Inter vs. Spezia, last time in the Coppa Italia in 1989

MILAN - On Sunday at 15:00 CET, Inter and Spezia will meet at San Siro for Serie A matchday 13. It will be the first time that the Ligurian outfit have ever played against the Nerazzurri at the Meazza. None of the previous four meetings were played at San Siro.

Inter and Spezia faced off in the league in the 1924/25 season, when the championship was still known as the Prima Divisione. Inter won 5-2 in Milan with goals from L. Cevenini III, Conti, Bussich, O.Aliatis and Defendi. The Nerazzurri also won the reverse fixture in La Spezia, L. Cevenini III scoring the only goal of the game.

In 1937, Inter and Spezia met again, this time in the Coppa Italia quarter-final, which Inter won 7-1, thanks to a hat-trick from Ferraris II, and goals from Ferraris, Frossi, Meazza and Villa.

The fourth and final game between the two was in 1989, Inter vs. Spezia in the first round of the Coppa Italia on 23 August. The game was played at the Stadio Brianteo in Monza, as San Siro was undergoing works ahead of Italia ’90, with the construction of the third tier.

Spezia, then in Serie C1, had a chance to topple the reigning champions of Italy; we’re of course talking about Trapattoni’s Inter side that had just won a record-breaking Scudetto. That evening in Monza, Jürgen Klinsmann made his Inter debut, as he had joined the club to link up with his compatriots Brehme and Matthäus.

It was a peculiar summer’s evening. It was the Nerazzurri’s first competitive outing of the season and they certainly looked a bit sluggish. Spezia were on the hunt for a coveted cup upset. Zenga made three vital saves, one of which was incredible; he literally dragged the ball back off the goalline.

Then, in the 83rd minute, Klinsmann got off the mark for the Nerazzurri with a beautiful volley, which gave Inter a 1-0 win and secured their progress to the next round. It was a winning debut for the German, even if it wasn’t within the walls of San Siro.

INTER 1-0 SPEZIA | COPPA ITALIA 1989/1990

INTER: Zenga, Bergomi, Brehme, Baresi (51’ Morello), Ferri, Mandorlini, Bianchi (85’ Verdelli), Berti, Klinsmann, Matthäus, Serena.Coach: Giovanni Trapattoni.SPEZIA: Rollandi, Colasante, Casilli, Galbiati, Stabile, Spalletti, Richetti, Pregnolato, Rossi (56’ Marocchi), Ceccaroni, Ceccarini (60’ Gioia). Coach: Sergio Carpanesi.

Goalscorers: 83' Klinsmann