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Nine-man Inter stun Milan to go nine clear

Nine man Inter Milan moved nine points clear at the top of Serie A after a 2-0 victory over arch-rivals AC Milan in a pulsating derby at the San Siro on Sunday.

The champions played for more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage after Wesley Sneijder was sent off but they dominated throughout to earn a richly deserved victory.

Milan may still have a game in hand on their neighbours but the psychological effect of such a crushing defeat will make the gap seem all the wider.

Milan may have come into the game as the form team in Serie A but Inter were clearly the more pumped up early on.

Sneijder almost fired them in front with a moment of outrageous skill, flicking the ball up and thrashing a 25-yard volley that glanced off the outside of the post.

The Dutch playmaker should then have given the hosts the lead as a ricochet from a Goran Pandev shot fell into his path as he broke into the box but he rammed his shot straight at goalkeeper Dida.

Milan didn’t seem to heed those warnings and Inter deservedly took the lead on 10 minutes as Pandev’s ball over the top saw Diego Milito get behind Ignazio Abate in the inside left channel and shoot low across Dida and into the far corner.

Inter were rampant and another break saw Pandev feed Milito on the inside right but Dida blocked his near post shot.

Inter were dominant and Sneijder was running the show but the referee changed that before the half hour was even up.

Inter centre-back Lucio burst forward into midfield and went down rather easily under a challenge but seeing that he still had the ball he got up and went to carry on, only for the referee to stop the game and book him for diving.

Inter were incensed and Sneijder sarcastically applauded the referee – an offence usually meriting a yellow card but he received a red card, though, it was unclear whether he had also verbally abused the referee.

Sneijder was beside himself and needed to be dragged from the field by two team-mates.

Inter knuckled down, though, with stalwarts Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso looking to control the midfield.

Milan were disjointed and struggling to create anything, with their best chance coming from a heavily deflected Andrea Pirlo free-kick that wrong-footed Julio Cesar but looped up and landed on the roof of the net.

Milan came flying out in the second half and Julio Cesar saved a close range Clarence Seedorf header from a David Beckham corner before Ronaldinho hit a swivelling volley just wide.

Inter were still dangerous on the counter and Milito almost made Milan pay with one break but the visitors were gradually imposing themselves with Beckham crosses from the right causing particular bother as Marco Borriello headed one just over.

But then from another brilliant break Milito slipped in Pandev who chipped Dida only to see the ball come back off the post and into the Brazilian’s grateful arms.

But on 65 minutes Giuseppe Favalli brought down Maicon on the edge of the box and Pandev stepped up to curl home a free-kick Dida could do nothing about.

Tellingly, it was only then that Mourinho removed one of his forwards.

Milan, a disappointment for all but the beginning of the second half, could only muster wild pot shots from distance in the closing stages.

In injury time Lucio was dismissed for a second booking as he gave away a penalty but Julio Cesar plunged to his right to beat out Ronaldinho’s effort and complete Milan’s misery.

Earlier in the day Napoli won 2-0 at Livorno to move to within a point of third-placed AS Roma while Palermo’s 3-0 defeat of Fiorentina moved them up to fifth.

MILAN (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, andrea pirlo, arch rivals, clarence seedorf, David Beckham, deserved victory, dida, diego milito, Esteban Cambiasso, far corner, Giuseppe Favalli, Goran Pandev, Ignazio Abate, inter milan, julio cesar, livorno, lucio, Marco Borriello, midfield, napoli, neighbours, offence, Palermo, playmaker, psychological effect, referee, ricochet, San, san siro, team mates, volley, Wesley Sneijder, yellow card

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Bari hold Inter again to boost Milan hopes

Bari breathed new life into the Serie A title race by holding champions Inter Milan to a draw for the second time this season after a 2-2 stalemate that included three penalties.

Inter, who were 2-0 down at one stage, now lead city rivals AC Milan by nine points, but the Rossonero have two games in hand with the derby to come next weekend.

But while Inter coach Jose Mourinho may feel this was two points dropped, as was the case when Inter hosted the southerners on the opening day of the season, this result was testament to Inter’s powers of recovery.

Two Paulo Baretto penalties looked to have given Bari victory but Macedonia striker Goran Pandev pulled a goal back before Argentine strike partner Diego Milito’s penalty earned the champions a share of the spoils.

Mourinho was not entirely happy with the result and pointed to his side’s penalty claiming Bari should have had Leonardo Bonucci dismissed.

