Luis Figo has sparked a rivalry with his old team by openly stating he is a fan of Inter Milan ahead of the Champions League semifinal, as Inter Milan and Barcelona will be on a path to one of the world’s top club tournaments.
Figo’s timing is particularly noteworthy, with Inter set to face Barcelona in a tense European showdown.
The Portuguese legend, who controversially crossed from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000, said the words “Barcelona or Inter? I am an Inter fan.”
His comments will certainly evoke strong feelings among the Culés, as they reactivate memories of his transfer in 2000.
It happened more than two decades ago now, the 2002 Champions League semifinal between the two clubs would have by that time already been heightened by therefore finding itself as an additional source of drama, implications need not come from familiar faces and past players in either team would add additional fuel to a fierce rivalry like this one.
Luis Figo must have forged a strong bond with Inter during his time there between 2005 and 2009, when he won a handful of Serie A titles while under coaches Roberto Mancini and José Mourinho.
However, this last statement will certainly be seen by many as another subtle jab at Barcelona, the club with which Luis Figo spent five years of his career before his infamous move to arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Barcelona fans, who still have scars from Figo’s past betrayal, will see this as another act of disrespect to their club.
With the stakes already high, Figo’s words will be seen as adding another layer of motivation to a tie that will be explosive in what is now guaranteed to be fiercely fought.
The one thing we are certain of is that the semifinal just became even more personal.
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