Former Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar said ‘the Treble was born in Kiev’ ahead of the Nerazzurri’s trip to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
The Beneamata prepare for the second round of fixtures in the group stage and travel to Kiev to play against Roberto De Zerbi’s Shakhtar Donetsk.
Cesar was one of the protagonists when Jose Mourinho’s men won the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League on 2009-10.
Champions League | Probable line-ups: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Inter
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Brazilian pointed at the 2-1 win against Dinamo Kiev in November 2009 as the place it all started.
Andriy Shevchenko gave the hosts the lead after 21 minutes, but late goals turned the match around to resurrect Inter.
Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder scored in the 86th and 89th minute and Cesar spoke about the emotions in the final minutes in Kiev.
“Mou’s embrace and Sneijder’s scream,” Cesar recalled. “Kiev is in our destiny, the Treble was born there.
“There was a turning point in Ukraine. This Inter can reach the final too, if the level is the one we saw against Real Madrid.”
Cesar also spoke about Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez and believes the striker can develop further at Inter.
“In Italy he has everything to repeat himself,” he said. “He has talent and can grow.”
I remember that game. They looked dead and buried, yet another Inter failure in Europe, but those 2 late goals set up their qualification from the group.
They simply have to win in Kiev tonight
Balotelli came on and changed the game