The catenaccio is a tactical system in soccer that implicates strong defense, hard tackling and the use of a particular role player, the sweeper, who is positioned just ahead of the goalkeeper. In this way the sweeper (or libero in Italian language) recovers balls lost by his team-mates or helps in double marking if needed. It was largely and successfully used in 60’s by Italian clubs as Inter, Milan and Triestina.
Maybe no one knows but catenaccio is dead. Yes, dead. Exactly on 25 May 1967, European cup final Inter Milan-Celtic in Lisbon. The great Herrera’s Inter, winner of two European Cups(1964, 1965), tried to conquer the third one against The Bhoys. After Mazzola’s penalty on 7th minute, Inter retreats in catenaccio as they did in the winning 1965 final against Benfica. The Lisbon crowd is resigned to watch the no hope Celtic’s attempts to perforate the defensive Inter’s wall for the remaining 83 minutes. But not this time, not against Celtic. For Inter it’s the start of the end: Celtic destroys the Italian defence attempting 39 times on goal, missing a penalty and scoring two goals that allow Celtic to win the Cup. It’s only thanks to Italian goalkeeper Sarti that Inter don’t leave the field with a humiliating score. After this memorable match, Celtic players, called Lisbon’s Lions by the local press, entered into the legend winning for the first time of British soccer history an European title, playing one of greatest final ever seen and killing the catenaccio, even if no one mentions that.