Are they children starting fires in the streets? Classy bunch, you lot.
Internazionale Main Thread III
Moderator: Messinterista
by Dejan-Stankovic » Mon May 17, 2010 7:20 am
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by Dejan-Stankovic » Mon May 17, 2010 8:26 am
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Dejan-Stankovic - Posts: 2483
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by RomaShield27 » Mon May 17, 2010 10:05 am
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by RomaShield27 » Mon May 17, 2010 10:39 am
Are they children starting fires in the streets? Classy bunch, you lot.
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by Dejan-Stankovic » Mon May 17, 2010 10:43 am
Any chance to stick it up that piece of shit Totti is welcome. There should have been another for Sensi as well but fair play, she's not even worthy of one the ugly cunt.
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by RomaShield27 » Mon May 17, 2010 11:37 am
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by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 11:48 am
Mourinho left misty-eyed at impending farewell
Monday 17 May 2010 11:34
The day of destiny for Serie A could have ended in tears - and in fact it did but not from the expected source.
As AS Roma accepted their fate with a rare show of stoicism, it was a strange sight indeed to see Jose Mourinho welling up with emotion as the feat of taking Inter to the league and Cup double was itched into his heavily-stubbled face.
A cynic may say they were crocodile tears or the tears of the showman milking his last current call, but the emotion did seem genuine enough from a man who likes nothing better than a sense of theatre.
There had been drama for nearly an hour as AS Roma held the advantage with their two goals at Chievo but then as on so many occasions this season Diego Milito popped up to burst the Roman bubble and set the bubbly on ice in Siena.
With history made on the domestic front there is nothing to keep the Portuguese on these shores anymore even if he fails to land the Treble in Madrid.
There is no hope of even Massimo Moratti with all his deep pockets retaining the services of his star attraction even if the man in question was happy with life in Italy – which he isn’t.
After all, Mourinho has stated many times that he wants to win the title in England, Italy and Spain.
He will soon be setting up home in the Spanish capital and let us hope he is a bit more respectful of his surrounding there than he has been in belittling his current abode.
Even in the moment of Inter’s triumph as the players danced around the Artemio Franchi stadium – well park pitch with a couple of rickety stands bolted on – Mourinho was turning the knife one last time.
"This is not my home; it’s not an easy place to work and be happy," he told those self-same reporters whom he had been ignoring for the last two months.
It was a calculated dig at his hosts who pride Italy as one giant casa where everyone is invited to pop in for a bowl of mama’s homemade pasta – and it was also a veiled warning to any foreign coach considering a move to Serie A and having the temerity to even try and emulate his achievements.
So watch out then Rafa Benitez, if Massimo Moratti comes a calling.
There is also the issue that this Inter team has peaked and if they defeat Bayern Munich next Saturday then what next for those history-making players – a repeat performance is unlikely to happen.
It is an aging side, with only Mario Balotelli and Davide Santon under 20 while Wesley Sneijder and Goran Pandev are in their mid-20s – but the remainder of the squad are heading into or already in the twilight years of their careers.
Mourinho built this squad for such a moment as Sunday, and off course to win the Champions League - and although Moratti can go out and potentially land just about any player he wants there will be no massive turnover of playing personnel next season.
Mou would love to take Sneijder and Milito to Madrid but that seems very unlikely: Moratti will not let his old employee cherry-pick his team, but Sneijder is already a Real reject while the Argentine for all his rapier-like goalscoring is no Galacticos photo-fit.
However, such concerns can be left to another day for now – and it may have been Roma that put the romance back into the title race but the real drama has only ever centred on one man.
Monday 17 May 2010 11:34
The day of destiny for Serie A could have ended in tears - and in fact it did but not from the expected source.
As AS Roma accepted their fate with a rare show of stoicism, it was a strange sight indeed to see Jose Mourinho welling up with emotion as the feat of taking Inter to the league and Cup double was itched into his heavily-stubbled face.
A cynic may say they were crocodile tears or the tears of the showman milking his last current call, but the emotion did seem genuine enough from a man who likes nothing better than a sense of theatre.
There had been drama for nearly an hour as AS Roma held the advantage with their two goals at Chievo but then as on so many occasions this season Diego Milito popped up to burst the Roman bubble and set the bubbly on ice in Siena.
