The Cinque Maggio (“5th of Could”) is undoubtedly Inter’s most painful reminiscence in latest instances. This notorious date refers to Could 5, 2002, when the Nerazzurri threw away a Scudetto that looked already won by shockingly falling 2-4 within the closing spherical of Serie A to a Lazio aspect that seemingly had nothing left to combat for.
From then on, each time the Beneamata squared off in opposition to the Biancocelesti, the heartbreaking picture of Ronaldo Luis Nazario da Lima crying on the bench whereas his shell-shocked teammates let Lazio run riot, got here again to hang-out the Inter followers’ nightmares.
Till, maybe, the day when one other Inter vs Lazio matchup marked the top of the curse, at the least symbolically. It was Could 13, 2007, just some days after the fifth anniversary of the Cinque Maggio, when an Inter aspect that had simply received the Italian title beat Lazio 4-3.
Coached by Roberto Mancini, the Nerazzurri had been awarded the Scudetto the earlier season after Juventus have been stripped of the title within the wake of the Calciopoli scandal. In 2006/07, they lastly grew to become Italian champions on the pitch, for the primary time since 1989, making brief work of any opposition and sealing their champion standing with FIVE matchdays to spare.
In Spherical 36, they welcomed Lazio on the San Siro with the Scudetto badges already just about stitched to their chests. Despite the fact that the Biancocelesti constructed a two-goal cushion throughout the first 5 minutes, Inter’s hearts have been mild and allowed them to interact in a enjoyable, harmless goal-fest.
Hernan Crespo put three objectives within the web of his former membership, nevertheless it was Marco Materazzi’s closing purpose, the one which set the rating at 4-3, that lastly chased away the ghosts of the Cinque Maggio.
Materazzi had been one among Inter’s starters on the day of the Could 5 heartbreak and, after towering previous his marker to move the ball residence from a nook kick, he ran to rejoice with each palms unfold vast, as if to make the signal of 5. The nightmare was over.
