In the late 1960s, early 1970s, Inter was one of the leading teams in Europe, with players such as Mazzola, Facchetti, Boninsegna and Jair. German club football (both WDR and GDR) was not much in that period.
It was with slight arrogance and a misguided sense of superiority that Inter descended in 1971 to the charming but also dilapidated Bökelberg Stadium.
Mönchengladbach had become champion the previous season with a team of which many players would become European champions that same season and three years later world champions. Netzer, Bonhof, Vogts, Heynckes, Wimmer & co delivered their first calling card to the outside world against Inter.
For half an hour the match was still reasonably balanced, but in the 29th minute Boninsegna suddenly went down at a 2-1 score. The top striker of Inter was hit by a blunt object from the stands, the Italians claimed. Commedia dell’arte, the Germans claimed, and the game was on the wagon.
Legend has it that Inter captain Mazzola saw some Italian fans drinking a can of Coke. He secretly took that can from their hands and showed it as evidence. Boninsegna had been taken down with that can. A suspected perpetrator was picked from the stands by the police.
When peace had returned after minutes of commotion, Mönchengladbach waltzed over the Italians. 7-1 would be Inter’s biggest European defeat. Would.
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Inter was obviously hurt by the legendary beating. It filed a complaint with UEFA to have the result canceled due to the can incident, which was extremely rare at the time.
The European Football Association agreed with Inter and even fined Gladbach 1.5 million Swiss francs. In the meantime, the return leg had already been completed in Milan. Inter let go of the arrogance this time and won 4-2.
A month later the first leg was played again, albeit this time in Berlin. The Interista poured a block of concrete for their purpose like no other. It became 0-0 and not Mönchengladbach but Inter pushed through to the quarter finals of the Cup for National Champions.
Inter eventually thundered through to the final (among other things by beating Standard in the next round), but in that process it was perhaps well deserved from Cruijff’s Ajax.
49 years later Gladbach can take his revenge on Inter tonight. If it does not lose at home, it can go to the eighth finals for the first time since the inception of the Champions League in 1992 and Inter is eliminated.
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