La prima del "Corriere dello Sport", giusto per usare un giornale sportivo che non sia diventato un magazine di gossip o l'organo di un club- mette vicine due notizie contrastanti e però interessanti. L'ad juventino Jean Claude Blanc che sostiene la Juve sia da scudetto con Buffon e tre rinforzi, e Julio Cesar in forse all'Inter perché Moratti vuole Buffon.

Io, da interista, lo dico a voce alta: voglio che Buffon resti alla Juve. Non deve andare all'Inter, perché anche se è un fuoriclasse ed è più forte di Julio Cesar, il brasiliano ha dato garanzie di affidabilità e sicurezza e con Buffon i punti dei nerazzurri non sarebbero più di quelli conquistati. Julio ha parato due rigori quasi decisivi, con Siena e Ascoli, ha effettuato interventi decisivi, ha commesso pochi errori. A dimostrazione che è meglio un ottimo portiere con davanti ottimi difensori che un fuoriclasse con davanti Legrottaglie e Boumsong alle prese con Serafini.

Certo, se le risorse di Moratti fossero illimitate potrei essere d'accordo, ma preferirei che i -tanti, tantissimi- milioni che la Juve chiede per il suo portiere fossero spesi in altri reparti, prendendo un sostituto di Figo e un grande attaccante, tipo Van Nistelrooy. E siccome le due cose sono alternative, opterei per il fantasista e il centravanti. E poi, non vorrei nemmeno che andasse al Milan, i rossoneri potrebbero rinforzarsi e infastidirci per lo scudetto.

La mia speranza, devo dire, è vana. Credo che la Juve alla fine lo cederà al Milan. E considero patetici i tifosi juventini che, invece di arrabbiarsi per la cessione del proprio portiere, si inalberano solo se va all'Inter. Come dire, non me ne frega niente se mia moglie mi fa le corna, purché non sia con l'idraulico. Infine Blanc: secondo me è un altro titolo a sensazione del Corsport, ma l'amministratore delegato dice una mezza verità: o effettua i tre grandi acquisti con i proventi della cessione di Buffon, oppure tiene Buffon e con 40 milioni bene che gli vada gli mette davanti un Barzagli o uno Zaccardo.

Insomma, Buffon resti dov'è, tanto - a sentire Tuttosport- avrà attorno a sé una formazione di assoluto valore mondiale...o no? E soprattutto, spero che Julio Cesar, più giovane di Buffon e bravo più di qualsiasi altro portiere al di fuori di Gianluigi, resti con noi.

Pavel Nedved è turbato: povero, non voleva vedere Ibra sul pullman. E poi gli ha fatto tanto tanto dispiacere sentire gli interisti che dicevano di aver vinto senza rubare. "Non si può mettere in dubbio che fossimo i più forti, abbiamo vinto sul campo" ha tuonato il "drago di Cheb". Ho deciso di rivolgermi direttamente a lui.

Caro Pavel, ora non vorremmo essere troppo crudeli nei tuoi confronti, è umano cercare di difendere la propria carriera professionale. Certo non è bello scoprire che le proprie vittorie non sono proprio tutte genuine, ovviamente non è come se io vincessi il Pulitzer per questo post e scoprissi che le votazioni sono tutte truccate, ma chi gioca o ha giocato a calcio sa che certe situazioni si percepiscono. Sacchi ultimamente ha detto "sapevamo di lottare contro una grande squadra, ma anche contro qualcosa di più forte, di esterno", forse ci si accorge di questo solo quando i poteri forti remano contro? L'atteggiamento di un arbitro non è chiaro?