With history made on the domestic front there is nothing to keep the Portuguese on these shores anymore even if he fails to land the Treble in Madrid.
There is no hope of even Massimo Moratti with all his deep pockets retaining the services of his star attraction even if the man in question was happy with life in Italy – which he isn’t.
After all, Mourinho has stated many times that he wants to win the title in England, Italy and Spain.
He will soon be setting up home in the Spanish capital and let us hope he is a bit more respectful of his surrounding there than he has been in belittling his current abode.
Even in the moment of Inter’s triumph as the players danced around the Artemio Franchi stadium – well park pitch with a couple of rickety stands bolted on – Mourinho was turning the knife one last time.
"This is not my home; it’s not an easy place to work and be happy," he told those self-same reporters whom he had been ignoring for the last two months.
It was a calculated dig at his hosts who pride Italy as one giant casa where everyone is invited to pop in for a bowl of mama’s homemade pasta – and it was also a veiled warning to any foreign coach considering a move to Serie A and having the temerity to even try and emulate his achievements.
So watch out then Rafa Benitez, if Massimo Moratti comes a calling.
There is also the issue that this Inter team has peaked and if they defeat Bayern Munich next Saturday then what next for those history-making players – a repeat performance is unlikely to happen.
It is an aging side, with only Mario Balotelli and Davide Santon under 20 while Wesley Sneijder and Goran Pandev are in their mid-20s – but the remainder of the squad are heading into or already in the twilight years of their careers.
Mourinho built this squad for such a moment as Sunday, and off course to win the Champions League - and although Moratti can go out and potentially land just about any player he wants there will be no massive turnover of playing personnel next season.
Mou would love to take Sneijder and Milito to Madrid but that seems very unlikely: Moratti will not let his old employee cherry-pick his team, but Sneijder is already a Real reject while the Argentine for all his rapier-like goalscoring is no Galacticos photo-fit.
However, such concerns can be left to another day for now – and it may have been Roma that put the romance back into the title race but the real drama has only ever centred on one man.
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 11:56 am
Inter celebrate Scudetto as fans fear an impending José Mourinho swansong
While the Serie A champions may soon bid farewell to their manager, the belligerence he instilled looks like it's here to stay
Inter players and staff celebrate on a bus in Duomo square, Milan, after their Serie A title win
Inter players and staff celebrate on a bus in Duomo square, downtown Milan, after their Scudetto win. Photograph: Reuters
"Secondo titulo," read the banner in the hands of the three wide-eyed young men as they emerged, sprinting and stumbling, cheering and yelling into Milan's Piazza Duomo. Like the 50,000 others flooding into the square they were there to celebrate Inter's second trophy of the season, the Scudetto, sealed with a 1-0 win away to Siena. And maybe also to remind their Serie A rivals, as José Mourinho had in heavily accented Italian a year earlier, that they were once again going to finish a season with zeru tituli (zero titles) between them.
In among the throng, enterprising vendors sold T-shirts bearing Mourinho's likeness and most famous utterances. "Those who love me follow me, those who hate me chase me," declared one. In the wake of Inter's fifth consecutive title, which may yet become only the fourth if Juventus succeed with their attempts to have the Nerazzurri stripped of the 2005-06 Scudetto that was awarded to them in the aftermath of Serie A's Calciopoli scandal, one man's name was the first on everyone's lips. Even Inter's president, Massimo Moratti, insisted: "This Scudetto bears the signature of Mourinho."
This was in many ways the least convincing of Inter's Serie A titles since 2006, secured with the fewest points (82), the smallest advantage over second place (two points) and the only one in which Inter lost control of top spot during the second half of the season, even if only for a couple of weeks. But Moratti's compliment was by no means a backhanded one. To seal the Scudetto while also steering Inter to a Coppa Italia triumph and the Champions League final is no mean feat, especially with Roma offering such a determined challenge.
