Internazionale Main Thread III

[RomaShield27]

– Monday 28 February, 2011

Diego Milito has conceded that he doesn’t know whether he’ll be fit in time for Inter’s Champions League tie at Bayern Munich. Milito is currently sidelined with an injury and he was missed in last week’s 1-0 home loss to Bayern.

There were hopes that the Argentine, who scored a brace in last season’s Final against the Germans, would be fit in time for the Munich return on March 15. However, Milito is not setting himself any deadlines – his only priority is to return to action when fully fit.

“I don’t know if I’ll be there or not against Bayern,” noted the former Genoa hitman. “I’m just concentrating on getting fit again and contributing to the Inter cause. I have a great deal of desire to get back into action, but the idea is to get fully fit so I can last until the end of the season.”

It has been a topsy-turvy campaign for the Nerazzurri, but Milito has hopes of another treble following last season’s historic campaign. “Scudetto, Champions League and Coppa Italia, at the moment they are all possible for us and they are objectives that a club like Inter target,” he concluded.

[Messinterista]

Moratti: 'Now title race gets interesting'

Inter President Massimo Moratti is celebrating his side’s ascent to second place. “Now it’s starting to get really interesting.”
The Nerazzurri seemed to be out of the title race before Christmas, but the return of Leonardo to the bench has seen them close to within five points of leaders Milan and, thanks to last night’s result, ahead of Napoli.

“I don’t think the Milan derby will be decisive, but this is all very amusing. Now it’s starting to get really interesting,” grinned the patron.

“Walter Mazzarri’s men are not out of the running. They were poor last night, but that doesn’t spoil the fact they remain a strong side and have always done well up until now.”

Milan are flying high from that 3-0 victory and their next match on Saturday is against a Juventus in crisis. So will Moratti be cheering on the Bianconeri?

“I haven’t thought about it yet... I think Juve will be eager to make up for the recent poor form.

“The Scudetto race will go to the wire if Inter and Napoli manage to take a few points off the gap. I am extremely proud of my players and hope to be even more so at the end of the season.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/mar01p.html

[Messinterista]

Maicon agent 'waiting' on Real Madrid

Douglas Maicon’s agent has left the door open for a move to Real Madrid. “It is opportune to wait a month” before commenting.

The Inter right-back had already pushed hard to be reunited with Jose Mourinho in Madrid last summer, but the clubs could not reach an agreement.

“At the moment there has been no contact with Real Madrid,” agent Antonio Caliendo told Spanish site Fichajes.com.

“In any case, it is opportune to wait a month to understand how the summer transfer market is shaping up.”

The 29-year-old has had a largely disappointing campaign, but Inter still have a €25m price-tag on the Brazil international.

Source: http://football-italia.net/mar02x.html

[Messinterista]

Official: Castaignos signs for Inter

Feyenoord have now made it official that Inter have signed Luc Castaignos. “I am very proud to join one of the strongest sides in the world.”

The teenage striker had already undergone a medical on Monday and reportedly put pen to paper, but the Dutch club confirmed the transfer this afternoon.

“My visit to Milan was a great experience,” said Castaignos. “I immediately understood how Italian football works and received a warm welcome even before the medical. Straight afterwards, I signed the contract with the Nerazzurri.

“I am very proud to join one of the strongest sides in the world. I haven’t yet spoken to Leonardo, but there is time for that.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/mar04o.html

[Messinterista]

Split personality Serpenti

Scott Fleming outlines Internazionale’s merging of two very different footballing styles - half Leonardo, half Jose Mourino.

If Inter were a comic book villain, they’d be Two Face. Half Leonardo’s smile, half Jose Mourinho’s scowl. That’s what makes Inter 2011.

‘And now for something completely different,’ seemed to be Leonardo’s motto when he sat on the Nerazzurri bench for the first time in January. His Serpenti were unlike anything else seen in Milan for some time, on the blue and black side at least. They were open, engaging, ambitious, sophisticated, in short – they brought their Coach’s personality on to the pitch.

Leo won his first five games in charge but it was the manner of victory that was striking, the style and the guile of the performances, qualities Inter’s squad had always possessed but were allowed to show off only rarely under Messrs Mourinho and Rafa Benitez.

