The defender did just about everything to limit Zlatan’s ability to get on the end of this ball. Just about…
Being 6′ 5″ and having some of the sickest skill ever can lead to goals like this.
This still might be his best ever,
though this flick against Italy in the 2004 Euro’s was nuts.
Massimo Moratti, Inter’s head honcho, has confirmed that Maradona will go to work for Inter Milan. It sounds like his two main roles will have him being a talent scout in South America and trying to bring in Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid. Bringing Aguero to the San Siro would be a family affair as Maradona’s daughter Giannina is expecting a baby from Aguero in February.
Catania scoring the opener, a Quaresma debut redirection goal, a shady Muntari Red Card and a questionable own goal that might have crossed the line…. Then the next day the Director of Catania, Pietro Lo Monaco has a go at you and your response is to ask who is because he’s never heard of him….
Just another day in the life of Inter
FC Porto has accepted Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan’s packaged 18.6 Million Euro + 20 year old Portuguese midfielder Pele bid for 24 year old Portuguese midfielder Ricardo Quaresma.
Quaresma’s initial big money move saw him leave Sporting Lisbon in 2003 for the bright lights of Barcelona before heading back to Portugal with FC Porto in 2004 after only 22 games.
The Portugal International has 23 Full Team appearances with 3 goals and was omitted from Felipe Scolari’s 2008 Euro team due to what the papers refer to as “defensive liabilities”.
Mancini, Muntari and Quaresma together is a pretty damn good summer transfer window in the midfield department for Inter Milan.
Quaresma v Ronaldo video after the Jump….
A court in Naples recently ordered Inter to pay a Napoli fan €1,500 compensation for “existential damage” caused by banners displayed during a match. The banners described Naples as the “sewer of Italy”, an insult referring to a chronic refuse crisis that had left rubbish rotting in the streets of Naples.
Provocative abuse was displayed on other banners at the match, which Inter won 2-1, including “Ciao cholera sufferers!” and “Neapolitans have tuberculosis”. Inter fans also sang offensive chants. Raffaele Di Monda, representing the Napoli fan (identified only as GDB), argued that the concerted and vindictive abuse made his client feel “indignant and deeply hurt”. In addition to damages, the court ordered Inter to pay Mr GDB’s costs, making the courtroom contest 2-0 to Napoli.
Image via Flickr
Concacaf and Honduran International David Suazo has left Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan and headed west for the 2008 - 09 season, signing with Portuguese side Benfica.
The 28 year old Suazo (who by the way is one of the strongest players I’ve ever played against) had dropped 95 goals in 255 appearances for Cagliari between 1999 - 2007, but suffered in form after Inter paid 10 Million Euro with only 8 goals in 27 matches in the 2007 - 08 Serie A campaign under Roberto Mancini, while Mario Balotelli flourished.
After Pablo Aimar, Jose Antonio Reyes and Real Madrid’s Javier Balboa, newly minted Director of Football Rui Costa’s done a pretty damn good job of bringing in talent ahead of the 2008 - 09 BWINLIGA season.
image via Cache
UPDATE - Balotelli received his Italian Passport on Wednesday after being granted citizenship.
“I’m Italian from birth but it’s only become fact today,” said Balotelli. “There was a moment in which I considered accepting the offer and saying yes to the Ghana side, but then the idea of playing for the country where I have been since birth prevailed.
“Now I’m waiting for a call from (Italy coach Marcello) Lippi or (under-21 coach Pierluigi) Casiraghi.”
I’m betting he’s going to be hearing something pretty soon.
Super Mario Balotelli only has to wait until August 12th (when he officially turns 18 years old) to finalize his Italian Passport, one that has kept him from representing Italy at the Youth International Level.
Balotelli was born to Ghanian parents, but was adopted (although never made official) by the Balotelli family of Brescia back in 1993 at the age of 3.
At 15 years old, Super Mario made his Serie C debut with Lumezzane against Alexi Lalas’ old side Padova. In 2006 the 6′2 1/2″ 16 year old made his way to Inter, starting with the U-17’s, moving quickly to the Primavera (Reserves) side and made his Serie A full team debut on December 17, 2007, replacing Honduran David Suazo in a 2-nil win over Cagliari.
Balotelli would start in Inter’s Coppa Italiano match four days later scoring 2 goals in a 4-1 win over Reggina Calcio.
He would follow that up with 3 Serie A goals, scoring perhaps his most important and assisting on Vieira’s goal against Siena on the final day of the season.
Despite Ghana making numerous approaches for the 17 year old to represent the Black Stars, Balotelli has refused as he feels fully Italian and sees the passport debacle as just one more step in the process of representing Italy at the highest level.
I’m gonna call it right now.. Balotelli killing it at 2010.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s Bayern Munich fell 1-nil to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in the inaugural Franz Beckenbauer Cup through Mancini’s absolutely sick goal in the 52nd minute.
Now Munich’s attention will continue to focus on their opening round Bundesliga match against Hamburg on August 15th.
