Madrid Final 2010

Lore & Background

The win gave Inter their third European Cup title, and their first since 1965. That 45 years of await broke the record of the longest gap between two UCL titles, which was held by Real Madrid before, with 32 years (1966-1998). Moreover, it was Inter's first appearance in the final since 1972, and they were the first Italian team to appear in the showpiece match since rivals AC Milan won the competition in 2007. Meanwhile, Bayern had won the competition as recently as 2001—their most recent final appearance—although they were the first German side to reach the final since Bayer Leverkusen in 2002. The 2010 final was the first not to feature an English side since Porto beat Monaco in 2004 with José Mourinho also coaching the winning side, and due to Manchester United being knocked out by Bayern in the quarter-finals on away goals. This was also the first final to include two group runners-up, both Bayern and Inter finished second in group A and F, respectively. The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium had hosted three European Cup finals before; in 1957, 1969 and 1980.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the Santiago Bernabéu cast long shadows over the pitch as the 67th minute ticked by. Diego Milito received the ball, turned with his back to goal, and unleashed a volley that silenced the German faithful. The roar from the traveling Inter fans was deafening, but Mourinho remained stoic on the touchline. Six minutes later, Milito struck again, a clinical finish that sealed not just a match, but immortality for the club. As the final whistle blew, the weight of history lifted, replaced by pure euphoria.

Reader's Guide

The match was Inter's last game under the management of Mourinho as he would move to Real Madrid a few days after the match. The refereeing team came from England and was led by Howard Webb. As the winners, Inter played against 2009–10 UEFA Europa League winners Atlético Madrid in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup, and also entered the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup.

Did You Know?

• Inter Milan's 45-year gap between European Cup titles broke the previous record of 32 years held by Real Madrid.
• The 2010 final was the second Champions League final to be played on a Saturday, after the 2009 final.
• Both finalists had finished second in their respective group stages.
• The winning manager, José Mourinho, became only the third manager in European Cup history to win with two different clubs.