2004 Inter Milan Home – Adriano #10 XL

The 2004/05 season was a dramatic and transitional one for Inter Milan, as the Nerazzurri tried to reassert themselves at the top of Italian and European football under coach Roberto Mancini, who had just been appointed that summer.

• Serie A:

  • Inter finished 3rd in the league, behind Juventus and AC Milan.

  • They set a record with 18 draws, which cost them a chance at the title despite losing only once.

• Coppa Italia:

  • Inter won the Coppa Italia, defeating Roma 3–0 on aggregate in the final. This marked Mancini’s first trophy with the club and the beginning of a successful era.

• UEFA Champions League:

  • Reached the quarterfinals, eliminating Porto in the Round of 16 but falling to city rivals AC Milan in the infamous “Derby della Madonnina” quarterfinal. The second leg was abandoned after crowd trouble when Milan were leading 1–0 (Inter lost 5–0 on aggregate).

• Key Storyline: This was the rise of Adriano Leite Ribeiro, nicknamed “L’Imperatore” (The Emperor), who became Inter’s talismanic striker and one of the most feared forwards in world football.

• Kit: The 2004/05 Inter Milan home jersey, designed by Nike, showcased the club’s traditional black and blue vertical stripes, with the Pirelli sponsor and gold trim. It became iconic as Adriano’s peak-era shirt.

2. Player’s Impact – Adriano (2004/05)

Adriano exploded in the 2004/05 season, delivering some of the most dominant performances of his career.

• Statistics:

  • Serie A: 16 goals in 30 appearances.

  • Champions League: 10 goals, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.

  • Coppa Italia: Contributed crucial goals en route to Inter’s title.

  • Overall: 28 goals in all competitions.

• Key Performances:

  • A hat-trick against Porto in the Champions League Round of 16.

  • Consistently delivered thunderous left-footed strikes from range and powerful solo goals.

• Role: Played as the central striker, combining pace, strength, technical ability, and one of the most lethal left feet in football.

• Legacy: The 2004/05 season is widely considered Adriano’s peak at Inter Milan. His combination of physical dominance and flair earned him comparisons to the great strikers of world football, though sadly his career would later decline due to off-field struggles.

3. Full Squad List – Inter Milan 2004/05

Manager: Roberto Mancini

Goalkeepers:

• Francesco Toldo

• Alberto Fontana

• Fabian Carini

Defenders:

• Javier Zanetti (Captain)

• Marco Materazzi

• Iván Córdoba

• Giuseppe Favalli

• Nicolás Burdisso

• Sinisa Mihajlović

• Cristian Chivu

• Francesco Coco

Midfielders:

• Esteban Cambiasso

• Dejan Stanković

• Juan Sebastián Verón

• Edgar Davids

• Cristiano Zanetti

• Kily González

• Luigi Di Biagio

Forwards:

• Adriano

• Álvaro Recoba

• Obafemi Martins

• Christian Vieri (departed end of season)

• Julio Cruz