There was a new ethos at work, one perfectly embodied by Cristian Chivu’s goal against Cesena. They say the perfect goal is one full-back converting the other’s cross, and that’s what happened in January when Chivu, hardly the most adventurous of left-backs, met Maicon’s centre with a thumping header.

Inter were transformed, from Serie A’s most efficient team to its most entertaining. Until recently. The Nerazzurri have netted only five goals in their last five games, compared to 15 in the first five they played under Leonardo. Not that they’re in crisis.

A second consecutive treble, whilst hugely unlikely, remains within the realms of possibility. But they’ve been asked some awkward questions of late, and when pressurised, they’ve reverted to type. Last Sunday’s win at Sampdoria, and the previous weekend’s defeat of Cagliari, were far from pretty, ground-out wins reminiscent of Mourinho’s reign or even that of Roberto Mancini.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, or a surprise given Leo and Mou’s apparent fondness for each other, despite their spells in opposing dugouts last season.

“Leonardo is great, last season he proved that he is a Coach of real potential,” said Mourinho when the Brazilian was appointed.

“I speak to Mourinho, we are friends,” Leo revealed soon after. “He has always been close to me, and he has helped me early on.”

Under Leonardo last term Milan knew how to showboat and score goals, but they lacked the resilience and winning mentality of Mourinho’s Inter. One year down the line, Leo has the best of both worlds.

Source: http://football-italia.net/blogs/sf102.html

[zafferano]

why i keep having problems logging in ?

[Messinterista]

Does it keep asking you to enter a few letters for verification? If so, I have been getting those from time to time. It's as if someone was trying to login with my account but couldn't get the password right. I have pm'd shield.

[Messinterista]

Serie A Week 28 - 6/3/11 (14.00 UK)
Inter 5 - 2 Genoa
Palacio 40 (G), Pazzini 49 (I), Eto'o 50, 56 (I), Pandev 70 (I), Nagatomo 84 (I), Boselli 90 (G)
Stadio Meazza

Inter were losing at half-time, but transformed after the break to thump five past Genoa.

The Nerazzurri climbed into second place last week, but with Milan winning at Juventus last night, knew they had to get a victory to keep the gap at five points. Douglas Maicon returned from suspension, but Esteban Cambiasso, Diego Milito and Walter Samuel were still out.

Genoa were decimated by the Disciplinary Commission following their ill-tempered defeat at Catania, as Miguel Veloso, Antonio Floro Flores, Domenico Criscito and Coach Davide Ballardini were banished to the stands. Ex-Inter youth academy striker Mattia Destro was injured, so Alberto Paloschi started. There was a special guest in the stands - Mario Balotelli of Manchester City.

Genoa have only registered two wins away to Inter since WWII, in 1955 and 1994. Their total record here in Serie A was of four victories, nine draws and a whopping 31 defeats, although last term they did play out a goalless scoreline.

Samuel Eto'o waltzed the ball into an empty net after nine minutes, but had already been flagged offside. Genoa went extremely close to taking the lead soon after, but Paloschi and Rafinha had a series of shots charged down in the box.

Eto'o did very well to get away from two defenders, but the pull back across the face of goal was just past a sluggish Giampaolo Pazzini. If the former Samp striker had been quicker, he'd have tapped into an open goal.

Genoa horribly wasted a great chance to take the lead on 37 minutes, as Abdoullay Konko's wayward angled drive turned into an assist for Paloschi at the back post, but the unmarked striker only hit the side-netting as he came sliding in.

It was only a warning, as moments later the visitors took a shock lead. It was a classic counter attack concluded by Rodrigo Palacio's fierce angled drive into the far bottom corner after breaking away from ex-Genoa defender Andrea Ranocchia down the right.

Goran Pandev was thrown on for Dejan Stankovic and within 160 seconds Eduardo got down to push Wesley Sneijder's free kick round the near post.

Pazzini got the equaliser as Douglas Maicon rolled across from the right for him to fire into the roof of the net from six yards, getting in front of his marker. It was a curious goal for the former Sampdoria striker, who had failed to net in all the Genoa derbies.

Within 60 seconds, the Nerazzurri had turned it around completely! It was another Eduardo howler this season, as he used his legs to parry a seemingly harmless Pandev snapshot, allowing Eto'o to tap into an empty net.