“Obviously I’m satisfied with the comeback because if you’re losing 2-0 away against a side of this quality, it’s not easy to get a draw but obviously I’m not satisfied we conceded two goals,” said Mourinho.

“After conceding two penalties in five minutes the game seemed lost but the lads showed great character to earn a point that seemed lost.

“You can never say if in football but if Bari had played with 10 men at the end and with no centre-back left on the bench, there would have been a different result.”

Few clear-cut chances were created in the first half but Bari clearly had the better of things with Honduran winger Edgar Alvarez’s pace causing considerable problems for makeshift left-back Ivan Cordoba.

And it was Alvarez who had the first clear sight of goal on 28 minutes as Massimo Donati’s pass found a gap between Cordoba and centre-back Lucio with the Honduran racing on to the ball but with only Julio Cesar to beat he fired against the goalkeeper’s legs.

Four minutes later Hungarian Vladimir Koman slipped the ball wide to overlapping left-back Alessandro Parisi and his fierce drive was beaten away by Julio Cesar.

Inter seemed to be coming back into the match early in the second period as Wesley Sneijder struck a powerful free-kick from distance wide out on the left only for Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet to tip the ball around the post.

From the resulting corner Milito’s shot was blocked and Cordoba sliced the rebound wide.

But the game changed on two penalties, the first given when Riccardo Meggiorini’s cross from the left hit Walter Samuel’s arm.

Baretto sent Julio Cesar the wrong way to open the scoring on the hour.

And just three minutes later Lucio gave away another penalty after clumsily bundling Parisi over in the box.

Baretto shot to the other corner this time, again sending Julio Cesar the wrong way.

Mourinho’s response was immediate, throwing on winger Ricardo Quaresma and full-back Davide Santon.

Inter were soon level after some shoddy Bari defending.

A Mario Balotelli shot from distance on 69 minutes hit Andrea Masiello and Pandev was quickest to react to the loose ball to slot home.

Five minutes later a ricochet played Pandev in behind the Bari defence and Bonucci brought him down with Milito despatching the third spot-kick of the game.

Mourinho wasn’t happy that Bonucci wasn’t sent off and disputed the penalty against Samuel.

“I haven’t seen a TV replay but it seems to me that there were many questions on the first penalty,” he said.

“And then there seems to be a special rule for us. Early in the season against Milan (Gennaro) Gattuso didn’t get a red card for a foul as the last man and again here if this isn’t a red card then I’ve nothing to say.

“If Pandev is behind the defence and Bonucci is the last man then why isn’t it a red card?”

Alvarez had a chance to win the game when played in by Baretto but his first touch was far too heavy and Julio Cesar cleared.

Earlier in the day Cagliari went sixth, just three points off a Champions League position, with a 3-0 defeat of Livorno.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Bari, city rivals, diego milito, Goalkeeper, Goran Pandev, inter milan, ivan cordoba, jose mourinho, koman, lucio, massimo donati, opening day, parisi, rossonero, s pass, southerners, spoils, stalemate, winger

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Inter stroll to win, go eight clear in Serie A

Inter Milan got back to winning ways in Serie A on Saturday with a convincing 3-1 win over Bologna at the Dall’Ara stadium extending their lead at the top to eight points ahead of Sunday’s games.

In the late match, Parma beat Fiorentina 3-2 to move temporarily up to third spot.

The 10th win from 13 games this season for Italian champions Inter will undoubtedly instill confidence ahead of Inter’s Champions League match at Barcelona on Tuesday.

However Inter coach Jose Mourinho said: “The Barcelona game will be a real test for my players.”

Diego Milito scored his eighth goal of the campaign to give Inter the lead midway through the first half, and despite an immediate equaliser from Marcelo Zalayeta, the ‘Nerazzurri’ regained the lead four minutes before the break through Mario Balotelli.

With 18 minutes left, Esteban Cambiasso’s low strike wrapped up a comfortable win spoiled only by the stoppage-time sending off of Maicon for dissent.

“We won without too many problems and we deserved it,” added Mourinho before being questioned about the half-time substitution of striker Balotelli.

“He played a normal first half – he missed a chance, scored and then got a yellow card. Some players know how to play with a booking but he plays in the same way so I didn’t want to risk doing down to 10 men.”

Looking fresh after the two-week break, Inter quickly forced the home side onto the back foot and midway through the first half Milito, latching onto a downward Lucio header, was allowed time to turn and rifle home from six yards. It looked ominous for Bologna but right from the kick off they equalised with their first attack.

