# 2009–10 Inter Milan season
The 2009–10 season was F.C. Internazionale Milano's campaign under first-year coach [José Mourinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-mourinho) in which the club won [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a), the [Coppa Italia](https://www.edgepedia.org/coppa-italia), and the UEFA Champions League, becoming the first Italian side to complete that treble and the sixth club in European history to do so.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f4b42c3a-0fbc1831ccbe-1000--inter-join-exclusive-treble-club/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/20/mourinho-tears-and-defiance-the-story-of-inters-2009-10-season) The season ran from a Supercoppa Italiana defeat to Lazio in Beijing in August 2009 to the Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on 22 May 2010, a span of 57 matches in which Inter scored 99 goals.[3](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-17-all-of-inters-goals-2009-2010)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trophies won | Serie A (18th Scudetto), Coppa Italia, UEFA Champions League; the club's first European Cup since 1965, a 45-year gap[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f4b42c3a-0fbc1831ccbe-1000--inter-join-exclusive-treble-club/) • [4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e4-0e746dee4629-e22f0b2f81cf-1000--barcelona-dethroned-by-resilient-inter/) • [5](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/jose-mourinho-knew-how-to-bring-out-the-best-in-each-of-us-inter-had-not-been-european-champions-for-45-years-but-that-did-not-put-any-pressure-on-julio-cesar-on-the-2010-champions-league-final) |
| Coach | José Mourinho, in his first season at Inter[6](https://www.inter.it/en/club/palmares/serie-a?season=2009-2010) |
| Matches and goals | 57 matches (38 Serie A, 13 Champions League, 5 Coppa Italia, 1 Supercoppa), 99 goals scored[3](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-17-all-of-inters-goals-2009-2010) |
| Leading scorer | Diego Milito, 30 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions[7](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season) |
| Most appearances | Captain Javier Zanetti, 55 of 57 matches; Julio Cesar 54, Maicon and Milito 52 each; 27 players used[7](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season) |
| Champions League final | Inter 2-0 Bayern München in Madrid, both goals from Milito[8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2010/clubs/) |
| Treble precedent | Sixth club after Celtic (1967), Ajax (1972), PSV Eindhoven (1988), Manchester United (1999), and Barcelona (2009)[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f4b42c3a-0fbc1831ccbe-1000--inter-join-exclusive-treble-club/) |
## Squad and new signings
Inter rebuilt its attack and spine in the summer of 2009, signing [Thiago Motta](https://www.edgepedia.org/thiago-motta), Diego Milito, Lucio, Samuel Eto'o, and [Wesley Sneijder](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-sneijder), along with the young Marko Arnautovic from Twente.[9](https://www.inter.it/en/news/scudetto-inter-history-second-star) Milito, an Argentine striker born in Bernal in 1979, arrived from Genoa and became the season's central figure.[10](https://www.inter.it/en/archivio_giocatore/G0847)
The squad was deep enough that 27 players took the field during the campaign. Mid-season changes brought McDonald Mariga from Parma in January to replace [Patrick Vieira](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-vieira), who left for Manchester City after 16 appearances.[7](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season) Behind Zanetti's 55 appearances, the workload fell heavily on a core group: Julio Cesar in goal (54 matches), Maicon and Milito (52 each), Lucio (48), Eto'o (48), [Esteban Cambiasso](https://www.edgepedia.org/esteban-cambiasso) (47), and Sneijder (41).[7](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season)
## Serie A: the 18th Scudetto
Inter's league season opened with a 1-1 home draw against Bari on 23 August 2009, followed four days later by a 4-0 win at [AC Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ac-milan) in the [Derby della Madonnina](https://www.edgepedia.org/derby-della-madonnina).[6](https://www.inter.it/en/club/palmares/serie-a?season=2009-2010) The campaign included matches that entered club history: a 5-0 away win at Genoa on 17 October, Dejan Stanković's goal from the middle of the pitch, and a 4-3 comeback against Siena at [San Siro](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-siro) on 9 January capped by Walter Samuel's stoppage-time goal.[9](https://www.inter.it/en/news/scudetto-inter-history-second-star) The season also contained setbacks, including a 3-1 defeat at Catania in March.[6](https://www.inter.it/en/club/palmares/serie-a?season=2009-2010)
The title was decided on the final day. On 16 May 2010, Milito's goal gave Inter a 1-0 win at Siena, securing the club's 18th Scudetto, its fifth consecutive league title.[11](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-16-inter-classics-siena-0-1-inter-2010) • [5](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/jose-mourinho-knew-how-to-bring-out-the-best-in-each-of-us-inter-had-not-been-european-champions-for-45-years-but-that-did-not-put-any-pressure-on-julio-cesar-on-the-2010-champions-league-final)
## Coppa Italia
Inter needed five Coppa Italia fixtures to lift the cup, with [Francesco Toldo](https://www.edgepedia.org/francesco-toldo), in his final season as a player, starting three of them, all wins with one goal conceded.[3](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-17-all-of-inters-goals-2009-2010) • [7](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season) In the final against [AS Roma](https://www.edgepedia.org/as-roma), Inter lost Wesley Sneijder to a thigh injury within minutes but won 1-0, taking the second trophy of the treble.[12](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01e5-0e74770bd71c-04d258d62470-1000--inter-edge-roma-in-coppa-italia-final/)
