Jurgen Klinsmann, the former Inter player who featured for the Nerazzurri during the presidency of Ernesto Pellegrini, paid tribute to the man who passed away on the day of the Champions League final, where his former club was set to face PSG. Klinsmann shared his thoughts:
“It`s unbelievable that he passed away today of all days. Those who knew him, and are now feeling great sorrow like me, understand how much President Pellegrini would have wanted to watch tonight`s match. We hope our boys can dedicate this Champions League to him.”
Klinsmann recalled, “He was a man of a different era – fair, kind, thoughtful, but extremely direct. He said things as they were without beating around the bush. His team had won the Scudetto, Ramon Diaz was leaving, and he wanted to win in Europe too, and I was there to help achieve that. We succeeded with the UEFA Cup in my second season.”
He shared a specific memory: “He had just arrived, and I remember the first time he entered the dressing room, and my teammates all sprang to their feet like soldiers. In Germany, I wasn`t trained like that, so I remained seated. Then I saw that Brehme and Matthäus had also stood up, and without fully understanding why, I did the same. Bergomi explained it to me afterwards: it was simply respect for the company that paid us and the man who represented it. A small gesture of courtesy, normal but necessary.”
Regarding the Champions League final, Klinsmann commented, “Tonight`s match is tough, PSG is very strong, but Inter is prepared. And they also have one more fan watching them from above.”
