Editing Roberto Baggio (section)

=== 1998–2000: Inter Milan ===
[[File:Boots of Roberto Baggio.jpg|thumb|upright|Baggio's [[Diadora]] [[Football boots|boots]] in the [[San Siro]] museum, home of Inter and AC Milan]]
After the 1998 World Cup, Baggio signed with his favourite childhood club Inter Milan in order to compete in the [[1998–99 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]].<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/> He made his club debut on 12 August 1998, in the first leg of the [[1998–99 UEFA Champions League#Second qualifying round|second round of the qualifying stages of the latter competition]], scoring a goal and providing three assists in a 4–0 win over [[Skonto FC]] in [[Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani|Pisa]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,25/articleid,0558_01_1998_0221_0025_7466721/ |title=Baggio ha l'Inter in pugno |work=La Stampa |page=25 |language=it |last1=Badolato |first1=Franco |date=13 August 1998 |access-date=29 February 2024 }}</ref> After injuries, disappointing results, and several managerial changes throughout the season, including [[Luigi Simoni]], [[Mircea Lucescu]], and [[Roy Hodgson]], Baggio struggled to gain playing time,<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/><ref name="Le sfide nel segno di Baggio"/><ref name=eroi>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttojuve.com/gli-eroi-bianconeri/gli-eroi-in-bianconero-roberto-baggio-41807|title=Gli eroi in bianconero: Roberto BAGGIO|publisher=Tutto Juve|author1=Stefano Bedeschi|language=it|date=18 February 2014|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-date=9 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409061345/http://www.tuttojuve.com/gli-eroi-bianconeri/gli-eroi-in-bianconero-roberto-baggio-41807|url-status=live}}</ref> and was used out of position as a winger, often as a substitute.<ref name=InterVenezia>{{cite news|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1999/gennaio/11/Inter_una_miniera_piena_gol_co_0_990111434.shtml|title=Inter, una miniera piena di gol|work=Il Corriere della Sera|language=it|author1=Fabio Monti|author2=Giancarla Ghisi|date=11 January 1999|access-date=11 March 2014|archive-date=7 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407071457/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1999/gennaio/11/Inter_una_miniera_piena_gol_co_0_990111434.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Baggio scored five league goals and provided 10 assists in 23 appearances during the [[1998–99 Serie A|1998–99 season]], as Inter finished in eighth place, missing out on a European spot.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/rubriche/la-storia/2010/11/09/news/le_confessioni_di_zanetti_la_coppa_uefa_il_momento_pi_bello-8939632/?refresh_ce|title=Le confessioni di Capitan Zanetti "Dal caos alle vittorie con l'Inter"|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|author1=Giovanni Marino|date=9 November 2010|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508221230/http://www.repubblica.it/rubriche/la-storia/2010/11/09/news/le_confessioni_di_zanetti_la_coppa_uefa_il_momento_pi_bello-8939632/?refresh_ce|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="In celebration of Roberto Baggio">{{cite web |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/07/27/in-celebration-of-roberto-baggio/ |title=In celebration of Roberto Baggio: the divine ponytail |publisher=thesefootballtimes.co |last1=Kristjánsson |first1=Tryggvi |date=27 July 2015 |access-date=16 May 2020 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806194145/https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/07/27/in-celebration-of-roberto-baggio/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He helped Inter to a [[1998–99 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]] semi-final, losing out to eventual winners Parma.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199903/09/36e5859404e9f/|title=Parma in finale|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|author1=Alessandro Forti|date=9 March 1999|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427140518/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199903/09/36e5859404e9f/|archive-date=27 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baggio scored a goal against his former club Bologna in a European play-off match, but Inter lost both matches, failing to qualify for the UEFA Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199905/27/374d9bf0035df/|title=Spareggio UEFA 1998-99: Inter-Bologna 1-2|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|access-date=29 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722072352/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199905/27/374d9bf0035df/|archive-date=22 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baggio also scored four goals in the Champions League, helping lead Inter through the qualifying rounds to the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Manchester United,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuttochampions.it/campioni-senza-coppe/baggio-due-maglie-una-citta-zero-champions-5354|title=Baggio: due maglie, una città, zero Champions|publisher=TuttoChampions.it|language=it|author1=Gaetano Mocciaro|date=18 March 2011|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508111024/http://www.tuttochampions.it/campioni-senza-coppe/baggio-due-maglie-una-citta-zero-champions-5354|url-status=live}}</ref> also scoring a memorable brace against [[1998 UEFA Champions League Final|defending champions]] Real Madrid in the group stage.<ref name="altervista"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199811/25/365c7eb90415c/|title=Inter-Real Madrid 3-1|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|access-date=19 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629131520/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/199811/25/365c7eb90415c/|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[1999–2000 Serie A|1999–2000 season]], Marcello Lippi, Baggio's former manager at Juventus, was appointed as Inter's new coach. Lippi did not favour Baggio and left him out of the squad for most of the season, stating Baggio was out of shape. In his autobiography, Baggio stated Lippi had dumped him after Baggio refused to point out which of Inter's players had expressed negative opinions about the coach, also highlighting an incident during a training session where he called out [[Christian Vieri]] and [[Christian Panucci]] for applauding Baggio for a notable assist.<ref name="Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio"/><ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/><ref name="Le sfide nel segno di Baggio"/><ref name="altervista"/><ref name="Roberto Baggio"/><ref name=eroi/>

