MD22: Catania - Inter 10/2/08 (19.30 UK)

[Jager]

Serie A Week 22 - 10/2/08 (19.30 UK)


Stadio Massimino


Catania could be forgiven for feeling quietly confident when runaway leaders Inter visit the Stadio Massimino as the Nerazzurri have gone off the boil somewhat in 2008.

The Sicilians lost out 2-1 to Genoa last weekend and have been on poor form, but they know how to rise to the occasion – as Juventus found out in Week 18. A historic Coppa Italia run may have stolen some of the gutsy Elefanti’s attention, but they are still sitting comfortably in the middle of the pack and looking well set to achieve their pre-season goal of staying afloat.

Inter will be a tough test, but the Rossazzurri have learned a lot over the last year and are no longer prone to being swept aside. Indeed, Silvio Baldini’s side have conceded just five times at home all season and a stalemate is a genuine possibility. Having scored a meagre 19 goals all term, Catania will try and keep this one tight and then could just pull off a shock.

Roberto Mancini’s superstars may reign supreme in Serie A at the moment, but they arrive in Sicily with a point to prove. The Beneamata’s recent wins have been blighted by accusations of favouritism from the officials. Having squeezed past Parma in controversial fashion, last weekend they needed a wrongly awarded penalty to see off Empoli – hardly what we expect from the titans of the Italian game.

However, the fact remains that Mancini’s reigning champions are eight points clear at the top and seem to be strolling away with the Scudetto. They are playing badly and winning, so if they can find their stride nobody in the peninsula can stop them.

The last time these two sides met at the Massimino there were real fireworks as Inter ran out 5-2 winners in a spectacular game. However, Catania have matured since those early days in the top flight and are unlikely to show the gung-ho giant-killing spirit that left them so short-staffed at the back.

The hosts’ main injury worry is key Uruguayan forward Jorge Martinez, who missed the Genoa game with a calf problem. Defender Rocco Sabato is injured and Argentine investments Matias Silvestre and Paolo Alvarez are still lacking fitness and will have to wait for debuts.

Patrick Vieira’s foolish sending off against Empoli has cost the French midfielder a two-game ban. Dejan Stankovic and Olivier Dacourt are injured, so Portuguese new boy Maniche will get a chance to impress. With first-choice defenders Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba sidelined, Nelson Rivas is set to start.

Keep an eye on: Julio Cesar (Inter) – The Brazilian ‘keeper has been Inter’s most important player in recent weeks and saved two points on Sunday with a late penalty stop against Empoli.

Last season: Catania 2-5 Inter

Form guide: Catania (L D L D L) Inter (W W W D W)


Catania (probable): Polito; Sardo, Stovini, Terlizzi, Vargas; Baiocco, Edusei, Izco; Colucci, Spinesi, Mascara

Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Rivas, Materazzi, Chivu; Maniche, Cambiasso, Zanetti, Jimenez; Cruz, Ibrahimovic

Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Baldini calls on Lady Luck Sunday 10 February, 2008

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Catania boss Silvio Baldini trusts that with a bit of luck on their side, they can surprise Scudetto holders Inter this evening.

“We step on to the field to play football and, with a bit of luck, anything can happen,” smiled the tactician.

“Of course we realise that Inter are ‘masters’ of the sport. Roberto Mancini has at his disposal a squad that is just frightening. Just look at the fact he has to send internationals into the stands.”

Yet the Nerazzurri have been showing signs of weakness in recent weeks, as controversial refereeing decisions helped them to see off stern challenges from Parma and Empoli.

Catania too can feel confident after holding Juventus to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Massimino last month.

“My side has always done very well on home turf and we need to shake up the standings after our recent slip-ups on our travels.”

The Sicilians have kept six clean sheets in their own stadium, conceding a total of just five goals in 10 games here.

Inter came to Catania last season and came away with a 5-2 victory and the most recent Serie A defeat in this fixture was 1-0 in February 1966.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Inter squad:

Goalkeepers: 1 Francesco Toldo, 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Paolo Orlandoni.

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

Midfielders: 11 Luis Jimenez, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Solari, 28 Maniche, 30 Pelé.

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

[Oliver_Kahn]

FT 2-0 Inter.

Only watched the 2nd half but I heard Inter didn't play very well in the first half and didn't really impress me in the 2nd half.

The first goal was scored by Cambiasso who was clearly offside. Suazo scored the 2nd.

I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but Inter's last 3 league wins were "helped" by bad calls from the referees: A dubious penalty on Couto which lead to his sending off vs Parma, a non existent penalty vs Empoli and now an illegal goal against Catania.

[D-Kin]

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 22 - 10/2/08 (19.30 UK)
Catania 0 - 2 Inter
Cambiasso 64 (I), Suazo 67 (I)
Stadio Massimino

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Inter grabbed a hard-fought 2-0 win away to Catania and there was more controversy as Esteban Cambiasso's opener was clearly offside.

The eight-point lead at the top of the table didn't disguise the Nerazzurri's recent problems, as only some debatable refereeing decisions allowed them to defeat relegation battlers Parma and Empoli. Catania had already held Juventus to a 1-1 draw here in January and had conceded just five times at home all season.