Mourinho, though, is loved by the Interisti for the way that he wins almost as much as the fact that he does. The Portuguese's belligerent manner sits well with a fanbase who know very well that most of Italy has been waiting, hoping, praying for them to slip up from pretty much the moment the 2006 title was awarded to them. Wesley Sneijder spoke after yesterday's game of the sense of "togetherness" Mourinho has instilled in his players but he has sought to make the supporters feel involved too, hailing them at the Camp Nou and reopening training sessions to the public as the season entered its crucial phase.
A cult status had long since been secured by the Portuguese, but he cemented one fan's affections this week by giving him tickets to the Champions League final. Paolo Sacco had been the first to begin queueing when the team announced that the final 5,000 Champions League tickets would be available only to those who showed up in person, pitching up on Thursday morning even though sales weren't set to begin until Saturday. Instead Mourinho invited Sacco to Inter's Pinetina training complex on Friday morning, and handed a pair of tickets to him personally.
The doors to Pinetina will once again be open to all this morning, though what state the players will be in for a work-out remains to be seen after they joined the party in the Piazza Duomo shortly after 11pm to celebrate the team's 18th Scudetto – one more than city rivals Milan. Mourinho, on this occasion, was not with them, having returned home to sleep and begin planning for Saturday's Champions League final.
The fear among Inter's fans is of course that yesterday's game was Mourinho's penultimate one in charge of their team. He insisted once again yesterday that nothing has been decided, but his admission that Italy is not "my natural habitat", coupled with the tears he shed on the pitch, have done nothing to dispel the sense that his future lies elsewhere. He may not yet, in his own words, "have one foot in Madrid", but it seems certain that he will at the very least receive an offer to relocate there this summer.
Even if he does, he will leave behind a team that is stronger than when he arrived. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic departed, Inter are no longer reliant on any one player to perform. The arrivals of Sneijder, Lucio, Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Goran Pandev and McDonald Mariga in the past 12 months have reinvigorated a team that was threatening to become stale, and allowed the manager to rotate players enough to keep fighting on all fronts.
Inter did not look a tired team yesterday at Siena, though it took them 57 minutes to break the deadlock. With the Robur already relegated and possessing the most-scored against defence in Serie A, this was supposed to be a procession for Inter and the best attack in the league but it turned out to be less straightforward. There was much fuss in the buildup to the game over reports of the Siena president Claudio Mezzaroma, a Roma fan, offering his team a sizeable bonus for derailing Inter and though he denied the claims his players certainly did not roll over.
Siena, though, have been relegated for a reason, and were still thoroughly outplayed. Only a series of saves from the goalkeeper Gianluca Curci – once of Roma – and some wasteful finishing prevented Inter from scoring sooner, though they had the best chance of the opening half, Albin Ekdal creating space for himself by the penalty spot only to jab wide after just five minutes.
Inter's focus was sharpened by news that Roma had taken the lead against Chievo through Mirko Vucinic, then extended their advantage through Daniele De Rossi in the space of seven minutes before half-time. Memories of 2002, when Inter led on the final day only to be leapfrogged by both Juventus and Roma after losing to Lazio, may have lingered for some. Many more of the current squad, though, will have recalled the happier example of 2008, when Ibrahimovic spared Inter's blushes after they had found themselves and Roma in similar positions at half-time on the final day.
On this occasion it was Milito who struck the crucial blow, assisted by Javier Zanetti, one of the few players who were around in 2002. It was Milito's 22nd league strike this season, three fewer than Ibra managed last term but more than enough for Gazzetta to declare him Inter's player of the season. Zanetti, though, remains Inter's player of the past decade and a half. He is set to make his 700th appearance for the club against Bayern Munich.
But if Inter, and Mourinho, deserve all the credit in the world for the manner in which they have integrated new players while ensuring enough continuity to keep themselves on course for an historic treble, then Roma must be praised for their ultimately unsuccessful challenge. "The qualities of the beaten team will render the victors all the greater," Alberto Cerruti wrote in Gazzetta dello Sport yesterday. Roma certainly showed plenty of those as they came from 14 points behind to lead Serie A, then eventually finish just two points behind.
Almost 20,000 fans followed Roma to Chievo yesterday, and even though the title once again eluded them there were celebrations in Verona and back in Rome following their 2-0 win. "Us Romans are different," De Rossi declared. "Others don't understand, but we celebrate even if we don't win."
