Club Focus - Inter - Jose gets ruffled

A good performance and a late penalty saw Inter defeat a talented Fiorentina side on Sunday. This was a good win for the Nerazzurri, especially considering their midweek performance against Barcelona and la Viola’s excellent win against Lyon. Their Coach José Mourinho was able to re-focus his team and make them continue their excellent league form.

Diego Milito converted the decisive penalty to win the game for Inter, just minutes after Alberto Gilardino had hit the post after being one-on-one with Júlio César. One interesting point for the Nerazzurri was the performance of Ricardo Quaresma, given a start by Mourinho, and he actually played quite well. It was certainly not the performance that those who saw his name on the teamsheet – Football Italiano included – would have predicted, and just goes to show what people have been saying about Quaresma for quite a while – that he has the talent, so why can he not produce consistently?

It was a frustrating performance from la Beneamata, in as much as it is difficult to determine quite why they are so bad in Europe when they can win – and play well – most weeks in Serie A. They are a European footballing version of the aforementioned Quaresma, we know they have the talent to play well, but when will they show us? Milito was pleased with the result and his goal, saying: “The penalty was clear. I’m happy because we played a great match. Perhaps we didn’t deserve to suffer so much until the end, but the important thing is that we got the three points. I’m happy to have scored the winning goal.” There is a slight worry beginning to develop for Mourinho, however, and that is the form of Samuel Eto’o. The former Barcelona striker has not been at his best lately, whilst the man he replaced – Zlatan Ibrahimović – scored the winner in El Clásico on Sunday night. Eto’o is an important part of the Inter strikeforce, and they need him to start finding the net on a regular basis, preferably beginning with the Derby D’Italia against Juventus next weekend.

After all the speculation about his job following the Barcelona game in midweek, Mourinho has been having his traditional complain to the press this week. He began by talking about the Coach of the Year awards, saying: “I’m sure I won’t win. I might even come dead last. I will probably have to vote for myself if I want to get a vote because my friend Walter Zenga has recently been shown the door by Palermo.” In a separate event, Mourinho then took the opportunity to answer the people who have been calling for his head. “Losing to Barcelona is bad for Italian football? Yes. But not as bad as losing to Bordeaux away or Zürich at home,” he said, “I read that my replacements have already been found, but it’s no problem for me. If I get sacked I will be back in work within a week.” It is statements like this that really endear the Portuguese Coach to everyone in Serie A.

As has already been mentioned, this weekend sees the first Derby D’Italia of the season between Juventus and Inter at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. Despite the fact that Juve have not been playing well recently, a win could revive both their fortunes and morale and they will be anxious to show that la Vecchia Signora is not out of the title race yet. If you only make one plan this weekend it should be to watch this match. To get you in the mood, below is a video from 2002 of current Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf salvaging a point for la Beneamata with a stunning long range effort.

To finish, Football Italiano’s thoughts are with an Inter fan who is in a serious condition in hospital after falling from the second tier of the Giuseppe Meazza stadium during Sunday’s game. He fell celebrating Inter’s winning goal and was taken to hospital but is now in a coma. We wish him well.