Martins Adailton’s fine left-foot chipped the ball over the Inter defence for Zalayeta, who showed composure to bring the ball down before firing into the top corner as Julio Cesar rushed out.

With Motta increasingly influential, Inter soon regained the lead.

The Brazilian midfielder played in Dejan Stankovic, whose left-foot finish hit the far post, ran across the goalline and struck the other post before Viviano jumped on the ball ahead of the lurking Cambiasso.

Bologna then conceded a soft goal on 41 min, when Balotelli applied the simplest of headers to a left-wing corner to give Inter the lead.

Viviano was beaten for a third time on 72 min with a goal made in Argentina – the excellent Cambiasso releasing Milito before running on to his compatriot’s cross to drill home left-footed.

“We knew it was going to be tough as Inter are the best side in the country,” said striker Marco Di Vaio, whose Bologna side remain 15th.

In Florence, Alberto Gilardino gave Fiorentina a deserved lead on 26min with a deft angled header from a Mario Santana cross.

Parma quickly got back on equal terms when Nicola Amoruso slid in to bury Cristian Zaccardo’s inviting cross on 30 min.

The away side took the lead on 52 min when Valeri Bojinov broke the Viola offside trap to apply the faintest of touches to a Daniele Galloppa free kick.

With second spot up for grabs, the Viola responded and after Juan Vargas had crashed a left-footer inches wide on 55 min, Gilardino showed his strength to meet Vargas’ corner with another trademark header for his second and the equaliser on 61 min.

Despite the blow, the away side grabbed the winner on 68 min.

With the outside of his foot, veteran Christian Panucci played in Davide Lanzafame and the substitute, racing clear, slipped the ball past Sebastien Frey.

Fiorentina fought in vain. Marco Donadel was given his marching orders on 86 min after picking up a second yellow card.

Then deep into added time, Gilardino got his head to another left-wing cross but was denied a hat-trick and the equaliser by a flying save from Antonio Mirante.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: cambiasso, diego milito, eighth goal, equaliser, far post, half time, inter milan, italian champions, jose mourinho, julio cesar, left foot, lucio, marcelo zalayeta, midfielder, s games, stankovic, stoppage time, winning ways, yellow card

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Inter in trouble after Dynamo draw

Inter Milan’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knock-out rounds suffered a blow as they were held to a 2-2 home draw by Dynamo Kiev.

The point leaves them bottom of Group F following Rubin Kazan’s win at Barcelona but with only one home match left.

They are without a win but still only one point off top, the position Dynamo share with both Barca and Rubin.

But that will be scant comfort for Inter boss Jose Mourinho following a pulsating contest that could have gone either way.

Dynamo were off to a flying start and Amdriy Yarmolenko should have given them the lead on three minutes but from a yard out at the back post he couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough to turn in Artem Milevskiy’s flick-on from Gerson Magrao’s corner.

But just two minutes later they were in front as Javier Zanetti failed to clear a Magrao free-kick and Taras Mikhalik turned smartly on the edge of the box and rifled a shot in off the near post.

Inter were struggling early doors and a mistake by Cristian Chivu on the sideline let Milevskiy in behind him but Lucio was alert and diverted away his dangerous cross.

On 26min former AC Milan star Andrei Shevchenko almost got the goal he craved against his old foes but he headed just wide from an inviting Roman Eremenko cross.

Inter’s main threat was coming from Dejan Stankovic, playing alongside Wesley Sneijder behind frontman Samuel Eto’o.

Having sent one shot wide and had another beaten out by goalkeeper Stanislav Bogush he equalised on 35min, thanks to a rush of blood to Bogush’s head.

Inter hit Kiev with a quick counter as Sneijder fed the rampaging Lucio who played in Stankovic but the Serbian was still a long way from goal and Yevgen Khacheridi was in a posititon to cover his run.

Yet Bogush charged fully 10 yards from his area only to lose the race to the ball with the Serbian, who flicked it past the keeper and into the unguarded net.

But parity lasted only five minutes as Lucio headed Magrao’s corner past his own keeper after his mistake had resulted in Dynamo winning the corner.

Mourinho wasted no time in trying to fire up his team, bringing on Honduran striker David Suazo for Ghana midfielder Muntari Sulley at halftime.

