. Inter needed extra time and penalties to get past Casino Graz, but the quarter-final against Boavista was a relative walk in the park. We eliminated Anderlecht in the quarters and Monaco in the semi-final, with a 3-1 win in the first leg and 1-0 in the second. Thus, we made it to the final, the last ever to be played over two legs. Inter lost 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen, Wilmots scored for the Royal Blues. In the second leg, San Siro erupted in the 81st minute thanks to a Zamorano goal, but the Nerazzurri lost on penalties. Zamorano himself and Winter missed their attempts and Schalke celebrated in Milan.

SCHALKE 1-0 INTER | 7 May 1997SCHALKE 04: Lehmann; Thon; De Kock; Linke; Eigenrauch; Büskens (66’ Martin Max); Němec; Müller; Latal; Anderbrügge; Wilmots.Substitutes: Schober, Kurz, Dooley, Held.Coach: Stevens.

INTER: Pagliuca, Bergomi, M. Paganin, Galante, Pistone, Zanetti, Fresi (62’ Berti), Sforza, Winter, Zamorano, Ganz.Substitutes: Mazzantini, Polenghi, D’Autilia, Branca.Coach: Hodgson.

Goalscorers: 70’ Wilmots (S).Bookings: Galante (I).Referee: Marc Batta (FRA). 

INTER 0-1 SCHALKE 04 (1-4 pens) | 21 May 1997SCHALKE 04: Lehmann; Latal (Held dal 6' s.t.s.), De Kock, Thon, Linke, Buskens; Eigenrauch, Nemec, Muller (Anderbrugge dall'8' p.t.s.); Max, Wilmots.  Subsitutes: Schober, Wagner, Kurz.Coach: Stevens.

INTER (4-3-1-2): Pagliuca; Bergomi (Angloma dal 26' s.t.), M. .Paganin, Fresi, Pistone; Zanetti (Berti dal 15' s.t.s.), Ince, Sforza (Winter dal 37' s.t.); Djorkaeff; Zamorano, Ganz.Substitutes: Mazzantini, Polenghi, D’ Autilia, Branca.Coach: Hodgson.

Goalscorers: 84’ Zamorano (I).Bookings: Fresi (I), Djorkaeff (I), Ganz (I), Zamorano (I), Lehmann (S), Thon (S), Eigenrauch (S), Latal (S), Wilmots (S).Sent off: Fresi (I).Referee: Garcia Aranda (SPA). 

UEFA Cup 1997/1998 - Lazio 0-3 Inter

As soon as the 1998 UEFA Cup is mentioned, you immediately remember those timeless images, which have gone down in Inter history. The horizontal stripes, Ronaldo’s goals in the freezing cold of Moscow, the perfect game at the Parc des Princes. The Boys of 98, as they still call each other, the figures in that win, in the form of Gigi Simoni, to whom we said goodbye not long ago. Ronaldo was unstoppable. Neuchatel were the first victims, then the comeback against Lyon. Another French side and another comeback: 2-0 defeat in Strasbourg, historic 3-0 at San Siro thanks to Ronaldo, Zanetti and Simeone. The quarter-final saw a rematch of the 1997 final. This time, Schalke bowed out to West's goal in extra time. In the semi-finals, Ronaldo painted one of his most beautiful masterpieces, in the mud in Moscow. In Paris, in the final (the first played as a single game), it was Inter's domain: against Lazio, the goals from Zamorano, Zanetti and Ronaldo gave Inter their third UEFA Cup win and the first trophy of the Moratti era.

INTER 3-0 LAZIOINTER: Pagliuca; Fresi; Colonnese, West, Zanetti; Winter (69' Cauet), Zé Elias, Djorkaeff (69' Moriero), Simeone; Ronaldo, Zamorano (74' Sartor).Substitutes: Mazzantini, Galante, Recoba, Kanu.Coach: Simoni. 

LAZIO (4-4-2): Marchegiani; Grandoni (55’ Gottardi), Nesta, Negro, Favalli; Fuser, Venturin (49’ Almeyda), Jugovic, Nedved; Casiraghi, Mancini.Substitutes: Ballotta, Lopez, Marcolin, Rambaudi.Coach: Eriksson.

Goalscorers: 4' Zamorano (I), 60’ Zanetti (I), 70’ Ronaldo (I)Bookings: Fresi (I), Jugovic (L)Sent off: West (I), Almeyda (L)Referee: Lopez Nieto (SPA)