La Grande Inter

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La Grande Inter (The Great Inter) is the name given to the Inter Milan team led by Helenio Herrera that won back-to-back European Cup wins in 1964 and 1965. They are also known as the team that brought Catenaccio, a tactical system in football, to a new level.

1 Helenio Herrera
2 The beginning
3 1964 European Cup
4 1965 European Cup
5 1967 European Cup
6 Source

[edit] Helenio Herrera

Helenio Herrera who grew up in Casablanca, Morocco was born in Argentina to Spanish parents and eventually becoming a French citizen, but he was associated with Italian football. He coached FC Barcelona where he won La Liga/Spanish Cup in 1959 and La Liga/Fairs Cup double in 1960 before moving to Italy. Nevertheless, his career in Spain was overshadowed by the dominance of Real Madrid in European Cup.

[edit] The beginning

In 1960, Helenio Herrera joined Inter Milan from FC Barcelona after falling out with the Catalonian club. From FC Barcelona, he brought his midfield general Luis Suárez who would win the European Footballer of the Year in the same year for his role in FC Barcelona's La Liga/Fairs Cup double. He would transform Inter Milan into one of the greatest teams in Europe. He modified a 5-3-2 tactic known as the Verrou (door bolt) to include larger flexibility for counter attacks. The Catenaccio system was invented by an Austrain coach named Karl Rappan. Rappan's original system was implemented with 4 fixed defenders, playing a strict man-to-man marking system, plus a playmaker in the middle of the field who plays the ball together with two midfield wings. Herrera would modify it by adding a fifth defenders, the sweeper or libero behind the two centre backs. The sweeper or libero who acted as the free man would deal with any attackers who went through the two centre backs. Inter Milan would finish 3rd in Serie A his first season, 2nd the next year and first in his 3rd season. And then followed a back-to-back European Cup victory in 1964 and 1965. Herrera earned the title "ll Mago" which meant the magician. The code of Herrera's team was the fullbacks Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti, Armando Picchi the sweeper, Luis Suárez the playmaker, Jair the winger, Mario Corso the left midfielder and Sandro Mazzola who played the inside-right.

[edit] 1964 European Cup

In 1964, Inter Milan reached the Final by beating Borussia Dortmund in the semifinal and FK Partizan in the quarterfinal. In the Final, they met Real Madrid, a team had reached 7 out of the 9 existing Finals. Real Madrid consisted of the aging stars of the 1950's and a few emerging players that would win the European Cup in 1966. It was Sandro Mazzola who stole the show by scoring two goals in a 3-1 victory.

Inter Milan lineup: Giuliano Sarti; Tarcisio Burgnich, Aristide Guarneri, Giacinto Facchetti; Carlo Tagnin, Armando Picchi; Jair, Sandro Mazzola, Aurelio Milani, Luis Suárez, Mario Corso

[edit] 1965 European Cup

A year later, they repeated the feat by beating two-time winner SL Benfica in the final held at home. Jair was the lone scorer in 1-0 win.

Inter Milan lineup: Giuliano Sarti; Tarcisio Burgnich, Aristide Guarneri, Giacinto Facchetti; Gianfranco Bedin, Armando Picchi; Jair, Sandro Mazzola, Joaquin Peiro, Luis Suárez, Mario Corso

[edit] 1967 European Cup

By 1967, Jair was gone. Luis Suárez was injured and missed the Final. Sandro Mazzola's penalty was not enough to stop Celtic FC from winning the title.