On March 16th, Inter Milan tactician José Mourinho will return to the Stamford Bridge for the second leg of the double fixture with his former club Chelsea where he spent two hugely successful seasons.
Inter patron Massimo Moratti has made no secret of his desire to lift the Champions League trophy and has splashed the cash in many failed attempts to make that a reality. The Italian champions are aiming for the treble this season and for the first time in many years actually seem to have a fair chance in reaching their objectives.
Although the season is far from over, the Nerazzurri seem well on their way to securing their fifth consecutive Scudetto. On top of that, they also have the advantage ahead of the second leg of their Coppa Italia semifinal against Fiorentina.
But in the end, it comes down to one thing; does Inter have what it takes to make a genuine push for the title that has evaded them ever since the glorious era of “Grande Inter” in the mid-sixties?
Let’s have a look at the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
Inter are the indisputable dominant force of Serie A. Mourinho’s men boast the best offensive and defensive records in the league having scored a whopping 45 goals and conceding only 19 – giving the team an average of 2.05 goals scored and 0.86 conceded per game.
As former fan favorite, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, packed his bags and headed for the Catalan capital in the beginning of the summer, there were many doubts over how the team would cope with the absence of their star man. However, the departure of “Ibracadabra” has allowed the team to transform into a hard-working unit, instead of the one-man show it used to be.
The entertainment factor may have decreased to a certain extent, but with the arrival of Diego Milito, the goals are still coming, considering the fact that the Argentine is very much in contention for the Capocannoniere crown with his 13 goals so far. With his excellent awareness, lightning speed and sheer intelligence, the prolific hitman is one of the world’s most clinical finishers and definitely something more than your classical poacher.
However, the biggest contribution to the Beneamata’s success this season can be tracked down to one player in Wesley Sneijder. Inter has lacked a creative midfielder for some time now, but since the Dutchman’s arrival he has added another dimension to the Nerazzurri’s game with his outstanding playmaking abilities, slick passes, great technical skills and not to mention, his lethal set-pieces.
Let’s not forget some of the other stars Mourinho has at his disposal and what they can bring to the table. Samuel Eto’os experience on the European scene, Mario Balotelli’s sheer unpredictability, Julio Cesar’s world class saves, Javier Zanetti’s age-defying performances, Esteban Cambiasso’s powerful and energetic riots in midfield and not to mention, the all-around work rate in the team.
In all honesty, Inter’s game has been far from dazzling at times, but their ability to churn out victories, despite poor performances and what has certainly looked like lost causes, has to be applauded. Their never-say-die attitude in combination with their insatiable hunger is what has set them apart from the competition in Italy during the past couple of seasons.
Another factor, and perhaps the most important one in their success, is the level of consistency Mourinho’s man has showcased over the years. And let’s face it – because this always plays a leading role – a nice batch of great fortune.
Weaknesses
Inter were probably drawn in the toughest group alongside Barcelona, Dinamo Kiev and Rubin Kazan, but progressed into the knock stages along with group-winners and current champions, Barca.
This has been said over and over, but as soon as the Nerazzurri step out on the continental stage, something happens to the team. There is a clear sense of inferiority in the tentativeness the players tend to showcase all too often on the big European nights. Instead of coming out of the traps right from the get-go, they often let the opposition set the tone of the game.
On top of that, the Italian champions lack experience on the European scene and their record against English opposition in the Champions League during the past few seasons has been far from encouraging. Last year the Beneamata were outmuscled by Manchester United in the final 16. The previous year, Liverpool had proven too strong. So, will it go any better as they take on Chelsea?
With their physical style of play, sheer strength and mobility, the Blues could cause quite an upset for the Milan side as they seem to finish excruciatingly close to the prize for each passing season. Although Mourinho has the strategic brilliance, mentality and knowledge of his former side (cancelled out by Carlo Ancelotti’s ditto on Inter), the players may be taken completely by surprise by the intensity and tempo of the opposition.
Add that to the fact that the Portuguese mastermind has on several occasions moaned that the team has not heeded his tactics and you can see where I am coming from.
If Inter are to walk away with a victory, they will need to display the kind of adaptability they showed against AC Milan in the “Derby della Madonnina” a few weeks back. Despite Sneijder’s early dismissal, the Nerazzurri outplayed their rivals on every position with expert tactics and precision.
This is particularly important considering that there are few sides in Serie A that actually have the guts to put up a good fight when pinned against the current champions (Siena and Bari recent exceptions). With this in mind, it’s safe to say that they are yet to come up against a team that can move the ball at the pace Chelsea are capable of.
The recent injury troubles have bared some of Inter’s weaknesses lately, especially when the players have been forced to play out of position. On top of that, Mourinho is not afraid to throw in make-shift strikers when chasing to gain all three points – despite it leaving the back four extremely vulnerable. Although it has rarely backfired, every mistake in the Champions League could prove to be the last.
Chelsea has proven to be far from unbeatable this season, but if Inter are to have a genuine chance defeating the Blues, they first and foremost need to start believing in their own abilities.
Marzia Hazra is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, the open source sports network.
