MD27: Inter - Reggina 8/3/08 (17.00 UK)

[Jager]

Serie A Week 27 - 8/3/08 (17.00 UK)
Inter - Reggina

Stadio Meazza


Fresh from their first Serie A defeat since April 2007, Inter welcome Reggina to the Giuseppe Meazza. The Nerazzurri have now gone three games without a win, which has allowed Roma to close the gap at the top to six points.

The margin would have decreased further had Javier Zanetti not netted a late equaliser against the Giallorossi last week, so Roberto Mancini will be desperate to make their title rivals pay for that slip-up by getting right back on track against the Reggio Calabria outfit. Unfortunately, their injury problems continue to mount up and it gives the tactician a major headache with the crucial Champions League clash against Liverpool just around the corner.

Cristian Chivu is the latest man to enter the treatment room after dislocating his shoulder against Napoli, but he would have been unavailable for this game anyway as the booking he picked up in Naples put him over the limit. Skipper Zanetti returns to the side in place of the Romanian stopper. Another defensive chance is likely to see Nelson Rivas replaced by Nicolas Burdisso, who is back from a suspension of his own. Fellow Argentines Esteban Cambiasso and Hernan Crespo are also tipped to return, with Pele and Mario Balotelli likely to make way.

Despite picking up four points from their last three matches – one of which was a victory over high-flying Juventus – Reggina opted to sack Renzo Ulivieri after the 0-0 draw with Palermo. The veteran tactician can consider himself hard done by, as he had averaged around a point per game since replacing the hapless Massimo Ficcadenti back in November and the Amaranto are only three points from safety. Nonetheless, former youth team Coach Nevio Orlandi has been handed the reins and his first decision is expected to be naming an unchanged starting XI for the daunting trip to San Siro.

The sides have already met three times this term, two of which came in the Coppa Italia. Unsurprisingly, the end result on each occasion has been in Inter’s favour, with the Cup clash ending in a 7-1 aggregate scoreline. The League clash earlier this term was unique in that it featured Adriano’s only goal for the Nerazzurri this term. But not as unique as the clash at the Granillo back in October 2000, as that was the only time that Reggina have emerged victorious against Inter in the last 17 meetings.

Keep an eye on: David Suazo (Inter) – The Honduran ace hasn’t had the best of debut campaigns at San Siro, but his recent form suggests that he could be firing on all cylinders again soon.

Last season: Inter 1-0 Reggina

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


Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Burdisso, Materazzi, Zanetti; Vieira, Cambiasso, Maniche; Figo; Crespo, Suazo

Reggina (probable): Novakovic; Lanzaro, Valdez, Cirillo, Aronica; Vigiani, Barreto, Cascione; Brienza, Makinwa; Amoruso

Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Oliver_Kahn]

Inter with yet another bullshit penalty, as Cambiasso was supposedly fouled inside the box. Ibra took it to make it 1-0 at the 13th minute.

That looked like a clear dive to me and even if there was a contact, it was outside of the box.

[azzurri]

Welcome to Serie a TIM.

[Jager]

Weak call, but there was a trip. Outside the box possibly, however I never doubted our ability to score. Cucho is developing the "art" of selling PKs. Nedved for example is a master at it, and it can be a valuable tool in your arsenal.

Sort of like Grosso at the WC. If you "sell" it, and its bought, then its a good thing for your team.

As for our team, we played much better. Matrix still very rusty, must be the injury.

[Jager]

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Inter with yet another bullshit penalty, as Cambiasso was supposedly fouled inside the box. Ibra took it to make it 1-0 at the 13th minute.

That looked like a clear dive to me and even if there was a contact, it was outside of the box.

Yet another?

Come on, not sure what your insinuating? Inter is the only club in Europe that gets the odd favourable call?

Inter has big men, who charge the box, and more often than not, contact is inevitable. Sometimes that contact will result in PKs. That is the nature of the sport.

Now, granted. Officials are human. They make mistakes.

And we have been the victims of mistakes and the beneficiaries of them. I see nothing funny at all.

[Jager]

This is a better pic. The Reggina's players leg is in a strange position, and its not so cut and dry. Officials have a tough job.

[azzurri]

It was a dive, but more importantly, it was clearly outside the box. No other team in serie a has picked up as many controversial pts as Inter this season. The errors arent universal, since no other team gets the kind of calls Inter gets. This season is a complete joke, and statistically, it is the most controversial in the history of serie a. Strange coincidence considering the "reforms" your pal/director Guido Rossi supposedly committed.


Congrats to Ibra, Europe's supposed best player, for scoring 8 of his 15 goals from the penalty spot.



I dont buy the "catching breaks" argument either. Juve dominated Reggina a few weeks ago harder than Inter did yesterday, and we were denied 4 clear pk's. Inter play Reggina and get a pk for a soft foul outside the box. Inter dont deserve their comfortable lead at the top.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Jager

Yet another?

Come on, not sure what your insinuating? Inter is the only club in Europe that gets the odd favourable call?