Patrick Vieira sat out a two-match ban for swearing at the referee, while Luis Figo and Douglas Maicon were injured. Last season this fixture ended with a spectacular 5-2 away victory.

It started as a bit of a midfield tussle, the first chance coming after 17 minutes with a Catania corner kick that Vargas and Izco just failed to make good contact with.

There was bad news for Inter, as Luis Jimenez limped off with a right thigh problem, making way for Pele'. Gennaro Sardo got a nasty knock to the back of the head courtesy of Cristian Chivu's knee.

Catania had the only real scoring opportunity of the game so far, as Izco unleashed a stunning right-foot screamer from over 30 metres that dipped inches over the bar.

Moments later Ivan Cordoba was booked for bringing down Giuseppe Mascara and from the resulting free kick Giuseppe Colucci curled over. The Nerazzurri could only threaten from set plays, as Ciro Polito slapped a free kick off Nicolas Andre Burdisso's head.

In the second half Cordoba cleared from Mascara and a Maxwell strike was charged down off Spinesi's arm from point-blank range just outside the box. Inter had nothing going forward, so Roberto Mancini replaced Chivu with David Suazo, switching to a 4-3-3 system.

A perfectly timed Lorenzo Stovini tackle stopped Ibra as he ran into the area, but at the other end Marco Materazzi had to clear as a Vargas free kick squirmed into the six-yard box past a sea of legs.

Mascara was quite rightly booked for simulation after diving over Burdisso's leg and apologetically accepted the ticking off. Catania wasted a great counter-attack opportunity by hesitating and then Polito fumbled a Suazo chest and volley into the ground. On 63 minutes, that was the first shot on target of the entire match.

Inter broke the deadlock in controversial circumstances moments later. A cross was headed back across the face of goal by Javier Zanetti for Esteban Cambiasso to tap in from five yards, but he was clearly in an offside position.

Jorge Martinez was introduced, but Inter doubled their advantage. This time Suazo sprung the offside trap legally on Ibrahimovic's pass and waltzed round the goalkeeper to slot into an empty net.

Some wonderful Zanetti build-up play saw the cross dribble past Julio Cruz, while Spinesi has penalty appeals waved away for contact with Burdisso, which seemed to be accidental at the most.

Burdisso did well to charge down Mascara's half-volley and the striker seemed to suffer a thigh problem during that move.

The Catania crowd was unhappy with the refereeing of Stefano Farina and took a curious method of protesting by sarcastically chanting his name and cheering loudly every time he blew the whistle.

Cruz risked making it 3-0 in the final minute, shrugging off Stovini to thump the outside of the near post.

Pele cleared a dangerous 'rabona' from Jorge Martinez - when one crosses the legs over and hits the ball with the back foot.

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Catania: Polito; Sardo (Alvarez 74), Silvestri, Stovini, Vargas; Baiocco, Edusei, Izco; Colucci (Martinez 67), Spinesi, Mascara

Inter: Julio Cesar; Burdisso, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Chivu (Suazo 55); Jimenez (Pele' 27); Ibrahimovic (Maniche 71), Cruz

Ref: Farina

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[D-Kin]

Mancio stands up for ref Sunday 10 February, 2008

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Roberto Mancini defended the referee after Inter’s offside goal and insisted his team is not struggling at the moment.

The Nerazzurri only broke down Catania’s defences when Esteban Cambiasso tapped in from an offside position and moments later David Suazo completed the 2-0 win.

“If it was indeed offside, then it was very difficult to see. The referee officiated well throughout,” maintained the Coach.

It had been another relatively sluggish performance from the Serie A leaders, who maintain their eight-point lead over Roma.

“I watched several games this weekend and saw that Roma, Juventus and Milan all struggled to get victories. All matches are difficult in this League and we had to do without several key players.”

Patrick Vieira was suspended, joining the injured Dejan Stankovic, Luis Figo, Douglas Maicon, Walter Samuel and Olivier Dacourt, while Luis Jimenez limped off after only a few minutes.

“The first half was balanced and Catania did very little to score. We improved after the break and were repaid for taking the risk of introducing a third striker. It was important to win here and not give our opponents too many chances.”

Yet Mancio is not concerned at the seeming lack of form in his men so close to the Champions League meeting with Liverpool.

“We rested three or four players today and hope to have everyone in good shape. Liverpool are a tough side who don’t leave you much space.”

The Catania fans adopted an unusual new method of protesting against referee Stefano Farina, as they cheered his every whistle, chanted his name and gave sarcastic standing ovations for the final half-hour.

However, Coach Silvio Baldini tried to calm the atmosphere by defending the official.

“These mistakes can happen and we have to accept them, otherwise there will be controversy every single week,” he warned.

“I can accept this error frankly today, although I know my President and the Catania fans will go home less than happy tonight. What I do ask is equality – we have to retake a free kick, but if a big club does the same thing it is allowed.

“We knew that we could not afford a single mistake and with anything Inter would have taken the lead, making it an uphill struggle. We had to play the way we did, trying not to run risks, but unfortunately the goal came out of nowhere.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Jager]

I'll take it, we should of won, but it wasn't smooth as I would of liked it.

These injuries are really starting to bring the team down.