80 years ago today: Inter win fifth Scudetto

MILAN – It was a final without actually being one. On 2 June 1940, Ambrosiano Inter took to the pitch knowing that the game they were about to play would decide the 1939/40 Scudetto race. They sat top of the league on 42 points, one ahead of the then-Italian champions Bologna, who they were about to face at San Siro. Yes, at San Siro, despite the fact that the Nerazzurri used to play their home games at the Arena Civica in those days. But that match was exceptionally important, and almost 50,000 fans turned up to watch it.

Tony Cargnelli’s Inter had had to play catch-up for most of the season, with Aldo Campatelli a pillar in midfield and Umberto Guardnieri the team’s top scorer with a tally of 15. Eight consecutive victories at the tail end of the season meant that the Nerazzurri were top and holding the advantage going into the final matchday. And after nine minutes, the winning goal was scored in Inter vs. Bologna, one which secured the title: Annibale Frossi escaped down the right and put the ball into the centre, with Pietro Ferraris II there to finish it off. 1-0 was how it ended: Inter were the Italian champions for the fifth time.