Ref 'gave Inter birthday gift'
Reggina President Lillo Foti was furious with the referee after Inter were given a “birthday present” of a penalty.
The Amaranto had the best chances before Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a spot-kick, which was awarded for a trip on Esteban Cambiasso that appeared to be outside the box.
“The refereeing is a scandal,” snapped Foti after the 2-0 Inter win on the day they celebrated their centenary.
“There was a party to be had and they had to bring a present. Well, a gift arrived wrapped in a big bow.
“After all, it’s only good manners when celebrating a birthday. It was all predicted, all planned. We haven’t got the same power as Inter.”
This is not the first time that Foti has been angry at referee Christian Brighi, as there was another incident in the match with Atalanta earlier this season.
“Referees don’t seem to like Reggina. I respect Brighi and consider him to be a good official, but he was unfortunate in the Atalanta game when he misunderstood Riccardo Zampagna’s fall.”
Meanwhile, Inter had a different surprise for their centenary celebrations when a poll on their official website was attacked by troublemakers.
Fans from other clubs bombed the site so that the ‘favourite game’ was voted the 4-2 defeat at Lazio that cost them the 2002 Scudetto on May 5 and the ‘most loved players’ were Vratislav Gresko and Ronaldo![/QUOTE]
Anyone know anything about the emboldened bit? How did they get onto their site to sabotage the poll?
Moratti obviously knows(Duh!),but would Mancini and the players know about this?Im not too sure about the players,Mancini perhaps does know.If someone from the managment comes and tells a squad of 20 odd that you'd be getting help from the refs,the chances of a few players not liking the idea is possible,which brings in the possibility of the news being leaked to the media.The players would have obviously noticed that the refs are favouring them,but i dont doubt if someone from the managment would have come and told them 'Dive all you want..the refs will go in your favour'.
Mancini's case is probably tricky.As far as i know,he never supported Inter as a child,nor did he play for them.Lets be unbiased here,and admit that he was a pretty good player in his time.But that doesnt matter here.The thing is,you dont expect a coach/player to become 'evil' the moment he puts on an Inter Milan badge.Mancini gives stupid comments to the press,the possibility of Moratti telling him that the refs would be favouring his side can exist,and the chances of Moratti not telling Mancini directly are also there.Obviously Mancini's been in the game long enough to tell the difference between favourtism and fairplay and even if Moratti didnt tell him anything directly,the matches would tell him that the refs would favour his side in a massive manner,but its arguable if he's in on everything that going at Inter Milan,or if its only the higher maangment at Inter Milan thats orchestrating all of this.
Mancini knows!
The interesti had a meeting at moRATti's house. No doubt trying to "win" the CL by bribing Fifa officials.
MILAN - President Massimo Moratti held a centenary luncheon on Saturday at his Milan residence, where the world of football often met during the Great Inter era.
Among those present were top officials from FIFA and UEFA, the presidents of some of the most important European clubs, including Barcelona number one and great friend of Moratti, Joan Laporta, the presidents of Ajax and Sheffield FC - the oldest club in the world which recently celebrated its anniversary, and Kuwaiti ambassador to Madrid Adil Al-Ayar.
Giancarlo Abete and Antonio Matarrese, presidents of the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) and the Lega Calcio (Italian Football League), were also in attendance, as were the presidents of numerous Serie A clubs.
Joining Massimo and Milly Moratti for lunch were Marco Tronchetti Provera and the F.C. Internazionale board of directors.