## Champions League campaign
Inter was drawn in Group F with Barcelona, the defending champion, and held the holders 0-0 at San Siro on 16 September 2009 in a match Barcelona dominated.[13](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01dd-0e72d7cd90a3-ddf24d9f53ae-1000--nothing-to-separate-inter-and-barca/) In the knockout rounds Inter first overcame Mourinho's former club Chelsea, winning the first leg 2-1 and then taking the second 1-0 at Stamford Bridge through [Samuel Eto'o](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-etoo)'s 78th-minute goal for a 3-1 aggregate victory.[14](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f3b81a1b-4c43e12a6520-1000--2009-10-inter-back-on-top-at-last/)
**The Barcelona semi-final** became the season's defining tie. Barcelona traveled to Milan by bus because the [Eyjafjallajökull](https://www.edgepedia.org/eyjafjallajokull) volcanic eruption had grounded air travel, and Inter won the first leg 3-1.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/20/mourinho-tears-and-defiance-the-story-of-inters-2009-10-season) In the return at [Camp Nou](https://www.edgepedia.org/camp-nou), Inter lost Thiago Motta to a first-half red card and defended with ten men in a 1-0 defeat that was still enough for a 3-2 aggregate win, ending Barcelona's bid to become the first team to defend the Champions League and sending Inter to its first European Cup final since 1972.[15](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e4-0e746dee4629-e22f0b2f81cf-1000--barcelona-dethroned-by-resilient-inter/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/20/mourinho-tears-and-defiance-the-story-of-inters-2009-10-season)
## The final and the treble
In the Madrid final on 22 May 2010, Milito scored twice to beat Bayern München 2-0, completing the treble six days after the Scudetto.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f4b42c3a-0fbc1831ccbe-1000--inter-join-exclusive-treble-club/) • [8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2010/clubs/) The starting lineup was Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Cambiasso; Pandev, Sneijder, Eto'o; Milito, with no Italian player in it.[16](https://www.inter.it/it/match_center/3835) • [17](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/unplayable-barcelona-jose-mourinhos-cult-heroes-and-real-madrids-dynasty-the-20-greatest-champions-league-teams-ever-ranked) Bayern held 68 percent of possession but was beaten 2-0.[17](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/unplayable-barcelona-jose-mourinhos-cult-heroes-and-real-madrids-dynasty-the-20-greatest-champions-league-teams-ever-ranked)
**Style of play.** UEFA's technical report recorded that Inter won the 2010 title averaging 45 percent of possession, against Barcelona's 62 percent the previous season, a contrast the report used to ask whether teams need to be educated to feel comfortable without the ball.[18](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/TechnicalReport/competitions/UCL/01/54/80/62/1548062_DOWNLOAD.pdf) The team's defensive organization and counterattacking efficiency, rather than territorial control, carried it through the knockout rounds.
## References
1. [Inter join exclusive treble club, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f4b42c3a-0fbc1831ccbe-1000--inter-join-exclusive-treble-club/)
2. [Mourinho, tears and defiance: the story of Inter's 2009-10 season, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/20/mourinho-tears-and-defiance-the-story-of-inters-2009-10-season)
3. [All of Inter's goals in the 2009/2010 season, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-17-all-of-inters-goals-2009-2010)
4. [2009/10: Inter back on top at last, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f3b81a1b-4c43e12a6520-1000--2009-10-inter-back-on-top-at-last/)
5. [Julio Cesar on the 2010 Champions League final, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/jose-mourinho-knew-how-to-bring-out-the-best-in-each-of-us-inter-had-not-been-european-champions-for-45-years-but-that-did-not-put-any-pressure-on-julio-cesar-on-the-2010-champions-league-final)
6. [Serie A 2009/10, inter.it palmares](https://www.inter.it/en/club/palmares/serie-a?season=2009-2010)
7. [All the Inter players who took to the pitch during the 2010 Triplete season, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-20-inter-squad-2009-10-season)
8. [Milito strikes twice as Inter complete treble, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2010/clubs/)
9. [From one star to another: Nerazzurri history, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/en/news/scudetto-inter-history-second-star)
10. [Diego Milito player archive, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/en/archivio_giocatore/G0847)
11. [Siena 0-1 Inter: the Nerazzurri's 18th Scudetto, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/en/news/2020-05-16-inter-classics-siena-0-1-inter-2010)
12. [Inter edge Roma in Coppa Italia final, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01e5-0e74770bd71c-04d258d62470-1000--inter-edge-roma-in-coppa-italia-final/)
13. [Nothing to separate Inter and Barça, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01dd-0e72d7cd90a3-ddf24d9f53ae-1000--nothing-to-separate-inter-and-barca/)
14. [2009/10: Inter back on top at last, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f3b81a1b-4c43e12a6520-1000--2009-10-inter-back-on-top-at-last/)
15. [Barcelona dethroned by resilient Inter, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e4-0e746dee4629-e22f0b2f81cf-1000--barcelona-dethroned-by-resilient-inter/)
16. [Inter match center: 2010 Champions League final, inter.it](https://www.inter.it/it/match_center/3835)
17. [The 20 greatest Champions League teams ever, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/unplayable-barcelona-jose-mourinhos-cult-heroes-and-real-madrids-dynasty-the-20-greatest-champions-league-teams-ever-ranked)
18. [2009/10 UEFA Champions League technical report, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/TechnicalReport/competitions/UCL/01/54/80/62/1548062_DOWNLOAD.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Club seasons › Italian club seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license