Calcio Debate: Are Inter The 'New Juventus’?
Inter Milan are currently looking unstoppable in their pursuit of another Scudetto – Carlo Garganese looks at the parallels between the Nerazzurri and the Juventus side under Fabio Capello.
The last seven days have been like heaven for Inter boss Roberto Mancini. Three successive Serie A victories over Fiorentina (2-0), Lazio (3-0) and Torino (4-0) have seen them open up a five point lead at the top over second-placed Roma.
The Italian press are virtually unanimous in agreeing that the still unbeaten Inter, who have scored 33 goals and conceded just eight in 15 games, will comfortably retain the championship they won so convincingly last season.
Now you can argue forever about the reason why a team who had not won a Scudetto since 1989 have become so dominant – in this I am speaking specifically about the Calciopoli crisis.
However I want to steer way clear of that subject.
The parallels between this Inter side and the Fabio Capello squad from 2004/05 and 2005/06 are striking.
Let’s look at the first-choice starting XI’s of the two teams.
Inter 2007/08: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Materazzi, Cordoba, Maxwell (Chivu), Stankovic, Cambiasso, Vieira (Zanetti), Figo, Ibrahimovic, Cruz (Crespo)
Juventus 2005/06: Buffon, Zebina, Cannavaro, Thuram, Zambrotta, Nedved, Vieira, Emerson, Camoranesi, Ibrahimovic (Del Piero), Trezeguet
The first parallel is that both teams placed physicality and efficiency above technical qualities. If you take Ibrahimovic and Figo out of the Inter line-up and remove Ibrahimovic and Camoranesi from the Juve XI, you are left with very little creativity.
This perhaps explains why both teams (and I am talking up until the present) struggled in the Champions League.
In Europe technique is the name of the game – indeed it is the reason why AC Milan have been so successful in the competition in recent years. The likes of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and Kaka are tailor made for the Champions League.
The technical deficiencies in the Juventus and Inter squads explains why the Bianconeri were knocked out in the quarter-final stage in both of Capello’s seasons, and why Mancini’s men were so disappointing in their second round loss to Valencia last campaign.
Domestically it is a completely different kettle of fish. The efficient nature of these two squads helped both completely dominate the Italian league.
In 2004/05 Juventus won the league by seven points, while the next year they lost just once all term and had chalked up a record points tally by the mid-season break.
Although both of these Scudetti were eventually revoked, no true football fan can argue that Juve were by far the strongest team domestically in Serie A during those two seasons.
Similarly Inter also lost just once last season, winning an incredible 30 of their 38 games and finishing 22 points clear of second-placed Roma.
A few weeks ago current Bianconeri boss Claudio Ranieri described Inter as “like a machine” and I can distinctly remember the same words being used to describe Capello’s Juventus a few years back.
Both squads have a powerful backbone through the middle of the team. Juventus had the world-class Cannavaro and Thuram in defence, the powerhouses Vieira and Emerson in the middle-of-the-park, with Ibrahimovic and Trezeguet up-front.
Inter meanwhile have the likes of Materazzi, Chivu and Cordoba protecting the backline, Vieira (although he has often been injured) and Cambiasso in the centre of midfield, and once again the brilliant Ibrahimovic up-front.
Capello’s Juventus were incredibly hard to beat and they fought like lions to the last minute, often scoring late goals.
Mancini’s Inter also have fantastic mental qualities – the fact they have lost just one Serie A match in 18 months proves this.
Another striking parallel is something that possibly comes with being the number one team in Italy – controversy.
When Juventus were dominating under Capello they were often accused of getting favourable refereeing decisions – some of the time these charges were correct and often they were not.
Inter are currently suffering the same treatment this time around. The likes of Juventus and Milan have complained that they are suffering at the hands of the referees, with the Bianconeri it seems particularly hard done by during the games against Napoli and Parma.
Carlo -something-nese
Goal.com
Inter Milan are currently looking unstoppable in their pursuit of another Scudetto – Carlo Garganese looks at the parallels between the Nerazzurri and the Juventus side under Fabio Capello.
The last seven days have been like heaven for Inter boss Roberto Mancini. Three successive Serie A victories over Fiorentina (2-0), Lazio (3-0) and Torino (4-0) have seen them open up a five point lead at the top over second-placed Roma.
The Italian press are virtually unanimous in agreeing that the still unbeaten Inter, who have scored 33 goals and conceded just eight in 15 games, will comfortably retain the championship they won so convincingly last season.
Now you can argue forever about the reason why a team who had not won a Scudetto since 1989 have become so dominant – in this I am speaking specifically about the Calciopoli crisis.
However I want to steer way clear of that subject.
The parallels between this Inter side and the Fabio Capello squad from 2004/05 and 2005/06 are striking.
Let’s look at the first-choice starting XI’s of the two teams.
Inter 2007/08: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Materazzi, Cordoba, Maxwell (Chivu), Stankovic, Cambiasso, Vieira (Zanetti), Figo, Ibrahimovic, Cruz (Crespo)
Juventus 2005/06: Buffon, Zebina, Cannavaro, Thuram, Zambrotta, Nedved, Vieira, Emerson, Camoranesi, Ibrahimovic (Del Piero), Trezeguet
The first parallel is that both teams placed physicality and efficiency above technical qualities. If you take Ibrahimovic and Figo out of the Inter line-up and remove Ibrahimovic and Camoranesi from the Juve XI, you are left with very little creativity.
This perhaps explains why both teams (and I am talking up until the present) struggled in the Champions League.
In Europe technique is the name of the game – indeed it is the reason why AC Milan have been so successful in the competition in recent years. The likes of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and Kaka are tailor made for the Champions League.
The technical deficiencies in the Juventus and Inter squads explains why the Bianconeri were knocked out in the quarter-final stage in both of Capello’s seasons, and why Mancini’s men were so disappointing in their second round loss to Valencia last campaign.
Domestically it is a completely different kettle of fish. The efficient nature of these two squads helped both completely dominate the Italian league.
In 2004/05 Juventus won the league by seven points, while the next year they lost just once all term and had chalked up a record points tally by the mid-season break.
Although both of these Scudetti were eventually revoked, no true football fan can argue that Juve were by far the strongest team domestically in Serie A during those two seasons.
Similarly Inter also lost just once last season, winning an incredible 30 of their 38 games and finishing 22 points clear of second-placed Roma.
A few weeks ago current Bianconeri boss Claudio Ranieri described Inter as “like a machine” and I can distinctly remember the same words being used to describe Capello’s Juventus a few years back.
Both squads have a powerful backbone through the middle of the team. Juventus had the world-class Cannavaro and Thuram in defence, the powerhouses Vieira and Emerson in the middle-of-the-park, with Ibrahimovic and Trezeguet up-front.
Inter meanwhile have the likes of Materazzi, Chivu and Cordoba protecting the backline, Vieira (although he has often been injured) and Cambiasso in the centre of midfield, and once again the brilliant Ibrahimovic up-front.
Capello’s Juventus were incredibly hard to beat and they fought like lions to the last minute, often scoring late goals.
Mancini’s Inter also have fantastic mental qualities – the fact they have lost just one Serie A match in 18 months proves this.
Another striking parallel is something that possibly comes with being the number one team in Italy – controversy.
When Juventus were dominating under Capello they were often accused of getting favourable refereeing decisions – some of the time these charges were correct and often they were not.
Inter are currently suffering the same treatment this time around. The likes of Juventus and Milan have complained that they are suffering at the hands of the referees, with the Bianconeri it seems particularly hard done by during the games against Napoli and Parma.
Carlo -something-nese
Goal.com
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