Inter's players paid their own tributes to the Giallorossi, with Marco Materazzi donning a T-shirt with the slogan Nun è successo (it didn't happen) – a response to the Non succede, ma se succede ... (It won't happen, but if it happens ...) banners that have dominated Rome for the past few months. A rather more colourful banner hung from the side of the team's open-top bus mocking Francesco Totti's thumb-sucking goal celebration. "Instead of putting your thumb in your mouth, why don't you stick a finger up your arse," it read.
Inter may soon say goodbye to Mourinho, but the belligerence is here to stay.
While the Serie A champions may soon bid farewell to their manager, the belligerence he instilled looks like it's here to stay
Inter players and staff celebrate on a bus in Duomo square, Milan, after their Serie A title win
Inter players and staff celebrate on a bus in Duomo square, downtown Milan, after their Scudetto win. Photograph: Reuters
"Secondo titulo," read the banner in the hands of the three wide-eyed young men as they emerged, sprinting and stumbling, cheering and yelling into Milan's Piazza Duomo. Like the 50,000 others flooding into the square they were there to celebrate Inter's second trophy of the season, the Scudetto, sealed with a 1-0 win away to Siena. And maybe also to remind their Serie A rivals, as José Mourinho had in heavily accented Italian a year earlier, that they were once again going to finish a season with zeru tituli (zero titles) between them.
In among the throng, enterprising vendors sold T-shirts bearing Mourinho's likeness and most famous utterances. "Those who love me follow me, those who hate me chase me," declared one. In the wake of Inter's fifth consecutive title, which may yet become only the fourth if Juventus succeed with their attempts to have the Nerazzurri stripped of the 2005-06 Scudetto that was awarded to them in the aftermath of Serie A's Calciopoli scandal, one man's name was the first on everyone's lips. Even Inter's president, Massimo Moratti, insisted: "This Scudetto bears the signature of Mourinho."
This was in many ways the least convincing of Inter's Serie A titles since 2006, secured with the fewest points (82), the smallest advantage over second place (two points) and the only one in which Inter lost control of top spot during the second half of the season, even if only for a couple of weeks. But Moratti's compliment was by no means a backhanded one. To seal the Scudetto while also steering Inter to a Coppa Italia triumph and the Champions League final is no mean feat, especially with Roma offering such a determined challenge.
Mourinho, though, is loved by the Interisti for the way that he wins almost as much as the fact that he does. The Portuguese's belligerent manner sits well with a fanbase who know very well that most of Italy has been waiting, hoping, praying for them to slip up from pretty much the moment the 2006 title was awarded to them. Wesley Sneijder spoke after yesterday's game of the sense of "togetherness" Mourinho has instilled in his players but he has sought to make the supporters feel involved too, hailing them at the Camp Nou and reopening training sessions to the public as the season entered its crucial phase.
A cult status had long since been secured by the Portuguese, but he cemented one fan's affections this week by giving him tickets to the Champions League final. Paolo Sacco had been the first to begin queueing when the team announced that the final 5,000 Champions League tickets would be available only to those who showed up in person, pitching up on Thursday morning even though sales weren't set to begin until Saturday. Instead Mourinho invited Sacco to Inter's Pinetina training complex on Friday morning, and handed a pair of tickets to him personally.
The doors to Pinetina will once again be open to all this morning, though what state the players will be in for a work-out remains to be seen after they joined the party in the Piazza Duomo shortly after 11pm to celebrate the team's 18th Scudetto – one more than city rivals Milan. Mourinho, on this occasion, was not with them, having returned home to sleep and begin planning for Saturday's Champions League final.
The fear among Inter's fans is of course that yesterday's game was Mourinho's penultimate one in charge of their team. He insisted once again yesterday that nothing has been decided, but his admission that Italy is not "my natural habitat", coupled with the tears he shed on the pitch, have done nothing to dispel the sense that his future lies elsewhere. He may not yet, in his own words, "have one foot in Madrid", but it seems certain that he will at the very least receive an offer to relocate there this summer.
