MD21: Inter - Empoli 3/2/08 (14.00 UK)

[Jager]

Serie A Week 21 -
Inter - Empoli

Stadio Meazza


After being held to a surprising draw against Udinese last weekend, Inter will be aiming to get their Scudetto defence back on track with a home clash against Empoli. The Tuscan minnows are without a win since the beginning of December and are currently sitting just three points off the foot of the table.

The Nerazzurri, on the other hand, saw their eight-game winning streak – not to mention a seven-point lead whittled down to five – effectively go up in smoke from as early as the 20th minute of their clash at the Stadio Friuli as Aparecido Cesar was stupidly sent off for two bookable offences in the space of a minute. As a result, the Brazilian winger is suspended and will make way for fellow South American Luis Jimenez. The Chilean magician was unfortunate not to be in the side last week after a fine spell deputising for Luis Figo, who remains sidelined after fracturing his leg at the tail-end of last year.

This clash brings back good memories for Inter and their supporters, as last term it was their first match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza since clinching their first on-the-pitch Scudetto in 18 years. The Milan outfit’s stadium has not proved to be a happy hunting ground for the Azzurri in recent years, with the last two meetings going Inter’s way with at least three goals scored. However, they did snatch a last-gasp victory in 2004 thanks to Tommaso Rocchi.

Alberto Malesani will be hoping that Nicola Pozzi can follow that example this time out. However, the Azzurrini striker is hopelessly out of touch at the moment and has failed to score since netting four times in the clash against Cagliari before the turn of the year, which also happened to be the last time Empoli won a Serie A game. Nonetheless, he remains the club’s top scorer in League action – having netted exactly a third of their goals this term – and is the man to lead the line against the meanest defence in Italy.

The only change expected to be made by Malesani for this game comes between the sticks as Daniele Balli returns in place of Davide Bassi, who deputised in the 2-0 defeat against Tuscan rivals Fiorentina. I’m sure either of the goalkeepers with remarkably similar names would have been happy to step aside for the game against the deadliest attack in Serie A, but it is Balli who is likely to get the nod. The 40-year-old will almost certainly be feeling his age by the time Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co are done with him…

Keep an eye on: Julio Cruz (Inter) – The Argentine hitman has netted on the last two occasions that Empoli have travelled to San Siro in Serie A. Don’t bet against him repeating the trick.

Last season: Inter 3-1 Empoli

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


Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Burdisso, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell; Stankovic, Cambiasso, Zanetti; Jimenez; Ibrahimovic, Cruz

Empoli (probable): Balli; Raggi, Marzoratti, Pratali, Antonini; Buscè, Marianini, Moro, Budel, Giovinco; Pozzi

Ref: To follow...

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[D-Kin]

I'm hoping Giovinco can pull off something special here, Inter need to be slowed down.

[Jager]

Zlatan has had a week off. I want to see a clean sheet, like the Udinese game.

Matrix needs to pull up the socks, as he is not playing well. On the other hand, Rivas is getting his game. His schooling in Italy is paying off.

Offense I'm not too worried about, but the defense is making me cringe at times.

[D-Kin]

Malesani: Impossible is nothing Sunday 3 February, 2008

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Lowly Empoli face the most daunting of tests as they travel to San Siro to face leaders Inter, but Coach Alberto Malesani believes in a miracle.

The Tuscan minnows are in penultimate place and locked in a relegation dogfight as they travel to Milan.

Although the Azzurri can take heart from recent performances – such as last weekend’s gutsy effort against Fiorentina – they are huge outsiders to steal a point from the Beneamata.

Despite the absence of star man Sebastian Giovinco, Malesani is in a surprisingly upbeat mood ahead of this afternoon’s kick-off.

“Nothing is impossible,” insists the former Verona boss. “Sometimes in football you just need belief to succeed.

“We have to recognise the great difference between the two sides, but we don’t feel beaten before we have even arrived.”

“We made very few mistakes against the Viola and we must do the same at San Siro.”

Empoli (probable): Bassi; Raggi, Marzoratti, Piccolo, Antonini; Buscè, Budel, Moro, Marianini; Vannucchi, Pozzi

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[D-Kin]

No Giovinco....

Lucky Inter.

[Trim]

1-0 Ibra, penalty. 34th mins.

[Jager]

Head to ball, ball to head..so hard to call for the official. We get a break, maybe.

All I know is that I'm not liking what I'm saying, though Inter is coming on.

Why is both Stankovic and Vieira playing?

J.Zanetti moved back to RB, Maicon injured?

Starting to miss Figo.

[Trim]

38th mins, Viera sent off!

[Jager]

Incredible, and I wrote that, numb nuts Vieira picks up red for absolutely nothing.

Two games in a row with these stupid reds, but this one takes the cake for stupidity.

Goes head to head with official for NOTHING. Idiot.

[Jager]

Why isn't the young Pele playing, sometimes I don't understand this crap. Both Vieira and Stankovic are coming off injury, why rush them back?

Mancini will not take off a striker until near the end, not Inter style.

[Jager]

Well that wasn't pretty to say the least, but the one goal holds up no thanks to non other than Julio Cesar who just played brilliantly today.

