Minotti: "I shielded two teammates who crashed through a gate with their car; I was knocked down by Galeazzi at the World Cup"

"In 1994, we beat Ajax 2-0 in the second leg of the Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals; I scored from a free-kick. Scala told us to get some sleep because we were due to face Juventus on Sunday (who won 4-0 with a hat-trick from Del Piero, ed.). The next morning, Scala and the physio Bozzetti told me that during the night two teammates had crashed their car through a gate: we had to decide what to do. The manager came into the dressing room and, without mentioning the incident, announced that from then on we would be staying overnight at the training camp after every match. I supported the decision, which angered all the innocent players, to prevent the culprits from being dropped from the squad: they were two first-team regulars and the team would have been weakened by their absence."

"Inter wanted me; I even went to Pellegrini’s house. Tanzi turned them down and offered me a six-year contract, giving me an advance to buy a house in Parma. Some time later, I learnt that Juventus had also shown an interest in me, but they’d only spoken to the club."

"Only I and the third-choice goalkeeper, Bucci, didn’t take to the pitch; Apolloni had overtaken me in the pecking order, but it remains the most wonderful experience. It was something I’d dreamed of as a child when, after matches with my neighbourhood friends, I’d hold up bits of wood pretending they were the World Cup itself. After the final, I walked past that trophy and couldn’t resist the temptation to give it a stroke. I have so many memories. Towards the end of Italy v Spain, I realised there was no water left. It was terribly hot, extra time was looming, so I ran to the changing rooms and filled a bin bag with bottles and energy drinks. As I made my way back to the pitch, I heard a roar: I didn’t have the nerve to look. On the big screen, I saw Baggio and Signori hugging each other after Robi’s 2-1 goal. I went wild with joy and was knocked over by Galeazzi, who was ready for the interviews. After the match, Luis Enrique burst onto our coach to get his own back on Tassotti: quite a commotion, but nothing serious.”

"My first year in Serie A. I asked him for his shirt in the first leg, after what had been our first league win. He told me he’d give it to me in the return leg. At the San Paolo, I reminded him and he reassured me: ‘I’ll give it to you in the changing room.’ But the tunnel there is very long, and I was afraid I’d missed my chance. Instead, when I arrived outside the changing rooms, Diego was waiting for me with his shirt. That day, Napoli won 4-2; I scored from a free-kick and he scored a brace from the penalty spot: they were the last goals Maradona scored at the San Paolo in Serie A."