Baggio was used scarcely and often as a substitute, scoring 4 goals in 18 appearances during the regular Serie A season. He made five appearances in the [[1999–2000 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]], with his only goal coming against [[Derby della Madonnina|local rivals]] A.C. Milan in the second leg of the quarter-finals, as he helped Inter reach the [[2000 Coppa Italia Final|final]],<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/sport/ita/derby/derby.html|title=Baggio regala all'Inter la semifinale di Coppa Italia|trans-title=Baggio earns Inter a place in the Coppa Italia semi-final|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|date=27 January 2000|access-date=28 April 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073007/http://www.repubblica.it/online/sport/ita/derby/derby.html|url-status=live}}</ref> only to be defeated by Lazio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/200005/18/39244d01019db/|title=Anche la Coppa Italia|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|author1=Dario Di Gennaro|date=18 May 2000|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427112804/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/rubriche/coppe978/200005/18/39244d01019db/|archive-date=27 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite his limited playing time, Baggio still managed several important goals to help Inter to a fourth-place finish, alongside Parma, such as his match winning goal against [[Hellas Verona F.C.|Hellas Verona]], which he scored after coming off the bench, after being excluded from the team since 18 December 1999. Baggio had also previously helped to set up Inter's equaliser during the match. This was the first time Baggio had scored for Inter since his goal on 27 May of the previous season, and in the post-match the interview, he denied accusations made by Lippi in regard to his personal form.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2000/gennaio/24/BAGGIO_gol_contro_tutti_co_0_000124472.shtml|title=BAGGIO Un gol contro tutti|trans-title=Baggio A goal against everyone|publisher=Il Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=24 January 2000|access-date=2 May 2014|archive-date=22 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222074735/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2000/gennaio/24/BAGGIO_gol_contro_tutti_co_0_000124472.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

Baggio's last important contribution to Inter was scoring two memorable goals against Parma in the play-off match for the last remaining Champions League place, which Inter won 3–1;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/200005/23/392ad14d06645/|title=Baggio porta l'Inter tra i Campioni|website=rai.it|publisher=Rai Sport|language=it|date=23 May 2000|access-date=30 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131201024554/http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/200005/23/392ad14d06645/|archive-date=1 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lippi had been forced to field Baggio due to several injuries. Baggio was given a perfect 10 rating from the Italian sports newspaper ''[[La Gazzetta dello Sport]]'', which described his performance as "absolutely perfect all game".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasista10.co.uk/totti-tops-40-years-of-gazzetta-ratings-but-baggio-is-perfect-10/|title=Totti tops 40 years of Gazzetta ratings but Baggio is perfect 10|publisher=fantasista10.co.uk|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-date=27 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527214155/http://www.fantasista10.co.uk/totti-tops-40-years-of-gazzetta-ratings-but-baggio-is-perfect-10/|url-status=dead}}</ref> This match is considered an example of professionalism shown by Baggio, as Inter president [[Massimo Moratti]] had stated Lippi would only stay on if the team qualified for the Champions League.<ref name="Le sfide nel segno di Baggio"/><ref name="Roberto Baggio" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/sport/spareggio/qualificata/qualificata.html|title=Grande Baggio, l'Inter è in Champions League|newspaper=La Repubblica|language=it|date=23 May 2000|access-date=20 April 2016|archive-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508215414/http://www.repubblica.it/online/sport/spareggio/qualificata/qualificata.html|url-status=live}}</ref>