The 2010 UEFA Champions League final stands as a monumental moment in football history. Italian giants Inter Milan clinched their third Champions League title, ending a 45-year wait. This victory marked the culmination of Massimo Moratti`s ambitious ownership. Taking over in 1995, Moratti, son of Angelo Moratti who oversaw Inter`s initial European triumphs, aimed to restore Inter to European dominance. Despite significant investments, including the signing of Ronaldo in 1997, Champions League success eluded Moratti until he appointed the controversial yet brilliant Jose Mourinho.
In his second and ultimately final season with Inter, Mourinho, known as `The Special One`, etched his name into club legend. He delivered an unprecedented treble: Champions League, Serie A, and Coppa Italia. Inter became the first and, to date, only Italian team to achieve this feat. Their journey to the Champions League final followed Coppa Italia victory against AS Roma (1-0, Diego Milito goal) on May 5, 2010, and a Serie A title secured on the final matchday, again thanks to a Milito winner against Siena. On May 22, 2010, Inter faced Bayern Munich in Madrid`s Santiago Bernabeu in the season`s ultimate showdown.
The Path to Madrid
Remarkably, both Inter and Bayern entered the final with treble aspirations. However, their paths to Madrid differed. Bayern navigated a relatively straightforward group stage against Bordeaux, Juventus, and Maccabi Haifa. Inter faced a tougher challenge, progressing from a group with FC Barcelona, Dynamo Kiev, and Rubin Kazan, only securing qualification on the final matchday. A dramatic comeback against Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine proved crucial, averting potential group stage elimination. Later, Bayern eliminated Fiorentina, Manchester United, and Lyon en route to the final. Inter overcame Chelsea, CSKA Moscow, and then, in a thrilling semi-final, defeated Pep Guardiola`s FC Barcelona. Inter`s 3-1 first-leg victory in Milan and resilient 1-0 loss at Camp Nou secured their place in the final, ending Barcelona`s reign as European champions.
Mourinho`s triumph resonated deeply, not only with Inter fans but also Real Madrid supporters, as he denied Barcelona a Champions League title at the Bernabeu. Coincidentally, Mourinho departed Milan shortly after the victory, choosing to stay in Madrid where he was soon announced as Real Madrid`s new coach. In a 2019 interview, Mourinho explained his decision: “If I had returned to Milan to celebrate, I wouldn`t have gone to Real Madrid. I chose to escape the emotions.”
Bayern Munich`s impressive run under Louis van Gaal, who previously worked with Mourinho at FC Barcelona, added another layer to the final. Mourinho, respecting his former mentor, exchanged greetings with Van Gaal just before kickoff. Inter ultimately triumphed 2-0, with Diego Milito scoring both goals.
Key Players in the Final
Both teams faced significant absences. Bayern missed Franck Ribery due to suspension, while Inter were without Thiago Motta, suspended after a red card in the semi-final against Barcelona.
Bayern Munich XI: Hans-Jörg Butt; Philipp Lahm, Daniel Van Buyten, Martin Demichelis, Holger Badstuber; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel, Hamit Altıntop, Arjen Robben, Thomas Müller: Ivica Olić.
Inter XI: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Walter Samuel, Lucio, Christian Chivu; Estaban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti; Goran Pandev, Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto`o; Diego Milito.
Aftermath of the Final
Following the celebrations, Inter returned to Milan without Mourinho, who stayed in Madrid to finalize his move to Real Madrid. Inter appointed Rafa Benitez, who struggled to meet expectations and was replaced by Leonardo in December after winning the FIFA Club World Cup.
Under Leonardo, Inter showed promise, even defeating Bayern Munich 3-2 at the Allianz Arena in the 2010-11 Champions League round of 16. However, they were surprisingly eliminated by Schalke 04 and finished the season with a Coppa Italia victory. Post-2010-11, Inter faced a period of decline. Moratti stepped down, and new ownership arrived, culminating in the Suning Group era, which brought Inter back to Serie A glory in 2021, ending an 11-year wait since the treble season.
For Bayern Munich, the 2010-11 season was disappointing, leading to Van Gaal`s dismissal and a third-place Bundesliga finish as Jurgen Klopp`s Borussia Dortmund won the title. Bayern rehired Jupp Heynckes, who reached the 2011-12 Champions League final in Munich, losing to Chelsea on penalties. However, Heynckes achieved a treble with Bayern in the 2012-13 season, defeating Klopp`s Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley.
