Chapter 645: Mancini's attitude
Although Inter Milan will face La Liga giants Barcelona in the next Champions League match, Inter Milan president Moratti said he has confidence in his team.
In the previous round of the league, Inter Milan was upset away and lost 0:3 to Livorno, and on the rostrum, you can even see the angry Moratti.
Ahead of the Champions League match, Sport gave Moratti an exclusive interview.
Reporter: "President Moratti, for the first time in the Livorno vs Inter Milan match, we saw you so angry in the stands. Did you see the TV footage and the arguments that followed??"
Moratti: "I've been angry at other times, but you haven't seen it on TV. I'm sorry and apologize, I'm not putting on a show. I apologize to the person I am referring to for my actions.?"
Reporter: "Roberto. Roberto Mancini said he was confident that you would qualify for the Champions League, did he successfully convey that confidence to you? β
Moratti: "I'm also very confident that Barcelos is very strong, but it's not like we don't have a chance to qualify, I share the same opinion as Roberto Mancini. It's important for the team to be calm now, but that's just one of those conditions because it's also important to play well. β?
Reporter: "Is it possible for Ronaldinho to compete for the World Footballer of the Year in the future?" β
Moratti: "Yes, I'm sure Ronaldinho can do it, of course, a lot of it will depend on our table in the Champions League. β
Reporter: "Did you think Mancini would be suspended after being sent off in Livorno vs Inter Milan? β
Moratti: "I hope not. I don't know how it will actually be. But from what I've heard, I don't want that. β
Reporter: "Some people say that Inter Milan's season is very much dependent on the match against Barcelona, what do you think? β
Moratti: "They always ask me that question. A big part of our season has been dangerous. Because the Champions League is very important. But we're happy with what we've done in the league and we've had a great time in the Champions Cup so far. β
Reporter: "Some people say that the contract extension with Mancini will take place before the game against Barcelona. Did you not meet or did your meeting not be disclosed by the media? β?
Moratti: "Anyway, I'm very much at Roberto's job right now. β
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Roberto Mancini has one year left on his contract with Inter Milan, and although Inter Milan have dominated the league table this season, many people are not happy with the team's current table, especially in the Champions League. It can only be said that it is unsatisfactory.
Now that the Inter Milan board of directors has even shelved plans to renew Mancini's contract, the key is to watch this Champions League match with Barcelona.
For this, Mancini has given this match more importance than ever. He even talks to every player to motivate each player.
The first leg of the match between the two sides will be played at Camp Nou, and it stands to reason that the Champions League will be played in a two-legged home-and-away format. It's a good result to come first. However, for Mancini, this is not a good result.
At BarΓ§a's home turf, at Camp Nou, there is a good chance that it will be a slaughter.
If this is the case, how much fighting power will Inter Milan have left even if they return to the Meazza stadium?
To be honest, although Mancini is very confident in his external appearance, he knows it in his heart. If you want to defeat the invincible Joe Cannon, you want to defeat the incomparably powerful Barcelona. Hardly possible.
Mancini wants the result to be just a loss that is not too bad, to save him a certain face, and if the loss is not too embarrassing, he can easily renew his contract with the club.
On April 5th, La Liga giants Barcelona will play at home against Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Before the game, Catalonia's Daily Sport did a survey, and the fans around Camp Nou, whether Barcelona fans or Inter fans, almost unanimously thought that Barcelona would win at home.
The difference is that Barcelona fans think the team can win by at least five goals, while Inter fans think they can break through Barca's door.
However, there are also some problems on the Barcelona side in this game, and the team's current brightest star, Cristiano. Ronaldo's thigh muscles are uncomfortable and he is unable to play, and it can be seen from the starting list announced before the game that Barcelona has made adjustments to Ronaldo's absence.
Barcelona's starting line-up is a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, goalkeeper Buffon, Lahm, Puyol, Lucio, Ashley Cole in the back, Barlack, two central midfielders are Xavi and Pirlo, the forward position is Iniesta, and the forward line is a combination of Ibrahimovic and Messi.
This is the first time Barcelona have fielded such an eccentric line-up this season, but many experts have speculated that as the game progresses, Barcelona are likely to change their formation, with Andres Iniesta on the left and Messi on the right, returning to the familiar 4-3-3 system.
