A man Hammers legend Paolo Di Canio famously slapped stands in the way of Man City tasting West Ham’s European glory.
There is a strong affinity between the fanbases of West Ham and Manchester City these days.
A genuine mutual respect between the Hammers and Man City has been born out of being what one another views as “proper clubs” and “proper supporters”.
There is also the fact both have had to endure the majority of their history in the shadows of more decorated rivals.
West Ham have never reached the depths Man City have. And they may never reach the heights of the modern day Etihad outfit either.
But it says a lot about Man City’s history and their relentless pursuit of the Champions League that West Ham have more European trophies than them.
Man Paolo Di Canio famously slapped stands in the way of Man City tasting West Ham’s European glory
The Hammers won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965 while Man City won it in 1970.
So when West Ham lifted the Europa Conference League by beating Fiorentina 2-1 on Wednesday night, they laid down the gauntlet to the Citizens ahead of their own final against Italian opposition on Saturday night.
And there is a quirky West Ham link to the Manchester City clash against Inter Milan involving one of their all-time legends and the Italian club’s manager.
Because a man Paolo Di Canio famously slapped stands in the way of Man City tasting West Ham’s European glory.
One of West Ham’s best ever players, Di Canio, had a very public spat with Simone Inzaghi – the Inter Milan boss.
‘A brain the size of a pea’
Ironically Inzaghi was also linked with the West Ham job in recent years (The Guardian).
As a player Simone was the lesser known of the Inzaghi brothers with his brother Filippo a goalscoring legend who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
But what many may not know is that another Italian, West Ham hero Di Canio, famously slapped Simone and called him ‘gutless’ when the pair were playing up front together for Lazio after his time with the Hammers.
They clashed over a penalty during a game. Di Canio slapped the man who will be in the opposite dugout to Man City boss Pep Guardiola and said he had a ‘brain the size of a pea’.
He also branded him ‘selfish’ and ‘gutless’ afterwards.
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“With Inzaghi, it was my first game after 16 years away from Lazio, my Lazio, with the score 0-0 and a penalty awarded – you need a brain the size of a peanut to think that I wouldn’t take it,” Di Canio told Four Four Two back in 2006.
“Inzaghi is selfish. He prefers to lose 4-3 and score a hat-trick than win 3-0 without scoring – the complete opposite of me.
“Inzaghi had missed a penalty a year before because he’d tried to chip the ball and he thought he had the right to break my balls at my Lazio?
“Do you know what he told me in the dressing room? Nothing. He had no guts.”
That was a long time ago now of course. And Inzaghi may be a completely different character as a manager.
But an interesting aside after West Ham became just the fourth English club to win a European trophy in the 21st Century.
Inzaghi and his Inter side stand in the way of stopping Man City making that five.
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