Genoa collapsed and Eto'o completed his brace, robbing a very distracted Giandomenico Mesto on the edge of the box to dribble between two defenders and beat Eduardo at the near post.

A corner came to Paloschi at the back post for Cristian Chivu to charge down and as the move continued Julio Cesar beat away Mesto's cross-shot.

It was like a different team, as Pandev made it 4-0. Sneijder sprung the offside trap from an Eto'o through ball and generously rolled across for the unmarked Pandev to sweep home from nine yards.

Boselli made his Serie A debut and skimmed the woodwork, but it was Yuto Nagatomo who got a fifth for Inter. It was his first goal in Italian football and the full-back had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when he gathered from Houssine Kharja to turn Marco Rossi and blast under the bar from 10 yards.

It still wasn't over at San Siro, as Boselli scored on his Serie A debut with a diving header at the back post from Palacio's cross.

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Ranocchia (Nagatomo 75), Chivu; Zanetti, Thiago Motta, Stankovic (Pandev 46); Sneijder; Pazzini (Kharja 74), Eto'o

Genoa: Eduardo; Mesto, Dainelli, Kaladze (Chico 83), Moretti; Rossi, Konko (Antonelli 74), Kucka, Rafinha; Palacio, Paloschi (Boselli 74)

Ref: Russo

Source: http://football-italia.net/sa1011/int-gen.html

[RomaShield27]

[Messinterista]

The thing is shield, I am getting this as well and I know I am not entering the wrong username/password, this makes me suspicious. Either someone on here is trying to access my account or it could be a new wave of spammers/bots?

[Lombardiamia]

I haven't had any problems. I suppose it's because I never logout..?

[Totally FRANK]

Our youth team has won the Viareggio tournament. A good sign for our investment in youth. I read that Alibec, Dell'Agnello and Bendetti have been very good throughout the tournament.

[Messinterista]

It happens from time-to-time, not necessarily every time i try and login. In saying that, is this the problem Briz is having?

[Messinterista]

to add to what Frank posted earlier;
------------------------------------------------
Inter win Coppa Viareggio

Inter have won the prestigious Viareggio youth tournament by beating Fiorentina 2-0 in today’s Final.

Striker Simone Dell’Agnello was the hero as he struck in the fourth minute before adding a second from the penalty spot in minute 70.

Dell’Agnello’s double also ensured that he ended the competition as the tournament’s top scorer, along with Varese’s De Luca.

Today’s victory was the Nerazzurri’s sixth Viareggio triumph in their history.

Juventus had won the last two editions.

Source: http://football-italia.net/mar07v.html

[Messinterista]

Leonardo: 'No magic words needed'

Leonardo has beaten Fabio Capello’s record and insists there was “no magic words” to transform Inter at half-time.
The Nerazzurri were losing 1-0 at home to Genoa at the break before coming out for a 5-2 victory.

“We were slow in the first half and these things can happen, but there were no magic words at half-time to get them going again,” smiled the Brazilian.

“The fact we score so many second half goals is a great sign for our physical as well as psychological condition. We work as a team unit and have the same ambitions, to fight together for something important.

“This squad is ready and goes beyond all limits. We are coming up to the decisive moment of the match and we’re right in the battle.

“Last night Milan’s win shows they are a solid outfit and deserve to be top of the table. It’s an open season and the derby will be spectacular, but there are plenty of other games to go as well.”

Leonardo has transformed Inter since replacing Rafa Benitez over the Christmas break and has broken Capello’s 2004-05 record by notching up 33 points in his first 13 Serie A games. Nobody has done better since three points were introduced for a win.

“Never compare me to Capello!” smiled his former player. “That is not right, as he is my master. Capello brought me to Italy and is an important reference point, as he helped me a great deal.

“It’s a nice record to have, but let’s not go overboard. Capello is on another level.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/mar06l.html

[Lombardiamia]

[juventino_italiano]

Congrats on winning Viareggio....

Your italian youth looks good for the future...
Let's hope they continue to develop well, Italy's future looks bright right now

[RomaShield27]

[Messinterista]

sounds like someone is in denial if you ask me...

[maro]

I hope edge isn't in denial.