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Champions League Preview: Inter - Manchester United
Inter are all set to lock horns with Manchester United in what promises to be an enthralling affair at the Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday evening...
24-Feb-2009 12:38:18 AM
Time For The Special One To Deliver
When Jose Mourinho entered the San Siro last summer, the Portuguese tactician was under no illusion that Champions League success was pivotal to Inter patron Massimo Moratti’s decision to hire him.
‘The Special One’ is not a man inclined to feel pressure, but the ghost of ex-head coach Roberto Mancini will hang in the Milan air as Manchester United swing into town for the first leg of this second round clash of the titans.
Mancini was famously jettisoned by Moratti after gifting the Nerazzurri three Serie A titles in a row, but it was his failure to make a splash in Europe's premier club competition that sealed his fate.
Mourinho has upheld Mancini’s fortunes in Serie A, with last weekend’s 2-1 win over Bologna sending La Beneamata nine points clear of Juventus at the top of the division.
Worryingly for the Champions League winner from his days at Porto, he seems to have inherited his predecessor's luck in the Champions League.
Inter stumbled through an elementary group in the first round, drawing 3-3 with Cypriot minnows Anorthosis, and registering defeats to outsiders Werder Bremen and Panathinaikos.
A repeat of these wretched performances will blow apart Moratti’s master plan for Il Biscione to be proclaimed as the continent's finest and place an intense spotlight on the latest incumbent of his clubs hot seat.
Defensive Nightmare
Manchester United have one hand on the Premier League crown after this weekend’s events, but their grip on the Champions League trophy has diminished after a defensive injury crisis took over Old Trafford.
Last season’s double winners charged to a seven point lead at the summit of the English top flight after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City followed the Reds controversial 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers.
Amidst the euphoria surrounding the Merseysiders slip up, the treatment room at United’s Carrington training base has dampened the sense of excitement.
From the moment that centre-back Jonny Evans felt a recurrence of the ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of February, Sir Alex Ferguson knew he was in trouble for the trip to the San Siro.
Already missing the suspended Premier League’s defender of the moment Nemanja Vidic, plus the injured duo Wes Brown and Gary Neville, Ferguson was counting on the Ulsterman to contain the twin threats of Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Now, Evans and team-mate John O’Shea face a race against time to be declated match fit. Without them, the Scottish manager faces an examination of the depth of his squad as he struggles to conjure up a centre-back capable of keeping Inter’s strikers from breaking down the door.
FORM GUIDE
Inter:
21 February vs. Bologna (A) won 2-1 (SERIE A)
15 February vs. A.C. Milan (H) won 2-1 (SERIE A)
07 February vs. Lecce (A) won 3-0 (SERIE A)
01 February vs. Torino (H) drew 1-1 (SERIE A)
28 January vs. Catania (A) won 2-0 (SERIE A)
Manchester United:
21 February vs. Blackburn Rovers (H) won 2-1 (PREM)
18 February vs. Fulham (H) won 3-0 (PREM)
15 February vs. Derby County (A) won 4-1 (FA CUP)
08 February vs. West Ham United (A) won 1-0 (PREM)
31 January vs. Everton (H) won 1-0 (PREM)
TEAM NEWS
Internazionale:
Veteran centre-backs Walter Samuel (calf) and Marco Materazzi (knee) miss the visit of Manchester United, whilst midfielders Patrick Vieira and Luis Jimenez are also unavailable to Jose Mourinho.
Last starting XI (vs. Bologna): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Rivas, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Maxwell (Balotelli 81), Muntari (Stankovic 46), Ibrahimovic, Adriano (Vieira 78).
Subs not used: Toldo, Figo, Cruz, Mancini.
Squad: Toldo, Julio Cesar, Orlandoni, Cordoba, Maxwell, Maicon, Burdisso, Rivas, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Stankovic, Figo, Cambiasso, Muntari, Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Adriano, Balotelli.
Possible starting XI: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Muntari, Maxwell, Ibrahimovic, Adriano.
Manchester United:
Sir Alex Ferguson is definitely without the suspended defender Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville (illness) and Wes Brown (metatarsal). Jonny Evans (ankle) is a severe doubt, whilst John O’Shea (heel) faces a late fitness test.
Brazilian midfielder Anderson (ankle) has returned to training, whilst Owen Hargreaves (knee) is sidelined until next season.
Last starting XI (vs. Blackburn Rovers): Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans (Vidic 64), Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 82), Nani (Tevez 64), Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Welbeck, Fabio Da Silva, Fletcher.
Squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Ferdinand, Evra, O'Shea, Evans, Fabio, Eckersley, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck
Possible starting XI: Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, O’Shea, Rafael Da Silva, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Berbatov, Rooney.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Inter: A predator strikes when it senses weakness. For Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the prospect of facing a decimated Manchester United defence is an opportunity to be ruthlessly exploited. Ibrahimovic has been terrorising Serie A’s backlines this year in his charge to the upper regions of the scoring charts. The Swede should fill his boots again on Tuesday against the rag tag United rearguard.
Manchester United: Never has there been a time in Rio Ferdinand’s career when he’s been more vital to his team than this Champions League second round meeting. The England international is Manchester United’s only fit centre-back. Ferdinand was flawless in his last visit to Italy against Roma last year. A repeat show will give the Red Devils a chance of progressing.
PREDICTION
The attention of Europe will fall on the San Siro as the Italian emperors face the Premier League’s finest.
No matter the grandeur, Manchester United will take to the pitch as a wounded beast. This puts the ball firmly in Jose Mourinho’s court, a position the Portuguese is loath to abandon.
Damage limitation is the name of the game for Sir Alex Ferguson. If his charges can register an away goal, then this trip to the Italian peninsula will be considered a success.
