On 24 August 1988, Inter and Monopoli faced each other in a Coppa Italia match which remains the only previous match between the two teams. Today, the same rivalry is repeated on the 10th matchday of the GironeC of SerieC, but with Inter U23 and Monopoli, a new generation of players who will take the match to a different level.
In 1988 the match took place at the "FrancoOssola" in Varese, because SanSiro was being renovated for the 1990 World Cup. Inter, led by Giovanni Trapattoni, had a squad of great value on the pitch: WalterZenga, GiuseppeBergomi, AndreasBrehme, NicolaBerti, LotharMatthaus, RamonDíaz and the young AldoSerena. Monopoli, in SerieC1, managed to keep a clean sheet for most of the match, demonstrating a defensive solidity that put the Nerazzurri team in difficulty.
The epilogue of the match came only in the 80th minute, when Serena found the right play and scored the decisive goal, 1-0. The goal was not only Inter's first victory at that stage of the Cup, but also a sign of what would be an extraordinary year for the midfielder. At the end of the 1988/89 season, Serena became SerieA's top scorer with 22 goals, contributing to Trapattoni's Inter winning the scudetto. In total, in his career, he scored 28 goals in 42 appearances.
Nearly forty years later, the rivalry takes on a new look. Inter U23, an integral part of the club's youth development project, will face Monopoli in a Serie C match. Monopoli, which has maintained its identity over time, hopes to add a new chapter to its shared history with Inter. Today's match, therefore, is not just a football match, but an opportunity to celebrate the historical continuity between the two clubs, who have only met once in the past, but who now find themselves with new ambitions and new players.
With the match scheduled, fans will be able to witness a match that, although rooted in a distant past, promises to offer fresh emotions and showcase the emerging talent of the young teams. Inter U23 will try to replicate Serena's historic performance, while Monopoli will present themselves with the aim of writing a new chapter in their shared history with Biscione.