Moratti explains Adri loan
Thursday 20 December, 2007

Massimo Moratti has given the latest on enigmatic striker Adriano's loan deal with Sao Paulo.

The Brazilian marksman is back in his homeland to receive treatment for depression and had been scheduled to return to Italy in January.

However, it now seems that Adriano is set to play for Sao Paulo until June after a loan agreement was announced.

"There is still some work to be done on the deal, but both sides are happy," Moratti explained.

"It's the right decision for his good. I'm convinced that at the start of next season he will return to being a great player.

"He is happy on home soil, he's working well and getting help physically and psychologically. He's improving with every day."

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/dec20m.html

cant wait 4 the interesting tie since liverpool has been very prone with italian giants all these years

yup, and i think inter more tough than milan,
why?
they not lose for 16 games till now,lead the seria a

Mancini: "Derbies difficult, but fascinating"
Saturday, 22 December 2007 16:19:20
[FOTO Saturday, 22 December 2007 16:19:20]

APPIANO GENTILE - Roberto Mancini briefed the press ahead of Sunday's Serie A Week 17 match between Inter and AC Milan:

Mancini, what could be decisive for Inter in this derby?
"I wouldn't know. I hope the team plays a good game and continues playing like it is at the moment. The derby, however, is a singular game between two great teams, so it will be a great show. Both us and Milan have players who can be decisive, but it's a bit hard to say now what will make the difference."

Are you worried about the match against Milan?
"No, I'm not worried. It's a football match... There's the same respect as in any important game, but I think it should always be like this."

Have you already decided your team?
"It's almost all decided."

Could you use Luis Jimenez in a position to prevent Pirlo from having more freedom of play?
"Certainly. They might find it a bit harder if Pirlo plays a bit less. But I don't think everything can be resolved in that way."

Are you likely to play three strikers tomorrow?
"Looking at our injury situation, this could be an option, but it depends on how the three strikers approach the game because you always need balance in the team. However, it is certainly an option."

Will there be more pressure because it's the Italian champions against the world champions?
"No, I don't think so. The derby is important because it's between two of the best teams in the world. Also, it's on 23rd December so it's different from the others. Whatever the result, it will be a nice match to play in."

Marco Materazzi, perhaps warding off ill-luck, said that Milan are favourites because they have just won the Club World Cup. Do you agree?
"I don't know. We're on top of the table. It's us who have more to lose."

What are your feelings ahead of this derby?
"I'm very happy to be coach of Inter and very happy to play this game. These are the best games, those between two great teams with great players. This is the best thing. You always feel certain feelings when you play a match like this, even more so when it's the derby."

Is there any rivalry between yourself and Carlo Ancelotti? You said that Inter have drawn the hardest team in the Champions League while the Milan coach says Arsenal are stronger...
"No, absolutely not. It's normal for there to be rivalry between the two teams, it's one of the nice things about football. Like us, Arsenal and Liverpool are two great teams who are difficult to play against."

Is the derby a match in which it would be hard to apply the third half?
"They have already decided to start it in January, but it could be done after tomorrow's match because it's Christmas and everyone is nicer at Christmas."

Will tomorrow's derby be approached like a normal game, or the match of a lifetime?
"It's the derby, it's not a normal game. City derbies can never be normal. Having increased our lead in the table last Sunday will allow us to play the derby in a more relaxed frame of mind. There might be a bit of pressure, but this is all quite normal."

Do you think being coach of Italian champions Inter puts you among the top European coaches?
"I don't think there's a table that decides who are among the great European coaches. I think all the coaches of the great teams are great coaches, otherwise they wouldn't be able to coach them. There are many difficulties when you coach such strong teams. You're always obliged to win and there's great pressure working with very strong and important players. I do my job because I like it and I believe I'm quite good at it, but then maybe there are others who are ten years older than me and might be better because they have more experience. But I think it's impossible to say that one is better than another."

But do you feel you are among the coaching elite?
"In this respect I think that being coach of Inter is important."

Mancini names squad for Inter v AC Milan
Saturday, 22 December 2007 15:28:21


APPIANO GENTILE - Roberto Mancini has called up 20 players to his squad for Sunday afternoon's Milan derby (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, kick-off 15:00):

Goalkeepers: 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Paolo Orlandoni.

Defenders: 2 Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, 4 Javier Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 13 Maicon, 16 Nicolas Burdisso, 23 Marco Materazzi, 24 Nelson Rivas, 25 Walter Samuel, 26 Cristian Chivu.

Midfielders: 11 Luis Jimenez, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Santiago Solari, 30 Pelé, 31 Cesar.

Strikers: 8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 9 Julio Ricardo Cruz, 18 Hernan Crespo, 29 David Suazo.

http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=28260&L=en&IDINI=28263

i hope so

hope mancini can do man utd a big favour which is 2 dispose liverpool out of the championship

inter won the derby match,
goal scored by julio cruz and cambiasso..
final score 2-1
materazzi do a good job, defense solid,

This post has been edited by scorps: Dec 24 2007, 12:03 AM

Serie A Week 17 - 23/12/07 (14.00 UK)

Inter 2 - 1 Milan
Pirlo 18 (M), Cruz 36 (I), Cambiasso 63 (I)
Stadio Meazza

Inter secured the Winter Champions title two rounds early after fighting back to beat Milan 2-1.