Inter 2-1 Manchester United
Matt Monaghan, Goal.com
When Jose Mourinho entered the San Siro last summer, the Portuguese tactician was under no illusion that Champions League success was pivotal to Inter patron Massimo Moratti’s decision to hire him.
‘The Special One’ is not a man inclined to feel pressure, but the ghost of ex-head coach Roberto Mancini will hang in the Milan air as Manchester United swing into town for the first leg of this second round clash of the titans.
Mancini was famously jettisoned by Moratti after gifting the Nerazzurri three Serie A titles in a row, but it was his failure to make a splash in Europe's premier club competition that sealed his fate.
Mourinho has upheld Mancini’s fortunes in Serie A, with last weekend’s 2-1 win over Bologna sending La Beneamata nine points clear of Juventus at the top of the division.
Worryingly for the Champions League winner from his days at Porto, he seems to have inherited his predecessor's luck in the Champions League.
Inter stumbled through an elementary group in the first round, drawing 3-3 with Cypriot minnows Anorthosis, and registering defeats to outsiders Werder Bremen and Panathinaikos.
A repeat of these wretched performances will blow apart Moratti’s master plan for Il Biscione to be proclaimed as the continent's finest and place an intense spotlight on the latest incumbent of his clubs hot seat.
Defensive Nightmare
Manchester United have one hand on the Premier League crown after this weekend’s events, but their grip on the Champions League trophy has diminished after a defensive injury crisis took over Old Trafford.
Last season’s double winners charged to a seven point lead at the summit of the English top flight after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City followed the Reds controversial 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers.
Amidst the euphoria surrounding the Merseysiders slip up, the treatment room at United’s Carrington training base has dampened the sense of excitement.
From the moment that centre-back Jonny Evans felt a recurrence of the ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of February, Sir Alex Ferguson knew he was in trouble for the trip to the San Siro.
Already missing the suspended Premier League’s defender of the moment Nemanja Vidic, plus the injured duo Wes Brown and Gary Neville, Ferguson was counting on the Ulsterman to contain the twin threats of Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Now, Evans and team-mate John O’Shea face a race against time to be declated match fit. Without them, the Scottish manager faces an examination of the depth of his squad as he struggles to conjure up a centre-back capable of keeping Inter’s strikers from breaking down the door.
FORM GUIDE
Inter:
21 February vs. Bologna (A) won 2-1 (SERIE A)
15 February vs. A.C. Milan (H) won 2-1 (SERIE A)
07 February vs. Lecce (A) won 3-0 (SERIE A)
01 February vs. Torino (H) drew 1-1 (SERIE A)
28 January vs. Catania (A) won 2-0 (SERIE A)
Manchester United:
21 February vs. Blackburn Rovers (H) won 2-1 (PREM)
18 February vs. Fulham (H) won 3-0 (PREM)
15 February vs. Derby County (A) won 4-1 (FA CUP)
08 February vs. West Ham United (A) won 1-0 (PREM)
31 January vs. Everton (H) won 1-0 (PREM)
TEAM NEWS
Internazionale:
Veteran centre-backs Walter Samuel (calf) and Marco Materazzi (knee) miss the visit of Manchester United, whilst midfielders Patrick Vieira and Luis Jimenez are also unavailable to Jose Mourinho.
Last starting XI (vs. Bologna): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Rivas, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Maxwell (Balotelli 81), Muntari (Stankovic 46), Ibrahimovic, Adriano (Vieira 78).
Subs not used: Toldo, Figo, Cruz, Mancini.
Squad: Toldo, Julio Cesar, Orlandoni, Cordoba, Maxwell, Maicon, Burdisso, Rivas, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Stankovic, Figo, Cambiasso, Muntari, Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Adriano, Balotelli.
Possible starting XI: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Muntari, Maxwell, Ibrahimovic, Adriano.
Manchester United:
Sir Alex Ferguson is definitely without the suspended defender Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville (illness) and Wes Brown (metatarsal). Jonny Evans (ankle) is a severe doubt, whilst John O’Shea (heel) faces a late fitness test.
Brazilian midfielder Anderson (ankle) has returned to training, whilst Owen Hargreaves (knee) is sidelined until next season.
Last starting XI (vs. Blackburn Rovers): Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans (Vidic 64), Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 82), Nani (Tevez 64), Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Welbeck, Fabio Da Silva, Fletcher.
Squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Ferdinand, Evra, O'Shea, Evans, Fabio, Eckersley, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck
Possible starting XI: Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, O’Shea, Rafael Da Silva, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Berbatov, Rooney.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Inter: A predator strikes when it senses weakness. For Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the prospect of facing a decimated Manchester United defence is an opportunity to be ruthlessly exploited. Ibrahimovic has been terrorising Serie A’s backlines this year in his charge to the upper regions of the scoring charts. The Swede should fill his boots again on Tuesday against the rag tag United rearguard.
Manchester United: Never has there been a time in Rio Ferdinand’s career when he’s been more vital to his team than this Champions League second round meeting. The England international is Manchester United’s only fit centre-back. Ferdinand was flawless in his last visit to Italy against Roma last year. A repeat show will give the Red Devils a chance of progressing.
PREDICTION
The attention of Europe will fall on the San Siro as the Italian emperors face the Premier League’s finest.
No matter the grandeur, Manchester United will take to the pitch as a wounded beast. This puts the ball firmly in Jose Mourinho’s court, a position the Portuguese is loath to abandon.
Damage limitation is the name of the game for Sir Alex Ferguson. If his charges can register an away goal, then this trip to the Italian peninsula will be considered a success.
Inter 2-1 Manchester United
Matt Monaghan, Goal.com
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