Even if he does, he will leave behind a team that is stronger than when he arrived. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic departed, Inter are no longer reliant on any one player to perform. The arrivals of Sneijder, Lucio, Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Goran Pandev and McDonald Mariga in the past 12 months have reinvigorated a team that was threatening to become stale, and allowed the manager to rotate players enough to keep fighting on all fronts.
Inter did not look a tired team yesterday at Siena, though it took them 57 minutes to break the deadlock. With the Robur already relegated and possessing the most-scored against defence in Serie A, this was supposed to be a procession for Inter and the best attack in the league but it turned out to be less straightforward. There was much fuss in the buildup to the game over reports of the Siena president Claudio Mezzaroma, a Roma fan, offering his team a sizeable bonus for derailing Inter and though he denied the claims his players certainly did not roll over.
Siena, though, have been relegated for a reason, and were still thoroughly outplayed. Only a series of saves from the goalkeeper Gianluca Curci – once of Roma – and some wasteful finishing prevented Inter from scoring sooner, though they had the best chance of the opening half, Albin Ekdal creating space for himself by the penalty spot only to jab wide after just five minutes.
Inter's focus was sharpened by news that Roma had taken the lead against Chievo through Mirko Vucinic, then extended their advantage through Daniele De Rossi in the space of seven minutes before half-time. Memories of 2002, when Inter led on the final day only to be leapfrogged by both Juventus and Roma after losing to Lazio, may have lingered for some. Many more of the current squad, though, will have recalled the happier example of 2008, when Ibrahimovic spared Inter's blushes after they had found themselves and Roma in similar positions at half-time on the final day.
On this occasion it was Milito who struck the crucial blow, assisted by Javier Zanetti, one of the few players who were around in 2002. It was Milito's 22nd league strike this season, three fewer than Ibra managed last term but more than enough for Gazzetta to declare him Inter's player of the season. Zanetti, though, remains Inter's player of the past decade and a half. He is set to make his 700th appearance for the club against Bayern Munich.
But if Inter, and Mourinho, deserve all the credit in the world for the manner in which they have integrated new players while ensuring enough continuity to keep themselves on course for an historic treble, then Roma must be praised for their ultimately unsuccessful challenge. "The qualities of the beaten team will render the victors all the greater," Alberto Cerruti wrote in Gazzetta dello Sport yesterday. Roma certainly showed plenty of those as they came from 14 points behind to lead Serie A, then eventually finish just two points behind.
Almost 20,000 fans followed Roma to Chievo yesterday, and even though the title once again eluded them there were celebrations in Verona and back in Rome following their 2-0 win. "Us Romans are different," De Rossi declared. "Others don't understand, but we celebrate even if we don't win."
Inter's players paid their own tributes to the Giallorossi, with Marco Materazzi donning a T-shirt with the slogan Nun è successo (it didn't happen) – a response to the Non succede, ma se succede ... (It won't happen, but if it happens ...) banners that have dominated Rome for the past few months. A rather more colourful banner hung from the side of the team's open-top bus mocking Francesco Totti's thumb-sucking goal celebration. "Instead of putting your thumb in your mouth, why don't you stick a finger up your arse," it read.
Inter may soon say goodbye to Mourinho, but the belligerence is here to stay.
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 12:11 pm
Moratti: "Now for Madrid"
Monday, 17 May 2010 12:39:43 [permanent link]permalink
[FOTO Monday, 17 May 2010 12:39:43]
MILAN - Massimo Moratti spoke to journalists outside the Saras offices the day after celebrating his 65th birthday with the 18th Scudetto.
This is what he had to say:
What did you do when you got up this morning?
"I wanted to read the newspapers to see something positive. I did, and finally we have eliminated a problem. One of the many has been resolved."
Can you turn the page now?
"It's time to turn the page immediately. There are only a few days before the other match, so now we have to concentrate on Saturday's very important match."
We asked ourselves how Mourinho's tears at the end of the match should be interpreted. Devotion to Inter or goodbye?
"We aren't forced to interpret everything in life. It was a sign of great humanity and affection for the players and the fans. It was wonderful. Any interpretation we give will have a reply after the match."
What is the nicest message you have received in these past hours?
"I have received nice and affectionate messages, also from people far away. But there were also some messages that didn't arrive, and I found this amusing."
