Internazionale Main Thread II

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Scoppia il caso Balotelli. Raiola: "Mario è deluso, stava benissimo..."
15.03.2010 16:00 di Fabrizio Romano articolo letto 1013 volte
Fonte: Gazzetta.it

Adesso è ufficialmente scoppiato il caso-Balotelli. Dopo l'esclusione dalla lista dei convocati ormai praticamente certa, con la notizia diffusa nella tarda mattinata, si era già detto che non era per problemi fisici. Ma qual'è il problema? Rottura con Mourinho ha annunciato qualcuno, e intanto il procuratore Raiola diceva che presto avrebbe sentito il ragazzo. Ora, Raiola ha sentito SuperMario, che è molto deluso e, udite udite, sta benissimo: "Ho parlato con Mario Balotelli", ha dichiarato l'agente tra gli altri anche di Ibra e Maxwell, "è amareggiato, triste e deluso per non poter giocare una partita così importante, ma rispetterà la decisione di Josè Mourinho, per la quale non gli è stata data alcuna spiegazione. Non c'è stato alcuno screzio oggi con l'allenatore - ha riferito Raiola - e Mario non ha un problema fisico che gli impedisca di giocare. È andato ad Appiano ad allenarsi e poi gli è stato comunicato che non era tra i convocati. Sarebbe molto facile per me dare fuoco a tutto, ma credo che invece si debbano cambiare i toni: nell'interesse del giocatore dobbiamo lavorare per recuperare il rapporto con Mourinho. Mario deve assolutamente rispettare la scelta del tecnico, anche se non è d'accordo", ha poi concluso.

Nonostante Raiola tenti la frenata, il caso è a questo punto apertissimo: perchè non è stato convocato Mario? Chissà che Mourinho non riveli qualcosa nella conferenza stampa...

[RomaShield27]

Balotelli must have had another row, or else is still having one, with Mourinho. I don't know if I'd be quick to lay all the blame on Mourinho, Lomba, since we all know Balotelli is no angel.

[Messinterista]

Mou snubs Balo, attacks Milan

Jose Mourinho is not bothered about Mario Balotelli as he prepares to return to Stamford Bridge to face his former club Chelsea.

In the Press conference held in London, the Portuguese proved to be very confident ahead of tomorrow night's Champions League clash.

“I am good at controlling my feelings,â€

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Messinterista]

[Messinterista]

Mourinho sure Inter can make his day

Emotions will run high when José Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday but he is confident his FC Internazionale Milano team have the winning mentality to oust Chelsea FC.

José Mourinho will be the centre of attention when FC Internazionale Milano visit his former club Chelsea FC in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie. The coach, though, hopes his players steal the limelight as they seek to press home a 2-1 advantage and reach the quarter-finals for the first time in four years.

"The good thing is that I don't have far to walk," he told UEFA.com as he looked forward to Tuesday's encounter. "From the dressing room to the bench is five metres – I don't have to cross the stadium, I don't have to feel the emotions and reactions from the crowd. I will just sit there and play my game.

"The players play on the pitch, I play outside," he continued. "They are much more important than me, because on the pitch you win matches, not on the bench. But I will be there with my heart fully on either side. That's what a professional does. I don't hide that Chelsea are a very important part of my life."

Mourinho can nonetheless be confident of getting the required result in west London. As Chelsea manager, he went 60 league games unbeaten at Stamford Bridge and won back-to-back Premiershit titles. He also claimed the Scudetto in his first year in Milan last season, although the Nerazzurri fell short in the UEFA Champions League – losing to Manchester United FC at this stage. Mourinho, a European champion with FC Porto in 2004, believes Inter are now better placed to advance, because "year after year, the tendency is to improve".

"If the coach does well and the club supports [him], and this is the case; we always modify to improve," the 47-year-old explained. "We bought a few players, the type of player we did not have last year – a purely creative attacking midfielder in Wesley Snijder. We have more solutions in attack with [Diego] Milito, [Samuel] Eto'o and [Goran] Pandev.

"Of course we lost Zlatan Ibrahimović, but with these three players we have more solutions and more options. Also, Lucio is the type of central defender we didn't have – tall, strong in the air. I think we are more adapted to the needs of the modern game."

Lucio was outstanding in the 2-1 defeat of Chelsea on 24 February, keeping a close watch on Didier Drogba, while Sneijder, a close-season capture from Real Madrid CF, also caught the eye. "He is an Ajax player, and normally Ajax players – with the coaching they have since they are kids – are technically superb," Mourinho said.

"The left and right foot are exactly the same, the way they think about football is very smart, and they have their eyes open to read the game. It is the consequence of the youth work in that beautiful culture that is Ajax. [At Inter] now there is a structure that can give Sneijder the freedom to play as he likes. Sometimes I think he is a striker because he has so much freedom to play. Here he has found the environment to express his potential."