I'm not insinuating anything, I'm stating a fact. And the fact is that Inter had another dubious penalty call in favour. I can name at least 4 very dodgy goals scored by Inter this season.

And no, Inter are definitely not the only team that gets the odd favourable call, but in Inter's case, it isn't the odd favourable call, because it happens far too often.

Originally Posted by Jager

Inter has big men, who charge the box, and more often than not, contact is inevitable. Sometimes that contact will result in PKs. That is the nature of the sport.

That is a bit of a lame excuse man, no offense. Specially in this case where the 'big man' was Cambiasso.

Originally Posted by Jager

Now, granted. Officials are human. They make mistakes.

Indeed they do, but that's not what I'm talking about; I'm referring to the constant 'mistakes' in favour of Inter.

Originally Posted by Jager

And we have been the victims of mistakes and the beneficiaries of them. I see nothing funny at all.

Surely you agree that the number of dubious calls that Inter have had in favour, in Serie A, clearly outweigh the number of dubious calls against.


I don't want to start any conspiracy theories, but all 4 Serie A games of Inter that I've watched this season, they always had a dubious call in favour:

A dubious penalty on Couto which lead to his sending off vs Parma, a non existent penalty vs Empoli, an illegal goal against Catania (clear offside) and now this 'penalty' against Reggina.

[azzurri]

Take away the ref's, and Roma would be 1st place. Numerous media have printed corrected tables, where pts gained in games like yesterday are put into question. Inter were the most heavily favoured and wouldn't be 1st place. U can take a guess who was the most penalized team from "mistakes".

If it was a handfull of mistakes, fine, but it is happening almost every week, and it only goes 1 way. If it really was due to poor refs, pressure, or a bunch of other excuses Morattit tries to sell, other teams would be awarded these dubious calls, but they arent.

Kahn, you're lucky u only caught 4 games, because this has happened alot more than 4 times.

This season is fixed, just like last season was, and the scandal b4 when Inter illegally stole our scudetto and sent us down to serie b with no proof of match fixing or bribing officials, according to a sportive rule a group of ppl headed by an Inter director created and than eliminated.

The fact Inter's directors and investor's mirror that of the leagues main sponsor (Telecom Italia), explains y this happenining. Serie a has lost all credibility.

[azzurri]

De Rossi:

“If justice had been served and things had gone the way they should have done, we would be top of the table by a point,” said the World Cup winning midfielder.

“Inter’s victories do not depend on Roma,” added De Rossi. “The trouble is they don’t depend on Inter, either.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[sinoy1]

Im not surprised.I love De Rossi since he tells it like it is.But Im afraid he might get suspended....in which case it would help Inter...then again he would be fresh for the CL. Ive given up this season.The higher power that is wont let us win ( again ).

Also Jager...thats a terrible picture.Horrible angle and horrible time to choose the frame.Video of the even shows clearly it was a dive,and it was outside the PK area.

Life goes on I suppose.

[Oliver_Kahn]

“Inter’s victories do not depend on Roma,” added De Rossi. “The trouble is they don’t depend on Inter, either.”

That is a brilliant quote.

[azzurri]

De Rossi will probably be fined or suspended, like Totti, and many coaches/directors have been threatened with displine in the past few months because of their comments.

It's perfectly fine for Moratti to insult other clubs in the media though, laying claim to scudetto's his own player admit they pissed away yet he says were stolen.

Serie a TIM (Trofeo Inter Milan). They can do w/e they want. Only Inter can get a fine for forging passports, and have the players in question serve a suspension over the summer when there is no football being played. Only Inter can get the law changed so that their accounting fraud is no longer considered illegal. Only Inter can tap players and club's phones, than print it through their parent company media, and benefit from the whole mess. Serie a is a complete joke.

[ParmaKing]

The Parma penalty was a penalty. His hand was up, very difficult for the official.

As for this one, Cucho dived. No doubt about that. But its not up to Inter or him, all teams have the odd diving episode.

As for Inter and their lead. I think overall it is justified. The Udinese game comes to mind, and Ibra's non goal.

But to say that something "fishy" is going on, or that Inter have some how told officials to give them PKs is complete lunacy. De Rossi should be suspended, and its not up to him to speak for the whole league. Maybe if Roma didn't drop some easy points earlier on, they wouldn't be behind. However the lead is only 6 points. I'm not reallly sure what all the harping is all about?

As for Inter, we have not played well of late. There is no doubt about that. But lets not kid ourselves. What other team could pick up the injuries we have, and still be in the lead???

If we lose the scudetto, it will be because of that.


And to Kahn, I suggest you watch Serie A prior to 2003 or so. If you think this club has benefitted from bogus PKs, then you have not seen anything. Inter overall, has been burned and shafted over the years, including Roma.

Juventus and Milan over the years have benefitted the most from so called "favourable" calls. I think this is just karma.

Maybe next season we get don't get the benefit of the doubt. Who knows?