1990/91: Matthäus makes the difference for Inter

FC Internazionale Milano 2-0 AS Roma
(Matthäus 55p, Berti 67)
AS Roma 1-0 FC Internazionale Milano
(Rizzitelli 81)
(agg: 2-1 to Inter)

The San Siro was no place for visitors in 1990/91. This was where FC Internazionale Milano won six games out of six on the way to lifting the UEFA Cup. SK Rapid Wien, Aston Villa FC, FK Partizan, Atalanta BC, Sporting Clube de Portugal and AS Roma: all left empty-handed.

Yet Villa gave a good account of themselves on England's return to the competition – winning their second-round first leg 2-0 before losing by three at the Giuseppe Meazza – while Roma were no pushovers in the final. The Giallorossi had survived a tough draw unbeaten, victories over SL Benfica, Valencia CF, FC Girondins de Bordeaux and RSC Anderlecht carrying them through to a semi-final against the tournament's dark horses, Brøndby IF.

In fact, Brøndby, the first Danish side to reach the last four, would have made the final but for Rudi Völler's late clincher in a 2-1 triumph at the Olimpico after a goalless draw in Copenhagen. That was as good as it got for Völler and Co, however. It was another German international, Lothar Matthäus, who took the goalscoring plaudits as Inter beat Roma 2-0 in Milan. And while Ruggiero Rizzitelli reduced the deficit in the return, it was not enough to deny Giovanni Trapattoni's side.