Are you a bit annoyed at the risk of losing Mourinho due to external factors? If he left Inter, it would be because he doesn't like Italian football, not Inter.
"No, not at all. Each one of us adapts to certain situations. He is free to do it because he's foreign, and there are many things to consider, but this doesn't mean he won't stay. Actually, it's a funny situation in Italy, and particularly at Inter, always having to fight and never having the maximum satisfaction because there's always someone trying not to give it to you, and this is something in life that teaches you a lot."
Monday, 17 May 2010 12:39:43 [permanent link]permalink
[FOTO Monday, 17 May 2010 12:39:43]
MILAN - Massimo Moratti spoke to journalists outside the Saras offices the day after celebrating his 65th birthday with the 18th Scudetto.
This is what he had to say:
What did you do when you got up this morning?
"I wanted to read the newspapers to see something positive. I did, and finally we have eliminated a problem. One of the many has been resolved."
Can you turn the page now?
"It's time to turn the page immediately. There are only a few days before the other match, so now we have to concentrate on Saturday's very important match."
We asked ourselves how Mourinho's tears at the end of the match should be interpreted. Devotion to Inter or goodbye?
"We aren't forced to interpret everything in life. It was a sign of great humanity and affection for the players and the fans. It was wonderful. Any interpretation we give will have a reply after the match."
What is the nicest message you have received in these past hours?
"I have received nice and affectionate messages, also from people far away. But there were also some messages that didn't arrive, and I found this amusing."
Are you a bit annoyed at the risk of losing Mourinho due to external factors? If he left Inter, it would be because he doesn't like Italian football, not Inter.
"No, not at all. Each one of us adapts to certain situations. He is free to do it because he's foreign, and there are many things to consider, but this doesn't mean he won't stay. Actually, it's a funny situation in Italy, and particularly at Inter, always having to fight and never having the maximum satisfaction because there's always someone trying not to give it to you, and this is something in life that teaches you a lot."
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 12:15 pm
Blog: Grand finale, Grande Inter
Inter have won their fifth title in a row. Giancarlo Rinaldi on how the best team in the Division deserved yet another Scudetto
There have been some thrilling finishes to a Serie A season over the years but this season’s will go down as one of the best. For about 40 minutes on a spectacular Sunday afternoon Roma were set to pounce for the greatest comeback Scudetto in history. Instead, Inter dug deep for one final time to take their fifth title in a row and 18th in total.
Only the most miserable anti-Nerazzurro could argue it was not deserved. Over the course of the campaign Jose Mourinho’s men have been the most consistent and relentless force in the Division. They may not always have been pretty but they have shown immense reserves of character and commitment whenever their dominance has been challenged throughout this campaign.
There was something fitting about the move which finally crowned them. The drive and thrust came from Javier Zanetti, with the precise finish coming from his countryman Diego Milito. The former’s class and the latter’s clinical goalscoring have been key elements to this latest black and blue vintage.
While past Inter sides have faced accusations of being Zlatan Ibrahimovic-dependent there was no single superstar in this team. Lucio gave added resolve and a splash of class to an already solid defence. Fellow Brazilian Maicon began to show the same quality in Europe as he does in Serie A. And Sammy Eto’o gave a new dimension to the forward line.
However, if any one player deserves to be singled out, it is probably Wesley Sneijder. The gifted Dutchman has allowed the Nerazzurri to adopt a different tactical approach. His vision, tenacity and versatility have been a key to allowing Inter to finally punch their weight in the Champions League.
For all the qualities of the side which Massimo Moratti has assembled, it was still heart-breaking to watch Roma miss out. Claudio Ranieri was right to say his team were the true protagonists of this campaign. Without them, we would have had no Scudetto battle at all.
The Giallorossi put the romance back into Serie A. They showed that there was an alternative to the power, pace and physique offered by Inter and their kind. It might have come up short on this occasion, but it deserves to be lauded for seasons to come.
There will always be recrimination and regret, of course. Roma will forever point an accusing finger at their city rivals for their bland display when Inter came to town. However, the key moment was probably their loss to Sampdoria. They had the title in their grasp only to let it slip away.
