Black and blue heart: Love, annoying cousins and Inter's 20th Scudetti

Words: Giulia Sala

Images: Giulia Sala

Black like the night, blue like the sky and gold like the stars

In the 48 hours following the sixth derby victory for my my beloved Internazionale, winning the scudetto and its second star in the "house" of its cousins, with a cooler mind and the infinite emotions I felt ready to express everything I have inside in my black and blue heart.

I've been an Inter fan for a long, long, long time. It was the year 1998 and a gentleman called Ronaldo arrived in Milan and from that day on nothing would be the same: my heart had been stolen forever by a faith that few understand.

On the dawn of my 37th birthday, even today I can't explain exactly what made me persevere with Inter given that in the years of adolescence and my first season ticket I didn't see many victories but mostly great suffering and teasing from Milan fans and hunchbacks of Juventus.

But patience and perseverance then led to the year of the 2009/10 treble which was unique, unforgettable and unexpected; I will forever thank Zlatan for leaving Inter to try and win the Champions League with Barcelona... ah no sorry we won the Champions League that year, Oops.

©Giulia Sala/ Terrace Edition. AC Milan vs FC Internazionale.

That year gave me a lot and after Moratti's farewell I no longer went to San Siro for a while, perhaps because I thought that without Massimo it would no longer be the same or perhaps because it was right to take a break.

I returned to buy a season ticket in the Curva Nord in the year in which on that fateful 20 May 2018, Matias Vecino's goal in the match against Lazio allowed us, after a long wait, to officially return to the Champions League, to arrive after five long years to play a final.

And despite all the tears shed last year in Istanbul we are now here to rejoice like never before for the much-suffered second star.

I don't care about the comments of the AC Milan fans or the hunchbacks because nothing resonates in my head and in my heart like all the choirs that I have sung in this unique and unrepeatable year to never leave my FC Internazionale alone, because I ONLY LOVE YOU.

Per aspera ad astra indeed.

You can find Giulia on X and Instagram: @giuly_182

Making Macclesfield

Il Rumore del Silenzio

Beyond 90 minutes

Black and White County

An Interista in Tokyo