Dai, Pavel, quante volte ti abbiamo visto dopo un falletto subito, rotolare per una decina di metri tenendoti la gamba come se fosse stata amputata, aspettando fiducioso nel cartellino per il tuo avversario per poi rialzarti più baldanzoso di prima? Ti ricordi quel 5 ottobre 2003, stavi giocando contro il Bologna al Delle Alpi, Zambrotta cadeva a terra e l'arbitro vi assegnava un rigore che non c'era? Ti ricordi il volto smarrito di Zambrotta, roso dal dubbio se dire o no all'arbitro che si era buttato. Ricordi, Pavel, che andasti a bloccare Gianluca, a dirgli che non era il caso in quel momento così delicato di parlare con l'arbitro? Lo convincesti, da bravo sportivo, a dirgli che il rigore c'era, e vinceste col Bologna 2-1.

Eppure, Pavel, alla Lazio non eri così, molti qui a Roma ti ricordano, oltre che per la generosità, per la tua sportività. C'è una scuola di 'stile Juve' a Torino, per caso? E poi, sicuro che dal campo non si capisca come vanno le cose? Non si capisce l'atteggiamento di un arbitro? A me sembra -sembra- che quest'anno le cose siano cambiate, dopo Calciopoli la Juve è trattata come le altre. Non è favorita, ma nemmeno sfavorita. E se prima non percepivate il trattamento di favore, com'è che ora un trattamento equo lo considerate sfavorevole? Pavel, hai dimostrato con le scene isteriche di Genova che ti costarono cinque giornate di squalifica, che a certe decisioni non eri abituato. Anche Del Piero, a quanto pare, è tutto l'anno che è nervoso quando parla con gli arbitri...

E va beh, dai, tornerete in serie A e prima o poi riprenderete a vincere. Spero per te faccia in tempo a vivere dei nuovi successi in maglia bianconera, visto che hai 35 anni ma non pensi di lasciare. Però non venire a dire che in passato eravate tanto più forti degli altri da non aver bisogno di aiuti, nel 2006 avete vinto per 3 punti, nel 2005 (l'unico anno sotto indagine, anche se probabilmente non è l'unico irregolare) per 7, non sono molti se consideriamo le 38 giornate. E non ti arrabbiare se vedi dei tuoi colleghi festeggiare uno scudetto, visto che quando è stato il momento l'hai fatto anche tu!

The triumphal march in serie A (20 wins, 3 draws and no defeats) deceived Inter fans, but in Europe things are different this year. The groups stage started in a bad way, with 2 incredible defeats in Lisbon and home vs Bayern Munich, then three consecutive wins against two irresistible teams as Sporting and Spartak Moscow. And now, retour match in Mestalla will be very difficult. Inter needs to win or draw at 3 to get through the quarter finals. Inter is Valencia's bete noir, and we hope in a good result.

It has been difficult and to play in front of 22000 people in a stadium that can contain 85000, but an absurd regulation gave access to "Meazza" in San Siro only to people with season tickets that are, for yuor information, 35000. Ok, we have to increase security, but we don't think the right way to do this is to keep people outside. Anyway, after kick off Inter starts slowly and ball possession is for Valencia. Coach Mancini cannot field his usual starting 11, as Patrick Vieira suffers with some muscolar problems, so Figo is just behind the strikers and midfield is made by Stankovic, Zanetti and Cambiasso. It's just the Argentinean Cuchu to score for the 1-0: free kick of Figo from the right, Ibra hit the ball with his shoe's sole, Canizares saves but Cambiasso's header goes into the Spanish goal. Probably it was an offside.

Second half: Inter's rythm is lower than before, and Valencia is better, though they played last Sunday in front ofa tough team as Barcelona is. Minute 64: a foul by Dacourt, and David Villa's free kick from 30 metres passes by Inter's wall. It's a fantastic goal, but Julio Cesar could be positioned better, and the wall itself was not so well positioned. Anyway, it's 1-1. Inter takes it badly, but after some time Cruz enters for Crespo, and serves a delightful assist to Maicon, that beats Canizares. Inter is leading again, but it lasts no more than 10' minutes a corer from the right by Villa, and the other David, Silva, finds his life's shot. It's the end: Inter 2, Valencia 2.

