Meet the Wimbledon reject on £180k-a-year who is Inter’s back-up keeper and has been sent off twice without playing
INTER Milan back-up goalkeeper Tommaso Berni is quite the character. The 37-year-old veteran, who has played understudy for the majority of his career at clubs including Lazio, Sampdoria and Torino, boasts an incredible record with the Serie A giants. And we’re not talking about keeping clean sheets or going a staggering amount of minutes without […]
INTER Milan back-up goalkeeper Tommaso Berni is quite the character.
The 37-year-old veteran, who has played understudy for the majority of his career at clubs including Lazio, Sampdoria and Torino, boasts an incredible record with the Serie A giants.
And we’re not talking about keeping clean sheets or going a staggering amount of minutes without letting in a goal.
No, this is far more impressive.
Since arriving at the Nerazzurri in 2014 from Turin, he’s actually yet to feature for the club. But somehow, he’s managed to get sent off twice!
Better still, he used to train at Wimbledon from 2001-2003, and is on a paltry – for a footballer at least – £180,000 per-year.
SEEING RED
On Sunday, Berni was on the bench as Inter took on Parma in Serie A.
With his team trailing 1-0 and frustration reaching boiling point, the incensed goalie made his feelings known to the officials over some of the decisions he felt were going against his team.
The referee wasn’t impressed, and Berni was shown a red card in the 68th minute.
Amusingly, it seemed to spark his team into a miraculous comeback – with Inter securing a 2-1 win with their goals coming in the last six minutes.
Astonishingly, that was the second time Berni was sent off for the club – with both dismissals coming in 2020.
Last January, he sarcastically applauded the ref for sending off Lautaro Martinez in a game against Cagliari and was also given his marching orders.
Berni has been sent off more times than he has played for the club.
SOUTH LONDON BEGINNINGS
After spells at youth level with Fiorentina and Inter Milan, Berni moved to England in 2001.
At 18, he joined Wimbledon, the original ‘Dons’, who were then languishing in the First Division – now known as the Championship.
But he played second fiddle to Kelvin Davis between the sticks, and never got a game for the first team.
In 2003, he was released and joined Ternana in Serie B.
He had his best spell with the club from Umbria, playing 87 times in three seasons, before joining Lazio.
AN HONEST WAGE
Unlike many of his glamorous team-mates, Berni is on a paltry wage.
It has been reported that the reserve keeper earns in the region of £180,000-per-year, or £3,500 a week.
When you compare that to the reported salaries of Romelu Lukaku (£275k-per-week) and Christian Eriksen (£170k-per-week), it makes Berni seem like a poor relation.
But that hasn’t stopped him from enjoying life off the pitch.
EARTH MOTHER
Not his own mum, but his beautiful Wag Luna Dakota Riot.
A self confessed hippy, she calls herself ‘Daughter of the Moon’ on her Instagram page, which is set to private.
The pair are very spiritual, and got married in Kenya at the beginning of 2019, with an African tribe as witness.
And Berni and Luna aren’t afraid to let it all hangout.
#mothernature #staynakedMost read in Football
Last year, the 6ft 1in shot-stopper shared an image of the pair completely naked on his Instagram.
“Stay free, stay wild, connect with yourself. Mother nature is our home,” he captioned the picture.
It seems he’s certainly got the wild part right, given his Inter record.