Inter's improvement is not just down to recruitment. According to Mourinho, they are also mentally stronger. January's derby victory against AC Milan was one example – achieved despite finishing the game with nine men. The 4-3 win against AC Siena was another marker, resulting from a stoppage-time goal by a centre-back, Walter Samuel, playing as a centre-forward. Even the goalless draw with UC Sampdoria on 20 February, when Inter played with nine men for more than an hour, showed an ability to a grind out results.

"The Siena match is a good example of what we are," Mourinho said. "We were losing and scored the equaliser for 3-3 in the 91st minute. A normal team, normal players and coaches, would have said: 'Okay, we did it, we have a point, we did not lose, it's done.' But I was shouting to the players: 'Three minutes to go, three more minutes.' You can win or you can lose. We won.

"Samuel was asking me, 'Do I go back?' My reply was, 'No, don't go back – stay up for three more minutes and see what happens.' It was my decision, but a coach can only be arrogant, can only have this winning mentality, if he knows the players' response is good." The Portuguese recognises, however, that not even a winning mentality will guarantee UEFA Champions League glory.

"It's really about details – lucky or unlucky in the draw, if the ball that hits the post goes in or out, the player that is suspended and cannot play a crucial game, the timing of injuries whereby a team goes into a game missing two or three key players, a refereeing decision that can go for or against you. Of course, only a very good team can win the Champions League, but I can find seven, eight, nine teams who can win the competition. It's so hard to predict."

Source: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague ... 59296.html

[Lombardiamia]

Some Chelsea statistics in the past 5-6 editions of the CL -

21 wins - 11 draws - 4 losses
58 scored - 20 conceded

After group stages :

Away from home -

8 wins - 6 draws - 4 losses
26 scored - 16 conceded

Home -

13 wins - 5 draws - 0 losses
32 scored - 5 conceded

In case anyone here has some high hopes...

[Dejan-Stankovic]

32 goals scored and 5 conceded? No hope..

The most important thing will be to not concede in the first 15 mins if we're to have a chance. If Chelsea get into the groove they'll easily put 4 past us so at every opportunity we should be looking to change the game tempo, foul (not the Muntari type) and not let them settle. This game is basically our final so it doesn't matter to me who gets suspended or sent off because a win in the tie would be invaluable for us. It looks like tender Alex will be playing instead of Carvalho and he's not exactly as quick so the only thing that gives me hope in this game is seeing what Tevez and Bellamy did to them a few weeks back; give the ball to Sneijder and let Milito and Eto'o do their thing going forward.

Speaking of Eto'o, this game will be massive for him. He hasn't exactly lit the season up so far but a goal to take us through will be the reason we got him.

Anyway, good luck fellas and forza fuckin Interrrrr!

Edit: MI, Melb Syd final this week!

[Lombardiamia]

[Totally FRANK]

Mou and Balo to divorce in June?
Tuesday 16 March, 2010
There are reports that either Jose Mourinho or Mario Balotelli will leave Inter at the end of the season.

Balotelli was left out of Inter's squad to face Chelsea this evening after another argument on the training ground with Mourinho.

The pair have been at war of late and it has now become increasingly apparent that their relationship is at its lowest ebb.

Il Corriere dello Sport understands that Inter are working together with Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola, to reconcile Mourinho and Balotelli in the short-term, especially given that the Nerazzurri are still in the hunt for three major honours.

However, at the end of the season, the situation could go down two paths.

Balotelli might be sold but only to a club from outside of Italy.

Arsenal and Manchester City have apparently recorded their interest in the past.

Raiola had a meeting at Inter's offices yesterday, but denied speaking about his client's future.

The second eventuality might see Mourinho leave Inter at the end of the season and Balotelli remain the fixture upon which hang Massimo Moratti's hopes for the future.

[Totally FRANK]

[juventino_italiano]

I know why Balotelli isn't starting...
Mourinho knows that starting no italians will confuse UEFA into thinking that Inter are not an Italian side, in which case there will be reduction of dubious referee calls against Inter.
Smart way to play it Mou..

In all seriousness, good luck...and for today Forza Inter

[Totally FRANK]

Probable line ups:

CHELSEA (4-3-1-2): Turnbull, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Zhirkov, Obi Mikel, Ballack, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.
In panchina: Cech, Ferreira, Deco, Sturridge, Joe Cole, Kalou.

INTER (4-3-1-2): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Cordoba, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Sneijder, Eto'o, Milito.
In panchina: Toldo, Santon, Materazzi, Mariga, Motta, Pandev.

[RomaShield27]