It will be hard for Inter at Mestalla on March 6th. Valencia stadium will be -differently from Milan San Siro- a hell-pit, but Inter has to demonstrate that his strenght is not relegated to the Italian border. And Roberto Mancini has to avoid tonight's mistakes, especially in second half. Ok, Vieira was injured and Cambiasso had to go out, but we think he should have send into the pitch Santiago Solari, in Figo's stead or maybe Stankovic. Well, he should have changed his pattern into a classic 4-4-2, but he definitely needed more power in Inter's midfield.

Let's give some ratings to Inter players:

Julio Cesar 5/10: first goal of Valencia is due to his mistake
Maicon 7: now he's also a scorer
Materazzi 6: he catches all high balls, but a little bit slow for Valencia's forwards
Cordoba 5.5: sometimes he misses Villa and Morientes
Burdisso 6: better in his end, he doesn't attack as he should
Zanetti 6.5: it's his best season of the career, and also in this unlucky Champions League is one of the best
Stankovic 5: he's imprecise even in the easiest passes, too tired in second-half
Figo 6: a good first half, then he disappears
Cambiasso 6.5: a goal, then he has to go out for a muscular problem
Crespo 5: just a header close to goal, he touches few balls
Ibra 5.5: not his best night, but as usual he shows some touches of class
Dacourt 6: not a midfield barrier we know
Cruz 6: an assist to Maicon, half of second goal is the Argentinean's

Lesile Lievesley is a 36 y.o. man from Staveley, Derbyshire. He's a goodlooks man, always smiling. When he was a boy, he used to play football at Doncaster Rovers, Crystal Palace and Manchester United (where he played only two matches in 1932), with no results. He runs in the family, his father was English National Team goalkeeper. In the summer of 1947, when coach Luigi Ferrero leaver Torino and young teams coach Sperone gets a promotion, president Ferruccio Novo hires Lievesley for his breeding ground: funds are few, so better raise some talentous boy and make money with his transfer. Lievesley seems to be the right person for this task.

His arrival has a violent impact: he also has in his tasks the athletic training of Grande Torino, and some players don't like his methods, too hard to them. Especially Gabetto and Marsso, that immediately named him "L’Ingleìs". Torino of Sperone wins 47/48 Serie A, and it's the fourth consecutive Scudetto, and for Novo it's normal giving to Lievesley the main team coach title. He also knows very welle the WM tactics, thet in Englans is in place since the 20's. Close to him Ernest ‘Egri’ Erbstein, as technical director. On the other side of Turin, in 1948 Juventus' coach is Renato Cesarini, the striker of the Golden Age of Bianconeri (5 titles between 1931 and 1935). At the end Juventus is second, but Cesarini comes back to Argentina, because of the results but also due to Lira depreciationthat makes his salary lower than expected. Just in Turin, no May 16th 1948, the Azzurri got a football lesson by the English teachers: a 0-4 that raises a lot of discussion. That's why young president Agnelli decides to look for an English coach.

William Chalmers becomes the new Juventus coach. Hes Scottish, and a former player of Glasgow Ranges and Newcastle. He is 43 and comes from Aldershot Town FC. Inter Milan hires a complete stranger, John David Astley, that will lead the team together with director Giulio Cappelli. That summer, even the Italian National team might have an English coach: Pozzo is dismissed after the Olympic Games and someone would like the famous coach Whittaker, but at the end nationalism predominates. Chalmers e Astley are a bluff, the first one has a very strong team (Boniperti, Parola, and Danish striker John Hansen) but at the end is fourth; Astley is deprived of authority in favour of Cappelli even for the daily training, and is sent away after two thirds of the season.
Lievesley? The granata coach goes very well in that 1948/49, he wins the scudetto but unfortunately dies in Superga crash together with Grande Torino, on May 4th.

