Hodgson managed to get his Inter team, containing Javier Zanetti, Youri Djorkaeff and Ince, through to the 1997 UEFA Cup Final, where they played Schalke 04. Given that Inter had a recent history of winning UEFA Cup finals, with victories in both 1991 and 1994, the Italian side started as favourites. It was the last UEFA Cup final to be played over two legs, with each club winning their home leg 1–0. When the German underdogs won the final in Milan on penalties, Inter fans pelted Hodgson with coins and lighters. The final was his last match in charge and he subsequently left to become the manager of Blackburn Rovers. In the same 2009 interview, Hodgson recalled how club president Massimo Moratti tried to talk him out of leaving: "I could have stayed. They offered me a new contract, but I had a feeling that they wanted a change. So I allowed my contract at Inter to run out. Even after I agreed to join Blackburn, Moratti did say to me: 'I don't know why you didn't stay here, but if that's what you want to do I won't stand in your way.'"