Cascarino’s Champions League Preview: Inter Milan v Chelsea
Inter Milan are a far improved team this season so should give Chelsea a very tough two legs. Jose Mourinho has moulded Inter into his own team; they are very difficult to beat, good defensively and from what I’ve seen of them, very impressive.
Jose has improved the work-rate and team-spirit of the talented squad he has at his disposal and I think they will edge this first-leg. Whether they do enough to go through the tie is another question entirely but I expect them to go to Stamford Bridge with a lead. Mourinho is a winner, he is also a very clever manager and if anyone knows how to stop Chelsea, then surely it’s him. He was the man who bought most of the current stars of the squad and will know their strengths and weaknesses better than anyone. Jose has already singled out Didier Drogba as the player Inter need to stop and he will have a plan in place to do just that.
Inter will get into the faces of Chelsea from the off and the pace of Samuel Eto’o will be a major threat to the Blues defence. Pace will always cause defenders problems but the Cameroon star will be ably supported by Diego Milito who has been very impressive this season and is 2nd top scorer in Serie A. He is no slouch himself and is strong aerially too. The young striker Mario Balotelli is also a handful if he is selected. The midfield for Inter is also very strong with Esteban Cambiasso, Sulley Muntari and Javier Zanetti all tenacious players while Wesley Sneijder provides the main creative spark for the team.
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I recently watched them beat AC Milan in a derby match despite being reduced to ten men early in the first-half. Inter still dominated the game and showed similar traits to the Chelsea team Mourinho built in terms of sheer bloody mindedness and will to win. They not only defended well but also played some great football. I saw enough to suggest the Inter forward line will cause John Terry and co problems.
Chelsea may have won at Wolves at the weekend but they were not overly impressive in doing so. Defensively they looked vulnerable which will worry Carlo Ancelotti ahead of this massive game. Apart from a superb performance at the Emirates, Chelsea have underachieved this season. That may sound crazy seeing as though they are top of the Premier League but with the players they have, they could arguably have had the title sown up by now.
You can’t completely write-off Chelsea at the San Siro as they have so many match winners in their squad capable of turning a game. If it isn’t Drogba then there’s Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack or Deco amongst others who can provide something special. They certainly are well capable of getting a goal anywhere but this could be a good time to face Chelsea and Inter will look to dominate this leg from the off. They will try to impose their game on the English league leaders in typical Mourinho style. Whether Inter will win the tie is highly debatable but in terms of the first leg at the San Siro, Jose’s know-how and Inter’s pace may be enough to give them a precious lead ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge.
Tags: Champions League, Chelsea, Football betting, Football Pools, Inter Milan, Jose Mourinho, online betting, Online pools, Super 6, Tony Cascarino