In the meantime, Gianni Agnelli hires a new British coach, in spite of his baad experience with Chalmers. In the summer of Jesse Carver, ex Dutch national team coach, and coming from Milwall FC is the new Juventus' coach. He will be the last of UK coaches in that period of Serie A, and the one who remained for more time. HE wins the championship immediatelu -after 15 years- thanks to Boniperti, Hansen and the other Danish Praest. The Welsh man likes attacking game and runs a lot of risks (famous his 1-7 defeat at AC Milan, the second classified that year), moreover he tries for the very first time the zone marking. Though his game is spectacular, after a third place during his second year, he is replaced by great Hungarian Gyorgi Sarosi. Carver starts awondering around Italy, and will be a coact at Marzotto Valdagno, Torino, Roma, Lazio, Inter e Genoa. He'll be back also teice in England, at West Bromwich and Coventry City, but he won't win anymore.

Serie A is quite boring, especially for the first place, but tomorow the last 16 of the biggest European competition comes to the fore. Celtic Glasgow-AC Milan tomorrow, Inter Milan-Valencia and AS Roma-Lyon on Wednesday are the matches of Italian teams. A difficult heath for everybody, very difficult to get through, especially for the Romans. Lyon has been dominating French League for five years, and it should win this year as well, but in Champions League their best result was a quarter final. Now Lyon is a little bit weaker than the beginning of the season, but still a dangerous opponent. Juninho Pernambucano is sure we'll see the rtue Lyon next Wednesday. In Rome the enthusiasm is great, it's first time the Giallorossi get through UCL the groups stage.

Coach Spalletti denies any dispute with Totti after the captain's substitution at Empoli. "French are strong -the coach from Certaldo says- but I'm convinced AS Roma will play two great games". Probably center back Philippe Mexes will take part of the game against his compatriots. If in Rome, Stadio Olimpico will be full, in Milan for an absurd decision only season tickets holders can watch the game, even the ones buying tickets before Catania riots had to renounce, and will get only a full refund of the ticket. Mancini should have his best formation, with many players that just had a rest day on Saturday. Valencia is a hard nut to crack, especially after their win in front of Spain and Europe champions of Barcelona. They have a good forward duo (Villa and El Moro Morientes), and good midfielder. Inter has a lot to loose, and the same is for Italian football: imagine what could happen if the team that is triumphing in the Serie A League was sent off by a Spanish team...
Anyway, Baraja and Vicente haven't been called up due to someinjuries.

AC Milan is maybe the weakest Italian team at the moment in this last-16 tie, but also has the easiest task. Celtic Glasgow has been a surprise of the groups stage, but still seems to be at a lower level than the Milanese. The problem for Ancelotti is that some key players won't take part to the match: Ronaldo already played in Champions at Real Madri), Dida is injured and Gilardino is not sure he will play. Only Oliveira is ok among the forwards. Then, the Celtic Park is a hot stadium, ad the Scottish have a player like Shunsuke Nakamura that can create some danger. "I'd like to be in good condition -the Japanese says- I think it will be a great match". Well, we hope all of these matches will be great, but for the Italian clubs...

In a surreal atmosphere, with no viewers, Inter won 2-0 against Chievo and this is Nerazzurri’s fifteenth consecutive wind. Real Madrid (46 years ago) and Bayern (in 2005, but not in the same season) have been equalized, but it’s not an European record yet.
Inter scored after 41”, with Adriano from a very difficult angle, then Chievo tried to make life difficult to Julio Cesar but in second half Crespo (with a suspect handball before kicking) scored for the final 2-0.

Roma won at home vs. Parma (3-0, all goals in second half), but we have to remark that before the match (an open door match, we have to specify) AS Roma fans did not participate in a silence minute in memory of policeman Raciti. There were also slogans against police, a shame one week after Catania events. And it’s been the proof that if the stadium is ok, but you fill it with stupid people, violence problem has not been solved.

AC Milan had to face a difficult test, Livorno is a very good team, even more today with Stefano Fiore and Cesar Rodriguez, two former Lazio players. Ronaldo played in second half, but the decisive goal has been scored by Czech left back Jankulosky. At the end, in Milan San Siro stadium season tickets could watch the match, showing that at the end Italians find compromise between “zero tolerance” and anarchy. Everything went well, and we think they will go well next Sunday for Inter-Cagliari.

