Club Focus - Inter - Bari wasn’t great, Milan must be better

One way to look at the result against Bari on the weekend is to take Iván Córdoba’s approach and consider it another point gained and not two points dropped. Even though the comeback was impressive after being two goals down, it would definitely be putting a positive spin on things, because the truth is that the Bari game did, in fact, represent two points dropped for Inter and more importantly, two points of the deficit regained for the impressive-looking Milan.

In all honesty, the result was probably no more than a slight drop in form which, given the form Inter have been showing lately, is not a disaster. However, it is the Milan derby next weekend, and with the Rossoneri feeling like they have a point to prove after the 4-0 thrashing they received earlier this season, it is not the ideal time for Inter to be having any issues at all. The gap between the two Milanese sides is now down to six points, should la Beneamata lose the derby then the title race will be back on and, for the neutrals, exactly what is wanted. Conversely, should the Nerazzurri beat Milan again then the gap will move back up to nine points, and the title race will be looking like less of a race and more of a procession. Whilst Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani might be trying to play down the importance of the game, it is clear to everyone that this is the one chance Milan has to show that they can compete on the same level as their rivals.

One big worry for José Mourinho ahead of the derby is the current form of Ronaldinho. The former Barcelona playmaker has been playing brilliantly recently, and his performance against Siena on Sunday afternoon was nothing short of breathtaking. Edgar Álvarez gave Córdoba a torrid time on Saturday – imagine what Ronaldinho could do to an Inter defence if they show up in the same form. Containing the Brazilian has to be foremost in the mind of the Inter Coach, and it will be how he goes about that task that will be one of the most interesting factors in next weekend’s game. In both the Bari and Siena matches the defence has looked less-than impressive, and Milan will provide a much sterner challenge. Douglas Maicon was another Inter player who claimed that the Bari draw was good – and whilst Mourinho may support his players in public, he will be privately hoping his side do not get into the habit of needing dramatic escapes.

The positive news this week is that it looks as if Júlio Baptista’s proposed move to Inter is not going to happen. Now Football Italiano does not have anything personal against ‘The Beast’ but, as discussed in the last Inter Club Focus, the attacking midfielder would not be a very good fit for the squad and could well be another Amantino Mancini – in other words a player that is getting paid a lot of money to spend time on the bench. Inter were apparently unwilling to meet Roma’s demands for the player, and negotiations could not provide a resolution so the deal is now reported to be off.

A fresh rumour this week involves a long-time Milan transfer target, Wolfburg’s Edin Džeko. The striker has been attracting the attention of many of the continents biggest clubs, and Inter have now added their names to the list. A move would be unlikely to occur until the end of the season, but it could well spark another Milan derby, this time in the transfer market. If Inter could sign one of Cristian Ledesma, Aleksandar Kolarov or Džeko, they will have added another top class player to their squad, and reinforced their position as the top club in Italy on and off the pitch.