That result proved vital for the Genoese club as they made it into the Champions League qualifiers. It may prove to be a parting gift from Coach Gigi Del Neri who is rumoured to be on the move to pastures new. On balance, they narrowly deserved to edge out Palermo who have the Europa League as consolation.
There is a lot to look forward to next year if this campaign is any indicator. A revived Roma will look to make a better start to the season, the Milan conundrum remains to be solved and another revolution beckons for Juventus. And, who knows, Inter might be defending an historic treble with a different Coach in charge. You can say what you like about Italian football but never, after this season in particular, that it lacks a bit of drama.
Inter have won their fifth title in a row. Giancarlo Rinaldi on how the best team in the Division deserved yet another Scudetto
There have been some thrilling finishes to a Serie A season over the years but this season’s will go down as one of the best. For about 40 minutes on a spectacular Sunday afternoon Roma were set to pounce for the greatest comeback Scudetto in history. Instead, Inter dug deep for one final time to take their fifth title in a row and 18th in total.
Only the most miserable anti-Nerazzurro could argue it was not deserved. Over the course of the campaign Jose Mourinho’s men have been the most consistent and relentless force in the Division. They may not always have been pretty but they have shown immense reserves of character and commitment whenever their dominance has been challenged throughout this campaign.
There was something fitting about the move which finally crowned them. The drive and thrust came from Javier Zanetti, with the precise finish coming from his countryman Diego Milito. The former’s class and the latter’s clinical goalscoring have been key elements to this latest black and blue vintage.
While past Inter sides have faced accusations of being Zlatan Ibrahimovic-dependent there was no single superstar in this team. Lucio gave added resolve and a splash of class to an already solid defence. Fellow Brazilian Maicon began to show the same quality in Europe as he does in Serie A. And Sammy Eto’o gave a new dimension to the forward line.
However, if any one player deserves to be singled out, it is probably Wesley Sneijder. The gifted Dutchman has allowed the Nerazzurri to adopt a different tactical approach. His vision, tenacity and versatility have been a key to allowing Inter to finally punch their weight in the Champions League.
For all the qualities of the side which Massimo Moratti has assembled, it was still heart-breaking to watch Roma miss out. Claudio Ranieri was right to say his team were the true protagonists of this campaign. Without them, we would have had no Scudetto battle at all.
The Giallorossi put the romance back into Serie A. They showed that there was an alternative to the power, pace and physique offered by Inter and their kind. It might have come up short on this occasion, but it deserves to be lauded for seasons to come.
There will always be recrimination and regret, of course. Roma will forever point an accusing finger at their city rivals for their bland display when Inter came to town. However, the key moment was probably their loss to Sampdoria. They had the title in their grasp only to let it slip away.
That result proved vital for the Genoese club as they made it into the Champions League qualifiers. It may prove to be a parting gift from Coach Gigi Del Neri who is rumoured to be on the move to pastures new. On balance, they narrowly deserved to edge out Palermo who have the Europa League as consolation.
There is a lot to look forward to next year if this campaign is any indicator. A revived Roma will look to make a better start to the season, the Milan conundrum remains to be solved and another revolution beckons for Juventus. And, who knows, Inter might be defending an historic treble with a different Coach in charge. You can say what you like about Italian football but never, after this season in particular, that it lacks a bit of drama.
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
by Dejan-Stankovic » Mon May 17, 2010 12:39 pm
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Dejan-Stankovic - Posts: 2483
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:34 pm
by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 12:57 pm
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
by Totally FRANK » Mon May 17, 2010 5:04 pm
Moratti expects Mou to go!
Monday 17 May, 2010
Inter President Massimo Moratti has revealed that he expects Jose Mourinho to leave the club after the Champions League Final.
The Portuguese has been linked to Real Madrid recently and his departure from San Siro is likely, despite another fantastic season at San Siro.
“It is hard to predict what such a 'volcanic' character will do,â€
Monday 17 May, 2010
Inter President Massimo Moratti has revealed that he expects Jose Mourinho to leave the club after the Champions League Final.
The Portuguese has been linked to Real Madrid recently and his departure from San Siro is likely, despite another fantastic season at San Siro.
“It is hard to predict what such a 'volcanic' character will do,â€
- Totally FRANK
- Posts: 3240
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:51 am
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