All matches started at 3 pm, for security reasons, as we already said. But at the end not every match started on time: Messina-Catania, another risky Sicilian derby, started at 4pm due to heavy rainfalls. An important win in Palermo, and Empoli now is fourth and will have to fight against Milan and Lazio (0-0 in Bergamo behind closed doors vs. Atalanta) for the Champions League qualifying round. Fiorentina had a very good afternoon: Toni and Mutu could not play, but their substitutes Reginaldo and Pazzini scored: Fiorentina is officially one of the candidates for fourth place!

Inter 0, Sampdoria 0. The news is that, after a long time, Inter tonight did not win. Last draw was in Munich (Bayern-Inter, Champions League 1-1 on December 5th) . The bad news -for its opponents- is that this was a second leg of Coppa Italia semi-final, and in the first leg Inter won 3-0 in Genoa. So, for the third year the team lead by Roberto Mancini will face AS Roma that yesterday won against Milan 3-1. In the last two years Inter took the cup away, and in case of another win, it would be a record.

Tonight Inter could enter the scene with its second team, only Burdisso that usually is in “Inter 1” played tonight but just because he cannot play for the main match of the season, the third Inter-Roma of five: he is disqualified. Even 17 y.o. midfielder Francesco Bolzoni could play his first game with black and blue jersey, and also other Under 20 players like Bonucci, Maaroufi and Fautario were part of the match. There’s not so much to say about the game, except the good return of Alvaro Recoba in the final part.

At the end, we just heard Luis Figo talk again of his transfer to Saudi Arabian Al Ittihad, with a little bit of polemic statement against Mancini (“I stay here until the end of the season because Moratti asked me, I didn’t talk to the coach). Oh, we just thought that Figo leaves Inter to earn a mass of money! Mancini as well was asked about his contract, and of course he took a couple of minutes to him to say…nothing about it. At the end we think he’ll stay at Inter.

So, Inter-Roma is National cup final, but it’s also next Sunday’s match. San Siro will be full of people, last time was for the Supercup and Inter won 4-3 after being 0-3 in first half. And just Figo scored the decisive goal, that time. It’s even pointless to say that Inter could write the words “The End” for this Serie A, but Roma yesterday showed they can make it. And what about Inter tonight? Well, none of the eleven footballers we’ll see on the ground next Sunday played tonight.

Let’s stay in Milan, but on the other side: on Friday there is Ronaldo’s introduction to journalists, in a general state of coldness. No AC Milan fans went to the training centre to say “welcome” to him, and also in San Siro his old fans of Inter ignored him and went light with him. Let’s see if he’ll give to his new fans emotions and delight them. At the moment he’s still injured and in bad shape. The Rossoneri are really unlucky: today we knew that Dida has a shoulder ligament injury, he’ll be back in the middle of March: Ancelotti is forced to utilize newcomer Marco Storari, former Messina goalie, without experience in big clubs and in main competitions. And he will have to play in Champions League…oh, what a bad season for AC Milan!

Last week we talked about the bookmaker SNAI that suspended bets on Inter win in Serie A. Well, today’s news is that they are already start paying all the betters four months before the end of the season. If we were superstitious, as we like Inter, we would buy a lot of charms. Anyway, in their shoes we would have waited 10.30 pm next Sunday, at the end of the match between the Nerazzurri and AS Roma (second in ranking, 11 points below), before paying.

At that time, if Roma doesn’t get the 3 points, can we really consider the Italian championship finished with 16 games still to play? Maybe yes, maybe not. Of course yes for bookmakers, if we consider that another one is just accept stakes only on the final gap between Inter and the second, probably Roma.

