Ranocchia wins his second Coppa Italia with Inter

A lot has changed since 2011, whether that’s in the world of football or the world more generally. It was the year that Inter last won the Coppa Italia (until last night!) and in the 11 years since that point, many players have come and gone. However, there was one Nerazzurri star who featured in both triumphs.

Andrea Ranocchia was in the starting line-up for the 2011 final, which saw Leonardo’s Inter side emerge 3-1 winners against Palermo thanks to a brace from Samuel Eto’o and a goal from Diego Milito. This time around, he played a crucial role in getting the Nerazzurri to the final, grabbing a late equaliser against Empoli in the Round of 16 to keep them in the competition. This allowed Simone Inzaghi’s men to progress in the competition and ultimately beat Juventus 4-2 in the Coppa Italia final.

Before the final got under way, Ranocchia shared his thoughts on what it all meant to him. "The 2011 victory was my first ever trophy with Inter. I have wonderful memories of the game at the Stadio Olimpico against Palermo. It was so exciting. I was sharing the pitch with treble-winning heroes and the joy I felt when the final whistle blew was immense. It was an incredible feeling which I carry with me still today. Since I was a kid, it has always been a dream of mine to play for a big team like Inter and to have worn this jersey for so many years is a real honour."

Although he did not make an appearance in the final this year, Inter will certainly remember and thank him for his contribution earlier in the tournament. The victory on Wednesday took his trophy tally with Inter to a total of four.