And two minutes after the restart they were level again in simple fashion as Walter Samuel lost his marker and headed home Sneijder’s corner.

Inter were clearly on top and on 63min Bogush had to block a close range Eto’o volley before up the other end Lucio just nicked the ball off Milos Ninkovic’s toe to prevent him from surging through one-on-one with Julio Cesar.

Shevchenko again had the chance he craved on 73min after another Lucio blunder but this was not the clinical Sheva of old and he blasted his effort high and wide with only Julio Cesar to beat.

The goalkeeper then parried a fierce near-post Sheva free-kick on 76min.

Five minutes from time Suazo had a gilt edged chance to be a hero but he fired wide from six yards after Zanetti teed him up, before netting in injury time only to be flagged offside.

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: andrei shevchenko, artem milevskiy, Barcelona, Cesar, chivu, cristian chivu, David Suazo, dynamo kiev, eremenko, free kick, ghana, Goalkeeper, home match, inter milan, Italy, jose mourinho, Julio, julio cesar, Kiev, knock out, lucio, magrao, Milan, old foes, rubin kazan, samuel eto, samuel eto o, sideline, Stanislav Bogush, taras, Taras Mikhalik, walter samuel, Wesley Sneijder, zanetti

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Sneijder Inter signing imminent: press

Wesley Sneijder is on the verge of joining Inter Milan, according to Italian press reports on Tuesday.

The Dutch attacking midfielder is surplus to requirements at Real Madrid following the big-money signings of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka and has been linked with a move to the Italian champions for several weeks.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho is known to be in the market for an attacking midfielder who can play at the head of his midfield diamond formation and now seems to have got his man.

“The agreement between Inter and Sneijder is imminent,” said La Gazzetta dello Sport on its website.

“Real Madrid’s Dutch midfielder is expected in Italy in the afternoon to finalise the deal’s last details and then the nerazzurro will be able to make the official announcement.”

If Sneijder, 25, does join he will complete an impressive set of aquisitions during the off-season by Mourinho, who has already added Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Lucio and Marco Arnautovic to his squad.

The first four of those all started as Inter were held to a disappointing 1-1 home draw against newly-promoted Bari on Sunday.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: aquisitions, Bari, diamond formation, diego milito, inter milan, italian champions, italian press, Italy, jose mourinho, kaka, la gazzetta dello, la gazzetta dello sport, lucio, MADRID, Marco Arnautovic, midfielder, real madrid, ROME, ronaldo, samuel eto, samuel eto o, Thiago Motta, verge, Wesley Sneijder

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Demichelis blow for Bayern

Bayern Munich’s Argentine international defender Martin Demichelis has been ruled out for up to seven weeks with a right ankle injury, the Bundesliga club announced on Thursday.

Demichelis picked up the injury in training Wednesday.

His loss for the start of the season is a blow for Bayern who had been counting on the 28-year-old after the departure of Brazilian Lucio.

He is expected to be replaced by Holger Badstuber for the German league curtain-raiser against Hoffenheim on Saturday.

German international striker Miroslav Klose is also doubtful for the season opener because of a muscular problem and star striker Franck Ribery could miss the game with a knee problem.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP)

Tags: ankle injury, Argentine, Bayern, bayern munich, curtain raiser, franck ribery, game, german league, Hoffenheim, Holger Badstuber, knee problem, lucio, martin demichelis, miroslav klose, Munich, munich germany, muscular problem, season opener, seven weeks, star striker

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Bayern must sign a keeper, says Effenberg

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes the Bavarian giants could regret for not signing a new goalkeeper.

Effenberg, who captained Bayern to their last Champions League triumph in 2001 when Oliver Kahn was guarding the posts, wants a new goalkeeper signing as his replacement Michael Rensing has failed to meet expectations set for him last term.

“I would invest 20million in a really good goalkeeper,” Effenberg said.

“I would have tried to sign Tim Wiese from Werder Bremen. He has a good presence, has international experience and is not scared to open his mouth.”

But, Bayern will go into the new season with the same goalkeepers like the previous season, Rensing and veteran Hans-Jorg Butt.

Although that position worries Effenberg, he is impressed by the quality of the rest of Louis van Gaal’s squad, particularly since Franck Ribery has not been sold.

And the 41-year-old believes the team should be built around the Frenchman – pursued by Real Madrid over the summer – this season.

“He has got to be given total freedom otherwise that would damage him and the team,” he told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.

“He will always move out onto the wing to do what he does best.”

