Former Inter Milan striker Ivan Zamorano shared his thoughts with La Gazzetta dello Sport on the upcoming Derby d’Italia between Inter and Juventus, praising the Nerazzurri’s current squad and drawing parallels between himself and striker Lautaro Martinez. His passion for Inter remains evident, even though he has been away from Milan since 2001.
“For us, the game against Juventus is the match of the year,” Zamorano stated, using the present tense and first-person plural to highlight his enduring connection to the club. He expressed his excitement for the clash, saying, “It’s simply history.”
Zamorano emphasized the significance of the Inter-Juventus fixture, asserting, “It’s one of the biggest matches in the world; it always has been and always will be. Perhaps the Spanish Clasico is more mediatic, more ‘global’, but who wants to miss what happens at San Siro? Inter-Juve is simply history.”
Reflecting on Inter’s current squad, he noted their competitiveness across all competitions. “They have built a competitive roster against everyone, including in the Champions League,” he remarked. “They need to correct some small defensive flaws that weren’t there last year, but they can compete.”
Zamorano particularly praised the partnership between Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, saying, “If the right ball gets to Thuram-Lautaro, the job is done.” He also expressed his admiration for Lautaro’s fighting spirit: “For me, he’s special; I see myself in him: not just in the goals, but he reminds me of myself in the way he fights. We are warriors; the penalty area is our battlefield.”
Discussing Thuram’s development, Zamorano said, “What strikes me about Marcus is his continuous, constant growth. We don’t know where he can reach at this pace. He has the gift of great strikers; he appears in the area at the right moment and is helped by enormous physical strength. He’s pure oxygen for the team.”
When asked about Juventus’ attacking strength, Zamorano acknowledged their changes: “They have changed a lot; more than players, they have modified their identity. This takes time. I like Vlahovic, even if he’s a bit more inconsistent than Inter’s players.”
Zamorano also reminisced about past encounters with Juventus, particularly recalling a controversial match in 1998: “How can I not mention the robbery of 1998? We will never forget Ceccarini and that scudetto that we deserved… But I also remember my goal in a 3-0 win in Turin in the Coppa Italia 1996-97.”
Despite his lack of trophies compared to some others, Zamorano’s connection with Inter fans remains strong. He explained, “People don’t judge you by trophies but by sweat: I’m not saying others didn’t give everything; on the contrary, but warrior Zamorano would have been ready for anything for the Nerazzurri.”