The champions of Italy took on the newly-crowned Club World Cup kings in one of the biggest Derby della Madonnina games ever. Milan's Serie A form had been disastrous without a single win and it was their first domestic game since a 0-0 with Juventus on December 1, as they had been in Japan to prepare for that tournament. Ballon d'Or and FIFA Player of the Year Kaka faced off against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Dejan Stankovic, Olivier Dacourt, Luis Figo, Patrick Vieira and Ronaldo were out injured.

With Inter as the home side, this fixture last ended in a draw with a 2-2 result in 1999. There was fair play before kick-off with the Inter squad standing by the entrance to applaud 'visitors' Milan as they walked on to the field.

Ibrahimovic had the first chance after four minutes with a sensational volley that skimmed the crossbar. At the other end Pippo Inzaghi just failed to get his toe to a Clarence Seedorf searching pass.

It was Milan who opened the scoring with an ex-Inter player. Inzaghi was brought down by Ivan Cordoba inside the D and Andrea Pirlo curled a perfect free kick into the near top corner, leaving Julio Cesar rooted to the spot.

Inter fought back immediately as Nelson Dida only touched a Julio Cruz cross into the path of Luis Jimenez, the Chilean thumping the crossbar.

Dida smothered a Cristian Chivu free kick and Kaka went on a mazy run that drove rings around Walter Samuel, but the defender suffered a knee injury in that move and was stretchered off.

Inter drew level with Il Jardinero's 10th goal in 13 Serie A games. Cruz managed to squeeze his left-foot shot in at the near post despite being surrounded by Milan defenders.

The Nerazzurri had penalty appeals for a Kakha Kaladze handling offence that the officials considered to be involuntary, but Milan were furious with the referee when he did not give the advantage as Kaka shook off a Marco Materazzi foul.

Javier Zanetti flashed a right-foot shot across the face of goal. After the restart Alberto Gilardino and Emerson replaced Inzaghi and the fiery Gattuso, who had been an injury doubt for this game. Kaladze had to time his tackle perfectly to block Ibra's counter, while Chivu did the same on Gilardino.

The Rossoneri wasted a golden counter-attack chance, as Pirlo's dummy failed to reach Seedorf, the Italian should have gone for goal on Kaka's assist.

Esteban Cambiasso volleyed wide and Milan made their third change, Serginho replacing Seedorf, and within seconds he had created two dangerous opportunities.


This post has been edited by scorps: Dec 24 2007, 12:22 AM

Mancini: We deserved it [
Sunday 23 December, 2007

Roberto Mancini believes the derby victory was deserved and hailed his Winter Champions.

"We only struggled a little in the final stages of the second half, but controlled the game and deservedly won," he said of Inter's 2-1 result over neighbours Milan.

"In the first half they did very little to take the lead, as Andrea Pirlo made the difference with that free kick."

The Nerazzurri fought back with Julio Cruz and Esteban Cambiasso to turn the match in their favour.

"Zlatan Ibrahimovic may not be 100 per cent fit, but when he has the ball he is always fearsome. Cambiasso is in good shape physically and in an exceptional period of form.

"In these opening five months of the season you could safely say everyone in the team has been great and contributed to our success."

This is the 15th time Inter have been crowned Winter Champions and in the previous 14 occasions they have always gone on to take the Scudetto.

They achieved it despite the absence of Dejan Stankovic, Olivier Dacourt, Patrick Vieira and Luis Figo, while Walter Samuel was stretchered off.

"We think Samuel has sprained his knee, but we hope it is nothing too serious," added Mancini.

The Coach also explained why the 'home' team stood outside the players' tunnel before kick-off to applaud the Milan squad as they walked on to the pitch.

"It was not forced upon us, it came naturally. I thought it was the right thing to do."

The rapport between the clubs has been increasingly tense and Mancio was accused of trying to belittle Milan's Club World Cup triumph last week, so this was an important gesture to bridge that gap.

some pics from last night ..
anyway congrate to inter.

forza nerazzuri!

but metarazzi last night do a good job,
always block kaka,the header was good,

hahaha i wonder why dida wants 2 give christmas present 2 inter

Impressive result from Inter. Salute!

Cambiasso: "Great end to a great year"
Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:18:03

MILAN - Esteban Cambiasso added to Julio Cruz' equaliser to seal a 2-1 derby win for Inter.

"It was an important victory for all our fans," he said. "It was nice to finish off a great year in the best possible way.

"My goal? I hit the ball as hard as I could. It went in and I'm very happy because so many fans rejoiced.

"I'm dedicating the goal to my wife and family because they always follow me with affection.

"Today's result doesn't change the value of the two teams. We did very well today and now we will enjoy this victory before we start again in January.

"The Milanese can be pleased because they have two of the strongest teams in the world."

eh why inter player Q up to welcome ac milan's player ?

A guard-of-honour gesture by Inter to welcome the World Club Cup Champions, Milan

Season over for Samuel
Sunday 23 December, 2007

Inter cannot celebrate the derby too much, as Walter Samuel has been diagnosed with a torn knee ligament and could be out for the season.

The defender was stretchered off in obvious pain during today's 2-1 victory over Milan after he slipped in the penalty area.

Originally it was hoped he had only sprained his left knee, but tests have now shown a lesion to the anterior cruciate ligament.

The Argentine will require surgery to correct the problem and it is highly unlikely he will recover in time to play again this term.

It is another heavy blow for Inter, who must already do without Olivier Dacourt for the campaign and could lose Dejan Stankovic for three months if he too requires surgery on a recurring heel injury.

Luis Figo and Patrick Vieira hope to be back in action soon after long-term lay-offs.