Effenberg is convinced Ribery will “get back to his best quickly” despite his apparent reluctance to remain with the club this summer.

Effenberg also backed the sale of Brazil defender Lucio to Inter Milan.

“He bore the main responsibility for the bad defence (last season),” added Effenberg.

“As a defender, you must play in the defence and you are not allowed to race 50 yards forward to score goals.

“It was right to sell him.”

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: brazil, Bremen, champions league, franck ribery, frenchman, giants, goalkeepers, Hans-Jorg, inter milan, international experience, jorg butt, Louis, louis van gaal, lucio, MADRID, midfielder, Milan, oliver kahn, reluctance, stefan effenberg, Tim Wiese

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Lucio blames Van Gaal for being disrespectful

Brazilian defender Lucio blame Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal of being disrespectful in the way he treated the player ahead of his transfer to Inter Milan.

Lucio had only just returned from June Confederations Cup when it became clear that his services were no longer needed at the Bavarian outfit.

“It is normal for a coach to have his own ideas,” Lucio told German sportspaper Kicker.” But this good-bye was disrespectful. I just think that I deserved a little more respect. I hoped that the coach would talk to me before drawing a conclusion.”

The 31-year-old joined Bayern in 2004 and made 144 appearances since. The player also captained the Brazilian squad at the Confederations Cup.

By: Jonathan Roorda

Tags: bavarian, Bayern, coach, confederations cup, good bye, Inter, inter milan, louis van gaal, lucio, Milan, Munich, span, sportspaper, transfer, Van Gaal

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Lucio makes Inter switch

Brazilian centre-half Lucio has completed his move to Serie A champions Inter Milan.

The veteran defender joins the Italian giants from Bayern Munich, where he has spent the last five years.

The South American star has penned a three-year contract at Giuseppe Meazza, having admitted that his decision to quit Bayern was a result of the club’s reluctance to offer him a long-term deal.

The 31-year-old will now remain with Inter until the summer of 2012.

He will be hoping to add to his impressive medal collection during his time with Jose Mourinho’s men, having already won one World Cup, three German titles, three German Cups and two German League Cups.

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: american star, Bayern, bayern munich, german titles, giants, giuseppe meazza, inter milan, Jose, jose mourinho, league cups, lucio, Milan, rajput, reluctance, South American, World Cup

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Lucio switch to Inter ´not done´

Bayern Munich’s Brazilian international defender Lucio’s proposed move to Serie A champions Inter Milan has not been completed, the Italians said on Thursday.

Inter’s transfer consultant Gabriele Oriali rebuked an earlier claim from the German club and was later confirmed by club president Massimo Moratti.

“Nothing is signed regarding Lucio’s transfer, there’s nothing official,” Moratti told Inter’s official website.

However he did admit that any such deal for the centre-back could spell the end in Inter’s interest in Chelsea pair Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.

“From what I know there’s nothing agreed. Would the signing of Lucio mean we abandon a deal for Deco and Carvalho?” he said.

“I think it’s sufficiently clear that we can’t sign 40 players.”

Moratti’s words confirmed what Oriali had already stated.

“We’re negotiating but we don’t yet have an agreement,” Oriali told Italian news agency Ansa before adding: “Although it could be finalised in a matter of days.”

Bayern had earlier asserted that an agreement had been reached.

“Lucio is moving immediately to Inter Milan,” said club president Uli Hoeness, adding that the hugely experienced defender was set to sign a three-year contract with the Italian outfit.

The fee involved has not been revealed but is believed to be around 10 milion euros (14 million dollars), German sports media said.

The 31-year-old captained Brazil to the Confederations Cup title in South Africa earlier this month.

Lucio’s departure could herald several more departures from the south German club, Bayern coach Louis Van Gaal suggested.

“I have always said I work with 22 players and three juniors. It is very important for the players to have the chance of taking part in matches and that sometimes does not happen when the team is too big, it is not good for motivation,” the Dutchman said.

Bayern’s first-team squad currently comprises 27 players, so the implication would be that up to five could go before the start of the season.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ansa, Bayern, bayern munich, brazil, Bundesliga, CHELSEA, club president, confederations cup, departures, dutchman, gabriele oriali, german club, german sports, implication, inter milan, italian news agency, italian outfit, italians, louis van gaal, lucio, Milan, milion, president massimo moratti, ricardo carvalho, ROME, Serie A, South Africa, south German, sports media

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