Rui Costa is back in Milan for Tuesday evening’s Champions League group stage clash between Inter and Benfica, and though the former Rossoneri star has insisted that he feels no sense of rivalry with the Nerazzurri, he also issued a reminder that he is a Rossoneri fan.
Costa is now President of Benfica, having been appointed in 2021, and, as is customary ahead of Champions League matches, was invited for lunch with his Inter counterparts on the afternoon of the game.
Upon his arrival, Costa stopped to answer a few questions from journalists who had gathered on the streets outside.
Assessing Tuesday night’s clash, Costa said: “I obviously expect a great atmosphere, we are playing in the Champions League at San Siro with a brilliant team.”
Tuesday night’s game will be a repeat of the 2022-23 Champions League quarter final, which Inter won 5-3 over two legs.
“There are no rematches,” Costa added. “We lost last season against the eventual finalists, it was a quarter-final then, but now it’s the group stage. We need to win because we’ve already lost to Salzburg.”
Then, the former Portugal international was asked what it was like to return to Italy to play against one of his former rival sides.
He replied: “Playing against the Italians is always special, I spent 12 years playing in Italy. I have no feelings of rivalry, I respect everyone, but obviously, I am a Fiorentina and Milan supporter.”