He was one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Inter and many fans still remember him with great affection. Today here on Passion Inter we bring you an exclusive interview with Gianluca Pagliuca. Born in Bologna in 1966, Pagliuca defended the Nerazzurri from 1994 to 1995 and was able to win a UEFA Cup today’s Europa League in the 1997/98 season with Ronaldo and Gigi Simoni on the bench.

In Serie A, he also wore the jerseys of Sampdoria, Bologna and Ascoli. In 2021, Inter included him in their Hall of Fame in the “Goalkeepers” category, a further recognition of his great career and of how important he was in the history of the Nerazzurri society. Today, Pagliuca talks exclusively about the current Inter and many other topics.

Good morning Gianluca, how do you evaluate Inter’s season so far and where do you think they can go?
“The Inter are having a very good season. There is regret because maybe you could have had a few more points and also for the Supercup final, but especially for the championship. But it’s only three points behind Napoli and with one less game, I think it’s a good ranking. I think Inter has a very good chance of being ahead of Napoli and everyone else in the end”.

What part does Simone Inzaghi play in the growth of recent years?
“There is a continuous cycle, they have a hard core both in the coach and in the players who have been there for many years. Some quality players are inserted from time to time. Simone is doing a great job, he has won many trophies and was also close to winning a Champions League. I think Simone’s work is excellent”.

In Nerazzurro among the goalkeepers today there is Sommer and behind him Josep Martinez who was paid a lot but has not yet had a chance. Some fans are asking for the Spaniard to take the field to show his qualities, what idea have you made of it?
“First of all, I think Sommer is having a very good season and also last year he did very well. In my opinion there is no reason to try to change also because the team is doing well and it is an experienced goalkeeper, that saves. Sommer gives security to his own defense. An investment was made on Martinez but obviously Simone Inzaghi looks at the present and Sommer is one of the best in the Italian championship. I don’t see why we should change.

Some opt for a rotation between two goalkeepers, what do you think of this possibility?
“I don’t agree much on the rotation of goalkeepers because then you take something away. Some clubs do it like Bologna where Skorupski almost always plays but sometimes Ravaglia enters, Juventus also does it. In my opinion, there must be hierarchies. I see no reason why Sommer should not play, he is doing very well and I would not change. I remember a few years ago there were Handanovic and Onana. Handanovic started the season a bit like this with some mistakes and then Inzaghi put Onana who did well. But this is not Sommer’s case because he is saving well”.

A player like Frattesi seems to want to leave to play more. What is your opinion on the matter having won a lot with Inter and Sampdoria? Is it right to always play as much as possible or is it better to stay in winning team for one’s career?
“I’m torn, it’s clear that Frattesi is a very good player and last year he was very important even for winning the Scudetto and scored many important goals. He is also a National player and wants to play more but let’s not forget that Inter has a top-level midfield, the strongest in my opinion in Europe. To shake off those three there Barella, Calhanoglu and Mkhitaryan, ed is tough, he and Zielinski are the ones who come in. He must be patient and the most important thing is to stay in a strong team that this year can do very well also in the Champions League, not only in the championship. If he were to go to Roma I wouldn’t say he would go cheap, also because he’s from Rome and has a bond. Before leaving Inter, you always have to think about it because then you might be worse off.

Finally, what is your favourite memory associated with the Nerazzurri colours and years? What do you carry in your heart when you think back to your past as Inter’s goalkeeper?
“Yesterday was also the birthday of Gigi Simoni his former coach at Inter in ’97/’98 and the best memory of Inter is when we won the UEFA Cup. We all know how the