Buffoli, 41, is a lifelong supporter of the Nerazzurri with a catalogued collection of over 1,500 objects. It is an eclectic mix of anything associated with the black and blue half of his city, and he unearthed the vast majority of these treasures at the small markets in and around Milan. “I actively seek unusual, quirky things – the rarer or more bizarre, the better,” he explains. Examples include candles of Adriano, a 7” singles record box, ashtrays from the 1960s and a cloth doll of an inquisitive-looking Sandro Mazzola with sausage-esque legs. 

Mattia, a photographer and Inter season-ticket holder, started going to flea markets with his grandparents and parents when he was a child. Back then, he was thrilled if he snapped up a comic or two. Now, decades later, it’s a one-man mission. “I go alone, because I get really into it while I’m there,” he says. “I don’t want distractions; if I am talking with someone else, I might walk past a couple of interesting stalls and I might miss something. I go into my own world and need to focus. I take it seriously.”

Many of Mattia’s regular haunts are in industrial estates or empty car parks outside Milan. But not all are far from the Lombardy capital. The stalls which spring up on Saturdays along the Naviglio Grande (Grand Canal) within the city are worth a perusal. Occasionally, he’ll venture as far as Bologna, which has interesting offerings, and he tells Champions Journal that there is great booty to be found in the markets of the Naples region. “When I find something genuinely rare in a market, it’s a great feeling, because most of the time you don’t happen upon incredible stuff. Normally it’s basic things, from people who have emptied out a house, storeroom or attic. I once found a hand-painted scudetto (shield) from Inter’s 1964/65 title celebrations among a load of tools, including hammers and screws. That was a big moment.”

Mattia has made friends with others who spend their weekend mornings combing through boxes and stomping around tables full of bric-a-brac. This community provides a useful place to ask for opinions on anything you might dig out. So, does he have tips of his own for aspiring bargain-hunters? “Go with an idea of what you are looking for – it saves time. And don’t be afraid to barter. I wasn’t comfortable doing it initially but now I am. They expect a bit of back and forth. However, if you want something, and you think it already has a fair price, don’t try and knock them down; there’s no point. It’s about forming relationships with stall-holders. Who knows, they might have something you will be interested in one day.” 

And a few final words of wisdom? “Do it for passion, not because you want to get rich.” You heard the maestro – that weekend lie-in is overrated, so what are you waiting for?