I did not like the lineup today, and Vieira almost cost us the game, or at least he cost us some nerves today.

[Oliver_Kahn]

The ref was absolutely atrocious.

The penalty called for Inter was never a penalty. The first yellow card which led to Vieira's sending off was also never a yellow card.

Many fouls not called, many cards not shown, cards shown without a reason.

Terrible performance by the ref

[Jager]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

The ref was absolutely atrocious.

The penalty called for Inter was never a penalty. The first yellow card which led to Vieira's sending off was also never a yellow card.

Many fouls not called, many cards not shown, cards shown without a reason.

Terrible performance by the ref

I'm leaning that way on the first PK, but let me remind you that the official doesn't have the benefit of replay, and has to make spot decisions. The key is for defenders not to have their arm up in the air like that. Very simple really.

Ball to hand or hand to ball, if your waiting for the official to make the decision, your living on a fine line.

Officials have had better days. I'm glad Empoli had an opportunity themselves.....


BTW, Matrix's foul which led to a PK for Empoli, could be argued the same. He went for the ball, but got his foot up high.

Purposely or not, get your foot high, they are calling it in Italy, so defenders MUST be aware of this.

As for Vieira, I don't debate that, but he has a stupid habit of bitchin, and bitchin and bitchin....just the fuk up and play the game. Really pissed me off today.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 21 - 3/2/08 (14.00 UK)
Inter 1 - 0 Empoli
Ibrahimovic pen 34 (I)
Stadio Meazza

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Julio Cesar was the hero as he saved a late penalty, but it's more controversy as Inter's winning spot-kick was extremely dubious and Patrick Vieira saw red.

Having been surprisingly held to a draw at Udinese last week, Inter were eager to maintain their five-point lead. This was on paper the perfect game to achieve that, as Empoli hadn't won since the start of December and were just three points off the foot of the table. Cesar Aparecido was suspended, but Patrick Vieira returned to the starting XI.

This fixture had never ended in a draw with seven home wins and one Empoli triumph in 2004. In that time the Nerazzurri had scored 23 goals and conceded six. Curiously, Empoli had just one away win this season - at San Siro against Milan.

As has often happened in 2008, Inter had a very shaky and sluggish start to the match, allowing Empoli the initiative with Ighli Vannucchi testing Julio Cesar.

The first Nerazzurri attempt on goal came after 13 minutes when Alessandro Budel lost the ball in midfield and at the end of a passing move Luis Jimenez flashed his angled drive past the far post.

Oddly, Inter were playing on the counter and burst forward after Budel wasted a good chance to make their own mistake at the other end with Jimenez practically taking the ball off Dejan Stankovic as he was lining up the shot.

Antonio Busce' was halted when clear on goal for a debatable offside decision, then a Stankovic thunderbolt was fingertipped round the post. Julio Cruz lost his footing and fired over from nine yards, but Empoli had another good chance with Nicola Pozzi's angled drive skimming the far post after he had gone past Nicolas Burdisso.

If Inter thought the controversy of their win over Parma was over, they were very wrong. On 34 minutes the referee pointed to the spot for a Vannucchi handling offence to block Stankovic's effort, but replays show it hit his face and not his hand. Zlatan Ibrahimovic smashed a powerful penalty into the bottom corner.

The referee was involved again, as the Nerazzurri were reduced to 10 men. Vieira marked his comeback from the start with a foolish dismissal, as he was booked and then swore right in the official's face, obviously earning a second yellow.

It was the third time in their last four official games that Inter had seen a player sent off in the opening 45 minutes. Tempers flared and, while the match continued in the Empoli half, a large group of players from both teams were arguing in the penalty area, as Marco Materazzi accused Marianini of diving.

To make matters worse, straight after the break Stankovic pulled up with an upper thigh strain, replaced by Nelson Rivas, pushing Javier Zanetti up to right midfield.

Empoli were dominating now and Vannucchi rolled a free kick back to the D where Busce' unleashed a thunderbolt that Julio Cesar fingertipped out from under the crossbar.

Luca Saudati came on and volleyed Busce's cross inches wide with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot and Julio Cesar flew to fingertip a Pozzi header out from under the bar.

Empoli kept on coming and Saudati should have done a lot better on Busce's cross from the right. 10-man Inter had the chances to put the win beyond doubt, but David Suazo twice was off target.

Daniele Bassi palmed a Maxwell attempt out for a corner, but the referee awarded another penalty, this time to Empoli for Materazzi's foul on Saudati. The striker got back up to take the kick, but saw it saved by Julio Cesar to keep 10-man Inter in front!

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Inter: Julio Cesar; Zanetti, Burdisso, Materazzi, Chivu; Vieira, Cambiasso, Stankovic (Rivas 48); Jimenez (Maxwell 46); Ibrahimovic, Cruz (Suazo 55)

Empoli: Bassi; Raggi, Marzoratti (Abate 59), Piccolo, Antonini; Marianini, Moro (Saudati 55), Vannucchi, Budel; Buscè; Pozzi

Ref: Tagliavento

Sent off: Vieira 39 (I)

Missed penalty: Saudati 84 (E)

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