The Romans tried to put some pressure yesterday by beating Siena, while Inter had to face Sampdoria in the evening. It’s already so tough, to meet Inter this year. And Sampdoria did its best to make its life more complicated when Delvecchio tried to become the new Zidane, though this time his head butt hit Materazzi’s chin. Red card to him, yellow for Inter’s defender, and everything easier especially after Ibra’s header and Maincon goal after a counter attack.

Now, Inter –as we said- is eleven points clear at the top, but also Roma is now 7 points over Palermo. It looks like the most exciting story is the battle for fourth place the last that give Champions League qualifying stage. Now, Lazio and Catania have 30 points, Empoli and Udinese 29, Atalanta 28, Milan 27. Team that can go through are these, for less than a sensational second half by Fiorentina. Lazio –very good in Palermo even after Oddo went away- and Milan for its strength are the teams that can have more chances.

Milan would have even more chances, of course, with Ronaldo. The Brazilian is not available for Champions League, but could be helpful to reach next season’s qualifying round. But…is Ronaldo already an AC Milan player? Not at the moment. Galliani is in Madrid, but there’s still a mismatch in terms of player’s value and also of payment conditions. Tomorrow is the day. Anyhow, in place of Galliani we wouldn’t risk loosing Ronaldo for half a million euro, after that last summer Milan signed Oliveira for many millions more!

Some days ago we posted about Ronaldo and what his old fans were thinking about his arrival at AC Milan. Now –it’s an official news- Ronaldo is a Milan player, so we would like to know what Red and Black fans think. Best hypothesis is R9 will be unhelpful to Ancelotti, but some of them really have difficulty accepting the Brazilian Forward.

Bisax, a great fan of the Rossoneri and also a good writer, says: “Still think that there are very few people than can define themselves “Milan Fan” and at the same time exult for the arrival of the Madrid “Gordo”. For a lot of reasons. It comes to mind a “Rivaldo effect”, the Brazilian champion that came at the end of his career to hole up in Milan. Very good media deal, but insignificant on a football basis. And this is only one reason that brings Milan fan to refuse Ronaldo. It’s not for a comparison to Vieri, accepted (not welcome) to show Inter that we are able to “recycle” players they give up. No one deluded himself that Vieri could revive at Milan, no one marvelled when he left, no one misses him.
The main problem, I think, is following: Ronaldo IS Inter.
De facto Ronaldo was and still is, in any Milanist’s mind, an Inter player. In those years when he wore black and blue jersey he became every inch that club’s icon, its joys and sufferings. Ronaldo sobbing like a baby on May 5, 2002 IS Inter. This, a Milan fan cannot forget. And cannot forget Ronaldo is a traitor!
When he ran away during the night, looking for glory (he didn’y find) at Galacticos, he betrayed not only his fans, but also his opponents that hated him as we hate all dangers, but at the same time respected him. With that escape (different than Sheva’s one) Ronaldo lost all that respect.
That’s why I was so happy when I read the negotiation failed. That’s why I’ll have difficulty accepting him.”

Daw is a blogstar of the website “Il Cannocchiale” (more than one million visits) and he likes the idea of Ronaldo at Milan just in spite of Inter fans.
“Let’s talk turkey -he says- we have only one goal this season: the Champions League win. Red and black executives have just bought Ronaldo that won’t play in Champions League. What to do with him? His purchase has to be inserted in an extra sport field, it’s a sort of spite to our cousins Inter fans. As Italian league, once “the best league in the world” is having a break –all main teams not interested to Serie A, winner already determined last September and “Serie A Ltd.” value fallen over – the only satisfaction we have is to see Ronaldo the Phenomenon with red and black jersey. I’d say to Milan executives: next year, please, let’s come back to do things seriously, don’t be pranksters anymore”

Butirrometro is one of the Milan Blog Club entertainers: “Ronaldo would have been a good purchase only for free. Sign a player for 6 million Euros for an 18 months contract is not a good deal. It would make sense only if the contract would be longer or the player younger. It’s 6 million Euros you see vanish in 18 months.”