Inter's lineup is as expected, and it is a 4-3-1-2 lineup that Inter Milan has been playing this season. The goalkeeper is No. 12, the right wing-back is No. 13 McConn, the double central defenders are No. 2 CΓ³rdoba and No. 23 Materazzi, and the left wing-back is No. 6 Maxwell.
The three defensive midfielders are No. 4 Zanetti, No. 16 Burdisso and No. 15 Dacourt, with No. 5 Stankovic up front and No. 10 Ronaldinho and No. 9 Eto'o up front.
In the locker room, Qiao Wanxian was mobilizing before the war.
"The Champions League is too far away and this season is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! At Camp Nou, we want to show the world what we do! Guys, I know you have a good relationship with individual Inter players, but the field is the battlefield, don't care about the friendship and demeanor, I need you to play the way you do best, nothing else is important except win!! β
In the home team's dressing room, the atmosphere was impassioned.
Twenty minutes later, the game had begun.
"Foul!! Andres Iniesta fell to the ground in pain holding his right leg and was kicked head-on to the calf by 26-year-old Argentina international Burdisso in a very strict commit! β
It was the seventh foul since Inter started the game, and the referee showed a yellow card without hesitation.
Andres Iniesta was helped to the sidelines by the team doctor for treatment.
The camera camera captured that when Iniesta took off his socks and shin guards, a shocking deep blood groove appeared on his hairy legs, which was obviously the mark left by Burdisso's flying kick just now!
Qiao Wanxian rushed to the sideline angrily, yelled at the referee, and rushed to the fourth official to roar and complain. But this qiΔ did not help the shape on the field in the slightest, and Inter Milan seemed to have decided that this game, if it was not successful, it would be benevolent, and the foul should be carried out to the end!
Playing against a team like Barcelona, Mancini really can't think of a better way to deal with it, although he has great respect for Qiao Wanxian, but in order to be able to renew his contract with the team, he gave up!
Mancini is going to use brutal violent foul tactics to make Barcelona, which lacks Ronaldo in the front line and lacks impact, completely collapse.
Seeing that Qiao Wanxian had lost his mind and rushed to the sidelines to compete with the head coach and the fourth official, Mancini felt that his goal was soon to be achieved.
Even...... Mancini sees hope of a win over Barcelona.
Although in Mancini's view, this method is very inferior, very hateful.
But football is football, and no matter how you win, people only remember the result and rarely care about the process.
29th minute.
"Toot!"
The whistle sounded again, and the one rolling on the ground was replaced by "Little Flea" Messi. As he broke through at the edge of the penalty area, he was knocked to the ground by Duckett who rushed from the side.
Duckett, yellow card!
Fortunately, Messi was not strict and continued to fight after getting up.
38th minute.
It was the Italian Andrea Pirlo who rolled in pain on the ground, and it was the soul of the Inter Milan team, former Barcelona king Ronaldinho, who got the yellow card!
The Camp Nou fans have been fed up with such a gross foul by Inter Milan, and the whole stadium has been booed, especially when Ronaldinho knocks down Andrea Pirlo, and the boos from the Camp Nou can even be sent to the other side of the world.
And Ronaldinho's face did not have a trace of guilt, he was not moved at all, but his eyes glanced at Qiao Wanxian on the sidelines.
"Let me leave Barcelona, you'll regret it!" Ronaldinho clenched his fists and thought hatefully.
Until the end of the first half, the score remained at 0:0, but the number of yellow cards was quite accomplished, Inter Milan had received 5 yellow cards, and Barcelona ...... A substitution has already been used.
Giovan replaced the injured Andres Iniesta with Argentine Saviola.
According to the preliminary judgment of the team doctor, Iniesta's injury is not light, and I am afraid that he will have to be out of action for at least a month.
"The first half of the fight was like an American heavyweight championship match, Barcelona were harassed by brutal fouls, it looked like they were on the verge of exploding with both the manager and the players, God forbid, hopefully for the next forty-five minutes, we can watch a football match instead of a brutal wrestling match!"
Amid endless boos at the Camp Nou, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half.
Qiao Wanxian's face was very stern, and he ignored Mancini, who came over to shake hands with him, snorted coldly, and returned directly to the locker room. (To be continued......)