To finish, blogger “Rossonero di Vergogna” (Red and Black with Shame) is the one in the Milan Blog Club that would like a change in management ad say “Milan to Milan people”.
He put in his blog 10 ironic reasons why it’s good to see Ronaldo at Milan:

1) He’s Brazilian (well some years ago Galliani didn’t like Brazilian then he changed his mind) just like Kaka, Dida, etc.
2) He’s an over 30 as everybody at Milan, even newcomers
3) He’s not very professional and likes discos more than football as Inzaghi, Brocchi, etc.
4) He has already won
5) It’s a purchase done for mass media like Rivaldo, Redondo, etc.
6) He’s free of charge (not true, but who cares if AC Milan goes out of business?)
7) He’ll score in the derby like Bobone Vieri
8) He is making Moratti gnaw (oh, I think he’s laughing, fall guys!)
9) Because with Milan Lab he’ll be in a better shape like Crespo (the we’ll give it back to cousins)
10) Because in Brazil he’s named Ronaldinho. Well, we’ve signed Ronladinho too!

PS: it's amazing that, on arrival at Milan Airport, Ronaldo found his old Inter fans, and no Milan supporters...

It’s a good Coppa Italia edition, as we have four top teams qualified for the semi-finals. This evening in Genoa, Sampdoria and Inter Milan played their first of three matches in a week (next Sunday for Serie A day 21, and Thursday February 1st the semi-final second leg), and the Blucerchiati play with their best team. On the contrary, Mancini prefers to give a day-off to Ibra, Adriano, Maicon, Materazzi, Maxwell, Cambiasso, Vieira.

The difference between the two teams is anyway big, just consider that if Ibra and Adriano are at home, this means that forward is Hernan Crespo. And the game goes quickly to the expected direction. After Sampdoria players claim a penalty kick for a deflection with the hand by Cordoba, at 10’ a free kick by Luis Figo goes towards the far goal post: Nicolas Burdisso is the quickest and his header is lethal for Samp’s goalie.

Sampdoria tries to react, but the only thing they can do are some far shots that cannot give problems to Toldo (JC has still a bad backache). Inter on the contrary tries to come close to Zotti’s goal, and it’s again a header by an Argentinean, this time Hernan Crespo, that gives a satisfaction to Mancini. And again Luis Figo is the assist man, with his left foot. Crespo jumps above Accardi: 24 minutes, 0-2.

At half time, coach Novellino replaces Bonazzoli with Zenoni. At 3’, Inter with Crespo is close to third goal, then Sampdoria has some good chances with Quagliarella and Flachi. But it’s again Inter that scores: Figo (and who else?) beats a right-wing corner and Burdisso’s header, this time Zotti gets a hand to it but cannot save. 56 minutes, 0-3.

Well, among all records that Inter is breaking this season, there’s a defender as top scorer in a competition: this is Nicolas Burdisso, four goals in this Coppa Italia. And it’s even normal, in a team that scores a lot of goals in dead ball situations. It’s just a pity that Figo is leaving Inter, after this match where he gave 3 assists to his team-mates. Sampdoria just want to avoid a worst result, we just note the entry of young defender Bastrini and, on Inter’s side, the come-back of Julio Cruz “el jardinero”, and the entry of Belgian midfielder Maaroufi and Greek striker Choutos.

Next Thursday in San Siro in Milan, Nerazzurri probably will gain their third consecutive Coppa Italia final, while Sampdoria will try to stop Inter’s ride on Sunday night, in a Serie A match. Tomorrow, at 9,15 PM (CET) always in San Siro, AC Milan and AS Roma will fight for the other semi-final, and the result of the match will be -we’re sure- more difficult to forecast than this evening’s one.

Tonight in Serie A, Catania beat Empoli 2-1. The encounter was originally scheduled to be played back on December 16, but bad weather in the Sicilian city forced the game to be postponed. Now Catania is fourth with 29 pts., just one more that Empoli itself.

Here is first goal pic, from www.inter.it: